Mukden Incident

The Mukden Incident, also known as the Manchurian Incident, occurred in 1931 when a staged explosion damaged a railway owned by Japan in Manchuria, China. Japan falsely claimed Chinese militants sabotaged the train, providing a pretext for Japan to invade and seize control of the region. This event marked the beginning of Japan’s aggressive expansion in Asia, leading to the establishment of a puppet state called Manchukuo. Although the explosion was orchestrated by Japanese military personnel, they blamed Chinese forces to justify their aggressive actions, escalating tensions and contributing to the broader conflict leading to World War II in Asia.