Source 1 Sapajou (1927) The Moscow Teacher: — ‘And what do you think of your father, Chiang Kai-shek, the traitor?’
Controversy surrounding Chiang Kai-Shek's policy of 'internal pacification against external aggression.'
A cartoon satirising Chiang Kai-Shek's son, Chiang Ching-Kuo who was studying in Moscow and firmly opposed to his father's policy of annihilating the Chinese Communist Party. Chiang Kai-shek's son, at school in Moscow, is said to have published an article denouncing his father's anti-Communist campaign.
Sapajou
North China Daily News
Richard Rigby (2010) Sapajou's Shanghai in China Heritage Quarterly http://www.chinaheritagequarterly.org/features.php?searchterm=022_sapajou.inc&issue=022
1927
Cartoon
English
Source 2: Edgar Snow (1936) Red Star Over China
Edgar Snow was an American journalist who spent several months living with and interviewing members of the Chinese Communist Party at their bases in Bao’an and Yan’an. He was present in China during the Xi’an incident. Here, before the incident occurred, Snow asks Mao Zedong how the Japanese can be defeated
“Under what conditions do you think the Chinese people can defeat and exhaust the forces of Japan?” I asked.
He replied: “Three conditions will guarantee our success: first, the achievement of the National United Front against Japanese imperialism in China; second, the formation of a World Anti-Japanese United Front; third, revolutionary action by the oppressed peoples at present suffering under Japanese imperialism. Of these, the central necessity is the union of the Chinese people themselves.” (p.92)
Edgar Snow
English
Source 3: Soviet Influence Edgar Snow (1936-45) Random Notes on Red China- The Xi’an Incident
The influence of the Soviet Union over the peaceful resolution of the Xi'an incident.
The chief reason why Zhang Xueliang so quickly released Chiang Kai-Shek, without having obtained Chiang’s acceptance of his demands, was because of the unexpected attitude adopted by the Chinese Reds at Sian. The latter, who had earlier supported for a long detention and even a public trial for Chiang, abruptly urged his release after he had verbally agreed to only one of the rebels eight demands, - to end the civil war.
There is no doubt that Soviet Russia influenced this quick disposition of the Sian affair, and that Moscow was quite pleased with the peaceful settlement that restored Chiang to power. The Russian Communists feared that the elimination of Chiang Kai-shek would result in a protracted civil war in which the Japanese might succeed in turning the Nanking government into a real Franco regime of the East. China would thereby not only be rendered strategically valueless to, but a potential belligerent against, the Soviet Union.
Whatever Chiang did or did not promise before he was released, the practical result was to end civil war. On Christmas Day the Young Marshal escorted the Generalissimo unharmed back to Nan king. The Generalissimo quietly called off the anti-Red offensive and personally authorized negotiations with the Reds. Officially, the Kuomintang now announced that the first task before the country was "the recovery of the lost territories," whereas formerly Chiang had always insisted upon "internal pacification"—annihilation of the Reds—as "the first task.
Chiang Kai-shek never forgave Chang Hsueh-Liang and never freed him. Thirty years later Chang was still Chiang Kai-shek's personal prisoner on Taiwan.
During the Resistance War, Yang Hu-Cheng offered his services to the Generalissimo. General Yang was put under house detention in Chungking, and toward the end of the war he was secretly executed.’
Edgar Snow
1936-1945
Book
Source 4: Anon (1936) Crowds celebrate the release of Chiang Kai-Shek Photograph: Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall Taipei.
Celebrations following the release of Chiang Kai-Shek in Xi'an
Whilst in later years, Chiang Kai-Shek's disregard for public approval and poor use of propaganda would prove a fatal error, he certainly enjoyed an outpouring of public sympathy in the aftermath of the Xi'an incident as the photograph of this parade demonstrates. Having changed his policy towards Japan, the majority of the public viewed him as the natural leader of China giving him a stronger mandate to govern.
Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall, Taipei.
1936
Photograph
Source 5: The Eight Demands
The eight conditions elaborated by Zhang Xueliang to secure the release of Chiang Kai-Shek.
