▁their ▁ 2 0 ▁metres ▁dash ▁on ▁the ▁exposed ▁trail , ▁Ha o ▁and ▁his ▁staff ▁were ▁sp otted ▁by ▁the ▁enemy , ▁who ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁clearly ▁see ▁that ▁Ha o ▁was ▁a ▁general ▁under ▁the ▁bright ▁moon light ▁because ▁of ▁the ▁reflection ▁of ▁metal ▁stars ▁and ▁buttons ▁of ▁his ▁uniform . ▁ ▁Instead ▁of ▁sn ip ers , ▁an ▁enemy ▁machine ▁gun ▁team ▁ 2 0 0 ▁metres ▁away ▁immediately ▁fired ▁upon ▁the ▁Chinese , ▁killing ▁Ha o ▁and ▁his ▁entire ▁staff , ▁along ▁with ▁CO ▁of ▁ 5 4 th ▁Division , ▁Li u ▁J ia qi ▁( <0xE5> <0x88> <0x98> 家 <0xE9> <0xAA> <0x90> ). ▁Ha o ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁army ▁commander - level ▁officer ▁to ▁die ▁during ▁the ▁war , ▁and ▁his ▁death , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁other ▁at ▁that ▁f ateful ▁night ▁struck ▁a ▁serious ▁blow ▁to ▁the ▁Chinese ▁def enders ' ▁mor ale . ▁ ▁With ▁the ▁most ▁senior ▁command ing ▁officers ▁and ▁all ▁of ▁their ▁staff ▁killed , ▁not ▁only ▁the ▁planned ▁counter ▁off ensive ▁failed ▁to ▁material ize , ▁the ▁Chinese ▁defense ▁soon ▁col lapsed : ▁the ▁Chinese ▁troops ▁were ▁driven ▁from ▁their ▁positions ▁on ▁the ▁very ▁next ▁day , ▁and ▁were ▁forced ▁to ▁retre at ▁further , ▁but ▁they ▁did ▁manage ▁to ▁stop ▁the ▁enemy ▁at ▁their ▁newly ▁established ▁positions . ▁ ▁In ▁recent ▁Chinese ▁mov ies ▁port ray ing ▁Ha o ' s ▁hero ic ▁action , ▁Ha o ▁appeared ▁as ▁a ▁strong ▁built ▁t ough ▁man ▁character ▁who ▁were ▁respect ed