Japan Invades Manchuria

Japanese troops enter the city of Mukden in
Manchuria, September 19, 1931
(public domain)

In need of raw materials to fuel Japan's war machine, on September 13, 1931 Japan invaded Manchuria, the province in northern China which was rich in iron and coal. Although the League of Nations condemned the attack, it was powerless to do anything. Nevertheless, Japan withdrew from the League, weakening it even further.

Japan's military staged an event called the Mukden Incident to provide a reason for the invasion. Planting explosives near a Japanese owned railway line, Japan's military authorities blamed Chinese nationals. A day later the invasion began.

This was the first aggressive act prior to the outbreak of World War II.