Chapter 4 China Post in the Period of the War of Resistance against Japan

After 20 years of development and operation, China Post had reached rather high level in the middle of 1930s. By 1936, number of post offices had reached 15,000, post service organizations 72,000, postal routes over 560,000 km. But, because Japan Imperialism widely invaded China, occupied northeast areas, as well as North China, Central China and South China areas, Chinese people were humiliated. China Post undertook disasters. During the whole period when Japan invaded China, China Post tried hard to maintain its services in North China, Central China and continued communication within the country or with foreign countries. It arduously operated post in rear areas, developed networks and post offices and improved services which ensuring the requirements of communication of soldiers and civilians and contributed to the War of Resistance against Japan.

Section 1 Persistence and Retreat of Post in Northeast Areas

After "Sept 18 Incident" in 1931, Japanese troops invaded the 3 provinces in northeast areas, established the puppet Regime of Manzhou and intended to seize the post. At the beginning, because post was administrated by foreign post chief,  Japanese troops were scrupulous and didn't take over it by force. Before the puppet regime was established, post office still hanged Chinese Post Flag, and operated normally. But Japanese troops withheld mails and arrested, tortured, even murdered post workers. To block the information on resistance against Japan, Japanese troops strictly inspected mails and sent military police to post office to check and withdrew mails and newspapers. After the calamity of "Sept.18", under the close watch and menace, as well as the social turmoil and unbridled bandit, post workers faced violence and danger in work. But they stuck to their post, ran the risk to run the business, organize the transportation of mails, and protect post properties, which reflected their high patriotism spirit.

At the beginning of 1932 when the foreign post chief F. Poletti who presided the work of northeast post knew the puppet regime to be established, which intended to seize post on hand, he mediated with them, claiming that if they took over post by force, post would totally collapsed and the consequence was very dangerous. On the other hand, after carefully planned, he sent a letter to the General Post Administration Bureau on Jan'29, stating the conspiracy of Japanese, their intension to seize post, and putting forward his suggestion: to suspend the opening of new savings account; If necessary, stop developing remittance in other areas, If necessary, try to cut down stamps in stock, and put spare stamps in foreign banks, to mortgage the capital of northeast post to foreign banks to Prevent it from being robbed, "to preserve post in other areas for post workers in northwest post because if post was taken over, they couldn't keep their posts". On Feb 11, the General Bureau replied that it agreed his suggestion. The retreat of post workers was in discussion. Communication Ministry worried about the difficulties caused by too many post workers to retreat and decided to allow only experienced post workers retreating to inland. F. Poletti knew that if doing so, it would depressed their patriotism enthusiasm. So when Post Labour Union noticed him to attend the meeting, he recommended delegates to attend the meting in the name of Liaoning Post Worker Club to go to Shanghai, Naming to appeal for the retreat of all post workers. Finally the government agreed after their explains and vigorous argument on justifiable grounds. After the General Bureau authorized F.Poletti to undertake retreating, he drew up the retreating plan and procedures. All movable Properties, stamps, archives, materials, especially postal savings could be transferred to inland through foreign blanks and foreign consulate. On March l, 1932, Japanese troops instructed the Communication Ministry of the Puppet regime to notice F.Poletti that northeast post would be taken over on April 1. In the negotiation with the persons of taking over, F. Poletti insisted that before "the agreement of two post areas of Liaoning and Jihei" was signed, all business in these two post areas should maintain their conditions, and reached an initial agreement. But Japanese Army tore up the agreement, persuaded China Post to recognize the puppet regime, which was refused by F.Poletti. By then China Post in northeast areas couldn't maintained its business. So Naming Government decided to stop northeast post business and treat to inland. On the basis of F.Poletti's suggestion, on July 1932, the chief of post department of the puppet regime, announced that new stamps would be issued on August 1. On July 23, the Communication Ministry of Naming Government announced to stop northeast post business and carried out blockade. Thus, northeast post was grasped by Japanese.

After China Post retreated from northeast areas, although Naming Government claimed to carry out blockade, because China didn't broke diplomatic relations with Japan, Japanese post office in Dalian and Japanese "Guest Post" offices could still communicated with all areas of China. Mails from Europe continued to be transferred through Sebria and northeast areas. Japanese organizations and a few Chinese merchants seized the opportunity to undertake private mail delivery, which made the weak blockade almost collapsed. By then, northeast areas had been invaded, but connections between northeast areas and inland were quite a lot. Naming Government thought it was an objective requirement. In Sept 1934, Naming Government appointed Guo Zongwu and Yu Xianglin as delegates to negotiate with Japanese Army in Beijing. On Dec l4, 1934, "Post Agreement", "Memorandum of Communication Method", "Temporary Provisions on Post Remittance through Shanhaiguan and Gubeikou" were signed. From Jan 10,1935, post communication between the two sides started. From Feb. I parcel and remittance communication started.

This communication relation was not direct but a special one. The General Administration Bureau of China Post appointed retired postman Huang Zigu to set up a private-owned "Transfer Office" in Shanhaiguan and Gubeikou, responsible for transferring mails. On March 1,1935, Administration Bureau of Hebei Post Area signed transferring contract with it The method was' put mails horn the 3 provinces of northeast and Rehe Province into the package and transported to Shanhaiguan or Gubeikou, received by the "Transfer Office" and restamped with China stamps to be delivered as local mails, then delivered to all areas. The restamped China stamps were provided by the post office for free. Such a special method maintained to 1941. Because Pacific War was to break out, situation was rather tense, the General Administration Bureau instructed Hebei Post Administration Bureau to abolish the two "Transfer offices" on August 21, which ended the communication relations between China Post and northeast areas.