Chapter 18 Section 2 Overseas Chinese in America and the Anti-Japanese War
The Anti-Japanese War was a great war that threatened the survival of the Chinese nation.In the face of national crisis, everyone has a responsibility. Participating in the War of Resistance Against Japan was the sacred duty and honorable obligation of every Chinese son and daughter at that time.
During the Anti-Japanese War, the 235,000 descendants of the Chinese people who lived in foreign lands, cherished the motherland, united closely with the compatriots of the motherland, shared the same hatred, contributed funds, fully supported and directly participated in the patriotic national salvation movement, and wrote magnificent poems.
In September 1931, the Japanese imperialists launched the "September 18th" Incident, and the claws of aggression began to extend to the northeast of our country.The gunfire of the invasion of China shocked the people at home and abroad.Upon hearing the news, overseas Chinese in the Americas took active actions, determined to contribute their strength to the sacred cause of resisting Japan and saving the nation.
On the third day after the "September 18th" incident (that is, on the 21st), the San Francisco Chinese Association of the United States convened an emergency meeting of the presidium and sent three telegrams, one "calling on the League of Nations to uphold justice and stop aggression"; the other two were sent to The Nanjing Nationalist Government and the Southwest Political Affairs Committee, in response to the Kuomintang’s policy of “suppressing the Communist Party” and compromising and giving in to Japan, “please calm down internal strife and resist foreign aggression to save the crisis...” On the 24th, the Zhonghua Guild Hall held a plenary meeting and organized a group of overseas Chinese in San Francisco. The Anti-Japanese and National Salvation Support Association led the overseas Chinese anti-Japanese and national salvation activities, and sent a telegram to the country, "Please the government and the public unanimously declare war on Japan, abolish the rule, and use military talents to fight the national disaster together."Overseas Chinese in Victoria, Canada organized a battalion of volunteers, ready to return to China at any time to fight against Japan.
In November 1931, Ma Zhanshan, the acting chairman of the Heilongjiang Provincial Government and the commander-in-chief of the Heilongjiang Provincial Army, led his troops to severely injure the Japanese army in Nenjiang.Overseas Chinese in America were delighted with Ma Zhanshan's anti-Japanese actions.The San Francisco Chinese Association raised 30,700 yuan, and the Siyi Association raised 5,300 yuan, which were respectively transferred to Ma Zhanshan by wire transfer to comfort the soldiers.Overseas Chinese in the Americas also donated money to support the Northeast Anti-Japanese Volunteer Army. According to incomplete statistics from October to November 1932, the American overseas Chinese donated $140,000 to support the Northeast Volunteer Army and aid Northeast refugees.Overseas Chinese in Cuba also remitted US$10,000 to the Northeast Volunteer Army.
When the anti-Japanese general Ji Hongchang visited America, wherever he went, overseas Chinese lined up to donate, enthusiastically inquired about the domestic anti-Japanese situation, and expressed their determination to fight against Japan to the end.The words and deeds of overseas Chinese in America and Chinese students studying in America deeply moved General Ji Hongchang’s heart. He said to them with tears in his eyes: “After returning to China, I vowed to dedicate myself to the battlefield and drive the Japanese devils out of China. What my compatriots expect of me." On November 12, 1931, thousands of overseas Chinese in Havana held a meeting to commemorate the birthday of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, and General Ji Hongzhang delivered an exciting anti-Japanese speech at the meeting.The meeting was full of enthusiasm, and 10 overseas Chinese asked him to go back to China to fight against the enemy. There was also a small businessman surnamed Wei who sold all his goods for travel expenses and asked General Ji Hongchang to take him back to China to fight against Japan.
