On October 16, 1964, a loud noise over the Gobi Desert in Lop Nur in Xinjiang exploded the world and opened up a new road for the rise and upward movement of New China.
When an article is taken
"The first atomic bomb in our country exploded successfully"
After the article was published, the whole country immediately boiled over! People shouted, covered their faces, and ran to tell each other, ecstatic.
With this nuclear bomb, China's waist is straight, its voice in the world is more, and its international status has naturally risen. However, this atomic bomb did not come easily, and even if you look back now, you can still feel the difficulties.
China's first atomic bomb
For those who lived in that era, there was a polarization of the question of whether to study nuclear bombs, some people thought that the economy should be developed first, and some people thought that the atomic bomb should be built first.
So much so that there was also a "trouser dispute" between Marshal Chen Yi and Mr. Jin Yong.
Written in Mr. Jin Yong
"I'd Rather Pants Than a Nuclear Bomb"
In this article, a sentence from Mr. Jin Yong:
"What is the use of a few pocket atomic bombs?" Let the people make a few more pairs of pants to wear! ”
It has stirred up thousands of waves, making countless people talk about it.
So why is there such a debate? Why did Mr. Jin Yong make such remarks? This has to start with China's decision to study the atomic bomb.
Before the end of World War II, the atomic bomb officially appeared in front of the world's eyes. When two mushroom clouds rose over Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, the world was shocked.
In terms of destructive power and deterrence alone, the atomic bomb is already at the top. So much so that this weapon has a powerful deterrent effect on the whole world.
Two atomic bombs exploded in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan
After the founding of New China, the sound of "studying the atomic bomb" appeared one after another.
But this is a technical activity after all, except for a few countries to master the core technology, most countries can not independently study.
Since Chinese technology does not support it for the time being, it can only seek foreign aid. In October 1954, after Khrushchev led a Soviet delegation to China, Mao Zedong proposed for the first time:
I hope the Soviet Union can help China with nuclear weapons.
Khrushchev did not agree after hearing this, he thought
The Soviet Union and China are allies, and as long as the Soviet Union has nuclear weapons, then China does not have to build them.
Chairman Mao scoffed at this, his vision was very long-term, and he knew very well in his heart that friends are likely to become enemies before their interests, and only when they are strong, that is really strong.
So even though Khrushchev refused, Chairman Mao still did not give up the idea of building nuclear weapons.
Chairman Mao
However, after the international situation changed, and unstable factors also appeared in the Soviet Union, Khrushchev had no choice but to agree to aid China under the situation, and proposed:
Paid assistance for nuclear equipment, free aid for nuclear technology.
With the help of the Soviet Union, China's atomic bomb research can be called a thousand miles a day. A series of nuclear facilities, such as nuclear reactors, cyclotrons, uranium enrichment plants, research bases, and experimental sites, have been built one after another, bringing the successful development of the atomic bomb closer and closer.
However, just as the construction of the atomic bomb was in full swing, Sino-Soviet relations repeatedly deteriorated.
Although there were rifts in Soviet relations in those years, they did not collapse. By 1958, the rift was infinitely widened.
This year the Soviet Union took advantage of China's hope for Soviet help in building submarines.
It was proposed to China to build a long-wave radio station inside China and to establish a combined submarine fleet.
Upon hearing this, Chairman Mao immediately rejected the unreasonable demands of the Soviet Union. Although this matter is not resolved, the relationship between them is definitely not good.
In the same year, in order to warn the United States not to interfere in China's internal affairs, China shelled Kinmen.
This was China's "family affair," but the Soviet Union felt it would lead to U.S. weapons intervention and even involvement.
The Soviet Union not only looked at China out of control, but even repeatedly ignored him as a "big brother".
After losing his temper, he unilaterally tore up the "New Defense Technology Agreement" signed in October 1957 and retracted his commitment to provide China with atomic bomb samples.
If Sino-Soviet relations were relatively relaxed at this time, by 1959, the two countries had completely torn their faces. This year, India provoked on china's border, and China adopted self-defense measures.
At this time, the Soviet Union once again stepped in, believing that this was not conducive to the relaxation of Soviet-American relations. Therefore, in complete disregard of China's opposition, it issued a statement in favor of India.
At this time, China was quite critical of Khrushchev's enthusiasm for relations with the United States, and coupled with other contradictions, the relations between the two countries could no longer be maintained and completely broken.
Khrushchev
Tearing his face, the technology and personnel who had previously assisted China were naturally all withdrawn. In addition to these, the Soviet Union did things more thoroughly:
Burn all paper documents directly.
At this time, the work of studying the atomic bomb entered a short period of downtime, and many people began to wonder whether to continue to study the atomic bomb.
