- Enemy’s chief of 104 regiment was killed

The death knell of Japanese invaders was knocked on July 13, 1944 in Tantianchong Ambush Operation in Pingbei village, Pingbei town, Anren county. Japanese chief of 104 regiment of 13th division was killed on this operation.

Imperious days & indescribable crimes

Japanese chief of 104 regiment of 13th division praised itself as “strong contingent” for it never inflicted heavy losses on Chinese battlefield. All the officers and soldiers of the regiment were imperious during the war.

The 104 regiment was dispatched to reinforce the 3rd division which was encircled by Chinese armies on July 13, 1944. On July 25, 1944, the regiment returned to their base in Leiyang via Anren after finishing its task.

On that day, the invaders who lost their humanity captured a Chinese woman and raped her by turns, and finally killed her by inserting a stick into her vagina.

According to the conference record of 10th Administrative Council of Anren County saved on December 26, 1946 that from June 27, 1944 to August, 1945, 11 families of the 37 families of Qinglupu street of Anren county were killed by Japanese, accounting to 29.8% of the families; 78 people of the 142 family members were killed, accounting to 54.5% of the total. Tens of villagers from other places tried to escape from the village from the floating bridge built by Japanese army, but failed. All villagers were caught by Japanese guides. They were bundled together and shot by the Japanese soldiers, and then thrown to the river. According to incomplete statistics, 13,900 Anren people were kicked by Japanese army during the war. More than 9700 women were raped by them. 7866 houses were destroyed. Some of the crimes were done by the 104 regiment.

Surprise attack helped to kill the chief

Some patriotic Chinese soldiers were indignant with the extremely cruel invasions. The 104 regiment lived in Tantianchong on July 29, 1944.

On learning this news, the 44th troop of National Revolutionary Army placed the order to He Baoheng- Commander of 162th division to annihilate the enemies. Kang Congxu- Commander of 485th regiment followed He’s order to take surprise attack to the enemies by using cannons. More than 70 enemies were killed by the attack, including the chief of the 104 regiment. The rest enemies retreated to Hengyang city by loading the corpse of their chief.

Even the attack was happened in 71 years ago, the 99-year-old Li Huaji was still excited to tell the story to the reporters. As described by the aged, the Japanese army settled down in one of the hilltops of the path to Chaling and Hengyang. Some teams of National Revolutionary Army were lurked in other two hilltops opposite to the enemy’s. A strengthened fort was set in one of the hilltops which was nearer to the enemy’s. A shell hit the chief of the regiment who died on the spot. On seeing their chief’s death, other enemies just retreated the defeat. 

Notes of the report: gun powders cleared, people will enjoy well-off life soon

The reporters arrived at Tanpingchong via a rural road on August 21. As introduced by local cadres, Tanpingchong is governed by Xingfu group, Pingbei village, Pingbei town.
When the reporters took off the car in Tanpingchong, they couldn’t find the path to Chaling and Hengyang anymore. It is typical hill landform. The three hilltops are about 150meters high. There is a 200mu flat land in the middle. The path built in those days was passed from the flat land. Two new houses are built by local people in the hilltop where the Japanese army settled.

Militarily speaking, it is a good place for the surprise attack. Once the north exit sealed, it would be similar to catch a turtle in the jar. Dou Cengguo who was accompanied with the reporters is local people and was used to be secretary of local party branch. As introduced by Dou, it was clever for the National Revolutionary Army to choose here as the surprise attack field, because it was like pocket, and was far away from central urban area that hard for Japanese army to find the reinforcement, but it was easy for Chinese army to leave the battle field with the cover of local villagers. So it was destined to be the graveyard of the 104 regiment of Japanese army.

After the founding of People’s Republic of China, especially the reform and opening-up, the Party and Government led local people built Yongding channel which was used to draw the water of Yongle river to irrigate the rice field. 17 groups of the 18 ones of the village were facilitated with concrete roads. Double cropping rice was widely promoted here, which enabled to improve the village to be a granary.

After finishing the visit of Tanpingchong, reporters can’t be calm for a long time. What did Japanese get by handling the aggressive policies? Though under the tough condition, Chinese people can still defeated the invaders, will Chinese government and Chinese people be afraid of the hegemonic power or hegemony under current powerful condition?

History is the best course book that we should remember the history and never forget national humiliation.