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Stephen R. Platt @stephenplatt.bsky.social · 1d

Saddened by the passing of John Grady, an incredibly collegial, supportive and public-minded editor and writer. It was an honor to get to know him through the Biographers International military history roundtable.

Washington Independent Review of Books @wirobooks.bsky.social · 1d

In memory of longtime contributor John Grady, who recently passed away, we share here his final piece for the Independent, an interview with @stephenplatt.bsky.social (THE RAIDER, @aaknopf.bsky.social): www.washingtonindependentreviewofbooks.com/features/an-... #booksky

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Stephen R. Platt @stephenplatt.bsky.social · Aug 1

Posting somewhat belatedly, here's a piece I wrote for the Boston Globe about Evans Carlson's visions for the US and China in WWII. www.bostonglobe.com/2025/07/11/o...

When the US was gung ho for China - The Boston Globe

Right after World War II, a crucial alliance between the two countries fell apart. We are still paying the price.

www.bostonglobe.com

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Stephen R. Platt @stephenplatt.bsky.social · Aug 1

New interview just posted, talking about Evans Carlson with the School of War podcast. Great conversation with a really knowledgeable host. open.spotify.com/episode/4nlM...

Ep 219: Stephen Platt on Mao's China and the Original Marine Raider

School of War · Episode

open.spotify.com

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Reposted by Stephen R. Platt

Rick Green @bcbrews.bsky.social · Jul 25

#histbookchat Having recently read "The Raider" by @stephenplatt.bsky.social‬, I'm chuffed that @ww2tv.bsky.social will have Stephen on #WW2TV to chat about the extraordinary #USMC Evans Carlson on August 4.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoHH...

The Raider: Evans Carlson USMC and US-China relations in WWII

YouTube video by WW2TV

www.youtube.com

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Stephen R. Platt @stephenplatt.bsky.social · Jul 4

Thank you!

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Reposted by Stephen R. Platt

Washington Independent Review of Books @wirobooks.bsky.social · Jun 10

An Interview with Stephen R. Platt. www.washingtonindependentreviewofbooks.com/features/an-... @aaknopf.bsky.social @stephenplatt.bsky.social #Booksky

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Reposted by Stephen R. Platt

Jonathan Chatwin @jmchatwin.bsky.social · Jun 4

A street scene in late Qing-dynasty Beijing—layers of commerce, Peking dust, and daily life. Likely around Qianmen, ca 1900.

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Reposted by Stephen R. Platt

Maura Elizabeth Cunningham @mauracunningham.bsky.social · Jun 3

The new Xi Zhongxun biography by @josephtorigian.bsky.social (published by @stanfordpress.bsky.social) is an amazing achievement and has so much to teach us about CCP politics and 20th century Chinese history. My thoughts:

The Party’s Interests Come First: Five Takeaways

Today is publication day for The Party’s Interests Come First: The Life of Xi Zhongxun, Father of Xi Jinping, by Joseph Torigian. Those of us who occupy nerdy China circles have long been anticipat…

mauracunningham.org

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Reposted by Stephen R. Platt

Jeff Wasserstrom @jwassers.bsky.social · May 30

Lively and thoughtful review just up at @lareviewofbooks.bsky.social by @kellyahammond.bsky.social on The Raider, gripping new trade book on the complex life of an American soldier by @stephenplatt.bsky.social & an edited collection on US-China relations 1937-1949 lareviewofbooks.org/article/gras...

Grassroots and Guerrillas | Los Angeles Review of Books

Kelly Hammond reviews Stephen R. Platt’s “The Raider: The Untold Story of a Renegade Marine and the Birth of U.S. Special Forces in World War II” alongside other new work about East Asia in World War...

lareviewofbooks.org

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Reposted by Stephen R. Platt

Paul French @chinarhyming.bsky.social · May 27

USMC 3rd Battalion 4th Marines march in the Shanghai International Settlement, 1933

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Reposted by Stephen R. Platt

Jeff Wasserstrom @jwassers.bsky.social · May 27

A @newbooksnetwork.bsky.social interview on my to listen list (first in the military history category), this one with @stephenplatt.bsky.social on his new book about China & WWII and a many faceted American soldier newbooksnetwork.com/the-raider

Stephen R. Platt, "The Raider: The Untold Story of a Renegade Marine and the Birth of U.S. Special Forces in World War II" (Knopf, 2025) - New Books Network

newbooksnetwork.com

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Stephen R. Platt @stephenplatt.bsky.social · May 20

One of my favorite interviews I've done on The Raider just posted today. The Curious Man's podcast. Great host, insightful questions. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s...