While occupying Northeast China, the Japanese imperialists made further progress. On January 28, 1932, they launched a war of aggression against Shanghai.The officers and soldiers of the 19th Route Army of the Chinese Army stationed in Shanghai rose up to resist and resisted the attack of the well-equipped Japanese army with inferior equipment, which dealt a heavy blow to the aggressive arrogance of Japanese imperialism.An overseas Chinese leader in the Americas said with satisfaction: The 19th Route Army "resisted the Japanese in Songhu and fought bloody battles for more than a month. Its spirit of fighting for the country and the nation is indeed admired by our compatriots."In recognition of the bravery of the Nineteenth Route Army against the enemy, overseas Chinese in the Americas presented a gold plaque to the anti-Japanese general Cai Tingkai, engraved with the four characters "spiritual salvation" on it to express their admiration for the bravery of the Nineteenth Route Army.At the same time, overseas Chinese in San Francisco and other places in the United States also remitted more than 63,000 yuan and more than 1,200 taels of silver to the 19th Route Army Dayang.Overseas Chinese in Canada donated 10 tons of raw silver, about 100,000 U.S. dollars, to the 19th Route Army in early February.Overseas Chinese in Cuba also remitted hundreds of thousands of yuan to the Songhu Anti-Japanese Forces.
The general of the 19th Route Army is regarded as a "legendary figure" and "national hero" by overseas Chinese. In April 1934, Cai Tingkai visited America.When they arrived in New York, 100 people including Lei Fang, the chairman of the welcome meeting and the chairman of the Chinese Association, and 100 representatives from various associations boarded a ship to greet them. After that, they took more than 300 cars and entered Chinatown in a mighty manner.Colorful flags fluttered in Chinatown, and people from all walks of life took to the streets to cheer and pay tribute to General Cai Tingkai.In the afternoon of the next day, all overseas Chinese held a parade.Wherever they went, firecrackers blared, and the voice shook the sky, fully expressing the patriotic aspirations of overseas Chinese in America.
On July 7, 1937, Japanese imperialism launched the Marco Polo Bridge Incident to expand its aggression against China, which aroused even stronger repercussions among overseas Chinese in America.Propagating and supporting the Anti-Japanese War has become the top priority of overseas Chinese in America. This is fully demonstrated by the patriotic actions of a woman overseas Chinese in the suburbs of Detroit: Mrs. Jane's husband died early, and she took her two daughters to do laundry. After the "July 7th Incident", she said excitedly: "Although I have never been to the motherland, I have never seen everything in the motherland, but I am Chinese, China is my mother, and there is no human being who does not love its mother, so I love my mother." I love my motherland just as much as I love my mother who gave birth to me.” She mortgaged her two-story building, raised $1,000 for travel expenses, and took dozens of photos exposing the atrocities committed by the Japanese army in China, and left Detroit for the Northeast of the United States. Ministry of publicity anti-Japanese, which lasted two months, she traveled to 11 states, 51 speeches, warmly welcomed by overseas Chinese and local people.Later, she resolutely sold the building for travel expenses, and then went to the western United States to promote the anti-Japanese war.
In short, overseas Chinese in the Americas paid attention to the anti-Japanese struggle of the motherland, and served the motherland with practical actions, which played a certain role in promoting the cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party in China, winning international friends to support the anti-Japanese movement, and developing the anti-Japanese movement.
After the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, overseas Chinese in the Americas supported the anti-Japanese movement of the motherland and began to enter a new stage—that is, to support the anti-Japanese war of the motherland more extensively and comprehensively.Among them, economic assistance to the motherland's war of resistance against Japan is an important content.
As far as the content of its financial assistance is concerned, there are many names: raising military expenses, relief for refugees, subscription of public bonds, remittances to return to the country, relief for wounded soldiers, etc.; , relief campaigns, donation campaigns, and more.In order to support China's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the American Overseas Chinese Mission tried every means to carry out fund-raising activities in various names and ways.
On the night when the Marco Polo Bridge Incident broke out, the New York Overseas Chinese Association held a joint meeting and decided to establish the "New York Overseas Chinese Relief General Committee" to launch a fundraising campaign to resist Japan and save the nation.After the meeting, overseas Chinese in New York actively donated money, amounting to more than 30,000 person-times per month.Raised $1 million in less than six months.Ruan Benwan and Situ Meitang, the leaders of the Hongmen in the United States, also took active actions, calling on 100,000 Hongmen people to actively donate, and to complete the donation task of 5 million US dollars with their best efforts.
