The National Broadcasting Company and its affiliated stations present The Pacific Story. [♪triumphant music playing on radio and radio playing in background. In the mounting fury of world conflict, events in the Pacific are taking on ever greater importance. Here is the story of the Pacific and the millions of people who live around this greatest sea. The drama of the people whose destiny is at stake in the Pacific War. Here, as another public service, is the tale of the war in the Pacific and its meaning to us and to the generations to come. [♪triumphant music playing on radio and radio playing in background. China's Little Devils. [♪triumphant music playing on radio and radio playing in background. Those two boys are here again, Tom. They want to see you. Did not you tell them to go home a couple of days ago? They have no home. Oh. They are orphans. They have been following us for two days now? Yes, sir. We cannot have them following us. Bring them over, Sun. Yes, sir. Sun brought the two boys in, ragged, undernourished youngsters with solemn faces. Unafraid, they stood before the officer of the Chinese Red Army. You want to go with us? Yes, we want to join your army. How old are you? I am thirteen, and Yang Faxiang here is twelve. The army is no place for you. I can blow the bugle. I can read and write, and I can help. You are children. You do not belong here. We will do anything if you will let us go with you. What is your name? I am one called Yang Faxiang, and I can blow the bugle. And you? I am one called Luo Tai Chung. Your soldiers have been kind to us. They have given us food. All winter we had almost no food. Oh, what do you think, Sun? The army can be no worse than the lives they are living. Besides, they have no parents and no home and nowhere to go. If you will let us go along, we will help you. We can do many things for you. This was in Qiangxi Province. The Red Army was on its way to the northwest. And when it moved on, the two boys moved with it. And along the line of march, other children joined the army. They became known as the Little Devils. And they wrote their names in deeds of valor and heroism, and blood in China's struggle for life. Your duty is not to fight, but to serve, to help behind the lines. This was the order. You must learn all you can so that when your time comes to fight, you will be able to fight better. Behind the lines, the children were sent to school whenever this could be managed. They also were taught to perform certain duties. I am to help teach men and women. I am to be an actor, to show the people the right thing to do. And I am to be a spy. These were the duties of Luo Taichung, the 13-year-old. I am to be an orderly and a guide and a bugler. These were the duties of 12-year-old Yang Faxing. Still others were to be water carriers, medical assistants, radio operators. They became as much a part of the army as the soldiers who did the fighting. Air raid! Air raid! Enemy bombers are coming! Air raid! Into the shelters, everyone! Enemy bombers coming! Air raid! Air raid! Enemy bombers! When the raid was over and the fires had burned themselves out, the little devils were busy making the most of the situation. Pick up all the good pieces of charcoal. That is it. All the pieces that can be used for writing. Soon the people of the village were reading words written in charcoal on the buildings and on the town walls. What do those words say? They say, down with the Japanese. Down with the Japanese. Yes. Down with the Japanese. Look at this written on the walls. Do not help the enemy in any way. Do not act as guides for the enemy. Yes, and look at this. It says, freedom is our right. We must fight for it. He's going to go home. Low posted himself at the village well with his slate. On his slate he wrote the word G, spelled J-I-H. Hello, old one. Do you wish some water? Yes, a bucket of it, my boy. Teacher says before you can have a bucket of water, you must learn this character on my slate. I have no time for that. I must get the water. No, you must learn this character first. Then I will help you. I have no time for that. This character means something that you see every day, and it is very important. Without it we would have no food. Well, what is it? It is G, J-I-H, and it means the sun. The sun? But that means Japan. Yes, G means the sun and it means Japan too. Down with Japan. Ah, I see. This means down with Japan. That is right. Now I shall help you get your bucket of water. Yes, down with Japan. There is your bucket of water, old one. Yes, thank you, my boy. No, no, where is Yang Fai