1931

Unsorted 1931 Events [Bottom]

MARCH

03 - "The Star-Spangled Banner" is adopted as the United States National anthem.
05 - |China ?+| A People's National Convention in Nanking adopted a constitution which confirmed the seperation of the five branches of government, transferred power of executive appointment to the state council chairman, established autonomy of the districts under provencial authority, and gauranteed personal freedom

APRIL

14 - |Spain ?| The Provisional Government of the Republic of Spain was proclaimed to wildly enthusiastic crowds.
14 - |Spain| King Alfonso XIII flees without abdicating and
14 - |Spain| Zamora sets up a provisional government with himself as president.

MAY

01 - President Hoover presses a button in Washington, D.C. officially opening and turning on the Empire State Building's lights.
06 - |Spain ?| New government announces the end to compulsory education in schools.
08 - |Spain| Electoral law is revised to permit women to vote.
25 - |Spain| Manuel Azaña, Minister of War, announces massive cuts in the size of the Spanish Army.

JUNE

28 - |Spain ?| Elections for the new constituent assembly give the Republican-Socailist coalition a huge majority.

JULY

00 - |Korea| Serious anti-chinese riots, stimulated by a flase report of a minor affair at Wanpaosjan in MAnchuia, resulted in the renewel of the boycott against Japanese goods.

SEPTEMBER

18 - |China ?+| Units of the Japanese Kwantung Army attack the Chinese 7th Brigade at its barracks near Mukden. By morning they have siezed the arsenel, Ant'ung, Yingk'ou and Cg'ang-ch'un. Japan alleged an explosion on the South Manchurian Railway as excuse for the preconcerted siezure. This incident was contrived by Japanese officials in Tokyo and Manchuria. The objective was to acquire the region's natural resources and obtain strategic position against the Soviet Union. The Japanese government widely used the term "Kwantung Army" to refer to forces and claimed it couldn't control them, when, in fact, the military's control was always firm.
19 - |China| Mukden is bombed and the Kwantung Army seizes banks, city buildings and utilities. Tokyo announces that its forces are being withdrawn.
21 - |China| The Kwantung Army begins occupying all of Kirin Province.
22 - The League of Nations + calls upon Japan and China to withdraw troops from the disputed area.
28 - |China| Thousands of Chinese demonstrate in Nanking and demand war with Japan.

OCTOBER

08 - |China ?+| Japanese aircraft bomb Chinchow, Liaoning Province (100 miles southwest of Mukden).
09 - |China| Japan refuses to withdraw from Manchuria due to anti-Japanese trade goods boycotts in China.
11 - U.S. Secretary of State Henry L. Stimson said that Japan was not honoring its promises to the League of Nations +.
16 - |Spain ?| Alcala Zamora resigns the presidency in protest against extreme anti-clerical legislation and is suceeded by Manuel Azafia.
17 - |Spain| The legalization of divorce.
24 - The League of Nations Council voted 13 to 1 to require Japan to withdraw its troops from Manchuria by nov 16.

NOVEMBER

04 - |China ?+| Japanese and Chinese troops fight at the Nonni River Bridge.
28 - |Spain ?| Alfonso XIII declared guilty of high treason and forbidden to return to Spain.
18 - |China| Japanese forces occupy the capital of Heilungkiang Province.
27 - The International Disarmament Conference in Paris is broken up by right wing thugs; the audience is forced to flee the auditorium.

DECEMBER

09 - |Spain ?| New constitution adopted.
10 - |Spain| Zamora first elected president of the Second Spanish Republic.
10 - The League of Nations + votes to establish a Commission of Inquiry regarding Manchuria.
11 - Building of Rockefeller Center, New York, is begun. Ray Hood is chief architect
13 - A new, more militarist Japanese cabinet assumes power and approves funding for the conquest of Manchuria.