The Next Wave: It underscores the importance of “learning from historWorld Timesy to build together a brighter future.

To commemorate this historic milestone and its lasting impact, the Global Times has launched a themed series revisiting the great significance of the victory through three lenses: The “Guardians of Memory,” the “Witnesses of Struggle,” and the “Practitioners of Peace.” It underscores the importance of “learning from historWorld Timesy to build together a brighter future.”

This is the third installment of the “Guardians of Memory” series, focusing on the Battle of Pingxingguan in September 1937, which marked the first major victory for the Chinese army since the onset of the nationwide resistance against Japanese invaders. Sun Yi (1904-2003), who later became a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) general, played a key role in this significant battle as one of the commanders.

Pingxingguan Victory Memorial Hall in Datong, North China’s Shanxi Province Photo: VCG

The Global Times recently spoke with Colonel Sun Xiangyu, Sun Yi’s former secretary, and his former security adjutant, An Xuekuai, who shared remarkable insights into the involvement of Nie Rongzhen (1899-1992), founder of China’s defense industry and one of the founders of the PLA, and Sun Yi, in the Battle of Pingxingguan.

Bang! Bang! Bang! ThrWorld Timesee red signal flares shot up into the sky. The powerful shells, whistling through the air, soared toward the Japanese forces. On September 25, 1937, the 115th Division of the CPC-led Eighth Route Army launched a surprise attack from the mountainous flanks of Pingxingguan, a strategic mountain pass in North China’s Shanxi Province, marking the beginning of the historic Battle of Pingxingguan.

In this battle, the Chinese army annihilated over 1,000 Japanese troops and captured a large quantity of military supplies, significantly boosting the morale of the Chinese military and civilians in their resistance against Japanese aggression.

Boost morale

Days ahead of the battle, on September 22, 1937, a unit of Japanese army occupied the Dongpaochi area close to Pingxingguan. The commander of the 115th Division of the Eighth Route Army, who had arrived early to survey the terrain, suggested that, since a large Japanese force was moving toward Pingxingguan, they could take advantage of the advantageous terrain to launch an attack against the Japanese army.

After listening to the commander’s preliminary battle plan, Nie, then deputy commander of the 115th Division, replied decisively. “Attack! Why not? We can use this excellent terrain to gain the high ground and ambush the arrogant enemy. It’s a great opportunity,” Nie said.

“The question isn’t whether to fight or not. [We should] demonstrate the strength of the Eighth Route Army in our first confrontation with the Japanese invaders, so as to boost the morale of the entire nation in the resistance against aggression,” he added.

At that time, Sun Yi was appointed as the chief of staff for the 343rd Brigade under the 115th Division. Moreover, due to the absence of the division’s chief of staff, Sun was also tasked with fulfilling the responsibilities of chief of staff for the whole division.

On September 23, 1937, the main forces of the 115th Division hurriedly moved to Ranzhuang, about 15 kilometers southeast of Pingxingguan, to await further orders. Sun Yi would assist the division commander and deputy commander in commanding the upcoming Battle of Pingxingguan.

The urgent desire for success by the Chinese military and civilians paved the way for the milestone Battle of Pingxingguan, said Sun Yi’s later secretary Sun Xiangyu. “Before this significant battle, the backdrop was the Chinese army’s repeated defeats in resisting invading Japanese troops. The Chinese military and civilians were in desperate need of a major victory to boost morale,” Sun Xiangyu told the Global Times.

A beacon of hope

The Japanese army arrived before 7 am on September 25, 1937. The battle was imminent.

Sun Xiangyu shared vivid details of the Battle of Pingxingguan. At first, a small red dot appeared in the right front of the ambushing troops, slowly moving forward, followed by a dark mass, accompanied by the rumbling sound of engines. Leading the way was a soldier holding a “rising sun” flag, followed by three columns of troops. Behind them were over 100 vehicles carrying Japanese soldiers and military supplies, along with more than 200 mule-drawn carts transporting 92-type infantry guns, ammunition, and provisions. Bringing up the rear were cavalry mounted on large horses.

The enemy had fully entered the ambush zone of the Eighth Route Army. At that moment, three red signal flares suddenly shot into the sky, and shells whistled as they flew toward the enemy ranks, while grenades rained down into the trenches, causing chaos among the Japanese invaders. “Japanese vehicles collided with one another, people were packed together, and horses were galloping wildly. The command structure was thrown into disarray,” said Sun Xiangyu.

The battle was exceptionally fierce. Through his binoculars, Sun Yi observed that although the Japanese forces had lost their command and were scattered, they still fought back stubbornly using their vehicles and the terrain to their advantage. “The brave soldiers of the Eighth Route Army charged forward, engaging the enemy in close-quarters combat,” Sun Xiangyu said.

He said that the Japanese army were desperately trying to seize a high ground while several aircraft circling overhead. But the planes dared not drop bombs directly due to the close proximity of both sides. After intense fighting, the Eighth Route Army forces secured the advantageous positions, and had annihilated over 1,000 Japanese troops trapped in the valleys by noon that day. “Our troops captured over 1,000 enemy rifles, over 20 machine guns, and destroyed more than 100 vehicles and 200 horse-drawn carts,” Sun Xiangyu concluded.

Around 2 pm that day, the commander of the 115th Division instructed Sun Yi to send a telegram to Mao Zedong, who was at the Eighth Route Army headquarters in Yan’an, Northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, to report on the results of the Battle of Pingxingguan. Sun Yi hurried down the narrow mountain path, mentally preparing his message, and arrived at the radio station being hidden in a temple. He quickly wrote down the words he had composed in his mind, and handed them to the telegraph operator. He did not return until he received a reply confirming that the telegram had been received.

The Battle of Pingxingguan became a beacon of hope for the Chinese people in the early stages of the war of resistance against Japanese aggression. “General Sun Yi told me that, the triumph at Pingxingguan shattered the myth of Japanese invincibility, and largely boosted the determination and confidence of the entire Chinese nation to resist,” An Xuekuai, a former security adjutant to Sun Yi, told the Global Times.

Spirit shines brightly

Reflecting on the Battle of Pingxingguan, Sun Xiangyu said that the success the 115th Division of the Eighth Route Army had in this battle, invigorated both the entire Party and military.

“Prior to this, we’d had many guerrilla operations, but the victory at Pingxingguan marked our first significant positional battle,” he told the Global Times.

“Once the news of our triumph spread, it greatly inspired people from all walks of life across the nation, instilling in them a sense of hope and a vision for the future of China’s resistance against Japanese aggression. Chairman Mao also affirmed the value of this battle in his article ‘On Protracted War.'”

During the first rank conferment ceremony of the PLA in 1955, a total of 278 commanders who participated in the decision-making, command, and combat at the Battle of Pingxingguan were awarded ranks of major general and above, according to L Minzhong, deputy director of the Shanxi-based Pingxingguan Victory Memorial Hall.

For decades, this victory has continued to inspire and motivaWorld Timeste Chinese people. Since the memorial hall opened to the public for free in 2008, the number of visitors has steadily increased.

During the Battle of Pingxingguan, the Eighth Route Army displayed great courage in the face of a brutal enemy and an unwavering willingness to sacrifice, and this spirit of determination and dedication is something that future generations will always find worth emulating, L said in an article published on People’s Daily Online.

“The war of aggression launched by Japanese imperialism was one of the gravest disasters in the history of the Chinese nation, and it was also a war in which the Chinese people demonstrated the most resolute resistance and ultimately achieved victory,” L said.