You are ordered to support the War of Resistance against Japan; China enters Level 1 combat readines

Within half an hour, the National Government's Propaganda Department received an order from the principal to summon the chief writers of major newspapers in the mountain city overnight.

A propaganda campaign that distorted the truth was meticulously planned and executed in a brightly lit conference room.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, newspapers with ink still wet were already plastered all over the streets and alleys of the mountain city.

The front page of the Shancheng Daily featured a striking headline in bold black letters: "The Eighth Route Army's ruthless methods backfire; compatriots in occupied North China may face frenzied retaliation from the Japanese army."

The article only used two short lines to mention, in a bland way, that "the Japanese army's massacre of the village was truly barbaric," before immediately shifting its focus to condemnation:

"Shen Mingyuan, an advisor to the Eighth Route Army, tortured and killed Japanese prisoners of war with such barbarity and cruelty that it was unparalleled in the world!"

This act not only blatantly violated international conventions, but also disregarded the millions of compatriots in the occupied areas. It was an act of recklessness and disregard for the overall situation, driven by personal anger and igniting the flames of Japanese retaliation.

Today, the enemy is already enraged. If they turn their anger on ordinary people and inflict even more brutal massacres on the villages and towns in our occupied areas, Shen Mingyuan and the Eighth Route Army will be held accountable!

Following closely behind were the "Sweep" newspaper and the "Current Affairs News," who all rushed in and turned their guns on the issue.

Some newspapers talked at length about "civilization and justice," accusing Shen Mingyuan of "using violence to suppress violence, no different from the Japanese invaders, and a disgrace to China."

Some newspapers, standing on the high ground of "national interests," sternly questioned, "Is the Eighth Route Army's action truly to avenge its compatriots, or to vent its own personal anger? If this leads to the Japanese army's indiscriminate bombing of the mountain city, who can shoulder this heavy responsibility?"

Even more extreme, some people publicly called on the Eighth Route Army to immediately hand over Shen Mingyuan to the Nationalist government's military court for trial.

"Give the people of the whole country an explanation, and give the Japanese side an account, in order to quell the flames of war and preserve the overall situation!"

Overnight, the public opinion in the entire mountain city completely shifted.

It was clearly the Japanese army that committed the heinous atrocity of massacring the village first, and it was clearly Shen Wang who avenged the innocent civilians who died unjustly. However, under the deliberate guidance of the media in the mountain city, the perpetrators were glossed over, while the avenger became the culprit who was condemned by the public.

As public opinion continued to ferment in the newspapers, a group of self-proclaimed "sophisticated people," including social celebrities, university professors, and literary figures, also jumped out.

Mr. Shen, who publicly condemned the Eighth Route Army through newspapers, speeches, and tea parties, brought this farce of turning black into white to its climax.

A renowned professor from a prestigious university in the mountain city lamented in a public speech, "Violence is never the solution!"

"Shen Mingyuan's actions, seemingly to avenge his compatriots, are in reality pushing even more of them into a pit of fire!"

"The Japanese invaders were already brutal; now, enraged, they will only intensify their slaughter of civilians!"

"To put millions of compatriots in danger for the sake of a hundred or so people—that's not heroism, that's recklessness, that's butchering!"

A highly respected writer even wrote in his column: "International conventions clearly stipulate that prisoners of war should enjoy the treatment they deserve."

"Shen Mingyuan treated prisoners of war with cruel tortures such as being sliced ​​into a thousand pieces and dried on bamboo. How is his behavior any different from that of the Japanese invaders?"

"If such butchers are not severely punished, the reputation of our nation of etiquette will be utterly ruined!"

Some social elites who were affiliated with the Nationalist government even shouted absurd slogans such as "Arrest Shen Mingyuan immediately" and "Extradition him to the Japanese to quell the anger of the Japanese army and avoid a larger war."

They sat comfortably in their villas in the mountain town, drinking coffee and chatting, casually labeling the hero who avenged the people as an unforgivable sinner.

The wave of public opinion quickly spread from the newspapers to the streets and alleys of the mountain city.

At first, many people in teahouses, on the docks, and along the streets stood up to refute the claims.

"Mr. Shen killed the Japanese devils who massacred the entire village! More than a hundred elderly, women, and children from Wangjia Village were all killed by the Japanese. What's wrong with him avenging his fellow villagers?"

"Exactly! The Japanese devils are practically shitting on our heads, are we supposed to smile and apologize?"

"What do you mean by 'provoking retaliation'? Haven't the Japanese slaughtered countless villages over the years? Do you think they'd let us go if we didn't resist?"

"The Eighth Route Army is fighting the Japanese invaders on the front lines, protecting our homeland, and you're just sitting in the rear, verbally abusing them. Don't you have any shame?"

……

However, these simple voices were quickly suppressed by the arguments of those "sober-minded people".

Someone in the teahouse sneered at the dissenting people, their words striking at their deepest fears.

"You make it sound so easy! You're in a mountain city now; the Japanese can't hit you with artillery, and their bombs won't fall on your heads!"

"But there are still millions of civilians in the occupied areas, right under the noses of the Japanese!"

"Shen Mingyuan's actions have enraged the Japanese, and they've turned around and massacred even more villages. Since it wasn't your family members who died, of course you don't feel any pain!"

Someone else shouted at the top of their lungs, "Aren't you afraid? What if the Japanese get angry and send planes to bomb the mountain city?"

"Do bombs have eyes? If one lands on your roof, would you still be saying that?"

"Shen Mingyuan may have acted like a hero for a time, but in the end, it's us ordinary people who suffer the consequences."

"If the Japanese bombed the mountain city and the shells landed on your heads, would you still cheer for that Mr. Shen?"

The teahouse fell completely silent.

The people who had been arguing just moments before fell silent, their anger gradually fading and replaced by deep fear and unease.

Yes, what if?

What if the Japanese really get enraged and launch a massive bombing raid on the mountain city?

What if shells or bombs actually land on your own roof or on your wife and children?

No one in the teahouse spoke up for Shen Wang and the Eighth Route Army anymore.

On the streets and alleys, the people who were originally gritting their teeth over the Wangjia Village massacre and applauding the fate of Xiang Jingtian gradually fell silent.

Under the daily sensationalism of the newspapers and the repeated intimidation by "sober-minded people," their gazes toward the Eighth Route Army and the mysterious Mr. Shen gradually became tinged with suspicion and resentment.

Public opinion has completely reversed.

Throughout the entire mountain city, from official media to the streets and alleys, almost all the criticism was directed at the Eighth Route Army and the mysterious Mr. Shen.

The rhetoric grew more intense and the tone more forceful each day.

Shen Mingyuan became a "reckless and barbaric butcher" in the newspapers, a "reckless man who disregards the overall situation" in the mouths of celebrities, and a "source of trouble that will attract the Japanese devils' revenge" in the eyes of the people.

It was as if he had not avenged the innocent people who died unjustly, but had done something heinous and unforgivable.