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The intellectual youth war movement in the later period of the anti-Japanese war

Kim, Youngsin 1

1원광대학교 한중관계연구원

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This article will examine the background of the movement, its origin, development process, organization and functioning of the youth army, and its impact on the intellectual youth army movement that took place in China at the end of 1944, at the end of the war against Japan. The intellectual Youth Campaign was actually planned and led by Chiang, Kai-shek. Therefore, in relation to the movement's inception and development process, related documents in the Academia Historica of Taiwan were mainly referred to. Regarding organizational structure, training, etc., data produced by actual executive bodies and previous studies were referred to. China's war against Japan, which lasted for eight years, was a grueling struggle in which the very existence of the country and the people hung in the balance. The war against Japan was also a battle of national power. A total war unfolded in which all of China's manpower, material resources, and mental energy were thrown into the execution of war. If there is a war, it is natural to mobilize all resources that are advantageous to successfully carrying out the war and bringing about ultimate victory. The inception of the intellectual youth movement is closely related to Chiang Kai-shek. In fact, it can be said to be a product of individual will. The reason why Chiang Kai-shek started the movement was due to various considerations. First, it was to improve the caliber of the military to meet the needs of joint operations with other armies. “A modernized war requires a modernized army and modernized soldiers.” Chiang Kai-shek's theory that “at a time when we are actively preparing to achieve final victory, we need units composed of private soldiers with advanced knowledge and skills” led to the war movement. There were not many cases where young soldiers who enlisted through the war movement directly engaged in combat with the Japanese army. In that respect, it cannot be said that the youth army directly contributed to the victory of the Anti-Japanese War. The military movement had a greater impact on Chinese society in psychological terms than in military terms.

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.

This paper was written with support from the National Research Foundation of Korea.