Cheng? I will look for him. He has wanted his headquarters at once to go on a mission. Yang, you know the hills and valleys around here very well. Yes, Mr. Fong. The Japanese are just beyond those hills. Yes, I know. Three of our officials must be guided through the Japanese lines in the dark tonight. Can you do it, Yang? Yes, I can do it. And get back yourself alone? I think so. Step by step, quietly, the twelve-year-old Yang led the Chinese officials through the darkness, through the woods and over the hills, through the Japanese lines. Now this is the path. Stay on it and bear to the right. In another hour it will be dawn and then you will be able to see better in the light. Can you get back through the Japanese lines, Yang? Yes, I know the way. Yang had one hour before dawn to get through the Japanese lines. Wearily, he slipped through the woods, alert to every movement. The trees and underbrush became silhouettes as daylight drew near. Hose! Hose! Hose! Yang ducked into the brush. Stand up! Stand where you are! Yang's heart thumped. But as the Japanese sentry approached, he scurried off into the bushes. Hose! Hose! Sentry! What is it, Sentry? What are you shooting at? Come on in the bushes, right over there. Come, let us see if we hit him. There he is, right down there under that bush. He was a Chinese boy. Put that rifle down. Yes, sir. Get up on your feet. What are you doing out here? Where are your parents? I have no parents. I went over the hill to look for some food. You know this country around here? Yes, sir. The Japanese were lost. There were 19 in the party, officers and men. You know where the Japanese headquarters are? Yes, sir. We will give you food if you guide us there. Can you do that? Yang led them through a winding course, through valleys and over hills. The sentry kept his rifle on him. If you should lead us the wrong way, you will not live. He walked doggedly ahead. The Japanese trailed out behind him. This does not look like the vicinity of our headquarters. We are coming towards from the back. Keep ahead of us. They continued. Yang guided them not towards the Japanese headquarters, but towards the village where the Chinese were. Soon, Sun came to Fong. I saw him with my glasses. Yang is a boy. He is leading a Japanese patrol towards the village. In his glasses, they saw the boy and the Japanese behind him. They saw the sentry's rifle at the boy's back. Quickly, we will ambush them as they come through the valley. Give the order, Sun. Yes, fall in with rifles and machine guns. Quickly, they moved out of the village, out over the familiar terrain, and deployed along the sides of the gully. Yang knew that if the Chinese in the village did not discover him and the approaching Japanese before they got out of the gully, that the Japanese would then recognize that they were being led into a trap. Yang walked stolidly ahead. Do not get too far ahead. Wait. Yes, sir. He led them down into the gully. Where does this take us? Out in the open, behind your headquarters. The Chinese, take cover. Yang, you have done a great service. We killed twelve of the Japanese and captured six others. Then one escaped. There were nineteen. Yes, but our greatest fear was that they might shoot you. I threw myself down under a bush when the shooting started. You have done very well. Now I have another mission for you. For you and Luo Tai-shung. Yes, sir. It is in Hangfu, the next village. Yes, sir. It is Luo Tai-shung. Yes, Luo Tai-shung. I have a mission for you and Yang in Hangfu. If it is within our power, we will do it. Is it not so, Yang? Yes. The chairman of the White Sui and Hangfu is collaborating with the enemy. You will go to Hangfu with grenades and destroy him. Yes, sir. Yang and Luo made their way to the next village under cover of darkness. They traced the White Sui chairman to a tea house. They waited for him on the stairs. They say he comes here every day to drink tea. Have you got your grenades ready? I have them in my hands under my shirt. Look. Look, here he comes. With two of them in. Do not look at them. Wait until they pass us up the stairs. We must all be realistic about the condition of our country. Our best course is to work with the Japanese. Ready? Yes. Now, throw them. Come on now. Run down the stairs and yell. Yes. Help, help. What shall we do? What shall we do? Someone has been murdered upstairs. Someone has been murdered. All of you, stop. Everyone will be searched. You boys, stop there. There was a big explosion and somebody was murdered. Stand over there. The whole front of the tea shop was blown up. Oh, so