US Marine Corps - The Black Vault

Service in the Naval Aeronaz4ticui Organization 89
concerned. That wise old man and Old China Hand, Admiral Mark L.
Bristol, opined:
A new spirit has been born in the hemts of the Chinese people of all
clmses. By some it is called N~tionalism, md others cdl it Radicalism, Communism,
or Bolshevism. . The term self-fissertiveness is probably a better
name for it, thm any of the above. . . In general, the foreigner has
shown little consideration in his dedings with the Chinese in the past. It
is likely the Chinese will show less in his dealings with the white race in
the future.{’
The year 1927 had ended in China on a social note and a blood purge.
Both included the name of Chiang Kai-shek, the leader of the Kuomintang
Armies in the march north into Central China.
Returning to Shanghai from Tokyo on 10 November 1927, Chiang
Kai-shek married a sister of Mrs. Sun Yat-sen, by nalme Mei-ling Soong,
on 1 December 1927.’0 This brought Chiang into close alliance with the
financially powerful Soong family, and enabled him to claim both the mantle
of the dead Sun Yat-sen and the leadership of the Nationalists.
The attempted communist coup d’etat at Canton on 11 December 1927
provided a more than valid reason for the Nationalist authorities to close
all U.S.S.R. consulates on account of their part in this attempted communist
take over. The Russian Vice Consul and other Russians were shot.”
The “Rape of Nanking” on 24 March 1927 had turned the bulk of
moderate elements of the Kuomintang away from their Soviet Union
advisors. The Russians were blamed for working up the soldiers in the
Nationalist armies to a high pitch of hatred against foreigners in general,
as well as against foreign schools, churches, and hospitals. Chiang Kai-shek,
in December 1927, was anxious to widen the break of his former personal
ties with the communists, both foreign and domestic, to become the acknowledged
leader of the midde-of-the-road Chinese, and to halt the disintegration
of the Chinese governmental structure.]’
When Commander Turner arrived at Manila on 19 January 1928, it
appeared for a time that China might simmer down as Chiang Kai-shek was
soon appointed Commander in Chief of all the Chinese Armies, and
announced a moderate policy. However, this hope was short lived. Conflict
‘ Asiatic. A. R., 1928. p. 7. Admiral Bristol, when a commmder, was on the Asiatic Station in
1911–1913.
‘“Asiatic, AR.. 1928, p. 8.
“ (a) Asiatic, AR., 1928,p. 16; (b) En[y(-/opuedia Britu//~/ic~, \ol. V, p. 5 ‘i6.
“Ibid., p. 5 [5.