Hidden by the Angels (1934-1935)

Anna Bøg's second furlough was from June, 1934, to August, 1935. Anna Bøg traveled by boat from Dairen in Manchuria to Kobe, Japan, and from there by ship to San Francisco for a stay in America. After that she left by ship from New York for Denmark and after some time there departed from Copenhagen by ship for Manchuria.

Unfortunately, this furlough was beset by difficulties -- not in America or Denmark but rather in leaving from and returning to Siuyen. First, turbulent weather threatened to impede her departure. In June, 1934, Rev. Bjergaarde reported:

“Miss Bøg Madsen was . . . scheduled to leave on June 8 by boat from Dairen to Japan and had hoped to leave here by automobile on Thursday, May 31 but this was hindered by an extraordinarily strong rain causing turbulence in the rivers, making it impossible for an automobile to cross without the risk of being pulled into the violent current. There are no bridges. To obtain a military escort and a Chinese cart would not be easy …Someone even thought of telegraphing to get a plane to pick up Miss Bøg Madsen. Well, that’s the way it is when one is at an inland station. It is no problem to travel around the world if one can manage the 90 kilometers to the railroad station. On Monday, June 4, however, the automobile was able to navigate and she caught the ship in Dairen on time.”

During this second furlough in 1934 and 1935, Anna Bøg spent time with her family on the West Coast and in Iowa. Family members remember this visit with affection. For instance, Anna Bøg's brother Peter's son Stanley tells an anecdote about Anna Bøg's visit to the family farm in Oregon. Anna Bøg wanted to go in to the nearest town. Peter offered to drive her but she did not wish to go by automobile and instead insisted on walking. Peter then sent young Stanley to accompany her, whereupon Anna Bøg (then nearly 47 years of age) set off walking at a pace so fast that Stanley was impressed.

After her stays in America and Denmark, Anna Bøg returned to Manchuria in August, 1935 aboard the Italian steamer the Conte Rosso in the company of the Rev. Buch family and other missionaries. The Buchs could go from Dairen by train directly to their post in Harbin but for Anna Bøg her return to Siuyen was even more difficult than her departure had been. Our readers will recall that there was no passenger train to Siuyen, the nearest passenger station being Haicheng. Moreover, there was still a major risk of being attacked or taken hostage by the ever-present bandits. This was especially the case since at the time the tall crops had not yet been fully harvested. As ever, they provided good cover for the bandits. And, the memory of Dr. Nielsen's long captivity was still fresh in everyone's minds.

Here is Anna Bøg's account of her return:

“A month to the day after my departure from Copenhagen, I landed with my fellow passengers in Dairen, where a letter from Siuyen informed me not to attempt the trip to Siuyen until the harvest was over. Three weeks later, a letter arrived saying that the harvest was now advanced to the point where I could try to come. I went to Haicheng, which was the closest railway station to Siuyen. There I was kindly received by the British missionary, Miss Macintyre, and went with her to the authorities. There I was also kindly received and informed that I could travel by an automobile that was leaving the next day from another station. After thinking it over, I concluded that the automobile was for soldiers, and that I had better go by horse and cart even if it was dangerous. In the meantime, I received a message from Siuyen asking me to wait a couple of days because the Bible Woman, Mrs. Kuo, had left for Haicheng in a freight train.

"[On Mrs. Kuo's arrival,] I learned that at times the freight cars had become stuck in the mud. Mrs. Kuo’s freight car had overturned and thrown her into the mire. Mrs. Kuo brought me my old coat and blanket. She dared not suggest that I return with her. I was at a loss about what to do and wondered if it could be God’s will for me to go with her. If things went awry, not only I but also the missionaries in Siuyen could suffer consequences. I continued praying, 'Turn your path to the Lord and he shall rescue you.' The next morning I still had no light but then I read in Job 5: 19-27, 'He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee. … And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation …'.

“When I pondered over these words I thought that this was the Lord’s answer to me, and when Mrs. Kuo came to tell me that the train was leaving at 12:00 and she was going with it, the only answer was, 'I will also go.' Mrs. Kuo arranged everything for the trip and had my belongings carefully put away in old sacks, so no one could see what they contained. Then we left with the freight train for Siuyen. My heart was in the beginning uneasy and fearful, especially about the consequences for the D.M.S., but the Word continued sounding, ‘In six anxieties and in seven.’

“The next day, after having been to an inn, the anxiety had disappeared. We passed several villages with me covering my head with my blanket so nobody could see who I was. But all of this would have been of no use if the angels hadn’t hidden me. I sat quietly and enjoyed the trip, seeing the farmers driving the sheaves home to be threshed, and the women gathering cotton in the field or harvesting rice with bowed knives.

“We had several delays, but later I realized that all this was in God’s plan. The village where we stayed overnight the first night was two days later pillaged by 200 bandits. Thirty persons were taken hostage, and several houses burned down. Where we stayed the next night, the neighboring inn had been robbed the same night.

"We came through unharmed and I had one more experience of how the Lord had intervened and brought me home. . .

“… The missionary station is a busy place. The Lord’s rich blessing covers the work and all my dear companions, and with new eyes I see how it is becoming green with growth everywhere; thanks be to God.

"Our old cook, Yang, had for three days been waiting to receive me, and the Chinese said, 'God's Name has been glorified.' . . ."

Sources:
Bjergaarde, Rev. Jens, "Siuyen," Dansk Missionsblad, Vol. 101, Nr. 35, 1934 (exact date unknown), p. 513. Translation by Preben Jørgensen.
Bøg-Madsen, Anna; “Tilbage til Siuyen,” Dansk Missionsblad, Vol. 102, Nr. 49, 1935 (exact date unknown), pp. 759-760.) Translation by Preben Jørgensen.
[This article was condensed by the D.M.S. from personal letters Anna Bøg wrote to friends in Denmark. The D.M.S. changed the language from the first person viewpoint to the third person, i.e. used "she" (hun) rather than "I" (jeg). We have put it back into the first person.]

