Shanghai The Rise and Fall of a Decadent City

A wonderful biography of the greatest metropolis in Asia from the turn of the 19th cent. until Mao¹s army swept away its decadence in 1949. Chronicles how a wilderness of swamps was transformed into a dazzling, modern-day Babylon. Seductive and cruel, Shanghai, was a booming international port at the mouth of the Yangtze River: a powerful criminal underworld controlled the port in league with the city¹s wealthiest citizens and the military. This was the most turbulent spot in Asia, for war, rebellion, and econ. disaster were never far from its door. Knowing that the control of Shanghai was the key to China, warlords, revolutionaries, and outside invaders all vied for this richest of prizes. Photos.Dong, Stella is the author of 'Shanghai The Rise and Fall of a Decadent City' with ISBN 9780756755027 and ISBN 0756755026.