Soldier recalls resistance to Japan
11/8/2005 8:58
Shanghai Daily news
Five-year-old Shi Yuzheng listens with rapt interest while
his great grandfather Guo Xingfa recounts war stories about the ¡°800 heroes.¡± ¡ª
Wang Juliang At age 89, Guo Xingfa can still recall clearly every
scene of a remote battle that took place some 70 years ago.
"A bullet hit the
ground, and suddenly, it sprang up into one of my legs," he recalled. "Another
bullet went flying past my scalp so close that I even felt its heat. Just
imagine if it had followed a lower route through my forehead. I would have been
dead for decades now."
Currently living in Baoshan District, Guo is the only
living local resident among China's celebrated "800 heroes," who courageously
resisted the Japanese intruders in Shanghai during the Japanese attack in
1937.
He was one of 450 soldiers led by Colonel Xie Jinyuan, who received an
order on October 26, 1937, to hold off the Japanese until the main body of the
Chinese army withdrew. The number of men under Xie's command was inflated to 800
in an attempt to fool the invaders.
Xie's army retreated to Sihang Warehouse
in Zhabei District before dawn on October 27.
Taking advantage of the
building's thick walls, the soldiers succeeded in resisting attacks by tens of
thousands of enemy troops for four days and nights.
Their bravery contributed
greatly to the safe evacuation of 500,000 Chinese soldiers and
civilians.
Later, Xie was assassinated by a betrayer and his men were
captured. Guo and 30 other Chinese soldiers were imprisoned for about six years.
Then he managed to escape, and participated in several other battles.
"Guo
Xingfa retained the dignity of Chinese people while facing enemies, and made
great contribution to our final victory," Xie Jimin, son of Xie Jinyuan, said in
a document affirming Guo as one of the "800 heroes."
"I maintained contact
with the colonel's wife and son until the 1980s. I have deep love for them and
miss them," said Guo, whose biggest happiness is telling stories of the glorious
past to his five-year-old great-grandson.
Chongqing City's Yang Yangzheng,
Zhou Fuqi of Hubei Province and Li Dingxin in Taiwan are the other three living
members of the "800 heroes."
|
