893.408/1
Memorandum by Mr. Troy L. Perkins of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs
Reference Chungking’s strictly confidential despatch no. 1001, March 17, 1943.
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Comment: It is believed that the future activities of the San Min Chu I Youth Corps will deserve fairly close attention. While there are numerous morale and propaganda agencies in China (New Life Movement, National Spiritual Mobilization Movement, etc.), the dynamic character of the Youth Corps contrasts strongly with the moribund condition of nearly all the others. This movement receives the serious attention of some of the most influential Chinese officials and it appears to be growing rapidly in strength.
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[Page 226]While many of the above affirmations doubtless spring from an understandable Chinese desire to further social consciousness, pride in China’s past, economic independence and scientific progress, it is believed that the highly nationalistic and mechanistic ideology of the German “state philosophy” can be detected in them.
As the Embassy has frequently indicated, the San Min Chu I Youth Corps is a “seed-bed” for future Kuomintang leadership. Its present vitality indicates that it may be able to provide badly-needed new life blood (youth) for the Party. However, its leadership and support would appear to assure that its activities will have a reactionary character. Kang Tze, active leader of the Corps, is known to be strongly influenced by German models. Chu Chia-hua (German returned student and Vice President of the Examination Yuan), Chen Li-fu (Minister of Education), Ku Cheng-kang (Minister of Social Affairs) and Chang Tao-fan (Minister of Information) are all reactionary and are all influential in the direction of the Youth Corps. Several of the leading military figures, including Generalissimo Chiang, are vigorous supporters of the Corps. The apparent reluctance of the better student type to join the Corps is understandable but it also has its disturbing aspect, as this situation would indicate eventual control of the movement (and later of the Party) by half-educated rowdies and place-seekers, to the submersion of the humanistic element which has been the strongest force in Chinese civilization at its best.