Rise From Eight Hundred

Chapter 102 Raising the flag

 There was no flagpole, so the soldiers split wooden boards from the four-row warehouse into wooden strips and tied them tightly with wires.

 The 10-meter-long patchwork flagpole is erected high on the roof of Sihang Warehouse.

Just as the morning glow turned the sky red, the Army Lieutenant Colonel himself served as the flag bearer. Three infantry companies, one machine gun company, and four company commanders came, Deng Ying and Shangguan Yun. In addition, each company sent 25 people, totaling 100 officers and soldiers. Line up to watch the ceremony.

The first battalion commander Yang Furui led the machine gun company commander Lei Xiong and the third company commander Shi Hao to stay inside the building. Tang Dao, who was personally ordered by the army lieutenant colonel not to go to the roof, simply sat on the Lei Xiong machine gun company. No. 2 machine gun, a captain and a lieutenant each placed at least ten shells next to them.

If the Japanese army dares to fire, then the two of them will launch the most violent counterattack since the war began. At worst, they will not survive, and they have to make the Japanese army on the opposite side look good.

This group of Chinese soldiers who are looking forward to death actually have a very clear idea. If they really want to sacrifice, then let's do it! It's just blood for blood.

Perhaps, many people will think that as the supreme commander of Sihang Warehouse, it is not unwise for the Army Lieutenant Colonel to do this, and it can even be called stupid.

Even if he wanted to raise the national flag to boost the morale of the military and civilians across the country, sending two soldiers to raise it in twenty seconds and letting the national flag fly high above the warehouse had already told the people of the country why he should take such a big risk and put himself and himself at risk. The remaining more than 100 officers and soldiers were put in danger.

 That's because they don't understand soldiers.

 Who are soldiers? They are the defenders of the country.

As the lieutenant colonel of the Army said forcefully in the warehouse: This flag representing our China and the Chinese nation is sacred, and it must be raised into the sky with the military salute and reverential gaze of its defenders.

 Yes, if you are not a soldier, maybe you will never understand.

 The important thing about a flag is not how its pattern flutters in the wind, but how it takes root in your heart.

On the surface, this is just a piece of silk spray-painted with patterns, but in fact, what it represents is the spiritual flag dissolved in the blood of soldiers.

 If the military flag does not fall, then this position will be fought to the last man.

 An army without a flag in its heart cannot be called an army. It is just a ragtag group of people with weapons.

The troops in northern China that miraculously survived the great movement of thousands of miles, if they didn't have red flags in their hearts, how could they have measured a distance of more than ten thousand miles with their legs in just one year? How could it be possible to climb over snow-capped mountains and walk through no-man’s land such as grassland while also going through hundreds of battles?

 This is the power brought by ideals and beliefs! The belief of these Chinese officers and soldiers in the warehouse is to fight for the country!

 This flag represents one’s own country and one’s home.

In the early morning light of Songhu, the national flag was slowly rising. All the officers and soldiers present who were allowed to go to the roof to watch the ceremony had already washed their faces blackened by gunpowder smoke with water from the Suzhou River. They tried their best to keep their uniforms neatly dressed and gathered ten meters in front of the military flag. He stood at attention and performed a military salute, singing a military song in a low voice.

 “Get up! The ravaged Chinese nation!

 Arise, slaves groaning under the iron heel!

 Having lost the land, we desperately try to seize it from the enemy!

　　They lost their families and rushed into the enemy's battlefield together;

How much wealth we have has been robbed by the enemy;

How many of our brothers died in this great struggle!

One day, we will pay this blood debt to the enemy!

 One day, everything on earth will belong to us!

“

 A "War Song" was performed by more than 100 officers and soldiers, who performed military salutes, looked at the national flag, and hummed softly as the wind blew.

Not only were there 100 people muttering in low voices, but there were also soldiers standing upright in their fighting positions in the building.

They had tears in their eyes and spoke softly to each other.

On the south bank of the Suzhou River, the artillery fire between the two sides had awakened the sleeping people and thousands of Chinese people had gathered again.

 After yesterday's day's battle, they had unprecedented expectations for this lone army that had been struggling to hold on and beat the Japanese army into misery. It was like the last straw in the hands of a drowning man.

 In this era of insufficient education, the people's wisdom may not have risen to the level of the nation, but the nostalgia for family is deep in the bones.

Everyone knows that if Songhu City falls completely, these people will become completely homeless.

Their home is not on the streets of the concession, but in the city that is shaking and crying under the gunfire.

Even if it is dilapidated, even if there are only a few tiles left, it is still home!

 As long as they are given time, they will still build a house on that land to give their elderly parents and young children a place to shelter from the wind and rain. Rather than living in a corner of a concession, enduring the looks of Westerners, and relying on the pity of the rich Chinese in the concession to drink a bowl of hot porridge and eat a bite of bread, I lived an extremely humble life.

 Without home, there is no dignity.

The lone army still fighting in front of them is their last hope.

 As long as they are here, the home remains; if they die, the home is gone and never exists again.

 “They are raising the flag!”

 “They are singing military songs!”

 “They will keep fighting!”

The people hiding in various street corners along the shore were waiting silently for the sun to rise. Looking at the rising national flag and listening to the low and powerful military songs, they jumped up and rushed forward.

Even this time, the Western Allied Forces in the Concession were on guard and held long guns with bayonets to prevent them from getting too far forward.

It is not that they are worried about the safety of this group of ragged Chinese people, but last night the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs submitted a diplomatic letter to several Western countries. The fierce protest came from the noise interference in the concession, saying that the huge noise caused by the Chinese seriously disturbed them. of combat.

 Is the psychological quality of Japanese people so fragile? Can even the sound of Chinese people make your legs weak?

Although the diplomatic ambassadors of several Western countries wanted to throw this disdain directly on the mustache of the Japanese diplomat who gave ridiculous reasons but still looked serious, they still gave face to the Japanese who were obviously angry.

 The Chinese people are restricted to various street corners and are not allowed to go out on the streets anymore. However, it is difficult to recreate the grand scene like yesterday.

Facing the bayonet, the people did not move forward or cheer loudly, but stood quietly and looked up.

　　It is not that they are afraid of the Western bayonets, but they all know that at this time, silence is better than sound.

 The morning glow fills the sky, and the national flag is flying high above the Sihang Warehouse and above the last position belonging to the Chinese soldiers in Songhu.

Countless Chinese people saw it.

 Stop! Stare! Tears filled with tears!

 The Japanese also saw it.

Amidst the roar of the Japanese colonel, the Japanese army fired again.

It is a pity that from the discovery to the order to the firing, one minute was enough for the Chinese soldiers who had raised the flag to retreat back to the building.

　　The artillery fire exploded into bright flames on the solid walls of Sihang Warehouse, but in this extremely brilliant but cruel artillery fire, the flag of China fluttered in the wind with great strength.

 The rising sun finally jumped out of the horizon at this time!

The sky is bright, and the earth is also burning brightly.

 “Fire artillery, counterattack!” the Army Lieutenant Colonel roared.

 Two machine guns and four mortars began to counterattack.

 Even though their range could not reach the mountain artillery that was located 3,000 meters away, the Japanese army's position was only 500 meters away.

 You can take my life, but you can’t blow up my flag!

You hit me all over the head, then I will also hit you with a mouthful of blood.

 This was the answer of the Chinese soldiers when the war kicked off on October 28.

  . . . . . . .

PS: There was something wrong with my computer. I couldn’t open the webpage. It took me an hour to finish it. The update is late. Sorry!

 (End of this chapter)