Chapter 61 Four foreign students happily accepted the "Guerrilla Doctor" degree awarded by Yan'an Anti-Japanese University

The anti-Japanese flames ignited in Yan'an, the enthusiasm of the youth movement was high, and the development and growth of the Anti-Japanese University also attracted the close attention of young students all over the world.The International Youth Federation is one of them. The International Youth Federation is a well-known international progressive student organization.After the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, they set up a delegation to visit China. After arriving in China, they successively visited more than 10 places including Hankou, Hangzhou, Nanchang, and Chongqing.The delegation consisted of four people, headed by British Coleman, and members including Canadian Raikkonen, British Flood and American Yard.

In June 1938, they went to Hankou, got in touch with the Eighth Route Army Office, and made a request to visit Yan'an. The Kuomintang was very worried about these four progressives. As soon as they entered the Chinese border, their actions were monitored.Wherever the delegation went, the Kuomintang agents followed.For their request to visit Yan'an, the Kuomintang has repeatedly shirked it with various reasons, or set up various obstacles to obstruct it. With the efforts of the delegation and the help of the Communist Party, their wish to visit Yan'an was finally realized. On June 29, they arrived in Yan'an and were warmly welcomed by more than 10,000 people in Yan'an. Among the welcoming crowd were hundreds of women with small feet.The masses were welcome to shout "Unite the youth of the world!" "Aid the Chinese people in the war of resistance!" "Strive for peace, democracy and freedom!" "Welcome the World Federation of Students to guide the youth movement in the border areas!"

The delegation was received cordially by Mao Zedong.Mao Zedong told them about the role and significance of China's border regions, the role of the Communist Party in the War of Resistance, and the tasks after the victory of the War of Resistance.When talking about the youth movement, Mao Zedong praised the just action of the International Federation of Students, and hoped that the Chinese youth student movement could integrate into the world trend and strive for opportunities to receive education.The representatives were very satisfied with Mao Zedong's speech, and his speech and behavior left a deep impression on them.They said that after returning home, they should truly introduce China's situation to other countries, tell their friends around the world the spirit of the Chinese youth's active struggle for national liberation, and urge governments of all countries to provide assistance to China.

The most important task of the delegation in Yan'an this time is to visit the Anti-Japanese University. On July 3, the Anti-Japanese University held a grand ceremony, awarded the four of them the title of "Guerrilla Doctor" and presented commemorative medals.The Eighth Route Army also gave them a set of military uniforms, a Red Army octagonal hat with red stars, a belt and a pair of straw sandals, which they happily put on on the spot.For this honor, Coleman, the head of the group, said happily: "I have lived to be 24 years old, and today is my most glorious day." Yade said happily in accordance with the habits of Westerners:

"I would give my hand to our chief to kiss." Afterwards, they also visited Luyi, a printing house, a newspaper office, the High Court of the Border District and the prison.Yan'an left a good impression on them as a whole, as they themselves said: "After arriving in China, especially in Yan'an, I saw the Chinese Communist Party's faithful implementation of the united front, and saw the enthusiasm of the people in Yan'an for the War of Resistance. It was beyond our expectations. It is really exciting for us and the youth of the world to unite all the parties and all walks of life here as one person. We will announce everything we saw in Yan'an to the people of the world without concealment, so that you The fight against China has received assistance dozens of times greater than it is now."

Even the KMT agent Song Ruhai who accompanied the delegation had to admit: "The delegation visited 13 places in China this time, and the place with the best impression is Yan'an."