Veterans relive struggle against invaders
Collective effort of a nation overcame Japanese aggression
By Zou Shuo in Beijing and Zhu Xingxin in Taiyuan |
China Daily |
Updated: 2025-09-03 08:52
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Zhang, who was born in 1931 in Sihong county, Jiangsu province, joined the art troupe of the New Fourth Army, which was led by the Communist Party of China, at the age of 13. The troupe was an artistic unit highly respected in the army, she said.
"When we were on the move, we'd compose kuaiban (bamboo clapper rhythms), paint slogans and sing songs to lift spirits," she said. "We girls were just teenagers, but had to carry a 5-kilogram backpack and another 4-kg rice bag. When the fighting got intense, I was given two grenades."
She emphasizes the fundamental reason they fought: "Back then, we were on the verge of becoming a conquered people. We won because the entire nation fought with blood and sacrifice."
