In tengchong's national martyrdom cemetery and Songshan's expeditionary army sculpture phalanx, there is a statue of a baby soldier, which is based on a precious photograph from the Anti-Japanese War.
When the photo was originally published, a line of annotations was written at the bottom of the photo:
Li Zhanhong, who had just turned 13, had been serving in the Chinese army for two years in the United States signal corps on November 23, 1944.
Smiling baby soldiers
After the photo was exposed, it attracted people's attention, but in 2014, the prototype of the doll soldier was found, and people found out at this time that his name was not Li Zhanhong, but Chen Youli.
When people learned that the baby soldier's name was Chen Youli, it immediately caused a heated discussion, some people believed that Chen Youli was the doll soldier in the photo, and some people questioned that he was hyping.
Therefore, people listed the following doubts:
First, since the person in the photo is Chen Youli, why is the annotation of the photo written as Li Zhanhong?
Second, when Chen Youli was faced with everyone's doubts, he revealed that he was once a member of the 200th Division of the National Revolutionary Army, but the news had reported that Chen Youli himself had participated in the Battle of Songshan, so this point was completely inconsistent.
Third, Chen Youli was still a baby soldier, and he could only work as a service clerk in logistics, so how could he participate in the battle?
With this series of questions, someone decided to go to Chen Youli Buddha-figure for an answer.
On August 22, 2012, Guizhou Province held an event to care for the veterans of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in the Yangming Ancestral Hall in Guiyang City, and Chen Youli happened to visit the Yangming Ancestral Hall that day.
During the tour, After Chen Youli found that there were many banners and posters related to veterans hanging on the wall, he took the initiative to find the volunteers in charge of the activities and told the other party that he was also a veteran of the War of Resistance.
But after the volunteers looked at Chen Youli, they found that his age was not right, according to statistical data, most of the veterans who participated in the War of Resistance were ninety years old, but Chen Youli looked only in his early eighties.
So the volunteers asked Chen Youli when he joined the army, and Chen Youli replied: "I joined the army before I was 12 years old, and after joining the expeditionary force, I also followed the troops to Yunnan." ”
Hearing the old man's words, the volunteers suspected that Chen Youli was most likely a member of the expeditionary force, and in order to confirm Chen Youli's identity, the volunteers asked for his phone number and home address.
Soon, someone found the Chen family and learned in detail from Chen Youli about his joining the army to retiring from the army, and after a comprehensive and meticulous understanding, Chen Youli's identity was confirmed, he had served in the 200th Division of the 5th Army of the National Revolutionary Army, and was a veteran of the War of Resistance.
In November 1944, the Battle of Longling, the Chinese army launched an attack on the Japanese army
After Chen Youli's identity was confirmed, Zou Jihong, a volunteer who cared for the anti-Japanese war veterans, began to frequently visit the Chen family for condolences and visits, because Zou Jihong was also a veteran, so he and Chen Youli could talk very well.
During the period, when Chen Youli and Zou Jihong came into contact, he also said his biggest regret, it turned out that Chen Youli had been in the army for about ten years from joining the army to retiring from the army, but he did not even leave a photo of him wearing a military uniform.
Zou Jihong, who also stayed in the army, also knew what this meant to Chen Youli, and Chen Youli's words also made Zou Jihong grumpy.
Until Zou Jihong saw the photo of "Smiling Doll Soldier", she suddenly remembered that Chen Youli was once also a "baby soldier".
Therefore, he held the mentality of fulfilling his dream for Chen Youli, washed out a copy of the photo of the doll soldier, and specially installed a picture frame for Chen Youli.
At first, Zou Jihong just wanted the old man to have a comfort, but who knew that after this photo was sent out, an unexpected thing happened.
On August 21, 2014, Zou Jihong and several colleagues went to the Chen family and incidentally gave Chen Youli a photo of "Smiling Baby Soldier", but when he handed the photo over, the old man was stunned with the photo.
Chen Youli with a photo of a baby soldier
After a while, Chen Youli murmured, "This is me!" ”
The volunteers present were shocked to hear this sentence, because everyone had never associated Chen Youli with a baby soldier.
Zou Jihong even thought that he had misunderstood the meaning of the old man, and in his opinion, the meaning of Chen Youli's words was perhaps that this baby soldier was the same age as when he joined the army, and his clothes were similar.
