After a while, a truck stopped at the entrance of the ballroom. Doctors, nurses, and handymen from Xinmin Hospital worked together to lift and support the wounded soldiers in the truck into the treatment area and waiting area. Yang An got on the truck and prepared to transport the wounded to the front line. He also wore a white armband with a red cross from the hospital on his left arm. He also carried a German-style steel helmet on his back. This was a helmet given to him by a wounded soldier. Unexpectedly, I felt a little dizzy just a few minutes after wearing it. I was sorry to let down the kindness of the wounded soldier, so I put the helmet on my back for now.

As the car drove through the market in the concession, watching the buildings on the roadside slowly moving backwards, Yang An remembered the conversation with Zhang Yipu.

Zhang Yipu told him that the current situation was at a critical moment for the life and death of the country and the nation. The people of the whole country were united to fight the war. Their organization was the stronghold of the country. The outbreak of the Songhu War made the organization urgently need to absorb more talents, so he hoped that Yang An would join their organization. organize.

He didn't expect Zhang Yipu to be so persistent. In the treatment area of ​​the ballroom, Zhang Yipu almost moved Yang An when he spoke candidly about the overall situation of the Anti-Japanese War. However, Yang An did not have a good impression of this organization and was even more disdainful of Zhang Yipu's previous actions. He set a condition that as long as Yang An joins the military command, he will apply for the special rank of second lieutenant. This has precedent in the military command. At the end, Zhang Yipu also said that in the past, some people who refused to cooperate with the military command were treated and punished as Japanese spies. precedent, even family and friends will be affected by this.

Yang An knew that the soldiers on the front line, even veterans like "Iron Hammer" who had participated in the two Songhu Battles, were already in their twenties, and they had to work hard to earn the rank of second lieutenant. It can be seen that the benefits promised by Zhang Yipu were not small. When Yang An was impressed by the mission of the Anti-Japanese War and the special military ranks awarded one after another, Yang An really did not expect that Zhang Yipu's persistence would actually let him threaten him with the label of "Japanese spy", and even use his family to force him to join the military. Maybe, If Zhang Yipu tried hard enough, Yang An would really join, but he threatened himself and his family like this, which triggered Yang An's anger. Although Yang An didn't have an attack on the spot, he was even more disgusted and angry with Zhang Yipu in his heart, and even with the military commander. Disgusted and angry together.

Sitting in the truck compartment, holding on to the back panel with both hands, I don't know what the wheels rolled over. A vibration pulled Yang An back from his thoughts and ended his previous thoughts. Yang An's eyes moved from the buildings beside the market to Returning to the pedestrians on the road, there were obviously many more pedestrians in the concessions south of the Suzhou River than before the war. These increased crowds were all escaping from the public concessions in Zhabei, Hongkou and the north.

Looking at the hurried flow of people in the market and the beautiful buildings on both sides of the market, Yang An knew that the city was still the same city, but she had undergone tremendous changes subtly.

During his time in Shanghai, whether he was reading newspapers or listening to chats, what he saw and heard made Yang An feel the changes that had taken place in this beautiful city.

After the Hongqiao Airport incident, the people of Shanghai felt that the storm of war was coming. People in Zhabei and Hongkou began to flee to the public concessions south of the Suzhou River. When the national army entered Shanghai, the smell of war became stronger, triggering a wave of refugees until The war broke out and the refugee flow reached its peak. During the war, refugees continued to move to the concessions. The more than 20 shelters established by the Shanghai Relief Society after the July 7th Incident were completely unable to adapt to the situation, and the number of shelters increased to 50 or 60 , used to resettle war refugees, and the number of shelters may continue to increase in the future.

The concession on the south side of the Suzhou River is an ideal and safe place of refuge for the people. However, because the Japanese warships used this concession as a protective umbrella, their movement towards the river attracted an accidental bombing by the National Army Air Force. According to newspaper reports, this

The number of casualties reached four to five thousand

People. The tragic and bloody scenes and buildings in the streets and buildings in the Peace Hotel and Huizhong Hotel still make Yang An feel scared. This accidental bombing cast a shadow on the security of the concession on the south side of Suzhou. Even the concession here,

Neither Chinese nor foreigners should forget

On the afternoon of August 13th, the sound of huge cannon explosions rang out in Zhabei. The sound of cannons continued all night long, and the smoke of explosions and burning firelights illuminated the night sky over the Suzhou River. The sound of cannons and firelights told people that, together with

This place across the Suzhou River is Zhan

Fire purgatory! After this, you can still hear the faint explosions coming from the north of Suzhou River every day, and you can hear the roar of Japanese warships' cannons on the Huangpu River. If you stand on the Bund, you can clearly see

I saw the fire and smoke from the Japanese naval bombardment.

Many foreigners often stand on high buildings to watch the war between China and Japan in the north, watching the progress of this war with a completely spectator mentality.

After the Japanese army provoked war in Shanghai, the Shanghai Municipal Government notified the consuls of various countries and issued a warning. According to the changes in the situation in Shanghai, the concession powers gave up their interests in Suzhou and Hebei to express their attitudes.

On the afternoon of August 14, Shanghai Mayor Yu Hongjun called the Military Commission of the Nationalist Government to report on the relevant diplomatic work, including the reactions of the concession powers. The message is as follows:

Urgent. Nanjing. Junjian of the Military Commission, Minister He of the Ministry of Military Affairs: Code 7200. Regarding the [Japanese Army] using the concession as a military base, this morning the city government officially sent a note to the consuls of various countries to warn them, and the consuls convened an emergency temporary meeting in the afternoon.

The meeting had not adjourned when power was generated. However, the US Consul General formally informed Hong Kong beforehand

Jun said that all countries may decide during the meeting to abandon the area north of the Suzhou River, withdraw all national defense forces and volunteer teams to the north bank of the Suzhou River, designate it as a refuge area, and strictly maintain neutrality. The area north of the Suzhou River will not be consulted by both sides in military operations.

Wait for words. If you are sure or not, you should continue to report. Shanghai Mayor Yu Hongjun knocked. Han Shen. Seal.

On the afternoon of August 15, Shanghai Mayor Yu Hongjun once again called the Military Commission of the Nationalist Government on relevant diplomatic issues. The message is as follows:

Urgent. Nanjing. Junjian of the Military Commission and Minister He of the Ministry of Military Affairs: 1957 Secret. This afternoon the leader and consul came back to tell us that the Japanese Consul General agreed that Japanese planes would not fly to Suzhou and Henan, and hoped that we would make the same statement.

.Reject with reason. I would like to hear that Shanghai Mayor Yu Hongjun knocked and deleted the seal.

In response to this telegram, the Military Commission responded according to He Yingqin's instructions: "Shanghai is Chinese territory, the sky above Shanghai is Chinese airspace, and Chinese aircraft have the right to fly freely. Regarding the request for foreign territorial offices in Shanghai, please still follow the spirit of past negotiations and speak politely and strictly.

Reject."

When the war broke out in Shanghai, the Public Concession Industry Bureau immediately announced: "This bureau has no choice but to take into account the facts, focus on maintaining peace and order in the area under its effective control, and abide by strict neutrality." At the same time, the French Concession also adopted measures.
Chapter completed!