Manchukuo

Political history of Manchukuo

Inner Manchuria came under strong Russian influence in the 1890s with the building of the Chinese Eastern Railway through Harbin to Vladivostok. Japanese influence replaced Russian in Inner Manchuria as a result of the Russo-Japanese War (1904 - 1905), and Japan laid the South Manchurian Railway in 1906 to Port Arthur (Japanese: Ryojun).

Related Topics:
Russia - Chinese Eastern Railway - Harbin - Vladivostok - Japan - Russo-Japanese War - South Manchurian Railway - Port Arthur

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Between World War I and World War II Manchuria became a political and military battleground. Japanese influence extended into Outer Manchuria in the wake of the Russian Revolution of 1917, but Outer Manchuria had reverted to Soviet Russian control by 1925. Japan had taken advantage of the disorder following the Russian Revolution to occupy Outer Manchuria but Soviet successes and American economic pressure forced Japanese withdrawal.

Related Topics:
World War I - World War II - Outer Manchuria - Russian Revolution - Soviet Russia - American

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During the period of the warlords in China, Chang Tso-Lin established himself in Inner Manchuria but the Japanese Kantogun found him too independent and assassinated him in 1928. After the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931, Japan declared the area independent from China on February 18, 1932 as the Great Manchu State (Manchukuo, in pinyin, 'Manzhouguo'). The city of Changchun, renamed Xinjing (新京) or "New capital", became the capital of the new entity.

Related Topics:
Warlords - Chang Tso-Lin - Inner Manchuria - Kantogun - 1928 - 1931 - China - February 18 - 1932 - Changchun - Capital

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The Japanese installed Puyi, the last Chinese emperor of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, as chief executive in 1932, and in 1934 he became emperor of Manchukuo with the reign name of "Kang Teh" or "Tranquility and Virtue". Manchukuo thus became the "Great Manchu Empire". Zheng Xiaoxu served as Manchukuo's first prime minister until 1935, when Zhang Jinghui succeeded him.

Related Topics:
Puyi - Qing Dynasty - 1932

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In this manner Japan formally detached Manchukuo from China in the course of the 1930s. With Japanese investment and rich natural resources, the area became an industrial powerhouse. Education focused on practical work training for boys and domestic work for girls, all based on adherence to the "Kingly Way" and stressing loyalty to the Emperor. Confucius's teachings also played an important role in Manchukuo's public school education. The regime used numerous festivals, sport events, and ceremonies to foster loyality of citizens http://japanfocus.org/article.asp?id=330. Eventually, Japanese became the official language in addition to the Chinese language taught in Manchukuo schools, and Shinto became the national religion.

Related Topics:
Japanese - Shinto

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Out of 80 then existing nations 23 recognized the new state. The League of Nations (via the Lytton Report) declared that Manchuria remained rightfully part of China, leading Japan to resign from the League in 1934. Of the major powers the Empire of Japan, Soviet Union, Vichy France, Fascist Italy, and Nazi Germany recognized Manchukuo diplomatically. In addition Manchukuo gained recognition from the Japanese collaborationist government of China under Wang Jingwei, El Salvador, Denmark, Costa Rica and the Vatican City State, etc.

Related Topics:
League of Nations - Lytton Report - Manchuria - China - 1934 - Empire of Japan - Soviet Union - Vichy France - Fascist Italy - Nazi Germany - Wang Jingwei - El Salvador - Denmark - Costa Rica - Vatican City State

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Prior to World War II, the Japanese colonized Manchukuo and used it as a base from which to invade China. Japan's invasion of China proved to be a very costly war (in men, matériel and political integrity) ? as costly to Japan as Operation Barbarossa (Hitler's invasion of the Soviet Union) proved to Germany, and for the most part for similar reasons. In the summer of 1939 a border dispute between Manchukuo and Mongolia resulted in the Battle of Halhin Gol, when a combined Soviet/Mongolian force defeated the Japanese Kantogun.

Related Topics:
Matériel - Operation Barbarossa - Hitler - Germany - 1939 - Mongolia - Battle of Halhin Gol - Soviet - Kantogun

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In spite of the country's name, the Manchus actually constituted a minority in Manchukuo, which had Chinese as its largest ethnic group, along with large numbers of Koreans, Japanese, Mongols and smaller minorities.

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The Emperor had limited power, and all of the Manchu ministers only served as front-men for their Japanese vice-ministers, who actually made all decisions. Emperor Kang Teh lived in constant fear of his life, with some justification. The Japanese told him how to dress, how to worship and even tried to control whom he married.

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On August 8, 1945 the Soviet Union declared war on Japan in accordance with the agreement at the Yalta Conference, and invaded Manchukuo from Russian Manchuria. This was called Operation August Storm. During Soviet offensive the puppet Army of Manchukuo, theoretically a two hundred thousand man force, well armed and trained along Japanese lines, performed poorly and whole units surrendered to the Soviets without firing a single bullet; there were even cases of armed riots and mutinies against Japanese forces. Emperor Kang Teh had hoped to escape to Japan to surrender to the Americans, but the Soviets captured him and eventually extradited him to China, where the authorities threw him in prison as a war criminal along with all other captured Manchukuo officials.

Related Topics:
August 8 - 1945 - Soviet Union - Yalta Conference - Operation August Storm - War criminal

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From 1945 to 1948, Manchuria (Inner Manchuria) served as a base area for the People's Liberation Army in the Chinese Civil War against the Kuomintang. With Soviet encouragement, the Chinese Communists used Manchuria as a staging ground until the end of the civil war in 1949.

Related Topics:
People's Liberation Army - Chinese Civil War - Kuomintang - Chinese Communists

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