As seen in our previous post, the last building for the women's mission station in Siuyen -- the home for the women missionaries -- was finally constructed in mid-1932. Although the Japanese had invaded Manchuria after the Mukden incident on September 18, 1931, and had established the puppet state of Manchukuo* on February 18, 1932, it took some time for the Japanese to extend their actual rule to the outlying areas, and they were met with varying degrees of resistance.
About the same time as the last building for the women's station was being constructed, the Chinese soldiers in Siuyen were organizing a resistance to the new regime. In mid-December 1932, the Japanese arrived in Siuyen. As it turned out, the mission station was just about the most dangerous place to be in all of Siuyen, since the Chinese soldiers of the resistance chose as their base an abandoned house right next to the station and the area became the focal point of Japanese bombing.
Anna Bøg, with her characteristic alertness to the importance of recording events, wrote a series of private letters home to Denmark describing all that occurred. Excerpts from these letters were later published in the missionary newspaper and we present them here.
We should explain that when Anna Bøg refers to the "old soldiers" she is speaking of the Chinese soldiers resisting the Japanese takeover. Also, when she refers to "the Japanese man's empty house", we know from our research that she is speaking of a house illegally built by a Japanese man during the autumn of 1931 on property adjacent to the mission station that he had only rented for a year. He situated the house right up against the property line of the mission station. Apparently, by winter, 1932, he had either been ejected by the landlord or abandoned the house, as it was by then vacant.
Here are Anna Bøg's letters for the latter part of December, 1932:
Source:"December 13, 1932
"Yesterday and today Japanese airplanes visited us twice. Yesterday, they threw down leaflets in English and Chinese. On the English ones, it said it would be best if foreigners would leave, but if not to go together to a place and raise our own flag. Then they would try to protect us. They said they were only looking for bandits, and that their soldiers were on the way. So, all day long, we have waited for them, but at 6:30 p.m. it is still calm.
"The station has again been full of refugees. Some went home last night but nevertheless the kang is full. They are so anxious, the poor people. The Bible Women have been busy taking care of them. They read and sing with them. They cannot go outside. Some come to me in my room. Some have come who do not normally come here."December 15, 1932
"Before I came downstairs this morning, people had already started streaming in. All night, people were fleeing the town. During the morning, the aircraft returned twice, and the sound of cannon fire reached us. It is said that there is fighting out at Tap'ien-ling. All the [old] soldiers have fled the town. The waiting room of the clinic was packed full of women and small children. Even so, the day was calm and quiet here in town. It is said that the hostile forces have been driven back."December 16, 1932
"It has been a very eventful day. I awoke this morning to the sound of cannon-fire from not far away. The cook heard shooting throughout nearly the entire night. People streamed into both yards [of the mission station]. During the forenoon, the aircraft returned four times. In the middle of the morning, we heard cannon-fire very close by. But then it became quiet, and it was said that seventeen Japanese soldiers had come and had taken over the town. Later, it was said that 300 soldiers of the new empire had arrived. The Japanese have billeted themselves in and around homes. A group is at Lin Tang In's house. They are comporting themselves nicely. For a time, we had peace of mind. But this evening, refugees started arriving again. We are expecting an assault on the town by our old soldiers. It is said that all the gates to the streets, both large and small, stand open.
"Now we go to rest, in God's name."December 17, 1932
"The confrontation that we had known would happen ever since last summer happened yesterday on the 16th without a big battle. It is expected that the old [soldiers] will regroup and attack again."December 20, 1932
"What a change has occurred in our dear Siuyen. It has suddenly become a new world. While walking in the street, one can breathe freely. All the old soldiers have left without a trace. It is said, however, that there is fighting by Kuan-men-shan and other places. Now there is an airfield just northwest of town. Today the aircraft have been up several times, but people no longer come running out. One gets used to it. Still, the Chinese believe the town will be assaulted by the old soldiers."December 24, 1932
"I had hardly sent the letter with the good news before misfortune struck us. On the morning of the 22nd, we awoke to loud shooting. During the night, a number of our old soldiers had come in to the town. All day long, we heard cannon-fire and gunfire by the East Mountains."December 25, 1932
"The night between Dec. 22-23 was relatively quiet, but with constant shooting. Dec. 23 was almost identical to Dec. 22 but it seemed as if the old soldiers became braver. They built a bulwark on the main street and ventured out onto the main street. There was shooting the entire day and no one could go out. Our refugees were in distress with no food and no firewood. . . . The old soldiers remained strong around here and took refuge in the Japanese man's empty house. They could be heard throughout the night. The night between Dec. 23-24 we again heard steady shooting in the street. We all retired early and slept tolerably.
