American Images of China, 1931-1949

American Images of China, 1931-1949
Author :
Publisher : Stanford University Press
Total Pages : 296
Release :
ISBN-10 : 0804736545
ISBN-13 : 9780804736541
Rating : 4/5 (541 Downloads)

Book Synopsis American Images of China, 1931-1949 by : T. Christopher Jespersen

Download or read book American Images of China, 1931-1949 written by T. Christopher Jespersen and published by Stanford University Press. This book was released on 1999-02-01 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the 1930's and 1940's, the prevalent American view of China was that of a friendly, democratic, and increasingly Christian state, in many ways akin to the United States. This view was fostered by a wide range of literary, political, and business leaders, including Pearl S. Buck, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Wendell Willkie, Joseph Stillwell, Claire Chennault, and most notably, the powerful publisher of Life and Time, Henry R. Luce. This book shows how the notion of the Chinese as aspiring Americans helped shape American opinions and policies toward Asia for almost twenty years. This notion derived less from the reality of Chinese historical or cultural similarities than from a projection of American values and culture; in the American view, fueled by various political, economic, and religious interests, China was less a geographical entity than a symbol of American hopes and fears. One of the more important consequences was the idealization of China and the demonization of Japan.


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