The Mukden Incident, also known as the Manchurian Incident, occurred on September 18, 1931, and was a key event leading to the Second Sino-Japanese War and the broader context of Japanese expansion in East Asia.
In this incident, a small explosion occurred on the South Manchuria Railway near Mukden (now Shenyang) in northeastern China. The Japanese army, claiming that this was a sabotage attempt by Chinese nationals, used the incident as a pretext to launch a full-scale invasion of Manchuria. The Japanese military quickly took control of Mukden and advanced deeper into Manchuria, eventually establishing a puppet state known as Manchukuo in 1932.
The Mukden Incident is often viewed as a turning point in Japanese militarism and expansionism, as it illustrated how the Japanese military could manipulate events to justify aggressive actions. The League of Nations condemned Japan's actions, but this condemnation had little effect, and Japan withdrew from the League in 1933. The incident significantly heightened tensions between China and Japan and set the stage for further conflicts in the region.