A prominent feature of the annual Double Tenth National Day Parade is a detachment of smartly uniformed women who march with practiced precision past the review stand. These female cadets of the Republic of China's armed forces have passed through various phases of specialized training at the Political Warfare College, aimed at increasing their alertness, organizing ability and physical and spiritual strength to prepare them to perform their future political and military tasks.
Situated at the base of Tatun Mountain on the Tamsui River, the Fu Hsing Kang College (as the Political Warfare College is known in Chinese) was founded in 1951 when President Chiang Ching-kuo was director of the Defense Ministry's Political Warfare Department.
Outstanding male and female high school graduates are selected for specialized training and military education at the school. At present, there are eight major departments: political science, law, journalism, foreign languages, fine arts, music, cinema and drama, and physical education, each possessing the best educational equipment and a full complement of books.
The school's television recording studio is the best among all Taiwan's colleges. The journalism department's practice radio station has the longest range of any on the island. Besides use of the school's equipment, students enjoy other privileges, including free books, room and board, and a monthly allowance of NT$3,270 for living expenses.
Because conditions are much better than at most other universities, there are large numbers of applicants each year, and competition is fierce. It is especially difficult to enter the journalism or foreign language departments. After applying, students must pass a physical examination before they sit for the entrance test.
Every year, when the Defense Ministry is informed of the needs of each military unit, it sets a quota of female officers (now about 40 per school), whose salaries and training are identical to those of their male colleagues. The only difference is that the women can decide whether to carry on or leave the armed forces after four years of service.
Attendance at the school is an excellent way for women to devote themselves to their country. As women today are taking a leading role in society, the idea of them entering the armed forces has become more accepted. This has resulted in an increased number of applicants for courses at the college, and improved quality of entrants.
Luan Chi-ying, a member of the 13th graduating class at the school, says: "It used to be that very few women took the entrance test for military school, and almost all of them were daughters of career military personnel. Now they are much more diverse."
Making progress in the armed forces and acquiring a soldier's temperament requires thorough training. From the first day of a rigorous three-month course, students must rise promptly at the 6 a.m. reveille, take down their mosquito nets in three seconds, fold their bed covers into the shape of a "piece of bean curd," perform their ablutions and go for a three-kilometer run. After breakfast, they have calisthenics drill and target practice before taking part in marching and digging trenches. They must march into each meal in formation and sit upright, using only the front third of the seat.
At the end of three months basic training they have lost all excess fat, and their faces are suntanned. They have been transformed into disciplined soldiers, and are ready to return to school and begin their formal classes, where they often show themselves able to compete with their male counterparts. Female cadets usually take the top three places in any class. They also perform well in physical education. Many of the country's top athletes come from the school, including Hu Su-hsuing, national shot-put champion; Chiang Feng-mei, second only to Chi Cheng in the 100 meter dash and national gymnastics champion Chu Mei-fei.
Other than the required courses for each department, everyone must pass speech and nursing tests. By the time they graduate, they can all talk confidently with their classmates.
Outside of class, male and female students are free to mingle. Since there are only 160 coeds out of an enrollment of 1,800, they are treated with special courtesy. As in Western military schools, however, intimate behavior is not encouraged. Even though the school has shaded paths and a romantic "Lake Success," one rarely sees couples.
The strict military training at the Political Warfare College makes coeds different from their counterparts at other universities. Besides being stronger, they are also more outgoing, agile and articulate. These qualities are the basis of out-standing achievements wherever they go.
After graduation, the girls are commissioned as first lieutenants in the armed forces. More than a third are for the Young Women's Work Brigade, where they are in charge of planning, teaching and other cultural propaganda work. Others stay on at the school as teaching assistants while the rest enter active military duty. Whichever unit they are in, they bring with them a touch of tenderness which is widely welcomed.
Apart from the Political Warfare College, there are other training organizations for female military officers, including the National Defense Medical School nursing program, which trains paramedics and nurses and the Intelligence Bureau's Cadre training course in communications. Graduates serve in the medical corps or do important propaganda work.
In modern warfare there is no front or rear, no dividing line between peace and war. The outcome is mostly determined by precision instruments and knowledge rather than by physical strength and courage. This sort of warfare is particularly suitable for women.
These alert, highly-trained, and fully competent military officers are a source of wonder and admiration wherever they proudly wear their uniforms.
[Picture Caption]
1. & 4. Bold and capable female students are models for modern women. 2. & 3. Boys outnumber girls ten to one. After professional training, all the soldiers are combat-ready.
1 . Girls and boys run three kilometers every day.
2. Political Warfare College is located at the base of Tatung Mountain, on the banks of the scenic Tamsui River. 3. Well-disciplined girl cadets march to the dining room. 4. Cadets undergo field and weapons maintenance training. 5. A number of girls stay on as assistants following graduation. 6. The Journalism Department has the best practice radio station among all Taiwan's colleges.
1. TV center is fitted with top-grade facilities. 2. Foreign Language Department has electronic teaching machines. 3. Students of Art Department painting by Lake Success. 4. Lifelike sculptures made by students. 5. & 6. The Music department has more girls than any other, and shows a distinctly feminine touch. 7. Chu Mei-fei, former national gymnastics champion.
1. Male and female students are free to mingle outside class. 2. Gen. Meng Hsien-ting, the principal, observes group activities. 3. Every student is enrolled in one activity. The guitar society has a few female members. 4. & 5. Chung Shan Hall near the girls' dormitory, is a recreation area providing facilities for chess, TV, music, flower arrangement and knitting.
1. Students play Ku Cheng. 2. These officers-to-be enjoy setting each other's hair in the dormitory's beauty salon. 3. Lawns between the dormitories provide a place for recreation. 4. Stress is placed equally on mental and physical development. 5. & 6. Four girls share a room. Boys are quartered in one big barracks. Bedding must be kept neat and tidy.
Boys outnumber girls ten to one. After professional training, all the soldiers are combat-ready.
Boys outnumber girls ten to one. After professional training, all the soldiers are combat-ready.
Bold and capable female students are models for modern women.
1 . Girls and boys run three kilometers every day.
2. Political Warfare College is located at the base of Tatung Mountain, on the banks of the scenic Tamsui River.
3. Well-disciplined girl cadets march to the dining room.
4. Cadets undergo field and weapons maintenance training.
5. A number of girls stay on as assistants following graduation.
6. The Journalism Department has the best practice radio station among all Taiwan's colleges.
TV center is fitted with top-grade facilities.
Foreign Language Department has electronic teaching machines.
Students of Art Department painting by Lake Success.
Lifelike sculptures made by students.
The Music department has more girls than any other, and shows a distinctly feminine touch.
The Music department has more girls than any other, and shows a distinctly feminine touch.
Chu Mei-fei, former national gymnastics champion.
Male and female students are free to mingle outside class.
Gen. Meng Hsien-ting, the principal, observes group activities.
Every student is enrolled in one activity. The guitar society has a few female members.
Chung Shan Hall near the girls' dormitory, is a recreation area providing facilities for chess, TV, music, flower arrangement and knitting.
Chung Shan Hall near the girls' dormitory, is a recreation area providing facilities for chess, TV, music, flower arrangement and knitting.
These officers-to-be enjoy setting each other's hair in the dormitory's beauty salon.
Lawns between the dormitories provide a place for recreation.
Stress is placed equally on mental and physical development.
Four girls share a room. Boys are quartered in one big barracks. Bedding must be kept neat and tidy.
Four girls share a room. Boys are quartered in one big barracks. Bedding must be kept neat and tidy.
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