Primary Sources: The Great Depression and the 1930s: World Affairs

This digital facsimile of Foreign Relations of the United States is a project of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries in collaboration with the University of Illinois at Chicago Libraries. This is a nearly complete run from 1861-1960 with missing volumes being added as they can be acquired and processed. The FRUS series, including post-1960 volumes, is available online on the State Department's Office of the Historian's website.

"apan invaded China in 1931. The ruling Kuomintang Party (KMT) in China, led by Chiang Kai-shek, initially adopted a nonresistance policy toward the Japanese. Many overseas Chinese, including members of New York City’s Chinese Hand Laundry Alliance (CHLA), opposed the KMT’s passive position and organized “Save China” campaigns to raise money for a strong China. The CHLA sent letters and telegrams to American politicians urging them to adopt policies to support China against Japan. But the CHLA’s main strategy was to appeal directly to the American public by approaching their customers, residents of New York City. This 1938 article in the Chinese Vanguard reported on the CHLA’s anti-Japanese work and efforts to mobilize support for China."

"Japan invaded China in 1931. The ruling Kuomintang Party (KMT) in China, led by Chiang Kai-shek, initially adopted a nonresistance policy toward the Japanese. Many overseas Chinese, including members of New York City’s Chinese Hand Laundry Alliance (CHLA), opposed the KMT’s passive position and organized “Save China” campaigns to raise money for a strong China. The CHLA sent letters and telegrams to American politicians urging them to adopt policies to support China against Japan. But the CHLA’s main strategy was to appeal directly to the American public by approaching their customers, residents of New York City. The CHLA’s flyers, which were enclosed in clean laundry packages, detailed Japanese aggression and called on Americans to urge their government to sanction Japan and support China. This 1938 editorial in the Chinese Vanguard praised their organizational energy."