THE CHINA MAIL,' 'SATURDAY, MARCH 1, 1955.
THE
FALL
OF SHANGHAI
Six Dead
n.
BROKE off-last wook at that part of
The take-over waa magni- flcent. The rights and pro- the story which told of the withdrawal
perty of the foreign com- of the Nationalist Army from the battlo
munity were respected. The Communists, stayed icily front, where, incidentally, they had left all
aloof. Within a week, the their equipment. Then I heard "strange
river was re-opened, and the
firat ship entered rumours, so utterly ridiculous that I could
soldiers lying Shanghai under the new not believe them. My compradore, a man lighted windows of the huge lady love who lived at a were fine men, of excellent tion a stand made by the six dend
apartment blocks announced Chinese shop at the bottom discipline who fully under- Nationalist Army at 'Poo- beneath my window. She regime. of considerable wealth, told me that the everyone was at home. Not of the road. Suddenly a stood what was required of tung, a place across the sald Avenue Halg was lined Looking at it objectively, town would not be fought for. In fact, it a dog howled, and even the burst of firing startled Bus. thom. They interfered with opposite side of Shanghai to with dead and dying troops. and knowing a little of what
owl that lived in the school ter. Downing tail, he no one, they were there to where I was living. He as- You can form an estimate it means to take over was up for sale.
grounds hul gone to sleep, literally flew along the roud, keep order if necessary, but sures me that there, the for yourself. Within twenty- town from the enemy and to probably determined to and disappeared into his apart from that one was People's Liberation Army four hours it was all over, get things re-organised, I Being comparatively new and gave me the route they make the most of Shang. home.
free to wander at will. was denied entry by a stout and the Communist Forces am compelled to admit that to China, 1 just could not should take to avoid song hala unexpected quiet.
resistance put up by were in complete control of there exists 110 better make sense of this, for lighting patrols who had There was nothing else to
I stared curiously at Nationalist artillery forces. Shanghai. As far as I know, example in all history of a knew that the Communist entered the western out do, and about ten o'clock.
their impassive faces, So I heard no gunfire of that not one civilian member of take-over of a town by an Government, whatever cri- skirts of Shanghai, It is lights began to go out in the
must the soldiers of Crom- calibre myself, but am the population was killed, occupying force whose in- ticism was levelled at it, wag typical of Shanghai that dwelling places. Only the
well's Army have appeared pleased to place this on and certainly no member of tention was not to interrupt incorruptible. My astonish these children were not the
streets were lighted and It grew quiet again, so I to the English so long ago. record.
the foreign community was the workings of a town. ment was so apparent that feast alarmed, nar unduly eastward the rosy bloom of turned back to bed and slept A new kind of soldier, a
At the same time, groan hurt in any way.
It was cool calculating my compradore burst out excited. They set off im great light fooded the sky well until the next morning. soldier who not only fought
efficiency at its best. But laughing as he tried to ex- mediately, and we dismissed
While shaving, 1 looked out courageously and well, but exaggerations were made. Within a few days people
unfortunately, the foreign plain to me the badd old the school, first telling the
Sometime just after mid- of the bathroom window. a soldier with a sense of a
community, as did most of were writing to the North students to get home quick night I was awakened by a There, down below on the mission. For unless you China Daily News about
the Chinese industrialists, 1y, and warned those who burst of automatic arins pavement were stretched understand this you will Kyed in Hungjan to avoid fire. I slipped on my dress out
read the wrong lesson from their experiences of that the bodies of six never be capable of appre- certain areas,
A stray bullet soon
this. They thought it was night.
The next day the shops business as usual, and they soldiers. ing gown and went down to Nationalist
I ciating the quality of
became a
barrage; one began to open. Currency see if the night-watchman dressed and went out of the China's new armica. Every rather silly statement was
received a very rude shock: the United States For the next, hour, I was' was on duty, For orice school gates and there man is not only a well train-
The fault WILA theirs and the Chinese triumphant oncoming Artny driven almost mad. Not for found him awake; but he arrived a stretcher party of ed soldier, he is also a from a correspondent who dollar
with one second did my two tele- had sought the security of the Communist Army. They warrior
designated her black of silver dollar. Within a few because they would not almost an
"Purple days, everything was back learn the lesson that times. phones erase ringing
quarters were the first troops 1 saw mystical devotion for his Heart Block." This kind of where it was, and on as the servants'
hnd changed. the cause. He firmly believes in what he fights for, and Tumour was current, and following Monday morning,
NEXT WEEK: heard a member of the everyone his astonishing success le
school staff referring to the work.
THE NEW MASTERS further proof that his cause in the right cause. It will go ill for any nation that should fail to appreciate this, or underestimate the quality of China's new armies.
WAYR:
The shination was as fan- tastic as anything that Eric Linklater put into "Juan in China."