Under the call of the American Overseas Chinese Organization, there were many moving scenes of fundraising for the Anti-Japanese War among the overseas Chinese in the United States. The person in charge of the "National Overseas Chinese Unified Charity Donation Association" set an example and took the lead in donating money. The labor army alone donated 100,000 US dollars.In the book "The Contribution of Overseas Chinese to the Motherland" edited by Huang Jingzhan, there was a very vivid description of the scene of overseas Chinese in the United States raising donations to fight against Japan.
There are about 15,000 overseas Chinese in San Francisco and Oakland, two cities separated by water.Since July last year, they have held at least seven fundraising fairs, two of which were costume parades.In the parade, there is oriental music accompaniment, as well as purely oriental juggling.For example, lion dance and dragon dance were popular in ancient China.Each parade has attracted a lot of spectators, and even the Great Salt Lake and Washington State and other places have come to visit from afar... Each time the proceeds from the entertainment are remitted to the motherland one after another.In addition, since July last year, in the Chinatown area of San Francisco, every store opened by overseas Chinese has set up a wooden box on the door or on the cabinet to accept free donations.
Like overseas Chinese in the United States, overseas Chinese in other American countries have also established various organizations to carry out fundraising activities.For example, in Canada there is the "Association for Resisting Japan and Saving the Nation", in Mexico there is the "Association for Resisting Japan and Saving the Nation", in Panama there is the "Association for Overseas Chinese Salvation", in Cuba there is the "Association for Resisting Japan and Saving the Nation", and so on.According to incomplete statistics, during the Anti-Japanese War, there were as many as 466 American overseas Chinese organizations.Overseas Chinese in America donated US$69,156,115 to the motherland during the entire eight-year Anti-Japanese War.These economic aids from overseas Chinese in the Americas were of great help to the motherland's war of resistance against Japan.
The non-supply movement was a method adopted by overseas Chinese in the United States to support the motherland's resistance against Japan.Japan is a resource-poor island country, and its industrial production, especially the raw materials for military industry production, depends on foreign imports.Before the Pearl Harbor incident, Japan had to import many military materials from the United States, including gasoline, aircraft, trucks and ammunition.Some were transported into the Japanese mainland, and some were transported directly to Northeast China, Shanghai and Guangdong, which had been occupied by Japan.According to statistics, in 1937 the total export of the United States to Japan was 288 million US dollars, of which munitions accounted for 58%; in 1939 it was 231 million US dollars, of which munitions accounted for 81%.It can be seen that the United States played an extremely disgraceful role in the early days of Japan's war of aggression against China.
In order to expand the war, the Japanese imperialists imported scrap iron from the United States to manufacture weapons to invade China and massacre the Chinese people.In order to oppose the shipment of scrap iron to Japan, overseas Chinese in the United States worked together and united to launch the "No Supply Movement" and fought resolutely.
The movement to embargo scrap iron began in 1937 with the "Guangyuan" case. "Guangyuan" was originally an old ship purchased from the United States by Shandong Yantai Yongyuan Shipping Company. In 1937, the ship was loaded with cargo and went to the United States. The captain was Japanese Yoshisuke Kono, and the crew were 20 Chinese. The Chinese flag was hung on the ship.When returning, the captain filled the ship with 2,100 tons of ordnance and scrap iron, worth 65,000 US dollars, and prepared to sail to Japan. In August, when passing through San Francisco, the United States, I wanted to issue a nationality certificate to the Chinese consulate in order to leave the country and go to Japan.The Chinese consul Huang Chaoqin refused to issue a certificate after knowing the facts, and together with the Chinese sailors and with the support of overseas Chinese in the United States, they won the struggle and made the "Guangyuan" berth in San Francisco for four years.In the end, the ship had to be sold to an Australian ship merchant, and the scrap iron was resold to an American iron factory.
In order to prevent steel and other military materials from being shipped to Japan from the United States, 55 overseas Chinese national salvation groups in California, United States and local residents formed a picket team of thousands of people, responsible for patrolling and inspecting the port of San Francisco, effectively preventing many cases of loading scrap iron ships to Japan.Patriotic actions by overseas Chinese to prevent scrap iron and other munitions from being shipped to Japan took place in Los Angeles, Wilmington, and Awitt.Overseas Chinese in British Columbia and Saskatchewan also established resistance associations and launched the "No Supply Movement".The launch of this movement not only prevented the United States from directly providing weapons and ammunition to Japan and hindered Japan’s production of weapons and equipment to a certain extent, but also enhanced the cohesion of unity among overseas Chinese and between overseas Chinese and local residents to resist Japan.
