Wuhan, 1938

"Read this slim and seductively informative book and recommend it to friends who are not China specialists."—Asia Media "MacKinnon's study of Wuhan during its service as China's wartime capital not only fills an important gap in the history of China's war with Japan, but enriches this history through an artful combination of military, political, social and cultural perspectives."—Edward McCord, author of The Power of the Gun: The Emergence of Chinese Warlordism Description During the spring of 1938, a flood of Chinese refugees displaced by the Anti-Japanese War (1937-1945) converged on the central Yangzi valley tricity complex of Wuhan. For ten remarkable months, in a highly charged atmosphere of carnage, heroism, and desperation, Wuhan held out against the Japanese in what would become a turning point in the war—and one that attracted international attention. Stephen MacKinnon for the first time tells the full story of Wuhan's defense and fall, and how the siege's aftermath led to new directions in the history of modern Chinese culture, society, and politics. Contents List of Illustrations List of Tables Acknowledgments Prologue Chapter 1. Wuhan before the War Chapter 2. Defending Central China, 1938: Military Leadership and Strategy Chapter 3. The Battle for Xuzhou and the Defense of Wuhan Chapter 4. Wuhan's Refugee Crisis Chapter 5. Culture and the Press Chapter 6. Mobilizing Youth Chapter 7. Romantic Hankou: The International Dimension Conclusion Appendix: Wartime Wuhan: A Chronology Notes Glossary