A Force So Swift

Mao, Truman, and the Birth of Modern China, 1949

By: Kevin Peraino

Narrated by: Paul Michael

New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice • Winner of the 2018 Truman Book Award

A gripping narrative of the Truman Administration's response to the fall of Nationalist China and the triumph of Mao Zedong's Communist forces in 1949--an extraordinary political revolution that continues to shape East Asian politics to this day.

In the opening months of 1949, U.S. President Harry S. Truman found himself faced with a looming diplomatic catastrophe--"perhaps the greatest that this country has ever suffered," as the journalist Walter Lippmann put it. Throughout the spring and summer, Mao Zedong's Communist armies fanned out across mainland China, annihilating the rival troops of America's one-time ally Chiang Kai-shek and taking control of Beijing, Shanghai, and other major cities. As Truman and his aides--including his shrewd, ruthless secretary of state, Dean Acheson--scrambled to formulate a response, they were forced to contend not only with Mao, but also with unrelenting political enemies at home. Over the course of this tumultuous year, Mao would fashion a new revolutionary government in Beijing, laying the foundation for the creation of modern China, while Chiang Kai-shek would flee to the island sanctuary of Taiwan. These events transformed American foreign policy--leading, ultimately, to decades of friction with Communist China, a long-standing U.S. commitment to Taiwan, and the subsequent wars in Korea and Vietnam.

Drawing on Chinese and Russian sources, as well as recently declassified CIA documents, Kevin Peraino tells the story of this remarkable year through the eyes of the key players, including Mao Zedong, President Truman, Secretary of State Acheson, Minnesota congressman Walter Judd, and Madame Chiang Kai-shek, the influential first lady of the Republic of China.

Today, the legacy of 1949 is more relevant than ever to the relationships between China, the United States, and the rest of the world, as Beijing asserts its claims in the South China Sea and tensions endure between Taiwan and the mainland.

Very educational and interesting

This is a very important time period in the world and this is a great way to learn about it.

Nothing new

As a mainland Chinese I hoped to see a book that facilitates mutual understanding between two people. So far I didn’t see any. This book focused way too much on top figures, largely ignored the Chinese people and the dynamics behind the Chinese revolution. It didn’t help any person to understand why there was a revolution and what is the role the US played in it. Maybe as a book aiming the English speaking market, this is the limit of this kind of books can go.

An Interesting Journey

I found this was an interesting listen that brought me close to the main characters as events unfolded. While Chiang had his flaws, I do find it unfortunate that the author downplayed the undermining of his position going back to the Roosevelt Administration. The effects of American Soviet spies at the State Department are also dismissed, read about Adler and Service.

360-Degrees of China, Very Good History Book

The narration is great, big time professional

The history in this book is great and the work is very well organized. The coverage goes from Asia, to Washington, to Moscow, to India. The reader gets full coverage of this complex period.

The star of the book for me was Madam Chang. What a resilient person, her perspective is worth knowing because she was such a driving force and so influential.

Another great personality in the equation is Walter Judd in his battle with Dean Acheson. Were the Chinese people betrayed as an Allie versus Japan. Was their country given away to Marxists because it more expedient? Listen to this book and make the call yourself.

A well told narrative for a critical period in history

Kevin Peraino details the crucial events of 1949 from many angles. By relating the personal stories of key actors across countries and idealogical divides, he weaves a rich tapestry which brings to life a well known, but less understood turning point in history. I highly recommend listening.