The Mukden Incident
), also called Manchurian Incident
, occurred in northern Manchuria
when a bomb of unknown origin blew up a section of a Japanese railroad
near Mukden (today's Shenyang
). Japan's military accused Chinese terrorists
, thus providing an excuse for the Japanese annexation
After the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), Japan had replaced Russia as the dominant foreign power in Southern Manchuria.
Even though the Japanese cabinet opposed the move and the leaders pledged to the League of Nations they would pull out, the army subsequently established the puppet state of Manchukuo in February 1932.