The Wartime Rotary Club of Kunming (昆明扶輪社), sponsored by the Rotary Club of Nanking, was officially established in 1937 during the turbulent period of the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II. Kunming, a strategic city in Yunnan Province, became a vital Allied military and industrial center, hosting American and Chinese air forces including the “Flying Tigers.” Despite constant Japanese air raids and wartime hardships, the club thrived with 32 charter members and continued active community service such as supporting the Boy Scouts, schools for the blind, and hospitals for soldiers. Meetings were conducted in English with a diverse membership of Chinese and expatriates. The club also played a significant role advocating infrastructure projects like a railroad linking Burma and Yunnan. Celebrating Rotary’s 40th anniversary in 1945 with 35 members, the club ultimately dissolved in 1950 due to the changing political landscape under Communist rule. Some members relocated to establish the Rotary Club of Taipei in 1948.
PTG
O Rotary Club de Kunming (昆明扶輪社), patrocinado pelo Rotary Club de Nanking, foi oficialmente fundado em 1937 durante a turbulenta época da Segunda Guerra Sino-Japonesa e da Segunda Guerra Mundial. Kunming, uma cidade estratégica na província de Yunnan, tornou-se um importante centro militar aliado e industrial, abrigando forças aéreas americanas e chinesas, incluindo os “Flying Tigers”. Apesar dos constantes ataques aéreos japoneses e das dificuldades da guerra, o clube prosperou com 32 membros fundadores e manteve serviços comunitários ativos como apoio aos Escoteiros, escolas para cegos e hospitais para soldados. As reuniões eram conduzidas em inglês, com uma diversidade de membros chineses e estrangeiros. O clube também teve papel fundamental na promoção de projetos de infraestrutura como uma ferrovia ligando a Birmânia a Yunnan. Comemorando o 40º aniversário do Rotary em 1945 com 35 membros, o clube encerrou suas atividades em 1950 devido ao ambiente político sob o regime comunista. Alguns membros se mudaram para fundar o Rotary Club de Taipei em 1948.
The Wartime Rotary Club Kunming 昆明扶輪社 Herbert Lau 劉敬恒 China Historian April 2016 Yun Nan 雲南府 Province Republic 中華民國雲南省 World War Before Imperial Japan British Burma Yunnan Road Great Britain Chinese Nationalist After Japanese Allied Wujiaba 巫家壩 American Flying Tigers 飛虎隊 中國空軍美國志願大隊 Second Sino 1937 Theatre 1941 They Chungking Chongqing Battle Shanghai 淞滬會戰 Taiyuan Nanking Nanjing And Wuhan 武漢會戰 Europe Air Force Academy Jianqiao Airbase 筧橋空軍基地 Lieutenant General Claire Lee Chennault 陳納德中將 1938 During National Redoubt When French Indochina 1940 West Southeast Asia Office Strategic Services Service Unit Detachment 101 1st Special Forces Group Later Army Volunteer 1942 Himalayas India Ledo Industry Central Machine Works Hunan Due ROTARIAN Fred Barton December 1944 Issue Correspondence Sponsored 南京扶輪社 International 4298 Chinkiang 鎮江扶輪社 Kiangsu Jiangsu 江蘇省 Informally 1936 Governor Fong Foo Sec 鄺富灼博士 81st District May 20th Thursday Hsin Yah Restaurant President Miao Tai 繆雲台 Chairman Economic Council 雲南全省經濟委員會常務委員會主任委員 Vice Alexander James Watson 華德生醫生 Superintendent Church Missionary Society Hospital 大英傳教會惠滇醫院院長 Secretary Roger Arnold Young Men Christian Association 昆明基督教青年會總幹事 Treasurer Hoang Manager Wing Fung Bank Sergeant Arms Reverend Valdemar Borge Molgaard Representative Foreign Bible 英國聖經公會駐雲南代表 Board Directors Chou Chia 趙家履 Provincial Telephone Company 雲南全省電話局局長 Yao University 省立雲南大學校長 Shiao Yang Hsun 蕭揚勛 Telegraph Wireless Administration 雲南電政管理局局長 雲南無線電局局長 Show 1939 Realizing Consul Ministry Communications 1943 Simms DeKalb Illinois Secretariat Jack Captain John July Thought Chicago Perhaps Have Ella Many High America English 250 000 Jap 500 Can You Was Lack Government Hope Good Signed Rotarian One Banking Room Twenty Englishman Hollander King Electric Utilities George Ling Membership Committee Chuck Texas Oil Other Postal Holland Chem Engineer Majority Calcutta Orient Money Black Market All Food Each From This Stewed Liberty Mel Kennedy Champaign Friends Organization Britisher Sam Smith Hong Kong Paul Harris Bob Hill Asiatic Rotarians Wierink Members THE Always Corps Here Netherlander Celebration 40th Anniversary 1945 Americans Dutch Because Ever People Among Boy Scouts Movement Armed Scouting Giving Support 600 Ladies Night Meeting 180 United States Director Chengting Wang 王正廷博士 Ralph Loper Fall River Massachusetts Knowing Yes Taipei 1948 Taiwan Another 李申穠 臺北扶輪社 October Regrettably 1950 Communist APPENDIX
The-Wartime-Rotary-Club-of-Kunming-昆明扶輪社.pdf