Image:
Portrait of Anna Bøg taken in Cedar Falls, Iowa, in late 1934 or early 1935. Courtesy of Roger Lais.
All D.M.S. items used with permission.

Among the Bandits for 196 Days (Dr. Niels Nielsen, 1933)

Our readers will remember the post entitled, Dr. and Mrs. Niels Nielsen, Medical Missionaries. We mentioned there that Dr. Nielsen had been abducted and held for ransom. Now, we present the story of his ordeal, which occurred in 1933 and fits in sequence here.

This is a translation of the greater part of a long article written by Dr. Nielsen following his release. We think our readers will agree that it is a remarkable story in many respects:

"During this time of transition, it is difficult to distinguish between insurgents, dismissed soldiers, and professional bandits since they all live by banditry.

"Since it was commonly said that many of the people here in this district were beholden to me for long hospital stays as well as health and life, I had absolute confidence that no one would rob the hospital or do me any harm. Such was also the opinion of the general public and the police shared this view.

"The hospital doors had stood open to the people day and night, and we relied on nothing other than the protection of God and the affection of the people. On the night of April 11, however, I was called down to the men's hospital in order to attend to a wounded patient, someone who was expected any moment. When I came in and began my preparations, I was surrounded by soldiers who were in the room and I imagined to be waiting for their wounded comrade's arrival. They held three pistols to my chest and put a rifle to my back, while another hurriedly tied my arms from behind and put a noose around my neck. Then in the cold spring night, only half dressed, with a bandit on each arm, a rifle tucked hard into my back, and surrounded by a troop of bandits, I was abducted from home and work and taken out to the idle life of a fugitive in the remote mountainous regions. Two of the hospital assistants were also taken, one of whom was later allowed to go home again, while the other was forced to remain to act as a messenger and so forth.

"To be so violently torn away from all that you have been connected to in daily life since your early days seems to be a living burial, because of the immediate cessation of all work and habitual activity. Moreover, you are now surrounded by rudeness of spirit, immorality and cruelty, and the life of the vagrant Cain. . . . In this helpless condition, there is absolutely no fear of death, since the idea of being transported to one's heavenly home is liberating and comforting. . .

"A hymnal and a New Testament were the only books I had with me. One must cast off all burdens to live by night, climbing mountains and wading through rivers and mountain streams, the more so as the bandits rarely use the known and more accessible trails, mountain passes, and fords to ensure that no enemy overtakes them and no spy follows. In addition, clothes are often soaked in rain, so only with great care may books and soap be kept dry. . . .

"It was a great encouragement to have the opportunity to bring many people the message of salvation as well as medical care. An old medicine dealer lay huddled on his kang. He had lain for several hours with a strangulated hernia. I offered to cut an opening in the intestines with my pocket knife so he could be returned to his previous condition and then after he was out of danger he could be borne to the hospital for further treatment. Fortunately, we managed to get back the intestine without using the knife.

"A bandit was shot through the right lung, and the bullet had been sitting in the left shoulder area for two days. An urgent operation was necessary to keep his lungs clear, but instruments and medications for anesthesia were missing. When the man heard that we in the west had operated well before we knew how to use anesthesia, he chose that. I then cut with a Chinese razor and took the bullet out with the shaft of my teaspoon. The man recovered in two weeks.

"Another man had his left upper arm shattered near the elbow joint by a rifle bullet. For three weeks, he had been using a plaster of a sort of shoemaker's pitch and the whole arm was attacked by inflammation and filled with pus. Instruments and medicine had been fetched from the hospital, and I managed with local anesthetic to position the arm and take out seven pieces of bone. The arm is now almost healed with motion in the elbow and new bone growth in the upper arm.

"I did a multitude of smaller operations, and in many homes I gave out medicine to at least a dozen people for many different disorders. The robbers took no small pride in thus bringing medical assistance to the homes. They demanded eggs and other good things for me, as my wife had sent them three hundred dollars for provisions. Then the bandits took their cut and ate most of the eggs.

"At this time there are several thousand bandits here in these environs that feed both themselves and their families by banditry because of the major political upheavals. At the time of the change of government, the last mandarin, along with a significant component of the army, was driven out into the mountains and must engage in banditry to cover their current expenses. Besides, there are many other outlaws, etc., which likewise use banditry as a livelihood. Therefore, all the bandits cannot be considered from the same presupposition. The difficulty of separation arises in that the political outlaws use people and procedures that draw them down into plain banditry and common outlawry, so the difference is that a proportion of income is used for political agitation, as well as to cover the costs of the agitators, their sojourns for a change of climate, and their political journeys outside the country.

"The bandit gang that abducted me is of the political type. The leaders are members of the school- and student unions. They are aged 16 to 25 years. Originally there were only a dozen members, but they have since increased their number by fifty hired people who receive a monthly salary, and besides that they keep many spies. In numerous ways they are deceived and seduced by the mendacious political and social agitation and the currents of the time. Particularly affecting are those in the direction of malicious criticism and hatred. They busy themselves with fomenting international, industrial and political complications and entanglements. With rejection, they brood on the past political mistakes, which incidentally no historian tries to conceal, excuse, or minimize the responsibility of the guilty parties. They do not understand how to assimilate the warning and instruction of history. They neither understand nor have an overview of the present world situation. Their use of and interaction with a large number of low criminals will in a short time bring them down to their level.

"Although they are embittered and advocate many non-Christian views, they did not blame me for anything, nor did they comment negatively on missionary labor or its motives. In their youthful inexperience and lack of diplomatic insight, they conceived a plan to abduct me as a hostage and make the government pay half a million dollars in ransom as well as supply them with a portion of firearms and ammunition. All this they meant to achieve in a week's time. This was a complete overvaluation of the role and value of a missionary in society. And they thought the government's refusal would lead to war between Japan and America, which they regarded as a timely help for China. I tried to advise them, but they did not follow my advice.

