“一封书信，一段历史”
2020年9月3日，是中国人民抗日战争暨世界反法西斯战争胜利75周年纪念日。
80多年前，在民族生死存亡之间，无数热血青年为家国决意赴死。
岁月流转，当年的那场战争早已离我们远去，但战场上留下的一封封书信，却成为历史永恒的见证。
如今，重读这些信件，依然能从中感受到他们对侵略者的满腔怒火，对亲人的无尽思念，对国家、民族的赤诚之心。
抗战胜利75周年来临之际，CGTN带来“战火中的书信”系列，与你重温庞大战争背景下个体的牵挂、温情、挣扎与爱。
September 3 marks the 75th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese Peoples War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. During the 14-year war against Japanese invasion, more than 3.8 million Chinese soldiers lost their lives. According to data released by Chinas State Council Information Office, the total number of Chinese casualties, both military and non-military, exceeded 35 million, accounting for a third of the total deaths in World War II.
While eight decades have passed since one of the bloodiest wars in human history, stories of people from that generation continue to be told and shared. As the anniversary draws near, CGTNs special series “World War II Letters” takes a closer look at some of the war heroes through a special legacy left by them – letters they wrote from the battlefields and the homefront to their families, loved ones and people they fought with.
In this episode, we focus on a letter written by General Zhang Zizhong, a legendary hero who fought against the Japanese invasion and was regarded by the enemy as one of the most valiant and respectable Chinese generals of the war.
“力战而死无愧民族”
提起在抗战中牺牲的将领们，很多人会自然而然地想起张自忠将军。
张自忠（1891年8月11日—1940年5月16日），山东临清唐园村人，第三十三集团军总司令，牺牲于枣宜会战。张自忠的遗体在被运往重庆安葬、途经宜昌时，十万军民不惧日军飞机盘旋，恭送灵柩至江岸。
张自忠是从山东临清唐园村走出的著名抗日爱国将领。他年少时弃学从戎，自1914年至1940年的20多年里，多次临危受命，奋勇杀敌。
从抗战一开始他就有“报国必死”的决心，每次上战场前都要写下一封遗书，待战胜归来后，再把写好的遗书烧掉。
在1940年5月的枣宜会战中，张自忠将军以身殉国。牺牲前，他将自己的卫队全部调去前方增援，全身八处负伤，战至最后一刻。
战斗前夕，他曾留下两封信，一封信致将士们，另一封信致其副将。
致将士们的那封信，因其句句肺腑，字字千钧，尤为后人所称道。
这封信写于1940年5月1日。在信中，张自忠写道：
“
看最近之情况，敌人或要再来碰一下钉子。只要敌来犯，兄即到河东与弟等共同去牺牲。国家到了如此地步，除我等为其死，毫无其他办法。更相信，只要我等能本此决心，我们国家及我五千年历史之民族，决不至亡于区区三岛倭奴之手。为国家民族死之决心，海不清，石不烂，决不半点改变。
”
After fighting for seven days and nights in the 1938 battle of Linyi, Zhang and his army won victory, ending Japans plan to send more troops to the frontlines of Taierzhuang, where one of the biggest strategic battles took place.
In May, 1940, Zhang and his team fought at the frontlines of the Battle of Zaoyang–Yichang. It was there that he lost his life after becoming seriously injured. He was reportedly the highest-ranked Allied officer killed in action during the Second World War. Now general Zhangs mausoleum is situated in Beibei District of Chongqing Municipality and there are several roads named after him in Shanghai, Beijing and Tianjin.
牺牲前，张自忠强撑着给第5战区司令部写下最后一份报告，并告诉副官——
“我力战而死，自问对国家，对民族可告无愧。”
张自忠是抗日战争时期牺牲在疆场上的唯一一位集团军总司令。
1940年5月23日，张自忠的灵柩由十万军民护送，在宜昌上船，送到重庆，葬在北碚的梅花山。遗体转运途中，各地军民冒着被敌机侵袭的危险，自发前往迎送，表达对英烈的缅怀和敬仰。
将军虽已长逝，但英风浩气与世长存。
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