Chapter 111 Chapter 111: Escape from the Tiger's Den 1

In the early morning of August 8, most of the resistance of the Hengyang defenders had gradually subsided.Only the positions of Tianma Mountain and Yueping Mountain still had sporadic gunshots. "Hello, Yan Yong-kun, how is the situation in the city?" Yokoyama asked. "Reporting to the commander, our army has captured most of the city. Most of the 10th Army of the Chinese Army has put down their weapons, but a small part is still resisting in the city. Our army is sweeping up." Yan Yongwang reported. The officers and soldiers of the 10th Army who were forced to lay down their weapons wanted to cry but had no tears, and were deeply saddened.The Japanese army treated them like a flock of lambs and drove them to Hengyang West Bus Station with guns in hand.At this time, the aircraft of the Sino-US joint air force appeared in the sky above Hengyang.The pilots looked down silently, and the large group of comrades who were driven by the Japanese army hovered in the air anxiously and helplessly, unable to bear to leave for a long time.The captured officers and soldiers of the 10th Army stepped on the land of Hengyang, their hearts were full of sorrow and resentment, and tears burst out of their eyes.This is a land soaked in the blood of the officers and soldiers of the 10th Army; this is a city filled with the patriotic elegy of the soldiers of the 10th Army.However, now it has become a shameful place where the 10th Army's ambitions have not been fulfilled, and a broken city where long songs should cry.

Sporadic gunfire continued.Some soldiers could not bear to think that the Japanese army would lay down their weapons and persisted in fighting until the last breath; Kill himself with a knife, or drink a bomb, or detonate a grenade and die with the Japanese army.The dead are dead, but the living are driven to the concentration camp, and all they see are the exposed skeletons of their comrades-in-arms and the ruined walls of the city.The loyal and brave soldiers of the 10th Army and Hengyang City, which they defended with their blood and lives for 47 days, came to such a tragic end.Who is to blame?Who is to blame!

Shimanuki Osamu, who served as the No. 1 senior staff officer in the Japanese base camp, wrote in his diary: "On August 8, first, conquer Hengyang at 8 am. Second, attack for more than 40 days. Although the time is ripe, it is a battle. Fight with all your strength. Three, only one day late, the enemy's mechanized corps appeared. Our troops were somewhat shaken by the emperor who rescued him. The victory of the war really lies in the last five minutes. If the enemy sticks to Hengyang, he will die Fight to the death, or there will be an 'Imphal' ending." This is the original record of the truth by a senior officer of the Japanese army; this is also a precious negative material, which is better than the search for old papers by many historians.It aroused people's incomparably complicated sighs, and it seemed that Fang Xianjue's urgent plea sounded in his ears: "As long as one regiment rushes in, I can find a way!" How will it develop?But no, there would be no last five minutes without this rushing regiment.Victory, missed the 10th Army at that moment, missed China. "Imphal" stayed alone among the mountains in eastern India, and did not set off a torrent of the collapse of the No. 1 operation in China.But there is one point that makes the common people understand, and it is enough to quell the more or less arguments and extremes of the latecomers; it is enough to make the big and small Zhuge who were in important positions in the frontier, the headquarters, and the think tanks at that time feel ashamed.What is proud of is that Fang Xianjue, the 10th Army, and Hengyang City once made the Japanese Army's No. 1 Operation almost collapsed and greatly reduced.Isn't that enough?

Full of last hope, Chiang Kai-shek got up at 4:00 a.m. on August 8 and prayed silently, hoping that the Tenth Army would turn the crisis into safety. At about 10 o'clock, the Aviation Committee transferred the reconnaissance report of the Hengyang frontline air force: "There is no trace of people in Hengyang City."Mr. Jiang already knew: Hengyang has fallen.He didn't have any expression on his face, and he didn't say anything. He just leaned weakly on the back of the chair, with both hands resting quietly on the chair handle.Seeing this, Jiang's confidential secretary, Yu Guohua, gently took the door out, blocked all visits and official business, and quietly informed not to receive any calls or reports at this time. 1 hour passed, 2 hours passed... I listened with bated breath, and there was no movement in the room.Yu Guohua gently opened the door a crack, but saw that Chiang Kai-shek was still sitting there.On this day, Chiang Kai-shek wrote in his diary: "The grief is truly unprecedented."

Since then, the ending of Hengyang and Fang Xianjue has become a blemish in the history of the Anti-Japanese War, and has become a complicated topic that needs to be discussed.It has drawn a long trace in the spiritual history of the Chinese nation; it has brought out many stories and legends; it has reflected all aspects of social life.The 10th Army and Fang Xianjue are at such a crossroads. The ammunition is exhausted, and the many wounded soldiers become a huge burden. From a humanitarian point of view, from the perspective of human nature, can Fang Xianjue not lay down his arms?Fang Xianjue can only bear the infamy, and he can't even be a hero with a severed head. He has achieved a great event, but he has to draw an embarrassing and embarrassing ending.No matter how outstanding the task is, in the face of this disaster, it is impossible to shape its true image according to its own will.History is so weirdly entangled with various unexpected factors and forces. Misunderstandings, ghosts and gods, quietly changed the trajectory of history, and irreversibly changed the fate of the people involved.

