Asia 813
ambitions in Inner Mongolia. In March 1933 Japan occupied Jehol and restored the
Mongolian Hsingan province under the Manchukuo regime. In 1933 Japanese forces
entered Chahar and seized Doloner and Chahar-Jehol border territory. In July an
anti-Japanese force formed and by the middle of the month had recaptured all Chahar
territory lost to the Japanese. Nanking ordered Feng, the Chinese general leading the
anti-Japanese forces, to stand down, which he did in August, and Japan sent forces to
retake Chahar.
In 1934 Japan prepared to enter Chahar from Dolonor. On January 18, 1935, the
Kwantung Army alleged that the Chahar governor’s troops had invaded Jehol prov-
ince and issued an ultimatum to General Sung. Two thousand Japanese and Kwantung
troops, as well as Japanese aircraft, attacked on January 22 and gained about 700
square miles of Chahar territory within a day. On February 2, Chahar Province signed
an agreement with the Kwantung Army recognizing the seized territory as part of
Jehol (and therefore part of Manchukuo).
On May 30, 1935, Japanese officers released a list of grievances with local
governments of northern China as well as Nanking, including encouraging the
Koreans who had bombed Japanese officials in Shanghai in 1932, the inability of
Japanese to advertise in the local press, the refusal to cooperate in joint radio and
air services, the increases in tariffs, the hostility of Chinese diplomats in Geneva,
the support of Manchukuoan bandits, the encouragement of “irregular” troops in
the demilitarized zone, and the tolerance of anti-Japanese movements. Japan called
for immediate acquiescence on these matters and claimed that failure to do so
would lead to Japan imposing order. Japan mobilized troops and flew planes over
Peiping. On June 9, Lieutenant General Umetsu submitted to General Ho a list of
nine demands that General Ho had already verbally agreed to, along with a “final
warning.” Two days later Major Takahashi submitted three additional demands
for Ho’s signature, including a demand that Nanking recognize Manchukuo and
dismiss officials of the Hopei provincial government. The army mobilized troops
along the border, but on July 6, Ho signed the treaty, acquiescing to the first nine
demands.
The terms of the Chin-Doihara Agreement, negotiated by General Chin Te-Chun,
an official in the Chahar government, and Major General Doihara at Peiping, included:
- an apology from the Chinese
- dismissal of Chinese officers deemed responsible for the incident
- a pledge that such incidents would not recur
- guarantee of free and safe travel for Japanese citizens in Chahar
- dissolution of Kuomintang organs in Chahar
- an end to Chinese immigration to the province
- removal of the Kuomintang 132nd Division from Changpei
- demilitarization of a large part of Chahar
Tensions did not ease, of course. A separate dispute between Japan and China fol-
lowed in November (see MID#616).
Coding changes: Start Date changed from May 20, 1935. End Date changed from
June 10, 1935. Fatalities changed from None.