As for me, this had to be this one !!! . She is Chen Benhua.
A 24 year old Chinese revolutionary guerilla fighter circa late 1938 who help the resistance when imperial Japan invaded China, initially at Hexian County , Shandong.
She was caught, gang raped repeatedly by her Japanese captors and guards when Hexian County was breached by the “Sakai Detachment “ of the “Kumamoto Division,” one of the two most powerful army forces in Japan besides the Sendai Division.
Some of the Japanese units had just completed their mass killings and ravaging of Chinese citizens and capitulated Chinese. Soldiers after it's seizure of Nanjing only 60 kilometers away. There was no limit in the atrocious of the Japanese soldiers let loose on the civilians. One wrote in his diary ,: “”
I figured that I ‘ d never get another chance like this , so I stabbed 30 of the damned Chinese . Climbing atop the mountains of corpses, I felt like a real devil slayer , stabbing again and again, with all my might…the Chinese groaned . They were old folks as well as kids , but we killed them lock, stock and barrel. I also borrowed a buddy's sword and tried to decapitate some . I ve never experienced anything so unusual “””
Likewise the relatively poorly equipped Chinese army and the Militia raised in Anhui province could hardly stand a chance, being the first line of defense. Nonetheless, they stand their ground relentlessly when Hexian Gate felled .
There is a heart wrenching truth to her smile in this picture before her execution. The Japanese photographer expected her to be cowering in fear in imminent execution.through a translator asked if she will to join the Japanese army , they may just not bayonet her .
Instead, she held her head high, looked into the lens of the camera , folded her arms in disdain and Smile as the ultimate DEFIANT in death!!! This was originally published in “WW2 Japanese pictorial on War in China” , a Japanese War News outlet.
Japanese text mentioned that she didn’t reveal any information to her captors despite the hard torture and subsequent imminent death by bayonet in the holding grounds by the same soldiers pictured here. (shortly after the photo was taken by the Japanese photographer) …
In its 16th edition of the Japanese War Publication, it frustratingly published the following in the lines of “ The only female prisoner of the enemy army caught at the gate of the Hexian County, ….She have the words 'Chinese Girl Scout' on her belt. The diehards did not disclose any military secrets." in frustrated resignation!
At the bottom of the picture album, it is marked "Execution date is April 24, 1938.
Footnote: If ever I can travel back in time , I would like to go back to late 1938 to Hexian County to meet Chen Benhua and to convey to her, this message:- .
That this seemingly “unknown” picture that had made Chinese blood boiled, is treasured and honored by the leadership and millions of her countrymen/women, and to tell her not to worry anymore as her country is now very strong and safe. Economically very rich too and that her generations thereafter will never be bullied to suffer the same fate again.
Pls forgive me if I stopped here . My eyes are begining to tear and I could hardly able to read the words here .
L

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