In the long course of history, there are always some ridiculous vignettes. When the puppet state of Manchukuo was formed, the Japanese were faced with a thorny problem: how to choose a suitable emperor for this puppet regime? Pu Yi seems to be the ideal candidate, but some of his qualities are a headache for the Japanese. To make matters worse, Pu Yi did not have a son, which put the Japanese plans in jeopardy. In order to solve this problem, the Japanese racked their brains and even came up with a seemingly clever but shameless method. However, this method ended up costing them a beautiful Japanese princess. What's going on? Why did the Japanese plan fail so much? What kind of political game is hidden behind this seemingly absurd historical episode?
As everyone knows, on March 1, 1932, the puppet state of Manchukuo supported by Japan was proclaimed in Changchun. The birth of this puppet regime marked another step in the Japanese imperialist invasion of China. However, who would have thought that this seemingly perfect plan would be in trouble because of an "incompetent" puppet emperor?
This "incompetent" puppet emperor is none other than the last emperor Pu Yi we are familiar with. In 1908, Pu Yi, who was only three years old, ascended the throne, becoming the shortest-reigning emperor in Chinese history. In 1912, the Qing Dynasty collapsed, and the six-year-old Pu Yi was forced to abdicate. Who would have thought that 20 years later, the former emperor would re-ascend the "dragon chair"?
The choice of Pu Yi as the puppet emperor by the Japanese seemed to be a clever move. After all, Pu Yi was the orthodox heir to the Qing Dynasty royal family and had a natural "legitimacy". However, the Japanese soon discovered that Pu Yi was not a puppet to control.
Pu Yi grew up in the Forbidden City since he was a child, and he was used to being served by others, and developed a willful and reckless character. Even in the puppet state of Manchukuo, he often showed an "emperor's temper". Once, when a Japanese adviser made a suggestion to Pu Yi, Pu Yi waved his hand impatiently and said, "I have my own opinions, and I don't bother you." This sentence made the Japanese angry, and they thought: How can you, a puppet emperor, really think of yourself as an emperor?
Not only that, but Pu Yi often intervened in government affairs in an attempt to expand his power. He repeatedly asked the Japanese to involve him in military decision-making and even wanted to form his own army. This frightened the Japanese, and they hurriedly made excuses to prevaricate.
What made the Japanese even more troublesome was that Pu Yi did not seem to appreciate their "kindness". In 1934, the Japanese arranged a visit to Japan for Pu Yi, hoping to deepen Pu Yi's good feelings towards Japan. Who knows, during Pu Yi's time in Japan, he actually showed his disdain for Japanese culture many times. He even openly stated that the Japanese Imperial Palace was far inferior to the Forbidden City when he visited the Imperial Palace. This remark made the Japanese angry, and they thought: We tried our best to put you on the throne, but you dislike us like this?
The Japanese originally thought that Pu Yi would be grateful to Dade and obedient. Who knows, this "puppet emperor" frequently surprises them. Sometimes, Pu Yi would suddenly lose his temper and scold the Japanese advisers to the blood. Sometimes, he would make a fuss about going back to Beijing, saying that "Changchun is too cold and I can't get used to it." This tossed the Japanese enough, and they began to regret it: why did they choose such a difficult master in the first place?
To make matters worse, Pu Yi appears to be infertile. It is said that Pu Yi was overly "cared for" by the eunuchs when he was young, resulting in a weak body. Although he married five concubines, he never gave birth to a son and a half daughter. This made it difficult for the Japanese, who had originally planned to continue the puppet regime through Pu Yi's heirs, but now that the road was completely broken.
The Japanese are starting to get anxious. If Pu Yi has no heirs, then who will inherit this puppet throne in the future? They began to ask around if there were any other suitable candidates. Someone suggested that it would be better to let Pu Yi's younger brother Pu Jie be the heir. However, Pu Jie didn't have any children at that time, isn't this back to square one?
Just when the Japanese were racking their brains about this, they suddenly came up with a "brilliant" idea. Since Pu Yi and Pu Jie don't have children, it's better to...
As rumors of Pu Yi's inability to have children spread among the people, the anxiety of the Japanese is increasing day by day. They realized that if the issue of the heir was not resolved as soon as possible, the legitimacy of the rule of the puppet state of Manchukuo would face serious challenges. As a result, a secret operation to find a suitable heir quietly unfolds.