During the Anti-Japanese War, the overseas Chinese in the Americas embraced the anti-Japanese, killing the enemy, and serving the country, and together with the people of the motherland, they joined the torrent of the Anti-Japanese War.Some of them joined the army and participated in wartime service in the country where they lived abroad, and carried out anti-Japanese work; some traveled thousands of miles across the ocean, returned to the motherland, and fought side by side with the people of the motherland. , the Eighth Route Army, and the people's soldiers lived and died together, fighting against the Japanese invaders.They fought bravely, were not afraid of hardships, and bravely killed the enemy, even at the expense of their own lives.
After the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War in China, overseas Chinese in the Americas not only donated materials and money to the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, but also warmly accepted and welcomed Chinese anti-Japanese patriots, and from July 1941, especially after the outbreak of the Pearl Harbor incident, a large number of American expatriates joined the overseas Chinese community. in the national army.According to the conscription law promulgated by the United States on September 16, 1940, foreigners living in the United States only need to register and are not obliged to receive military training and military service. After the outbreak of the Pearl Harbor incident, the United States abolished the above-mentioned conscription law. In December 1941, Roosevelt signed a new conscription law, stipulating that foreign nationals living in the United States, including international students, except citizens of enemy countries, are obliged to receive military training and serve in the military.As soon as the American conscription began, overseas Chinese enthusiastically signed up. In February 1942, the 76th Conscription Bureau in San Francisco began conscription, and more than 2,600 overseas Chinese and Chinese registered to participate.In the state of California alone, 5,048 overseas Chinese signed up to join the army.According to statistics, after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in the United States, about 20,000 overseas Chinese and Chinese were conscripted into the army, accounting for about one-fifth of the total number of overseas Chinese in the United States at that time.Overseas Chinese and Chinese who joined the U.S. Army mainly served as handymen, cooks, doctors and even combatants of various arms in the Army; they mainly served as pilots, gunners and ground workers in the Air Force.Chinese youths conscripted into the army, if they can understand the Chinese language, will be sent to the Chinese battlefield according to their wishes.For example, the 14th Air Force 14th Service Squadron under the command of Chennault, who is known as the "Flying Tiger General" of the United States, has more than 1,400 Chinese, and almost all of them are from Siyi, Guangdong.Overseas Chinese in the U.S. military not only made great contributions to fighting the Japanese invaders, but also made great sacrifices.According to incomplete statistics, about 215 overseas Chinese and Chinese in the United States died in the war.To commemorate the warriors who sacrificed their lives for the country in the Anti-Japanese War, the Chinese American Veterans and Expeditionary Veterans Association established a Chinese American Veterans Memorial in St. Mary's Park in San Francisco.When it was unveiled in May 1954, a bronze medal was erected, engraved with the names of soldiers who died in battle, a total of 91 soldiers, including Chen Lingui who died in World War I, and there were actually 90 soldiers.
As soon as the war of resistance against Japan started, overseas Chinese in America, especially overseas Chinese in the United States, attached great importance to the issue of "saving the country by aviation".In order to effectively implement the "Aviation National Salvation" plan, the American Overseas Chinese Salvation Association was established in Portland as early as October 10, 1931. In 1932, overseas Chinese in the United States established the American Overseas Chinese Aviation Volunteer Corps, which consisted of six regiments, namely, the first regiment in Portland, the second regiment in Phoenix, the third regiment in Chicago, the fourth regiment in New York, and the fourth regiment in Pittsburgh. The Fifth Regiment and Boston were the Sixth Regiment, and on this basis, the general headquarters was publicly elected to form a ranger, ready to accept the call of the motherland at any time and participate in the anti-Japanese struggle.Later, overseas Chinese in the United States also established the American Overseas Chinese Aviation Association in Los Angeles and so on.The purpose of these aviation national salvation organizations established by overseas Chinese in the United States is: first, to publicize the idea of patriotism and resistance to Japan, and to call on overseas Chinese to contribute money and strength to participate in the "aviation national salvation" movement with practical actions; second, to raise funds to establish aviation schools, Cultivate talents for the Chinese Air Force; third, use donations to raise funds to purchase aircraft or build China's aviation industry infrastructure, etc.Inspired by the leadership and propaganda of these overseas Chinese organizations, overseas Chinese in the United States have invested in the upsurge of "saving the country by air".
