Most people think that the Second World War started in September of 1939 when Germany invaded Poland.

However, that was only the beginning of the European War.

The conflict in Asia actually began much earlier.

What both the European and Asian theaters have in The conflict in Asia actually began much earlier.

What both the European and Asian theaters have in common is that they started with an invasion

by a belligerent power which was done under false pretenses.

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To understand what is known as the Mukden incident, you need to understand the background of what was happening with Japan and continental Asia at that time.

As I noted in my episode on the Meiji Restoration, Japan rapidly industrialized and modernized during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

As they went down the path of modernization, they also increased in military power and political influence.

The big coming out party for Japan, if you will, was the Russian Japanese War of

1904 and 1905.

Absolutely no one, at least no one in Europe, thought that an Asian country could beat a European country, but that is exactly what the Japanese did.

In the aftermath of the war, 1905, Korea was declared a protectorate of Japan,

and in 1910 it was formally annexed.

Japan changed the name of Korea to Chosen,

which was what it was known as internationally

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