This group of pictures was taken in 1937, which is a special year. This year, the Japanese provoked an all-out war of aggression against China.
The photo shows two similarly structured bridges in Shanghai, one is the famous Waibaidu Bridge, and the other is the slightly less well-known Zhejiang Road Bridge. Today, these two sisterly iron bridges still span the Suzhou River. Because of its close appearance, it is often confused by outsiders.
< h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > Zhejiang Road Bridge</h1>
Shanghai Zhejiang Road Bridge, commonly known as the old garbage bridge, is one of the few remaining fish belly simple girder steel trusses in China, and is now a Shanghai municipal cultural relics protection unit.
Zhejiang Road Bridge in 1937
This photograph was taken between March and April 1937, when the Japanese devils had not yet arrived. The bridge deck is as crowded as ever, and the Shanghai citizens who cross the bridge are constantly flowing. Because of the large flow of people, there are police on the bridge to maintain order.
Pedestrians on the bridge
At that time, people did not have the habit of walking on the right, and there was a flow of people walking in the same direction on both sides of the narrow bridge deck, leaving only an area in the middle of the bridge deck for vehicles to pass.
Congested bridge decks
Zhejiang Road Bridge is the sixth bridge in Suzhou Creek from Waibaidu Bridge, south of the present-day Huangpu District Zhejiang Middle Road, north of Jing'an District Zhejiang North Road, is a traffic artery, every day is very lively, pulling scooters, pulling rickshaws, and pedestrians carrying various items crowded the entire bridge deck.
The flow of people is endless
Zhejiang Road Bridge was first built in the sixth year of Qing Guangxu (1880), originally a pedestrian wooden bridge, Guangxu 32 October (1906), the Ministry of Works bureau demolished the second generation of wooden bridges, into a steel girder bridge. Soon a monorail was laid on the bridge to allow trams to pass.
Carry furniture
A scooter pulling a table and chair bench is passing through the Zhejiang Road Bridge, and a woman is riding high on the furniture, and the majesty is particularly eye-catching.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > Waibaidu Bridge</h1>
Located at the mouth of the lower suzhou river, bordering the Huangpu River, Waibaidu Bridge was built in 1908 and, like Zhejiang Road Bridge, it was rebuilt from the original wooden bridge. Waibaidu Bridge, with its unique geographical location and spectacular shape, has become one of the landmarks of old Shanghai.
Waibaidu Bridge in 1937
On August 13, 1937, the invading Japanese army launched a large-scale attack on Shanghai. Nearly 300,000 troops were invested in the army, navy, air force and special forces, threatening to occupy Shanghai within a month. This was the Scene of the Bund on the second day of the Japanese attack on Shanghai, and the roads on the Bund and the Waibaidu Bridge were crowded with refugees.
Japanese soldiers at the head of the bridge
A guard post set up by the Japanese at the head of the Outer White Crossing Bridge. During the Japanese occupation of Shanghai, Chinese were required to bow and salute when crossing the bridge, and if they did not follow, they would be beaten or punished for kneeling, and even let the dog bite.
Observe the surface of the water
Two Japanese soldiers monitored the river on the Waibaidu Bridge. The two buildings in the distance are the Russian Consulate (left) and the Japanese Consulate (right).
Cars on the bridge
Two Frenchmen in white visors were talking to Japanese sentries. Not far away, a small car came by with a license plate number of "9876". A ghost raised his gun and watched the car approach alertly.
Interrogate passengers
Japanese soldiers interrogated the passengers in the car, especially the Chinese women in the car, and pulled them out of the car for interrogation.
The inspection is complete
The Japanese did not notice anything out of the ordinary from the passengers, and there were Westerners sitting in the car, so the Japanese had to let them go, looking disappointed and reluctant.
Wretched
A Westerner is talking to a Japanese. At that time, Britain, the United States, and other Western countries had not yet made enemies with the Japanese, and turned a blind eye to the evil deeds of the Japanese in China. At the same time, the United States was also busy exporting a large number of military materials to Japan and making a fortune from the war.
westerner
A Western man in a suit is carrying a box and a bag full of items. Pass in front of the day card post on the bridge with an inexplicable smile on his face.
Chinese for carrying luggage
A Young Chinese man helps a Western woman carry her luggage. When he saw the faces of the Chinese, one of the Japanese soldiers raised his gun vigilantly. Behind the Japanese, two young women stood, not knowing what their identities were. At the end of the bridge, you can see sandbag fortifications built by the Japanese, and a bus is parked there.