The story of World War II

Bai Qiu didn't know anyone at the quite formal military luncheon held in Britain. I sat next to an American paratrooper. He is 10 1 space arrival-a Barton heroic army, about twenty years old. Like most paratroopers, he looks a little taller than the average American soldier and has wide shoulders, so he looks like a tough guy with great strength. There are more medals shining on his chest than anyone below the general in my memory. He was a little timid at first and didn't like to talk much. But after a while, his restraint disappeared and he told me the following story.

Bethune was one of the paratroopers airdropped by the Allied forces in Normandy the day before the large-scale attack (24 hours before the attack on France). Unfortunately, he landed a few miles from the scheduled place. It was almost dawn at that time, and he had memorized the signs in his mind. He didn't find any, and he didn't see his comrades. He blew a harsh whistle to gather the team, but there was no response. A few anxious minutes passed, and he called again, but no one came. Then he knew there was something wrong with the original plan. Now he is alone, completely trapped in enemy-controlled land.

Begging him to understand that he must find a place to hide at once. He landed near the five walls of a neat and beautiful orchard. In the morning light, he saw a farmhouse with a small red roof not far away. He doesn't know whether the people living in it are pro-allies or pro-Germany, but he must take his chances. He ran home and brushed up a few French words, which he learned specially for this kind of emergency.

Bai Qiu heard a knock at the door, and a French woman of about thirty opened the door. She is not beautiful and does not smile, but her eyes are kind and calm. Apparently, she just came out of the kitchen where breakfast was made. Her husband and her three children-one is a baby, sitting in a high chair-are sitting at the dining table, staring at him in surprise.

Bai Qiu "I am an American soldier." The paratrooper said, "Will you hide me?"

In vain, "Oh, of course." The French woman said, and took him into the house.

In vain, "hurry up, you have to hurry up." The husband said that he quickly pushed the American into a big cupboard next to the fireplace and slammed the cupboard door.

A few minutes later, six German soldiers came. They have seen this paratrooper land, which is the only house nearby. They searched cleanly, found the American paratrooper in the blink of an eye and dragged him out of the cupboard.

Come out.

Bai Qiu, a French farmer who committed a crime just for hiding Americans, tried to say hello to his wife when he was dragged out of the kitchen, but he was punched in the mouth by a German soldier and was speechless. The Germans ordered him

Standing in the yard, he was not interrogated and could not say goodbye to his wife and children. He was shot dead on the spot without any formalities. The wife sobbed and the child burst into tears.

White asked German soldiers to know how to punish the French people who dared to cover the enemy, but there was obviously a debate about how to deal with their American prisoners. So they temporarily pushed him into a small room and bolted the door.

There is a small window behind Bai Qiu's hut, from which you can see the forest by the field. The paratroopers curled up outside the window and ran to the Woods.

The Germans found him running away. They ran to the back of the hut and chased him and shot him. The bullet missed the target. But judging from the situation at that time, there was no hope of escape.

As soon as Bai entered the forest-a French forest with few shrubs and miscellaneous trees-he heard the pursuers and each other shouting. They spread out and searched methodically. Sounds are coming from all directions. It seems that it is only a matter of time before we catch him. He has little chance.

Nothing for nothing, one last chance. The paratroopers are ready for a bet. He ran back desperately, avoiding tree after tree, leaving the Woods and running into the field again. He ran through the hut and across the yard, where the murdered Frenchman's body was still lying. The American soldier came to the farmhouse again and knocked on the door. The French woman quickly opened the door. Her face was pale and her eyes were blurred with tears. They stood face to face for about a second. She didn't look at her husband's body and never dared to look at him. She looked the American youth in the eye. His arrival made her a widow and the children orphans.

In vain, "would you like to avoid me?" He asked.

"Oh, of course. Quick! "

White begged her to send him back to the cupboard by the fireplace without hesitation. He hid in the cupboard for three days. He stayed there all the time when the French farmer's funeral was held. Three days later, Normandy was liberated and he could return to the army.

Germans never came to this farmhouse again. They don't think it necessary to search the house again because they don't know what kind of people they are dealing with. Maybe they can't understand that the human spirit can reach such a high level.

