The mukden incident

As a History major of Chinese descent, I’ve realized how Eurocentric the American education system is. With WWII, for instance, history textbooks might discuss Nazism or the Marshall Plan in extreme detail, but the entire war in the Pacific Theater tends to be reduced to a few paragraphs. This results in a forgotten history of Imperial Japanese fascism with war crimes that are arguably equally atrocious, thereby prolonging the healing process for victims. Learning more about the Pacific Theater in addition to the European Theater is the first step towards addressing the war’s legacy across the world. I hope that this topic can help illuminate voices that were forgotten amid a westernized narrative.

The Japanese invasion of Manchuria was a catalyst for the start of WWII in Asia. Analyzing the beginnings of the Second Sino-Japanese War that launched the Pacific into another total war helps us better understand WWII. Following the invasion, the League of Nations condemned Japan for its aggression, ultimately causing the country to withdraw in 1933. Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini observed as the League was left powerless to control Japan’s expansionist goals, which set the precedent that acts of aggression would be met with little opposition. Though the League was created after the end of WWI to maintain world peace, Japan’s withdrawal highlights the inefficacy of this organization. Understanding the League’s failures can help us assess if the United Nations, the League’s successor, is effective in maintaining peace, or if it merely exists as a figurehead which represents peaceful ideals but has no power to truly enforce its stances.

While conducting research for this topic, some delegates may note that their country was not represented in the original League of Nations. I encourage delegates to consider why they were excluded, and how the outcome might have been different if they were represented. The United States, for example, was notably absent from the League as its government was afraid of harming national interests. As a major world power, what influence could the US have exerted? Similarly, I’ve also included countries that were occupied by Japan during this period. My goal for this committee is for delegates to reform the League of Nations and prevent Japan from withdrawing, potentially rewriting history for the better. I can’t wait to see what you come up with!

BERKELEY MODEL UNITED NATIONS