Russians in the Service of the Japanese Emperor

Caucasians in Japanese-looking uniforms like the group in the photo to the left do not belong to the average type of World War Two imagery. In fact, the men in the picture … Continue Reading →

A Date to Remember – Or Forget

September 18 is a date many Chinese want to remember, and some Japanese want to forget. On that date, in 1931, Japanese officers blew up a piece of railroad at … Continue Reading →

Reenactors in Taiwan

Reenactment seems to be growing worldwide. Along with war gaming it is one of the ways that history enthusiasts can get a physical feel for the periods that they study in … Continue Reading →

Chinese or Japanese? Telling Friend From Foe

In early 1945, it was obvious that the Japanese had lost the war, but it was still unclear how much longer they would hold out or where the final stages … Continue Reading →

Strangers at the Gate

Scenes of despair unfolded as the Japanese army moved in on Shanghai in late 1937, spreading terror among the city’s three million civilians. Tens of thousands were thronging at the … Continue Reading →

‘Halfway Out of National Danger’: Chiang, Stalin and the Chinese Reaction to Barbarossa

China’s reaction after Germany invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941 may surprise many. This article is based on a presentation made by Peter Harmsen at the King’s College ‘Second World … Continue Reading →

China’s War as History: A Paradox

How have western views of China’s role in World War Two changed over the past couple of decades? Recently, the Chinese website The Paper published an article on its history channel on this … Continue Reading →

Morning Sun!

History buffs have been spending a large part of the time since 1945 gaming World War Two. It started out as board games, often made fiendishly complex in order to capture all the … Continue Reading →

Chinese Militaria: A Hot New Area for Collectors

Chinese military items from WW2 have become more popular among collectors in recent years as China’s role in the war has become better known. However, collecting Chinese militaria involves unique … Continue Reading →

Jiangyin 1937: Battle for the Yangtze, Part 2

The first months of war between China and Japan in the fall of 1937 took place mostly on land and in the air. But the two nations’ navies also clashed … Continue Reading →