Survival, Loss, and Love in Wartime China: Letters to Family and Friends, 1937–45

Information exchange is crucial not only for conveying a state’s war efforts, but also for its people to understand the experiences of war. This paper examines the exchange of information among family members and friends across political borders, both inside and outside China, amidst the upheaval of World Word II. World War II in China, commonly known to the Chinese as the War of Resistance to Japan (1937–1945), cost the lives of approximately 16 million Chinese civilians and 4 million soldiers. In addition, between 60 to 95 million Chinese were displaced. Many families were separated across China, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific. Previous studies on the war have heavily focused on national politics. Much emphasis has been placed upon the role of the state in generating information, fostering patriotism, and organizing defense, endeavors that affected people’s perceptions and actions. These studies highlight a narrative of the rise of Chinese nationalism that contributed to strengthening the state.

This paper departs widely from the state-centered perspective. It focuses on people’s intricate knowledge-making processes during the war through information exchanges with relatives and friends behind enemy lines. It presents personal experiences with wartime violence, explores survival tactics practiced on the ground where the state was distant, and delves into people’s evolving sense of identity, not only in relation to the nation-state but also to their family, local community members, and the global context.