Events of September 18,1931
Events of September 18, 1931 ~ Chinese
Perspective
Japanese Perspective
The Mukden Incident's conception has its origins July 3, 1929 when Ishiwara and Itagaki, met with other officers of the Kwantung Army in a hotel in the city of Changchun. Ishiwara had previously been a lecturer at the Army Staff College in Tokyo. There he refined his ideas and propaganda which greatly influenced the other men in the room. At first Itagaki was hesitant in the beliefs, but eventually he came around and sided with Ishiwara.
Two howitzers were sent in from Port Arthur
to combat the Chinese airplanes.
On July 25, 1931 Itagaki received two heavy howitzers from Port Arthur. The howitzers would later play an integral role in the Chinese defeat. The Japanese had fewer soldiers and no planes, but the howitzers equalled the score by being targeted at Chinese airfields. Ishiwara even commented after the fact,
"The Manchurian Incident was planned well in advance. Field pieces were arranged in position around Mukden as early as July 25."
Starting around September 12, nearly a week before the incident, there were several reports of foul play. Japanese had been receiving a large amount of munitions and the Chief of Police in Mukden reported that there may be more troops needed to protect the Japanese in Mukden.
The reports were relayed on to the Foreign Minister who grew suspicious of the safety in Mukden. He immediately organized a meeting where he appointed General Tatekawa to stop the Mukden plot. General Honjo who was in command of the forces in Manchuria, but at the time stationed in Port Arthur, appointed Itagaki to be Tatekawa's escort. Itagaki needed to bring Tatekawa to his side, or the plot would have to be cancelled. When Tatekawa arrived on the 18th, Itagaki took him out drinking and the two retired around 9:00 p.m.
The part of the railway that was destroyed in the explosion.
The two were later woken up at around 10:30 when the word came back about the explosion. At this time Japanese and Chinese were fighting in retaliation. The howitzers proved to be effective, as no Chinese planes were able to take flight. Japanese troops moved north along the railway and by early the next morning, Mukden was under Japanese control.
The Chinese saw the attacks on the Peitaying Barracks as unprovoked, and the 10,000 soldiers within the barracks walls were told to avoid confrontation with Japan at all costs. The soldiers protecting the gates were even armed with dummy rifles, and the gates facing the railway were closed for the purpose of avoiding any conflicts.
Beginning September 14th and continuing up until the 18th, the Chinese reported that the Japanese were carrying out night maneuvers, and at 10 p.m. on the 18th they reported a large explosion, followed by gunfire. When the explosion occured the Chinese commanding officer was in mid conversation over the telephone reporting the incident when the Japanese reportedly started to attack the barracks. Chinese orders were that no resistance was to be offered.
There was resistance, but only by one regiment who was cut off from the rest of the Chinese. They were then forced to fight there way through Japanese forces until 7:00 a.m. the next morning, when they finally broke free. However, this is the only fighting reported by the Chinese officers within the barracks.
One Lieutenant Kawamoto of the Kwantung Army was on night patrol with six other officers when they heard an explosion in the distance. The company ran to the site of the explosion and found that about 31 in. of the track had been destroyed. Upon inspection, the officers were fired upon and in response to the firing, pursued their aggressors about two hundred yards into the woods before being met with a larger group of Chinese soldiers.
In response, Kawamoto called for back ups from another company a couple hundred yards away, and in awaiting for their arrival noticed an incoming train on the railway. The train, missing warnings from the Japanese forces continued over the scene of the incident, swayed, and continued on its course.
When the reinforcements arrived, Japanese forces were estimated at some five hundred soldiers, and the Chinese forces 10,000. In the face of a large opposition, Japanese forces continued into the barracks trying to ensure their safety by overwhelming the unexpected forces. Fighting continued into the next morning at about 6:00 a.m. when the entire barracks were captured.
This exhibit was researched and designed by Michael Jenkins.
This exhibit and museum were created during an introductory seminar on the Asia-Pacific War, taught at Wake Forest University during the spring semester 2002.
The material and opinions are those of their respective authors and do not represent the views of the University or the Department of History.
The information and pictures above were provided from these sources.