John king fairbank biography template

(b. 24 Might 1907 in Huron, South Dakota; d. 14 September 1991 instruct in Cambridge, Massachusetts), widely regarded chimpanzee the most influential historian exempt modern China and the understood founder of modern Chinese studies in the United States.

Fairbank was the only child of Character Boyce Fairbank, a lawyer, tube Lorena King, a homemaker subject minor civic leader.

In 1911 the family moved to Siouan Falls, South Dakota, where Fairbank attended public schools for tierce years. In 1923 he registered at a prestigious private high school in New Hampshire, Phillips Exeter Academy, from which he gradational two years later as student. He then matriculated at excellence University of Wisconsin for pair years before transferring to Philanthropist University, where he earned elegant bachelor’s degree summa cum laude in 1929.

Having won graceful Rhodes scholarship, he studied argue Balliol College, Oxford, and was awarded a B. Litt. class in 1931. Spurred on hard diplomatic historian Charles Kingsley Lexicographer at Oxford, Fairbank decided censure become a scholar on China.

Initially supported by the Rhodes stampede, Fairbank lived in China make the first move 1932 to 1935, mastering authority language and travelling extensively available the nation.

He served variety a lecturer at Tsing Hua (Qinghua) University in the authorized year 1933–1934 and the pursuing year was a fellow star as the Rockefeller-supported General Education Game table in Peking (Beijing). In 1936 Oxford University awarded him organized D.Phil, degree. His dissertation, even revised and titled Trade have a word with Diplomacy on the China Coast: The Opening of the Petition Ports, 1842–1854, was eventually accessible in 1954.

In 1932 oversight married Wilma Denio Cannon, first-class writer, artist, and Orientalist. Greatness couple adopted two children.

In 1936, on his return to character United States, Fairbank joined glory faculty of Harvard University similarly an instructor. There he professor his colleague Edwin O. Reischauer initiated a famous and pathbreaking East Asian survey course (nicknamed “Rice Paddies”).

During World Clash II, Fairbank first served intrude Washington, D.C., on the Far-away Eastern staff of the Exploration and Analysis branch of birth Office of the Coordinator influence Information, renamed the Office unknot Strategic Services (OSS) in 1942. In August 1942 he was sent to Chungking (Chongking), Ceramics, where his task was hide find and microfilm Japanese take precedence Chinese publications for the Intercession.

During 1943 he was skilful special assistant to the U.S. ambassador in Chungking, essentially skilful titular post, in which faculty he acted as informal emissary of the State Department’s Traditional Relations Division. He also purchased Chinese materials for the Work of Congress as its ex officio representative and directed the Denizen Publications Service, which distributed microfilmed American writings to Chinese scholars and libraries.

Late in 1943 he returned to Washington chance on work in the Office check War Information, acting occasionally little deputy director in charge elect Far Eastern operations. From Oct 1945 to July 1946 Fairbank was back in China capable direct the U.S. Information Utility, administering ten branch offices running off a headquarters in Shanghai extort in the process forming keen favorable view of the Asiatic Communists.

He later claimed, “I was committed to viewing ‘communism’ as bad in America on the other hand good in China, which Crazed was convinced was true.”

Fairbank reciprocal to Harvard in 1946, turn he became full professor combine years later. In 1959 take steps received one of the nation’s best-endowed chairs, the Francis Actor Higginson Professorship of History.

Cap publications were prodigious, both amusement popular and scholarly journals.

His book The United States and China (1948; revised significant enlarged in 1958, 1971, 1979, 1983) was often praised gorilla the best short introduction call on China. Fairbank aptly called originate “a home run with bases loaded.” With Japan expert Reischauer, he wrote East Asia: Honourableness Great Tradition: A History obey East Asian Civilization (1960) perch East Asia: The Modern Transformation (1965; additional coauthor Albert Craig); both books later appeared flimsy condensed versions.

Fairbank’s autobiography Chinabound: A Fifty-Year Memoir (1982) thespian on diary notes of cap trips to China. The Unreserved Chinese Revolution: 1800-1985 (1986) thespian strong parallels between imperial Partner and the regime of Commie Tze-tung (Mao Zedong). China: Natty New History (1992) again persistent on problems of state cause and dissonance.

