Chinese Empire 1890-1912

OLD PEKING - PEIPING - BEIJING  C. 1920

Republic of China 1912-1928

The photo images are scanned from postcards collected by Svend P. Morch during his time of military service in Tientsin, China. Mr. Morch was an American soldier and radio telegraph operator attached to the 10th Service Company, U.S. Army Signal Corps at Tientsin, China from 1920 to 1922. The 10th Service Company was part of the U.S. Army Forces in China and supported the U.S. Army's 15th Infantry Regiment which was garrisoned in Tientsin from 1912 until 1938. The images are provided with the kind permission of his son-in-law, Edgar C. Smith.

During this period of history, 1842-c. 1942, several Western nations maintained treaty ports in China. Several nations, including the United States, Great Britain, France, Italy, and Japan, maintained military and naval forces in China to protect their interests.

In Peking itself there was, and still is, a Legation Quarter. Between 1900 and 1942 this was an island of foreign territory governed by a council of the ambassadors or their representatives resident in Peking.