Brilliant achievements of "somewhere in western Hunan"
The actual airport is not large, but it can be seen from the smooth grass around it that the "second largest airport in the Far East" at that time was by no means a hollow reputation. The number of planes at Zhijiang Airport reached nearly 400 during the Anti-Japanese War, and the famous Flying Tigers came to Zhijiang at that time.
"General Chennault's wife told me that she felt that her husband had some kind of international communist spirit, and he fought selflessly for his ideals and freedom." When talking about why an American came to China from Wan Li to help fight against Japan, Ning, deputy director of the Propaganda Department of Huaihua Municipal Committee, proudly answered a reporter's question.
In Zhijiang, China Air Force, together with American Volunteers led by Chennault, soared one after another and achieved brilliant results. From June 194 1 to August 1945, the Flying Tigers shot down and destroyed 2,600 Japanese planes, sank and injured 44 enemy ships, and killed 66,700 Japanese soldiers. Even conducted a long-range battle to bomb Tokyo Palace in Japan. This mysterious airport, code-named "somewhere in western Hunan", made the Japanese army hate it.
"Such brilliant results are inseparable from the soldiers' eclectic tactics, such as dozens of' shark-type' planes flying low over Dongting Lake in Hengyang Battle and the' two-plane attack' mode advocated by General Chennault. "With the gestures of the staff of the memorial hall, unique numbers'15 and a half' and'12 and a half' are displayed on the wall." General Chen is fair. In the case of two planes attacking each other, the result is half. "The staff of the Flying Tigers Memorial Hall told reporters with a smile.
Brilliant results not only come from the rich combat experience of air force soldiers, but also the determination to sacrifice everything for justice is an important spiritual pillar. "Of the more than 6,000 Flying Tigers, nearly 2,000 soldiers died on the battlefield. Among them, there are many overseas Chinese. At the age of seventeen or eighteen, they gave up their superior life abroad and resolutely returned to China to participate in the war. "
The Historical Symbol of Japan's Defeat
On August 15, Japan announced its unconditional surrender, and Zhijiang Airport, which was ready to "get ready", was full of joy. The National Government chose Zhijiang as the first surrender place in China War Zone. "Zhijiang as a place of surrender, on the one hand, because Zhijiang Airport is large in scale, it is convenient for surrender and surrender representatives to come and go; On the other hand, the Lijiang Air Force has a strong lineup and the overall momentum is high, thus showing the heroism of the winners. " Wu, director of China People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression Memorial Hall, answered the reporter's question.
In fact, this consideration exists not only in the description of director Wu, but also in the original video shot that year. Through the screen, I saw Beowulf Imai, the deputy chief of staff of the Japanese invaders, ride around the airport in a military vehicle with white flags, and walk into the surrender hall with a serious atmosphere under the leadership of Japanese soldiers. Under the powerful aura of China's surrender representative, Beowulf Imai could not hide his nervous expression, and Fang Xiong Hashimoto Tōru beside him frequently wiped his sweat.
"The surrender of Lijiang River became a historical symbol of the beginning of Japanese defeat and surrender to China. It was the moment when China people began to hold their heads high after a hundred years of humiliation in modern times. Since then, the China Theater has kicked off the 16 Theater 1.28 million Japanese surrender. "