r0—“Comrades! Today we are all very happy, and so am I. … The establishment of the Women’s University carries extremely significant political importance. It is not only about training a large contingent of female cadres who are ideologically armed but also about cultivating a cadre corps capable of engaging in practical work within the women’s movement—cadres who will be sent to the front lines, to the countryside, and to factories to organize 115 million women to participate in the War of Resistance. Without the awakening of China’s half of the population—its women—the Chinese War of Resistance could never have been won. Women play an exceptionally important role in the war: in educating their children, in encouraging their husbands, and in mobilizing the masses—all of these tasks depend on women. Only when women are fully mobilized will the entire Chinese people inevitably be mobilized as well; there can be no doubt about this. The Women’s University has now been established, and it must be sustained going forward. To sustain it, however, we will need to engage in even greater, prolonged struggle. Some people oppose the establishment of the Women’s University, beginning with the ‘hardline elements.’ They object; they set up barriers to prevent students from various regions from coming to Yan’an to study, and they are unwilling for women to achieve thorough liberation. Furthermore, we must also combat the tendency to undervalue the women’s movement, because those who hold such views fail to recognize women’s role and overlook the tremendous power women wield in the revolution. Only by overcoming these obstacles can the Women’s University continue to develop. I hope that all faculty and staff members of the Women’s University will work with peace of mind and be prepared for long-term dedication. Our Party should have many personnel dedicated exclusively to educational work...................”......rr