The Battle of Huangqiao = Huang Qiao Jue Zhan

This film depicts the battle of Huangqiao (or: Huang Bridge) between the Chinese Communist Party and the KMT during the anti-Japanese war. In 1940, the New Route 4 Army decided to set up an anti-Japanese base in the Subei area (Jiangsu province), but the KMT sent troops 10 times more than the New Route 4 Army in order to eliminate it. The first confrontation was in Taizhou, where two chief KMT commanders in Taizhou were persuaded by CCP’s well-known general Chen Yi to join the anti-Japanese force. Chen Yi later attacked another troop of KMT and caught its leader Lin Taiyuan alive. However, Chen Yi released Lin and persuaded him again. The vice general commander of the Sulu area, Han Deqin did not want to give up and decided to have a battle with Chen’s troops at Huang Bridge. Led by Chen Yi and Su Yu, the New Route 4 Army defeated the KMT troops ten times of its size. The battle eliminated the KMT hardliners’ hope to destroy the anti-Japanese alliance between CCP and KMT, and was crucial for the foundation of the Subei anti-Japanese base.

Huangqiao battle is a key battle for the New Route 4 Army of the CCP in the early stage of the anti-Japanese war. Recently, it has attracted a renewed interest from the August First Film Studio to make a documentary film about the battle. This documentary project is supported by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, and it will be produced digitally. This kind of military films are normally state-sponsored and made for the purpose of patriotic education in China. (3 stars - Yuxing Zhou; December 16, 2010)