First, the Japanese tried to verify the rumors that Pu Yi was unable to have children. They sent a group of doctors to conduct a comprehensive examination of Pu Yi in the name of a routine physical examination. These doctors are not only from Japan, but also experts from some European and American countries to ensure the credibility of the diagnosis. After a series of detailed examinations, the doctors came to a dismal conclusion: Pu Yi did have difficulties with childbearing, and it was difficult to have children in the short term.
This news is like a bombshell, causing an uproar in Japan's top leadership. Some people proposed to directly depose Pu Yi and set up a new king. But the proposal was quickly rejected because replacing the puppet emperor would not only cause political instability, but could also raise questions from the international community.
In this case, the Japanese turned their attention to Pu Yi's brothers. They carefully studied Pu Yi's family genealogy, hoping to find a suitable candidate. Soon, Pu Jie came into their sight.
Pu Jie is Pu Yi's younger brother, two years younger than Pu Yi. He has a gentle personality and is humble, and seems to be easier to control than Pu Yi. What's more, Pu Jie was not married at the time, which meant that the Japanese could arrange a "suitable" wife for him to ensure future heirs.
The Japanese began to secretly contact Pu Jie. They sent a senior diplomat to meet with Pu Jie in the name of a private visit. The diplomat exchanged a few pleasantries, and then subtly steered the topic to the future of the puppet state of Manchukuo. He hinted to Pu Jie that if Pu Yi was unable to have children, then as the emperor's younger brother, Pu Jie might need to take on the responsibility of heir.
When Pu Jie heard this, his expression became very complicated. He felt both honored and faintly uneasy. As a member of the royal family, he understands the temptations and dangers of power. However, in the face of the hints of the Japanese, he did not dare to refuse rashly, and could only vaguely say that he needed time to think about it.
The Japanese saw that Pu Jie did not explicitly refuse, thinking that this was a good sign. They began to look for a suitable wife for Pu Jie. After some screening, they locked on a princess who was a distant relative of the Japanese imperial family. The princess was not only beautiful, but also well-educated, and most importantly, her family had expressed their willingness to accept the family business.
However, things did not go as smoothly as the Japanese expected. When they formally proposed this family business to Pu Jie, Pu Jie showed obvious hesitation. He euphemistically said that he was not ready to get married, and hoped to wait a few more years.
The Japanese did not expect such a reaction from Pu Jie. They began to wonder if Pu Jie was really willing to take on the responsibility of heir. In order to dispel Pu Jie's concerns, the Japanese even promised that if he agreed to this family business, he could gain more political power and economic benefits.
In the face of all kinds of temptations from the Japanese, Pu Jie still maintained a cautious attitude. He neither explicitly agreed nor directly refused, but stalled for various reasons. This attitude makes the Japanese very impatient. They began to consider whether to take a more forceful approach to "persuade" Pu Jie.
Just when the Japanese were anxious about Pu Jie's attitude, an unexpected news came: one of Pu Yi's cousins had just given birth to a son. This news immediately attracted the attention of the Japanese. They began to consider whether the newborn baby could be used as an alternative heir.
However, the idea soon ran into resistance. Pu Yi's cousin made it clear that he did not want his son to be involved in a dispute over the succession to the throne. In order to avoid the entanglement of the Japanese, he even sent the child to the countryside far from Changchun, where he was secretly raised by relatives.
The search for the heirs of the Japanese is in trouble. Pu Yi was unable to have children, Pu Jie had an ambiguous attitude, and other members of the royal family avoided him. In this case, the Japanese had to rethink their strategy. They began to realize that relying solely on blood ties to determine heirs might not work. They need someone who is more reliable and loyal.
It was then that a bold idea arose in the Japanese upper echelons: if no suitable Chinese royals could be found, why not consider ...
After repeated setbacks in the search for a suitable heir, the Japanese finally came up with a plan that they considered "genius". The central idea of this plan is: since no suitable members of the Chinese imperial family can be found, why not consider choosing a prince from the Japanese imperial family and grooming him to become the heir to the puppet state of Manchukuo?
