The large blade swung fiercely toward the heads of the enemy soldiers! What an expression of heroic spirit this was正规配资开户, yet for those who fought in the Battle of Xifengkou, it carried a deep sense of tragic heroism.
The \"Dadao March\" was an impromptu masterpiece composed by the renowned musician Mai Xin, inspired directly by the Northwest Army’s Song Zheyuan’s troops’ night assault at Xifengkou. This work encapsulates the profound spirit of sacrifice during the great war of resistance.
展开剩余92%Historical records show that the Battle of Xifengkou marked the largest victory the Chinese army had achieved since the September 18 Incident. However, why did General Feng Zhian, the front-line commander of the 37th Division of the 29th Army, openly state in the post-battle review that despite the victory, it was still a shameful fight?
This question brings us to today’s topic: although over 5,000 enemy soldiers were killed in the battle, why did General Feng say such a candid remark at the victory celebration? Let’s delve into the story of the 29th Army’s Dadao (big knife) troops.
The Nationalist 29th Army was the core remnant of Feng Yuxiang’s Northwest Army. In 1930, after the famous Central Plains War ended in defeat for Feng Yuxiang, the Northwest Army’s remaining forces retreated to Shanxi. At the same time, Zhang Xueliang took charge of the northwest front and restructured the 29th Army from the old Northwest Army units.
As the 29th Army was essentially a reassembled Northwest Army and considered a ragtag unit within the National Revolutionary Army, their weaponry was understandably outdated and insufficient.
Despite this, the 29th Army’s determination to resist the invaders never waned. To compensate for their lack of modern arms on the battlefield, General Song Zheyuan, then commander of the 29th Army, turned his thoughts to the formidable Zhao Dengyu.
When talking about the 29th Army’s big knife squad, one cannot overlook the anti-Japanese hero Zhao Dengyu. By then, Zhao Dengyu was the commander of the 109th Brigade under Song Zheyuan.
Hailing from Heze in Shandong province, Zhao Dengyu had trained in martial arts and weapons since his teenage years. Skilled in wielding a variety of weapons—swords, spears, and especially the big knife—he was a versatile and deadly warrior. His martial prowess caught the attention of Feng Yuxiang, who made him a personal bodyguard.
During the defense of the Great Wall, Zhao led the 109th Brigade to tenaciously hold Xifengkou, becoming one of Song Zheyuan’s most trusted officers. It was on this basis that Song consulted Zhao on the feasibility of forming a big knife squad to confront the Japanese forces.
Zhao eagerly accepted the challenge, knowing it was his specialty. More importantly, he had a core group of a dozen brave men from Shandong who were skilled fighters. Forming the big knife team would not only leverage the old strengths of the Northwest Army but also employ cold weapons to strike the superior Japanese forces by surprise.
Song Zheyuan’s confidence soared upon hearing this and immediately mobilized blacksmiths to start forging the big knives. At the same time, he invited the famed martial arts master Li Yaocheng to design the style of the knives and personally teach the soldiers a set of blade techniques, later named the \"Wu Ji Divine Courage Saber.\"
Xifengkou, located at the strategic pass on the Great Wall between Hebei and Rehe provinces, was historically a fiercely contested battleground. It was the northwest gateway to Beijing and Tianjin; losing it would expose the capital region to direct Japanese invasion, placing North China in imminent danger.
In March 1933, Japanese vanguard forces launched an offensive against Xifengkou. Over several days, the pass changed hands multiple times but was repeatedly retaken by Zhao Dengyu’s 109th Brigade, who fought to the last man. With the enemy’s main forces approaching, holding Xifengkou became increasingly difficult.
Faced with this, Generals Song Zheyuan and Zhao Dengyu decided on a bold plan: to launch a night raid on the Japanese encampment. It was at this critical moment that the seemingly primitive big knife squad’s prowess shone brilliantly.
The effectiveness of the big knife had already been demonstrated in previous skirmishes for high ground. Especially after Li Yaocheng’s enhancements, the knives could be used both for slashing and thrusting, making them formidable weapons in close combat.
Under the 29th Army’s banner, Zhao Dengyu led the big knife assault team, reciting the oath personally written by Song Zheyuan: \"Better to die fighting than to live as slaves.\" Then, under the cloak of darkness, they vanished into the night.
At 3 a.m. on March 11, Zhao led 500 big knife fighters to their target villages nestled in the valley. They silently approached the Japanese camps, and with a sudden command from Zhao, hundreds of grenades exploded inside enemy tents, lighting the darkness with flames.
Striking while the enemy was weak, Zhao and his troops charged like cleaving swords through watermelon, each swing decisive and deadly. By dawn, the battlefield was strewn with over 5,000 enemy casualties inflicted by the big knife team’s fierce fighting.
Their gains were not limited to enemy bodies; captured Japanese military supplies astounded the Chinese forces—over 100 light machine guns, 50 mountain guns, and dozens of heavy machine guns.
When Song Zheyuan heard the logistics report, he gestured proudly and said to Zhao, \"All these will be assigned to your 109th Brigade.\" Yet Zhao, knowing the whole 29th Army only had a few dozen heavy machine guns, resisted greedily hoarding them.
After careful thought, Zhao decided to keep ten light machine guns and two heavy machine guns for his brigade, sharing the rest with the other units of the 29th Army to strengthen their collective resistance against the Japanese.
After the Battle of Xifengkou, the Japanese forces suffered a severe setback and no longer dared to threaten the pass. The army publicized images of their worn blades in newspapers, and soldiers posed with big knives, reenacting the daring night raid on Xifengkou.
However, the 29th Army’s deputy commander, General Feng Zhian, was far from impressed. This iron-willed general understood that forming a big knife squad to fight a well-equipped enemy was a desperate measure. The victory at Xifengkou was achieved only through the troops’ immense sacrifice; in terms of weaponry, it was a victory that brought shame as well as pride.
The triumphant night raid at Xifengkou was also China’s first major victory since the September 18 Incident, greatly boosting the morale of the Chinese people. Zhao Dengyu was promptly promoted to division commander due to his outstanding performance.
The news reached composer Mai Xin, who was inspired by the daring night raid of the big knife team at Xifengkou to create the legendary \"Dadao March,\" a timeless patriotic anthem.
Tragically, during the subsequent defense of Beiping, the heroic Zhao Dengyu was fatally shot, becoming the highest-ranking officer to die in the early phase of the war of resistance against Japan.
Today, as we reflect on the 29th Army and the Battle of Xifengkou, we remember the national humiliation, reaffirm our mission, stay true to our original purpose, and work tirelessly. Only by building a strong and prosperous nation can we ensure peace and realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
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