In 1938, a tragedy caused by a translation error reduced the ancient Chinese city of Changsha to a scorched earth. During the full-scale invasion of China, the Japanese army pressed forward step by step, pushing the flames of war into Hunan. Chiang Kai-shek issued an order for a "scorched earth policy" with the intention of destroying all strategic resources before the enemy entered the city.
However, a mistranslation by a translator led to the early implementation of the plan, and the entire city of Changsha was engulfed in flames, resulting in the tragedy of more than 30,000 deaths. What kind of translation error drove the city to ruin?
1. Urgent situation and scorched earth policy
In 1938, after the fall of Nanjing, the Japanese army directed its offensive to Wuhan, which was strategically important, in an attempt to open up the lifeline of communication between the north and south of China. In the face of the enemy's aggressiveness, the Nationalist Government moved Nanjing's capital functions to Chongqing, using Wuhan as a forward position against the Japanese army.
However, after a series of fierce battles, Wuhan was also occupied by the Japanese army. At this point, the strategic points in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River fell into the hands of the enemy, and the southern gate was in jeopardy. The Japanese army further approached Changsha, Hunan Province along the Guangdong-Hanzhou Railway, intending to break through the last barrier and head straight for Chongqing.
In the face of the Japanese army's approach, large-scale material reserves and fortification construction were carried out in Changsha City. A large amount of food, weapons, ammunition and medical supplies were stored in a centralized manner, and at the same time, fortifications such as the reinforcement of the city wall and the excavation of trenches were also under intense construction.
Zhang Zhizhong's defense efforts sought to ensure that even if the Japanese invaded Changsha, the defenders would still have enough resources and fortifications to fight a protracted war. After discussions with the top level of the Nationalist Government, Hunan Provincial Chairman Zhang Zhizhong realized the importance of Changsha as the last line of defense in the south.
It is not only a key position in military strategy, but also located in the railway and transportation hub, if lost, the entire south will fall under the iron heel of the Japanese army. Chiang Kai-shek and the top echelons of the Nationalist government believed that even the eventual abandonment of the city would not give the Japanese army any useful resources or supplies.
To this end, Chiang Kai-shek proposed to implement a "scorched earth policy", that is, to destroy all strategic materials and facilities in Changsha when the enemy was about to invade, and turn it into a ruin, so as to weaken the logistics supply of the Japanese army. Zhang Zhizhong was ordered to organize this operation, and gathered officials at all levels in the city to deploy a well-planned plan.
He demanded that the city be set on fire when the Japanese approached 15 kilometers outside the city, and that the people of Changsha must be evacuated in advance. The headquarters arranged the location of the arson, and transported a large amount of kerosene, gasoline and other flammable materials to various points in advance, waiting for the time to ignite when the time came.
The command set up a strict command system, which was commanded by the garrison command, to ensure that the fuel was ignited after Zhang Zhizhong personally reviewed it.
2. Translation errors and early ignition
In November 1938, the Japanese army had already invaded Hunan and reached the Xinqiang River. This place is 120 kilometers away from Changsha, and Changsha City forms a confrontation across the river. In an urgent situation, all the soldiers in the city were on standby, keeping a close eye on the movements of the Japanese army, and ready to carry out the "scorched earth policy" according to the order.
The military radio station is constantly sending and receiving telegrams, and is in constant contact with the outside world. According to the plan, the command would start setting fire to the Japanese army as they approached 15 kilometers outside Changsha, while at other times, the soldiers would have to stay on standby. However, a fatal mistake was made by one of the translators in charge of translating the telegram.
He mistranslated the Japanese army's approach to the "New Wall River" as "New River". This translation error led directly to a serious miscalculation, because there is indeed a river called "Xinhe" in the city of Changsha, and it is only three kilometers away from the city of Changsha.
After hearing the news that the Japanese army was approaching the "new river", the soldiers in the city thought that the Japanese army was approaching the city, and hurriedly ignited the fuel of the strategic reserve in advance, turning the south gate of the city into a sea of fire.
The first fire started from the wounded soldier hospital at the south gate. The fire spread rapidly, engulfing the surrounding buildings with scorching flames. Flames rose in the night sky, filling the city with thick black smoke. Once the fire was ignited, it was almost impossible for the fire department to extinguish the fire.
As a result of the previous deployment, the fire brigade had been evacuated from the city, and the water tanks of the fire trucks were still full of fuel, making it powerless to stop the spread of the fire. As the flames rose and burst into flames, all the streets and buildings around the South Gate were engulfed in flames, and the flames blocked all passages, making it impossible for those who were planning to retreat to leave.
Countless people who were sealed off on the streets were choked to death and burned to death, and the tragic situation was unbearable to witness. The difference of one word in this translator directly led to the destruction of the entire city. From human error to such a tragedy, it can be seen that the responsibility of translators in wartime is huge. Misinformation circulated within the chain of command, triggering a cascade of catastrophic consequences that could not be contained.
