A Chinese communist factory slogan became an American war cry — Marine Colonel Evans Carlson borrowed 'gōng hé' (work together) from Chinese industrial cooperatives in 1942, but English twisted its meaning from collective cooperation to reckless individual enthusiasm.
Extremely enthusiastic and eager, especially about fighting or taking action.
The word 'gung-ho' entered English through the United States Marine Corps. Lieutenant Colonel Evans Carlson adopted it as the motto of the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion in 1942. He had spent time with Chinese Communist forces during the 1930s and borrowed 'gōng hé' (工合), a shortened form of 'gōngyè hézuòshè' (工業合作社, 'industrial cooperative'). The Chinese Industrial Cooperatives were a wartime movement to organize small factories behind
Carlson's Raiders were famous for their unorthodox tactics and democratic decision-making — they held group discussions before missions, inspired by the Chinese Communist units Carlson had observed. The Marines disbanded the Raiders in 1944, but the word survived.