China's forgotten army

Old scars never healed

Nowadays, Liu Zhenyu has just one hobby - watching TV programs about the Japanese occupation, although he once almost destroyed the TV after viewing a scene in which NAJUA soldiers were executed in cold blood.

"I have many scars left by the Japanese," the 90-year-old said, lifting his shirt to display the scars on his abdomen, stomach and back.

For Liu, every scar signals a narrow escape from death, such as the time he was shot in the neck.

"The bullet hit me when I was carrying explosives to bomb a Japanese stronghold," he said. "Our weapons were very poor, and bullets and guns were very precious. All of us had done a lot of bayonet practice," he said, showing a scar on his abdomen incurred during a bayonet fight.

Bai Qingchen, from Miaoling village in Fusong county, clenched his fists in rage as he described witnessing Japanese soldiers cutting the hearts out of dead Chinese troops before decapitating the corpses and hanging the severed heads from the branches of trees.

Bai joined NAJUA at age 18. "My first task was to deliver intelligence to three CPC members outside our town," he said.

The Japanese killed civilians randomly, so villagers avoided places where they might encounter the troops. However, on the day he carried the information, Bai was stopped by a detachment of Japanese soldiers.

"They were 50 meters away, so I quickly hid the intelligence in my left shoe," he said.

"Two Japanese holding guns came forward and asked who I was. The Japanese forced children in Manchukuo to learn their language, so I replied in Japanese and told them I was a student," he said.

Bai was searched, but the soldiers failed to find the messages he was carrying. "I tried to remain calm, but my heart was beating very fast. They told me to report to them if I heard anything about NAJUA. I told them I would, but inside I was smiling and thinking 'I'm the person you've been looking for!'" he said. Using his student cover identity, Bai successfully delivered many messages.