"After some time, a law came out prohibiting the payment of ransom to bandits. It requires the person who pays a ransom without permission to be punished. Since the law is not supported and implemented with adequate police power against the bandits, the defenseless unarmed citizens must endure and suffer both the bandit attacks and the police punishment because the ransom must nevertheless be delivered, or else the prisoner, after cruel tortures, must pay with his life.

"On the whole, the band did not stop banditry after receiving instruction in Christianity. Several were not immune, however, and I managed to persuade some to return home. Others have promised to abandon the profession as soon as they get their summer wages. Both of the leaders also made detailed inquiries about the possibility of obtaining the 'clean hands' that they had heard me say all sorts of soap was not able to give them.

"Banditry is often not caused by greed and sloth. The ingenious institutions fostered by Christian love for the relief and protection of many unfortunate people are obviously unknown in this heathen land. The concept of mercy is expressed, but generally falls short of achievement. Relief of the poor, old age and health benefits, hospitals, mental asylums, retirement homes, Fredehjem,* orphanages and other rescue institutions are as little known as a public school that gives children a hot meal and free dental care and nursing services. Mutual help associations with assurance against fire, pestilence and livestock disease are all unknown, so the losses are often more than the individual can bear. Then when they lack bread, how shall they sustain life in their small, leaky houses without ceilings, with only thin roofs, and holey ground floors, which in summer are so humid that small water-pipes are needed to drain out the trickling flow of water while in the winter the floors freeze to cold sheets of ice which absorb the heat that the little, hungry, almost naked and frequently sick children so desperately need? In their leaky windows, there are only thin layers of newsprint as a defense against the importunate winter storms. The unemployed and helpless breadwinner who lays hands on another's property will remain for the rest of his days a poor, bitter, and outlawed bandit, since according to Eastern custom and law each family member's mistakes and offenses are imputed to the entire family. Thus their home must be moved to remote and unknown regions. Other robbers are partly or wholly insane, but since they are quite without resources for mercy, they seek, like the lepers, food and shelter in distant places and exercise self-help.

"Many bandits here in this district are working men that during the spring came from Shantung to seek work spinning silk, etc., to return home late in the autumn with their summer pay. Silk spinning is presently at a standstill, however, so those workers are without trade or travel money. They can be hired by the bandits for monthly wages and a large portion of them participate only as watchmen. This is far from everything said about bandits or banditry. I say this only to emphasize some of the causative circumstances that help keep many bandits in their unhappy lives.

"Originally it was absolutely not the bandits' intention to extort money from the hospital or me, but since the country is very impoverished, their summer yield was low, and they stood on the threshold of winter without winter clothes and food for themselves and their family, and at the same time owed the hired people several months' salary, they were inclined to follow my recommendation to write down their requirements.

"They sent me back under full protection against capture by other bands and at great peril to their own lives, as there are many government troops in the district whose objective is the eradication of bandits. Rather than surrender me to the nearest division of the army, they wanted to show the army that they were able to deliver me to the place from which they had taken me 196 days earlier.

"On October 25, 1933, at 2:00 a.m., I was set free and received with much love in my beloved home milieu.

"The robbers all along treated me as well as circumstances and their desperate living conditions permitted. Deliberately and intentionally, they did not mistreat me, and they sheltered me from witnessing the beating and torture of other prisoners.

"One day some dear children decorated me with flowers, and after that the young robbers every day took an opportunity to fill my buttonhole with the most beautiful flowers they could find.

"However deeply I may regret that a 'ransom' had to be paid, it is a comfort that a large portion of it will be used for food, clothing, and shelter for many people who, with or without any fault of their own, are in such great distress that many contributions for famine relief could not find a better use.

"The bandits claimed that after this mountain tour I will be able to work at least five years longer than otherwise. Only God knows, but He is able to bestow His blessings tenfold.

"'To a prayer in loving faith, the Lord does not say no', has again provided a good outcome to this incident.

"Hearty thanks to all the dear friends for their faithful intercession throughout this long time.

"Affectionate greetings from your grateful envoys.

"Kirstine and N. Nielsen"

Dr. and Mrs. Nielsen were American citizens. Early in the doctor's captivity, the American vice-counsel unsuccessfully tried to negotiate his release. The Japanese from the beginning opposed the payment of a ransom. Moreover, according to an article in the New York Times published immediately after Dr. Nielsen's return, rescue efforts by the Japanese troops had only resulted in the bandits taking the physician farther into the mountains.

Although there is a public relations photograph taken later on during the morning of Dr. Nielsen's return which depicts him (now clean-shaven) standing with Japanese soldiers and the current mandarin, his actual return was in fact a clandestine operation. A time was selected when most of the soldiers were out of town and the hospital guards had been secretly cautioned by the missionaries not to shoot if someone approached. Then Dr. Nielsen was brought back to the hospital at 2:00 a.m. under cover of darkness so that his captors were less likely to be killed or apprehended by the Japanese. The young Chinese man abducted at the same time had been with Dr. Nielsen throughout the ordeal but had been released some days earlier. He then assisted in the transactions that actually resulted in Dr. Nielsen's return.

From Dr. Nielsen's article, it appears that the actual amount of ransom agreed upon and paid was based on a computation of what the bandits actually needed to pay off their hired help and cover their own winter expenses. According to our sources, the amount was US $1,200.

When Dr. Nielsen describes the fantasy the bandits had about the "government's refusal" leading to war between Japan and the United States, apparently what he was saying was that these naive young bandits believed that Manchukuo's refusal to permit a ransom to be paid would result in the United States declaring war on Japan.

It's difficult to reconcile the fact that these young political bandits on the one hand were pleased to bring Dr. Nielsen's medical aid to some households while they robbed and kidnapped from others and even beat and tortured their prisoners. Presumably, they made a distinction based on the household's economic circumstances or perhaps based on their own need for support from some segment of the populace. Unfortunately, Dr. Nielsen does not clarify this aspect of the situation.

