By Huang Daohen
“China’s history is so vast, and I have no idea whether my materials will be useful,” Joseph Wampler, 75, a China-born American, was a bit hesitant last week n he decided to donate a private collection from the 1940s’ war era, but had no idea which department he should turn to.It’s no longer Wampler’s worry, as several related departments, including the National Museum, Cna’s Military Museum and the National Library, have contacted him and expressed interest in the collection.“Now my problem is that there are too many departments that want the materials,” he said Tuesday. “Ipe the files may go to those who really need them.”Private family collection
The private collection includes dozens of letters, photographs and documents from the war period. These materials reflect the peasants’ lives, the training performance of the Eighth Route Army soldiers and the ruins after Japanese bombings
Among the materials, there are bank notes issued by the communist temporary government during the anti-Japanese war period, painted propaganda posters handed out by the Japanese and road permits distributed by the anti-Japanese base, the Kuomingtang government as well as the Japanese army headquarters.
Wampler also showed a photograph of Li Gongpu, one of the Democratic League leaders assassinated during the time. He said the photo was taken by a close friend of his father, and the photographer gave it to him before he died.