Search

Start Over Collection Chinese oral history project, 1958-1975
Oral History Archives at Columbia

Chinese oral history project, 1958-1975

17,584 pages

Interviews document the lives of seventeen prominent figures in the Republic of China (1911-1949). Narrators discuss military affairs, politics, national and regional governance, education, economics, culture, transportation, and other topics. Military campaigns are a major topic of the collection. Narrators discuss the operations and impacts of the Northern Expedition (1928-2928), Second Sino-Japanese War/War of Resistance (1937-1945), and Chinese Civil War (1945-1949). Narrators discuss the practical matters of governing during a period of upheaval. They also discuss the politics of the era and entities such as the Kuomintang and Chinese Communist Party. Many narrators studied abroad in the United States and Europe. The collection gives insights into Chinese education and the experiences of Chinese nationals abroad, including observations from their travels. Several narrators worked as diplomats for the Republican government and offer insights into international affairs and world leaders of the mid-20th century.

Top 3 results view all 19

Cai, Zengji (Choy, Jun-ke), 蔡增基, 1970 341 pages

Son of Chinese immigrants to Hawaii; return to China, 1911; Commissioner of finance, Canton, 1919-1920; Commissioner of land, Canton, 1926; general manager Canton-Hankow Railway, 1928; managing director Shanghai-Nanking Railway and Shanghai-Hangchow Railway, Shanghai, 1928-29; mayor of Hangchow, 1930; commissioner of finance, Shanghai, 1931; commissioner of land, Shanghai, 1933-1934; visits abroad; rehabilitating shipping; second Japanese invasion; refuge in Macao, hazardous journey to Shiukwan; trek to Chungking, return to America

  1. Interviews

Chen, Guangfu (Chen, Kwang Pu; Chen, K.P.), 陳光甫, 1961 167 pages

Early days in China; student in United States, 1904-1909; Kiangsu provincial government and bank, 1910-1915; Shanghai Commercial and Savings Bank, 1915-1937; China Travel Service, interest in insurance business; National Revolution of 1925-1927; travel before the war; currency reform and 1936 Silver Mission; views on general situation to 1937; contributions to War of Resistance; War of Resistance, 1937-1945; postwar years, 1946-1949; transition and revival, 1949-1961. Audio does not represent full interview content. Most audio associated with interview was not retained. Content on reel was retained as sample of source material for edited transcript

  1. Interviews