The development history of the Anti-Japanese Children’s League

As early as June 26, 1938, Comrade Mao Zedong taught in his inscription for "Children of the Border Area" (a semi-daily publication): "Children, get up and learn to be free and liberated Chinese citizens, and learn to learn from Japan The method of fighting for freedom and liberation under imperialist oppression and turning yourself into the master of the new era." On the "April 4th" Children's Day in 1942, he wrote an inscription for "Liberation Daily": "Children unite and learn to be the new leader of New China. Master."

Comrade Zhu De pointed out in his inscription for the Wangjiayu Children's Group in Wuxiang County, southeastern Shanxi: "Struggle and learning are indispensable." Zhou Enlai, Liu Shaoqi, Chen Yi and other leading comrades also gave many important instructions for the work of the Xin'an Tour Group and the Children's Theater respectively. These inscriptions and instructions had an important impact on the development of the children's movement during the Anti-Japanese War and were the Party's guidelines for guiding the work of children and adolescents during this period. On April 4, 1945, the Yanfu Administrative Office made the "Decision on Protecting Children and Supporting Children's League". The decision pointed out: "The Children's League is a fighting group for children seeking liberation. We must support it and provide necessary assistance. They are excellent assistants in breaking superstition, promoting health, and spreading culture; they are against old ethics, old habits, and everything that oppresses them. They are little warriors of evil forces. They have also made many shocking achievements in the struggle for national liberation. Therefore, the village government should do everything possible to help the children's league carry out children's work, and the county and district governments should provide support in all aspects. Children’s strong guidance and support enabled it to develop and consolidate.”

These decisions and instructions of the party and government agencies were important conditions for the in-depth development of the children’s movement during the Anti-Japanese War.

In addition to the anti-Japanese base areas, children and adolescents in the vast enemy-occupied areas and the rear areas, under the leadership of the party, have also organized and carried out activities. They are also an important force in publicizing anti-Japanese and fighting for democracy. Among them, the most active and outstanding ones are the children's regiment of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Border Region. They stand guard, catch traitors, and send intelligence. They use their young age and unnoticed characteristics to go deep behind enemy lines and complete their tasks brilliantly. In the Shanxi and Hebei areas, there is still a story about the young cattle herding hero Wang Erxiao who introduced the Japanese into the Eighth Route Army encirclement. The Anti-Japanese Children's League of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Border Region also carried out the "Five Nos Movement": do not lead the way for the enemy; do not send messages to the enemy; do not eat the enemy's candy; do not read the enemy's books; and do not tell the enemy where the food is stored.

Compared with the period of the Second Civil Revolutionary War, the work for children and adolescents during this period of revolutionary history has developed greatly in terms of organizational form and scale, as well as the breadth of activity content. However, due to the war situation, the Children's League organization was still unable to establish a national organizational leadership system at that time. It only carried out its work under the leadership of the parties and the Youth Rescue Association in various anti-Japanese base areas. Therefore, the names of children's organizations during this period often had local flavor; such as Yan'an Children's League, Jidong Children's League, North Jiangsu Children's League, etc. According to incomplete statistics, in April 1945, on the eve of the end of the Anti-Japanese War, children's leagues or revolutionary children's organizations with similar names were basically established in 19 large anti-Japanese base areas across the country. The Wangjiayu Children's Corps in Wuxiang County, where the headquarters of the Southeast Shanxi Eighth Route Army is located, has performed very well under the care of the headquarters and Commander-in-Chief Zhu De. During the Hundred Regiment War, they cut grass to feed the troops and horses, delivered dry food to the front line, and collected scrap copper and iron and bullet casings for the arsenal. During the anti-mopping up campaign, they wrote slogans for propaganda, cared for the wounded of the Eighth Route Army, etc., and did a lot of work within their capabilities. In order to cover the Eighth Route Army headquarters and ammunition depot, several children's league members died heroically under Japanese bayonets. On the Children's Day of April 4, 1939, the Wangjiayu Children's Troupe was officially named the "Zhu De Children's Troupe".

The Children's League in the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Border Region (called the Boy Scouts for a period of time) generally carried out activities such as standing guard, sending intelligence, and catching traitors. More than 500 children's league members in Quyang and Zhengding organized to disrupt the enemy's traffic. The main line was attacked nearly a hundred times, which contained the enemy's attacks and raids and effectively supported the Anti-Japanese War. The "Five No" campaign carried out by children in the entire border area (1. Do not go to Japanese school; do not read Japanese books; 2. Do not listen to the Japanese, do not participate in Japanese meetings; 3. Do not eat Japanese candy, do not want Japanese things; 4. Do not tell the Japanese) Tell the truth and don’t lead the way for the Japanese; 5. Don’t be deceived by the Japanese and don’t join the Japanese Youth League). had a profound impact on children. Many children's league members fought bravely against the enemy in order to abide by the five oaths, and some even sacrificed their precious lives.

In the mainland and along the coast, there are the "Xin'an Tour Group", "Children's Theater Troupe", "Ningxia Youth Field Service Troupe", "Xiamen Children's National Salvation Theater", "Guangzhou Youth Anti-Enemy Pioneers", etc., which use literature and art as combat weapons. Under the leadership of the party, with great patriotic enthusiasm, we overcame numerous difficulties and carried out a large amount of anti-Japanese and national salvation propaganda work.

In addition, under the leadership of the party, the work of disadvantaged children in Shanghai, the work of newsboys in Chongqing, and the child care work in Wuhan, Changsha, Guangzhou and other places also made great contributions to the anti-Japanese national salvation movement and the training of children. contributed. Some children's groups also went overseas to carry out anti-Japanese and national salvation propaganda, fund-raising, condolences and other activities, and received warm welcome and strong support from people from all walks of life and patriotic overseas Chinese.

The eight-year war of resistance united and educated the people of the country, while also cultivating a new generation of Chinese little masters. Under the leadership of the Party, the vast number of young children across the country have made indelible contributions to the victory of the Anti-Japanese War. Many heroic and heroic struggles have occurred, and a large number of young heroes have emerged who deserve to be remembered and praised forever. The exemplary deeds of heroes such as Wang Pu, Li Aimin, Li Keyuan, Niu Guocai, Wen Sanyu, etc. will always be praised by people.