The Gates of Nanping Kai

By Lee G. Stallard

The Gates of Nanping Kai is a heartwarming, carefully researched, historical romance set in China during the uncertainties of World War II.
A young Chinese woman finds she can depend on the friendship and love of a certain American G.I. who also yearns for comfort and companionship. The little known China-Burma-India theater of action is accurately described as the paths of the two main characters weave their way to Kunming, a city in south-central China.
Mai-ling had little time to react to the Japanese attack on her home city of Hong Kong. She fled to the mainland at great personal risk and finally found refuge in Kunming. Collins was a pawn in the military machine without any personal choice. He was obedient to the call of war and went through battle in the jungles of Burma to emerge in the interior of China in Kunming. Life normalized in Kunming as Collin's duties centered on the organization of the mess hall. As with the other G.I.s, the presence of young Chinese women in the Army offices didn't escape his notice.
Collins' cheek pressed against Mai-ling's hair and she knew she was his. She breathed a sigh of relief as she said quietly, "All right. I know I can depend on you." He felt the joy of being protector over this delicate creature that had come into his life as if by accident and was becoming so precious to him.

Based partly on the author's own war-time experience, The Gates of Nanping Kai is an enthralling tail of personal honor and trust between two young people who learn to depend on each other in the face of adversity.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Although the 124th Cavalry served mainly in Burma, Lee Stallard served only in China (mostly in Kunming) throughout 1945 and much of 1946. He was in charge of the mess halls and tried to learn as much of the language and culture of China as he could. Lee was born in SW Virginia and raised on the Pacific coast of Washington. After the war he settled in Spokane, Washington where he married (an American) in 1952 and had two children. Through the years, Lee operated a number of small businesses, finally taking up writing in retirement. The intriguing, Chinese office girls he saw on the base in Kunming remained in his memory resulting in this novel. He is currently in his 90s.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1463573332
• ISBN13: 9781463573331
• Release Date: July 2011
• Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 308 Pages
• Weight: 0.67 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.0" x 8.0"