In fact, history is originally a polyhedron, and the judgment of history lies in people's feelings when reading history.Real history has never been so clear-cut.The clear history is questionable, with too many chisels and additions.But the defense of Hengyang was originally a fascinating story that is eloquent, confusing, intriguing, and full of flavors... The famous Chongqing "Sweeping News" during the Anti-Japanese War once wrote in its editorial: "Hengyang, the city that once became the center of the world's attention, once occupied a glorious page in our history of the Anti-Japanese War. Speaking of Hengyang, said It is well-known to every household and everyone knows it; abroad, this city will always be famous for its heroic battles with the Chinese army." Of course, it is the Kuomintang 10th Army led by General Fang Xianjue who fought for the defense of Hengyang to bring Hengyang such a reputation. The heroic feat of 47 days of bloody battle.

On the evening of the Mid-Autumn Festival in 1944, the sky was high and the air was crisp, and the yellow leaves were not falling with the wind on the lawn outside the wall of the Catholic Church in the southern suburbs of Hengyang City.Several children who had returned from fleeing from the local area were playing.At this time, a tall and burly senior officer of the national army came out of the church for a walk with two entourages, and gradually approached them.From a small scar on his left face, it is not difficult to find that this is Fang Xianjue, the commander of the 10th Army of the National Army. "Little friend, what's your name?" Fang Xianjue asked casually. "My name is Luo Ji. Luo from Luohan, Ji from Jigong." A twelve or thirteen-year-old boy summoned up his courage to answer. "Oh, such an interesting name! Your parents must be very knowledgeable." Fang Xianjue suddenly became interested.

However, when Luo Ji heard this question, he remained silent and couldn't help crying.Fang Xianjue was at a loss for a moment, but then suddenly realized that he had asked about the pain of the other party.I secretly complained in my heart, regretting so much, I shouldn't have asked, I shouldn't have asked! "His parents were killed by the Japanese devils, and the house was burned down by the devils!" Another boy answered. "Oh... why don't you go home so late? Where do you live?" Fang Xianjue asked feeling ashamed. "I lived with my uncle and them next to the church, in the warehouse of the tobacco company!" Roche said with tears in his eyes.

"Can I visit your place?" Fang Xianjue asked softly. "Okay! Okay!..." The little guys regained their childishness, cheering and scrambling to lead the way. After entering the door, the entourage hurriedly introduced to Luo Ji's uncle: "This is our Commander Fang, who is here to visit the folks." "Oh, it's General Fang, welcome, welcome, please sit down, please sit down!" Uncle Jia hurriedly got up and gave up his seat. "You're welcome, you're welcome!" Fang Xianjue said in a low tone while exchanging greetings, "I'm sorry for our fellow villagers in Hengyang! We didn't defend Hengyang, and caused the villagers to suffer a lot and suffer a lot... "He was very emotional when he said this, his eye circles were flushed, and he felt a sense of guilt. "Don't say that! General Fang, you and your brothers from the 10th Army have done your best. No wonder you!" Uncle Luo hurriedly replied. "Yeah, yeah, I can't blame you, how can I blame you? You did your best!" All the villagers hurriedly echoed.

After a while, I saw a tall and slender young and beautiful woman in a red gold velvet cheongsam who often accompanied General Fang out for a walk.Fang Xianjue's entourage quietly told the neighbors that this woman was "Mrs. Ru" specially found by the Japanese in order to win over Commander Fang. In October, the neighbors saw that Fang Xianjue had changed his outfit again: he was wearing a brand new yellow woolen military overcoat, a windbreaker, two sparkling golden general stars in the shape of plum blossoms on the collar badge, and a long handle hanging from his waist. Commanding sword, wearing yellow riding boots, often riding on a tall oriental horse, 4 guards guarding him with live ammunition, he is very majestic, and there is an extra Japanese captain "accompanying adjutant" - named adjutant, but in fact monitor.They often went back and forth between the Catholic Church and the Luo Family Temple, the headquarters of the Japanese army stationed in Heng.But also go in the morning, return at noon, not in the afternoon.The Japanese entourage raised their thumbs and said: "Child, this is your Chinese grand dame!" It turned out that he had been forced to accept the so-called "Xianhe Army" - the "big leader" of the puppet army.

