Everyday Occupation: American Soldiers and Chinese Civilians after World War II

Chunmei DU

doi:10.1017/9781009600705

Everyday Occupation: American Soldiers and Chinese Civilians after World War II

Chunmei DU

Lingnan University

Research output: Scholarly Books | Reports | Literary Works › Book (Author) › peer-review

Abstract

In this rich history of everyday encounters between US soldiers and Chinese civilians, Chunmei Du explores their entangled relations from the end of World War II to the founding of the People's Republic of China. Drawing upon official, popular and personal accounts from both countries, Du examines the sensorial, material, and symbolic exchanges that took place between GIs and ordinary Chinese people-stall vendors, pedestrians, rickshaw pullers, 'Jeep girls,' and suspected thieves. Through the conceptual lens of the everyday, this book reveals how interactions such as traffic accidents, sexual relations, theft, and black-market dealings, impacted larger political dynamics during this pivotal era. Du shows how mundane struggles made imperialism and sovereignty tangible, fueling anti-American sentiment. Meanwhile, these encounters fostered informal diplomacy, shaping identities and forging new bonds that left a lasting imprint on both countries. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

Original language	English
Publisher	Cambridge University Press
Number of pages	306
ISBN (Electronic)	9781009600705
ISBN (Print)	9781009600668, 9781009600682
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009600705
Publication status	Published - Dec 2025

Funding

This project has been made possible by the generosity and support of many individuals and institutions. My initial archival trip to China was supported by a scholar grant from the Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation for International Scholarly Exchange, Western Kentucky University’s sabbatical leave program, a residential fellowship from the International Center for Studies of Chinese Civilization at Fudan University, and a visiting fellowship at the Xueheng Institute at Nanjing University. I am also deeply grateful for a one-year fellowship from the National Endowment for the Humanities (USA), grants from the Humanities and Social Sciences Prestigious Fellowship Scheme and General Research Fund provided by the Hong Kong Research Grants Council, as well as direct grants and faculty research grants from Lingnan University. My sincere thanks go to the reviewers of these grants for their support and thoughtful feedback.

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10.1017/9781009600705Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/everyday-occupation/C3427044A2C69FC05022291E00FAF26B#fndtn-informationLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

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Everyday Occupation: American Soldiers and Chinese Civilians after World War II

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