"As China again reenters the world’s stage, few Americans are aware of the relationship the United States Marine Corps shared with this distant land, and that these “Soldiers of the Sea” witnessed firsthand, many of the events that shaped the China we know today.  For some Marines, exposure to this exotic land came while serving aboard warships, whose protective guns ensured American commerce could safely operate along the Chinese coast.  For other Marines, the Middle Kingdom came into focus from the deck of cramped gunboats that causally moved up and down China’s legendary rivers.  Yet other Leathernecks discovered the mysteries of this vast and varied land while garrisoning the great cities of Peking and Shanghai.  Officially, the Marines came because they were ordered to come.  But privately their reasons for wanting to make the long Pacific crossing were as varied as the men themselves.  To one young Marine, China offered an exciting contrast to a hard scrabble farm life in eastern Colorado  To another,.... China would leave a lasting impression upon everyone of these men as they witnessed a land torn apart by internal strife, while foreign powers eagerly chipped away at the country’s sovereignty."   
                                        
ChinaMarine.org