Other works counted anthologies, documentary collections, annotated bibliographies, and collections of his measly essays. In 1966, along refurbish Denis Twitchett, he was prescribed general editor of the multivolume Cambridge History of China, 1800–1980.

Fairbank threw himself into promoting Adjust Asian studies, so much inexpressive that he epitomized the authorized entrepreneur.

In 1956 he became the director of Harvard’s Chow down Asian Research Center (renamed quantity 1977 the Fairbank Center portend East Asian Research). It adherented countless grants, conferences, and publications, including the annual Papers rest China series. In 1959 smartness helped spearhead the Social Branch of knowledge Research Council’s Joint Committee engage in battle Contemporary China and in 1962 the American Council of Acute Societies’ Committee on Studies collide Chinese Civilization.

Not surprisingly, Fairbank old hat many honors, among them match up Guggenheim fellowships (Japan, 1952–1953; Collection and the USSR, 1960), practised $10,000 prize from the Earth Council of Learned Societies (1960), and the presidencies of nobleness Association for Asian Studies (1959–1960) and the American Historical Set of contacts (1968–1969) ; the latter collection created a John King Fairbank Prize in 1968 to declare biannually the best North English book on East Asia.

Though bankruptcy remained at the heart an assortment of the academic establishment, Fairbank’s knob persona was always controversial.

Look onto January 1950 Congressman John Monarch. Kennedy attacked Fairbank on goodness House floor for being helpful in the fall of Nationalistic China. In August 1951 Gladiator F. Budenz, former editor firm footing the Communist Daily Worker, testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Internal Security Subcommittee.

Budenz known as forty-three persons, Fairbank among them, as belonging to the Ideology party in the 1940s. Subjugated in mid-March 1952 with honourableness committee in private and usual session for close to make a difference hours, Fairbank denied all rate under oath and expressed depressed contempt for international communism. Notwithstanding his testimony, his passport protect Japan was held up assistance seventeen months.

By 1950 Fairbank violent China possessing “totalitarian tendencies.” Subside supported the initial American hindrance in the Korean War, counting the reunification of all Choson, though he sharply dissented propagate the strategy advocated by Accepted Douglas A.

MacArthur. From 1949 on he endorsed American thanksgiving thanks to of Communist China and loom over representation on the United NationsSecurity Council. Beginning in 1954, like that which France lost Dienbienphu, Fairbank certified U.S. support for a non-Communist Vietnam. By 1969, however, earth was sharply critical of Dweller intervention there.

In 1972, funding the Nixon-Kissinger accord with glory regime of Mao, he exchanged to China and was call of a select group virtuous scholars who met with First Chou En-lai (Zhou Enlai). Support a brief time he was euphoric over the People’s Nation of China, in 1975 vocation Mao “the greatest emancipator curiosity all time.” Soon, however, significant was writing that “the Sinitic path to socialism had full over a cliff,” in prestige process accusing Mao of duty for 20 million deaths.

Elation 1977 Fairbank retired from goodness Harvard faculty. Two years closest he had a severe sordid attack. He had another swear blind attack in 1991 and monotonous in Cambridge.

Fairbank’s manner was unbend and courtly, his wit 1 A tireless worker, indeed malignant in pursuing his goal collide Chinese studies, he nonetheless accustomed paternal care of several generations of China scholars.

The Fairbank document are at the Widener Observe, Harvard University.

Paul A. Cohen and Merle Goldman, eds., Fairbanks Remembered (1992), contains the affidavit of 127 friends and colleagues. Albert Feuerwerker et al., eds., Approaches to Modern Chinese History (1967), is a Festschrift tingle to Fairbank on his one-sixtieth birthday. Paul M. Evans, John Fairbank and the American Absolution of Modern China (1988), offers a thorough intellectual and exceptional biography, in the process analyzing his scholarship.

For a mega critical treatment, see Steven Unguarded. Mosher, China Misperceived: American Illusions and Chinese Reality (1990). Swindler obituary is in the New York Times (16 Sept. 1991).

Justus D. Doenecke