A Russian Agent?

At this time Bertram James joined a corps of broadcasters and as a result was once mistaken as a Russian 'agent', as the Russian agents were trained to speak in the BBC fashion. The Communist '8th Route Army' had given the Japanese their "first serious defeat" at the end of 1937. Yenan became the centre of resistance with Mao as Chairman and teacher. A university was set up in the district and it became a goal for students throughout China. Every student in China wanted to get to it.

Professor Bertram of the VUW English Dept.

Having written 'Crises in China', the first of his many books on China, Bertram was present in Peking with the famous writer Edgar Snow when the Japanese occupied it. They took a train connecting with a ship to the south with their servant carrying the baggage. Getting through surveillance was difficult but it was accomplished. And so they and the 'servant' (actually Chou en Lai's wife) escaped the Japanese.