What important historical events occurred in Wuhan during the Anti-Japanese War?

What important historical events happened in Wuhan during the Anti-Japanese War

After the fall of Nanjing in 1937, Wuhan also became the "temporary capital" of the government. Chiang Kai-shek and other military and political officials were based in Wuhan to direct the Anti-Japanese War. The largest battle of Wuhan, the Japanese army attempted to completely conquer China and end the war. Chiang Kai-shek also wanted to achieve a decent record in order to make up for his guilt in the fall of Shanghai and Nanjing due to his incompetent command.

So the Battle of Wuhan was also cruel and bloody. In the end, the Chinese army paid a price of 400,000 casualties, shattering the Japanese army’s dream of conquering China quickly. Due to excessive casualties, the Chinese army had to abandon Wuhan again and evacuate to Chongqing. , for a time, the docks of the three towns in Wuhan were crowded with ships and sailing ships, carrying important military equipment, government supplies, and fleeing soldiers and civilians moving to the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. It can be called the "Dunkirk evacuation of the East."

Seeing that his plan failed again, Chiang Kai-shek had to put on a show frequently, making a gesture of "sticking to his post until the last moment" and refusing to evacuate, causing other military and political officials to evacuate and not evacuate. No, Song Meiling was even more like a husband and a wife, so she had no choice but to stay in Wuhan where the cannons were rumbling.

In the end, Defense Minister Xu Yongchang had to issue a final "ultimatum": Chairman, Chairman, Japanese spies have been mixed into Wuhan. If you don't leave, I will send troops to carry you away. Your safety is not yours. One person's matter is a national matter!

At this time, Chiang Kai-shek "had" to agree to evacuate, but it was indeed a little late. Chiang Kai-shek did not have a special plane in the early days of the Anti-Japanese War. Most of them were airline planes, and now there is no one left. At this time, the government was a little panicked. After careful inspection, they learned that an American plane was available at Hankou Airport. Chiang Kai-shek and Song Meiling hurriedly got on the plane and took off.

Seeing Chiang Kai-shek leaving, Bai Chongxi, Xu Yongchang and others immediately fled for their lives. Finally, the Central Unification and Military Unification agents behind them began to destroy the airport facilities. It's true that misfortunes never come singly. The pilot of the American plane that Chiang Kai-shek was eager to board turned out to be a "novice" and very unskilled in his business. He lost his way soon after taking off and couldn't find the route. What's more terrible was that he was in a hurry and didn't refuel. Enough, so I flew back halfway!

Wuhan is basically in a state of fall. The Japanese army will appear at the airport at any time, and the airport was destroyed by the Central Unification agents. The navigation lights were gone. The plane made an emergency call to the ground. It took a long time to contact the ground. The ground sent people Holding lanterns and torches, he guided the plane to land, refuel and check the route. After a lot of trouble, they took off again and flew away from Wuhan, which had been entered by the leading Japanese troops. During the whole process, Chiang Kai-shek and Soong Meiling clasped their hands in fright and kept praying to God for salvation.

After escaping from danger, Chiang Kai-shek wrote in his diary with great shame: "I will be in unprecedented danger for the rest of my life." He was almost sent to the Japanese by a rookie American pilot.