Dr. Nielsen (who was 58 years of age at the time) does not mention being ill. In a follow-up article, however, Rev. Bjergaarde wrote that on the morning of his return Dr. Nielsen looked so old and tired that the missionaries found him difficult to recognize. Also, he had lost 47 pounds during his captivity. Moreover, the New York Times reported that while still being held the doctor had said in notes to his wife that he was in poor health.

The Nielsens left for America not long after the doctor's release. They were on furlough for nearly three years, until October 1936. After that they returned to Siuyen and continued to serve there until the onset of World War II when the Japanese ejected them because they were American citizens.

Translated source:
Nielsen, Kirstine and Niels; "Blandt Røvere i 196 Dage;" Dansk Missionsblad, Vol. 100, Nr. 47, November 22, 1933; pp. 685-690. Translation by Marie-Jacqueline.

Other published sources:
Bjergaarde, Jens P.; "Dr. Nielsens Frigivelse", Dansk Missionsblad, Vol. 100, Nr. 52, December 27, 1933; pp. 762-766.
"Manchurians Free American Doctor," New York Times, October 26, 1933, p.11.

Image:
Photograph of Dr. Nielsen early during the morning of his release before he shaved off the beard he had grown over the past seven months. From Dansk Missionsblad, Vol. 100, Nr. 52, December 27, 1933; p. 765.
All D.M.S. items used with permission.
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*The literal translation of fredehjem is "protect-home". This seems to be some kind of protective services, but we would appreciate information from our Danish readers as to the exact nature of this institution.

Conflicts Continuing, New Religion Proselytizing (March, 1933)

In articles written in early January, 1933, and published in the missionary newspaper in mid-February, 1933, Anna Bøg and Rev. Bjergaarde's wife, Maria, each re-told the events of December, 1932 that had already been described in the excerpts from Anna Bøg's private letters* where she talked about the battles in the immediate vicinity of the mission station in Siuyen. The two new articles, taken together, provide additional details that clarify somewhat the situation with the resistance fighters. What immediately follows is a summary of the additional information from the two articles. In perusing it, the reader should bear in mind that at the time Siuyen was a small city of about 20,000 inhabitants:

In November and the first part of December, 1932, weapons and ammunition were smuggled into town from Tientsin by way of Peichingtzu (near Takushan) and various places. After the Japanese dropped the leaflets on December 13, the missionaries raised the Danish flag. The mandarin, Liu, and his volunteer troops, who called themselves "Defenders of the Fatherland", left town and remained outside until December 16. Mandarin Liu made it known that during that time they fought several battles north of Siuyen.

On December 16, approximately 1,000 Japanese and Tatung** soldiers occupied Siuyen. About 3:30 a.m. on the morning of December 22, however, there was shooting as Mandarin Liu's troops swarmed into town, filling that part of the city that was outside of the old city walls. They shouted in the street, "We are several thousand who have now entered town." They knocked on gates and asked people to provide food for them. Mandarin Liu's troops then proceeded to engage the Japanese and Tatung troops every night through the night of December 24.

All the town gates were open and Mandarin Liu's troops seemed to become bolder every day. Japanese planes flew over every day and on December 23, Mandarin Liu's troops fired at them repeatedly. It was said that the mandarin's troops had shot down one of the planes but that turned out not to be true. The Japanese and Tatung troops retreated to the old walled part of the city, then on Christmas Eve day the Japanese bombed the area of the town held by Mandarin Liu's men. That day many of Mandarin Liu's troops converged on the area of the mission station and positioned themselves just outside the mission station walls and inside the abandoned house of the Japanese man that was built right up to the property line of the mission station. From there, they shot fiercely at the Japanese planes. After the bombing on December 24, it was said that the Mandarin's troops had left town via the South Gate. No sooner had everyone breathed a sigh of relief, however, than it was reported that fresh troops from Mandarin Liu's forces had come into town. Meanwhile there were bandits all around the city, and refugees were fleeing into town to get away from the bandits. Then, on Christmas morning, the Japanese came to the mission station and told Anna Bøg that the Mandarin's troops had all left town.

Anna Bøg's subsequent letters, of course, reveal that this was not the end of fighting.

Based on this information, taken together with Anna Bøg's letters, the reader will note several things: (1) as dangerous as it was in the city, many of the refugees felt safer there than in the country where they were vulnerable to the bandits; (2) both the resistance fighters and the refugees hoped to protect themselves by coming within the safety zone provided by the Danish missionaries in that the Japanese would want to avoid an international incident that would threaten their puppet regime of Manchukuo; (3) the professional bandits were relentlessly exploiting the chaos created by the political turmoil; and (4) given the large numbers of resistance fighters in such a small city and their preparation for the engagement by smuggling in weapons and ammunition, one can speculate that Mandarin Liu and his men were not operating in isolation but were connected in some way or another to one of the larger and more powerful warlord armies.

The additional information summarized above clarifies Anna Bøg's letter dated February 22, 1933 where she said, "the southern part of the city is at this time in the hands of the former Mandarin Liu, and the north is in Manchukuo's". Unfortunately, it does not clarify whether the "grays" that she mentions in various letters are a group that broke off from Mandarin Liu or whether they were still allied with him. Nor is that question answered in any subsequent letters or articles that we have reviewed so far.

It should be noted that when Anna Bøg talks in her letter of March 18 (see below) about "soldiers" demanding assistance from residents in the country, she seems to be talking about Mandarin Liu's men. But when she says in her letter of March 19 (also below), "It sounded as if our foes had come back into town", it is not clear whom she defines as the "foe".

