The twelve-year female soldier life of Zhang Yangfen, the first female military doctor of the New Fourth Army
Born in Wuxi in 1914, Zhang Yangfen had strong patriotic feelings since childhood, and after the September 18 Incident in 1931, Zhang Yangfen, who was in the second grade of Suzhou Provincial Normal School, consciously participated in the student anti-Japanese salvation petition movement and asked to join the army to resist Japan. So Zhang Yangfen and more than 200 Suzhou students went to Nanjing to petition, and in the heavily guarded Nanjing Central Auditorium, Chiang Kai-shek reprimanded the students, shouted the slogan "Outside must first be inside," dispersed the petitioning students, and shot and killed many male students who were determined to resist Japan and save the country.
Zhang Yangfen, who was resentful and repressed, took the initiative to join the National Salvation League, learned military common sense and field rescue techniques, and kept practicing, but after only two months, the National Salvation League was dispersed by the Kuomintang government.
Zhang Yangfen, who returned home, was determined to study medicine and would come to the army to serve the soldiers who killed the enemy patriotically.
In 1932, Zhang Yangfen used her sister Zhang Yingfen's certificate to enter the National Shanghai Medical College and became a medical student, changing her name to Zhang Yingfen.
Shanghai Medical College taught in English, the first semester, Zhang Yingfen seemed to be in a foreign country, could not understand the lessons, could not understand the textbooks, and was not skilled in experimental operations. Once Zhang Yingfen accidentally broke the test tube and beaker, the grade director Zheng Lanhua trained her fiercely and told her to go to the office.
In the office, Zhang Yingfen learned that she was the last to pass the exam and failed in English. Teacher Zheng asked her to repeat the grade for one year, make up the lessons well, and lay a good foundation. The stubborn Zhang Yingfen pleaded with the teacher not to repeat the grade, and she wanted to graduate as soon as possible to join the anti-Japanese resistance. Teacher Zheng Lanhua, who was a patriot, was touched by her and gave her a chance.
Participating in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the ideal of being a military doctor inspired Zhang Yingfen, she raced against the clock, listening to classes for eight hours during the day, reviewing until late at night, never shopping on holidays, and soon, in the first semester, her homework was passed, and she could also understand English teaching; in the second semester, her grades were already the top few in the class.
After the end of the five-year university, Zhang Yingfen was assigned to the Central Hospital for internship, and it was at this time that the "July 7 Incident" broke out, and the Central Hospital became a hospital for wounded soldiers, and Zhang Yingfen treated the anti-Japanese soldiers every day, feeling extremely pleased.
Soon Nanjing fell, the Central Hospital moved to Wuhan, in Hankou her classmate Wu Zhili (later lover's husband) met Shen Qizhen, director of the Medical Department of the New Fourth Army, recruiting medical personnel, Zhang Yingfen asked Shen Kefei, the president of the Central Hospital, to go to the front line to resist Japan, Shen Kefei said that the New Fourth Army was a communist unit, and there was no graduation certificate when it went, Zhang Yingfen said angrily, "When the country is in trouble, what is the use of a diploma?" I don't want it, goodbye, Dean!" Resolutely left the Central Hospital. In January 1938, Zhang Yingfen and Wu Zhili arrived at the Headquarters of the New Fourth Army in Nanchang together and embarked on the road of joining the army.
New wedding photo of Zhang Yangfen and Wu Zhili
At that time, there were only six or seven doctors in the Military Medical Department of the New Fourth Army, and Zhang Yingfen was the first female military doctor. In the New Fourth Army, Zhang Yingfen received the baptism of blood and fire and the test of life and death.
At the end of October 1938, the famous American female journalist Smedley came to the Yunling Military Headquarters, and Zhang Yingfen made a cameo appearance as her translator. Smedley not only interviewed day and night, but also took the initiative to care for the wounded, untie the bandages, change blood clothes, feed water and food, do everything, from the fifty-year-old Smedley, Zhang Yingfen was encouraged and strengthened her determination to resist Japan.
Two years later (1940), Zhang Yingfen returned to Shanghai to visit her relatives, and her family mobilized her to study in the United States for further study, and she had greater achievements in the future. Zhang Yingfen remembered that the wounded and sick on the front line needed her, gave up the opportunity to study in the United States, and returned to the New Fourth Army headquarters on time.
In 1941, when Zhang Yingfen was treating her illness in Shanghai, after her illness was cured, her teachers and classmates in Shanghai asked her to stay in school for further study, so that she could stay away from the danger of war. Faced with the destruction of the country and the death of her family, she remembered her comrades who suffered, and she returned to the New Fourth Army, determined to revolutionize to the end.
In 1943, Zhang Yingfen was transferred to the Third Division of the New Fourth Army with her husband, her husband Wu Zhili served as the minister of health of the Third Division, and Zhang Yingfen served as the director of medical affairs. There, she was taught by the words and deeds of the division commander Huang Kecheng, and the influence of the glorious image of the yellow division strengthened her confidence in fighting for the revolutionary cause all her life.
In 1947, Zhang Yingfen went to the northeast with the Third Division to work, and after arriving in Qiqihar, he took the initiative to write an application to join the party, and in 1948, after ten years of revolution, Zhang Yingfen finally became a communist party member with honor.
Zhang Yangfen and Wu Zhili family portraits
In 1950, Zhang Yingfen, who took off her military uniform, transferred to Shenyang China Medical University as the dean of the College of Women and Infants, ending twelve years of female soldier life. Although she did not become an expert or professor, she did not have any regrets, and whenever she remembered the female soldiers who sacrificed for the revolution, she did not dare to slacken off, and she worked hard to complete every task, and she always thanked the Communist Party and the People's Liberation Army from the bottom of her heart.