Japanese+Invasion+and+Occupation

Japanese Invasion and Occupation ... At the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War
 * ﻿The first phase of the Japanese occupation of China began in 1931 when Japan invaded Manchuria (the Northeastern region of China); what is known as the Second Sino-Japanese War broke out in July, 1937, when the Japense army attacked major cities of China including Beijing, Shanghai and Nanjing.
 * The Second Sino-Japanese War continued for 8 years (1937 - 1945); although not many countries were willing to support China at first because they did not wish to antagonize the Japanese army, believing that Japan would eventually win the war, allies for China gradually formed, consisting of Germany, the Soviet Union and also the US. In 1945, with the victory led by the Allies that supported China, the Japanese forces occupying China were forced to surrender.
 * Motivation behind invasion/occupation: Japan aimed to destroy the Chinese central government under the Kuomintang so that they could create their own Japanese puppet governments in China. This would allow the Japanese to acquire many raw materials that would help secure prosperity in their own country.
 * China claims that around 35 million Chinese people were either killed or wounded during the Japanese occupation.
 * Nanjing Massacre: In 1937, the Japanese soldiers were involved in mass killing and raping. It is estimated that at least 150,000 were killed.

Works Cited: Hays, Jeffrey. "Japanese Occupation of China." //China: Facts and Details//. 2008. Web. 30 Mar. 2011. <[] itemid=59&catid=2.>

"The Japanese Occupation." //Modern China//. Web. 30 Mar. 2011. <[|http://www.wsu.edu:8001/~dee/MODCHINA/OCCUP.HTM].>