My Parents - Part 2: Under Japanese Occupation

In my uncle's words:

On July 7, 1937, Japan invaded China. Guangzhou was evacuated. We had to give up our new house and all the new furniture, and went back to our native village in Taishan. Shortly thereafter we moved to Hong Kong to continue school. In Hong Kong, something tragic happened to my brother. He suddenly developed paralysis and hoarseness, unable to walk and unable to talk. My mother and sister took him back to our native village. Fortunately with constant tender loving care, he slowly, steadily and completely recovered in a year. I speculate now that what he got then was Guillain-Barre syndrome. My brother then decided to come to America instead of continuing school. My father advised him not to but he insisted. My father thus bought him a paper from the Lai family, to take the name of Mee Sem Lai (III-i, a girl), cut three years from his own age, and let him come. Meanwhile, my mother, I and my sister lived in Hong Kong and continued school.

On December 8, 1941 Japan started World War II. Hong Kong fell within three weeks. We were trapped in Hong Kong under the brutal Japanese occupation. For about five months, we lived in fear and half-starvation. Then the Japanese decided to let people go in order to ease the food shortage. We again went back to our native village in Taishan, accompanied by cousin X-W. From Taishan we reestablished communication with America and received money from father. Then I took enough money to set out and walk north, to continue my education. Mother and sister kept some money at home and remained in our native village.

Shortly after, both my father and brother were drafted into the U.S. Army and the communication between Taishan and America was completely cut off. The money supply from father to me, in the interior of China, stopped. My communication with Taishan was also cut off. It was the most difficult time for our family. We were not alone. Thousands of people starved to death along the roadside. Dead bodies were seen everywhere. My mother and sister had to struggle to survive, on the two-thirds acre of inherited land and one or two additional acquired land. Then my brother was assigned to the U.S. Air Force and stationed in India. He immediately reestablished communication with me and sent me money. When I walked from Guei-lin to Guei-yang and entered a medical school, he happened to pass through Guei-Yang. He and his several buddies, in sharp-looking khaki U.S. uniforms, looked for me and found me. We met for a couple of hours. We embraced, we cried, we laughed, we dined. That was a joyous moment in my life. My brother have me everything that he could spare: money, a top coat, jacket, trousers, a pair of leather shoes. Luckily we wore the same size, and still do.

In the winter of 1944-45, Guei-Yang had to be evacuated, and I walked, with the school, from Guei-Yang to Chungching. In Chungching, the communication between Taishan and the interior of China was reopened. My brother sent money to me and I sent money home.

On August 14, 1945, Japan surrendered. War ended officially on September 3, 1945. My father sent my brother home to get married. My family thus began a new beginning.