Chapter 35 8. Tonghua - Tang Juwu of "The Loyal Soul Still Protecting Liaodong"

According to Japanese military records, the photo below was taken during the battle on October 27, 1938.The Japanese army was attacking Tonghua at this time, and encountered stubborn resistance from the Chinese army at the pass of Longgang Mountain. On the left side of the picture is a Chinese soldier who fought to the last moment until he died. It can be seen that the soldier was wearing leggings typical of Chinese soldiers at that time, his body had been searched, and the battle was still going on.This should be the armed forces of the Liaoning People's Self-Defense Force under the Fifth Department of Tang Ju.I think that due to the chaotic political situation at that time, they could neither be traced as martyrs nor appear on any government roster, nor could their family members enjoy the treatment of pensions.They can be regarded as the real unknown soldiers.

In April 1932, Tang Juwu and others raised righteousness in Huanren, established the Liaoning People's Self-Defense Army, determined to resist Japan, and won the support of the vast number of soldiers and civilians in Dongbian Road. In the summer of 1932, the Liaoning People's Self-Defense Army developed to its heyday, occupying the entire territory of the six counties of Huanren, Tonghua, Xinbin, Jinchuan, Fusong, and Antu, while Ji'an, Linjiang, Changbai, Liuhe, Huinan, Hailong, Most of the nine counties of Qingyuan, Fushun, and Kuandian were also recovered by the Self-Defense Forces.The Self-Defense Forces re-established the Liaoning Provincial Government and defeated the Japanese and puppet troops many times in Zhishan, Liao Bichen and other ministries. Linjiang, Changbai, Fusong and other places set off campaigns of donations and guns to support the Self-Defense Forces.For a while, the anti-Japanese and national salvation situation in Dongfang Road was surging.For this reason, the Japanese army began to secretly assemble its troops in September 1932. It mobilized the 1st Brigade of the Japanese Koba Cavalry, the 4th Brigade of the Hattori Cavalry, and the 14th Brigade of Motegi, and the 2nd, 8th, and 10th Divisions. One regiment, one North Korean army, independent railway garrison, air flight brigade, and several puppet troops, with a total of more than 30,000 people, launched a comprehensive attack on the Dongbian Road area on October 11.

After discovering the enemy's attack, Tang Juwu immediately deployed all troops to strengthen the defense and resolutely stop the enemy.Wang Fengge, Sun Xiuyan, Li Chunrun and other self-defense forces fought tenaciously at the dangerous pass where the Japanese army advanced, but they were all defeated one after another because they could not withstand the enemy's heavy weapon attacks.The Longgang blockade took place at this stage.Judging from the photos, the Chinese soldier died on October 27, when the Yamaguchi position had been lost for more than ten days.Therefore, he may belong to the small unit of the Volunteer Army who persisted in the local guerrilla after being broken up.It can also be seen from the photos that the fighting is still going on and the resistance fighters have been searched.Ordinarily, the Japanese army did not have the habit of searching the pockets of the enemy during a battle at that time, and the destruction of the opponent's corpse after the battle was common in the Northeast battlefield.From this, it can be speculated that this soldier had caused great trouble to the Kwantung Army, and the purpose of removing his clothes was to avoid explosives and other things that might pose a threat to the Japanese army.The Japanese army also gradually became cunning in combat. My hometown in Hebei recalled that when the local Japanese army raided and fought with the Eighth Route Army, they would use bayonets to pierce the cotton-padded clothes and belts of the corpses of the Eighth Route Army officers and soldiers. Is there a weapon on him?

Actually this is a batch of photos rather than a single one. Although Tang Juwu was defeated in this battle, he effectively mobilized the local army and civilians to resist Japan and save the country with a mere regiment, controlled more than ten counties in Liaozuo, and kept the Liaoning Provincial Government of China in its jurisdiction until 1932. In November, it can still be said that the contribution is indispensable.Tang Juwu persisted in the war of resistance after retreating into the pass, and finally died on the North China battlefield. When Yuan Chonghuan, the governor of Jiliao in the Ming Dynasty, was unjustly killed, he once had a poem in his mouth, which contained the words "the loyal soul still protects Liaodong". The five generals of Tang Juwu are similar to this.

However, there is another possibility that the Song Guorong Department of the Volunteer Army attacked Panshi County in the middle of the eighth month of the lunar calendar in 1932.When the Japanese army reinforced Panshi with cavalry fast troops and pursued the Song Dynasty, a rearguard battle occurred.Song Guorong retreated from Panshi on the fourteenth day of the eighth lunar month, which may have entered October in the Gregorian calendar.Song Guorong's army was originally a regular army, so the uniforms of his soldiers are relatively neat, which is more in line with the style of the soldiers in the photos.

Song Guorong, a native of Yitong County, Jilin Province, graduated from the eighth session of the Northeast Lecture Hall. Before the "September 18th" Incident, he served as the battalion commander of the 1st Battalion of the 665th Regiment of the 23rd Brigade of the Northeast Army. people. He fought against Japan in June 1932, captured Shuangyang County, and retreated to Peiping after the defeat in 1935. We will mention him when we talk about the bandit leaders who resisted Japan. Song's combat effectiveness is good, and it is a relatively capable unit in the Volunteer Army. He even got in touch with Yang Jingyu and planned a joint anti-Japanese war.Perhaps, the battle at Longgang Pass was a rearguard battle fought by the Song Department to get rid of the Japanese army.

Finally, I would like to remind you that although the possibility is extremely small, if anyone knows the relatives of the resisters in the photo, please forward the photo to them. This may be the last image left by their ancestors in that era.