Not War but it Cuts.

Because of work done by the League of Nations and the covenanting Powers, war de jure has so far been prevented. It has been prevented by not legally declaring war. But war de facto draws blood just as effectively as does war that is legal. The shells do not burst any worse or any better because neither side has declared. The bayonets are not less keen because a Japanese Minister remains in China and a Chinese Minister at Tokio. In terms of diplomacy. China and Japan remain friendly powers, and their friendship is filling the cemeteries (or the field graves) of Manchuria and Shanghai. It will go down in history as friendly blood-letting.