In October 1937, about 100,000 Japanese troops attacked Shandong. Han Fuju, then chairman of the Shandong Provincial Government and commander-in-chief of the Third Army, retreated without a fight. When retreating, he ordered all Shandong troops to withdraw south.

The source of this article is the official account: Brain Hole History

In October 1937, about 100,000 Japanese troops attacked Shandong. At that time, Chairman of the Shandong Provincial Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Third Army Han Fuju retreated without a fight. When he retreated, he also Ordered all Shandong troops to withdraw southward.

However, in times of crisis, there are always people who dare to step forward. Fan Zhuxian, the then security commander of Shandong Province, frowned after receiving the order to withdraw to the south. He looked at the Yellow River that had raised him and said to the soldiers: "The Japanese army is here." We are about to fight. Commander Han ordered us to retreat south. I have the responsibility to defend our land. I will not retreat. I am determined to fight to the death."

The soldiers shouted in unison "Kill the enemy to the death and never cross south." . However, General Fan Zhuxian soon received another urgent message from Han Fuju: "You are the only one left north of the Yellow River. Cross south quickly for the future."

General refused again and issued a message to the whole country "I will never cross southward until I die." declaration. From then on, he grew a beard and would never shave it unless he fought off the Japanese.

Fan Zhuxian, who was nearly sixty years old, led 400 warriors to fight against the 100,000 Japanese ace - knowing that he couldn't do it, but he did it with a very tragic battle that shocked the mountains and rivers!

It really corresponds to the old saying: Every time a dog is slaughtered for justice, most of the unfaithful people are scholars, and the demons and ghosts are in the temple.

Fan Zhuxian was born in Nanyan Temple (now Shoushan Temple) Village, Guantao County in 1882. He came from a poor family and lost his father when he was young. He worked as a coachman to support his family in his early years. In 1904, Fan Zhuxian left his hometown to join the Chinese Beiyang Army. He made many military exploits and rose to the rank of brigade commander. At that time, China was suffering from internal and external troubles. External powers were eyeing it, but internally, warlords were fighting for years.

In 1924, Fan Zhuxian was dissatisfied with the warlords' continuous fighting. He took the initiative to dismiss his troops and went to Shanghai to live in seclusion. In 1929, Fan Zhuxian came out again and joined Feng Yuxiang's Northern Expeditionary Army as a senior staff officer. In 1930, Fan Zhuxian was coerced into participating in the Central Plains War (a melee between Feng (Yuxiang), Yan (Xishan), and Chiang Kai-shek).

After the " September 18th Incident " in 1931, Fan Zhuxian went to Shandong to serve as major general of Han Fuju's Third Route Army, and served as the county magistrate of Yishui County the following year.

During his tenure as county magistrate, he was honest and dedicated to the public affairs and lived a simple life. He is not addicted to tobacco or alcohol. He eats a simple diet and wears cloth shoes and socks. When he went down to inspect his work, he always went to the elementary school to eat and live with the teachers; when his superiors came to inspect, he would not prepare cigarettes, alcohol, or hold a banquet. When family members and friends came to the county to seek employment, he refused them all. He banned drugs and gambling, and reformed local customs. He rectified officialdom and punished local evil forces. He reduced the people's tax burden, built bridges and roads, set up hospitals, and provided relief and care for the disabled.

In the spring of 1932, the Yellow River burst in western Shandong and caused a disaster. Fan Zhuxian learned about the situation and without saying a word, he used his salary and the 3000 ocean he saved in daily life to provide disaster relief, which was deeply loved by the people.

Soon after, Fan Zhuxian was promoted to the commissioner of the Sixth District of Shandong Province, concurrently the security commander and the county magistrate of Liaocheng. When he left office, the whole city took to the streets to see him off. The people set up many tables on the street, with mirrors and clear water on them, implying that he is as clear as the environment and as honest as water. He refused to take a bus, but walked to say goodbye to the people. He took a few steps and bowed his hands. All the people who saw him off were in tears. He walked along a street of several hundred meters for a whole morning.

The "Sixth District" mentioned here was established in early November 1936. It includes 12 counties including Liaocheng, Yanggu, Fan County, and is the junction of Shandong, Henan, and Hebei. Traffic is blocked and culture is backward.

