▁grown . ▁ ▁Oxford ▁Stud ying ▁at ▁New ▁College , ▁Oxford , ▁he ▁was ▁awarded ▁a ▁first ▁class ▁hon ours ▁degree ▁in ▁English ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 4 ▁and ▁a ▁second ▁class ▁hon ours ▁in ▁Modern ▁L anguages ▁( F rench ▁and ▁German ) ▁the ▁following ▁year . ▁He ▁was ▁active ▁in ▁rugby ▁and ▁left - wing ▁clubs ▁including ▁the ▁University ▁Labour ▁Club ▁and ▁he ▁initi ated ▁an ▁Oxford ▁Branch ▁of ▁the ▁Independent ▁Labour ▁Party . ▁During ▁university ▁vac ations ▁he ▁visited ▁Italy ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 3 , ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 4 , ▁Germany ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 5 ▁where ▁in ▁Mun ich ▁he ▁witness ed ▁a ▁r ally ▁led ▁by ▁Hitler , ▁and ▁visited ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁for ▁a ▁second ▁time ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 6 . ▁ ▁Following ▁Oxford ▁Ber tr am ▁was ▁briefly ▁an ▁international ▁correspond ent ▁with ▁The ▁Times ▁in ▁London ▁but ▁left ▁after ▁the ▁editor ▁Geoff rey ▁Daw son ▁refused ▁to ▁run ▁his ▁article ▁predict ing ▁a ▁swe eping ▁victory ▁for ▁Labour ▁in ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁ 1 9 3 5 ▁general ▁election . ▁ ▁He ▁then ▁took ▁a ▁short - term ▁teaching ▁position ▁at ▁St . ▁Paul ' s ▁School , ▁in ▁Hamm ers m ith ▁before ▁accepting ▁an ▁offer ▁by ▁the ▁Rh odes ▁Trust ▁in ▁late ▁ 1 9 3 5 ▁for ▁a ▁one - year ▁trav elling ▁fellow ship ▁to ▁Japan ▁and ▁China . ▁He ▁was ▁twenty - five ▁at ▁the ▁time . ▁ ▁Be