Under the leadership of these overseas Chinese organizations, overseas Chinese in the United States set off a movement to "raise donations for the anti-Japanese war and buy aircraft" to support the motherland's anti-Japanese war.There were touching scenes of donations for aviation among overseas Chinese in the United States.Ruan Benwan, the leader of Zhigong General Hall, traveled around in spite of his old age, and raised more than 5 million US dollars to buy the plane.Kuang Bingshun, president of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, went to various Chinatowns to raise US$150,000, and applied for US$440,000 from relevant US authorities to start a Chinese aircraft factory.The donations made by overseas Chinese airlines from Wuyi alone amounted to 2 million US dollars.Overseas Chinese in the United States donated 50 aircraft during the Anti-Japanese War, among which overseas Chinese in Taishan, Guangdong donated 30 aircraft alone.
During this period, overseas Chinese aviation schools in the United States have sprung up like mushrooms after rain.Since October 11, 1931, overseas Chinese in the United States have begun to organize the Portland Aviation School in Oregon. In March 1932, the establishment of the Overseas Chinese Aviation School in Los Angeles was planned. In 1933, the China Aviation School in the United States was established.In addition, the United States also has Chicago Flight School, Detroit Aviation School Chinese Student Class, Pittsburgh Aviation School and Boston, New York Aviation Salvation Congress and so on.These aviation schools organized a group of aviation technicians, many of whom went to the battlefield of the motherland's war of resistance against Japan.According to statistics, under the inspiration of "saving the nation by aviation", the American Chinese School in San Francisco alone trained 12 mechanics and 21 pilots, all of whom returned to China to join the anti-Japanese movement, and five of them died for their country.The Portland Aviation School trained more than 30 students, 22 of whom returned to China to fight against Japan.There were about 1,000 young overseas Chinese who returned to China to participate in the Anti-Japanese War in World War II, and about 200 of them studied aviation technology in the United States and returned to China to serve for the Chinese Air Force (excluding overseas Chinese who went to China with the US Air Force).At that time, 3/4 of the destroyer pilots of the Chinese Air Force were overseas Chinese from the United States or from all over the world.From the captain to the pilots of the Guangdong Air Force, almost all of them are overseas Chinese in the United States.
In the Air Force's battle against Japan, we must not forget our country's first martyr Huang Yuquan and his brother Huang Yupei.The Huang brothers all graduated from the American Aviation School. When Japan launched a war of aggression against Shanghai in 1931, the Huang brothers both served in the Nanjing Sixth Air Force.As soon as the Battle of Songhu started, the Sixth Brigade of the Central Air Force was transferred to Shanghai to assist the 19th Route Army in attacking Japan.Huang Yuquan, who was newly married in his 20s, actively cooperated with Captain Huang Yupei to lead the attack on the Japanese aircraft. However, due to the loss of control of the control system, the aircraft crashed and died. He became the first victim of the Chinese Air Force's resistance to foreign aggression. He was only 28 years old.In memory of him, people buried his body in the Martyrs Cemetery in Nanjing.The people of Taishan County, Guangdong, his hometown, set up a monument in Shihua Mountain, a scenic spot in the eastern suburbs of Taicheng, to express their admiration and memory for him.
