Scope and arrangement

John C. Waddell worked for Universal Leaf Tobacco Company when he was sent to Shanghai, China, to operate a redrying factory in 1930. Waddell comments on living conditions in the International Settlement, including social activities (pp. 9-10) and the fear of being kidnapped (pp. 3-4). He also discusses competition between tobacco companies (pp. 12-14), Chinese tobacco quality (p. 3), and wages paid Chinese tobacco workers (p. 15).

Waddell discusses the death and destruction in Nanking (1937) and Shanghai (1932, 1937) during the Sino-Japanese War, the effect of the war on tobacco production (p. 5), and the 1937 evacuation of American women and children, including his wife, to Manila on the PRESIDENT JEFFERSON (pp. 17-19).

Good descriptions of Chinese life are also given concerning transportation methods, villages (p. 4), a funeral in Shanghai (pp. 8-9), effects of binding on women's feet (pp. 16-17), and the execution of a robber (pp. 15-16).

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Gift of John C. Waddell

Processing information

Processed by M. Cherry, April 1988

Encoded by Apex Data Services

Copyright notice

Repository does not own copyright to the oral history collection. Permission to cite, reproduce, or broadcast must be obtained from both the repository and the participants in the oral history, or their heirs.

Metadata Rights Declaration

General note

1930-1938

Key terms

Personal Names

Waddell, John C.

Corporate Names

Universal Leaf Tobacco Co.

Topical

Sino-Japanese Conflict, 1931-1933--China
Tobacco industry--China
Tobacco workers--China

Places

China--Description and travel--20th century
China--History--1928-1937

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