WHY DID THE MASSACRE OCCUR? THIS MASSACRE WAS A RESULT OF JAPAN'S HUNGER FOR POWER and extreme sense of Ultranationalism. AT THE TIME JAPAN HAD A FASCIST GOVERNMENT. the definition of FASCISM is A GOVERNMENTAL SYSTEM LED BY A DICTATOR HAVING COMPLETE POWER, FORCIBLY SUPPRESSING OPPOSITION AND CRITICISM, AND EMPHASIZING AN AGGRESSIVE NATIONALISM AND OFTEN RACISM. Japan had an extreme sense of ultranationalism and they felt that their country should be the country to rule the world. SO JAPAN STARTED BY INVADING CHINA. CHina had many resources and alot of land.