“News came last night that the Japanese invaders had surrendered. In celebration the Chinese red flag flies high in the wind.”
This was taken from To Celebrate the Surrender of Japanese Invaders, a poem composed seventy years ago, on August 16, 1945, the day when the Japanese Mikado officially announced the Japanese surrender, by Xiao Ting, a retired senior cadre at ECNU. To this day it still sounds heart-stirring.
Among the 245 retired senior cadres at ECNU, 74 participated in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression from beginning to end or during the war. Today, 24 of them are still alive, the oldest of whom, Sang Qiyun, is 102 years of age. They dedicated not only their youth but their blood to the great and noble cause of fighting against Japanese invaders when the country's very existence was at stake. We are proud to have this group of fighters and national heroes at ECNU.
Photos taken during the War. (Provided by ECNUers who participated in the War)
After the founding of the PRC, they have thrown themselves whole-heartedly into the construction of the New China, by making outstanding contributions to the founding and development of ECNU.
History is the best textbook same as the best medicine that keeps one sober-minded. ECNU will award War of Resistance Memorial Medals to mark the seventieth anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against the Japanese Aggression, in a bid to memorize the history, honor the martyrs, cherish peace, and open to the future.
Xiao Ting provides his photos taken during the War.
China was a main theater of the World Anti-Fascist War in the East. The war in China broke out the earliest yet lasted the longest comparatively to other nations. The Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression not only saved the country from subjugation, but also affected the fate of the world. China sacrificed enormously during the war, with military and civilian casualties of 35 million people and 600 billion USD according to the then currency value.
Zhuo Ping (second from right, behind) , an ECNUer, is a women warrior dring the War.
When he granted medals to Chinese, Foreign, and Civilian Veterans who fought for China in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against the Japanese Aggression, the Chinese President Xi Jinping said, Any nation with hope cannot be without heroes. All the national heroes including the heroes in this war are the backbones of the Chinese nation. Their deeds and spirit are strong forces to push us forward.
The University will host a grand ceremony to award medals to these retired senior cadres on September 6, which will be attended by 10 of the cadres. The medals for another two who have passed away this year along with others who could not attend the ceremony for health reasons will be presented to them or to their family members at their homes by University leaders and by leaders at the University's Office of Work for the Aged.
