Our WWII Memories: Leaving safety abroad for homeland’s call

In 1937, with his heart pining for his homeland, overseas Chinese youth Zhu Songgen left the family household in the U.S. in secret to join China’s resistance against Japanese aggression. After years of intense training in various military facilities, having traveled from China back to the U.S. to hone his skills, he graduated from the Central Aviation School in 1942 and flew with the Chinese-American Composite Wing, participating in key battles like the Henan-Hunan-Guangxi campaign (Operation Ichi-Go). Every mission carried the risk of never returning – of the 98 cadets trained alongside him in the U.S., more than 30 made the ultimate sacrifice. 

During the war, countless young Chinese who had set up home overseas like Zhu Songgen fulfilled their vow to share the nation's fate, offering their lives without hesitation. Does your family have a story of courage and survival in World War Two? Share it with CGTN's global campaign, "Echoes of History: Our WWII Memories," and help keep personal histories alive for the world to hold on to.