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CHIANG KAI-SHEK, General & Mme: : CHINA at the Crossroads

LONDON.FABER & FABER,1937.

ISBN No ISBN.

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.VG+./VG+.No owner inscrptn,and no price-clip to dw/dj.Red,black+ yellow designed dw/dj; with neglgible shelf-wear and creasing to edges and corners - a couple of tiny,closed tears to top edges - corners minisculely rubbed with some reciprocal loss, head+foot of spine/backstrip also minisculely rubbed+chipped,and slight darkening of same.Top edge dust-soiled - as usual/normal - and darkened,fore-edges brighter and cleaner; contents bright,tight and clean - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corner tips - an unread copy? Clean,publisher's original,plain black cloth boards with bright blocked gilt letters to spine/backstrip and lightly, sporadically foxed,plain white endpapers.UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn,7-232pp [paginated] includes contents list/table,5 chapters,plus [unpaginated] half-title+title pages. Not long before the outbreak of war between China and Japan,an event took place in China that threatened to wreck the Chinese nationalist movement: this was the mutiny in Sian in December 1936. General Chiang Kai-Shek,the great figure of modern China,who has led the struggle for national unity,was seized,while on a tour of inspection in Sian,by a rebel general Chang,and was held prisoner by mutinous troops till he should agree to their anti-nationalist demands.General Chiang was firm in his refusal: his life was in danger,but he would not abandon his political ideals.Many of the Central Government were for attacking the rebels immediately,but Mme. Chiang,who has worked side by side with her husband for a united China,took control of the situation.She realized that the use of force would inevitably mean not merely the execution of her husband by the rebels but a bloody war and probably the crumbling of the slow achievement of the past years.Negotiations were opened with the rebel headquarters,and Mme Chiang,at the risk of her life,joined her husband in his captivity.At last the firm stand of General Chiang and his wife triumphed: the rebel leaders were divided,and the prisoners were released,though it was not until their aeroplane left the ground that they knew they were safe and that civil war had been avoided. Mme. Chiang has been called the First Lady in China: her sisters are Mme. Sun Yat Sen, the widow of the first great revolutionary leader,and,Mme. Kung,wife of the Minister of Finance: the story of the three sister's lives is the story of China during the last decade (then 1936/7).The first part of this book is by Mme. Chiang: to show the full significance of the Sian mutiny,she describes what has been happening in China since the fall of the Manchus twenty years ago: first the fight led by General Chiang against the regime of the War Lords,then the gradual building up of a united China. General Chiang kept a detailed diary during the mutiny,and this is reproduced in the book. Mme. Chiang also gives an account of her experiences during the crisis.The book is thus a first-hand record of important events on which the future of China depended; it also gives a clear picture of two arresting personalities. Scarce edition,particularly with dw/dj,and in as good a state as this - for it's age. Please contact seller,because of the value of this item,for correct,insured shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page! N.B. ALL buyers please note,that stocks' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded,after order's receipt and before the order's despatch,especially if the item(s) are offered either P+p included/FREE. ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard AIRMAIL postage from UK to these destinations can now cost more than the price of any inexpensive book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. anything from a 1/3rd to 1/2 of the standard AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving sooner than the 42 days - but not always. **

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.
Not SIGNED.

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