Unforgettable History – Personal Accounts of the War of Resistance

Author: He Shengsui, Chen Maqing (editors)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-05-01
Features: The Anti-Japanese War, which took place more than half a century ago, is a history that every Chinese people can never forget and will never forget. For this reason, we are willing to spend our limited time and effort to search through the vast pile of historical materials left from that time, carefully selecting and compiling them into this documentary-focused book, A History That Cannot Be Forgotten — Personal Accounts of the War.
The reason for choosing this angle is not only because the documentary reports, news dispatches, and diaries and letters published in books, newspapers, and magazines during that time can still serve as mutual corroboration and supplementation for the historical research works and reference compilations on the Anti-Japanese War that have been published in recent years. More importantly, these writings by writers, war correspondents, and even ordinary soldiers and civilians from that era, whether through on-the-scene descriptions or firsthand accounts, though not comprehensive, truthfully reflect the faces of all social strata and the mentality of ordinary people during the war period. This allows readers to vividly and authentically experience the atmosphere, pulse, and other detailed details of that specific time.
These chapters and articles, almost dripping with the blood of life, are the fierce, tragic, and painful scenes of that time. All of this, whether for those who personally experienced it or for later generations who have inherited the memories, leaves a deep and indelible impression and an inspiring emotional impact, making it invaluable and unique compared to other research texts or historical records. We firmly believe that these living historical records, as Hu Qiaojiu wrote in his letter to the founding conference of the China Anti-Japanese War History Society, "are beneficial for us to summarize historical experiences, promote patriotism, advance the united front for national unification, and help us better understand the international situation" (Hu Qiaojiu, Letter to the Founding Conference of the China Anti-Japanese War History Society).
We also hope that the publication of this book can contribute to a deeper understanding and research of the history of the Anti-Japanese War, and provide a unique and vivid text for patriotic education in today's new context.
In terms of organization, we have slightly categorized the selected materials based on their thematic content. First, we focus on reflecting the heroic deeds of the Chinese people at that time, who bravely fought against the brutal invasion of the Japanese Empire and protected the fine land of the Chinese nation, sacrificing themselves and fighting with blood. On this basis, we comprehensively reveal the historical truth of the Japanese invaders' atrocities, such as slaughtering and committing crimes on Chinese soil. All the texts are arranged in chronological order based on the timeline of events.
Additionally, it should be noted that although the selected texts bear many traces of the historical context of that time, we generally make no changes to preserve the original form and authenticity of these documents. Similarly, regarding the evaluations of historical events and figures mentioned in the selected texts, we refrain from making arbitrary judgments, believing that historical facts will endure and be universally acknowledged. However, due to the difficulties in collecting materials and the limited scope of our knowledge, there are undoubtedly gaps and omissions. We sincerely invite experts and readers to criticize, correct, and understand these shortcomings.
The victory of the Anti-Japanese War has already marked a full decade. In remembering history, all should uphold the ancient saying, "Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it," and reflect deeply. Amidst the vast changes of the past century, as we look to the future, we should always remember the truth that "those who follow the right path will receive support, while those who stray will face solitude," and strive endlessly!