Shen Dongfang from the website of the State Supervision Commission of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection
Editor's note : 75 years ago, the Chinese people, after 14 years of arduous struggle, won the great victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and completely shattered the Japanese militarist colonial and enslaved plot to China , Opened a new journey of nirvana and rebirth of the ancient Chinese phoenix. The website of the State Supervision Commission of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection launched the "Anti-Japanese War · National Memory" column. Through vivid stories and precious cultural relics, we recalled the prosperous years of the Chinese sons and daughters resisting foreign aggression and salvation, and inherited and carried forward the great anti-Japanese spirit.
In October 1937, at the end of the battle of Songhu , an army from Hubei rushing to aid Shanghai arrived on the outskirts of Shanghai. Through the overgrown wilderness, what they saw was not a modern city with tall buildings, but a fragment of broken tiles... …This is the beginning of the movie "Yai Bai". This two-and-a-half-hour movie tells the story of the " eight hundred heroes " lonely guarding the four elements.
"Leave your life to take justice, go to death generously, the position will not be lost, the country will not die..." What kind of a tragic life and death resistance to the real four-line warehouse defense war?
swears to resist: "Coexist and die with the last position"
"The large and small shell holes and dense bullet holes above were left over 83 years ago." August 19, 2020, Shanghai Zhabei Jinyuan Memorial Plaza Lu Chuanliang, the 68-year-old former Secretary of the Party Committee and General Manager of the Sixing Warehouse, pointed to the west wall of the Sixing Warehouse and told reporters, "This wall is the most tragic witness."
Holes and bullet holes
In the early morning of October 27, 1937, there was a burst of gunfire from the four-row warehouse on the north bank of Suzhou River . This six-story reinforced concrete building was the warehouse of a business office jointly established by Shanghai's four major banks.
In 1937, after the outbreak of the "August 13" Battle of Shanghai, the Japanese army successively captured the Dachang, Jiangwan, Zhabei, and Miaoxing areas in an attempt to cut off the Chinese army's back. To avoid being encircled and annihilated, the main Chinese troops retreated to the area south of the Suzhou River.
On October 26, Xie Jinyuan, deputy commander of the 524th regiment of the 262 brigade of the 88th Division, was in danger and led more than 420 officers and soldiers of the 1st battalion to stay at the Zhabei Sixing warehouse. Why did
choose a four-line warehouse? “As the warehouse of the four major banks in Shanghai Jincheng, Mainland China, Salt Industry, and Zhongnan at that time, it was not only thick and tall, but also very strong, easy to defend and difficult to attack.” Lu Chuanliang said.
He still remembers-in 1983, when he was just transferred to work here, his master Wang Xiefan told about the "eight hundred heroes". Wang Xiefan's father was an employee who stayed behind in the warehouse and was also the last respondent of the "800 Heroes".
At the end of the Songhu Battle, Sixing Warehouse was already an "island" in the city-the northwest was occupied by the Japanese, and the east and south were concessions of various countries. This is also the last place in Shanghai where the Chinese army is stationed.
In the early morning of October 27th, Xie Jinyuan led a team to station, commanding the companies and platoons to use warehouse materials and sandbags to build defenses and prepare for the battle.
"Stick to the Four Lines Warehouse, coexist and die with the last position." Xie Jinyuan issued an order, "As long as there is one person, we must fight the enemy to the end! The Four Lines Warehouse is where our bones are buried!" Wang Xiefan's father witnessed this. The field was impassioned and mobilized. All the officers and soldiers roared: "Oath to coexist and die with the Four Lines Warehouse!"
fought bloody battle: one inch of mountains and rivers and one inch of blood
was brutal aggression on one side, and heroic resistance on the other.
In the early morning of October 27, the first Japanese army began to attack the Sixing warehouse. The "eight hundred warriors" had been prepared long ago, and the rifles in the bunker and the machine guns erected on the roof fired together. In just ten minutes, more than 20 Japanese soldiers were wiped out.
The Japanese army will never give up, launching a frenzied offensive again and again. Heavy machine guns, mortars, tanks, explosives... the firepower is constantly upgraded.
"Next, jump, next, jump..." The movie "Yai Hundred" has such a plot, poking the tears of countless people-in order to prevent the Japanese engineers from blasting the walls, the defending soldiers bundled explosives. One by one, he died generously.
"Li Mancang of Tongcheng, Hubei..." "Wang Jindou of Liuyang, Hunan..." "Mother, my child is not filial!" They shouted their last words with different accents, they did not hesitate, and jumped...to die with the enemy.
historical truthThe phase is equally tragic.