Zou Jihong also tentatively asked Chen Youli, "You looked like him back then, right?" ”
Chen Youli shook his head, and his voice choked up and pointed to the photo and said, "This is me, the Americans took it for me!" ”
When the old man said this, the tears had flowed uncontrollably, and the volunteers present were once again shocked, and everyone did not expect that Zou Jihong had found the prototype of this baby soldier with an unintentional move.
Recalling the scene when Chen Youli pointed to the photo and cried, Zou Jihong said with great emotion: "Although we can't fully believe it, there is one thing I absolutely believe, that is, the feelings of the old man cannot be disguised." ”
After Chen Youli revealed his identity, he immediately aroused people's curiosity, and some people went to the door to seek verification, and took the photo of the baby soldier and carefully compared with Chen Youli.
Chen Youli
But because it was so cold when the photo was taken, the doll soldier wrapped himself tightly and could only see his face and hands.
Although from the appearance alone, the doll soldier and Chen Youli are somewhat similar, but everyone does not fully believe that this is the same person.
In order to confirm Chen Youli's identity, people began to look for more evidence, but after 70 years, it was more difficult to find evidence.
Therefore, everyone asked Chen Youli to recall the details of that year, trying to find similarities from historical records.
After Chen Youli himself got this photo, he hid it in his bedroom, and usually never took it out, which was very precious to this photo.
Regarding people's doubts about him, Chen Youli is also trying to confirm himself, and he also recalls the time and details of taking the photo.
Chen Youli said: "The photo was taken for me by the Americans when I was in Longling, it was the end of November, the beginning of December, it was winter, but the winter was not very cold. ”
In the historical records of the War of Resistance, Chen Youli's longling was already captured by the expeditionary force on November 3, 1944, and Chen Youli's 200th division also participated in the final stage of the Longling Campaign.
The photo of "Smiling Baby Soldier" was taken on November 23, which can also be compared with Chen Youli's description.
Chen Youli with the doll soldier
Chen Youli also said: "At that time, the person who took the photo was a signal soldier, he communicated with my company commander, I didn't know what he was going to do at first, and there was another person with him, carrying a big tripod and some food, and later I learned that he came to take pictures, and the soldiers present were not only me, there were four or five, but the person who took the photo said to take a picture for me." ”
In order to confirm his identity, Chen Youli also pointed out some details on the photo, such as when the signal soldier took a picture of Chen Youli, Chen Youli's company commander also took a lot of things to hang on him.
Before the shooting, Chen Youli only had one kettle on his body, and in order to take pictures to look good, the company commander and his comrades-in-arms took a kettle, as well as a rice bag and a dry food bag and a satchel, all of which hung on Chen Youli.
Because Chen Youli was standing in the traffic trench at that time, the photo taken was not good enough, and the person who took the photo let him move a little, which led to the photo of "Smiling Baby Soldier".
Before Chen Youli revealed his identity, some people had doubted the authenticity of the photo.
Because there are too many satchels on the baby soldiers, the hanging position is not correct, which affects the long-distance march, until Chen Youli explained that it was a posing shot, which dispelled people's doubts.
When someone asked about the whereabouts of this photo, Chen Youli also said that he did not know, because it was a marching war at that time, and he was also young, and he did not pay attention to the matter of taking pictures.
But Chen Youli vaguely knew that it was americans who took pictures of himself that year, so his photos would probably be taken to the United States.
Regarding the problem that the baby soldier in the photo has two water bottles on his body, Chen Youli also explained.
The kettle hanging on the left was carried by him for the company commander, and the kettle hanging on the right was not filled with water, but with salt and pepper noodles.
Chen Youli
At that time, the cooking in the army was relatively light, and some soldiers with heavy taste were not used to eating, so many soldiers would bring some seasonings with them.
At that time, the salt was not as fine as it is now, it was all piece by piece, and in order to facilitate eating, the warriors would grind the salt into small pieces in the kettle in advance, and pour out some more to taste it when eating.
If anyone who is attentive has carefully observed this photo, they will find another small detail, that is, the doll soldier wore two military hats, and the brim of the bottom hat has traces of being folded.
On this point, Chen Youli also explained that the bottom hat is old and he has worn it for a long time.
