Interviewer
Scott Woodruff
Files
Description
Frank B. Bessac discusses his military service during World War Two, working with the Office of Strategic Services [OSS] which took him to China and provided him with opportunities to study Chinese and Mongolian culture. He describes working for the U.S. government’s China relief mission after the war. Bessac recalls traveling throughout China and Inner Mongolia where regional Chinese governments were adopting communism, and witnessing the escalation of strife between the Chinese Communist and Nationalist factions. He also talks about meeting and traveling with U.S. embassy vice consul, Douglas MacKiernan, and details the events that led to MacKiernan being shot and killed by Tibetan border guards. Bessac describes traveling through Russia, Bhutan, and Tibet before returning to the United States to study anthropology at the University of California, Berkeley.
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Document Type
Oral History
Subjects
Mongolia; Communism, China; Chinese Nationalists; Chinese Communists; China relief mission; World War, 1939-1945; MacKiernan, Douglas Seymour (1913-1950); Hindu Kush; Office of Strategic Services [OSS]; Kazakhs; Mongolians; Tibet; Mongols; Xinjian Province, China; Urumqi, China; Bessac, Frank (1922-2010); Inner Mongolia; Kazakh culture; Chinese culture; Mongolian culture; Anthropology; Travel; Life reminiscence
Original Date
11-7-1993
Time Period
Twentieth century
Geographic Coverage
Montana
Language
eng
Original Collection
International Topics Oral History Collection, Archives and Special Collections, Mansfield Library, University of Montana-Missoula
Digital Publisher
University of Montana--Missoula. Mansfield Library
Rights
Copyright to this collection is held by the interview participants and by the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, University of Montana-Missoula. Permission may be required for use. For further information please contact Archives and Special Collections: (406) 243-2053 / library.archives@umontana.edu
Oral History Number
OH 312-001, 002
Media Type
Sound; Text
Original Format
2 sound cassettes (02:00:00 min.) analog + 1 transcript (15 p.: 28 cm.)
Digital Format
audio/mp3; application/pdf
Run Time
01:19:07 minutes
Local Filename
OH_312_001_002.mp3; OH_312_001_002.pdf
Citation
Bessac, Frank, "Frank Bessac Interview, November 7, 1993" (1993). International Topics Oral History Collection. 1.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/internationaltopics_oralhistory/1