文化冷戰：美國對香港高校的交流計劃

Cultural Cold War: American Exchange Programs for Hong Kong Higher Education Institutes

冷戰初期，鑒於中美關係現狀及香港地位之重要性與特殊性，美國於1950至1960年代利用各種基金會在港掀起「文化冷戰」。一方面，美國國務院以教育交流為名邀請香港學生赴美，培養香港學生領袖；具體做法是，安排他們體驗美國高校的民主政治與社會文化；讓他們參觀美國重要的政治、經濟和文化機構，藉以感受美國的現代化成就，由此而在香港青年心中構建起抗衡共產主義、圍堵共產中國的「心防」。另一方面，美國通過「美援」，將香港私立專上院校的教育與美國大學制度接軌，安排軍政人員藉著在港高校開展的各種捐資和文娛康樂活動以及探訪香港的知識社群，由此建立起人際網絡，藉以實現重塑亞洲政治格局的目的，將英治香港從中英之間的轉口港轉變為美國主導的亞太反共體系的一部分。本文同樣重視香港這一國際城市的多元性與複雜性，從參與者角度探析美國的「交流計劃」，其原初意圖不能完全達至的原因。最後，本文希望大家看到在美國對港的交流計劃過程中，香港在中美對峙的格局下所扮演的角色。

"At the dawn of the Cold War, Hong Kong was a British colony in front of the “Bamboo Curtain.” Based on Hong Kong’s strategic importance and particular values in the Sino-American confrontation, American policymakers used Hong Kong to start a cultural cold war against Communist China in the 1950s and 1960s. Hong Kong scholars and students were arranged by the State Department or US NGOs to visit America to learn American values and democracy. In America, Hong Kong scholars and students met with American politicians, leaders of American student associations, organizers of social movements, and other prominent figures. In the name of educational exchange, American military and administrative personnel also went to Hong Kong and built networks with Hong Kong intellectual circles. Different from current studies, this paper will focus on three neglected issues. The first issue is American military and administrative personnel who were responsible for building links with Hong Kong higher education institutions. The second issue is American patterns of operating student activities on campus and off campus. The third issue is Hong Kong scholars’ and students’ exchange activities in America. American educational exchange programs had a deep influence on Hong Kong students in the 1950s and 1960s. American Exchange Programs aimed to reconstruct Asia. Hong Kong was transformed from Britain’s entrepôt to a member of the US-centric anti-communist bloc in Asia-Pacific. However, another trend of thought, “nationalism,” also influenced Hong Kong students in the same period. “Nationalism” let some Hong Kong students view American exchange programs as a new form of colonization, which exceeded American policymakers’ estimate. The interactions between different influences reflect the complicated context of Hong Kong as an international city. By analyzing the neglected matters, this paper will explore the history of private post-secondary colleges in Hong Kong and the complexity of Hong Kong society."