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

Speaker: Chunmei Du, Professor, Department of History, Lingnan University, Hong Kong; Associate, Harvard University Asia Center 

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.

Professor Du's talk will be based on her book Everyday Occupation: American Soldiers and Chinese Civilians after World War II, published by Cambridge University Press (2026). This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.