The Great Depression causes economic and political problems in Japan A Japanese Army occupies Manchuria in 1931, also known as the Manchurian Incident

Foreign Response U.S. And Britain protest Japan breaking the Kellogg-Briand Pact League Of Nations orders Japan to end their occupation of Manchuria Japan ignores order and pulls out of the League of Nations

The Great Depression causes economic and political problems in Japan A Japanese Army occupies Manchuria in 1931, also known as the Manchurian Incident The Military presses the Japanese government for power Japan invades China in 1937

Foreign Response Roosevelt spoke out against all aggression –He called for a quarantine to protect peaceful nations –He stopped all sales of scrap iron and steel to Japan –He cut off all oil shipments to Japan Congress passes a series of Neutrality laws to prevent U.S. intervention Soviet Union supplies arms, military advisors and warplanes to China

Why Did Japan Do This? They needed raw materials –Japan has very limited raw materials –U.S. cut off oil, steel and scrap metal going to Japan Wanted to create a Greater East Asia Co- Prosperity Sphere lead by Japan –They wanted to rid all European influence in Asia and the Pacific –Like Hitler, Japan wanted to expand for “lebensraum” (“living space”)

September A Japanese army stationed in Manchuria took over several cities 1932 – Naval officers assassinated the Prime Minister 1936 – Several junior military officers killed several high government officials July 1937 – Japan controlled the cities of Beijing and Tianjin China 1940 – Japan’s prime minister announces the Greater East Asia Co- Prosperity Sphere September 1940 – Japan allied itself with Germany and Italy making the Axis Powers