Evans Carlson symposium set for Oct. 23

A symposium and exhibition in memory of Brigadier General Evans F. Carlson will be held in the Thomas Cooper Library Oct. 23.

Evans Fordyce Carlson (1896-1947), a Marine Corps officer, served in China in the 1920s and 30s. In 1937, he served as a military observer in the Chinese interior, accompanying Chinese Communist guerrillas in their operations against the Japanese. He was impressed with Chinese tactics and used this knowledge to form a Marine Raider battalion during the Second World War. "Carlson's Raiders" completed several successful missions in the South Pacific during the war.

The events will be held in the Graniteville Room of Thomas Cooper Library on the USC campus. The symposium, sponsored by the USC Center for Asian Studies, will include papers by:

• Patrick Maney, chair, Department of History, USC. "What was Evans Carlson Doing in China? FDR and the Coming War with Japan"
• Robert E. Herzstein, professor, Department of History, USC. "Final Battle: Evans Carlson and the Debate over U.S. Policy in China, 1945-1947"
• Karen Carlson-Loving, granddaughter of Evans Carlson. "Gung Ho! A Marine in China--The Legacy of Evans F. Carlson."

A new exhibition open for viewing during the symposium will feature Carlson family archives of letters, diaries, photographs, and maps, along with medals and other artifacts. Also on view will be an exhibit of rare books on Chinese history from the department of Rare Books and Special Collections. Both exhibitions will be open for public viewing through Dec. 15.

Evans Carlson

The symposium will begin at 3 p.m., with a reception following.

For further information and to reserve an invitation, contact Jeffrey Makala, Rare Books and Special Collections, USC, at makalaj@gwm.sc.edu or 7-0296.

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