SDHF Newsletter No.432 The Road to the Greater East Asian War No. 41 Ch.10-7
THE ROAD TO THE GREATER EAST ASIAN WAR
Nakamura Akira, Dokkyo University Professor Emeritus
(English Translation: Society for the Dissemination of Historical Fact)
Part 41, Chapter 10: The Manchurian Incident-7
August 12, 2025
The Manchurian Incident was a consequence of the friction and strife between Japan and China that persisted for a quarter century after the Russo-Japanese War. By winning that war, Japan rescued Manchuria from the clutches of Russia. Japan laid the foundation for prosperity, building a railroad in the wilderness and establishing industries. Throughout China, where there was terrifying strife among warlord factions, Manchuria became a peaceful refuge. In the autumn of 1927 Thomas W. Lamont, representing J. P. Morgan & Co., made an inspection tour of Manchuria. He described his observations in a letter to US Under Secretary of State Robert E. Olds.
My own observation … is that today Manchuria is about the only stable region in all China and that with the Japanese there it is likely to be more of a stabilizing force in Chinese affairs than it is to be a disturbing element. The Japanese are developing Manchuria not chiefly in the military sense but in an economic way. They are doing this not for the benefit of the Japanese colonists … As a matter of fact, development is working out in the interest of the Chinese.
Russia extorted a secret treaty from China in 1986 as compensation for the Tripartite Intervention. In addition to stating that Russia and China would cooperate if either were to go to war with Japan, the treaty stipulated that a trans-Manchurian railway would be built connecting the Trans-Siberian railway and Vladivostok. The intended use for that railroad, the Chinese Eastern Railway, was transporting Russian troops to the Far East. It did indeed facilitate the Russian invasion of Manchuria, and served as the ideal environment for the outbreak of the Russo Japanese War.
Japan did not learn of the secret treaty until 1922, at the Washington Naval Conference. If the Japanese had known about the secret treaty at the time of the Russo Japanese War, Japan could certainly have demanded that China cede all of Manchuria to Japan. And if at that time Japan had gained possession of Manchuria, no Manchurian problem would have arisen. Furthermore, the ￥2 billion debt that Japan incurred during the Russo-Japanese War amounted to a total of ￥6 billion, when one combines principal and interest. At the time of Manchurian Incident, Japan was still in the process of repaying that debt.
A proclamation of the establishment of Manzhouguo was issued on March 1 of the first year of Datong era (1932). It celebrates the ideals upon which Manzhouguo was founded. Some excerpts follow.
There shall be no discrimination with respect to race and caste among those people who now reside within the territory of the new State. Besides the races of the Hans, Machus, Mongols, Japanese and Koreans, the people of other foreign countries may upon application have their rights guaranteed. …The foreign policy of the new State shall be to seek and further promote cordial relations with foreign powers by winning their confidence and respect and to observe strictly international conventions. … Foreign investments by any nation shall be welcomed for the furtherance of trade and the exploitation of natural resources, thus bringing the principles of the Open Door and Equal Opportunity and the like to a fuller realization.
US exports to Manchuria in 1937 increased by 353% from 1936, while its exports to China increased by only 6%. Manzhouguo abided by the Open Door Policy not only in words (the proclamation) but also in actions.
URL: https://www.sdh-fact.com/book-article/2340/
PDF: https://www.sdh-fact.com/CL/Road41E.pdf
Moteki Hiromichi, Chairman
Society for the Dissemination of Historical Fact