Defending the Wall, honoring the heroes

Outgunned and outnumbered, soldiers of the 29th Corps of the Chinese National Revolutionary Army stood firm. Led by Zhao Dengyu, nearly 500 soldiers launched a midnight raid with broadswords against mechanized invaders. They overcame more than 700 enemy troops but suffered a catastrophic loss of 477 dead. The Japanese newspaper The Asahi Shimbun commented that this was the most humiliating defeat in the 60 years since the army was established.

This victory, a major win against the Japanese army since 1931 when Japan invaded Northeast China, motivated Mai Xin (1914-47) to write an anthem. Inspired by news coverage, Dadao Jinxingqu (March of the Broadswords) was composed in 1937 with the opening line: "Broadswords! Charge at the devils' heads!"