“Gung ho” is an Anglicized version of a Chinese phrase meaning “working together”. It was adopted as a slogan by US Marines in China during WWII and later used in a propaganda film. The phrase originally meant brave and enthusiastic, but later became associated with overzealousness.
The phrase “gung ho” is an Anglicized version of a Chinese expression. It was adopted as a slogan by a US Marine battalion working in China during World War II. A popular film about the battalion brought the phrase into common usage in America and the rest of the English-speaking world. Its original English meaning was to be brave and enthusiastic in the face of danger. Later, it was used ironically, in the sense of someone who maintains such enthusiasm even when there is no reason to.
During the 1930s, China was embroiled in war with neighboring Japan and grappling with the problems of industrialization and population growth. Aided by American sympathizers, Chinese Communists have created an initiative to help industrial collectives or cooperatives. The Chinese phrase gōngyè hézuòshè was adopted as the slogan for this initiative; it means “working together”, an important concept for socialist and communist ideals. The phrase was shortened and anglicised to “gung ho” for easier use by English speakers involved in the plan.
During World War II, US Marine Commander Evans Carlson was commissioned with the 2nd Marine Raider Division, later known as Carlson’s Raiders. These raiders were similar to the special forces units of the modern US military. They were stationed in China for clandestine raids against Japanese-held territory. To aid troop morale, Carlson adopted the slogan “gung ho,” using it to signify devoted and unquestioning allegiance to the military command. The slogan was soon used by other Marine units as well.
In 1943, while World War II was still going on, Hollywood produced a film about the exploits of Carlson’s Raiders. The film, called Gung Ho!, was war propaganda, a popular genre for audiences on the American home front. He helped give the term widespread use among the American public. After the war ended, the United States and its allies became preoccupied with opposing communist regimes, a period known as the Cold War. Many in the US military had enthusiastic attitudes toward ending communism; by then, few realized that the phrase had originated with early Chinese communists.
Anti-Communist sentiment remained high among military leaders and other Americans in the following decades. Others felt that military action should be a last resort. They used the phrase “gung ho” ironically; for example, the character played by Sterling Hayden in Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 film Dr. Strangelove has often been described by critics in this way. The character, a deranged military commander, risks world catastrophe by provoking an attack on the Soviet Union. The term “gung ho” soon took on its current meaning, as someone who is enthusiastic about his duty to the point of becoming overzealous.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
