The film "Eight Hundred" is set in 1937 during the Sino-Japanese War. The story follows a group of Chinese soldiers, including a 13-year-old boy named Xiao Hui and his cousin, who are forced to fight in a warehouse in Shanghai. The warehouse becomes a symbol of Chinese resistance against the Japanese, and the soldiers, along with some deserters, defend it against repeated attacks. Despite being vastly outnumbered, the Chinese soldiers, including the deserters, hold their ground, and their bravery inspires the local population to support them. The film depicts the brutal battles, the sacrifices made by the soldiers, and the eventual withdrawal of the Chinese forces. The warehouse, which was defended so bravely, remains in Shanghai to this day, and local residents honor the memory of the victims every year.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The events took place in 1937 during the Sino-Japanese War.
2. Shanghai was divided into two parts, with foreigners and Japanese in one part and fierce battles in the other.
3. The Chinese army retreated under the onslaught of the enemy, and many soldiers were not ready for battle and deserted.
4. 13-year-old Xiao Hui and his cousin Duo Lion were included in the number of soldiers.
5. The Chinese leadership used the defense of a warehouse to show the valor of the Chinese army and gain support from other countries.
6. The warehouse was located on the right bank of the river, and many representatives of the foreign press gathered on the left bank.
7. The soldiers defending the warehouse were given gas masks, but those who didn't have them urinated on rags and covered their faces with them.
8. A journalist named Fancy Nevian reported to the Japanese camp about the state of things at the front.
9. The Japanese launched grenades with mustard gas into the warehouse.
10. The Chinese soldiers repelled a new attack, and the deserters who had tried to escape were left alive because they raised the alarm.
11. Boys from the demilitarized zone sneaked into the warehouse to fight.
12. The Japanese displayed wounded Chinese prisoners on the roof of the building.
13. The Chinese command decided to withdraw the soldiers defending the warehouse to the demilitarized zone.
14. The soldiers were instructed to turn off all the searchlights before their retreat, but the Japanese turned on their searchlights and launched flares into the sky.
15. The retreat became complicated, and the Japanese snipers killed many Chinese soldiers on the bridge.
16. Civilians took up arms and helped their brothers, shooting at the Japanese.
17. The warehouse that the Chinese defended is still in Shanghai in the same form as it was in 1937.
18. Local residents bring candles and rice to the warehouse every year to honor the memory of the victims.