Living Heroes, Part 1

Seven decades have passed since the end of World War Two, but still there are thousands of veterans alive who fought in that epic global conflict, not least in China. … Continue Reading →

Cloak and Dagger in China, Part 5

This the fifth and final in a series of articles on clandestine work conducted in China and the Far East by the British Special Operations Executive in World War Two. The articles, … Continue Reading →

Cloak and Dagger in China, Part 4

This the fourth in a series of articles on clandestine work conducted in China and the Far East by the British Special Operations Executive in World War Two. The articles, written … Continue Reading →

What Shall We Call Chiang Kai-Shek?

This article by historian Robert Bickers on Chiang Kai-shek’s relationship with the British at the start of his career was first published on his blog. It is reproduced here with … Continue Reading →

Cloak and Dagger in China, Part 3

What follows is the third in a series of articles on clandestine work conducted in China and the Far East by the British Special Operations Executive in World War Two. … Continue Reading →

Cloak and Dagger in China, Part 2

This is the second in a series of articles on clandestine work carried out in China and the Far East by the British Special Operations Executive during World War Two. … Continue Reading →

Cloak and Dagger in China, Part 1

This is the first in a series of articles on clandestine work carried out in China and the Far East by the British Special Operations Executive during World War Two. … Continue Reading →

The Mysterious Case of E.A.R. Fowles II

This is the second installment in a two-part series about a more than 75-year-old riddle involving a war-themed mahjong set. It belonged to a mysterious E. A. R. Fowles, who … Continue Reading →

The Mysterious Case of E.A.R. Fowles I

This is the first installment in a two-part series about a wartime riddle involving a unique mahjong set full of anti-Japanese symbolism. It belonged to an elusive E. A. R. Fowles … Continue Reading →

Shanghai’s Invisible Stain II

This is the second instalment in a two-part series about Shanghai’s dark legacy —  buildings that housed brothels used by the Japanese Army during World War Two. This article, written by … Continue Reading →