In August 1937, the Japanese army used the self-proclaimed trump card Kisarazu bomber fleet for the first time, taking off from Taiwan, and attacking Nanjing, Jurong, Hangzhou and other air force bases in two batches of nine planes at a time. On August 14th and 15th, the largest air battle since the Anti-Japanese War took place in Nanjing and Jurong.The American returned overseas Chinese pilots worked together to give them a head-on blow and beat the Japanese Air Force 6-0, which became famous all over the country.During the Anti-Japanese War, American overseas Chinese pilot Chen Ruitian was brave and witty and shot down eight Japanese planes. The newspapers and magazines praised him as an air combat hero, and the world called him the "Chinese War Eagle".Later, he was hailed as a tiger general and promoted to the captain of the flight team.Colonel Song Meiling, Secretary-General of the Aviation Committee of the National Government, and Huang Renlin, Director of the Inspirational Society, visited Jurong Airport in person to express their condolences and congratulations.To commemorate this victory, "August 14" was designated as the national government's aviation festival.
On September 19, 1937, during the air battle in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, Chen Ruitian fought alone with the Japanese Type 96 destroyer. The enemy plane was shot down, and Chen Ji was injured and fell.The pilot who was defeated by Chen Ruitian was Miwa Hiroshi, the captain of the aviation team who was hailed as the "King of Expulsion" by the Japanese army. In 1938, Chen Ruitian was unfortunately besieged by three Japanese planes in an air battle over central China. He ran out of ammunition and suffered head injuries after parachuting. People praised him as "the Chinese pilot most feared by enemy aviation personnel".
Canadian returned overseas Chinese pilot Ma Jianjin made great achievements in the surprise attack on the enemy airport in Yuncheng.Yuncheng was an important base for the Japanese army in North China in southern Shanxi, and a large airport was expanded here. On July 25, 1939, six planes of the Chinese Air Force bombed Yuncheng Airport in two batches. Ma Jianjin was one of the first three pilots.They took off from Chengdu, crossed the south side of the Qinling Mountains, pierced directly over Yuncheng Airport, bombed the airport, and destroyed more than 30 enemy planes in one fell swoop. This was the first successful attack and bombing since the Anti-Japanese War.
At the same time, the American aviation school also trained a group of overseas Chinese female pilots for China.Zhang Ruifen, known as China's first female pilot, resolutely attended Lincoln Aviation School to study in order to serve the motherland. After graduating in 1932, he decided to return to China to fight against Japan.Wang Canzhi, the daughter of Qiu Jin, a martyr of the 1911 Revolution, also went to the United States to study aviation at New York University, and was later hailed as the "Oriental Female Pilot" by the American aviation community.Although they did not realize their ideals after returning to China, their spirit of serving the motherland and fighting against Japan is worthy of admiration.
Returned overseas Chinese in the Americas defended the airspace of the motherland with their lives.They traveled north and south, soared in the blue sky of the motherland, participated in the air battles in Nanjing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Nanning, Taiyuan, Wuhan, Lanzhou, and Chengdu, supported the Battle of Songhu, wiped out the enemy's Banyuan Division in northern Shanxi, and the Taierzhuang bloody battle. As well as major battles such as Kunlun Pass, illustrious military exploits, victory in the blue sky.The Japanese invaders' so-called "King of Expulsion" Hiroshi Miwa, "King of Bombing" Okuda, and "Ace" Kato were all defeated by their hands one by one, and their souls returned to the west.The military achievements of the returned overseas Chinese in the Americas are well-known at home and abroad.
Under Sun Yat-sen's personal leadership, overseas Chinese in the Americas raised funds to purchase aircraft and established the earliest Guangdong Aviation School in my country. By the time of World War II, more than 500 aviation talents had been trained, laying the foundation for the establishment of China's aviation industry.On this basis, Huang Kerui, an overseas Chinese in the Americas, also planned to establish and lead the Central Aviation Research Institute, the first aviation technology research institute in my country, to concentrate aviation technology experts and develop my country's aviation industry.Huang Kerui also organized military-run civil aviation in the Guangdong Aviation Department in 1930, Guangdong Civil Aviation in 1933, and Southwest Civil Aviation in 1934, thus connecting domestic flights with international flights to Hanoi, Vietnam. In 1938, he established the Air Force Transport Brigade, formed Central Airlines in 1941.Huang Kerui has contributed a lot to the development of the Chinese Air Force and civil aviation.
The returned overseas Chinese in the Americas have erected historical monuments to the development of China's air force and civil aviation, which are engraved in people's hearts.
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