Before dawn on October 28, more than a dozen Japanese soldiers sneaked under the walls of the four-row warehouse in an attempt to blow up the iron gates and walls with explosives. The four-row defenders immediately threw grenades and mortar shells when they found out. The cunning Japanese soldiers used two large iron plates to protect their heads and bodies, and continued to bury explosives. At the very close of the battle, Chen Shusheng, a 21-year-old death squad member and deputy squad leader of the second consecutive fourth squad, bound several grenades, jumped off the fifth floor, opened the fuse, and died with the enemy.
Shanghai writer Silent wrote in his reminiscence article: "In 1937, I was 14 years old. I lived at Xinzha Road, and there is a four-row warehouse across the Suzhou River. I climbed a high building and watched with a binoculars. I saw with my own eyes a soldier covered with grenades. , Jumped from the air, and killed the Japanese army. These tragic battle scenes, I will never forget the anti-Japanese war history.”
On October 30, the fierce battle entered the fourth day. The Japanese Third Fleet Commander Hasegawa Kiyoshi and others declared that they would take extreme measures to deal with the Chinese defenders regardless of all consequences. The Japanese army blocked the external communication line of the four-row warehouse, and fired artillery against the warehouse on National Day Road, while infantry attacked from both wings. Xie Jinyuan led his troops to fight back bravely, repelling waves of Japanese attacks. The enemy has never been able to move forward in front of the Chinese defenders.
A bloody battle, a mortal heart. The Japanese army, which originally had the advantage of weaponry, surrounded the four-row warehouse and shouted.
In just four days, the "800 warriors" repelled dozens of enemy attacks at the cost of more than 10 people killed and wounded more than 20 people in battle, killing more than 200 enemies, demonstrating a military spirit that regards death as home.
hero Xu Guo: "With one shot and one bullet, I will deal with the enemy to the end."
"Leave your life to get righteous, and your child wants it!"-This is Chen Shusheng's letter to the old man in Daba Mountain, Sichuan before he jumped and died generously. Mother's line of sad blood books. During the
battle, Xie Jinyuan ordered the heroes to write a brief suicide note to their families, introducing the situation of the battle and their determination to give up their lives.
The suicide note left by Xie Jinyuan and the soldiers in the Sixing Warehouse is
"I am half the rivers and mountains of China, eaten up by the day, and killing the enemy for the country is a revolutionary soldier."
"It is advisable to avenge my father and be loyal to the country, so that my children and grandchildren will not be insulted again!" According to statistics, a total of 298 such suicide notes were left in the Sixing Warehouse. Some of them were written to parents and some to wives and children, with blood and tears, full of loyalty and courage.
"With one shot and one bullet, I will deal with the enemy to the end!" In this autograph, Xie Jinyuan expressed his willingness to die for the country and generously die. "Jin Yuan is determined to die for his country, vowing not to retreat easily, nor to make a short-lived plan..." The British army stationed in the concession on the opposite shore has repeatedly persuaded the lone army to unarm and retreat into the concession, promising to guarantee the personal safety of the soldiers and soldiers. . "We are Chinese soldiers. We would rather die in the territory of Zhabei, and never give up the responsibility of killing the enemy." Xie Jinyuan firmly refused, "The soul can leave our body, but the gun cannot leave our hand. Without an order, I die and never retreat."
Sacrifice and awakening: "Why did you choose Sixing Warehouse back then? There is another reason," Lu Chuanliang told reporters, "The location here is special-it is backed by the Suzhou River, and the public concession to the south is at that time. , You can see the battle on the opposite bank across a river, and you can see the soldiers' every move with a telescope." The defense battle is chosen here, and it intends to show the world that the Chinese army bravely resisted the Japanese invasion In order to win the sympathy and support of the international community.
During the four days of fierce fighting, hundreds of thousands of people gathered on the shore to watch. The brave and unyielding of the heroes greatly encouraged them... The condolences and letters of condolences from the south bank of the Suzhou River were quietly sent into the warehouse again and again.
Statue in the Anti-Japanese Memorial Hall of the Four-row Warehouse: Yang Huimin handed the flag to Xie Jinyuan.
On October 29, 1937, on the third day of the battle, the citizens suddenly saw a national flag flying on the roof of the Four-row Warehouse. The flagpole was used. 6 bamboo poles are bundled and connected. This is Yang Huimin, a 16-year-old girl scout from Shanghai who lives in the concession, who risked his death and sent it to the guards of the Four Elements. Xie Jinyuan ordered the people to raise the national flag on the top of the warehouse, which greatly boosted the morale of the soldiers. According to a reporter from East China News Agency at the time:"The people looked up and looked at it, and they were also excited. They paid homage to the loyalty and courage of the 800 heroes." Many foreign journalists also witnessed the feats of the Chinese soldiers from across the bank. The Chinese army is resolutely resisting aggression.” The Times published an article: “The eight hundred men are fighting for humanity, for civilization, and for peace.” To the world, “China will not die”. sound.
On October 30, with the determination to die, after four days of fighting alone, Xie Jinyuan received an order from his superiors to lead his troops to retreat to the British concession.
