Recently, at the Weifang Fuhua Hotel, Xia Baoshu, the 94-year-old former president of Weifang People’s Hospital, and Dr. Charlie Stanley, an 83-year-old American expert in diabetes treatment, embraced tightly. This was not only a heartfelt meeting between two medical professionals, but also a special commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War.
August 17, 1945, was a special day for more than 2,000 Western civilians detained in the Weihsien Internment Camp. Two days after Japan’s unconditional surrender, they were finally liberated. Among them were three-year-old Charlie Stanley and his parents.
After returning to the United States, Charlie Stanley built a successful career and a happy family. The painful years of his childhood gradually faded from memory, yet returning to his former place of detention became a long-cherished wish. The opportunity came in 2019, when he was invited to an academic seminar at the Endocrinology Department of Weifang People’s Hospital. Charlie Stanley not only visited the Weihsien Internment Camp where he had once been held, but also met an important friend in his life — Xia Baoshu.
Xia Baoshu is the former president of Weifang People’s Hospital and a renowned senior expert in radiology and imaging in China. During his term, he often accompanied former internees returning to China to visit the Weihsien Internment Camp. After retirement, he devoted himself to research on the Weihsien Internment Camp. Recently, his book Dark Battle in Desperation — A Documentary of the Weihsien Internment Camp was officially published.
From August 16 to 17, an academic exchange event titled History, Memory and Cultural Heritage of Asian Internment Camps During World War II was held in Weifang. Charlie Stanley, his brother Tom Stanley, and his son John Stanley were invited to attend. During the event, Charlie Stanley not only revisited the old site but also met his old friend Xia Baoshu.
In fact, Xia Baoshu is not only an old friend of Charlie Stanley but also a close friend across generations with his son John Stanley. John Stanley is a professor of history at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, USA, and many of his research findings are related to the Weihsien Internment Camp. In March 2024, John Stanley attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech at the special exhibition Memories of Weihsien, Glory of Humanity — The Weihsien Internment Camp Exhibition held at the World War II Pacific War Memorial Hall in San Francisco, USA. Due to their shared research interests, the two established contact many years ago.
“Please get me a copy of my book Dark Battle in Desperation — A Documentary of the Weihsien Internment Camp for John Stanley to read,” Xia Baoshu asked the staff. He personally turned to the pages that cited John Stanley’s academic achievements. After reading carefully, John Stanley nodded repeatedly in approval, and the two agreed on the spot to continue their cooperation in the future.
Relatives grow closer with frequent visits, and friends grow dearer with more meetings. After just ten minutes of conversation, the atmosphere in the room grew even warmer. At an emotional moment, Charlie Stanley called Xia Baoshu “brother”.“Let me count — we are 11 years apart! I accept you as my younger brother,” Xia Baoshu said earnestly, counting on his fingers, drawing laughter from everyone in the room.
The old friends enjoyed a joyful reunion, but Xia Baoshu still had one unfulfilled wish: to have his book Dark Battle in Desperation — A Documentary of the Weihsien Internment Camp translated into English, so that people in more countries could learn about the shared history of resistance against Japanese fascism.
“Professor Xia, send me the electronic version of the book, and I will take care of the translation and publication,” said Liu Cheng, Chairholder of the UNESCO Chair on Peace Studies and Professor at the School of History, Nanjing University. His words put Xia Baoshu’s mind at ease. Hearing this, Charlie Stanley also offered his help: “I have a friend working in this field who can help promote it to more countries.”