Author: John Toland
Translators: Fang Hongjin, He Zhongxia, Wu Yue
Publisher: Zhejiang Literature and Art Publishing House
Publication time: 2022-04-01
The Root of the First War
Chapter 1: 'Lower and Upper'
In Western society, such young people can achieve their ideals by joining unions or engaging in politics. But in Japan, the best way for young people, especially those from small landlord or merchant families, is to become officers in the army or navy. They came into the military and only then did they deeply understand the real poverty situation in society. Those soldiers from the bottom of the rural population came from poor families, and if a male soldier went out to join the army, their families would fall into famine. When these soldiers received letters from their families, they would read and cry at the same time. What do you think about this?
This made these young officers realize that someone must be held responsible for such social issues, and that those senior officers, politicians, and court ministers should be held accountable. They joined secret organizations one after another for this, including the "Tianjian Party" that incited violent actions for assassination, as well as the "Sakura Society" that actively advocated expanding their territory abroad and implementing reforms domestically. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
In 1928, such turmoil reached its peak. Two outstanding military figures put everyone's imagined plan into practical action. One of them is Let me know your thoughts in the comments!Shiyuan Guan'er ZhongzuoOne isColonel Itagaki SeishiroShiyuan is talented, shrewd, skilled in planning but boastful; Itagaki is calm and composed, with meticulous thinking and good organizational skills. Such two characters working together is simply a perfect match. As long as Ishihara can plan something well, Itagaki will definitely be able to implement it successfully. Both of them were at that time Have you tried this before? Share your story!Japanese army stationed in Northeast China during the AntiJapanese WarThe staff of this unit has been sent to desolate areas since 1905ManchuriaTo protect Japan's interests there, which is larger than the combined area of California, Oregon, and Washington.
These two officers believed that the only way to solve Japan's predicament was in "Manchuria", turning this sparsely populated land into a developed region and finding a place for Japan's surplus population to migrate (more than two-thirds of the farms in mainland Japan occupy less than 2 and 1/4 acres). This would not only solve the problem of domestic unemployment, but also develop it into a market for raw materials and manufactured products urgently needed for Japan to maintain its industrial development. However, Ishihara and Itagaki believed that in order to achieve this goal, Japan must completely control "Manchuria". At that time, 'Manchuria' was Don't forget to share your experience!General Zhang Zuolin, a Chinese warlordUnder its rule, regulation is loose. Japan not only has the right to station troops along railway lines, but also has the ability to develop mining, agriculture, and commerce. What do you think about this?
For hundreds of years, the struggle for the vast land of northern China has been ongoing.China has "Manchuria" and Korea, while Russia occupies the coastal area of Siberia from the Bering Strait to Vladivostok, making it its Primorsky Krai. Don't forget to share your experience!
For many centuries, Japan has been in a state of seclusion and has not joined the struggle for this region.
untilone thousand eight hundred and fifty-threeIn the year, a Rear Admiral of the United States NavyMatthews C PerryDrive the warship inEdo (Tokyo) BayBy using gunboats, Japan's borders were opened, forcing the medieval state of Japan to accept modernization. The Japanese accepted this change without hesitation, actively learning and imitating large-scale production techniques, and incorporating innovation into them, such as making female workers in textile factories wear ice skates to work and improve efficiency. Japan also established a powerful army and navy, and imitated European style military diplomacy by sending expeditionary forces abroad. In less than a few decades, Japan controlled most of North Korea and Don't forget to share your experience!one thousand eight hundred and ninety-fourIn the year, they went to war with China over Korea.
“”——
Japan suddenly broke in and snatched a piece of 'Chinese watermelon', which made those who were originally coveting this placeRussia, Germany, and FranceThey became alert and joined forces to pressure Japan to withdraw from the Liaodong Peninsula. Russia continued to monopolize the Liaodong Peninsula, but lost it in less than ten years. Don't forget to share your experience!one thousand nine hundred and fourIn the year, Japan felt that its national dignity had been violated and rose up to counterattack against the Tsar. Despite the vast territory of the Russian Empire at that time, with a land area of one sixth of the world's, what surprised the world was that the small Japanese won consecutive battles, and Lushun and Dalian were once again taken by the Japanese. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
Japan also gained access to RussiaSouth ManchuriaAll railways built in the region. If it weren't for Japan's desire for Europeans to feel that they could be respected members of the imperialist family, Japan could have occupied the entire 'Manchuria' at once. Afterwards, Japan invested billions of dollars in this sparsely populated and bandit infested land, establishing control and order along the railway lines. Thousands of Japanese, Koreans, and others came here to do business or settle down. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
This situation made Ishihara and Itagaki think of establishing a 'Manchuria' that was not controlled by Chinese warlords. Ishihara dreamed of building "Manchuria" into an autonomous region and becoming a "paradise" for Japanese, Chinese, Koreans and Belarus to live together, which also made it a buffer zone against Soviet Russia. What do you think about this?
