Ep. 131 | Morris ‘Two-Gun’ Cohen (Part 2)

The China History Podcast
Written By Laszlo Montgomery

We’re going to finish off the last 45 years of Morris Two-Gun Cohen’s life in this extra-long episode. With Sun Yat-sen now gone, Morris Cohen worked hard to reinvent himself and remain relevant in the world of Chinese business and politics.

Morris will hit some highs and lows in this episode as he tried to leverage his past association with Sun and his obvious loyalty to the KMT into an ongoing and lucrative career. As you’ll see in this episode, the road was hardly a smooth one.

Listen On Your Favorite Podcast Player

Terms in Episode

Pinyin/TermChineseEnglish/Meaning
C.C. Wu伍朝樞Chiang Kai-shek’s foreign minister and later a minister to the US. Son of Wu Tingfang
Chen Jitang陈济棠Governed Guangdong province from 1929-1936. Another of Morris’s paymasters
Eugene Chen Youren陈友仁Eugene Chen Known as Sun Yat-sen’s foreign minister
H.H. Kung孔祥熙Husband of Song Ailing. Lifetime KMT stalwart. Economic and Finance guru for the party in the 30’s and 40’s
Hu Hanmin胡汉民Close ally of Sun Yat-sen, first supporter, then lifetime political foe of Chiang Kai-shek
Li Jishen李济深Military strongman based in Guangzhou. Had a falling out with Chiang Kai-shek and stayed in China after 1949
Nan Tianwang南天王Celestial King of the South, Chen Jitang’s nickname down in Guangdong
Sheng-Gang Dabagong省港大罢工The Guangzhou Hong Kong Strike
Shuangqiang Ma Kun双枪马坤Two-Gun Morris Cohen
Song Ailing宋蔼龄Eldest Song sister, married to H.H. Kung
Song Meiling宋美龄Madame Chiang Kai-shek
Song Qingling宋庆龄Madame Sun Yat-sen, lifelong benefactor to Morris Cohen
Sun Fo孙佛Son of Sun Yat-sen, also known as Sun Ke 孙科
T.V. Soong宋子文Brother of Soong Sisters. One of the biggest heavyweights of the late Republican era
Wellington Koo顾维钧Longtime diplomat and KMT stalwart
Wu Tiecheng武铁成Another KMT heavy. Served as mayor of Shanghai and later high up in the post 1949 KMT. Another paymaster to Morris
Wu Tingfang伍廷芳Official during last years of Qing. Later a top diplomat in the Nationalist government
Xianbing Dui宪兵队The dreaded Japanese Kempeitai

Resources

Books

Enjoy the show and want to support the CHP?

 
patreon_logo_small.png

Join the CHP Patreon

 
paypal_logo_small.png

Make a Direct Donation

 
Related Episodes
Ep. 300 | The History of Chinese Alchemy (Part 2)
Ep. 300 | The History of Chinese Alchemy (Part 2)

For this Milestone Episode in CHP history, we look at the biggest name in the industry, Ge Hong.

Ep. 299 | The History of Chinese Alchemy (Part 1)
Ep. 299 | The History of Chinese Alchemy (Part 1)

This is the first of a two-part series that will explore the history of Chinese alchemy.

Ep. 298 | Homer Lea
Ep. 298 | Homer Lea

Homer Lea’s story is kind of unique. In his short life he got to witness some of the great moments in Revolutionary Chinese history.

Ep. 297 | Austro-German Jewish Musicians in Wartime Shanghai
Ep. 297 | Austro-German Jewish Musicians in Wartime Shanghai

Laszlo and Scripps College professor of music Dr. Hao Huang discuss the stories of Jewish musicians from Germany and Austria who fled Europe and ended up in Shanghai.

Ep. 257 | Emily “Mickey” Hahn
Ep. 257 | Emily “Mickey” Hahn

Emily Mickey Hahn was a woman whose writings from her years in China from 1935-1943 were essential reading for those hungry to learn about China during a time when the world was becoming smaller and more dangerous.

Ep. 212 | The History of the Jewish Refugees in China (Part 5)
Ep. 212 | The History of the Jewish Refugees in China (Part 5)

The drama continues with the final arrivals of European Jewish refugees into Shanghai in 1941-42. Afterward, the China option, which had previously served as a safety net for Jews seeking refuge far from the Nazis, was no longer available.

Ep. 210 | The History of the Jewish Refugees in China (Part 3)
Ep. 210 | The History of the Jewish Refugees in China (Part 3)

As the countdown to Kristallnacht gets closer, the situation becomes more urgent and Shanghai as a destination becomes more popular for Jews fleeing Europe. The great humanitarian He Fengsha will also be introduced.

Ep. 209 | The History of the Jewish Refugees in China (Part 2)
Ep. 209 | The History of the Jewish Refugees in China (Part 2)

In this episode, we’ll look at the events leading up to Kristallnacht in November 1938. We’ll also examine the smaller and lesswe known Jewish community of Tianjin.

Ep. 208 | The History of the Jewish Refugees in China (Part 1)
Ep. 208 | The History of the Jewish Refugees in China (Part 1)

This series examines the history of the Jewish refugees who came to China during the first part of the twentieth century. In this episode, Laszlo explains how many Jews made their way to China to escape hard times back home.

Ep. 206 | Robert van Gulik and Judge Dee
Ep. 206 | Robert van Gulik and Judge Dee

Laszlo introduces the great Nederlander Robert van Gulik, whose sixteen detective novels featuring the “stern but fair-minded” Judge Dee offered his world-wide readership a peek into 7th century Tang China society.

Laszlo Montgomery
Previous

Ep. 132 | The Song Emperor Huizong (Part 1)
Next

Ep. 130 | Morris ‘Two-Gun’ Cohen (Part 1)