Cheng Benhua looks into the camera smiling, moments before she is murdered by the men behind her for fighting for the freedom

Cheng Benhua looks into the camera smiling, moments before she is murdered by the men behind her for fighting for the freedom of her people, 1938

During the 1930s, Japan underwent a militaristic overhaul in its society. The Japanese also went through an extreme wave of patriotism and believed that they were superior to other Asians. Japan (the island itself) lacks natural resources like rubber and oil. They also wanted to establish spheres of influence throughout Asia, so the Japanese invaded China to achieve these goals. Who the Japanese did not expect to meet in China was Cheng Benhua, a freedom fighter who, today, has become a symbol of Chinese pride. Cheng Benhua and her husband, Liu Zhiyi, led a small resistance group against the Japanese invaders defending their hometown of Hexian (和縣) in Anhui (安徽) province. In one battle, Liu was killed, and Cheng was taken prisoner. Cheng was interrogated and tortured by the Japanese and was gang raped repeatedly by guards. The photo above is a harrowing but powerful one. Cheng, who was beaten, raped, and tortured, stands firm. She crosses her arms, looks into the camera, and smiles, defying her oppressors, not letting them be satisfied with what they did to her. Just after this was taken, the men behind her bayonetted her to death (stabbed with the knives attached to the end of guns). Both Cheng and Liu today are seen as martyrs in China. They had no children. The Japanese committed horrific crimes against humanity when they were in China. Women are strong.

Click Here For more trending stories

Thank you for reading. Bookmarks us for more info.

All What's You Should Know Dig into history, fact, science, true crime, and beyond with All What's you should know — where you'll discover the most interesting things that you Should know