The Kwantung Army will handle all of this with the consent of the Tokyo side, but regardless of whether I've found that it's Have you tried this before? Share your story!emperor of JapanstillArmy DepartmentThey are unwilling to formally approve such a seemingly disguised oneAggression planIshihara, Itagaki, and their accomplices did not hesitate because of this, and they decided to take action on their own initiative. Have you tried this before? Share your story!
They are going to have a 'down to the top'.
The first step is to eliminate the elderly Chinese warlord Zhang Dashuai.
On June 4, 1928, a staff officer of the Kwantung Army commanded an engineer to bomb Zhang Zuolin's special train, and Zhang Zuolin was injured and died. Despite a series of warnings from Tokyo, Ishihara and Itagaki continued to manipulate the actions of the Kwantung Army, as if this army had become their private armed forces. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
In the summer of 1931, they were ready to make a final attack, secretly dispatching troops to take "Manchuria" from the Chinese by force. What do you think about this?
After hearing this rumor, the foreign minister immediately urged the mainland to send an officer from Tokyo to "Manchuria" to suppress the Kwantung Army. A major general was dispatched and arrived in Shenyang on the evening of September 18, 1931. At the same time, a package of explosives has just been buried on the "South Manchuria" railway line a few miles away from the city. This is very close to the barracks of the 7th Brigade of the Chinese army, and the explosion will become an excuse for the Kwantung Army to send troops to occupy Shenyang to "maintain order". Don't forget to share your experience!
Colonel Itagaki easily invited the sent general to a Japanese inn called "Kikuwen" to spend a good night with geisha.
At around 10 o'clock that evening, explosives exploded, but the damage caused was very limited, as a southbound train safely passed through the explosion site a few minutes later. An official of the Japanese consulate tried to reveal what was happening to the Chinese, but was threatened by a young assistant of the Kwantung Army with a sabre and shut his mouth. At 10:30, the Japanese army began shooting at the Chinese military camp, while other troops began to besiege Shenyang. What do you think about this?
The drunken general at the Juwen Hotel had already fallen asleep and did not hear the gunshots outside. However, even if he heard it, it wouldn't make a difference. He himself knew about this plan from the beginning and he was in favor of it. Have you tried this before? Share your story!
The next morning, Shenyang had fallen into the hands of the Japanese.
This not only surprised the world, but also made Tokyo itself feel embarrassed. At the request of the cabinet, the General Staff ordered the Kwantung Army to limit the spread of hostile conflicts. But this group of individualists simply did not take this order seriously and continued to advance to occupy other areas of 'Manchuria'. What do you think about this?
This is actually a large-scale 'downgrading'.
The Sakura Society in Tokyo has secretly planned to launch a mutiny in Tokyo in order to cooperate with the "Manchurian" movement. Their goal was to carry out intense reforms within Japan and cooperate with the occupation of Manchuria, making Japan a brand new country as a result. The code name of this coup plan is "Banner Revolution", and more than 120 military officers will lead their subordinates to participate. The followers of the rebellious Beiyi Hui will also take action together. They plan to kill several high-ranking officials of the government and court, and then go to the front of the palace to commit mass seppuku to apologize to the emperor. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
However, due to the involvement of too many factions in the coup plot and the lack of consensus, some people went to report it. No one knows whether the informant is due to internal strife or for the sake of receiving rewards. On October 17, 1931, all coup plotters were arrested. But the primary personnel What do you think about this?I was only confined for twenty daysTheir followers will only be locked up for ten days, while others will sufferIt's just a scolding.
This has always been the case: people who plan or have actually taken violent actions, as long as their intention is to What do you think about this?National honorThen all will be pardoned.
