The battalion commander opened his mouth and tried to say something, but said nothing because of exhaustion. With his blood-stained hands, he took a red-covered notebook from his pocket, wrote down five Chinese characters with all his strength, and handed them to the Japanese soldier in front of him. Dong Shilang did not understand Chinese, but from this crooked handwriting, he felt the amazing will of this Chinese soldier, which shocked him all his life.
On December 12, 1937, the last line of defense of the Chinese army was attacked by the Japanese at night, and Nanjing was captured. On the morning of the 13th, Dong Shilang followed the squadron towards the Zhonghua Gate in Nanjing. Their feet stomped on the land of artillery fire, and everywhere they could see the corpses and limbs of Chinese soldiers, as well as the fragmented ruins of bombing. As the temporary acting detachment leader of the first detachment, Higashi Shiro was tasked with protecting and accommodating the wounded.
Toshiro moved to the basement with 7 members and the wounded, the three wounded were seriously injured, but the military doctors and hygienists on the front line of the battlefield were not there, and he could not help the wounded except to encourage and comfort them, do some simple bandaging and treatment. This feeling of powerlessness made him feel like a large stone pressed against his chest, breathless, full of thoughts, like the messy scraps of paper in the basement, making him want to escape from this cramped and narrow space.
So Higashi Shiro went out of the basement to survey the battlefield of last night's raid. Although it was the end of the year, the sun was very warm that day, giving people the illusion of a sunny spring and March. The gentle sunlight enveloped Higashi Shiro's body, making him feel slightly relaxed. But as his gaze moved downward, the rubble and debris on the ground and the corpses of his enemies pulled him back to the harsh reality of war. Looking at the blood-soaked land beneath his feet, he had a hint of compassion for the innocent people who died in the war. But after all, he was also acting according to orders, and did not have the right to refuse.
At this time, a dying Chinese soldier caught his attention. Judging from his tattered dress and rank, he looked like a battalion commander, and although he was scaled and bruised by the smoke of gunfire, there was still an immortal light in his eyes, like a sharp blade, deeply rooted in Toshiro's heart. Dong Shi Lang raised his bayonet, ready to end the life of the Chinese battalion commander, at this time the battalion commander laboriously opened his charred lips, as if muttering something, he looked up at Dong Shi Lang, the light in his eyes was constantly flashing, this move made Dong Shi Lang stop moving, began to be curious about the Chinese soldier in front of him.
Toshiro moved closer, trying to hear something in his hoarse voice. At this time, the battalion commander raised his dark hand and took out a small notebook and pen stained with blood from his arms, he trembled and supported his body, and used all his strength to write five words on the notebook, although the font was crooked, but the next pen revealed firmness and indomitability.
After writing these five words, the battalion commander seemed to have exhausted all his strength. A smile appeared on his dying face, as if he saw his wife waving at him with a lovely child, and as if he saw his dear comrade-in-arms calling him back to camp not far away, he handed the book to Higashi Shiro, and then hung his hand heavily.
Dong Shi Lang took the book, probably shocked by the look of this Chinese soldier, he stayed where he was, until the Chinese battalion commander died, Dong Shi Lang still looked at the pamphlet in his hand, for a long time unable to speak, although his soldiers killed a lot of Chinese soldiers in this land, but what impressed him was that the battalion commander counted as the first.
What exactly were the five words written by the battalion commander before he died? Higashi Shiro did not understand Chinese, so he drew the shapes of these five words in a diary. Eight years later, after Japan's defeat and surrender, Higashi Shiro asked a Chinese soldier with these words. The Chinese soldier told him that the five words were: "China will not die!" ”
This memory, which was later recorded by Higashi Shiro in his autobiography "Toshiro's Diary", recorded the scene of the warrior's indomitable perseverance, which was moving. Who is this battalion commander? From which division? These have long been unverified, and no one knows. But his integrity will never fade! The heroes of the nation will not be sacrificed in vain.
At present, many people in Japan still choose to avoid historical issues, refuse to acknowledge the existence of the Nanjing Massacre, and even visit the Yasukuni Shrine, but Higashi Shiro, as a direct participant in the entire battle, has admitted the crimes committed by the Japanese army and written down various memories of that year. Once again, we remind everyone that the beautiful life now is bought with the blood of revolutionary martyrs, let us remember history and do not forget the national shame!