it's you. Captain Yosuke. Oh, yes. Yes. Yes, Sergeant. This is the boy that read the patrol into the enemy trap. What trap? We know nothing about a trap. Yes, the one, that one there. Take them to headquarters. The two boys were locked up with the village magistrate, Tian Chang. For days they waited. The old magistrate counseled with the boys. If you try to escape, it will only make it harder for our people who are left behind here in the village. I have found out how to open the door. There is always a guard outside. Yes, but at night, instead of being a Japanese guard, it is one of the Chinese who are working with the Japanese. And sometimes at night he dozes. They waited days more. They watched the puppet Chinese guard relieve the Japanese guard. They waited until the Chinese guard had dozed off. Now, Tian Chang, quickly. The door is open. If they catch us trying to escape, they will... Go as we have planned. Hurry. The magistrate and Yang slipped out into the night. Lo slipped up to the Chinese puppet guard who was seated on a box, sleeping. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up. See what you have done. Tian Chang, the magistrate, has run away. Escaped? The door is open. Yes, and see, the cell is empty. I must... No, no. Do not call the guard. What shall I do? What shall I do? Listen to me. It will be hard for you to report to your commander. When they find out what you have done, you will get your head chopped off. Why did I... You had better run away with me to my partisan unit. Yes. And so we will have protection along the way. You had better open the other cells too, so the rest of the prisoners can go with us. No, I cannot. What can you tell them about the magistrate running away? Oh, I do not know. Here, let me take your keys. You go ahead. Go on. I will let out the others. Back in the village of the Chinese, more children had lifted in from the countryside. For now it was known that soon the Japanese would be on the move in force. And the children, as well as the older Chinese, knew that they must stay together and work together. The Japanese are searching around in the hills. They are getting very close to our hidden arsenal. Go and warn the men in the shops to stop work and hide all their machinery. Word has just come in over our radio receiver. The Japanese are getting ready to attack us. We are not strong enough to withstand their attack. We must make all preparations to move. The little devils watched every move of the Japanese. They watched them from the hills, in the woods, in the valleys, and even in the villages. Little Yang watched all night from the top of the hill commanding the plane below. At the break of day he saw the Japanese approaching and he gave the warning. He knew that the Chinese would be warned, and he also knew that the approaching Japanese would hear him. You hear about the bugle call, sergeant? Yes, sir. It is a Chinese bugle call. They have discovered our advance. Yes, sir. They are probably already on the move. That bugle call may be a signal for the Chinese to advance on us and attack us before we reach Tichayou. They would not attack unless we were on the move. That is right. They must have an overwhelming force. Give the order. Retreat at once. The Japanese hurriedly retreated. From the hilltops, the Chinese watched the column turn. Infantrymen, armored cars, tanks, and all, and head back for their stronghold. But Fong knew that they would return. They will bring up reinforcements and then assault us. We are not strong enough to repulse even the force that has just turned back. We are not strong enough to repulse even the force that has just turned back. We must move out as quickly as we can. But all of us cannot get out in time if we are to take supplies with us. We must take our supplies. It is all we have. Yes, sir. We will start moving at once. They will attack after dark. We will leave only a rearguard to delay them. The evacuation started. Supplies, all they had, were loaded on carts and on the few trucks available. Everything that could be carried was taken. Everything that could be of value to the enemy was destroyed. The Chinese moved out. Lo and Yang and the other children watched from the hill. Night fell, and they looked down into a sea of blackness. By now, most of the Chinese had left Chichayau. Lo stood alone on one hill. A mile away, Yang stood alone on another, his bugle under his arm. They are coming. They are coming. On the distant hill, Lo heard Yang's bugle call. They are coming. They are coming. Yes, I can hear them. I must run back to the village. Down