Our WWII Memories: What he wouldn't sell, he gave

Dai Haishan was only 13 when he joined the Eighth Route Army, fighting behind enemy lines. Though wounded, he never retreated, earning multiple honors and medals. Now 94, he continues to travel across the country, sharing his wartime experiences and carrying forward the spirit of patriotism.

Among his most cherished memories is a Japanese camera seized during battle – an item he later acquired by chance at a secondhand market in Tangshan City, north China's Hebei Province. Despite repeated purchase offers from Japanese entities, Dai firmly refused. In 2005, he donated the camera to the Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, hoping more people would understand history and remember the truth that must never be forgotten.

(All photos via Dai Haishan)