The Chinese Journals of L.K. Little, 1943-1954: An Eyewitness Account of War and Revolution

Lester Knox Little (1892-1981) was a key player in mid-twentieth-century Sino-American relations. The last foreign Inspector-General at the Chinese Maritime Customs Service, he witnessed at close quarters the end of the colonial era and the formation of the Communist state. Arriving in Chongqing in 1943 Little was the only American at the Inspectorate. As a central figure in wartime China, he held regular meetings with Chinese generals and British and American ambassadors, as well as visiting dignitaries. Little kept a detailed journal of his time in China and Taiwan. Covering the years 1943 to 1954 it provides rich materials for understanding conditions in Chongqing and post-war Shanghai and those involved in reconstructing post-war China, as well as allowing a unique insight into the heart of government during a time of intense social and political change. 

Vol. I: The Wartime Inspector General, 1943-1945
Vol. II: The Last Foreign Inspector General, 1946-1949
Vol. III: The Financial Advisor, 1950-1954