Chapter 29: The September 18th Resonance

  On this day, Zhejiang University began to exhibit a strange phenomenon. Almost every time classmates met, they would exchange a glance and then let out a sigh. Whenever a group of people gathered to discuss something, as soon as someone else walked by, everyone would immediately stop talking. However, the person passing by would also nod in understanding, and then everyone would simultaneously let out a sigh.

  In this way, the news of the "9.18" Incident spread throughout Zhejiang University in just one day. Although the surface was calm, it was actually turbulent beneath. When Shanghai newspapers reported on the "9.18" Incident and reached Ningbo, the local newspapers finally lifted their ban, and almost every ordinary citizen in Ningbo learned about what had happened on September 18th of the 20th year of the Republic of China in Northeastern China. The students of Zhejiang University were finally able to openly discuss the "9.18" Incident.

  As a public university, various political topics within the school are restricted by the school authorities. However, this cannot stop the patriotic enthusiasm of Zhejiang University students. Moreover, with more and more news about Northeast China coming from newspapers, seeing the cities in Northeast China falling one after another, the originally vague patriotism suddenly became extremely strong. The students' blood was boiling, and open discussions had already begun at Zhejiang University, although the school authorities repeatedly advised against discussing national affairs, they ultimately failed to have any effect on these excited students.

  Things went on like this until the Mid-Autumn Festival in 1931. The originally lively festival was spent in this oppressive atmosphere. Moreover, with the turmoil of the times, such a reunion on Mid-Autumn Festival became even more precious.

  Early in the morning, Liu Kaifeng brought tea leaves, pastries and other four-color items to Zhang's house. As soon as he entered the gate of Zhang's house, Liu Kaifeng saw Old Man Zhang in the living room.

  After seeing Liu Kaifeng, Old Master Zhang rarely didn't have a stern face because he had a good impression of this young master from the Liu family who wasn't one of those spoiled rich kids. Moreover, he was also Zhang Zihuan's fiancé, so it's only natural that Old Master Zhang liked him too.

  Liu Kaifeng chatted with Old Man Zhang for a few sentences, and under his tacit consent and hint, Liu Kaifeng familiarly came to Zhang Lieyang's room.

  As soon as Liu Kaifeng entered Zhang Lieyang's room, he saw Zhang Lieyang disassembling his gun and motioned to him to take care of himself. Liu Kaifeng poured himself a cup of tea and sat down in the chair on one side, waiting for half a day, but seeing that Zhang Lieyang still didn't intend to speak, he stood up and walked over to Zhang Lieyang. When he arrived in front of Zhang Lieyang, Liu Kaifeng looked around and suddenly took out an envelope from his pocket, secretly handing it to Zhang Lieyang and saying: "Take a look first!"

  Feeling a bit strange, Zhang Lieyang couldn't help but look at Liu Kaifeng. Liu Kaifeng signaled him to read the envelope first, and Zhang Lieyang took out the letter from the envelope. The letter was titled "Declaration of the Communist Party of China on the Japanese Imperialist Invasion of Northeast China". After seeing the words on the cover, Zhang Lieyang's heart skipped a beat, and he looked up at Liu Kaifeng. Liu Kaifeng nodded solemnly, and Zhang Lieyang continued to read with some tension, slowly starting to silently read the contents:

  "To the working class, peasants and soldiers of China:"

  The blood of Wanbaoshan and Korea had not yet dried, when Japanese imperialism openly sent troops to China, violently occupying Shenyang, Andong, and Yingkou, and slaughtering Chinese civilians on an even larger scale!

  Imperialism of all countries, especially Japanese imperialism, is a monstrous robber that oppresses and massacres the Chinese people. In the past six months, it has killed from Manpo Mountain in Korea to Qingdao, and now it has reached Shenyang, Andong, and Yingkou. The sacrifices of the Chinese laboring masses have already accumulated to tens of thousands. In the past, there were the May 30th Movement and the Jinan Massacre, which were even more brutal. Now, it openly and violently occupies Chinese territory, with the obvious purpose of plundering China, suppressing the Chinese workers' and peasants' revolution, and making China its colony. At the same time, it actively and directly launches an attack on the Soviet Union, attempting to eliminate the world's first proletarian fatherland, the base of the world revolution, and launch a second world war, especially a Pacific imperialist war, implementing a policy of large-scale massacre to divide up China.

  Imperialist robbers see it very clearly: the Soviet proletarian dictatorship is becoming increasingly consolidated, socialist construction has achieved unprecedented victories, and the five-year plan will be completed immediately, which is extremely unfavorable to imperialism and contains great danger. All imperialist countries are desperately planning to eliminate the Soviet Union in order to save their dying fate, what Pan-European Alliance, what Hoover Plan, all of them do not go beyond this. Now Japan's imperialism is occupying China's three northeastern provinces, but it is just a further implementation of the plan for imperialism to attack the Soviet Union. The working people and laboring masses of the whole country must be mobilized under the fundamental task of supporting the Soviet Union, and give a serious answer to Japanese robbers and all imperialists.

