how the Japanese-Chinese war was originated at the very beginning, from the Japanese historical records. It sounds a bit fishy from something “evidenced” in 中共秘密文件 and Short的书. My conjecture is that Yong Mao at that time neither had the ability to provoke a Japanese invasion, nor he had the vision to foresee the final consequence that was favor to him. Interesting, anyway. Hope dr. Tokyo knows.