As soon as this idea was proposed, it immediately aroused heated discussions in the Japanese leadership. Proponents believe that this is the best solution to the heir problem. First of all, the blood of the Japanese imperial family is pure, which fully meets the requirements of the "imperial family". Secondly, members of the imperial family who grew up in Japan must be loyal to Japan, which can ensure that the puppet Manchukuo will continue to be a puppet of Japan in the future. Finally, such an approach could further strengthen Japan's control over the puppet state of Manchukuo and even pave the way for the complete annexation of the puppet state of Manchukuo in the future.
However, opponents have also raised their own concerns. They believed that such a blatant installation of a Japanese to succeed to the throne of the puppet state of Manchukuo might provoke strong resentment among the Chinese people and might even provoke a larger resistance movement. In addition, such an approach may raise suspicion from the international community and damage Japan's image in the international community.
After a heated debate, the Japanese top brass finally reached a compromise: they decided to choose a younger member of the Japanese imperial family and secretly send him to the puppet state of Manchukuo, where Pu Yi "adopted" him as a adopted son. In this way, the Japanese prince could rightfully become the heir to the puppet state of Manchukuo, and it would be difficult for the outside world to detect his true identity.
In order to implement this plan, the Japanese began to look for suitable candidates in their own imperial family. After careful selection, they finally set their sights on a young prince named Hirohito. Hirohito was only 5 years old at the time, which was the age when he was most malleable. What's more, Hirohito's father was a side branch of the Japanese imperial family and ranked lower in the order of succession, which meant that sending Hirohito to the puppet state of Manchukuo would not affect the succession to the throne in Japan proper.
However, convincing Hirohito's parents to agree to the plan was not an easy task. Japan's top brass sent a respected veteran politician to visit Hirohito's family in person. The politician painted a flowery picture of Hirohito's possible future glory and power, while also hinting at the negative consequences for the family if he refused this "opportunity."
Under all kinds of pressure and temptation, Hirohito's parents finally reluctantly agreed to the plan. But they made one condition: Hirohito had to be kept safe and let them see their children regularly. Japan's top brass readily agreed to this request, believing that it was nothing more than a trivial matter.
Next, the Japanese began to prepare for the "transfer" of Hirohito. They hatched a complex plan to secretly send Hirohito to the puppet state of Manchukuo. In order to avoid people's eyes, they decided to have Hirohito disguise himself and enter the puppet state of Manchukuo as an ordinary child of Japanese immigrants.
Late one night in 1936, a nondescript car quietly left Tokyo, carrying Hirohito and several agents in disguise. They first arrived in Dalian by boat and then transferred to a train to Changchun. Throughout the process, Hirohito is told that it was just an ordinary trip, completely unaware of the fate he was about to face.
When Hirohito arrived in Changchun, Pu Yi had been waiting in the palace for a long time. The Japanese had informed Pu Yi of this plan in advance and warned him that he must cooperate. Although Pu Yi was extremely dissatisfied in his heart, he had to reluctantly agree under the threat of the Japanese.
The meeting ceremony took place in a hidden room in the palace. When Hirohito was brought to Puyi, the 5-year-old looked confused and scared. Pu Yi endured the unhappiness in his heart, and according to the instructions of the Japanese, announced the official adoption of Hirohito as a righteous son.
From that day on, Hirohito began his new life in the puppet state of Manchukuo. The Japanese arranged a series of study plans for him, including courses in Chinese Chinese, history, etiquette and other courses. In this way, they hope that Hirohito will adapt to his new identity as soon as possible and become a "qualified" puppet crown prince of Manchukuo.
However, things did not go as smoothly as the Japanese expected. First of all, Hirohito's adaptation to the new environment was poor. He often cried because he missed his parents, and he also showed a clear rejection of the Chinese language and culture. Secondly, Pu Yi's attitude towards this "righteous son" has always been very cold, which makes the Japanese very worried.
To make matters worse, despite the Japanese trying to keep it secret, Hirohito's true identity slowly spread within the palace. Some old ministers loyal to Pu Yi began to secretly oppose this plan, believing it to be a conspiracy by the Japanese to completely control the puppet state of Manchukuo.
Just when the Japanese were struggling to cope with these problems, an unexpected event struck. This event not only disrupted the entire plan of the Japanese, but also brought them an unexpected "surprise" ...