the hill, in the black of night, through the woods, through the gullies, across the plain, into the village, Lo ran. Soon. Soon. They are coming. The Japanese are coming. Yes, I heard Yang's bugle. Soon. Soon. Where are you? Here, Yang. Here, over here. The Japanese are coming. I heard many men coming through the valley, and many engines, too. Then they are bringing armored cars and tanks. Can we hold them off soon? We must hold them off until morning, else they will overtake and destroy the main body of our soldiers. Are you afraid? No, we are not afraid. What can we do to help? There are not enough rifles to go around, but you can throw grenades, can you not? Yes, yes, we can throw grenades. Good, that is good. Come, I will give you grenades. There is no time for lose. They waited, and at last through the blackness came the sound of the approaching Japanese. The Chinese held their fire. The boys climbed up on the village wall, grenades in hand, and waited. Now keep down until they are close enough to hit with the grenades. Yes, soon. I am ready. Keep down, wait. They are coming now. Wait. Wait till they are close. Wait. Here they come. Wait. Now, now, throw them. Throughout the night, the Japanese charged the Genesites with the Japanese weapons. Throughout the night, the Japanese charged again and again, and the boys, moving from place to place on the walls, hurled the grenades. Just before dawn, the firing stopped. The Japanese withdrew. They will come in at daybreak. All the guns and ammunition were hidden. The soldiers disposed of their uniforms and put on peasants clothes. When the Japanese came in, they did not find one soldier. All right, all right, all right, all right, all right, all right. All right, all right, all right, all right, all right. Get up there, all of you. Stand up for fainting me. Stand up. If that one Japanese sergeant is here, he will recognize me. Maybe he is one of those we killed. Stop that talking. What are you talking about? Nothing, sir. We were just talking about the big guns on your tanks. Oh. Where are the soldiers? The ones who fought us all night? You there. They are gone. They went down that long road into the hills. Oh, we will see. You there. You mean me, sir? Yes, you. Where are these men we have? Who are these men we have lined up here before you? Our fathers and uncles and cousins. Then pick out the ones that are your parents and relatives. Yes, sir. That one. That is my father. You there. Tap out of the line. Is this boy your son? Yes, he is my son, Yang Baisheng. What was the date of his birth? Quick. The date of his birth. Well, I have had so many children. Six. No, no seven. He was born in the month of April in the year 1931. Oh, all right. Boy, pick out your uncle. That one there. That is my uncle, Chiao. Tap out of the line. How are you related to this man who calls himself the father of this boy? I am married to his sister. One by one, the Chinese soldiers disguised as peasants were picked out by Yang and Lo and the other boys. All of the soldiers at last were claimed. Captain Yosuke, sir. Yes? We have searched the village and we have found no guns and no ammunition. Oh, then the soldiers must have gone and these people are peasants. Yes, sir. We will leave a platoon here to hold this village. We will pursue the Chinese bandits until we overtake and destroy them. As the Japanese collar moved down, down the road through the hills, the Chinese in the village looked down. Lo, Lo and Yang, come here. Yes, sir. Yes, what is it, sir? Yang, you know the shortcut through the woods to the place where Fong and our soldiers have gone? Yes, I know it well. Could you slip away from the guards here and go quickly through the woods and tell Fong that the Japanese are coming? Yes, sir. I could do that. I will help you get out of the village. And Lo, I will need you here with me. Yes, sir. We will stay here and tonight we will destroy these Japanese guards. Then we will leave and join Fong. You must tell Fong this, Yang. Yes, sir. Now we must help you slip out of the village. Yang slipped out of the village and struck out through the woods that he knew so well. The Japanese guards stood over the wounded. Lo and the other little devils ministered to the wounded under the sharp eyes of the Japanese. They helped prepare the evening food. The Japanese guards stood over them. The guards seemed to be everywhere. As night fell and the evening meal was finished, Sun called Lo. You must keep the guard busy. You see, Lo? Yes, I can do it with my sleigh. After you are keeping him busy, we will set fire