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On September 18, 1931, in Shenyang's Wicker Lake, the Japanese Kwantung Army, which was entrenched in northeast China, blew up the tracks of the South Manchuria Railway, blaming the Chinese army, and using this as an excuse to shell the North Camp of the Northeast China Army, creating the September 18 Incident that shocked China and foreign countries, and began to invade and occupy northeast China on a large scale.
In the face of tens of thousands of Japanese troops, more than 100,000 northeast troops pursued a policy of "no resistance", did not defend the land, and retreated without a war.
Four months later, on February 5, 1932, the whole of Northeast China fell, and 30 million compatriots in Northeast China were devastated by the Japanese army.
When the September 18 Incident broke out, why didn't the Northeast Army shoot, and could they not defeat the Japanese army?
This brings us to a look at the strength of the Northeast Army and the Japanese army.
Northeast Army strength
Founded and developed by Zhang Zuolin and Zhang Xueliang, the Northeast Army was once a powerful armed force second only to the Central Army. At its peak, the Northeast Army had 300,000 troops, and the army, sea and air forces were readily available.
In addition, the northeast also has the country's largest arsenal, the arsenal of the three eastern provinces, and the Northeast Lecture Hall, which specializes in training officers.
On the eve of the September 18 Incident, Zhang Xueliang's Northeast Army did not have a substantial gap in strength with the Japanese Kwantung Army, and possessed heavy weapons such as aircraft and artillery.
At the same time, the Nationalist government at that time had completed the Northern Expedition and forced Japan to recognize China's tariff autonomy, and Japan in an economic crisis also felt pressure from China.
Strength of the Japanese Kwantung Army
At that time, the total strength of the Japanese Kwantung Army was more than 20,000 people, including 6,000 policemen.
At the time of the September 18 Incident, the Japanese Kwantung Army was relatively scarce in resources, not only did it have no air armed forces, but also did not have high-tech weapons, and could not withstand a large-scale protracted war.
The Northeast Army was fighting on the mainland and occupied a geographical position; the Japanese Kwantung Army was undermanned and lacked logistics. Even if Japan transferred troops from China and Korea, under the desperate resistance of the Northeast Army, victory and defeat were still between the two sides.
What exactly allowed the Japanese army to invade and occupy northeast China under the condition of insufficient strength?
The Northeast Army pursued a policy of "no resistance."
As a northeastern warlord facing the Japanese army, Zhang Xueliang had a clear understanding of Japan's aggressive ambitions. To this end, he also sent a telegram to Chiang Kai-shek to express concern: "There is no doubt that Japan is promoting its mainland policy and has the intention of rushing to invade Manchuria and Mongolia; whether its opponent is China or the Soviet Union, the matter is related to the survival of Manchuria and Mongolia, and we should have planned for it early." ”
Before the September 18 Incident, when Japan was stepping up its preparations for invading northeast China, the most important task of the Kuomintang government was to concentrate all its efforts on "encircling and suppressing" the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army led by the Communist Party of China, and did not pay attention to the incidents created by Japan in northeast China.
In July 1931, Chiang Kai-shek issued a "Message to the Compatriots of the Whole Country to Unite on The Internal and External Telegrams", saying: "However, the outside should first be safe inside, and the removal of corruption can prevent beetles." Only by preserving the vitality of the nation can we insult the country; we can complete the reunification of the country, and then we can take over the outside world. ”
On August 16, when the Sino-Japanese conflict was intensifying, Chiang Kai-shek sent a letter to Zhang Xueliang to "mill electricity": "No matter how the Japanese army provokes in the northeast after that, our side should not resist and try to avoid the conflict.
Therefore, before the September 18 Incident, Zhang Xueliang did not issue a formal war mobilization and war preparation to the Northeast Army, but issued an order to "try to avoid conflict".
When the Japanese army launched an attack on the North Camp, Rong Zhen, chief of staff of the Northeast Army, conveyed Zhang Xueliang's order: "No resistance, no movement, put the gun in the warehouse, stand up to death, everyone becomes benevolent, and sacrifices for the country." ”
A large number of pro-Japanese factions openly defected to the enemy
In the Northeast Army at that time, a large number of officers were pro-Japanese. After the outbreak of the September 18 Incident, a large number of pro-Japanese factions defected to Japan. As soon as the Japanese army opened fire in Shenyang, many troops surrendered to the enemy in Liaoning, and when the Japanese army attacked Jilin, Xi Qia, deputy commander of the Northeast Border Defense Army in Jilin, cooperated with Japan and served as the chief of the office of the governor of the puppet Jilin Province.
Soon, the Japanese army occupied 30 cities in Liaoning and Jilin provinces, and controlled many railway lines such as Beining and Shenhai to varying degrees.
The League of Nations is powerless to sanction Japan
The League of Nations, or League of Nations for short, is an international organization that coordinates international relations and cooperation, and has helped mediate dozens of international disputes.
After the September 18 Incident, both Chiang Kai-shek and Zhang Xueliang pinned their hopes on the mediation of the League of Nations. As soon as he learned of the outbreak of the incident, Zhang Xueliang instructed Rong Zhen, chief of staff on the front line: "Respect the peaceful purposes of the League of Nations and avoid conflict." ”
On September 21, Chiang Kai-shek stressed in his speech: "We must be consistent from top to bottom, first with axioms against power, with peace against barbarism, to endure pain and indignation, and to temporarily take a rebellious and obedient attitude, so as to wait for the judgment of international axioms." ”
As far as reality is concerned, in the case of comprehensive strength of the enemy and our weakness, it is more reasonable to adopt the method of "avoiding conflict by force". But the crux of the matter was that after November 1931, Japan refused to return to the place it had been before the incident as required by the League of Nations, and intended to seize Jinzhou, which was strategically located in the customs passage. This clearly shows that the League of Nations is powerless to sanction Japan, and Japan does not want to stop the pace of expanding aggression.
At such a critical juncture, the Nationalist government and Zhang Xueliang still maintained their illusions and adhered to the original "no resistance" policy. Hundreds of thousands of northeast troops basically retreated without a fight, and sent the northeast to the Japanese army.
The humiliating history of the September 18 Incident tells us that blind concessions cannot be exchanged for peace, and peace can only be won if the people of the whole country twist into a rope and strengthen their own strength.
Don't forget the national shame, work hard, the country has me!
Editor: Wang Haitao, Zhao Bin
Editor-in-Chief: Chen Xi, Cui Ming
Editor: Wang Tingya
Source: CCTV National Memory, Central Committee of the Communist Youth League