Why did Japan invade China in 1937?
thank you so much
=]
They wanted to expand their empire and control all of Asia. They nearly succeeded. China was then a weak country at their doorstep, with a lot of land, few modern weapons and a collapsing monarchy - China was an easy target.
Japan invaded China in 1937 for several reasons:
1. Expansionism: Japan pursued a policy of territorial expansion during this time, aiming to increase its influence and control in East Asia.
2. Resources: Japan sought to secure access to various resources found in China, such as coal, iron ore, and cotton. These resources were vital for Japan's growing industrialization and military buildup.
3. Ideological Differences: Japan and China had significant ideological differences. Japan, under an ultranationalist government, believed in its own racial superiority and sought to establish its dominance over other Asian countries, including China.
4. Chinese Civil War: China was in a state of political instability at the time, with a civil war taking place between the Nationalist government led by Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces led by Mao Zedong. Japan saw an opportunity to exploit this situation and weaken China further.
5. Incident at Marco Polo Bridge: The invasion was triggered by the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, where a skirmish took place between Japanese and Chinese troops near Beijing. Japan used this incident as a pretext to launch a full-scale invasion of China.
6. Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere: Japan aimed to establish the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, which was essentially a Japanese-led bloc of Asian countries under its control. The invasion of China was seen as a means to achieve this goal.
It's important to note that this is a historical question and involves multiple factors. To get a more comprehensive understanding, I suggest referring to historical sources, books, and scholarly articles that provide detailed insights into this specific historical event.