to the big house. And when it begins to blaze up, we can then get our guns during the excitement. After we have our guns, we can do the rest. Lo Tai Chung with his sleigh and crayon ambled up to the Japanese guard. Ah, stop where you are. Yes, sir. Can you show me something, please? I can show you nothing. I'm on duty. Go now. I am just learning to write. I am very eager to learn. Can you show me how to write Sun in Japanese? No, I cannot show you how to write anything, boy. Go now, quick. I can write Sun in Chinese. Here, take my crayon and write Sun in Japanese. Will you please? Is it like this? No, no, it's not like that. Here, take my crayon and show me. Right here are my sleigh. So I can study it and learn to write it as you write it. The Japanese guard put down his rifle, leaned it against his shoulder, took the sleigh and the crayon. It is like this. There, there it is. Is that the word Sun in Japanese? It is different, very different from Chinese, is it not? What is that? Oh, the big house is on fire. The big house is on fire. How does that catch fire? What started it on fire? Oh, the whole house is being burned up. Look at the flames. The Chinese have burned. Put down the Japanese. Kill every one of them. How did this fire get started right under your nose while you were here on guard? I don't know. I just stopped to show this boy how to write on his sleigh. He was sent here to take your attention while the fire was stopping. Now the Chinese all have gone. So that's why you asked me to show you how to write. It was only to... No, Taichung. Where are you? Where are you? Oh, Taichung, my boy. My poor boy. My poor, poor boy. Meanwhile, miles away, Yang was making his way through the woods, across the hills, through the valleys. He knew every mile of the way. He passed the familiar landmarks one by one. Now he was nearing the edge of the woods. Two miles more and he would reach Fong. Halt! Halt! Who goes there? It was the same Japanese sentry who had captured him that first time, and whom he had seen before he and Luo Taichung blew up the chairman at the tea house. Halt! Stand where you are. Yang zigzagged through the brush, kept on going. Halt! Stand where you are! Yang fell, dragged himself into a thicket. He lay there bleeding until the Japanese sentry had moved away, searching for him. Then Yang dragged himself to his feet, and in the darkness walked and staggered and crawled the last two miles to Fong. Fong sent me to tell you, the Japanese with their tanks are coming. Many of them, very strong. They are coming. Where are Sun and the others? They are, they are coming too. Did not the Japanese take the village? Yes, yes they took the village. You must go now. Fong said you must go. You must go now. Because of this boy, we are able to go on fighting. We leave his poor, thin body here in his mother earth. We shall leave now, but neither he nor Luo Taichung shall be forgotten. We shall come back, Yang Fah Chang. We shall come back. Wearily, Fong and his Chinese soldiers moved on, a forced march back into the hills. The Japanese with their tanks and armored cars rumbled into the place they expected to catch the Chinese, everywhere on the hilltops and in the woods, the Chinese little devils were watching. And through these children, soon again made contact with Fong. And around and behind the Japanese, the Chinese soldiers made ready, as they have done all through this war, to strike again, to harry the enemy, and at last to destroy him. Yang Fah Chang and Luo Taichung were real Chinese boys. They were part of the core of little devils who served the Chinese armed forces through these years of China's agony. As they served, thousands of other boys and girls too are serving China today. You have been listening to the Pacific Story, presented by the National Broadcasting Company and its affiliated independent stations as a public service to clarify events in the Pacific and to make understandable the cross-currents of life in the Pacific Basin. A reprint of this Pacific Story program is available at the cost of ten cents. Send ten cents in stamps or coins to University of California Press, Berkeley, California. We repeat, a reprint of this Pacific Story program is available at the cost of ten cents. Send ten cents in stamps or coins to University of California Press, Berkeley, California. The Pacific Story is written and directed by Arnold Marquis. The original musical score was composed and conducted by Thomas Paluso. Your narrator, Gain Whitman. This program came to you from Hollywood. This is the National Broadcasting Company.
