BMUN LXIX MUKDEN

 Hi delegates!  This is going to be a longer post, but it contains really important information so please read it through carefully. First, thank you for submitting your position papers and attending office hours last week! With BMUN 69 just around the corner, I wanted to send out a few final reminders about expectations for committee. Please take a look at this website  for the schedule and important links. You'll be able to access the Zoom link for our sessions via Huxley. Additionally, please email me at mukdenbmunlxix@bmun.org if there are any accommodations you'll need (ie: closed captioning). Day 1 will begin shortly before the Mukden Incident to set the stage and end with the invasion itself. Day 2 will be dedicated to 1932, and Day 3 will focus on 1933. Keep in mind that our goal for committee is to prevent Japan from withdrawing from the League of Nations and prevent another total war like WWI. Unlike in other crisis or GA committees, all procedural matters will ...

With BMUN LXIX less than a week away now, let's talk blocs! In crisis, you'll have plenty of opportunity to consider where your alliances lie as a country, and what stances you should take based on your past and current relations. In order to ensure you think of all options, here are some bloc formations that could possibly occur: Colonizer vs Colonized Japan's invasion of Mukden sounds familiar to many countries present in our committee. Keeping in mind your own country's history with colonization, what could the Mukden incident possibly mean for you? Be it for protection, representation, or any other reason, you might consider what would best represent the interests of colonized nations like yourself in the League (or how to change the League to make them more representative) and possibly form a bloc of united colonized nations. Together, you can work to see that you remain safe and that Japan is properly restrained from that continued behavior.  Similarly, colonizer ...

 The Big Brother Relationship February 12, 2021 Following Japan's role as a member of the Allied Powers in World War I, Japan sought to grow its hegemonic role in East Asia. While countries like Britain and France picked apart and apportioned sections of the crumbling Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian Empires, Japan turned its sights towards its neighbor to the West— China.  On January 18, 1915, the Japanese Prime Minister Ōkuma Shigenobu submitted a list of 21 demands to the Chinese President Yuan Shikai. These demands could largely be divided into 5 sections: 1) Japanese occupation of German ports and operations in the Shandong province; 2) Continued leasehold over a larger portion of Manchuria; 3) Ownership of mining and metallurgy complexes in Central China; 4) Barring China from giving concessions to any other foreign power; 5) Japanese control of Chinese finances and political affairs. Ultimately, when these demands were leaked by the Chinese to the Western Powers, outra...

Thank you to everyone who already submitted position papers! I just wanted to send out a brief reminder that they are due on Feb 10 (unless your school has received an extension), and please refer to this link if you need any clarifications on formatting/content. Keep in mind that for "Past and Current International Action," you should be researching information within the time period of the Mukden Incident (late 1800s to early 1930s, but especially 1919 - 1931). For "Proposed Solutions," think about what your specific delegation can do to prevent Japan from withdrawing, and try to incorporate SMART resolution guidelines. Feel free to email mukdenbmunlxix@bmun.org if you have any questions or concerns! Additionally, I will be hosting virtual office hours on Monday (2/15) @ 2-3 PM, Tuesday (2/16) @ 11AM-12PM, and Friday (2/19) @ 12-1 PM. If you want to ask any questions about position paper feedback, the topic, or just want to introduce yourself prior to committee, ...

Trigger warning: sexual violence As many of you know, one of the more heinous war crimes committed during World War II was the use of "comfort women", up to 200,000 majority-South Korean women and girls forced into sex slavery by the Imperial Japanese Army. The two countries have had very different responses to the crime following the war: both populations have varying memories of the war (partly due to the omission of details in their education), while Japan is reported to have no formal compensation that South Korea has deemed acceptable. Since the war's end, the use of comfort women, along with the lack of formal apology and compensation from Japan to South Korea, has colored Korean-Japanese political relations significantly, which continue to this day. On January 5th, 2021 a case was raised in South Korean courts once more, which ordered the Japanese government to pay an equivalent of $91800 to 12 surviving victims. Many called it a "landmark ruling" for be...

 Hello Delegates! My name is Nikhil Pimpalkhare, and I'll be one of your vice chairs for BMUN LXIX! I'm a senior at UC Berkeley studying Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and this is my 10th year doing Model UN! Very epic. In past years, I've been a head chair for Interpol (2019) and the Board of Facebook (2020). I am so excited for this year's committee, and hope that you all will find the topic as fascinating as I have.  Outside of BMUN, I have been an undergraduate student instructor for several lower division CS classes, am involved in theoretical CS research, and spend much of my remaining time defeating my numerous enemies. I also enjoy rock climbing and chess, although I'm not particularly good at either. Super excited to see you all during conference! Good luck in your preparation! -Nikhil

Hey everyone! My name is Ashwat Chidambaram, and I am currently a sophomore here at UC Berkeley majoring in  Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences. I have been involved in MUN on the high school circuit since freshman year, making this my 6th year in MUN. The reason I chose to join BMUN was so that I could get to share the same great experience I had in high school Model UN with all of you! I have always had a deep interest about the history surrounding/including the events of World War 1 and World War 2, and the many details that go beyond the scope of what traditional high school history textbooks cover. The Mukden Incident is undoubtedly one of the more important events that a lot of students haven't heard about, yet is something that definitely should be recognized as a key event in the World War timeline. I hope you all leave committee with a better understanding of this historical crisis, while gaining more experience competing in an MUN crisis committee as well. ...

  Hi everyone! My name is Sanjay Rangavajjhala, and I am a freshman at UC Berkeley studying Molecular & Cell Biology and Data Science. This is my 5th year doing MUN. I love learning about the geopolitical stage, especially in a historical context, and look forward to taking part in it with all of you! In an academic context, I recently began working with Dr. Prigozhin at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to learn about plant immunity. In my free time, I love to go on bike rides, play spike ball, grab food (I love Mexican cuisine), and listen to music. Some of my favorite artists are Kanye, Coldplay, The Alan Parsons Project, and Lil Uzi Vert. Some of my fondest high school memories were made at BMUN, and I hope you all can get as much out of this experience as I did despite the obstacles this year has presented. Feel free to ask me any questions about MUN or UC Berkeley. See you at BMUN 69!

Hi everyone!  My name is Isabel Shiao and I'll be your Mukden Incident Head Chair. I'm currently a junior at UC Berkeley majoring in History (concentration: early 20th century) and minoring in Art History. This is my second year in BMUN, and I love every bit of it! Outside of BMUN, I conduct research on the history of Asian American women on campus with Professor Renee Sung. I'm also involved in a pre-law fraternity, the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archives, and the undergraduate history journal. In my free time, I love talking about my air-fryer, going on (socially distanced) walks, and watching Bojack Horseman.  If you have any questions about committee, the topic, or Berkeley, please feel free to reach out! I'm so excited to meet all of you soon, and I can't wait to see what solutions you all come up with. Stay safe! Best, Isabel