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Japanese and Chinese
Fight Side by Side
———
A, historical page of true Sino-Japanese
co-operation against Japanese militarists
was just written when Chinese
and Japanese soldiers stood shoulder to
shoulder at the Kwangsi front for one
common cause. The weapons the Japan-
ese carried were not death-dealing, the
most important being a loud speaker.
They do not wish to kill their fellow countrymen
fighting on the opposite side.
On the contrary, they want to reason
with their compatriots and convince
them of their folly in serving militarists
who are daily plunging Japanese into
poverty and ruin.
For six successive nights, from December
29 to January 3, the six Japanese
comrades urged the beleaguered Japanese
soldiers to lay down their arms.
All except one have had war experience
in China but they have since joined the
Japanese Anti-War league in China.
Among the group is Mr. Wataru Kaji,
well-known Japanese writer whose antiwar
sentiment has found expression in
foreign publications.
For the first two nights the broadcasts
were made from two hills north of the
now famous Kunlun pass. On the remaining
nights the messages were broad-
cast from a point south of the pass,
which by then had fallen completely into
Chinese hands.
'The six Japanese arrived in south
Kwangsi on December 28, and immediately
set to work at the front. On the
night of December 29, they were facing
the Japanese position from a highland
to the northeast of the Pass. Severe
fighting was in progress when the group
climbed to the top of the hill held by
the Chinese.
The minute they were ready to broad-
cast, the Chinese troops ceased fire.
Eerie silence engulfed the death-ridden
battleground, for the enemy followed the
example of the Chinese and ceased firing
The hill where the group worked had
just been wrested from the enemy and.
the air was still acrid with gunpowder
and human blood. The enemy was then
only 300 meters away, occupying a position
much lower than that of the Chinese.
"Hello, hello, our dear Japanese broth-
ers." Pure Japanese language was projected
into the air powerfully and distinctly.
The voice was greeted by intense
machine-gun fire. As the sound
had revealed the spot from which it
originated, the aim of the machine-gun-
ners was fairly accurate and bullets whiz-
zed over the speaker's head. Taking no
heed of this hostile response, the group
continued outline the aims of the
Anti-War League to which the group
belongs. Before long the firing ceased.
So quiet was the night and so powerful
was the loud-speaker that the voice
curried 2,000 meters.
Over and over again the enemy was
told of the real situation existing in
China and Japanese soldiers were asked
not to sacrifice themselves unnecessarily
for a few selfish, war making militarists.
In conclusion, the enemy was given an
hour to consider joining the Chinese side
Should the unit agree to give up fighting,
three rifle shots fired skywards
would serve as signal. In addition
orders were sent out to Chinese soldiers
regarding this arrangement. The message
was broadcast in Chinese so that
there could he no mistake whatsoever
if the enemy should accept this advice.
Silence prevailed for over an hour
but no response came from the enemy.
When the group left the battleground,
fighting was breaking out anew.
That the enemy unit, despite its pre-
carious position, would not come to the
Chinese side was not unexpected. The
enemy had built elaborate defences
around Kunlun Pass, and the defences on
ne hill was protected by gunfire from
other highlands. In the event of this
particular unit should surrender, it
would be immediately attacked by other
Japanese units on surrounding highlands
Nevertheless, the following day Chinese
commanders expressed gratification
that the broadcast had proven somewhat
successful. When the Chinese force renewed
its attack before dawn, it met
with little resistance. It was felt, therefore,
that the work did bear fruit
———
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