In any event, we present here Anna Bøg's letters from March 13 through March 20, 1933. It sounds as if at that time the Japanese/ Manchukuo troops are in possession of the entire town of Siuyen but that the resistance fighters had not yet been permanently defeated:

"March 13, 1933

"Saturday evening clouds hung heavily over us again. It was said that 1,000 gray were lying just outside the town. The refugees arrived. The guns were put in place. There was heavy guard in the streets. They were so close to one another that we could hardly see between them. Thus, we could not find any peace. For a while I was uneasy, but reading 2 Kings 6:17*** and following, and Psalm 34:7**** over and over again, and a quiet hour of prayer, put my heart to rest.

"The night passed quietly. I slept after the few shots that sounded. The next morning I awoke with such an exuberant joy in my soul, a joy from the Lord, that I thought it was given me to pass on to the anxious, fearful hearts during the course of the Sunday, for I could not help but to encourage all the Christians who are so weighed down with reports about hostages and so forth. This happened after many hostages were abducted 2-3 li from here. It gets worse and worse. They become bolder, and at this time there is hardly any rule of law.

"Today, I visited a family whose son was taken a few days ago. They are now staying here in town in a couple of small rooms, and every day there come seven carts with additional people and their many things. The good woman was about to jump out of her good skin. The entire afternoon was busy with visitors. They come and want to have their young girls in here. Yesterday a woman sat here and cried. They do not know what will happen to their children. . . . May it pass that "when the need is the greatest, help is nearest" for these poor people. They have no home. How bad this reality is. It is worse than ever before. Rural dwellers cannot hold out. Even in quite poor homes the bandits beat the people to drain out what few pennies they have. Thus, there is a large influx into town of rich and poor alike. We might be able to find our way to them with Jesus.

"The bandits have announced that the next time they come to Siuyen, they will come into the mission station, for there is money here. In the evening, our houseman, old Liu, came in. At that time there was unrest again. He said: "I'll have to hide myself. What else can I do when they question me about where you are?" I replied: "There is nothing else to do but to call for me," and said that we did not place our trust in men. But of course I would prefer that they do not come. Pray about this for us. Patriotism is still tormenting the populace. Poor, poor China.

"Carpenter [and Mrs.] Liu have not had particular problems like last time. Their houses have been spared. Some nearby had it bad. Liu is growing at this time, I think; he teaches the young men in the evening. His wife is still ill, but her face is radiant.

"March 18, 1933

"We had a visit from the young Christian Mrs. Chao from Shao Tzu Ho and her husband. All the young people in the home fled here to town yesterday and went to live temporarily in a house in North Town belonging to some of the family. They could not bear to remain at home. Every day soldiers came and demanded to be waited on. They made them sew and patch their clothes. Now they are here in town, squeezed in with family, but they will also soon tire of that.

"March 19, 1933

"It was a busy Sunday. We started Sunday School at 9:00 a.m. in order to accommodate the many children. It was a delightful sight to see the church filled with children on both sides. There were so many there that had never been before. This is because at this time so many rural residents have moved into the city. The women's side had seven classes. We tried to have some empty seats at each class, but even these were filled. On the boys side there were also many. Then after the children went out, the church was in the same way filled to the last seat with adults, and again this afternoon the little room was entirely full. These are some of the many hands reaching out for the Bread of Life. The Lord is working in hearts. Many hymn books and Bibles are being sold at this time here in town.

"There was a great deal of shooting here last night. It sounded as if our foes had come back into town. There are ten holes in the compound wall and three or four in the west gable. All the beautiful trees out toward the hospital have been sawed down. Outside the West Gate, an additional gate has been made of barbed wire and little scraps and there is a fence made of large branches around the whole town. We think it invites the bandits to put a match to it. Every evening the streets are lighted up. Each home must provide a lantern. The moats around the city have been made deeper. They must be so deep that a man on horseback cannot get over them. The old Mandarin Liu and bandit chieftain Teng Mei Tieh with their troops are still active out in the countryside just as before.

"March 20, 1933

"Yesterday we were busy from morning to night. We are too few for the work at this time. Tao Te hue -- a blending of the 5 main religions including Christianity, which internally through meditation and silence seeks connection with God, and externally does social work and works of mercy -- is making a great effort in town. They hold school and put out propaganda; many join them. Should we not then work harder? God willing, we hope to bring in some of the older girls every morning and teach them. It is sad that the school cannot take them. They only have small children this year."

Sources:
Bjergaarde, Maria; "Siuyen"; Dansk Missionsblad; Vol. 100, No. 7, February 15, 1933; pp. 95-98.
Bøg-Madsen, Anna; "Juleaften i Siuyen"; Dansk Missionsblad; Vol. 100, No. 7, February 15, 1933; pp. 99-100.
Bøg-Madsen, Anna; "Uddrag af private Breve fra Frk. Bøg Madsen;" Dansk Missionsblad; Vol. 100, Nr. 17, April 26, 1933; pp. 245-248. Translated by Marie-Jacqueline.
Bøg-Madsen, Anna; "Uddrag af private Breve fra Frk. Bøg Madsen;" Dansk Missionsblad; Vol. 100, Nr. 18; May 3, 1933; pp. 266-267. Translated by Betty Christensen.
All D.M.S. material used with permission.

Image:
Relief from Cao Dai Temple in Vietnam, from Wikimedia Commons. Some rights reserved.
The figure at the center top is Buddha. The figure third from the top at the center is Christ with his Sacred Heart.
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* As it turns out, the letters were written to Elise Bahnson who had gone home to Denmark on furlough at the beginning of December, 1932.
**Tatung is a city in North Shanxi province in northeastern China.
*** 2 Kings 6:17: A story about Elisha the prophet
**** Psalms 34:7: "The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them."
***** Although this new religion is called "Tao Te Hue", it sounds a great deal like Cao Dai, a Vietnamese-based sect founded in 1926 that combines Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Christianity. Perhaps this was a local offshoot or imitation.

