A Tense Week in 1939 in Soochow – ‘NO TRESPASSING ON US PROPERTY’

This week in 1939 there was trouble in Soochow (Suzhou)….American church schools in the city were being seriously pressured by the Japanese. The US Consulate (presumably in Shanghai) issued seals declaring the schools US property and stating ‘No Trespassing’. New Stars and Stripes were provided to be flown over the schools so as no mistake could be made. Against Japanese wishes the missionaries who ran the schools refused to teach with Japanese supplied textbooks….