Modernizing propaganda in Republican China under a foreign gaze

During China's Republican era (1912–1949), the Kuomintang (KMT) Nationalists experimented with propaganda in theory and practice as its propaganda moved from a traditionally preaching oriented mass culture to modern mass-media-based weaponry deemed as 'paper bullets.' Contrary to the commonly overstated role and influence of the Soviet Union and its theorists during this transition from a utilitarian to an aggressive, weaponized model of propaganda, this essay, drawing insights from articles in the foreign press of Republican China, illuminates the complexity and intricacy of this experimental phase. The period is characterized by continuity, ruptures, hybridization, and innovation, providing a nuanced, multifaceted understanding of KMT propaganda. Aligned with the existing non-Soviet perspective on KMT propaganda, emphasizing the integration of cultural, folk, or modern elements into the propaganda arsenal, this study enhances it by providing a more comprehensive outlook.