In order to meet the needs of War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, China Production Party established China Anti-Japanese Red Army University in Wayaobao, northern Shaanxi on June 1936. 1937, the school moved to Yan' an and changed its name to Anti-Japanese Military and Political University. Mao Zedong is the chairman of the Education Committee, and Lin Biao is the headmaster. Students mainly come from demobilized military cadres, and some young intellectuals are recruited to study politics, military affairs, history, democratic movements, United front and other courses. Mao Zedong wrote an inscription for the school: "firm and correct political direction, hard and simple work style, flexible strategy and tactics"; "Unity, nervousness, seriousness and liveliness".

19381February, anti-university branch schools were established in southeastern Shanxi and Shanxi-Chaji base areas respectively. From 65438 to 0939, the general school moved to the base areas behind enemy lines in North China, and successively established branch schools in Yan 'an, Huaibei, North Jiangsu, Jinsui, Huainan, Suzhong, Hubei, Henan and Anhui. By 1945, the general school and 12 branch schools had trained more than 200,000 revolutionary cadres. After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, the Anti-Japanese Military and Political University was renamed as the Military and Political University.