Introduction

In the war room of the Naval Ministry in the Japanese base camp, Japanese naval officers such as Lieutenant General Kawako Shiro, Commander of the China Fleet, Vice Admiral Kawakiichiro, Commander of the Fifth Fleet, and other Japanese naval officers were standing on a large map in the war room to study the military situation.

Several radio stations beside the wall were ringing "tick, tick..." continuously. Several radio operators were busy operating the radios, uploading and issuing various orders and information. It recreated the tense scene on the eve of the war.

atmosphere.

Fleet Commander Kawako Shiro held a pencil in his hand and pointed at the thumb-sized Xiamen Island on the combat map. He was arrogant and quite arrogant. He said with arrogance: Xiamen Port is the midway point of the route from Shanghai to Hong Kong, and is 100 kilometers away from Taiwan and Nanyang.

The islands are very close, and it is one of the five major trading ports along the coast. It is also the entry and exit port for 20 million overseas Chinese in Nanyang and the receiving port for 40 million yuan of remittances from overseas Chinese in Nanyang. After our navy imposed a blockade on the coast, the three ports of Kowloon, Guangzhou, and Xiamen remained

It was an important port for the import of Chiang Kai-shek's munitions. The fall of Xiamen would be a blow to Chiang Kai-shek and accelerate Chiang's failure in the Xuzhou Congress. Chiang Kai-shek had already lost his financial source in Shanghai, and now losing Xiamen would block transactions with overseas Chinese in Nanyang.

It can be said that our destiny is over. By occupying Xiamen, we cut off ties with overseas Chinese in Nanyang and strangled Chiang Kai-shek's throat.

The officers in the combat department nodded their heads.

Kiichiro Kawa thought for a moment and said: "The enemy was blocked by our navy at sea and cut off the supply channel. In addition to using the Guangdong-Yunnan Railway, they also tried to use Xiamen to import supplies. There are many signs that they used ships from third countries to secretly avoid the blockade. This

It would be very disadvantageous for us to occupy the Greater East Asia battlefield, so we can no longer leave the island alone."

Kawakushiro nodded and continued: "The war situation is developing rapidly, which is very beneficial to our current attack. Now it is time to solve Xiamen Island."

As he spoke, he quickly drew a circle on Xiamen Island on the map with a pencil, turned around, threw the pencil on the table, and said loudly: "I declare the implementation of the emperor's order."

All Japanese officers and soldiers stood up together.

Kawakushiro said loudly: "I announce the implementation of the 'Haihai Order No. 112' plan to capture Xiamen Island!"

In a large house on the seaside of Taiwan Island opposite Xiamen Island, the Japanese Army's South China Intelligence Minister Sawa Shigenobu was sitting on the sofa, leisurely sipping rock tea from Wuyi Mountain, while listening to the female secretary reading the newspaper.

The female secretary is holding an editorial from the "Taiwan Daily News" on May 10, 1938. The newspaper is in traditional Chinese.

She read aloud with great interest: "Sooner or later, South China will be taken." This sentence has been said for a long time... It is our need to swing the battle ax to a corner of South China. Although the island is only an island with a radius of 40 miles,

There is a public concession, Gulangyu Island, across the inner harbor. Kinmen Island on the sea to the east is the key point on the coast of Southern China.

In addition, the island is an entry and exit port for overseas Chinese in Nanyang. The overseas Chinese... were incited by reactionaries to boycott Japanese goods in Nanyang and provide funding to the Kuomintang. Therefore, this entrance and exit must be resolutely blocked and the movement of overseas Chinese is stopped. This is the most urgent matter at present.

Third, South China and Taiwan are separated by a strip of water. From the perspective of national defense, we cannot underestimate the movements on the other side. Taiwan is so close to enemy bases, which is always harmful rather than helpful.

In short, occupying Xiamen, the important port in Fujian Province closest to Taiwan, and putting an end to all kinds of instigations centered on this is an inevitable measure for the empire, and it is also necessary from the perspective of national defense and operations.

After hearing this, Ze Chongxin showed a trace of pride on his face. He stood up and came to the window, looking in the direction of Xiamen Island...

Chapter 1 Invasion of Xia Island

On the night of May 10, a crescent moon hung over the Taiwan Strait. Dozens of cruisers, destroyers, and transport ships suddenly appeared in the quiet strait. Under the cover of night, a huge fleet set off from Kinmen and pounced on the Taiwan Strait.

Northeast coast of Xiamen Island.

Xiamen Island was suddenly covered with clouds and was surrounded by dangers. However, the Chinese defenders guarding the coast did not find any enemy ships.

The Japanese fleet anchored on the sea 2,500 meters off the coast of Wutong Pukou, Heshan. Landing craft loaded with Marines quietly sailed in four groups toward the coast from Fengtou to Pukou.

At three o'clock in the morning, when the crescent moon disappeared and the earth was dark, and it happened to be the lowest tide, the Japanese army first landed on the southern coast of Pukoushe.

Then the second batch of Japanese Marines also landed at Pukoushe. The Xiamen garrison discovered the enemy's situation and hurriedly responded. The two sides exchanged fire, and the Xiamen Blockade began.

Xiamen Island was guarded by a miscellaneous brigade of the Kuomintang army. The artillery chief of the Japanese warship launched a fierce bombardment at the Chinese defenders' position, suppressing the counterattack of the fort defenders' artillery and destroying the field fortifications on the shore. The fortress fort fired at the enemy warships.

After firing artillery shells, a warship in front hit the ground and sank with black smoke. The artillery fire from several Japanese ships hit the fort and the garrison positions, killing and injuring all the garrison garrison.

