As KMT veterans receive newfound respect, others gauge political winds

By Liang Chen Source:Global Times Published: 2014-9-14 21:57:49

Although the scars left behind by the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1937-45) have begun to fade, the soldiers who fought against Japan at home and abroad under the banner of China's Kuomintang (KMT) party have continued to suffer, as their contributions to the war used to be unknown to the public. It's only been in recent years that there has been recognition of the feats achieved by these KMT veterans during the war, and many have expressed hope that the veterans will be treated with honor and respect regardless of ideological differences or political winds.

Veterans attend a commemoration of the 69th anniversary of victory in China's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1937-45) held in Beijing on September 3.



A black tie, a white striped shirt and a pair of dark trousers.

You Guangcai, a 95-year-old veteran from Taierzhuang, Shandong Province, placed his outfit beside his bed.

It was a simple gesture, but something about it felt rather solemn. It was the night of September 2, one day ahead of the first commemoration day of the 69th anniversary of victory in China's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1937-45).

In order to represent Kuomintang (KMT) veterans, You and other veterans were invited to attend a high-profile commemoration event on September 3. China's top leaders also attended the event.

He was taking the occasion seriously, so he took care to ensure he dressed appropriately.

"This is a remarkable day. Now that the country is paying increasing attention to us (KMT veterans), I am proud and happy about it," You, who killed Japanese invaders during the war and now has to use a wheelchair, told the Global Times.

"This is also the best consolation for our brothers-in-arms and the living veterans."

You was among 100,000 expeditionary soldiers - most of whom were KMT - who were sent to Myanmar to fight against the Japanese in 1942. Over the following three years, China sent 300,000 troops to Myanmar, killing over 60,000 Japanese soldiers. Nearly half of the Chinese soldiers were killed or injured.

Despite their contributions to the war, the history of the Chinese Expeditionary Force who fought in the China-Burma-India theater was concealed for a long time. Considering the sensitive status of the KMT, they were not acknowledged by either the government or the public on the mainland until recent years.

They used to be neglected, You said.

Now, due to the tense relationship between China and Japan, as well as moves by the Chinese government to highlight Japanese aggression in recent years, the expeditionary soldiers, mostly KMT members, have begun to be acknowledged by Chinese society and more and more attention has been given to them.

On August 30, a photo exhibition in Beijing, entitled National Memories: Images that narrate China-US Collaboration during World War II, kicked off. You and his fellow veterans were acknowledged for the first time during the launch ceremony.

On September 1, Beijing announced a list of 300 martyrs and heroes who sacrificed their lives during the Japanese invasion. The list was the first official catalogue honoring KMT soldiers.

On September 2, a one-year charity program, aimed at finding surviving soldiers, kicked off in Beijing, with Qihoo 360, an IT company, and Bosera Asset Management Company, donating a total of 7.2 million yuan ($1.17 million) toward for the task.

Analysts said it was a "rare step of progress" in recognizing KMT soldiers that fought against the Japanese invaders, but some also expressed concerns as to what might happen if bilateral ties changed.

"We have noticed the progress. However, we have also noticed that such support measures for veterans might not have been made available if it was not at a time when the Sino-Japanese relationship is deteriorating," Sun Chunlong, founder of the Shenzhen Longyue Foundation, which traces Chinese WWII veterans, mostly KMT soldiers, since 2008.

"What will happen next if the Sino-Japanese relationship improves?"

Lu Guangcai Photo: Cui Meng



Commitment needed


Sun began volunteer efforts to aid these unrecognized veterans about six years ago, and in that time he has seen a lot of bitterness and encountered many difficulties when he spoke out on their behalf.

"When I first began to find the veterans in 2008, few people knew about that history and some local officials obstructed us from these endeavors," Sun, who used to be a journalist and was able to get access to the vets thanks to his work, told the Global Times.

Sun still recalls returning home in 2008 to ask his rich friends to donate money to veterans. He was laughed at and his friends said the veterans had nothing to do with them.

Now, the improvement is obvious, thanks to the government's changing attitude towards the KMT soldiers.

Since 2009, several popular TV series about the Chinese Expeditionary Force have been broadcast on mainstream media.