Stephen R. Platt Interview

Podcast Episode · Thecuriousmanspodcast · 05/20/2025 · 1h 2m

podcasts.apple.com

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Stephen R. Platt @stephenplatt.bsky.social · May 19

Here's an interview I did with Scott Rank at History Unplugged: "How a Marine Embedded with Mao Zedong’s Guerrillas in the 30s Became WW2’s Most Celebrated Special Forces Leader"

www.parthenonpodcast.com/history-unpl...

How a Marine Embedded with Mao Zedong’s Guerrillas in the 30s Became WW2’s Most Celebrated Special Forces Leader - History Unplugged Podcast - Scott Rank

He was a gutsy old man.” “A corker,” said another. “You couldn’t find anyone better.” They talked about him in hushed ton...

www.parthenonpodcast.com

Reposted by Stephen R. Platt

China Books Review @chinabooksreview.com · May 16

Read an excerpt from @stephenplatt.bsky.social's new book "The Raider": chinabooksreview.com/2025/05/15/t...

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Stephen R. Platt @stephenplatt.bsky.social · May 16

Talking China, opium and empire with the inimitable Will and Anita at the Empire podcast. This was the final episode of their marvelous "Victorian Narcos" series: podcasts.apple.com/tm/podcast/v...

Victorian Narcos: From Opium To Fentanyl (Ep 9)

Podcast Episode · Empire · 14/05/2025 · 45m

podcasts.apple.com

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Stephen R. Platt @stephenplatt.bsky.social · May 16

Wide-ranging interview with the excellent War Books podcast: www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkqV...

World War II – China & the Birth of the U.S. Special Forces – Stephen R. Platt

YouTube video by War Books Podcast - by A.J. Woodhams

www.youtube.com

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Stephen R. Platt @stephenplatt.bsky.social · May 15

Here's an excerpt from my new book: chinabooksreview.com/2025/05/15/t...

An American Marine In China’s Red Army | China Books Review

In 1937, a U.S. military officer set off with Mao Zedong’s troops to raid Japanese-occupied territory in the north of China. The Communist guerillas, he felt, could be a model for America's military t...

chinabooksreview.com

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Reposted by Stephen R. Platt

China Books Review @chinabooksreview.com · May 15

In 1937, a U.S. military officer set off with Mao Zedong’s troops to raid Japanese-occupied territory in the north of China. The Communist guerillas, he felt, could be a model for America's military to emulate.

Read an excerpt from @stephenplatt.bsky.social: chinabooksreview.com/2025/05/15/t...

chinabooksreview.com

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Stephen R. Platt @stephenplatt.bsky.social · May 14

Thanks, Jeff!

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Reposted by Stephen R. Platt

Alfred A. Knopf @aaknopf.bsky.social · May 13

Out today!

🏖️ FEVER BEACH by Carl Hiaasen
🌊 THE BOY FROM THE SEA by Garrett Carr
🚲 LIFE AND ART by Richard Russo
🕯️ HOW TO BE WELL by Amy Larocca
🪖 THE RAIDER by Stephen R. Platt
👁️ NEVER LET ME GO (20th Anniversary Special Edition) by Kazuo Ishiguro

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Stephen R. Platt @stephenplatt.bsky.social · May 13

It's a hell of a story, and I've greatly enjoyed the past several years of research. I am fortunate to be the first historian ever to gain access to Carlson's personal papers, making possible the first full, three-dimensional biography of him that's ever been written. I hope you'll give it a read.

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Stephen R. Platt @stephenplatt.bsky.social · May 13

A war correspondent in 1944 described him as the most beloved officer in the Marine Corps to the enlisted men. But his reputation would be posthumously destroyed in the McCarthy era on account of his connections to the Chinese Communists. Today he is forgotten.

Carlson in helmet near the end of his life.

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Stephen R. Platt @stephenplatt.bsky.social · May 13

Carlson was a darling of the wartime press and one of the most decorated Marines of his time. Here he is receiving his third Navy Cross from Admiral Nimitz:

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Stephen R. Platt @stephenplatt.bsky.social · May 13

He modeled his Raider battalion directly on what he had learned in China. As he wrote to a friend from Guadalcanal, "The old master's philosophy is the guiding force in my organization." The "old master" was Zhu De, the tactical genius behind China's Red Army.

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Stephen R. Platt @stephenplatt.bsky.social · May 13

After Pearl Harbor, Carlson founded the legendary 2nd Marine Raider Battalion, an early U.S. special forces unit that would gain national fame in the Pacific. Here they are on Guadalcanal:

A group of Marine Raiders on Guadalcanal

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