But in November, the children never saw the "Great Taijun" again.Moreover, even the officers and soldiers of the 10th Army who had been stationed in the Luojiawan area and had already fired their guns were confiscated and gathered in a place called "Dongzhou Island" in the Xiangjiang River, which is one of the "Hengyang Eight Scenic Spots". "Try to see Dongzhou Taolang Nuan" Dongzhou Island.It turned out that the Japanese set up a new concentration camp on this isolated island surrounded by water to detain the prisoners of the 10th Army.The reason is that their respected Commander Fang has escaped from the tiger's den with the help and support of Juntong and local guerrilla forces in Hengyang. "Your grand lord, open the way, there are those who open the way! Yours, I understand!" The Japanese guard whispered to the Chinese children with gestures. "Oh, that's how it is. We understand it, we understand it!" The children laughed and scattered in all directions while talking.The Japanese guard was puzzled, shook his head, and walked back bored. It turned out that after a period of captivity, the Japanese army gradually relaxed their vigilance.The captured senior generals of the 10th Army also had occasional opportunities to meet.Zhou Qingxiang, the commander of the 3rd Division, and Sun Mingyu, the chief of staff of the army, who lived in a building of the Catholic Church in Oujiacho, took advantage of the convenience upstairs and downstairs and the opportunity to take a walk and drink tea to formulate a detailed escape plan.When the guards went out to look for food, they quietly bought a few sets of common people's clothes; took advantage of the windy and thundery nights to break the window glass, took down the window frame to make a ladder; stored some durable food for eating on the road... On the night of October 9th, there were thunder and lightning, and the wind was violent and rainy.The tree shadows and sundries swayed in the strong wind and lightning, as if the ghosts of the wounded soldiers of the 10th Army who were buried and burned by the Japanese army were waving; the sound of the pattering rain and the whistling of the strong wind seemed to be crying for the people of Hengyang killed by the Japanese army.The Japanese soldiers in charge of guarding hid in horror, just to deal with the interrogation of their superiors, and occasionally showed their heads at the window of the duty room and glanced at them. The two generals, Zhou Qingxiang and Sun Mingyu, had already agreed to escape from the devil's den by turning off the lights at night. At ten o'clock in the evening, the lights of each room were turned off one after another.Suddenly, Zhou Qingxiang and Sun Mingyu led four guards and quietly took down the window sash that had broken the glass and loosened the hinge nails. After several people jumped out of the window, they carefully touched the foot of the fence and put the stools taken out of the room into the window. At the foot of the fence, put the window sash up to form a very useful ladder.Everyone helped each other, filed up and over the wall. As the sky gradually brightened, a group of people stumbled to the door of a farmer's house at the foot of a mountain in Daiyingling.The family fled and did not return, only an old man who refused to escape was at home. "Old man, we are businessmen who escaped from Hengyang City, please lead the way, avoid the Japanese, and go back to our hometown in Xiangxi!" Seeing their appearance, the old farmer had a clue in his heart: look at their stately appearance, where are they businessmen, they must be officers and soldiers of the national army in trouble.But he didn't point it out right away, and smiled and said: "Okay! Okay! You must be hungry, let's eat something before leaving!" Several people looked at each other and knew that this place was too close to the city to stay for long.When the Japanese army found out that they had escaped, they would definitely go out of the city immediately and search for them. "Thank you! We have dry food and we have to hurry. Please leave now, okay?" "That's good! Let's go!" The old man closed the door, put on a big brass lock, turned and left. Hurrying quickly, the old man finally took them to the home of a relative surnamed Deng in Yanbiqiao Mountain.Here, the Japanese rarely come, and a few people are exhausted.So he stayed at Deng's house.The villagers were very polite, offering all the old hens and other good things in the family to entertain the good people and heroes in their hearts, and they refused to accept the food expenses given by the generals. The next day, the master of the Deng family led them to stay at the home of a relative named Qu in Zhajiang Town. As night fell, a few people were greeted by delicious food such as bacon and lake wine from the villagers, drunk and full, and fell asleep.Unexpectedly, in the middle of the night, in his sleep, someone barged in with a knife and a gun.Because they were defenseless, before they had time to resist, they surrounded and tied them up. "Say, what are you guys doing? Hurry up and tell the truth, there is a little bit of falsehood, don't blame me for being rude to you!" A man slapped the table and stared at them and shouted loudly. "Director, don't waste your fucking time talking. Cut the turtle!" A burly man with a full beard shouted in a muffled voice. Seeing that they are not like the Japanese, the big deal is robbery by bandits, just give them valuables, as long as you save your life, everything is easy to talk about.I believe that as long as they are conscientious Chinese, they should not hurt patriotic soldiers!do my best. Chief of Staff Sun Mingyu gritted his teeth, and said without humility: "Then let me tell you the truth, I am Sun Mingyu, chief of staff of the 10th Army of the National Army defending Hengyang, and this is Commander Zhou Qingxiang of the 3rd Division. How about it? If you want to fight or scratch, you can figure it out!" When the so-called director heard it, he immediately burst into a smile, and even pleaded guilty: "Oh, I'm sorry! I'm sorry! The boy has no eyesight to see Mount Tai! You have offended Huwei! You have offended Huwei!" Why don't you untie the officer quickly?!" The group of people hurriedly untied Sun Mingyu and the others, with complex expressions of shame and reverence on their faces. "I am the director of the 6th Command Station of the Hunan People's Self-Defense Force. I am willing to listen to the commander's command and dispatch!" The director nodded and bowed again and again.