For our project, we created two interactive timelines to explore the world Haldore Hanson encountered while traveling and writing Humane Endeavour: The Story of the China War. One timeline follows Hanson’s personal journey through China, and the second presents the major political and military events that took place between 1937 and 1939. Together, they show how his movements connected with the larger tensions of the Second Sino-Japanese War.

The data for both timelines comes mainly from Hanson’s book, supported by photographs from the period. We identified the key events he described, checked the dates with outside sources, and organized the information into a spreadsheet that included dates, short descriptions, and related images. See Sources and Processes pages for detailed citations and processes.

Personal Trip Timeline:

This timeline traces Haldore Hanson’s journey through China from 1937 to 1939, documenting the cities and regions he visited and important figures he met as a journalist covering the Second Sino-Japanese War.

Major Events Timeline:

This timeline highlights key military and political events of the Second Sino-Japanese War from 1937 to 1939, providing historical context for the conditions Hanson witnessed during his travels.