The above entrusted Fan Zhuxian to manage such a geographically important but economically backward area, which obviously valued his ability.

Although he faced many difficulties, Fan Zhuxian did not back down. As soon as he took office, he put forward three important instructions:

1. Rectify county administration and eliminate long-standing abuses; 2. Promote increased production and economy, reserve grain, and establish welfare undertakings; 3. Actively train the army to prepare for the Anti-Japanese War;

In the early days of the Anti-Japanese War, because the authorities pursued the non-resistance policy, when the Japanese invaded Shandong, Han Fuju of Shandong twice ordered Fan Zhuxian to withdraw southward.

Who is Fan Zhuxian? Of course he wouldn't choose to run away without a fight. He found it difficult to accept the order from his superiors and did not lead his troops to retreat. In order to organize the anti-Japanese team, he issued the "Oath to lead our guerrilla athletes and armed people to deal with the Japanese slaves." During the Anti-Japanese War, he cooperated closely with the Chinese Communist Party to fight the enemy together, and established an anti-Japanese base area in northwest Shandong , which governed more than 30 County. The enthusiastic young people and enlightened gentry in the Liaocheng area who were not willing to be slaves to the subjugation of the country voluntarily joined Fan Zhuxian's team, allowing Fan Zhuxian to form 35 detachments in a short period of time. The 3rd Route People's Army, a total of 60,000 anti-Japanese troops, formed the anti-Japanese base area in northwestern Shandong.

Fan Zhuxian also sent his eldest son, eldest daughter, and three daughters to Yan'an. "I am." I am an old soldier, but I am a farmer. I was born in a cart and grew up eating sweet potatoes. I am what the Eighth Route Army calls proletarian . So they say that I, Lao Fan, have become popular, and Shandong has been popular for a long time. "

Starting in 1937, Fan Zhuxian eliminated the Japanese cavalry in Liangshui Town and blocked the Dofeiyuan Division in Huangzhuang. He fought bloody battles in Nanzhen and Jiepai Town and regained many county towns. In just one year, he took the lead in fighting After hundreds of battles, the Japanese and puppet troops in northwest Shandong were basically eliminated, and the anti-Japanese base area was expanded to 27 counties.

In November 1937, the Japanese Takahashi Regiment sent a cavalry reconnaissance team into Tangyi for reconnaissance. Fan Zhuxian received the sentinel. After the report, he decided to personally lead the team to ambush.

The Japanese reconnaissance team first arrived in Liaocheng, but Liaocheng was surrounded by water and the reconnaissance team had difficulty moving. When the reconnaissance team entered the first ambush point, it was ambush here in advance. The anti-Japanese army suddenly launched an attack, catching the Japanese army off guard. In the panic, the Japanese army fled along the route that Fan Zhuxian had foreseen.

That afternoon, the escaping reconnaissance team came to the second ambush point: Liangshui Town. The anti-Japanese team led by Fan Zhuxian had no intention of letting them go. After a fierce battle, Fan Zhuxian won a victory and the Japanese reconnaissance team was wiped out. In late May 1938, Fan Zhuxian received the news. Shangfeng ordered his troops to cooperate with the Chinese army in the Xuzhou battle , and gain time for the main force of the Chinese army to withdraw from Xuzhou and move to Hubei and Henan.

The specific task assigned to Fan Zhuxian by Shangfeng was to continuously harass the troops stationed in Anhui, Shandong, and Henan. For the Japanese troops at the junction of the three provinces of Jiangsu, the louder the noise, the better.

After receiving this order, Fan Zhuxian immediately led his troops southward and continued to harass the Japanese troops to the maximum extent possible. Once, when Fan Zhuxian sent a group of soldiers, they went south. A team went deep into the east gate of in Pu County, and suddenly found that the Japanese soldiers were herding horses in the nearby wheat fields. The Japanese soldiers were eating wheat seedlings wantonly in the wheat fields, while the Japanese soldiers were sitting around to rest and have fun, with all their weapons released. On the side.

This troop was very angry when they saw the Japanese army wasting so much food, and felt that this was a good opportunity to destroy the Japanese cavalry in one go.

