China News Service, Hefei, October 10 (Zhang Junchu Weiwei) "The general screamed, and the soldiers forgot the bitterness. One person, one potato, chased to the end of the sea." The 92-year-old war correspondent Zhang Chongxiu recalled the raging war 71 years ago. The years are still vividly remembered.
A photo taken by Zhang Chongxiu of the Volunteer Army and the Korean People’s Army rendezvous in Changjin Lake.
Photo by Zhang Jun
The movie "Changjin Lake" is currently being screened, and the old man Zhang Chongxiu is the one who witnessed this battle.
The reporter came to Zhang Chongxiu's home in Hefei a few days ago. He opened the photo gallery while telling the reporter the story behind the lens.
Zhang Chongxiu tells the story behind the photos of the Battle of Changjin Lake.
Photo by Zhang Jun
Zhang Chongxiu was born in Chaoxian County, Anhui Province at the time in 1929. He joined the New Fourth Army at the age of 13 as a soldier and cultural instructor. He has experienced the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, the War of Liberation and the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea.
On November 12, 1950, Zhang Chongxiu entered North Korea as the photography team leader of the Political Department of the Ninth Corps of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army. In the following three years, he took more than 2,000 precious photos with his lens.
Zhang Chongxiu tells the story behind the photos of the Battle of Changjin Lake.
Photo by Zhang Jun
Speaking of the Battle of Changjin Lake, Zhang Chongxiu was sometimes impassioned and sometimes solemnly respected.
Zhang Chongxiu recalled that it was winter when the troops first entered North Korea, and the soldiers encountered the weather of minus 30 or 40 degrees for the first time.
"At that time, a soldier took off his shoes and prepared to wash his feet after participating in the battle. As a result, the skin on his feet peeled off like cooked sweet potatoes. The squad leader asked him to go to the hospital at the back. He just didn't want to leave." Zhang Chongxiu Recalled.
In the photos of the Battle of Changjin Lake taken by Zhang Chongxiu, there are soldiers marching in the snow half a meter deep, soldiers charging to the top of the mountain, and soldiers crawling on the snow to ambush the enemy.
Zhang Chongxiu said that bullets flew by his side at that time, and artillery shells exploded around, but none of the soldiers flinched and was afraid. A strong spirit was the key to victory.
"At that time, because roads and vehicles were destroyed by the enemy, the troops had no food for half a month. The soldiers had to rely on a frozen potato to fill their hunger. The frozen potato was put on the waist and slowly covered it before eating." Zhang Chongxiu told reporters that the two major problems faced by the volunteers in Changjin Lake at the time were the shortage of heavy weapons and equipment on the one hand, and hunger and severe cold on the other.
"In this situation, we have no other way but to rely on human courage."
Zhang Chongxiu also took many photos of the enemy and us fighting close-up, including the enemy climbing down from armored vehicles and surrendering, volunteer soldiers rushing to the road to chase the enemy, and volunteers destroying enemy tanks. The "Victory Reunion" is his most precious photo. A satisfactory one.
At that time, Zhang Chongxiu was alone, walking forty to fifty kilometers, walking for seven or eight hours to catch up with the vanguard, and finally recorded the "classic scene" of the victory of the volunteer army and the Korean People's Army in Hamhung Port, North Korea.
Speaking of this experience of his own, Zhang Chongxiu said that he must be courageous to engage in photography and conceive and prepare in advance, because film was very precious at the time, and one shot must be successful.
Even if there is a rain of bullets on the battlefield, even if the enemy is right in front of you, as a war correspondent, you have to rush forward and take these pictures.
The war also left large and small marks on Zhang Chongxiu's body. His palms were pierced by bullets and there were scars on his legs, but he rarely mentioned this unforgettable experience to others because he felt it was history. Given the mission, if it weren't for him, someone else would take these photos.
"People are living well now, but this thing cannot be forgotten." Zhang Chongxiu said that today's good life is inseparable from the sacrifice and struggle of the older generations. I hope that people will not forget the history and cherish the current life.
(over)