In China's modern history, the Nanjing Massacre is undoubtedly an eternal pain in the hearts of Chinese, and it is not exaggerated in any way. However, whether it is academics or non-governmental organizations, there are few bitter accusations against the supreme commander who defended Nanjing, and this phenomenon is worth discussing.
The supreme commander of the Nanjing Defense War was named Tang Shengzhi, a native of Dong'an County, Hunan.
People today mention the name Tang Shengzhi, except for the Nanjing Defense War, it is very strange, but in fact, in the Republic of China period, at least until 1938, Tang Shengzhi's name was known to everyone, and his status was on a par with Feng Yuxiang, Yan Xishan, Li Zongren and others.
In 1935, the Nationalist government awarded nine people the rank of first-class general, equivalent to the ten marshals of New China in 1955, including Tang Shengzhi.
During the Northern Expedition, everyone knew that Chiang Kai-shek was the commander-in-chief of the Northern Expedition, but the actual commander-in-chief of the former enemy was Tang Shengzhi. The Northern Expedition army consisted of eight corps, and the commanders were He Yingqin, Li Jishen, Cheng Qian, Li Zongren, and others, all of whom were top leaders of the Kuomintang, while Tang Shengzhi was the commander-in-chief of the former enemy and the commander of the Eighth Army.
Of course, the most important battle in Tang Shengzhi's life was the defense of Nanjing.
At that time, Tang Shengzhi was serving as the director of military training of the National Government and the executive director of military law, and it was reasonable to say that at that time, the famous generals were like clouds, and it was not his turn to be a military training director to defend Nanjing, but under the pressure of the Japanese army, including Li Zongren and other famous generals who should take responsibility, they all had different considerations, and no one stood up.
Just when Chiang Kai-shek was extremely disappointed, Tang Shengzhi stood up and said: "Now that the enemy has approached the capital, the capital is the seat of the tomb of the Founding Father of the Nation, and at the moment of this great enemy, if Nanjing does not sacrifice one or two generals, we are not only sorry for the spirit of the premier in heaven, but also sorry for our supreme commander." I advocate sticking to Nanjing and fighting the enemy to the end! ”
Chiang Kai-shek did not expect him to stand up, so he asked him if he was sure, and Tang Shengzhi replied: "At least two things are certain: First, I swear to coexist and die with Nanjing, and I will not hesitate to sacrifice myself in the defense of Nanjing; second, such a sacrifice will certainly make the enemy pay a great price." ”
Chiang Kai-shek was overjoyed and immediately appointed him commander of the city defense of Nanjing.
The significance of the Nanjing defense war need not be said more, the following to introduce you to a few tear-jerking tragic moments -
Guarding the water west gate of Nanjing was the 306th Regiment of the 153rd Brigade of the 51st Division, under the heavy fire of the Japanese army, the defenders saw that they could not resist the enemy, and a platoon leader found the regimental commander Qiu Weida and applied to organize a death squad. Qiu Weida looked at the ragged but determined soldiers and asked, "Do you know what it means to be a death squad?" The soldiers replied in unison, "Die! Qiu Weida burst into tears and shouted, "Repay the country with death!" "The whole platoon loaded the ammunition, loaded the bayonets, marched out, and never returned...
Gao Zhisong's 264th Brigade was responsible for defending the left flank of Yuhuatai. Before the war, Gao Zhisong gathered his troops and said, "Brothers, any suffering in the world can be eaten, and any sin can be suffered, that is, the suffering of the subjugation of the country cannot be eaten!" The sins of the slaves of the subjugated country cannot be endured! Now that the Japanese army is coming, whoever does not resist is guilty of subjugation. Brethren, for the sake of the Chinese nation today and tomorrow, we must fight the invaders to the end! On December 12, 1937, Gao Zhisong saw that victory was hopeless, and ordered the remaining hundreds of people to gather all the grenades, and when the Japanese army rushed in, they pulled the grenades and died with the Japanese army.
After the fall of Nanjing, Liu Yongcheng, the operational staff officer of the Teaching Corps, came to the river with a messenger and looked around for boats to cross the river. There were a lot of scattered soldiers on the riverside, all looking for ships, Liu Yongcheng accidentally collided with a soldier, the soldier was full of fire, but he did not look at Liu Yongcheng, but rushed to the five comrades behind him and shouted: "This is too much to run!" We are all soldiers, who are we afraid of! Don't run, don't be afraid of death, go back with me, little Japanese children are not three heads and six arms, it's a big deal to fight with them for a life, and it's better than running so hard! ”
Liu Shupeng, quartermaster of the 2nd Battalion of the Armored Infantry Artillery Instruction Team, retreated with a few remnants of his soldiers to board a ship at Shimonoseki. Because the ship was too small to be transported away, Liu Shupeng ordered it to be blown up. At this time, two car soldiers and two tank soldiers jumped off the ship and said, "We are not leaving, stay here to fight the devils." Liu Shupeng persuaded us to stay in the green mountains and not be afraid of running out of firewood, and our task was to retreat. The four soldiers said that there are devils fighting now, why wait for later? There are still weapons on the chariot, which cannot be blown up in vain! Liu Shupeng was helpless and said, "What about your platoon leader, I told him." Four soldiers said that it was useless for anyone to say it, and we were responsible for it ourselves! Having said that, jump on the chariot and drive into the darkness...
When the Nanjing defenders retreated, due to the lack of unified command, the lack of tools to cross the river, and the Japanese army covered everywhere, the various departments were chaotic. Wei Zhenbang, commander of the 3rd Company of the Nanjing Fortress Garrison Battalion, looked around and could not find his troops, so he had to swim alone across the river. After landing ashore, they met the platoon leader Lu Ping, and the two looked at the tragic situation on the other side of the river, holding their heads and crying, and Wei Zhenbang roared: "I have fought all my life, and I have never fought such a nest battle!" Just retreat in such a confused way, what a thing! After saying that, he screamed in the sky and raised his gun to commit suicide.
……
Well, I can't say more, the tears are flowing down.
The tragic pain of the Nanjing defense war was actually more caused by Chiang Kai-shek's hesitation to look ahead and look back, but Tang Shengzhi, as the commander of the nanjing city defense, also felt that he had no face to see the world again, so he resigned from the high-ranking official Houlu and returned to his hometown to face the wall to apologize.
During his period of seclusion, Tang Shengzhi immersed himself in the study of learning, and later sold his property and founded yaoxiang academy, which devoted all his money to cultivating the children of his hometown and benefiting the township. In the years that followed, Chiang Kai-shek repeatedly invited him to re-emerge from the mountains, but he refused.
After the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Chiang Kai-shek launched a civil war, and although Tang Shengzhi had an old relationship with Chiang Kai-shek, he also took a clear stand against his actions and led people from all walks of life in Hunan to revolt in August 1949.
At the end of 1961, Tang Shengzhi was seriously ill and hospitalized, and Marshal Chen Yi personally visited him and said: "Mr. Meng Xiao, you are enough friends, among the generals of the Kuomintang, only you have not fought with our Red Army and the People's Liberation Army." ”