In 1939, Heo Hyung-sik, chief of the General Staff of the 3rd Army of the Northeast Anti-Japanese Allied Army, was leading the exhausted soldiers to evade the Japanese pursuit. After more than 20 hours of rapid marching, they finally threw off the vicious Japan soldiers and came to a low-lying valley. Just as the soldiers were about to take a break, Heo Hyung-sik suddenly ordered an immediate retreat. What exactly happened to make this wise commander so vigilant?
The rough life of a descendant of a Korean aristocracy
Heo Hyung-sik was born into a declining aristocratic family in North Korea and lived a life of exile since he was a child. His great-grandfather was a nobleman of the Li Dynasty, but by the time of Heo Hyung-sik's generation, the family was in the middle of the road. In 1909, Heo Hyung-sik was born in North Gyeongsang Province, North Korea. At that time, Japan had already begun to invade Korea, and Heo Hyung-sik's father participated in the volunteer movement against Japan, but ultimately failed.
To escape the war, Heo Hyung-sik and his family moved to northeastern China when he was 4 years old. From then on, this Korean boy began his career in China. Coming from a poor family, Heo Hyung-sik did not have the opportunity to go to school, but he was gifted and learned Korean and some Chinese characters under the guidance of his father. Since the age of 15, he has been involved in agricultural work to share the burden for his family.
From a wage earner to an anti-Japanese hero
The turning point in Heo Hyung-sik's life occurred when he was 20 years old. At that time, he moved with his father to Binxian County, near Harbin. It was one of the earliest areas of activity of the Communist Party in Northeast China, where various anti-imperialist and anti-feudal organizations were established. Under the influence of his ears and eyes, Xu Heng was infected by the enthusiastic spirit of the people around him, and resolutely joined the red team.
From then on, Heo Hyung-sik began his revolutionary career. He often travels between places such as Harbin and the Pearl River, carrying out various tasks. In order to work better, he took the initiative to integrate into the local people and learned to speak Chinese fluently. With his diligent and reliable work style, Heo Hyung-sik was quickly recognized by the organization and joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1930.
However, the road to revolution has never been easy. On May 1 of the same year, Xu Hengzhi participated in an anti-Japanese demonstration in Harbin and was unfortunately arrested and imprisoned. Fortunately, he was rescued by the party organization and was freed after a year and a half. After being released from prison, Heo Hyung-sik strengthened his determination to resist Japan and save the country.
From guerrillas to anti-union commanders
After the "918 Incident", Xu Hengzhi resolutely stood at the forefront of the anti-Japanese struggle. He went deep into the countryside, mobilized the masses, and formed anti-Japanese armed forces. In the area of Binxian County, Xu Hengzhi led the establishment of the Peasant Anti-Japanese Salvation Association and the Self-Defense Force, and became the backbone of the local anti-Japanese forces.
In 1934, Xu Hengzhi was appointed as the political instructor of the Third Brigade of the Anti-Japanese "Hadong Detachment", and later promoted to the first captain. He led his team to clear out the enemy's puppet stronghold and successfully disarmed the local enemy's armed forces. In battle after battle, Heo Hyung-sik gradually grew into an excellent commander.
In the face of the Japanese army's "crusade", Xu Hengzhi led the soldiers to fight wits and courage with the enemy. In a battle of the Goryeo camp, he skillfully set up an ambush and successfully eliminated more than 100 enemies. In 1936, Xu Hengzhi was appointed director of the Political Department of the First Division of the Three Armies and became one of the important generals of the Northeast Anti-Japanese Federation.
A thrilling retreat triggered by a bird
In 1939, the Japanese army launched a new round of "crusade" against the Northeast Anti-Japanese Allied Army. Heo Hyung-sik led the tired soldiers, and after more than 20 hours of rapid marching, he finally threw off the pursuit of the Japanese army. They came to a low-lying valley and prepared to rest for a while.
The soldiers of the cooking squad quickly moved into action, ready to cook something for everyone to fill their stomachs. Xu Hengzhi looked at the hungry soldiers and had mixed feelings in his heart. He had given himself the least amount of food, and was about to start when he suddenly noticed a strange bird perched on a branch not far away.
This bird has a lot of feathers and looks very beautiful. Many warriors were attracted to it, and some even said that it was a "fairy bird" sent by the heavens to bless them. However, Heo Hyung-sik frowned, and the alarm bell sounded in his heart.
As an experienced commander, Heo Hyung-sik immediately realized that something was wrong. How could such a beautiful bird emerge in such an environment? It's more like a pet bird that has been bred by people. And in the war years, who will have the leisure to raise this kind of bird? The answer is coming out - Japan!
Xu Hengzhi immediately made a decision and ordered loudly: "Brothers, withdraw quickly!" Although the soldiers did not know what was going on, they all had great trust in the commander and immediately packed up their things and prepared to evacuate.
To test his judgment, Heo Hyung-sik left two scouts nearby to keep guard. Sure enough, shortly after the withdrawal of the Anti-United Nations Brigade, a large number of Japanese troops "touched" into the valley. If it weren't for Heo Hyung-sik discovering the abnormality in time, the consequences would be unimaginable!
This thrilling retreat fully demonstrated Heo Hyung-sik's keen insight and decisive decision-making ability as a military commander. It was with such an excellent leader as Xu Hengzhi that the Northeast Anti-Japanese Allied Army was able to survive in an extremely difficult environment and become an important force in the War of Resistance against Japan.
Heo Hyung-sik's legendary life came to an end on August 3, 1942. At that time, he took several guards to inspect the area, and unfortunately encountered the Japanese "raiding team". In a valley, they engaged in a fierce battle with the encircling Japanese troops. Despite being outnumbered, Heo Hyung-sik fought valiantly for more than two hours and finally died heroically at the age of 33.
Heo Hyung-sik's life, from a descendant of a Korean aristocrat to a member of the Chinese Communist Party, from an ordinary peasant to an anti-Japanese hero, is full of legends. He used his life to fulfill his oath of "defeating the Japanese invaders and saving my compatriots" and became a common hero of the Chinese and North Korean peoples.
Today, in Qing'an County, Suihua City, Heilongjiang Province, there is a monument to the "Xu Hengzhi Sacrifice Site". It is not only a commemoration of this hero, but also a testimony of the Chinese and North Korean peoples fighting side by side in the anti-fascist war. Heo Hyung-sik's story also reminds us to cherish the hard-won peace, remember history, and forge ahead.
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