On February 23, 1940, when the snow was heavy, Yang Jingyu had not eaten a single grain for five days and five nights in the mountain forest five miles west of the village of Sandaoweizi Baoan in Mengjiang County.
The rags on his feet could not withstand this cold of more than minus 30 degrees, and Yang Jingyu's feet had been severely frostbitten.
▲ Yang Jingyu (February 1905 – February 23, 1940)
On this day, he waited for four "villagers", one of whom was called Zhao Tingxi, and Yang Jingyu begged Zhao Tingxi to bring him some food and cotton shoes the next day, but Zhao Tingxi brought not food and cotton shoes, but tens of thousands of Japanese puppet troops, and this time the betrayal was fatal.
At 3 p.m. on February 23, 1940, Yang Jingyu was surrounded by Japanese troops and eventually died heroically.
Regarding yang Jingyu's martyrdom, many historians on the mainland have studied it in great detail, and many people familiar with this period of history also know that Yang Jingyu died after more than 20 minutes of gun battle with the enemy alone, so what would Yang Jingyu say at the last moment of sacrifice? Will he have a last word?
"Dongbiandao Security and Rectification Work" No. 222 is a precious archive found by the Japanese writer Sasu after many searches in Japan, which details the scene of the final battle of Yang Jingyu on February 23, 1940.
The recorder was a Japanese officer named Yoshio Tominaga who was present at the time, who was a senior police officer of the pseudo-Tonghua Provincial Police Department, whose director was Ryuichiro Kishitani, the main person who hunted down Yang Jingyu.
▲Ryuichiro Kishitani
This document details Yang Jingyu's condition in the last moments of his life, perhaps it is not much of a surprise, but it is an echo from the depths of history.
“
Are you Commander Yang Jingyu?
”？
This is Nishitani Kitsun confirming his identity to Yang Jingyu, and in the Japanese military literature and news, Yang Jingyu is often referred to as Commander Yang or Commander Yang "bandit".
Yes, I am Commander Yang.
”
We are the police force of Tonghua, in our troops, once you are comrades Cheng, Cui are serving as the commander of the police force, Staff Sergeant An is also working at the headquarters, if you can also submit to us, Kishitani Director will definitely be eager to greet, now this place wants to escape is impossible, why do you rush to die? Why not consider surrendering to us?
The "Cheng" mentioned by Nishitani Kidai is Cheng Bin, "Cui" refers to Cui Jifeng, and "Staff Officer An" refers to An Guangxun, former chief of staff of the First Army of the Anti-Japanese League.
▲Statue of Yang Jingyu
So how did Yang Jingyu answer?
I cherish my own life, but you have died this heart, my subordinates have died, and now I am alone, although I am now in danger, but my comrades are fighting everywhere, the day of the demise of imperialism will come, I will resist to the end, never surrender, needless to say, shoot!
Although this conversation is short and does not seem to have any grandiose words, it is in this blandness that we feel his determination in the face of the inevitable situation, the cry:
I will resist to the end
It seemed to reverberate between heaven and earth.