Back to 1942 Page #3

We're at war. Do you understand?

Old Ma,

do what you like,

but don't take the gun.

We need it for protection on the road.

Protection?

L...

From who?

Chinese people?

Why not use it on the Japanese, tough guy?

Want to carry a gun?

Okay.

Tie him to the cart and

take him to the frontline.

Master Fan! Master Fan!

- Save me, Master Fan!

- Old Ma.

Sir! Sir!

Old Ma.

Old Ma.

Three pints of flour for

him and the gun. Deal?

We know each other.

You can either donate money,

or donate manpower.

Everyone has to do their part.

Thank you, sir.

Three pints of flour for him.

We keep the gun.

Fine.

Release him.

Leave the gun.

Three pints of flour?

Bread for lunch, boys!

Dismissed!

Peiji.

Generalissimo. Peiji...

Governor Li.

As for Burma,

a telegram from LuoZhuoying:

We suffered heavy casualties

west of Mandalay yesterday.

More than 800 men were killed

in a gas attack by the Japanese.

I've told Luo

you'll be there today.

The Japanese led a stealth

attack on Yenangyaung last night.

More than 7,000 British troops

and trucks are trapped.

Field Marshal Montgomery sent a telegram

asking us to send troops from Mandalay

to rescue Yenangyaung.

President Roosevelt's private secretary

has arrived in Chungking.

He asked to see you,

but I told him you'd be going to Mandelay.

As for Nanking,

Zhou Fohai sent a secret envoy

that he is setting up a covert

radio station at his home

to evade Wang Jingwei.

Dai Li met with the secret envoy yesterday.

Please advise.

As for India,

Gandhi's hunger strike was successful.

Hindu and Muslim

leaders have agreed

to stop the bloody conflict and

are on a path of reconciliation.

How long was the hunger strike?

Seven days.

Hitler and Mussolini met yesterday.

They said that in three days

the German army will occupy Stalingrad.

Our embassy in the Soviet Union, however,

says the outcome of the battle

of Stalingrad is far from clear.

Please tell the British embassy

that when I visit India next month

I would like to meet Gandhi.

As for northern Henan,

General Jiang Dingwen sent

a telegram yesterday.

Most of our troops have crossed

the Yellow River and are in position,

but the Japanese have not yet made a move.

Tell Jiang Dingwen

it's best to make the first move

and get the upper hand.

Generalissimo,

your flight to Mandalay is ready to depart.

Peiji,

did you have enough to eat?

I did. I did.

What brings you to Chungking?

Nothing special.

I heard there is a drought in Henan.

Is it severe?

The province... will overcome it.

We will overcome it.

Peiji,

Henan is in a difficult situation.

That's why I sent you there.

Tell Director Chen.

Governor Li is tired.

Please look after him for me.

Did you report the situation

to the Generalissimo?

Everything they reported to him

was more important than what I had to say.

I didn't know what to say.

Looks like I came to Chungking for nothing.

Governor Li...

You missed your chance to tell him.

Now things will be more difficult.

Director Chen,

It's all here in these documents.

For the sake of the thirty million

starving people in Henan,

help me find a way

to ask the government for emergency relief.

When the Generalissimo returns from Burma,

I'll find a chance to give these to him.

Thank you.

Anyone here?

I want to speak to Father Megan.

Last time I was in Chungking,

Father Coutie showed me

your articles in Time magzine.

Thank you for telling the story of

the Chinese people.

Father Coutie has been very helpful.

Very kind.

He told me you know Henan very well.

Well,

I've been in China for thirty years now.

For the first ten years,

I thought I knew this place,

But then I became more and more uncertain.

When I left Chungking,

I knew there was a famine.

But I...

I had no idea

how severe it would be.

Every day people are dying.

The dead alone don't sadden me.

What saddens me is,

I have no idea what's happening.

The refugees trudge forward every day,

And I can't see

a government stepping in to assist them.

We both do not understand

what is happening with

the Chinese refugees.

The government officials say

they can't help the refugees

because of the war,

but they are not doing

so well in the battles either.

Thank you.

This...

Before the famine,

farmers used this to feed their pigs.

Bon appetit!

I actually like yams.

Good.

The donkey is the best I can do for you.

But I urge you to return to Chungking.

I'm glad to come to Henan.

There must be a reason

behind what is happening.

I want to know the truth.

Henan now belongs to the Japanese.

If you continue into the disaster area,

there are two possible results:

One,

you win a Pulitzer Prize.

Two,

you get taken prisoner by the Japanese.

I will pray for your Pulitzer.

From your mouth to God's ears.

I will remember you, Father.

Ma?

How are you feeling?

Getting worse.

You're burning up.

It's not so bad. At least I'm warm.

That's bad luck.

Go, go.

Quick, take her while she's asleep.

Quick, take her while she's asleep.

So small. You say she's ten?

Let's talk over there.

She looks only three or four.

She's famished.

Lack of food has made her small.

Feed her something and she will grow.

If we buy her as a child bride,

we still need to feed her for a few years.

We've been on the road for a month.

Nobody in our family

has eaten anything in the last ten days

except sticks and kindling.

My mother's sick

and I don't know how long she'll last.

Your wife?

I'd give you five pints of millet for her.

I couldn't sell her. She'd sell me.

The boy looks alright.

Three pints of millet.

I need him to carry on the family name.

Two and half pints of millet.

Take her.

Xialu!

F*** your ancestors!

Trying to sell my daughter away?

Give her back!

Give her to me!

You think I want to sell her?

Ma's at death's door, and we need medicine.

Take her.

Take her! I'm still in

charge of this family!

I'll kill her myself.

No! Shuanzhu, stop her!

Before I let you take her away!

Give her to me.

Give me back my child.

Give her to me!

Go to sleep!

If this is all for my sake

I'd rather hang myself this instant!

Hang yourself?

Where'd you tie the rope?

Bastard!

They're putting the whole

thing on for us to see.

All these poor people.

I can't save them all.

Don't stand around. Go sleep.

Don't stand around. Go sleep.

Don't sell the girl.

Make your mother some porridge.

You can pay me back when this is over.

Why not make it 10 pints?

Then I won't have to keep begging.

I've got a family too.

My son's wife is pregnant,

and there's still a long way ahead of us.

What's that?

It's the army. They're

fighting the Japanese.

F*** their war!

Don't they know we're starving here?

I hope we win.

If we win,

then we can go back home.

We might lose Changyuan.

There have been a lot

of bayonet skirmishes.

but more than 5,000 for our side.

Order the 15th Army and 28th Army

to surround Tangyin and

Anyang by tomorrow morning

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