再论七七事变中的第29军与宋哲元

The 29th Corps and Song Zheyuan during July 7 Incident

1937年7月7日夜,驻丰台的日军借口演习士兵失踪,挑起卢沟桥事变,成为全面抗战的起点。事变发生之初,驻守宛平的第29军官兵对日军的进攻予以坚决的还击,击退了日军的数次进攻。与军事冲突相伴随的是双方的交涉,随着在8日夜达成和约,第29军将领逐渐趋向于和平解决事件。11日,宋哲元回到天津后,更是致力于对日谋和,并达成了若干协议,事件似乎出现了和解的希望。但日方只是以此为缓兵之计,在军事准备完成之后,即对平津发起攻击,第29军仓促应战,败走平津。

On the night of July 7, 1937, the Japanese army in Fengtai claimed that one soldier in their military exercise went missing and started the Lugouqiao Incident. Thus began their all-out war of aggression against China. The 29th Corps stationed in Wanping reacted quickly by resolutely fighting back and repelled several Japanese attacks. The military conflicts were accompanied by mutual negotiations ; and with the signing of a peace treaty on the night of July 8, the commanders of the 29th Corps began to hope for a peaceful settlement of the incident. On July 11, Song Zheyuan returned to Tianjin and he committed himself to seeking peace with Japan. A number of agreements were reached, and there seemed to appear hope of reconciliation. But as far as Japan was concerned, it was a mere strategy to gain time. As soon as they had finished military preparations, they launched attacks on Beiping and Tianjin. The 29th Corps were not ready for the enemy attacks and met failures in the battles.