WHM
not
the
te
Takeover
that demanded ransom, it was oor defenders, I was All unable to follow, such reasoning. How could a de feated army free you pay tribute? The explana- tion was simple. If they were not given so 218y thousand bars of gold, they would stay and defend the town and in their certain defent would accomplish the ruin of the town also. The
We did not wander far, that famed rumours concerning the sum parents enquired the where- Making sure that the gate of
People's for soon we heard that there to be paid were equally fan- abouts of their children. was fastened, I told the ser- Liberation Army.
was fighting down town tastic, but whatever it was, (This is a good place to say vants to stay where they The dead soldiers had been somewhere near the British the gold was paid over and that at no time was
the were, for 1 was afraid that caught in a burst of auto- Consulate. We returned Shanghai was saved by the telephone
#rms inter- our school grounds offered matic system
fires. Their home, and then began that business men.
rupted, and all the next an
ideal killing ground faces bore an expression of series of telephone calls that This was fortunate for all twenty-four hours we could should the Communists wish the pattern of their wounds Wonderlandish.
indignant surprise, while made the situation 10 concerned. for had the follow the course of
the to outflank the small com showed
they had been remnants of the Nationalist skirmishers.)
pany of Nationalist soldiers caught by a skilful marks- Army put up any show, it
who had been sacrificed to a man. would have taken artillery
The fact that they to dislodge them and the
ceving gesture of token had been caught together the people of Shanghai must have suffered.
Queen's Birthday
The other children could
resistance.
not get home, so I took them to my house where they sat and devoured my lunch and I returned to my house, whole plum cake, censing and did just what I should telephone calls from their of the window. Scattered only when they accepted not have done. I looked out
It was the morning of Tuesday, the 24th of May, 1949, and I was down in the school playing field, for our sporta were in progress. A through.
allowed them to
On Record
on
gave me the impression that they had wanted to surren-
Someone called. "I hear der but had left it too late, you have been liberated." a tragic thing to do in night Yes, have you?" "No, not fighting when a patrol in yet, but they are coming
по taking parents, Laite in the after bursts of firing sounded, but were quite free to roam the "The fighting has reached
chances.
Another call. We this way." neon, their parents turned there was nothing to see. streets, 80 the resident here." "What are they like?" up. Their part of the city Then came one of those was taken, and the patrols ridiculous situations that a party, mal go out to see touch you." And so
school staff decided to form. "Quite all right, they won't
pass often render the most
what had happened.
throughout the day. dramatic incidents alightly Judicrous. There in the The shops were also closed While I intended to keep | Evening, and Shanghai middle of Avenue Huig, and shuttered, but there these remarks strictly-per- wanted on the telephone, onto the school roof to see right in the middle of the All along the streets were Shanghai at the time tells was very quiet. I climbed underneath the lamplight, was no damage anywhere. sonal, a friend who was in Kather irritably, 1 returned to the school and found that what I could see. Eustwards road was a small white dog. Communist soldiers station- me it would be rather un- at the other end of the line spread the great city, its I knew him rather well. He ed every few yards. They fair if I omitted to men- was what is known in huge neon signs flashing lived next door in Brookskic their gaudy ddvertisements Apartments. His name was as an "anxious parent." to the night sky. West- Buster, and he was a Don wards all was quiet; none Juan of a dog. Defying was abroad on the wel authority, he had broken lighted streets, while the curfew to visit his decrepit
the
servant
from cume ofce and told me that I was
schoolmaster's
al
vocabulary
The parent asked me to send her two children home.
MANDRAKE THE MAGICIAN
TELL
OUR PILOTS TRINK WE'RE KIPPING-ASKING} THEM THEM TO LOOK FOR A IT'S NO FLYING HORSE! JOKE-ITS SERIOUSI
WHAT KIND OF 'COPTER IS THAT?
MUST BE A SPECIAL FREIGHT JOK
NO FLYING HORSES YET-NOT EVEN A FLYING DOG. DO WE KEEP LOOKING?
ORDERS ARE ORDERS --EVEN THIS
ONE.
By John Luff
By Lee Fallc and Phil Davis
UNSEEN, INSIDE THE STRANGE COPTER--THE FLYING HORSE WITH WINGS REMOVED,
POWER REELS CONTROLLED BY PILOT.
There's More than Magic in CADBURY'S
apartments
the
ZANIES
·MADDEKS
Wis
"WHICH IS THE WAY TO
THE POLICE STATION » **
New Day
እን
Was
back to
THERE'S A GLASS AND A HALF.
OF FULL CREAM IN EVERY ILBÅR
JOHNNY HAZARD
TOMORROW MORNING THEY FILM THEIR VOGAGHT SCENE BETWEEN THE TWO SABRILIETS AND THE MID ISIS! HOW, IF HATARD WERE TO BE CAPTURED ON NORTH KOREAN W
TERRITORY....!
BUT THEY AKE NOT FOOLS/THEY PLAN THEIR SCENE OVER SOUTH KOREAN GROUND?
PRECISELY, LT. TIM BOK! BUT IF I CAN FIND A WAY
TO TRICK THEM TO FLY NORIN!
BUT, MAJOK MET SUNG.., THERE ARE
EIGHT PILOTS! ONE COULD BE TRICKED, BUT THE OTHERS....?
By Frank Robbins
TRUZ, 17101! BUT IF THEIR MAGNETIC COMPASSES WERE DEVIATED SO THEY FLEW UNAWARE IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION! I MUST OBTAIN
EIGHT SMALL MAGNETS!
AUSTIN
have
A WIDE RANGE
OF CARS
for
HOME LEAVE
METRO CARS (H.K.) LTD.
FERDINAND
By, Mik
́to COLOGNE.......
HUDSON
love the
SWISSAIR
Камери
GPO