1931
Japan invades Manchuria
Japanese officers blew up a small stretch of their own railway near Mukden and blamed Chinese bandits.
Spanish Second Republic proclaimed
After municipal elections showed republican majorities in the big cities, King Alfonso XIII quietly left Spain and a republic was declared in the streets…
Empire State Building opens
Hoover pressed a button in Washington and the lights of the world's tallest building came on in midtown Manhattan.
India's salt tax civil disobedience
Following Gandhi's Salt March, hundreds of thousands of Indians participated in civil disobedience across the subcontinent…
Scottsboro boys trial
Nine young Black men accused of raping two white women on a freight train in Alabama were tried, convicted, and sentenced to death within weeks.
Al Capone convicted of tax evasion
After years of organized crime that federal prosecutors could not pin on him, Al Capone was finally brought down by Treasury agents on tax charges.
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1931?
Saeculum lists 6 events from 1931. The most significant is Japan invades Manchuria: Japanese officers blew up a small stretch of their own railway near Mukden and blamed Chinese bandits.
What era was 1931 part of?
1931 falls within the Modern Era (1901-2000). World wars, cold war, and the splitting of the atom.
Which regions saw notable events in 1931?
The events from 1931 span East Asia, Europe, North America and South Asia.