Chapter 45 Section Three "Three Years and Eight Months"

At the end of 1941, Japanese imperialism launched the Pacific War. In less than half a year, large areas of the Asia-Pacific region were reduced to Japanese occupation. "Three years and eight months" (referring to the outbreak of the Pacific War in December 1941 to the unconditional surrender of Japan in August 1945) was a difficult and miserable time for the 10 million overseas Chinese living in the Nanyang region.Overseas Chinese were brutally massacred and plundered.Take Singapore for example. On February 15, 1942, Singapore fell, and the Japanese occupation authorities ordered the concentration of overseas Chinese on the island to carry out the so-called "big inspection" (major prosecution). After nearly a month, at least 70,000 overseas Chinese were reported. 25,000 people were killed. The "Singapore Massacre" is a tragic massacre with the same name as the "Nanjing Massacre".Other tragedies similar to this kind of "certification" have also occurred in the Philippines and Malaya.The heinous crimes committed by the Japanese aggressors cannot be washed away in any case.The Japanese aggressors also carried out economic plunder, such as forcing the overseas Chinese in Singapore and Malaya to pay a huge sum of 50 million yuan as "contribution money".Overseas Chinese in other Southeast Asian countries have also been extorted a large amount of "donations". Coupled with the economic monopoly policy, the overseas Chinese economy has almost collapsed, and their lives are in a desperate situation.

"Three years and eight months" is not only a time of suffering, but also a glorious time for overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia to participate in the world's people's anti-fascist war. The first act of the battle was the heroic defense of Singapore. On December 8, 1941, the Japanese army landed in Singapore, and the British army retreated steadily. At the request of the Governor of the British Straits Settlements, at the end of that year, the "Singzhou Overseas Chinese Mobilization Association against the Enemy" was established with Tan Kah Kee as the chairman. The participants included Overseas Chinese from all walks of life. The General Assembly has several ministries, among which the People's Armed Forces Department formed an overseas Chinese volunteer army of nearly 3,000 people, led by Lin Jiangshi.Volunteer soldiers with a little training, armed with old guns issued by the British colonial authorities, went to defend the front line of Singapore.They fought bravely and blocked the landing Japanese army on the coast, and dealt a great blow to the invading enemy.It was not until February 13, 1942, when the British authorities decided to abandon Singapore, that the Overseas Chinese Volunteer Army announced its disbandment.Although the time of the Singapore Defense War was short, the fighting spirit shown by the Overseas Chinese Volunteers in the Anti-Fascist War was very touching.

During the Japanese occupation of Southeast Asia, overseas Chinese also established anti-Japanese organizations, such as the "Overseas Chinese Anti-Japanese Anti-Rape Alliance" in the Philippines, the "Overseas Chinese Anti-Japanese Association" in Medan, Indonesia, the "Su Island Anti-Fascist League" in Sumatra, and the "Anti-Japanese Anti-Japanese Alliance" in Java. National Liberation Alliance", "West Borneo Anti-Japanese League" in West Kalimantan, "Vietnamese Overseas Chinese National Salvation Association" in Vietnam, "Overseas Chinese in Myanmar Wartime Task Force" in Myanmar, etc. These organizations took great risks to launch Underground anti-Japanese activities, publishing secret newspapers and periodicals, supporting the anti-Japanese struggle of the people in the overseas country, and made great contributions to the victory of the anti-fascist war.

Establishing anti-Japanese armed forces and insisting on guerrilla warfare against the occupying forces were also an important part of the anti-fascist struggle of overseas Chinese.There are two armed forces that stand out, one is the "Malayan People's Anti-Japanese Army" and the other is the "Filipino Overseas Chinese Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Detachment" (referred to as "Huazhi"). The backbone and basic members of the Malayan People's Anti-Japanese Army are all overseas Chinese. At the beginning, there were only more than 160 people. During the three and a half years of fighting, the team grew stronger and stronger, and later developed into a 7,000-strong team with eight independent teams. team.This team used flexible guerrilla tactics in Malaya to lure the enemy deep. It fought the Japanese army more than 340 times, smashed the enemy's large-scale encirclement and suppression more than 10 times, killed and injured more than 5,000 enemy troops, and more than 1,000 Soldiers gave their precious lives.

The Filipino Overseas Chinese Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Detachment, also known as the 48th Detachment, was established in May 1942.This is a well-organized and disciplined team.It continued to grow in battle, from more than 50 people at the beginning to more than 700 people, divided into six brigades, experienced more than 260 battles, and wiped out more than 2,000 enemies.The Philippines built a "Monument to the Overseas Chinese Anti-Japanese Martyrs in the Philippines" to commemorate the immortal achievements of the soldiers. In addition, there were also many overseas Chinese in the 136th Southeast Asian Allied Forces that sneaked into the enemy's rear in Malaya. They had cooperated with the Malayan People's Anti-Japanese Army.Lin Mousheng, the head of the Malayan Chinese district of the unit, served as the director of the labor service department of the "Singzhou Overseas Chinese Anti-Enemy Mobilization Association" on the eve of the fall of Singapore. In November 1943, he sneaked back to Malaya, contacted the Malayan People's Anti-Japanese Army for joint operations, and prepared to cooperate with the Allied counterattack. Unfortunately, he was arrested in April of the following year and was unyielding in prison. He was only 35 years old when he died.

After arduous fighting, the anti-fascist war of the people of the world has won the victory.Overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia have endured hardships, and together with the people of other countries, they have ushered in the glory of the land.Together with the local people, they fought side by side in the anti-fascist war and rebuilt their homes on the ruins of the war. Overseas Chinese and the local people forged a profound friendship.The war made them realize that their safety and prosperity should be integrated with Nanyang, where they have lived for a long time, and they should devote more efforts to its prosperity, stability and development, and seek their own existence and development in the development of the whole Nanyang. .