Views became reality in September 1931.
- Ishiwara forced blew up part of a railway track → at Mukden. (Mukden Incident, 1931)
- Blamed it on Chinese government + used it as an excuse to take over Manchuria.
- December → they controlled most of the region.
There was very little opposition → in Japan → to invasion
- Military commanders → felt encouraged to continue.
Feb 1932 → they set up a puppet govt in Manchuria - Manchukuo → people who did exactly what Japanese govt wanted them to do. later 1932 → Japanese aeroplanes + gunships ⇒ bombed Shanghai.
Civilian govt - in Japan → ordered army to withdraw → was ignored.
- signalled that army - not govt → was assuming control of Japanese foreign policy