This story is classified as myth or legend, since there is no official data on this event to be considered real.
However, there are many classified things about the military history of the Celestial Empire, and therefore, in the current situation, it cannot be unequivocally stated that this is a common fiction.
How it all began
December 1937, the period of the Sino-Japanese War, which had already lasted for about six months. After some time, the Japanese military broke into the city of Nanjing and what is better known as the "Nanking Massacre" happened and rightfully bears the name of one of the most terrible clashes in military history. But some time before that, something happened that defies logic and common reason, since people have witnessed a mass disappearance.
South of Nanjing, Colonel Li Fu Xien of the Chinese army was making final preparations for the final defensive action and requested 3,000 reinforcements. And help arrived.
The soldiers took up a position along the line, the chain of which stretched for 32 km. Their main goal was to protect the bridge, which is very important for the crossing of the Yangtze River. The warriors were equipped, as they say, "to the teeth." They also had an impressive arsenal of heavy artillery at their disposal.
The colonel examined everything in detail and made a motivating speech, after which he returned to his headquarters by dusk to sit there during the inevitable enemy attack.
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Three thousand people disappeared without a trace
His morning sleep was interrupted by an assistant who shared strange news. It turned out that it was simply impossible to contact the reinforcements that were supposed to defend the bridge. At the same time, a detachment was formed, which went to the site to understand what had happened. When they got to the point, they saw defensive positions with ready-made artillery and other weapons. But there was not a single soul.
Naturally, one might immediately think that there was an attack by the enemy and everyone died a heroic death. But no, there were no signs of struggle and blood anywhere. Nothing. People seemed to have evaporated. It can be assumed that they succumbed to a sense of fear and fled. Then the detachment went to the bridge, where they found the sentries. They reported that no one crossed the bridge during the night.
The missing 3 thousand soldiers were never found, and after a while the Japanese rushed into the city, who brutally killed about 300 thousand people.
End of war and discovery of documents
In 1945, after the surrender of Japan, the Chinese military had a chance to find out what happened to the disappeared brigade. Regardless of the fact that the Japanese made attempts to destroy all war papers related to this bloody battle, the Chinese managed to find something. However, these records did not contain a word about the people standing at the bridge.
SEMENOVA KSENIYA