Eventually, the KMT's contribution was recognized by the authorities. This month, a series of high-profile government commemoration events were held. Individuals, enterprises and social organizations were given motivation to help find these former KMT soldiers.

"People began to learn about the history and more people came to participate and help us find the veterans," Sun said.

Despite the improvements, Sun remains worried. "Now we know people are concerned about the veterans, but it is indisputable that people are motivated because of the government's change in attitude," Sun said.

"We still hope it can become a sustainable trend, and that even if the high fever of patriotism and anti-Japanese sentiment ebbs, our concern for the veterans can remain."

An anonymous source who works at the Yuezhong Museum of Historical Images, a co-host of the National Memories exhibition, echoed Sun. "The war went beyond parties or ideologies. We hope by extending our concern about the veterans, the public can remember the war as a whole instead of who fought under the names of different political parties."

Despite the high-profile exhibition, the organizers of the exhibition remain shy about revealing the identities of the different parties. The term KMT did not appear written on any labels or captions at the exhibition despite KMT elements, such as flags, uniforms, and badges appearing in the photos.

Volunteers visit and extend care to veterans in Nanyang, Henan Province in April this year. Photo: CFP



Tough times

You was grateful. He said he had never imagined he would have the opportunity to meet and shake hands with China's top leaders.

 On September 3, he did so. "Seven members of the standing committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee all shook hands with me," You said, the wrinkles of a smile appearing on his face.

In 1940, a young You was enrolled in the army when he was a student at the Southwest United University. He fought Japanese soldiers in Myitkyina, Myanmar. The meter-long scars on his belly left by the Japanese enemies remain apparent today, reminding people of his sacrifice for his nation.

Instead of being honored by his country, participation in the war as a KMT soldier caused trauma to him, as well as his family.

You was criticized, condemned and humiliated as a "counter-revolutionary" during the Cultural Revolution (1966-76). His wife was forced to divorce him and remarried. His daughter had to take the surname of her stepfather to avoid any possible problems caused by his biological father.

Du Heng, his daughter, recalled that when her father came to school to visit her, the father introduced himself to the teacher as "Du's uncle" to avoid troubles that might pass on to her during that time of political unrest.

"If my daughter did not use the surname of her stepfather, she could not become a Communist Party member back then," You said.

Many KMT veterans were bullied and treated badly during the Cultural Revolution. Their names were not rehabilitated until China's "reform and opening-up," said Jia Yuanliang, head of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression Culture Foundation.

Jia added that many veterans dared not talk with their families about their service, making it harder for veteran's-rights campaigners to locate and aid them.

Pu Han, a Sichuan volunteer who has helped find veterans since 2010, echoed Huang. She recalled that when she approached some veterans for the first time, they tried hard to avoid discussing this history, or said "I have confessed already, and I have nothing more to say."

"The psychological trauma, the inconvenience and the alienation imposed upon the veterans and their relatives are things we have to make amends for," said Pu, who shed tears several times during the interview with the Global Times.

"They are running out of time," Pu added.

"A lot of vets are dying, considering most of them are over 90. I felt so sad when I eventually found one veteran, reached his home and found he had died."

There are 20,000 veterans still alive nationwide, but far more have already passed away.

In Sichuan, for instance, there are around 1,000 living veterans, however, due to the difficulties of tracing them, a majority are out of reach. With an average age of 90 years old, most do not have long to live.

A total of 56 veterans died in Sichuan between August 2013 to August this year, Pu noted.

Plus, most of them live in extreme poverty.

Pu said that a large number of the veterans live in the mountainous areas and they have to live on a meager pension. Veterans in the urban areas can get a nationwide old-age pension of 700 to 2,000 yuan per year, while those in rural areas can only receive 55 to 60 yuan per pension per year.

"By finding and helping the veterans, we hope to pass on the spirit that people can learn to respect life and each individual by helping the vets," Sun said.

Helping them is a form of salvation, Sun said. 

In the long run, Sun said, the biggest wish for the veterans is that the government would one day issue badges of honor to KMT veterans.

At present, the Chinese authorities only award Communist Party members badges of honor.

Jiang Jie contributed to this story


Newspaper headline: Late to the Party


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