Bandits Besieging, Shells Whistling (February, 1933)

As we mentioned in a previous post, during the early 20th century banditry was rife in Manchuria, as it had been historically. Moreover, the boundaries between soldiers, bandits, and warlords were fluid. This was certainly true during the social dislocation following the Mukden incident and the Japanese takeover.

In her letters of February, 1933, Anna Bøg speaks of "the gray", or "old gray", explaining in a parenthetical comment that by this she means "former soldiers, now bandits". The color apparently relates to their uniforms. It is said that the northern soldiers who were affiliated with the Nationalists/ Kuomintang wore a winter uniform with a padded slate blue jacket that soon faded to gray.

Prior to the Japanese takeover, Manchuria was ruled by the warlord Chang Hsüeh-liang (the son of the assassinated warlord, Chang Tso-lin). Chang had affiliated with the Kuomintang, however. Thus, the Kuomintang padded jacket is probably the "gray" that Anna Bøg refers to.

According to the Wikipedia entry on Chang, after the Japanese invasion of Manchuria, Chang's armies "withdrew from the front lines without significant engagements". Readers will remember that in her letters at Christmas, 1932, Anna Bøg used the term "old soldiers" to refer to men who were apparently putting up a resistance to the Japanese. And, she said in her letters at New Year's, 1932-1933 that some of the "old soldiers" surrendered at the end of December. Now, in her February, 1933 letters she refers to those who did not surrender as bandits.

Anna Bøg's characterization of these men as bandits perhaps reflects the official Manchukuo view. Maybe she was being circumspect. One might question, however, whether the "gray" were not in some way still fighting a resistance, even if surviving by banditry. After all, fighting armed battles from behind sandbags sounds more like a military endeavor than typical bandit activity, and there is no indication that the "grays" had joined up with the local bandit chieftain, Teng-Tieh-Mei, whose men were plundering the area.

The fact that the "grays" might have been robbing does not mean they were not fighting a resistance. Chinese soldiers were generally not well behaved. Nor does fighting a resistance necessarily imply a noble purpose, especially in a political context as fragile and chaotic as early 20th century China. It simply implies an opposition to Japanese rule. Unfortunately, Anna Bøg's letters furnish no information about any chain of command, although she does say that part of the town was still in the hands of the former mandarin.

Janet Mitchell, in her book Spoils of Opportunity, wrote that in 1936 the Japanese analyzed Manchurian banditry and concluded there were five classes of bandits: (1) political, (2) professional (the hunghutze), (3) civilians forced into banditry for survival, (4) religious bandits (the Long Sword and Red Spear leagues, and (5) minor groups of impoverished farmers and workers. The "political bandits" were those "formerly under the command of notorious political leaders, such as Ma Chan-Shan, Ting Chao, and Su Ping-Wen." Perhaps the "gray" in Siuyen fell into that category.

In any event, as the old soldiers had before, the "gray" chose as a stronghold the vacant house of the Japanese man that had been built right up to the property line of the mission station. And so, as before, the mission station was in the line of fire.

Here is what Anna Bøg, the Bjergaarde family, and the Chinese Bible Women who lived in community at the women's mission station in Siuyen underwent during the February, 1933 confrontations:

February 22, 1933

"During the morning the Bible women were away from home. Suddenly at noon, there was panic in the streets. Carts and infantrymen rushed down the streets. At noon the thunder of cannons could be heard from North Town. There was unrest the entire afternoon, and many refugees arrived. The blind girl, Chang Kuei-Ch'ing spoke at a prayer meeting about Jer. 33:3* and told about the three angels:** faith, hope and charity. But, the refugees were nearly all pagans. The Christians could not get out. In the evening, we did not put on any lights in the yard because the bandits are right here by the town. At this time, there is no moonlight. I went to bed at 7:30 p.m. but at 9:30 p.m. I had to get back up and dressed again because there was a frightful cannon volley. It was a bad night, the worst we have experienced so far. The entire night there was the sound of cannons, machine-guns, rifles, and hand-grenades, so there was no sleep.

"Most of the night, [blind] Kuei-Ch'ing sat in the living room. It startles her every time a gun goes off. The Bjergaardes did not sleep all night either. The cook, whose home is out of town, did not come this morning. It is like it was at Christmas. A small crowd of gray (the former soldiers, now bandits) from the nearby temple just ate breakfast at the house of our neighbors across the street. So far, they have not knocked on our gate to get food. Before lunch, there was an awful sound of howling and shouting. It was the soldiers coming into town.

"While Mrs. Bjergaarde and I stood watch a while at the west gable, I suddenly caught sight of a big hole in the stove. A bullet had passed through the window and into the wall. It's snowing -- the first day of real snow the entire winter.

"On the calendar this morning was Mark 4:40: "Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?" May the Lord in this hour be with all in this small home, where they live for him and pray to him, and may they believe that Jesus is with them in everything.

"3:00 p.m.: The old gray are still holding up at the old temple and the corner of Main Street. All day long there has been cannon-fire alternating with rifle-fire and together with that all day long there has been a glorious snowfall such as we have not seen the whole winter. That is good for the homes that have no water as the clean snow can be melted. All the thatched houses are soaked, so if they are set afire, they will not burn so quickly.

"6:00 p.m.: The southern part of the city is at this time in the hands of the former Mandarin Leo, and the north is in Manchukuo's. It said that the bandit chieftain, Teng-Tieh-Mei, will come in by the northern road this evening. Mrs. Chao's home at the cross-street has been plundered of everything. They had all gone together and locked the doors. Now even the shutters of the house are gone. It looks grave outside. What will night bring? We are now nested up here in my living room.

February 24, 1933

"The morning: There was unrest all night. We had the impression that it was from the Japanese man's house (our neighboring house) that there still was firing. It did not seem to be answered from the North. The gray were still up at Main Street behind sandbags. After breakfast, [Rev.] and Mrs. Bjergaarde came with binoculars. We had barely gone upstairs before a battle commenced here in our street. We had to hurry downstairs again. That lasted about 3/4 of an hour. There was violent shooting. The Manchukuo soldiers had come down from the river behind the others. From inside the Japanese man's house there was strong resistance. Shells whistled over our houses. How many times I asked the Lord to preserve our good new houses. Then the old gray was once again forced to flee southward.

