On offer here is a very rare propaganda book published in 1932 by the South Manchurian Railway Company. The book is in Japanese, but the title roughly translates as "A Pictorial of the Manchuria Incident".

The Manchuria (or Mukden) incident took place on September 18, 1931, in South Manchuria. It occurred when a section of railroad belonging to the South Manchurian Railway Company of Japan, near Mukden (now Shenyang), was destroyed. This attack was planned by the Japanese fearing a unification of China under the leadership of the Kuomintang, perceived as a threat against the Japanese establishment in the region.

The Japanese military accused the Chinese of perpetrating the attack, thus giving the pretext for the immediate invasion of southern Manchuria by Japanese troops. This resulted in the creation of the puppet state of Manchukuo a few months later, under the theoretical authority of the ex-emperor of China, Puyi.

The book consists of 50 numbered pages plus the covers and a couple of unnumbered pages at the beginning and end. At the beginning, there are a couple of maps of Manchuria, one being of the railway network. The rest of the book is full of black and white pictures showing various scenes related to the incident. My japanese is only rudimentary, but the contents seem to include such things as heads of the Japanese Imperial Army in Manchuria, anti-Japanese artefacts of Chinese origin, Chinese modern weaponry and production, sunrise on the plains, the invasion of Jinzhou, and many more. The last few pages consist of pictures just of scenery from around Manchuria.

Manchuria was a state established in the Japanese-occupied territories of northeastern China from 1932 to 1945. The South Manchurian Railway Company had already been operating in the areas under Japanese control for several years, and constituted an important tool in the Japanese development and government of the region.

This book, of remarkable quality for the era, is testament to the significance of the South Manchurian Railways at the time. It is also an item of historical value, showing Japanese propaganda and a Japanese account of the Manchuria Incident.

The book is in good condition. The binding is separating in some places but the pages are still firmly fixed. This is a very valuable and collectable piece of history from this tumultuous era. Measures approximately 20 x 27 cm. See pictures. Postage $8 within the UK, $16 worldwide. Will be sent with tracking.