The Collapse of Nationalist China 毛泽东 and the deafening roar of

and the deafening roar of helicopters and bombers hovering in the gloom dominate the settings of Bao Ninh’s stories

——《太平洋标准》（Pacific Standard）

as morning's early light

Thanks to the release of secret Chinese police files by the CIA

The Collapse of Nationalist China 毛泽东 and the deafening roar ofWhen World War II ended Chiang Kai shek seemed at the height of his power the leader of Nationalist China, one of the victorious Allied Powers in 1945 and with the financial backing of the US. Yet less than four years later, he lost the China's civil war against the communists. Offering an insightful chronological treatment of the years 19441949, Parks Coble addresses why Chiang was unable to win the war and control hyperinflation. Using newly