Heroic Zhuang Song: "China will not die if you have you"
"China will not die, you see the national hero Xie. China must be strong, you see those eight hundred heroes fighting to defend the East Battlefield alone... I would rather die than Give in. I would rather die than surrender."
, a veteran of the "eight hundred warriors" of the four lines, Wang Wenchuan, recalled that year, and was still excited. Having spent more than 30 springs and autumns in a wheelchair, he was still able to play the song "Eight Hundred Heroes" on the harmonica when he was in his 90s. The sound of this piano once echoed in the anti-Japanese battlefield, tragic, vigorous, and bloody!
"Serve the country with one's body, vowed not to survive!"-In Shanghai, more than 700,000 Chinese soldiers from Sichuan, Hunan, Guangxi, Henan, Guizhou, Zhejiang and other places used their lives on the battlefield of blood and fire. The trenches killed and injured more than 40,000 Japanese soldiers at a huge cost of more than 250,000 casualties, completely shattering the Japanese attempt to "destroy China in three months."
Today, with the continuous disclosure of historical materials of the war, we can learn more about the tragic history of the "eight hundred warriors" guarding the four-line warehouse.
In November 1937, the nine-nation convention meeting will be held in Brussels. The Chinese delegation originally hoped to win the support of the West with the last resistance of this lone army, so as to resist and restrain the Japanese aggressors. But in the end, it was the “suggestion” of the West asking the Chinese delegation to withdraw from the meeting. China's interests were once again ignored and betrayed.
was betrayed, as well as the "eight hundred warriors" who retreated to the British concession. After being disarmed, they were put in a "solitary barracks" similar to a prison. On April 24, 1941, the Japanese army bought 4 traitors and plotted to kill Xie Jinyuan.
In December 1941, after the outbreak of the Pacific War, the Japanese army fully took over the "solitary barracks" and the "eight hundred soldiers" were escorted to various places in the country to do hard work. In order to disintegrate this proud anti-Japanese contingent of Chinese soldiers and civilians, the Japanese army escorted dozens of them to Papua New Guinea, a Pacific island country, as laborers. Many of them were tortured to death.
Mao Zedong praised the "eight hundred heroes" as a "national revolution model"
"eight hundred heroes" wrote a tragic stroke of life! This sacrifice aroused the awakening of the Chinese nation to unite and resist aggression. Countless enthusiastic youths were inspired to join the torrent of the Anti-Japanese War without hesitation.
On October 12, 1938, in his article "On the New Stage", Mao Zedong praised the "eight hundred heroes" as a model of the national revolution that bravely resisted the Japanese War and died for the country.
Passing down the fire: the smoke clears, the heroic soul will live forever
Shanghai Zhabei, Suzhou River. The site of the fierce battle of the "eight hundred warriors" in the past has now been built as the "Four Lines Warehouse Anti-Japanese War Memorial."
"Half of the rivers and mountains in China, I have been eroded by the day, the country and the species will be destroyed, and I will cause others to take care of me. Without paying attention, there will be no children and grandchildren." The first thing that caught your eye was 83 years ago. Xie Jinyuan's excellent letter to his wife.
let the years go by, the memory of life and death is unforgettable. "In the 1980s, many people didn't know the story of the "eight hundred warriors" in Sixing Warehouse. I was influenced by my master Wang Xiefan and paid attention to that period of history." Lu Chuanliang told reporters that he wanted to establish a memorial here. "History should not be forgotten. Their stories of fighting for the glory of the nation and giving up their lives for the country's prosperity and death with their miserable and heroic lives should be preserved." For many years, Lu Chuanliang, who has been a member of the CPPCC in Zhabei District, Shanghai, is active and strong. Call for the establishment of the "Four Lines Warehouse Anti-Japanese War Memorial" at the battle site so that citizens will always remember this history. On August 13, 2015, the memorial hall was completed and officially opened to the public.
The 1937 "Four Lines of Lonely Army Comrades in Shanghai" (left) and the 1941 "Lonely Army Camp Respect for Thanksgiving Commander Memorial" stamps (right), currently in Shanghai Songhu Anti-Japanese War Memorial Museum
"Various exhibits are also collected by us. Come,Enthusiastic employees are obliged to explain to visitors. During this period, the veterans of the Anti-Japanese War also gave their full support. They continued to provide various collections of photos, letters, relics, etc., and often came to tell visitors about this history of personal experience. I just hope that people can remember-learn from history and fight for the future of the nation. "Lv Chuanliang said. The smoke of
is exhausted, and there is no noise anymore.
Eighty-three years have passed, and the Suzhou River is already lined with tall buildings and trees. Only the west wall of the Sixing Warehouse Memorial Hall still has bullet holes. The dense coverage seems to remind future generations: Our generation should be self-improvement. (Column draft: Xiao Yu, the website of the State Supervision Commission of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection)