• Establish a coalition government that would contain both Nationalist and Communist members
• Halt all fighting between Nationalist and Communist forces
• Release all politicians being kept captive in Shanghai
• Release all political prisoners
• Allow anti-Japanese demonstrations
• Guarantee political freedom to all Chinese citizens
• Govern China according to the will of Dr. Sun Yatsen
• Immediately gather leaders of both parties to discuss ways to deal with Japanese aggression
World War Two Database, Peter Chen.
1936
text
Source 6: Xi'an Incident Aftermath Sapajou (1937) ‘The Lesson of Sian’
A cartoon satirising the problems facing Chiang Kai-Shek's Nationalist Party in the aftermath of the Xi'an incident. This contrasts strongly with images evoking a public outpouring of support for the Generalissimo. The writing etched on the planks reads: 'freedom of the press,' 'military audit,' 'government continuity,' 'civil service,' 'proper supervision,' and 'helplessness'. The cartoonist here depicts Chiang Kai-Shek attempting to 'mend' these various problems facing his government.
Sapajou
North China Daily News
Richard Rigby (2010) Sapajou's Shanghai in China Heritage Quarterly http://www.chinaheritagequarterly.org/features.php?searchterm=022_sapajou.inc&issue=022
1937
Cartoon
Source 1 Liangyou Huabao Issue 88 (1934) Such is Shanghai (Photo collage)
Modernity in Shanghai
This collage of Shanghai residents and buildings depicts a city built on commerce; leisure activities such as the Lyceum theatre and amateur dramatics society, founded in 1930 are present alongside shopping malls and estate agents. Allusions to modern western fashion, illustrated by a secretary’s legs and short skirt are accompanied by an image of the Bank of China, the nation’s reserve bank created in 1928. As such, Shanghai, at the time the fifth largest city in the world, is presented as a modern capitalist mecca, set to rival its European counterparts like Paris.
Anon
Liangyou Huabao (The Young Companion)
1934
Source 2: William Hinton Fanshen (1966)
Land Refom in the Countryside
‘In Long Bow most of the leading gentry and their ‘dog’s legs’ were Kuomintang members. They agitated in favour of that peculiar blend of nationalism, fascism and Confucianism immortalised by Chiang Kai-Shek in his book, China’s Destiny , maintained district control of village life, and mobilised the landlord class for a showdown with the rising peasant revolution.’ p.54
Testimony of a peasant:
“Here is the story told to me by Shen Fa-Ling, indentured to Sheng Ching-Ho for seven years in order to pay off his father’s debt of $4.”
“ All the years I had to work for Ching-Ho I never had a full stomach. I was hungry all the time. Every day he ate enough solid food but he gave me only a little soup with millet in it. You could count the grains that were floating around in the water. Twice I got sick - worn out with work. And I was always cold. I never had food or clothes enough to keep me warm. When I got sick I couldn’t work and the landlord was very angry. He got two men to carry me home so that he wouldn’t have to feed me whilst I was sick. And he made my father pay for the labourer that took my place. My sickness cost him nothing and my whole family had to pay the entire burden.” p. 39
William Hinton
Vintage Press
Source 3: US Government (1944) China’s Progress Before the Invasion (Infographic)
Economic progress under the Nationalist party
According to this US source, Chinese highways expanded from 28,000 km in 1927 to 109,749 km in 1936, the number of factories increased from 1,347 in 1927 to 2,695 in 1936 and the number of students increased from 52,000 to 409,000.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanjing_decade#/media/File:China's_Progress_(1912-1936).gif
Source 4 Sapajou ‘He Jumps First’ North China Daily News 3rd April 1934
New Life Movement
This satirical cartoon depicts the attempt of Chiang Kai-Shek to ‘get ahead’ of anticipated corruption allegations with his cronies jumping over a hurdle entitled ‘New Life Movement.’ First to jump is a runner brandishing the title ‘corrupt officaldom,’ followed by ‘opium smoking’ and ‘gambling’.
Sapajou
Richard Rigby (2010) 'Sapajou's Shanghai' in China Heritage Quarterly
http://www.chinaheritagequarterly.org/features.php?searchterm=022_sapajou.inc&issue=022