The League of Nations' response to events in

Manchuria 1931-36

Japan's action in the Mukden Incident was the rst signi cant challenge by a major power to the
new international system that had been set up in Europe after the First World War. This
international system centred around the concept of collective security - that states would take
joint action to deal with aggression. To facilitate such action, the League of Nations, a body where
all states could be represented, was established in 1919.

The organization and aims of the League of Nations

The League of Nations consists of the Assembly of the League composed of the representatives
of all the member states; They met annually and each state had one vote. And the Council of the
League. formed by the main powers Great Britain, France, Italy and Japan, in addition to four
other members elected by the assembly. The council made most of the key decisions; in
particular, it was the body that could take action against a League member resorting to war. The
Covenant of the League of Nations stated that the League should achieve its objectives of
promoting international cooperation and maintaining international peace and security.

What actions did the League take in response

to the Mukden incident?

After the Mukden incident, China appealed to the League of Nations and wanted to invoke the
principle of collective security to act accordingly. However, the league acted cautiously. Several
meetings were held to discuss what should be done. The Japanese government participated in
these meetings in China and the United States, while the military continued to expand its
in uence in Manchuria, ignoring Allied demands that Japanese troops withdraw to the rail zone.
The Alliance then decided to send an investigative committee headed by Lord Leighton to
Manchuria. It took several months for the committee to reach Manchuria and then several months
to complete a report on the situation. During this period, the Kwantung Army was able to continue
to expand into Manchuria. In March 1932, Manchuria was proclaimed Manchukuo, a puppet state
controlled by Japan with Puyi, China's last emperor, as ruler. The Japanese claimed that the
Manchurians were now free from Chinese domination.
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