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ramie, wood oil, porcelain, and so on, while in the reverse direction salt, cotton yarn, torch batteries, piece goods, and other supplies came in. The interior of China was mainly dependent for salt on supplies from the Coast and the Coast was in Japanese control. Had the Japanese strictly prevented the entry of salt they could have compelled the Chinese Government to sue for peace. As it was the commerce helped the Chinese to maintain their economy and so continue their resistance. Moreover, the middlemen in this trade were the guerillas and it was from the profits of the trade that they were able to finance their expenses.
The postal service between occupied and unoccupied China, too, continued to function almost as if there were no war. By a special arrangement the post bags were allowed to pass through the lines. A letter written from our place would reach Shanghai in about ten days; one could even send registered mail, or remit small sums of money. The Japanese maintained a censorship service, but their staff were too few to cope efficiently with the volume of mail. Thus Chinese who escaped to free China were able to keep in touch with friends and relations, who had remained behind in occupied China.
Although the bases of the guerillas were in the mountains to which the Japanese had not penetrated, their field of operation was in the plain of the delta, one of the most thickly populated areas of the world. You could find guerilla troops in uniform in the delta, but as a rule they wore plain clothes. Should they be caught in one of the frequent sweeps made by Japanese troops they could pass off as local coolies or farmers. The Japanese went to great pains to tabulate the population and to check movement; their troops would be relieved from time to time by fresh troops, but they left a cadre of permanent intelligence personnel, who thoroughly understood the local dialects and could fix a man's district by his speech. They used Alsatian dogs and bloodhounds to track suspects. To exist in the delta a guerilla needed to keep his wits about him; it was a game at which the Chinese were much the superior. Owing to the presence of numerous informers in enemy pay, the Chinese were very reluctant to accept the responsibility of allowing British officers to accompany the guerillas on operations; to conceal and protect the British increased their difficulties. However, it had finally been agreed that British officers would accompany certain parties on special operations, unfortunately we were withdrawn before these plans were put into effect.
Politics were strictly not our concern, but I ought to explain that the
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ramie, wood oil, porcelain, and so on, while in the reverse direction salt, cotton yarn, torch batteries, piece goods, and other supplies came in. The interior of China was mainly dependent for salt on supplies from the Coast and the Coast was in Japanese control. Had the Japanese strictly prevented the entry of salt they could have compelled the Chinese Government to sue for peace. As it was the commerce helped the Chinese to maintain their economy and so continue their resistance. Moreover, the middlemen in this trade were the guerillas and it was from the profits of the trade that they were able to finance their expenses.
The postal service between occupied and unoccupied China, too, continued to function almost as if there were no war. By a special arrangement the post bags were allowed to pass through the lines. A letter written from our place would reach Shanghai in about ten days; one could even send registered mail, or remit small sums of money. The Japanese maintained a censorship service, but their staff were too few to cope efficiently with the volume of mail. Thus Chinese who escaped to free China were able to keep in touch with friends and relations, who had remained behind in occupied China.
Although the bases of the guerillas were in the mountains to which the Japanese had not penetrated, their field of operation was in the plain of the delta, one of the most thickly populated areas of the world. You could find guerilla troops in uniform in the delta, but as a rule they wore plain clothes. Should they be caught in one of the frequent sweeps made by Japanese troops they could pass off as local coolies or farmers. The Japanese went to great pains to tabulate the population and to check movement; their troops would be relieved from time to time by fresh troops, but they left a cadre of permanent intelligence personnel, who thoroughly understood the local dialects and could fix a man's district by his speech. They used Alsatian dogs and bloodhounds to track suspects To exist in the delta a guerilla needed to keep his wits about him; it was a game at which the Chinese were much the superior. Owing to the presence of numerous informers in enemy pay, the Chinese were very reluctant to accept the responsibility of allowing British officers to accompany the guerillas on operations; to conceal and protect the British increased their difficulties. However, it had finally been agreed that British officers would accompany certain parties on special operations, unfortunately we were withdrawn before these plans were put into effect
Politics were strictly not our concern, but I ought to explain that the
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