During the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea in 1952, in Macao, Guangdong Province, our army also engaged in an exchange of fire with the Portuguese army. On July 25, 1952, on a summer afternoon, soldiers from both countries stood guard on either side of the cordon. But on this very day, a black Portuguese soldier kept putting his foot over the cordon. Even spitting.
At the end, the black soldier pushed the wooden horse on the cordon in the direction of our guards. The sentry Zhao Xuedeng gestured to the Portuguese soldiers to move the "wooden horse" backwards. However, the Portuguese soldiers disobeyed the warning and summoned 9 Portuguese soldiers to push the Trojan horse into our cordon, and the Portuguese soldier crossed the cordon by another meter.
At this time, it is necessary to talk and stop the provocative behavior of the other party. Song Youzeng, the leader of the squad, went to the cordon and stopped several Portuguese soldiers and asked them not to continue to cause trouble and stop their provocative behavior.
However, several Portuguese soldiers suddenly showed their bayonets and stabbed at the leader of the squad, Song Youzeng, and the incident occurred suddenly, and the leader of the squad, Song Youzeng, was injured by the bayonet in his left arm. Subsequently, 2 soldiers from our side rushed to rescue Song Youzeng, the leader of the team. The Portuguese soldiers further increased the level of provocation, firing first. Moreover, black Portuguese soldiers in the nearby stronghold also rushed to the machine gun position to use machine gun fire.
Our soldiers saw the opportunity to throw a grenade and the conflict broke out. On 26 July, at 8 p.m., Portuguese soldiers began firing intensively at us again. Mortars were even pulled out, causing the destruction of more than a dozen houses on our side.
In fact, the Provocation of the Portuguese was premeditated. When they saw the outbreak of the Korean War, they felt that there was an opportunity to take advantage of it, so they have been working on the alert line. At the end of 1951 alone, 59 armed provocations were launched. We were asked to retreat and move the Trojan horse and cordon to our side. Thinking about the Gongbei area that expanded the territory.
At that time, Macau had about 1500 Portuguese troops, mainly black soldiers. At that time, the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea was under way, and China was in a state of hostility with Western countries. Portugal could easily gain the support of the United States, Britain, and other countries, and the warships of the United States that were going to the East China Sea for exercises also rushed to encircle the frigates of our navy at the mouth of the Pearl River in an attempt to expand the situation.
The two sides captured near the cordon for 6 days, and the Portuguese army casualties were 2 killed, 7 wounded, and 490 shells and 20,000 rounds of ammunition were consumed. We lost 2 men, wounded 30 and consumed 109 mortar shells and 8,000 rounds of ammunition. Because, on the first day of the exchange of fire, the Portuguese army opened fire first, causing many of our wounds. As a result, we suffered more casualties.
Finally, the Incident was quelled by an apology from the Portuguese side, a 50-meter retreat from the original cordon, and compensation of RMB 4.4 billion (old currency, about 440,000 Yuan) to our side.
In 1950, the Central South Military Region had the 12th, 13th, 15th, and 21st Corps, as well as 7 provincial military districts, as well as the Special Forces Command, the Engineer Command, and the Central South Military and Political University, with a total of 1.53 million people. Even in 1952, there were at least 6 divisions in Guangdong. Therefore, at that time, the legend of Macau was that we wanted to directly attack with 1 division to destroy all 1500 Portuguese soldiers. This is the last thing the Portuguese side wants to see, and it is also a result that they cannot afford. The Portuguese governor in Macau was therefore anxious to demand peace.
At that time, Mao's instructor personally issued instructions: "Large countries are strict, small countries are lenient, and Portugal is a small country, which can be treated leniently." "Portugal has the opportunity to admit its mistake and apologize, which is also the first top power to apologize to New China."