"If the proverb: 'Good things come in threes' applied here in Siuyen, we would now be finished. Little Hans Bjergaarde was also sick last night. Today he is better. From our gable window, we saw how the victors with their sun-flags*** marched through town. They stopped by a fallen soldier who lay at his post behind the sandbags. I then saw how a beggar came and stole the shoes from his feet, and the dogs licked his blood. There are fallen in several places in both the large and small cross-streets and now reports are steaming in of bandit attacks in the homes. At Mrs. Hsu's, one reads, they took almost everything. She said: 'We cannot get by.' As far as we know, all the Christians are at peace. At Leo-Tang-An's they took a padded cotton coat and from the neighbors the same. At Lao Shi Chia's, they found one of the old [gray?] dead.

"The Japanese man's house was the center this morning, but the Lord kept his hand over us all. The women lay on the floor and prayed when it was the worst. Now all the refugees have been sent back home again and we will rest a bit in the afternoon. There were 15 on the dining room kang last night. In the big room there were 30 or more. Merely getting them inside makes them happy. We had a beautiful snowfall - 1 / 2 foot - a magnificent snowfall again today. This evening a suspicious soldier came into the yard. Fortunately, [Rev.] Bjergaarde spoke to him forcefully. Then he made an excuse and disappeared.

February 27, 1933

"How people are suffering. I cannot but suffer with them. At dusk, they come with their bundles and babies. They dare not be at home. Ez. 21:4.**** This time, they are nearly all pagans. The shops are all closed. Yesterday about 100 Manchukuo troops arrived. It is worse with the bandits than ever before."

Sources:
Bøg-Madsen, Anna; "Uddrag af private Breve fra Frk. Bøg Madsen", Dansk Missionsblad; April 26, 1933; Vol. 100, Nr. 17, pp. 245-246. Translation by Marie-Jacqueline. The parenthetical comments are in the original. Our own explanatory comments are in brackets or footnotes.
All D.M.S. materials used with permission.
Mitchell, Janet; The Spoils of Opportunity (Methuen & Co.; London, 1938), pp. 34-35.)

Image:
Weapons of Manchurian bandits, from Wikimedia Commons. In the public domain.
------------------
* Jer. 33:3: "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not."
** Here the word "angels" is a metaphor. Faith, hope, and charity are the theological virtues.
*** The word Anna Bøg uses here -- "solflaget" -- can be translated as sun-flag or sun-colors. She might be referring to the Manchukuo flag, which is predominantly golden. More likely, however, she is referring to the Japanese flag with its big red sun in the center.
****Ez. 21:4: "Seeing then that I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked, therefore shall my sword go forth out of his sheath against all flesh from the south to the north[.]"

Privacy Invaded, Propaganda Initiated (New Year's, 1932-1933)

Our last post was of letters from Anna Bøg describing the arrival of the Japanese in Siuyen in mid-December, 1932, and their bombing of the immediate vicinity of the mission station on Christmas Eve, 1932. As the Japanese consolidated their control of Siuyen and the surrounding area, Anna Bøg continued to write private letters home to Denmark, and excerpts from the letters continued to be published in the missionary newspaper. Here are the excerpts for December 31, 1932 through January 16, 1933:

"December 31, 1932

"When I look back over the past year, I see that the Lord's grace has been great, and His help and kind hand can be seen throughout. The difficulties have been many, but the Lord has delivered us from all of them, so I can say with all my heart, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits". [Ps. 103:2.] I am happy in the new house. Not a day goes by when I am not thankful for it. The Japanese only billeted here for three days. On the morning of the fourth day, they moved out to locate the bandit gangs. Yesterday, some of the old soldiers surrendered themselves. Last night it was said that Cheng T'ieh Mei, the chieftain of the bandit gang from last summer, would come and burn down the town. We are still not entirely finished. The streets are nearly devoid of people and commerce is at a standstill.

"January 1, 1933

"Today is peaceful. At the beginning of the morning worship service there was next to no one, but then a few came along. Chou-Shu-Chen was baptized. She was so happy. Her response could be heard throughout the church. We could feel that it came from the heart. There have been three Japanese in our houses. They searched them from cellar to attic. When old Liu did not get the back door open fast enough, one pulled something out of his pocket that caused old Liu to make haste. Otherwise, there was nothing. They come here often and search, but what good does it do them?

"January 6, 1933

"Today, there are lots of people in the streets again, carts of firewood and small merchants. It is delightful to see people smile again. Everyone greets us so lovingly. May there again be a new and good time with doors and ears open for the Gospel.

"January 16, 1933

"Yesterday, on the fifteenth, there was a huge celebration in town. The streets were full of the new flag. The schools marched past in procession. Today, there was a meeting to which everyone was invited. The speakers came by airplane from Mukden. Even the governor came and spoke to the people. The congregation sent representatives. Then there were stilt-walkers and New Year's jesters in the street, all to encourage and comfort the populace. Yesterday, little Chou-Shu-Chen had to leave. Her No. 2 brother came after her. . . . But she was grateful because yesterday she had been along to Communion. Now she is surrounded on all sides by heathens."

Source:
Bøg-Madsen, Anna; "Uddrag af Privatbreve fra Frøken Bøg-Madsen," Dansk Missionsblad, March 15, 1933; Vol. 100, Nr. 11, p. 161. Translation by Betty Christensen.
D.M.S. materials used with permission.

Image:
Manchukuo propaganda poster from the Hoover Institution Archives Collection via Wikimedia Commons. May be copyright-protected. Fair use claimed here as it is not used for profit but to provide critical commentary on the event in question.
The caption reads, "With the cooperation of Japan, China, and Manchukuo, the world can be at peace."

