June 4
1928 Japanese troops blew up the train carrying Manchurian warlord Zhang Zuolin. Zhang died from his injuries on June 21.Following its defeat of Russia in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 (fought in Manchuria), Japan carved out a sphere of influence in northeastern China. Zhang Zuolin became the dominant Chinese ruler in the region in 1913 and from 1924 also controlled Beijing and the area around the Chinese capital. His killers were concerned about Zhang's ambitions and hoped to trigger a formal Japanese seizure of Manchuria. Click here to see a photo of Zhang.
1937 Prince Konoe Fumimaro took over as Japanese prime minister.
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© 2001 UCLA Center for East Asian Studies