In May 1942, the Japanese army invaded Yunnan, and the Yunnan-Burma Highway was cut off, making Yunnan instantly turn from the rear of the Anti-Japanese War to the front line. At this critical moment, Yunnan mobilized with all its might to form an army of one million laborers, and the stone mills used in it became a touching history.
The whole people are mobilized, and millions of laborers are fighting.
Yunnan became the front line of the Anti-Japanese War and faced the situation of depletion of foreign war resources. The province quickly formed an army of one million workers, and dozens of localities simultaneously launched airport expansion and rush construction projects. In Yunnan, a total of 56 airports have been built, making it the largest in the country.
One of the most important pieces of equipment in the construction of the airport was road rollers, which were almost non-existent in Yunnan at the time. As a result, the laborers had to use stone grinders instead, especially along the Yunnan-Burma Highway, where road builders of various nationalities used stone to make about 3 or 5 tons of weight and a diameter of about 13-1.5 meters of stone grinder. These stone mills need 50-100 people to pull together, and on winding mountain roads, the stone grinders are often difficult to control when rolling, resulting in rolling down the valley and causing a lot of **.
The stone mill became a powerful assistant in the construction of the airport.
Stone mills played a key role in the construction of airports in Yunnan. Since the Yunnan-Burma Highway is mostly a winding mountain road, the stone mill is more effective in this terrain. Moreover, the rolling requirements of the airport are higher, so the diameter of the stone grinder increases accordingly, and some reach 18 meters. However, the construction of the airport caused a greater loss of stone grinders, and their diameter was even reduced by 20 to 30 centimeters.
In order to cope with the urgent needs, the US military engineers adopted a special production method, using cement to cast stone mills directly. This not only improves the efficiency of the manufacture of stone mills, but also ensures the progress of the construction of the airport.
The sacrifice of migrant workers in the war and the historical witness of the stone mill.
During the Anti-Japanese War, the stone mill in the construction of the airport not only played a role in the repair of the Yunnan-Burma Highway, but also made great contributions to the construction of a large number of airports. Dozens or even hundreds of people acted at the same time, unified command, unified pace, and laborers pulled stone grinders, creating a spectacular scene for the construction of the airport.
However, this history is also accompanied by pain. According to records, on March 26, 1943, 54 Japanese planes bombed Yunnanyi Airport, and the migrant workers working on the airport did not have time to free the thick rope on their bodies, and more than 3,000 migrant workers fell forever, most of these migrant workers came from Weishan, Dayao, Yao'an and other places.
They were buried in the "mass grave" in Mahuangqing, which became a witness to the death of the airfield at that time. These stone mills not only played a role in the repair of the Yunnan-Burma Highway during the Anti-Japanese War, but also witnessed the construction of the airport and witnessed that arduous and glorious history.
A symbol of Sino-American friendship: Shi Nianzi went to the United States.
In 2002, the director of the U.S. Air Force Museum approached China for a stone mill to exhibit. In 2004, carefully selected stone mills were given to the United States. This stone mill, which symbolizes the friendship between China and the United States, has crossed time and space and officially settled in the National Air Force Museum in Ohio, USA.
For the sake of this stone mill, the US side did not hesitate to spend $100,000 and announced that it would be permanently displayed to the outside world. This is not only a memory of the friendship between China and the United States, but also a tribute to the migrant workers who worked bravely during the war period.
Witness to history: the stone mill of Chenggong Airport.
Today, at Chenggong Airport, those stone mills who played an important role during the Anti-Japanese War are still lying silently in the corner of the airport. They are valuable historical evidence of the Sino-US joint war of resistance during World War II, attracting Chinese and foreign veterans of World War II who are still alive to visit.
From July 25 to August 2, 2004, during the Sino-US World War II Friendship International Symposium held in Yunnan Province, the "Ten Heroes of the Flying Tigers" inspected Lijiang and Dali and visited the ruins of Lijiang Airport and Xiangyun Airport under the arrangement of the provincial government.
The feelings of the Flying Tiger veteran: take a photo to commemorate.
In September 2005, the U.S. World War II Flying Tiger Ostrich Veterans Visiting China Group came to Chenggong Airport, where they had fought, and took photos to commemorate the time when they witnessed that eventful period and made great contributions to the repair of the airport. They stroked the stone mill that had suffered many vicissitudes, and the old pilot Edward gave a thumbs up: "The heroic feats of the Chinese people make me unforgettable for life." ”
This stone mill is not only a witness of the Anti-Japanese War, but also a symbol of Sino-US friendship. With the passage of time, it has crossed national borders in a special way and has become a unique and precious part of the history of China and the United States.
This article is a profound chronicle of the history of the Anti-Japanese War in Yunnan, China during World War II, and how an ordinary stone mill became a symbol of Sino-American friendship. Through a detailed narrative, the article makes readers deeply feel the pressure and predicament of Yunnan in the war at that time, as well as the full devotion and great sacrifice of millions of laborers. During this period of history, the stone mill became a simple but effective tool for the construction of the airport, and it also witnessed the hard work of countless migrant workers during the war.
The article emphasizes the importance of stone mills in the Anti-Japanese War, not only playing a key role in the repair of the Yunnan-Burma highway and the construction of airports, but also showing the scene of laborers pulling stone mills through vivid descriptions, presenting a spectacular scene of that era. In this process, the stone mill became a symbol of Sino-US friendship, connecting the cooperation and tacit understanding between the two countries in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.
What is particularly striking is that this article emphasizes that this stone mill still plays an important role as a historical witness today through the current situation of Chenggong Airport and the commemoration of veterans. While conveying historical information, the article also successfully evokes readers' admiration for the heroic resistance of the war during that period.
The imprint of Sino-American friendship is vividly and movingly expressed in this article. The U.S. Air Force Museum did not hesitate to spend a lot of money to obtain this stone mill, and it is permanently displayed to the public, expressing its cherishing and respect for the friendship between China and the United States. This small stone mill has become a carrier of friendship between the two countries, transcending time and space, and placing people's expectations for peace and cooperation.
Overall, this article vividly restores the scene of the Anti-Japanese War in Yunnan with in-depth historical investigation and sincere emotional expression, showing the extraordinary journey of an ordinary stone mill in the war. Through the description of Shi Nianzi, readers seem to see the heroic struggle and perseverance of that era, and also have a deeper understanding of the cooperation between China and the United States in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.
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