Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book examines the conduct of the city's Europeans, including the public administrators of the foreign concessions, shows how many people had readily opted for collaboration instead of resistance. It also examines the rise of the film industry on the gudao, affirms the theme of distance from national politics. The chapter shows that Zhang Shankun, the most visible and profitable entrepreneur of Chinese cinema during the war, prospered as a prolific producer of lowbudget historical romances which enjoyed major commercial success. It focuses on the secret service agents of Chongqing who were armed to act and war with their rivals of No. 76. The book describes the installation of mechanisms of urban control under the Japanese occupation authorities, documents the extension of the household registration system into the foreign concessions and the creation of the urban militia there after 1941.