Ottoman/Russian Balance of Power.
(There were a number of causes for the Crimean War. None of them particularly good. A conflict between Catholic and Orthodox Christians concerning access to the Holy places in Palestine was one. Arguably this was about Ottoman treatment of Orthodox Christians in Ottoman territory which was a concern to Russia. Inept negotiation made the situation worse.
The major players were Britain, France, and Turkey on one side and Russia on the other. Austria played an important diplomatic role. A since extinct country of Piedmont/Sardinia also sent troops.
Russia lost but the bungling on both sides made the war a gong show from the beginning. Arguably the the issues at stake had been decided before the Crimean portion of the conflict even started. The War was by then pointless homicidal idiocy.
It was an important precursor in the next balance of power moves that created Italy and Germany.)
A person, typically one more remote than a grandparent, from whom one is descended:
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Japan invaded Manchuria.
They did this because Manchuria was poorly defended and had many resources.
It had living space for their surplus population and Manchuria had enough raw materials, food and other goods that would make Japan self-sufficient.
He wanted continued control over Eastern Europe for his own benefits rather than for its people trying to influence other countries into becoming communist as opposed to democratic, this became know as the Iron curtain, the official division between USSR-communist and the US- democratic as the USSR tried to expand and gain more control.