  At the same time, imperialist robbers also understand that the world revolution is developing vigorously, and the Chinese workers' and peasants' revolution is rising day by day. The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army and the Soviet region have bravely broken through the third "encirclement" of the imperialist Nationalist Party warlords. The tide of land revolution and anti-imperialism has surged greatly, especially after the Wan'an and Han cases. This revolutionary tide will inevitably overthrow the reactionary rule of foreign imperialism and the Chinese landlord capitalist Nationalist Party, and establish a workers', peasants' and soldiers' Soviet government. Foreign imperialism sees that the Chinese Nationalist Party warlords can no longer eliminate the revolution, and their running dogs, the Nationalist Party warlords, can no longer protect and expand their interests in China at will. Therefore, they directly occupy Manchuria, Chinese territory. The Manchurian Incident is the most obvious manifestation of this. All factions of the Nationalist Party and all factions of warlords are essentially the running dogs of imperialism. Zhang Xueliang and the entire Nationalist Party sang high praises for non-resistance and peaceful diplomacy when the Japanese robbers massacred the Chinese people, fully revealing their shameless surrender and betrayal of national interests. The broad masses of workers, peasants, soldiers, and laboring people throughout China must resolutely unite to fight against imperialism and the Nationalist Party in order to achieve victory in the workers' and peasants' revolution and seek liberation. Only the revolutionary iron fist of the broad masses can stop the atrocities of imperialism and drive it out of China!

  Now, at a time when the internal contradictions and conflicts of various imperialist countries are intensifying, with economic panic and political crisis developing more violently, these conflicts and crises will inevitably lead them to a second open slaughter. Especially with the storm clouds of Japanese-American conflict in the Pacific gathering, China is bound to be one of the battlefields that cannot be avoided in this conflict. On the one hand, they instruct their respective warlords to engage in armed conflict, while on the other hand, they take advantage of opportunities to directly send troops to China to expand their ruling interests there. Such events are not uncommon; in the past, Britain and Japan have repeatedly sent troops to China, and recently American imperialism has been loudly advocating for the use of a large army to occupy China. This time, Japan's occupation of the three northeastern provinces is clearly a case of "the early bird catches the worm," preparing for large-scale slaughter at the expense of China. Naturally, the contradiction between imperialism and the Soviet Union is the most fundamental one, so the war against the Soviet Union is the main danger. However, the wars among various imperialist countries themselves are also becoming increasingly urgent. The entire Chinese working class, peasants, soldiers, laborers, and oppressed masses must engage in resolute struggle under the banner of opposing a second world war, overthrowing imperialist rule, and fighting for China's national liberation. They must unanimously oppose Japan's violent occupation of the three northeastern provinces, wage war against imperialism's oppression of China, and support the Soviet Union's anti-imperialist and anti-Kuomintang revolutionary war to liberate China.

  To all the working people, peasants, soldiers and laborers of China!

  At the time when the people were suffering and sacrificing under the ravages of warlord wars and unprecedented floods, Japanese imperialism openly invaded China, occupying Chinese territory and slaughtering Chinese civilians! Any faction of the Nationalist Party and warlords can only oppress the Red Army and the Soviet Union, carry out warlord wars, manufacture disasters, and surrender to imperialism, selling out national interests. In the past, the Jinan Massacre, the Wanbaoshan Massacre, and all other massacres were unconditionally surrendered and sold out by the Nationalist government! Do we still want to dream that the Nationalist government will resist the invasion of imperialism? The rule of the Nationalist warlords is essentially the guardian of imperialist oppression and slaughter of Chinese civilians. We should unite to mobilize, overthrow the Nationalist Party, and break through all the deception of peaceful reform. Only the power of mass struggle, only the victory of the worker-peasant Soviet movement, can liberate China.

  Oppose Japanese Imperialism's Occupation of the Three Eastern Provinces!

  Immediately withdraw the naval, land and air forces occupying the three eastern provinces!

  Abolish all unequal treaties!

  Down with all imperialism!

  Get out of China all imperialist land, sea and air forces!

  Confiscate all imperialist properties in China!

  Oppose imperialist aggression against the Soviet Union, arm for the defense of the Soviet Union!

  Oppose the imperialist Kuomintang's attack on the Soviet Area and the Red Army, support the Soviet Area and the Red Army!

  Oppose World War II!

  Overthrow all factions of the Nationalist Party! Overthrow all warlords!

  Change the imperialist Kuomintang's war of opposition to China's revolution into a revolutionary war against imperialism and the Kuomintang!

  Long live the victory of the Chinese workers', peasants' and soldiers' Soviet struggle!

  September 20, 1931