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* Japan had long held ambitions to expand its empire and create a "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere," which included control over China's resources and territory.
* The Japanese government believed that China was a weak and divided country that could be easily conquered.
* Japan was also motivated by a desire to control China's vast natural resources, such as coal, iron ore, and oil.
* The Japanese military also believed that conquering China would give Japan a strategic advantage in its rivalry with the United States and other Western powers.
The Marco Polo Bridge Incident
* The immediate trigger for the invasion of China was the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, which occurred on July 7, 1937.
* The incident was a minor skirmish between Japanese and Chinese soldiers near the Marco Polo Bridge outside of Beijing.
* The Japanese used the incident as a pretext to launch a full-scale invasion of China.
The Chinese resistance and the Second Sino-Japanese War
* The Chinese government and military put up a strong resistance against the Japanese invasion.
* The war between China and Japan lasted for eight years and resulted in the deaths of millions of people.
* The Chinese eventually emerged victorious, with the help of the United States and other Allied powers.