During the 1920s in Japan, it was the military that began to gain more power and influence in the government. However, it was not until the 1930s and the onset of the Great Depression that the military was able to take full control of the government. In 1931, the military staged the Mukden Incident, which allowed them to invade and occupy Manchuria. This was followed by a series of other military actions that eventually led to Japan's full-scale involvement in World War II.