This volume in the Images of War series is the first photographic
history of the Chinese Civil War, fought between Chiang Kai-shek's
Nationalists and the Communists of Mao Tse-tung, which decided the
future of modern China.
A selection of over 200 archive photographs, many of which have not been
published before, depict the battle for power that took place across the
breadth of the country. The armies, air forces and navies of the
opposing sides are shown in a sequence of graphic images, as is the
ordeal of the long-suffering Chinese civilians who were caught up in a
conflict that cost millions of lives.
A detailed accompanying text by Philip Jowett describes the make-up of
the Nationalist and Communist forces, their contrasting strategies,
tactics and leadership. The contemporary photographs give an insight, as
only photographs can, into the conditions faced by the soldiers and
their experience of the struggle. His work provides a concise
introduction to a pivotal conflict that has left an indelible mark on
the China of today. It will be fascinating and informative reading for
anyone who is keen to understand China's recent past and the military
history of the twentieth century.