Bombs Falling, Soldiers Occupying (Christmas, 1932)

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:

"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."

Source:
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.
----------------
*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".

Bandits, Soldiers, and Warlords - Part II

In addition to the hunghtze (bandits), another important element of Manchurian life during Anna Bøg’s time was the presence of soldiers. There were Chinese troops loyal to the ruling warlord Chang Tso-lin and, even during the 1920s, there were large numbers of Japanese soldiers stationed in Manchuria.

As mentioned previously, Japan had acquired the South Manchuria Railway and related leases in 1905 at the conclusion of the Russo-Japanese War, and had expanded the railway. The Japanese had a very high profile in Manchuria, especially in the southern tip, not far from where Siuyen is located.

Aside from the railroad itself, the Japanese owned a large concession in the southernmost part of the Liaodong Peninsula. This concession was called the Kwantung Leased Territory. It included Port Arthur and Dairen, where the South Manchuria Railway Company was based, and was comprised of 1,350 square miles or 3,500 square kilometers. (The concession was
southwest of Siuyen, which was not a part of the leased territory.)

While geographically within the southerly Manchurian province of Liaoning, the Kwantung Leased Territory was administratively independent, with its own Japanese governor-general. It was divided into two districts, with two cities, with city governments, and nine towns. This leased territory was protected by Japanese troops, first called the Kwantung Garrison and later the Kwantung Army.

In addition to the Kwantung Leased Territory, the Japanese also leased the South Manchuria Railway Zone, consisting of a wide strip of land on either side of the railroad tracks, extending along the 700 kilometer route from Dalian to Changchun, the 260 kilometer route from Mukden to Antung, and four other spur routes.* The total length was 1,100 kilometers and the total land area was 250 square kilometers.

The South Manchuria Railway zone was also protected by Japanese soldiers. As the Wikipedia entry puts it, “[T]hese were regular Japanese soldiers, and they frequently carried on maneuvers outside the railway areas.” (1) According to some estimates, there were 7,000 to 14,000 Japanese soldiers in Manchuria in the 1920s. (2)

While these Japanese soldiers were ostensibly in Manchuria for the purpose of guarding the South Manchurian Railway and related interests, Japan’s imperialist agenda was evident. Akiko Yosano, the Japanese poetess who toured Manchuria as a guest of the railway in 1928, wrote vivid descriptions of the military ambience at that time, which she found repugnant. About her stay in a hotel in Liaoyang, south of Mukden, in May, 1928, she wrote:

“Because of the troops from Korea** lodged there, we were unable to enter the rooms on the lower floor from which we could have seen the park. The officers and soldiers who came and went appeared to be in an excited state, as though a war was commencing. Imperialism and the smell of liquor rippled through, and the atmosphere of this inn became thoroughly incompatible with our desire to write poems about the gentle White Pagoda and the willow catkins. We entered a poorly lit room in a corner of the lower floor, and for a time could not even bring ourselves to open our bags and change clothes.” (3)

It was during Yosano’s visit to Mukden in early June, 1928, that Manchurian warlord Chang Tso-lin was assassinated. The events leading up to his assassination were as follows: revolutionaries had overthrown the Qing Dynasty in 1911 and established the Republic of China with Sun Yat-sen as its first ruler. Sun Yat-sen also founded the Kuomintang (Chinese Nationalist Party), which had ties with Soviet Russia, and eventually split into left- and right-wing factions. Sun Yat-sen was succeeded as its leader by Chiang Kai-Shek.

While internationally recognized, the Republic struggled unsuccessfully to consolidate its rule. Warlords such as Chang Tso-lin had their own armies and individual warlords or cliques of warlords held various parts of China. In 1924, Chang Tso-lin began a campaign to take North China and Beijing. By August 1925, Chang’s army controlled four large provinces within the Great Wall, including Shantung. And, after some setbacks, Chang Tso-lin captured Beijing in June, 1926. By May 1928, however, an alliance led by Chiang Kai-Shek had the upper hand. Chang Tso-lin left Beijing on June 3, 1928, and was assassinated the following morning. It is believed the Japanese assassinated Chang Tso-lin because he failed to stop Chiang Kai Shek, who went on to rule the Nationalist Government of the Republic of China from 1928 to 1948.

The assassination of Chang Tso-lin occurred so close to the city that Yosano, who was staying there are the time, heard the explosion that killed him. Here is Yosano’s description of the events of June 4, 1928:

“We arrived at [Mukden] Station at 8:30 p.m. . . [and] put up at the Yamato Hotel in the station building. We read in the newspaper that Marshal [Chang Tso-lin] was steadily retreating from [Peking] and that very day had left [Tientsin] to return to [Mukden] aboard the Jing-Feng Railway.**d that at the time of the explosion there were shots exchanged between the Japanese troops guarding the South Manchurian Railway line at the crossing and the Chinese troops watching the Jing-Feng line. We then understood what the earlier strange explosion that we had heard had been. After breakfast . . we heard all sorts of wild rumors. These were all stories that I, as a Japanese, could not bear to hear. It seemed as though, both inside and out, the city of [Mukden] was gripped with fear, the threat of danger, and chaos.” (4)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*See the sketch map for the location of the Manchurian railroad routes, different parts of which were owned by the Japanese, the Russians, and the Chinese.
**Japanese troops based in Korea, which had been annexed by Japan in 1912.
***The Jing-Feng railway, which ran from Beijing to Mukden, was Chinese-owned.

Referenced sources:
(1) Wikipedia article entitled, “South Manchuria Railway Zone”
(2) Wikipedia article entitled “Chang Tso Lin”
(3) Yosano, Akiko; Travels in Manchuria and Mongolia [1928], translated by Joshua A. Fogel (Columbia University Press, New York, 2001), p. 43
(4) Yosano; op cit.; pp 118-119.

Image:
Wikipedia picture of soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army in 1900