Stranahan, Patricia, “Radicalization of Refugees: Communist Party Activity in Wartime Shanghai's Displaced Persons Camps” (2000)

Title : “Radicalization of Refugees: Communist Party Activity in Wartime Shanghai's Displaced Persons Camps”

Author(s) : Stranahan, Patricia

Year : 2000

Type : Journal article

Subject : History

Keywords : political;social;party

Journal : Modern China

Volume : 26

Number : 2

Start page : 166

End page : 193

Language:Name : English

Support : Print

Abstract : Examines the refugee crisis in Shanghai, China, following the 1937 Japanese invasion to argue that, while other groups focused on providing relief, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) also secretly worked to politically educate the homeless in pursuit of a core of party sympathizers. The crowding of hundreds of thousands of refugees into camps under horrible conditions precipitated establishment of more shelters by local organizations & international relief agencies, which encouraged the CCP's dual effort of open & legal relief activity & political mobilization of displaced persons by underground operatives. It is contended that the CCP took advantage of wartime tragedy &, by combining humanitarian efforts & political mobilization, they were not only able to develop a consensus, but the recruits who remained later became the core of party activity in the area, as well as members of the CCP's New Fourth Army & guerrilla units. Reasons that the CCP mobilization of refugees was not duplicated in other places are explored.