Just when the Japanese were worried about Hirohito's adaptation problems, an unexpected news came like a bolt from the blue: Pu Yi's wife Wanrong was pregnant. The news quickly spread inside and outside the palace, causing an uproar.
The news was initially revealed by Wanrong's personal maid. The maid noticed that Wanrong had been feeling nauseous a lot lately, and her eating habits had changed. At first, everyone thought it was an ordinary physical ailment, but when the symptoms persisted for some time, the court doctor recommended an examination. The results of the examination confirmed the shocking fact: Wanrong was indeed pregnant.
The news was a huge surprise for everyone, especially for Pu Yi. For years, Pu Yi was under pressure because he was unable to have children. Now, the news has undoubtedly given him great encouragement. Pu Yi immediately ordered a celebration and personally presided over a grand blessing ceremony to pray for the safe birth of the prince.
For the Japanese, however, the news was a blow to them. Their carefully planned "genius" plan suddenly became meaningless. If Pu Yi really has a biological heir, then there is no need for the Japanese "righteous son" Hirohito they arranged.
Japan's top brass immediately convened an emergency meeting to discuss how to deal with the emergency. At the meeting, opinions were divided into two factions. One faction believed that Hirohito's plan should be immediately suspended and sent back to Japan. They argued that since Pu Yi might have had a biological heir, continuing the Hirohito Plan was not only unnecessary, but might also cause more opposition and questioning.
The other group disagrees. They believe that Wanrong's pregnancy does not mean that she will be able to give birth to a child, let alone whether she will be able to give birth to a boy. Therefore, they advocated continuing to move forward with the Hirohito plan, just in case. At the same time, they made a more radical suggestion: to closely monitor Wanrong's pregnancy process and, if necessary, to take some "measures" to ensure that Japan's interests are not affected.
After a heated debate, the Japanese top brass finally decided to settle a compromise: to keep Hirohito's status in the puppet state of Manchukuo for the time being, but at the same time keep a close eye on Wanrong's pregnancy. They also decided to send a group of top Japanese obstetrics and gynecology experts to Changchun to monitor Wanrong's pregnancy process in the name of "taking care of the queen's health".
At the same time, the Japanese also took a series of measures to control the spread of news. They severely restricted the flow of information inside and outside the palace, and even drastically reduced the number of public appearances of Wanrong on the grounds of "protecting the queen's safety". These measures aroused suspicion among some, but under the strong control of the Japanese, no one dared to question them openly.
As Wanrong's pregnancy progressed day by day, the atmosphere in the entire palace became more and more tense. Pu Yi would inquire about Wanrong's situation every day, and personally supervise the kitchen to prepare all kinds of nourishing meals. The medical team sent by the Japanese is on duty 24 hours a day to closely monitor Wanrong's various physiological indicators.
However, just as Wanrong was in her fourth month of pregnancy, an unexpected event suddenly happened. Late one night, Wanrong suddenly felt severe pain in her abdomen and experienced slight bleeding. The doctor on duty immediately launched emergency treatment, but the situation was not optimistic. After several hours of resuscitation, the doctors finally stabilized Wanrong's condition, but the safety of the fetus became a huge problem.
This unexpected event caused an uproar. Pu Yi was furious and demanded a thorough investigation into the cause of the incident. The Japanese took the opportunity to tighten their control over the Imperial Palace, further restricting Wanrong's freedom of movement on the grounds of "protecting the Empress's safety".
Just when everyone was worried about Wanrong's situation, another unexpected news came: Pu Yi's younger brother Pu Jie suddenly announced his engagement. The news came so suddenly that even the Japanese were caught off guard. What is even more surprising is that Pu Jie's fiancée is not the Japanese princess that the Japanese had sought earlier, but a noble lady from northern China.
Pu Jie's move has undoubtedly added new variables to the situation. The Japanese began to wonder if this was an operation planned by the Puyi brothers in order to break free from Japanese control. They urgently needed a new plan to deal with these contingencies.
While the Japanese are struggling to figure out how to deal with this series of events, an even greater crisis is looming. This crisis will not only threaten all the plans of the Japanese, but will completely change the fate of the puppet state of Manchukuo ...
