After the July 7 Incident in 1937, the Japanese army launched a full-scale war of aggression against China. On December 14, 1937, Yangzhou fell, and the Japanese army burned, killed and looted Yangzhou, creating a series of tragedies. Faced with the atrocities of the Japanese army, the military and civilians of Yangzhou took up weapons to resist and fight, setting off a vigorous anti-Japanese and national salvation movement. Remembering history and cherishing peace, in today's program, we will learn about the ten tragedies and ten important battles in the history of the Anti-Japanese War in Yangzhou through an exhibition.
This week, the "Picture Exhibition Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the War of Resistance" was held in Yangyang. Through precious pictures, the exhibition tells the ten tragedies and ten important battles that occurred in Yangzhou during the War of Resistance. The exhibition venue, Tianning Temple, is one of the eight famous temples in Yangzhou in the Qing Dynasty and the palace where Emperor Kangxi and Emperor Qianlong visited the southern tour. In December 1937, a tragedy occurred in Tianning Temple.
Shi Meihe, Director of the Map Committee of the Municipal Collection Association:
In 1937, when the Japanese army attacked Shanghai, the Kuomintang used this place as a rear hospital and sent a large number of wounded people to the rear for treatment. On December 17, 1937, the Japanese army went to Tianning Temple to search and divided the men and women into one side. When they saw blood on their bodies and gun marks, they were shot to death.
While killing Chinese wounded soldiers, the Japanese army did not let go of the monks in the temple. Later, they occupied Tianning Temple and the ancient temple became a military camp. In addition to the "Tianning Temple Massacre", during the War of Resistance Against Japan, a series of tragedies such as the "Wanfuqiao Massacre", "Fairy Temple Town Massacre", "Touqiao Massacre", and "Gaoyou City Massacre", were also in Yangzhou, which were tragic and heartbreaking. Faced with the atrocities of the Japanese army, the military and civilians in Yangzhou were not afraid of powerful enemies and fought bravely and tenaciously with the Japanese aggressors.
Executive Vice President and Secretary-General of the Municipal Canal Cultural Philatelic Research Association Yu Jiang:
The first battle was our Anti-Japanese Boxer Regiment. This was a purely civil organization at that time. Chen Wen, the leader of the Anti-Japanese Boxer Regiment, led his team. On the evening of the second day of the first lunar month in 1938, he attacked the Japanese and puppet airport in Yangzhou. Finally, he bombed four planes and wiped out a guard squad of the Japanese and puppet troops. This battle was also a vanguard of our Yangzhou anti-Japanese war. After the blow, the New Fourth Army successively launched the Yuetangji defense battle in our Yangzhou, including the New Year victory and the subsequent Gucun defense battle and the Huangqiao battle, which reflected the spirit of our Chinese nation's heroic resistance, not fearing strong enemies and fighting foreign enemies.
In the exhibition, we also saw a precious medal - the "Medal of Independence and Freedom", which was carefully collected by collector Liu Zhizhong.
Liu Zhizhong, Deputy Secretary-General of the Municipal Canal Cultural Philatelic Research Association:
The back of this medal is numbered, which is the same as the number on the envelope. The paper envelope contains the national emblem, indicating that the medal is national level, it is copper, and then silver-plated and gold-plated. It has been the full seventieth anniversary today.
The central pattern of the Medal of Independence and Freedom is the Red Five Stars and the Yan'an Baota Mountain, which is awarded to the meritorious personnel who participated in the Revolutionary War during the Anti-Japanese War. The Medal of Independence and Freedom symbolizes the glorious journey of the Chinese people in pursuit of peace and justice, jointly resisting foreign aggression, defending national independence and freedom and national territorial sovereignty, and is also the mark of the older generation of revolutionaries fighting south and establishing outstanding merits.
Liu Zhizhong, Deputy Secretary-General of the Municipal Canal Cultural Philatelic Research Association:
The War of Resistance lasted for 14 years, and more than 35 million compatriots were sacrificed, and finally achieved complete victory. We must remember history and remember the martyrs. We cannot let the days of suffering and let the haze of war cover our country and nation again.
Citizen Lu Zhiliu:
The exhibition made us more clearly understand the crimes of Japanese imperialism in China, and felt that life today was hard-won. It was exchanged for the martyrs with their lives and blood. So when we saw the 93rd military parade, the aura and the formation made us feel more proud, so we should cherish peace.
Source丨Yangzhou Radio and Television "Yangfan" Mobile Channel
Editor丨Zhu Jianghui