Later, new hats were issued in the troops, but the others were too small and their heads were small, and the hats were easy to wear on the head, so they could only use the old hat and the new hat together
As for the folding marks of the old hat, it is also the masterpiece of the comrades-in-arms taking care of Chen Youli, who saw that Chen Youli was always a little loose with two hats, so they sewed them together with needle and thread.
In addition, when it rains heavily, the brim of the hat will collapse to cover the line of sight after the rain, and Chen Youli will fold it and fold it, which has the origin of the crease on the old hat.
In the "Smiling Doll Soldier" photo, there is also a signature action, that is, the doll soldier gives a thumbs up when facing the camera.
Chen Youli said: "Thumbs up means 'top good', Americans like this action very much, there were many Americans in Kunming at that time, as long as they gave them a thumbs up, the other party will be very happy and will give food." ”
Statue of the Baby Soldier
When talking about this history, the elderly Chen Youli seems to have returned to the day of taking photos, and a happy smile appeared on his face.
Perhaps for the elderly Chen Youli, even if the days of being a soldier are hard, this past is also his best memory.
Regarding Chen Youli's own identity, it is also lamentable, talking about the experience of being a soldier, the old man's eyes are red again.
Chen Youli, a native of Pingshan Township, Bijie Hezhang County, Guizhou, his family was extremely poor, and Chen Youli was born in the year of the Japanese occupation of Northeast China.
When he reached the age of one and a half, his mother, who had worked hard to pull Chen Youli to grow up, died, and his elderly grandmother raised Chen Youli to the age of six.
In order to reduce the burden on his grandmother, Chen Youli went to help people work when he was more than six years old, and until the age of eleven, a unit came to Guizhou.
At that time, the people were very poor, almost every household could not eat enough, coupled with the infestation of the enemy, many hot-blooded teenagers went to join the army, first, to drive the enemy away, and second, to eat a full meal.
Chen Youli's little friend was the same, he had the idea of joining the army, so he mobilized Chen Youli to join the army together, but when the two arrived at the recruitment office, Chen Youli was brushed off, because he was only eleven years old at that time, and he could not run fast without carrying a gun.
After the failure of the first time to join the army, Chen Youli did not give up the idea of becoming a soldier, and in the spring of the following year, the army came to recruit again, and Chen Youli immediately went to register.
The person in charge of recruiting this time was the person who refused Chen Youli's enlistment last year, and Chen Youli looked at him and asked firmly: "Do you want me?" Although I was small, I was able to resist Japan. ”
Maybe Chen Youli was a year older, or his firm eyes touched the other party, and the recruiter looked at Chen Youli for a while and said busily: "Yes, yes, yes." ”
From then on, Chen Youli officially enlisted in the army, because he was too young, he became a service soldier of the 8th Company of the 3rd Battalion, 600th Regiment of the 200th Division of the National Revolutionary Army, running around every day behind the company commander's ass.
At that time, the 5th Army was one of the most elite ace troops in China, and the treatment and food in the army were far superior to other armies, and Chen Youli, who was young, also became the favorite of other soldiers in the army.
Armband of the 200th Division of the National Revolutionary Army
In particular, the company commander of the 5th Army was even more fond of the young Chen Youli, and many years later, Chen Youli still remembered the appearance of this company commander.
Chen Youli said: "My company commander's surname is Lu, his name is Lu Chunfeng, he is a graduate of the 16th class of the Central Military Academy, he was very kind to me when I gave him a service soldier, I was also hand-handed over to me when I recognized words, I couldn't do a lot of heavy work, it was also he taking care of it. ”
Qiu Qingquan
After that, Chen Youli was still trying to recall the names of other people in the unit, such as the company commander named Lu Chunfeng, the battalion commander surnamed Miao, the regiment commander surnamed Dong, the division commander surnamed Gao, called Gao Jiren, and the military commander was called Qiu Qingquan.
Gaugi people
Regarding what Chen Youli said, some people, after reviewing the "War History of the Fifth Army", also found that they were all in line with his account.
At the beginning of 1943, the 5th Army stationed in Kunming had a major personnel adjustment, the 200th Division also had a personnel transfer, Gao Jiren was promoted to division commander, the dong regimental commander should be Dong Han after Liu Shaofeng regimental commander, and the battalion commander should be the Miaozhong battalion of the third battalion of the 600 regiment.
With these details, it can be generally confirmed that Chen Youli was indeed a veteran who participated in the War of Resistance.