"Dec. 24th Christmas Eve was the worst of all. We had aircraft hovering over us. They dropped sixteen bombs. Since the old soldiers were gathered around here, most of the bombs were dropped right here. Our house shook, dust flew all around, iron fragments from the bombs were everywhere, and a window was shattered in the Bjergaardes' guest room. It is terrible when the bombs fall. . . . One fell on the house where Tung T'ui Han (a young 17 year old Christian girl) lives -- not in their [main] room, but in two rooms on the other side of their kitchen. The large beams were split. The chest against the wall was shattered. The windows were broken. There was a huge hole in the ground and so forth. Fortunately, the family had gone out to San Ch'i, a village south of Siuyen. Tung T'ui Han had lain on the floor and prayed. Her mother said, 'Pray my daughter, but it might wake up the ancestors!' We saw the bombs fall in our neighbor's yard, the big yard west of our house, but no one was injured. In the other yard, three were killed, also a dog and pig. It was a terrible Christmas Eve day.
"About 5:00 p.m., it was said that the old soldiers had left town. From the west gable-room in the new house we could follow the progress of events. Then we opened up the gate, and for the first time in days, we were brave enough to stick our heads out. Our neighbors also looked out. Then we felt like a big family again. Our nearest neighbor said, 'You shelter us. The women are always above us.' But we had hardly taken a deep breath, before it was said, 'Now a new group of old soldiers are entering through the south gate'. Everyone's courage sank, and the refugees streamed back in. We then had to say 'Yes,' to all the refugees, both men and women. 'Please, let us stay here, we will just sit on a bench, lay on the floor, or just stay outdoors.' And it was Christmas Eve!
"We Danes gathered for roast goose at the Bjergaardes'. We lighted a Christmas tree for the children. It was a big dry branch from an apricot tree. It was very lovely with the candles lighted. At last, we knelt together, and [Rev.] Bjergaarde reminded us that when the heart is the most uneasy, that is when the harp of joy is heard. All the refugees had a small feast over in the [meeting] hall. It lasted for several hours and the people sat quietly. Then we had to find room on a warm kang for the mothers with the youngest children. At that time, I thought of the words, 'And woe to those who are with child and to those who give suck in those days.' [Matt. 24:19.] There were so many babies that I could not count them all that night, Christmas night.
"At last I had a quiet moment with Psalm 3 from Bishop Olesen's devotional book, 'Life'. He says, 'David took the hand of God, and that gave him confidence. You must first see the Lord, and remember his power and trust him before you start thinking about difficulties. Look at him ten times for every time you look at the enemy. As your days, so shall your strength be [Deut. 33:25], and that will be your shield.'
"Never was it more threatening than it was on Christmas Eve. Leaflets were thrown down saying that the next day many airplanes would come and drop bombs over the entire town because Siuyen was in league with the bandits. On the outskirts of Siuyen, bandits were besieging the nearby area. It was said there were several thousand. When we sang, 'Secretly among us they walk,' about the angels in 'Glæde Jul' [Merry Christmas], ** we felt it as a reality.
"The first part of the night, we heard a lot of shooting. The later hours were quieter. Thus, we came through Christmas night. The next morning, we awoke to the sound of children's chatter down in the yard. When I looked out, the adults were standing in small groups.
"Suddenly about 9:00 a.m. there was loud knocking at the gate. 'Who is it,' we asked. 'Japanese.' We opened the gate . . . and a pleasant young man accompanied by four armed soldiers asked us in Chinese, 'How is everything here? Was anyone injured yesterday? You can now breathe more easily. The bandits have been routed.' Then he said, 'Merry Christmas [In English]. I too am a Christian.' The merchants were ordered to open their shops, and in the street we saw the flag of the new country everywhere.
"Over in the meeting hall, we held a Christmas service for a packed congregation. Many of our neighbors were there, and also several of the lukewarm Christians."December 26, 1932
"This morning, when we arrived at the church, we were the only ones there. At the time, there was also an airplane. That probably kept more people from coming out. But before the service was over, several more people arrived, and there was also Communion. Just at that time, the Japanese cavalry arrived and a little later the infantry came too. They are now billeted everywhere. The big room is packed. Ten are lodged in the Bjergaardes' two bedrooms. They have been doing their own cooking in the Bjergaardes' washhouse. They run back and forth between the neighbors and us. One stands guard with a sharp bayonet. It was a big relief in town when they came in. All the men ventured out in the streets and helped get the troops settled. They would not have dared do that when their own troops arrived. Then there was no one in the street. Old Liu, our houseman, has been very quiet and without fear during all that has taken place, accepting it all as a good Christian. I have not felt the least bit of fear . . . . however, I do not like to hear the sound of bombs dropping. I believe that sound will always be with me every time I hear an airplane. The Chinese say this is the worst of the wars that they have experienced."
Bøg-Madsen, Anna; "Siuyen - Uddrag af Privatbreve fra Frøken Bøg-Madsen”, Dansk Missionsblad; March 8, 1933; Vol. 100, Nr. 10, pp. 144-146. Translation by Betty Christensen.
All D.M.S. materials used with permission.
Image:
Japanese invading Mukden in 1931, from Wikimedia Commons. In the public domain.
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*In an earlier post, we mistakenly stated that Manchukuo was based in Mukden. Although the Japanese took over Mukden first and initially operated from there, the puppet state of Manchukuo was based in Changchun, which was renamed Hsinking. The earlier post has been corrected.
**This is a reference to the lyrics of a Danish Christmas hymn by A.G. Risskov, "Glæde Jul".
1 comment:
thanks for the interesting information
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