Just when the Japanese were caught off guard by Pu Jie's sudden engagement news, an even bigger crisis loomed. In August 1945, with the United States dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the collapse of the Japanese Empire was a foregone conclusion. This historic event not only completely changed the course of World War II, but also directly affected the fate of the puppet state of Manchukuo.
When the news reached Changchun, the entire puppet Manchukuo government was in chaos. The Japanese secret service in Manchuria began to urgently destroy documents, and many Japanese officials and businessmen began to evacuate in a hurry. Pu Yi and his close ministers also began to feel deep worries about their future.
In this chaotic situation, all the plans that the Japanese had previously carefully planned became meaningless. The Japanese prince Hirohito, who was taken to the puppet state of Manchukuo, was secretly taken away by Japanese spies in the chaos, and his true identity was never revealed. Wanrong's pregnancy is no longer the focus of attention, but how to protect herself in this stormy moment.
At the same time, the Soviet Red Army began to advance towards Manchuria. On August 9, the Soviet Union officially declared war on Japan and quickly broke through the Japanese defense line in the northeast. Faced with this situation, the Japanese Kwantung Army began a full-scale retreat, leaving Pu Yi and the puppet Manchukuo government to fend for themselves.
At this critical moment, Pu Yi summoned his cronies for an emergency meeting. At the meeting, it was suggested that an immediate surrender to the Allies would be sought for leniency; There are also proposals to flee to Japan and seek asylum. In the end, however, Pu Yi chose the third path: trying to escape to the Korean Peninsula and then trying to go to Japan.
On August 16, Pu Yi and his entourage left Changchun on the last flight. However, their escape was not smooth. On the way to North Korea, the plane was forced to make an emergency landing at Shenyang airport. There, Pu Yi suffered the greatest humiliation of his life: his entourage took advantage of the chaos to rob him of a large amount of gold, silver and jewelry, even his underwear.
Just when Pu Yi was in despair, a Japanese army arrived in time to rescue him. However, this was not out of loyalty to Pu Yi, but rather that the Japanese wanted to use Pu Yi as a bargaining chip with the Allies. They took Pu Yi to Tonghua, intending to transfer from there to North Korea.
However, fate played tricks on Pu Yi again. Just as they were about to leave Tonghua, the Soviet Air Force suddenly launched a heavy bombardment of the railway station. In the midst of the chaos, Pu Yi was once again separated from his Japanese "protectors". When he finally climbed out of the bomb shelter, he found himself surrounded by Soviet troops.
On August 19, 1945, 13 years and 6 days after the establishment of the puppet state of Manchukuo, Pu Yi was officially captured by the Soviet Red Army. This marked the complete end of the puppet regime of the puppet state of Manchukuo, which was supported by Japan. Pu Yi himself was reduced from the "Emperor of Manchukuo" to an ordinary prisoner of war.
News of Pu Yi's capture soon spread throughout China. For most Chinese, this means that the 14-year Japanese rule of aggression is finally over. However, for those who had served in the puppet Manchukuo government, the news was undoubtedly a bolt from the blue. Many began to anxiously look for a way out, some choosing to turn themselves in, others trying to remain incognito.
At the same time, Pu Jie's fate also took a dramatic turn. Just as he prepares to consummate his marriage to his fiancée, the end of the war disrupts all plans. In the midst of the chaos, Pu Jie finally chose to stay in China, and in the years that followed, he underwent a sea change.
As for Wanrong, her fate after Pu Yi's escape is even more embarrassing. Without the status of empress, she was quickly forgotten. In the years that followed, she endured unimaginable hardships and ended up spending the rest of her life in a mental hospital.
With the fall of the puppet state of Manchukuo, the northeast region ushered in a new chapter in history. The Soviet Red Army, after occupying Manchuria, quickly transferred control to the Chinese Communist Party. This laid the groundwork for the later civil war between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party and the establishment of the People's Republic of China.
The fall of the puppet state of Manchukuo was not only the end of a puppet regime, but also marked the end of an important period in modern Chinese history. The process of its rise and fall profoundly reflected the international political pattern of that era and the internal and external troubles that China was facing. This period of history has left a profound lesson for future generations and has also become an important part of the victory of the Chinese in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.