Chen Youli with the statue of the baby soldier
On May 15, 1944, the 20th and 11th groups of the Chinese Expeditionary Force forcibly crossed the Nu River, and smoke rose in Tengchong, Songshan and other places.
At that time, Chen Youli's Fifth Army was stationed in Kunming, and it was not until August that it received orders to transfer to the 11th Group to participate in the war in western Yunnan.
Chen Youli said that his unit was involved in the reconquest of Songshan and Longling, and he himself stressed the fierceness of several battles at Songshan.
Skeptics raise the following questions: The Battle of Songshan began as early as two months before the 200th Division went to the front, the new 28th Division fought in Songshan in the early stage, the 8th Army in the later stage, and the 200th Division did not participate in the Battle of Songshan during the counter-offensive in western Yunnan.
In terms of time, when the 200th Division received the order to start, it was already August, and the Battle of Songshan had come to an end, and it was He Shaozhou's 8th Army that finally defeated Songshan.
On August 29, 1944, Chinese soldiers searching for Japanese soldiers during the Battle of Matsuyama
In this way, the 600th Regiment of the 200th Division did participate in the last phase of the Matsuyama operation, but perhaps because their participation in the battle was too short, and this is not recorded in the "History of the Fifth Army".
Lü Xiande, a former veteran of the 600 Regiment, and some war materials also mentioned the participation of the 600 Regiment in the battle.
Therefore, what Chen Youli said about the battle was also true, although he was only a service soldier at the time and did not fight on the front line, but the fierceness of the Battle of Matsuyama has always been unforgettable.
After the Battle of Songshan, Chen Youli followed the troops to Longling and stayed for about three months, until november 3 to retake Longling, during which time the "Smiling Baby Soldier" was born.
Chen Youli, who had been in the army for ten years, recalled the first battle he participated in many years later, which is still vividly remembered, that is, the battle between the troops in the Great Black Mountain and Huilong Mountain.
Chen Youli could no longer remember the specific time of the battle, but the scene of that day was so tragic that he could never forget it.
At that time, the battle had come to an end, and our army besieged the remaining Japanese troops on the top of the mountain, waiting for the final capture.
At that time, the Chinese soldiers knew that the Japanese army would hardly take the initiative to surrender, but victory was at hand, and the soldiers of our army still underestimated the madness of the Japanese army.
At the end of the battle, our army had very few grenades and bullets left, and after the Japanese army saw this, they began a suicidal charge and carried out a final counterattack.
Chen Youli, who was a service soldier, also gritted his teeth and went to the front line, and the company commander Lu Chunfeng was stabbed by the enemy in battle, chen Youli risked his life to send him to the rear hospital, and the two lost contact from then on.
Interview chen Youli to this point, about the Battle of Matsuyama and the two questions about the service soldiers on the battlefield, have also been confirmed, so why did the baby soldiers in the photo use the name Li Zhanhong?
Chen Youli (right)
In this regard, some people have put forward a theory that it is likely that the Chinese troops had a problem with Zhang Guan and Li Dai in the process of submitting names, because such incidents occurred many times in the nationalist troops.
Someone offered to find the photographer who took the photo that year, but because it was too old and the photographer did not leave a name, the clue was also interrupted.
In the summer of 2015, the Guizhou Evening News reported the following news:
"For the sake of prudence, the volunteers took the photo of the baby soldier and the photo of Chen Youli and sent it to the Technical Department of the Guizhou Provincial Public Security Department for a more professional appraisal, and the final result was - highly suspicious."
In fact, no matter what the final result of this matter is, it will not have much impact on Chen Youli, compared to his bumpy life, it is really insignificant.
Chen Youli was a service soldier when he joined the army, and later became an ordinary soldier, he was captured by the People's Liberation Army during the civil war, and when the Korean War broke out, Chen Youli went to fight in North Korea.
After the end of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, Chen Youli became a glorious hero of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, but in the blink of an eye, he was affected by the Cultural Revolution and was taken off his heroic hat overnight.
It's just that whether it is glory or humiliation, Chen Youli doesn't care, his life is too bitter and too long, but one thing has never changed, he loves China, whether it was before or after.
Chen Youli said: "During the national crisis, we must do our best to save my motherland, and this cannot be changed under any circumstances." ”