July 7, 1937

is a day that countless Chinese people
will never forget
89 years ago
facing the invasion of the Japanese army
countless revolutionary martyrs fought bloody battles
to find the direction forward
89 years later today
the mountains and rivers are magnificent, the country is prosperous and the people are at peace
we have the determination, the means, and the ability
to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity
to dare to say "no" to all acts of aggression
remember history, commemorate the martyrs
we must mourn, and even more, learn from it
today let us together review that period of
bloody struggle, indomitable years of national salvation
July 7, 1937
under the pretext that a soldier was missing during exercises near Lugou Bridge
the Japanese army forcibly demanded to enter Wanping County to search
after being sternly refused by the Chinese garrison
the Japanese army shelled Wanping City by force
creating the "July 7 Incident" that shocked China and the world
as early as 1894
Yukichi Fukuzawa wrote an article
titled "It Is Okay to Charge Straight into Beijing"
the ambition of the aggressor
is clearly exposed in this article
in 1927
the Tanaka cabinet of Japan proposed at the "Eastern Conference"
if you want to conquer China, you must first conquer "Manchuria and Mongolia";
if you want to conquer the world, you must first conquer China...
Lugou Bridge
located near Wanping City in the southwestern suburbs of Beiping (now Beijing)
its geographical location is important
it connects the Pinghan Railway and the Beining Railway
if the Japanese army occupied Lugou Bridge
it would cut off Pinghan transportation
strangling the throat of Beiping
swear to defend to the death
never retreat one step
facing the Japanese army's advance
the Chinese garrison engaged in fierce battle with the Japanese army
with no bullets, they raised broadswords
and fought bloody hand-to-hand with the Japanese invaders
the patriotic officers and soldiers stationed in Wanping
bravely resisted the Japanese attack
swore to live or die together with Lugou Bridge
the crater site of the July 7 Incident on the city wall of Wanping
four hundred million people
indomitable, united in struggle
"Beiping and Tianjin are in danger!
North China is in danger!
The Chinese nation is in danger!"
on July 8, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China issued
"China's Telegram on the Japanese Army's Attack on Lugou Bridge"
appealing:
all Chinese compatriots, government, and army, unite
to build a solid Great Wall of the national united front
to resist the invasion of the Japanese invaders
with China's active promotion
the anti-Japanese national united front was formally formed
14 years of War of Resistance against Japan, 8 years of full-scale war of resistance
facing the invaders
four hundred million Chinese people shared a common hatred
On July 8, 1937, the Central Committee of China issued to the whole country "China's Telegram on the Japanese Army's Attack on Lugou Bridge"
from the Lugou Bridge Incident
to the unconditional surrender of the Japanese invaders
more than 200 major battles were fought in the Chinese theater
nearly 200k large and small battles
annihilating over 1.54 million Japanese troops
the Chinese people fought bloody battles
protected the land, defended national dignity
with the flesh and blood of countless heroes
built a new Great Wall
On September 25, 1937, the main force of the 115th Division of the Eighth Route Army ambushed the Japanese army at Pingxing Pass, killing over 1,000 enemy soldiers and destroying over 100 vehicles. The victory at Pingxing Pass was the first major victory achieved by the Chinese army in active combat against the Japanese after the outbreak of the national war of resistance, breaking the myth of the Japanese invaders' "invincibility" and greatly boosting the confidence of the whole nation in the war of resistance. Xinhua News Agency.
a history that cannot be forgotten
the sorrow of the deceased
the pain of the nation
the blood and tears of the nation
this memory
has long been deeply embedded in the marrow of the Chinese nation
at the time when the Chinese people needed it most
the "Broadsword March" that emerged
the still-standing Lugou Bridge
all bear witness to this unforgettable history
cannot forget!
dare not forget!
will not forget!
the city wall of Wanping, bullet holes still remain
but 89 years later, China
has already changed completely
remember history
cherish peace, revitalize China
we should strive for self-improvement!
remember history, we strive for self-improvement!