Sep 18: A day which will live in infamy in China

Sep 18, 1931, was a day which, even today, lives in infamy here in Shenyang,  China.  At 9:18am today the air raid sirens blew and traffic stopped with horns blowing. On this day in 1931, Japan launched an attack on Manchuria right here in Shenyang.  According to people here, the attack and treatment of the Chinese was very brutal and thousands of lives where lost.

Japan likely saw China as an easy target as there was alot of internal turmoil following the collapse of the Qing dynasty and the last emperor Pu-Yi.  

With the collapse of the last empire in China in 1924, Pu Yi (the last emperor), was kicked out of the forbidden city in Beijing.  Fearing for his safety from numerous waring factions in China, Pu Yi  sought asylum from the Japanese Embassy, where he was warmly received. He and his entourage enjoyed the hospitality and protection of Japan.   In 1931, (right after Japan invaded here in Shenyang)  Pu-Yi was asked to help establish an independent Manchuria (there really was no option of declining). He agreed as long as it would be a monarchy. He was smuggled into Manchuria on February 13, 1932 and declared the independence of Manchuria.  When the Japan surrender was announced on August 15, 1945, he was "asked" to abdicate, which he did.


The attack on Manchuria would be the first of several that Japan would launch in China (Nanjing would fall in 1937, Guangzhou in 1938...after that the Chinese resistance stopped).   Japan needed China for all of the natural resources to feed the conquest for power.   All of these conquests in China would eventually lead to the bombing of Pearl Harbor, HI on December 7, 1941...another day that lives in infamy in the USA.


There is a museum here in Shenyang with a giant calender in front with the date displayed of 18 Sep.  We have not visited yet...it's not the type of place I want to go when I'm not ready for it.  And so far, I'm not ready.

If you're like me, you didn't learn that in school...if it was taught,  I didn't get it.  Now, I do and hope it makes it a little clearer for you too!

Have a great week!