December 9th Student
Movement
一二九学生运动
The December 9th (1935) Student Movement was a protest against Chiang Kai-shek, political and military leader of China (KMT), for not resisting the Japanese invasion. Helen played a vital role in the movement. She encountered and influenced numerous students from Yenching University.
“Their [the Snows’] number one boy came to the living room to announce a visitor. ‘It is a student from the Department of Journalism of Yenching University,’ the servant told Helen Snow...He had come to see her husband, to find out whether it was true, as he had heard, that the Chinese were about to relinquish north China to the Japanese. Upon hearing the possibility, the student began to weep."
Credit- China Hands Helen Foster Snow
Credit- Crienglish |
Edgar Snow
Credit- Spartacus Educational "‘Crying won’t help,’ Edgar Snow said. ‘We’ve got to act.’ It slipped out. He had not meant to say it. In that brief moment, Edgar Snow committed himself to China, along with Helen, his wife...What to do? Helen Snow suggested a student movement, like the New Youth Movement of May 4, 1919. They talked all afternoon...Chang [Chang Chao-lin] soon came back to see them, this time with friends. Inspired by the Snows’ support, they formulated a plan.”
Credit- China Hands |
Helen began writing anti-Chiang Kai-shek articles to give to students to rally support for the movement. Finally, on December 9th, the students began a grassroots protest and Chiang Kai-shek was persuaded to resist the Japanese invasion.
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Chiang Kai-shek, national leader of the Republic of China
from 1928-1975 Credit- leminhkha.com |
Student Movement throughout China
Credit- China.org
Credit- China.org