After the withdrawal of the USA and then the government and forces of the Kuomintang from the Mainland China, and the declaration of the People's Republic of China (PRC) led by Mao Tse Tung, it appeared that the times of the Civil Air Transport (CAT) would find an end. However, immediately after, new wars erupted in Korea and in the French Indochina. Moreover, the USA, keen to subvert the nascent PRC, began supporting the CAT and providing it with new tasks. Maintaining a civilian appearance and flying scheduled passenger flights, the airline thus began serving the Nationalist Chinese and then came into possession of the CIA, that run it via its subsidiary, a private Delaware Corporation (also Airdale Corporation). AUTHORS: Military historian and aviation-journalist Albert Grandolini was born in Vietnam and gained an MA in history from Paris 1 Sorbonne University. His primary research focus is on contemporary conflicts in general and particularly on the military history in Asia and Africa. Having spent his childhood in South Vietnam, the Vietnam War has always been one of his main fields of research. He authored the book Fall of the Flying Dragon: South Vietnamese Air Force (1973-1975) two volumes on Vietnam's Easter Offensive of 1972 for Helion's Asia@War Series, and three volumes on Libyan Air Wars for Africa@War Series, and has written numerous articles for various British, French, and German magazines. Aviation enthusiast and historian, Marc Koelich is interested in the lesser-known post-Second World War conflicts, and more particularly in South-East Asia, where he has spent most of his adult life. He has published articles in German, French and Indonesian magazines. 150 photos, 21 colour profiles, 6 maps