They quietly approached the Japanese army, and then quickly opened fire on the Japanese army. Without weapons, the Japanese army could only scatter in all directions under the attack of this force. The battle ended quickly. After careful counting, more than 30 Japanese soldiers were killed, more than 20 war horses were killed, and 30 war horses and many guns and ammunition were seized. Waiting for the spoils.

From June 14 to 16, 1938, he accepted the invitation of Xu Xiangqian, deputy commander of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army, to meet in Nanguan, Wei County to discuss the anti-Japanese plan.

In August 1938, in order to defend Wuhan, Fan Zhuxian launched the Jinan Campaign. Invasion of Jinan.While the good news was spreading frequently, his second son Fan Shumin, captain of the Youth Advance Brigade, died heroically.

Faced with the Japanese army's pressing step by step, Fan Zhuxian remained silent. But he only remained silent for a while, and to everyone's surprise, he decisively asked his second daughter Fan Shukun to take over his brother's position and continue to kill the enemy.

This approach was opposed by his wife. Fan Zhuxian persuaded him righteously: "It is a good thing to die for the country, otherwise how would others know that we have such a good son?"

Fan Zhuxian expressed his determination to fight the Japanese invaders to the end. The second daughter Fan Shukun, who was only 20 years old, was appointed as the captain of the advancing brigade, and sent his eldest son, eldest daughter, and third daughter to Yan'an Anti-Japanese Military and Political University to study, showing his loyalty to the nation and his patriotic spirit of fighting to the death to resist Japan and save the country.

In early November 1938, Mao Zedong sent a personal letter to Fan Zhuxian, expressing condolences and encouragement to him.

Fan Zhuxian was deeply inspired by Mao Zedong's autographed letter and said excitedly: "In today's world, if you want to save China and not be a slave to the country's subjugation, you can only listen to the Communist Party."

On November 13, 1938, the Japanese army wanted to completely eliminate Lu Due to the threat of the anti-Japanese armed forces in the northwest, heavy troops (two regiments) were assembled to attack Liaocheng, the base camp of Fan Zhuxian. Fan Zhuxian formulated the strategy of "actively retreating and gathering forces to return to encircle and annihilate the Japanese troops defending the city." However, Kuomintang die-hard Li Shuchun and others were afraid of taking responsibility and resolutely opposed. They shouted the "righteous" slogan of "unretreat and vow to coexist and die with Liaocheng."

The two sides kept arguing during the meeting. Although Fan Zhuxian's strategy was finally implemented, the best opportunity for evacuation and retreat was missed. The war was about to begin, and Fan Zhuxian took the initiative to stay and take charge of breaking up the rear. On November 14, the Japanese army sent a large number of reinforcements to reinforce the siege troops. Fan Zhuxian and the last batch of more than 700 evacuees were unable to withdraw.

Fan Zhuxian led more than 700 people to fight bloody battles with the Japanese army and repelled Japanese attacks many times. On November 15th, the Japanese army, which had been unable to conquer for a long time, sent out aircraft, tanks and to attack non-stop. The city was breached. Fan Zhuxian took the lead and led his troops in a bloody battle with the swarming Japanese invaders. More than 700 people were killed or injured.

Fan Zhuxian was wounded in many places. In order not to be captured alive by the enemy, he committed suicide for his country. He was only 57 years old.

In this battle to defend Liaocheng, General Fan Zhuxian, Communist Party members Zhang Yuguang and Yao Dihong, Deputy Commander of City Defense Zheng Zuoheng, Police Chief Lin Jintang and more than 700 city defenders died heroically.

After Fan Zhuxian died for his country, the whole country mourned, and people in many places spontaneously held memorial services. The Nationalist Government ordered the country to fly flags at half-mast for three days to express its condolences, and appointed Fan Zhuxian as Army Lieutenant General.

In 1940, Liaocheng County was renamed " Zhuxian County ". In 1987, Deng Xiaoping wrote an inscription for Fan Zhuxian's monument - "The place where national hero Fan Zhuxian died for his country."

Although General Fan Zhuxian has passed away, his unparalleled loyalty and great spirit of serving the country and the people will always remain in the hearts of every Chinese.

At the end of the article, let us pay high respect to the anti-Japanese hero General Fan Zhuxian!