Then the Japanese army sent more than 2,000 people to forcibly land near Wutong and rushed towards the defenders' position. A battalion defending the beach fought bravely to block the landing Japanese troops and force them back. The Japanese army dispatched more than 30 more

Planes flew over the island to carry out bombings, destroying the defenders' firepower points one by one. Many defenders were killed or shocked to death. The Japanese army continued to use speedboats to seize the beach and carried out a pincer-like siege on the defenders' positions. Most of the defenders were killed or injured, and they had no choice but to

Retreating backward, the Japanese army seized the beach position.

Late at night at the Xiamen pier, a small steamer was docked, swaying in the sea water.

The rumble of Japanese artillery was heard not far away, and a group of people came over in a hurry. The people walking in the front were the first to board the small steamer. Professor Zhang walked at the back. He was a tall, straight man with broad shoulders and a long body.

Wearing a dark gray gown, an angular face, and a pair of deep and sharp eyes.

People boarded the ship one after another. When Professor Zhang saw everyone on board, he jumped onto the bow of the ship and directed the people behind to carry wooden boxes to the ship.

Two middle-aged men struggled to carry the wooden box onto the bow of the boat and accidentally touched Professor Zhang. Professor Zhang staggered and almost fell off the boat.

Someone shouted: "Lao Zhang, danger!"

Professor Zhang hurriedly grabbed the guardrail to prevent him from falling. He stabilized his body and said, "I'm fine. Time is running out. Everyone, hurry up and move things."

The people on the shore worked together to carry the wooden boxes, and soon more than a dozen large wooden boxes were carried to the small freighter.

Professor Zhang wiped his forehead, raised his eyes, waved to the people on the ship and said: The Zhangzhou Working Committee has made arrangements, please pay more attention to safety along the way!

A middle-aged man wearing a long gown and glasses stood at the bow of the boat, anxiously persuading: Lao Zhang, it’s too dangerous here, come with us.

Professor Zhang also held his hand tightly and said: "The higher-level organization asked you to evacuate first in order to preserve the revolutionary forces. Although the Xiamen Working Committee of the Communist Party of China has evacuated, there are still underground party organizations in Xiamen, and some comrades here still have to evacuate in secret.

Working behind enemy lines, I must stay and fight with them. Everyone, stop talking and get out of here quickly!"

Professor Zhang nodded: Don't worry, we will pay attention to safety. Goodbye, comrades.

Professor Zhang quickly stepped off the ship and waved to the crew, who then released the anchor. The revolutionary comrades on the ship waved goodbye to Professor Zhang.

The small steamer was quietly sailing out of the port, emitting black smoke. Just as the small steamer left the port, a burst of shells roared over and landed on the pier...

Professor Zhang looked back at the pier, then turned around and left quickly.

At dawn, Japanese aircraft flew in again, swooped down, strafed and dropped bombs, and bombed the defenders. The defenders stubbornly resisted the Japanese invaders. The battle was fierce, but they also suffered heavy casualties in the Japanese bombing.

After the Japanese troops landed on Wutong, they divided into two groups and marched towards Dongzhai, Neishantou, Macuo and other villages, as well as Gaolin and Tianbian roads. They also dispatched aircraft to assist in the battle and surrounded the defenders along the way. The defenders and civilians were attacked from both sides and fell into a tight siege.

All help was exhausted, and all died heroically for the country.

On the campus of Xiamen University, a Japanese military plane flew in, dropped several bombs and exploded on the campus. One school building was blown up. Amidst the bombing, students ran out of the building in panic and rushed to the playground.

Professor Zhang and the teaching assistant came over quietly. Professor Zhang waved his hands and shouted to everyone: The enemy plane has flown away, students, don’t panic and keep quiet.

The playground soon became quiet.

Professor Zhang came to the students and said loudly: The Japanese invaded our Xiamen with strong boats and powerful artillery. Xiamen may not be safe. For the safety of the students, the school decided to retreat to Gulangyu Island. The school team arranged a ferry and asked the students to rush there immediately.

To Xiamen Port.

At this time, the Japanese military plane circled back again.

Before Professor Zhang could shout, a female student screamed: Students, get down quickly, get down!

The students all hurriedly fell down. Two students ran towards the building and were hit by machine guns from the plane. They fell to the ground. The enemy plane came over and fired at random, injuring several students.

The enemy plane gradually moved away.

The students got up. The medium-sized female student who shouted "lie down" hurriedly came to the injured classmates and bandaged their wounds.

Professor Zhang and others came to the medium-sized female student and asked: Classmate, what is your name?

The female student answered while bandaging the wound: Geng Qingfang.

Professor Zhang said appreciatively: Thank you, classmate Qingfang.

The female classmate replied: It should be done. I am afraid that the enemy plane will come soon, so let the students evacuate quickly!

Professor Zhang nodded, raised his voice and said: Please evacuate students immediately and meet at Xiamen Port in an hour.

Students flocked to the gate.

Professor Zhang said to the teaching assistant beside him: Anjing, you should evacuate with everyone first!

After he finished speaking, he and Geng Qingfang moved the injured student outside.

After two days and nights of fierce fighting, the rising sun once again illuminated this island city that was dying under Japanese artillery fire. Look around Xiamen Island, the war is scorching, smoke is everywhere, and there are corpses and discarded objects everywhere.

Destroyed bullets.

However, the Japanese army did not stop and continued to attack the city in two groups. One group broke into the city. The garrison commander vowed to defend Xiamen Island to the death and led his troops in a fierce battle with the Japanese army. Even the reserve team joined in and the citizens also joined in.

During the battle to defend Xiamen, the Japanese army bombarded them with heavy bombs and large-caliber naval guns. Another Japanese army came from behind. The defenders and citizens had no way out and fought the enemy to the end. The brigade commander was injured and the chief of staff died.
Chapter completed!