The Manchurian Crisis and the Failure of 1930s Disarmament

The Manchurian Crisis

Japan's Characteristics in the 1920s

In the 1920s, Japan possessed:

• A very powerful army and navy.
• A strong industry.
• Significant exports of goods to the USA and China.
• A growing empire, including the Korean Peninsula.

Impact of the Depression on Japan

The Great Depression had significant consequences for Japan:

• Both China and the USA imposed tariffs against Japanese goods.
• The Japanese economy entered a crisis.
• Without trade, Japan couldn't feed its people.

Reasons for Invading Manchuria

An incident in Manchuria provided Japan with an opportunity to expand its territory and influence.

Japan's Actions in Manchuria

Japan already controlled the South Manchurian Railway. When Chinese soldiers allegedly invaded it, Japanese forces overran Manchuria and expelled the Chinese forces. They subsequently established a puppet government in Manchuria in 1932.

Army vs. Government Control

The government in Japan instructed the army to withdraw, but these instructions were ignored. The army was effectively in control of Japanese foreign policy at this time.

China's Response to the Invasion

China appealed to the League of Nations for assistance.

Japan's Justification for Invasion

Japan claimed that China was in such a state of anarchy that they had to invade (in self-defense) to maintain peace in the area.

League of Nations' Actions

League officials sailed around the world to assess the situation in Manchuria for themselves. This led to the Lytton Report.

Japan's Reaction to the League's Decision

The League's decision stated that Japan had acted unlawfully. Japan responded by announcing their intention to invade more of China in 1933. Despite more votes in favor of Manchuria returning to China, Japan resigned from the League on March 21, 1933.

Other Nations' Reactions

Reactions from other major powers were limited:

• Britain was more interested in maintaining a good relationship with Japan than in agreeing to sanctions.
• Member countries of the League didn't even agree to discuss banning arms sales to Japan.
• There was no prospect of Britain and France using their navies and armies in a war with Japan.
• The USA and the USSR would have had the resources to remove the Japanese from Manchuria by force, but they were not even members of the League.

Outcome of the Manchurian Crisis

The result demonstrated the League's powerlessness when a strong nation decided to pursue an aggressive policy and invade its neighbors. Japan had committed blatant aggression and faced no significant consequences. Leaders like Hitler and Mussolini observed this with interest, seeing it as an example they could follow.

Failure of Disarmament in the 1930s

Background to Disarmament Efforts

Germany was forced to disarm after World War 1, while other nations had not done the same. Countries were spending more on armaments than before the war. In 1932, a disarmament conference produced resolutions to:

• Prohibit the bombing of civilian populations.
• Limit the size of artillery.
• Limit the tonnage of tanks.
• Prohibit chemical warfare.

The Central Question of Disarmament

The key question was whether everyone should disarm or if the Germans should be allowed to rearm to the level of other nations.

Disarmament Conference Failure

The conference initially failed to agree on the principle of equality. Britain eventually sent a note agreeing to equality, and an agreement was reached to treat Germany equally. However, Hitler became Chancellor of Germany and, despite promising not to rearm publicly, was secretly rearming Germany. Britain produced a disarmament plan, but the underlying lack of commitment led to the conference's collapse.

Reason for Conference Failure

Ultimately, the conference failed because no major power was truly serious about disarmament.