Degree. Two kinds of courage defeated them-the courage of the American youth who outsmarted them, and the courage of the French woman-and she gave the American paratroopers a second chance without hesitation.

I was fascinated by the two protagonists in this true story. I often think of them and tell this story to American soldiers in France and Italy many times. But I lack eloquence and can't fully express my feelings about these two things.

The point of view of an outstanding person. It was not until after the All-Europe Victory Day, when I was preparing to return to China, that I met an air force general, who accurately said my feelings: "Young paratroopers have a lot of desperate courage." He said: "In the cage, he saw and seized the only way out. He is a brave and clever boy. However, the courage of that French woman lies in that she will always be with you and will never make you lose face. She is a happy woman. "

"Happy?" I looked at him in surprise.

Seeking "Yes, happiness" in vain. The general repeated, "She knows what she believes."

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There is a 9-year-old American girl. One day, an adult told her that God created everything. Unexpectedly, she blurted out, "All my things are made in China." This is a short story told by Dick Rossi, the ace pilot of the Flying Tigers. It is more appropriate to explain the increasingly close economic and trade relations between China and the United States. However, the strengthening of economic and trade relations has just entered the history of Sino-US relations. As early as more than 60 years ago, the two peoples wrote a touching song of friendship during World War II. Even today, especially on the occasion of commemorating the 60th anniversary of the victory of War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, this profound friendship has been repeatedly recalled by later generations and widely praised.

In the early 1940s, when the people of China were united to fight against the Japanese invaders, hundreds of American volunteers like Rossi, led by General Chennault (1893- 1958), formed the American Volunteer Air Force to go to the front line of the anti-Japanese war in China to fight side by side with the soldiers and civilians in China. After the Pearl Harbor incident, the United States officially declared war on Japan, and the Volunteer Air Force merged into the United States Air Force to continue fighting against Japan in China. This aviation team with shark-headed fighters has always been called the "Flying Tigers".

In September this year, 60 years after Japan officially declared its unconditional surrender, 90-year-old Rossi came to China again, accompanied by his comrade-in-arms David Hayward. Although this is not their first time to revisit their old haunt after the war, the two veterans still feel the great changes in China.

"I am full of admiration for your country," Hayward said excitedly at a press conference held in Beijing Hotel. "You have always done a good job in all aspects, such as building the country, developing the economic system, trade relations, and friendship with the United States in various periods."

Hayward said that the cities in China today are really different from those in the 1940s. He was amazed at the high-rise buildings, wide streets and modern transportation system.

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Unforgettable past

American "Flying Tigers" veterans rang auspicious bells in the Yellow Crane Tower in Wuhan, praying for world peace. Photo by Zhou Guoqiang

Rossi joined the US Navy in the autumn of 1939 and began to receive aviation training. At that time, he was studying mechanical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, and there was still one year before graduation, so he failed to complete his college studies. 194 1 year, Rosie joined the Flying Tigers and came to China.

Hayward said that after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and hit the Pacific Fleet hard, there was a nationwide protest in the United States. Obviously, almost every able-bodied American will be called up. He said that people regard it as an opportunity, because volunteering to join the army can not only serve the country, but also learn new skills.

"For me, I always wanted to learn to fly a plane, so I said to myself at that time, this is a good opportunity to learn to fly a plane," he recalled. "I think going abroad to China, Myanmar and India will definitely be a thrilling experience, which proved to be true later."

Rossi added: "We were all proud when we knew that we would help China fight the Japanese invaders."

At that time, the objective conditions were extremely limited, but American volunteers worked closely with the military and civilians in China, creating one miracle after another. At that time, the flying tigers' planes were medium-sized fighters, which could only fly for six or seven hours, and their combat scope was greatly limited. In addition, the fighters of the Flying Tigers can't fly above the clouds like today's planes.

Hayward said that bad weather conditions and backward navigation system caused the Flying Tigers to lose many planes. Before the plane crashed, the crew had to abandon the plane and parachute. In this case, they had to rely on the local China people to return to their base. "God bless, many American soldiers returned to the base with the help of China." He said.

