Chapter 19 15. Supporting the "July 7th" Anti-Japanese War to establish a hospital for wounded soldiers

In the middle of the night on July 7, 1937, the Japanese invaders bombarded Lugou Bridge (15 kilometers southwest of Beijing).The 29th Army guarding the bridge fought back bravely, which inspired the people's determination to resist Japan, fired the first shot of the all-out war of resistance, and the War of Resistance Against Japan broke out. When the students of Peking University heard the sound of the guns, their spirits were uplifted and they all expressed their vows to be the backing of the 29th Army to defend Peking. On July 8, the Peking University Student Union organized several consolation teams to go to Lugou Bridge and the Inner City Hospital for the Wounded to comfort the wounded.I took a consolation team to Dongzhimen Army General Hospital.Some of the wounded had gauze on their heads, and some had plaster on their legs; regardless of the pain, they enthusiastically introduced the battle situation to us; and said: strive for an early recovery and return to the front line.The students and the wounded shook hands cordially and encouraged each other!

On July 9, students from Peking University and Peking University School of Medicine formed a joint field rescue team to rescue wounded soldiers in the field, and I also participated.The wounded soldiers carried into the city had nowhere to receive them.With the support of the Pioneers, we changed the Third Hospital of Peking University into a hospital for wounded soldiers.There is no funding, no equipment, no medicine, and everything depends on self-reliance. I went to see Mr. Zheng Tianting, Secretary-General of Peking University, and he expressed his strong support.He said: The hospital can borrow everything from the school; the cost of cooking coal, water, and electricity is borne by the school.Peking University students carried the beds in the dormitory to the auditorium of the Third Hospital and set up a simple ward.After someone introduced me, I went to Dengshikou Congregational Church in Beiping and found Dr. Wang; he helped us collect a batch of medicines and rice noodles; we asked him to be the medical director.I serve as the director of general affairs and perform the duties of the dean.Song Ying served as the stretcher captain, responsible for taking in the wounded soldiers.Students from the medical school are in charge of medical work, students from No. 1 Girls Middle School are in charge of nursing work, and students from Peking University are in charge of logistics work.In this way, the Wounded Soldiers Hospital was established and began to receive wounded soldiers.The vast majority of the wounded soldiers we took in were anti-Japanese fighters from the 29th Army; a few were from the Jidong security team originally stationed in Tongzhou.Peking University classmates Liu Jiangling, Zhu Muzhi, Song Erlian, Wang Hongwen, Bai Wenzhi, Sun Sibai, Xu Shilun, etc. all actively participated in the work of rescuing wounded soldiers.

In the early morning of July 28, the Japanese army dispatched planes, artillery, and tanks to launch a fierce attack on the Nanyuan Barracks of the 29th Army. Tong Linge, the deputy commander of the 29th Army, and Zhao Dengyu, the division commander, died heroically. On the night of the 28th, the 29th Army retreated, and Peiping fell! The Japanese army has not yet entered the city, we continue to rescue the wounded. On August 5, we heard that the Japanese army was going to enter Beiping City, so we moved the wounded soldiers to a safe area. On August 7, the Pingjin Railway resumed its operation. Several old comrades-in-arms including Liu Jiangling and Zhu Muzhi and I boarded the train.We bid farewell to Peiping with a very heavy heart: dear Peiping, I hope you are safe, we must come back!