ABSTRACT
The China Youth Corps (CYC) was a collaborationist organization in Central China from 1938–42. Although there was an ideological component to training its members, unlike both the Communist and Nationalist youth organizations, the CYC set forth a clear and practical purpose for its members: to provide security against communist and bandit attacks in their villages, townships or urban neighborhoods. Setting up self-defense forces under the CYC was part of Japan's plan for keeping the peace from the beginning and Japanese authorities and collaborating officials succeeded in recruiting members through the appeal the promise of peace and stability where they lived.