3. Chaos in the city and panic among the residents
The fleeing people were choked by the heat and smoke. People rushed through the closed streets, engulfed in flames or smeared to the ground by smoke. Many residents living on the outskirts realized that the fire had engulfed the entire city and hurriedly fled to the Xiangjiang River.
Pedestrians on the streets were terrified, looking at the burning sky, and the smoke was so thick that people couldn't open their eyes. Some staggered and ran, choked by the hot air; Some parents dragged their children's hands and fled in embarrassment, for fear of losing their loved ones; There were also elderly people who sat on the side of the road, helpless, watching their homes turn to ashes... The whole city was plunged into an unprecedented panic.
The Xiangjiang River has become the last ray of hope for many people, and thousands of refugees are rushing to the ferry. However, the ferries on weekdays were no longer enough to cope with the crowds in this disaster. Crowded docks and limited boats created chaos, boats were quickly overloaded and even sunk by too many people clinging, and many residents who did not have time to board the boats were squeezed into the river by the crowd.
In the cold waters, some people struggled to swim to the other side, and some were knocked down by the crowd and the cold, unable to escape the threat of death. On the shore, the firelight reflected the boiling river, and desperate cries for help mingled with the chaotic ships and the shore.
Fourth, leadership confusion and tragedy have expanded
The chief of staff of the garrison command, Xu Quan, was well aware of the seriousness of the fire at the South Gate and immediately called the police chief, Wen Chongfu, to get assistance, only to find that he had not only shirked his responsibilities, but had not taken any positive action against the situation. The commander-in-chief in charge of the arson operation disappeared, and the entire chain of command was paralyzed.
In this chaotic situation, the soldiers were unable to receive accurate instructions, and some soldiers ignited more fuel after misjudging the situation, causing the fire to expand dramatically. The fuel originally planned to be used against the Japanese army became a flame accelerant that spread rapidly.
Fuel canisters, kerosene, gasoline and other flammable materials are scattered all over the city, and when ignited, the flames quickly engulf the entire area. The flames spread rapidly from the south gate along the main street to the north, and the shops and houses in the city were turned into part of the flames.
Countless houses were engulfed in flames, and the fire destroyed every street for five days and five nights, and the entire city of Changsha was plunged into a sea of chaos and fire. Billowing flames and smoke rose into the air, turning the city into a reddish hellscape. The flames continued to spread to other urban areas, and the bustling downtown was in shambles.
Buildings of all kinds quickly collapsed under the scorching heat, wooden beams were reduced to ashes, masonry buildings were burned, and entire blocks of building debris piled up. The once bustling streets are now devastated with ruins and charred skeletons, and once-thriving shops and markets have been razed to the ground.
The fire burned the city's monuments, cultural relics and classics, thousands of years of cultural accumulation were burned in the flames, and the cultural heritage of Changsha City dissipated in the smoke.
V. Aftermath Trials and Historical Reflection
Shocked by the scale of the disaster, Chiang Kai-shek immediately rushed to Changsha within three days and ordered a thorough investigation of the matter. He ordered the military justice department to act quickly to bring those responsible to justice. The commander of the garrison, Wen Chongfu, the police chief, and Xu Kun, the head of the 2nd Garrison Regiment, were quickly arrested and put on trial.
Eventually, the three were sentenced to death for dereliction of duty and executed. Other persons directly or indirectly involved in the arson were also investigated and punished. Although Xu Quan, chief of staff of the Garrison Command, actively tried to coordinate, the paralysis and inaction of the command system delayed the entire rescue operation, resulting in such a serious disaster.
Although Hunan Provincial Chairman Zhang Zhizhong was directly responsible for the implementation of the "scorched earth policy," he was only dismissed from his post and retained without substantial punishment. In the aftermath of the investigation, it became known that he had consistently failed to effectively monitor the implementation of the operation and to ensure the stability of the chain of command.
However, with Chiang Kai-shek's protection of him, he not only avoided direct punishment, but continued to be reused, and was later promoted to head of the Political Department of the Military Commission of the Nationalist Government.
The man-made disaster sparked condemnation and protests at home and abroad, and the ruins of Changsha City and the deaths of countless civilians shocked the whole country. The Wenxi fire revealed the fatal consequences of translation errors and a paralysis of the chain of command. The Japanese never entered Changsha, but suspended their attack on Changsha due to logistical problems.
Therefore, the fire was purely a catastrophe caused by internal mistakes and miscommand. During the five days and five nights of blazing flames, the once prosperous Changsha became a hell on earth, and the ancient city and innocent people became victims of this tragedy.
After five days of rage, the fire finally gradually went out. The charred wreckage and burned-out houses make for a devastated scene. The damage caused by the fire is irreparable, and only the scorched earth remains scattered in the ruins of the city bear witness to the occurrence of this human catastrophe.
#头条创作挑战赛#
Resources:
From Roger. Historical Crimes: The Truth of Historical Cases That Can't Be Resisted to Read Closely[M]. 2009