"In those days, we were very, very dependent on the people of China," Hayward said frankly. "They built the airport for us, provided us with food and guarded the plane for us. They also opened some small restaurants and tailor shops for us. "

General Chennault (left), captain of the Flying Tigers, and the Flying Tigers are at Kunming Airport in China. Xinhua News Agency

He said that it is particularly important that the people of China have established an air raid early warning system called "China Network". The system consists of a large number of personnel, radio equipment, telephone and telegraph lines. , and provide important information for the US Air Force.

Every victory of the US Air Force will be warmly welcomed by the local people. Rosie still clearly remembers young people in Kunming and Guilin thanking them with flowers and oranges. "You will never forget those things. They will make you love the people of China even more, "Rossi said.

Hayward also vividly described a victory of the Flying Tigers that year. 1in April, 944, Hayward's squadron got information that the Japanese army had assembled a large number of fighter planes in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and planned to attack Kunming. The superior ordered their squadron to fly to Chiang Mai immediately and destroy the Japanese plane before it took off. It is estimated that once the Japanese air raid on Kunming is successful, it will cause huge casualties and losses. This time, the Flying Tigers flew for 10 hour, successfully bombed the Japanese plane at Chiang Mai Airport, and shattered the Japanese plan to attack Kunming, while the "Flying Tigers" only lost one fighter. "We saved Kunming from the air raid, and everyone thought it was a great help to the people of China," Hayward said.

In addition to directly fighting with the Japanese Air Force, the Flying Tigers also participated in the air transportation of military materials. The route crosses the Himalayas and shuttles between peaks at an altitude of 3,000 to 6,000 meters, so it is called the "Hump Route" and is considered to be the most dangerous route in the world. Nevertheless, by the end of the war, Rossi had flown at least 735 times on this route.

Rossi recalled that when General Chennault left Chongqing, the local people who saw him off were so crowded that the car could not start, and he was pushed to the airport by people around him. "It shows their gratitude," he said. "I think General Chennault will never forget the day before his death, and neither will we."

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Remember a lesson.

After World War II, Rossi founded a cargo airline named "Flying Tiger Route" in California, where he worked as a pilot for 25 years. Rossi is currently the president of the American Flying Tigers Association and a member of the American Ace Pilots Association.

Hayward chose another career. After the war, he entered a famous engineering university to study petroleum engineering and obtained a master's degree. He worked in this job until he retired.

Looking back, Hayward sincerely longed for world peace and called for friendly coexistence among countries. He said that one of the main lessons learned from his personal experience is that war should be avoided at all costs. People of all countries should and can get along well with each other. "According to my observation, the people of China are generally friendly, and we would like to treat you as a friend," he said. "Both sides understand that peaceful coexistence is definitely much better than the opposite."

Hayward pointed out that the same problem faced by the United States and China during World War II was that Japanese imperialism tried to monopolize the trade in the western Pacific and did not allow any other countries to participate.

"They need oil, fiber and other resources, and they will wage war to obtain these resources, although some people in Japan know that war is impossible to win. The United States had great industrial potential at that time, and we finally defeated them, "he said.

Hayward also said that all countries in the world today are very wise and know how to avoid the outbreak of war through trade relations and personnel exchanges.

Hayward has three sons and four grandchildren. The old man is happy to share his experiences during the war with his relatives. He told reporters that when he came to China in 2000, he brought two sons and a grandson, which made him very satisfied with his trip to China, and his children and grandchildren had a good time in China.

Hayward said: "I often tell them about my personal experience and what I heard from my comrades-in-arms."

In addition, as the financial secretary of the 22nd Bomber Squadron Association, Hayward collected stories of the Flying Tigers provided by many members of the Association, and published books and videos.

Hayward cherished the historical friendship between China and the United States, and refuted the negative arguments about current Sino-US relations. "I don't feel any hostility or worry. Both countries are big economic countries, and the development trend is very good, "he finally said.

"The important thing is that we should let the friendship continue. We have known China people for many years. We are also trading partners, and it is important to trade with countries like China. "

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