At this time, China's industrial development was still weak, coupled with the lack of technical personnel in the atomic bomb, western countries decided that China could not build an atomic bomb, and Khrushchev even ridiculed China
"Without the help of the Soviet Union, their atomic bombs could not be fired." ”
At this time, many media in Western countries began to ridicule, claiming that China could not succeed in development.
Chen Yi, then vice premier and foreign minister, delivered a speech in the face of ridicule and ridicule from foreign media, in which he said:
"Even if Chinese drop their pants, they will build an atomic bomb."
Marshal Chen Yi
Chen Yi's words made the Chinese people excited. For the newly founded new China, a strong self is the fundamental, and it is necessary to know that "backwardness will be beaten, and weak countries have no diplomacy."
In recent years, China has been subject to restrictions from Western countries and nuclear blackmail by the Soviet Union and the United States, and only by building the atomic bomb can it have the strength to have dialogue on an equal footing with other countries.
However, Chen Yi's words still attracted criticism. Mr. Jin Yong even published the famous article in Ming Pao to refute Chen Yi's remarks.
Jin Yong's article caused an uproar, when the Hong Kong literary circles launched a fierce debate about whether to develop an atomic bomb.
Five major Hong Kong newspapers, such as Wen Wei Po and Shang Bao, have set off a polemic with Jin Yong.
Although this controversy inadvertently made Ming Pao, it also put Jin Yong on the cusp of the storm.
Mr. Jin Yong
From the current point of view, Jin Yong's remarks are really inappropriate. Later, Mr. Jin Yong mentioned this incident and said that his most respected journalist was Zhang Jiluan.
As one of the most well-known journalists before the liberation, Zhang Jiluan won respect and recognition from all sides with his first-hand articles, which is related to his main writing style and exquisiteness
"No party, no selfishness, no sale, no blindness"
The policy of running newspapers under the Four Noes Doctrine, this "impartiality", and the objective and fair stance, have made Zhang Jiluan attach great importance to it.
Although Jin Yong did not intersect with Zhang Jiluan, he took this as a banner, and Su Ri wrote editorials based on the four major principles of running newspapers.
Even this article "Prefer pants, not nuclear bombs" can still be seen that there is no bias in it, but "it is a matter of fact".
Zhang Jiluan
Just as this matter is becoming more and more intense, the "Huashan Discourse on the Sword" in the literary world has ceased, and there is no longer a fierce battle. This is not a concession between the two sides, but the protagonist of the event -
Chen Yi personally went down and asked people to inform Wen Wei Po, Shang Bao, and other newspapers to stop the "siege" of Jin Yong.
Since the person concerned has spoken, this matter ends here.
However, both Jin Yong and the rest of the newspaper and periodical media wanted to find out why Chen Yi took the initiative to ask the newspaper to "cease war."
In 1964, Liao Chengzhi and Jin Yaoru had dinner and specially invited Chen Yi. At this time, China's first atomic bomb had been successfully exploded next door to Lop Nur and China's waist rod was straightened up, when Chen Yi and his friends drank wine and ate meat, and there was pride in their chests.
At the dinner table, several people talked and laughed, and talked about last year's article "I'd Rather Pants Than Nuclear Bombs."
Unexpectedly, Chen Yi did not completely deny this, but discussed the matter.
Was there anything wrong with the atomic bomb? That's right! According to the general environment at that time, the atomic bomb was the best way out. Is there something wrong with having pants? That's right. If the people don't have enough to eat and don't have warm clothes, it seems that the nuclear bomb is also a decoration.
But in this debate, the argument is
"In difficult times, do you want to develop an atomic bomb?"
。 This makes the problem much simpler. The so-called "two harms are lighter than the other", and under the two benefits, it is natural to take the heavier.
In China in the early 1960s, economic development was indeed stagnant. Judging from the economic situation in the years when the atomic bomb was launched, it did not get worse. And what Chen Yi said
"Even if Chinese drop their pants, they must make an atomic bomb."
It's not really about dropping your pants, it's a determination.
The reason why China is studying the atomic bomb is to avoid being suppressed by Western countries and to protect its own security.
We don't have times when others threaten to use it on us, so we have to have one too.
If the worst happens one day, there are ways to deal with it.
So from the perspective of the current situation, the study of the atomic bomb is a national security issue!
At the dinner table, Chen Yi took the lead in stating his attitude:
China's position of making an atomic bomb is not wrong.
From many historical documents, we can see that
The Soviet Union had engaged in nuclear blackmail against China at that time, and judging from the various documents that the United States had revealed in recent years, the United States had repeatedly wanted to strike China with atomic bombs.
This naked threat is like a sword hanging overhead, and no one knows when it will fall. Only by developing nuclear weapons will we have the courage to engage in dialogue with these countries on an equal footing. So there must be nothing wrong with our position.
American soldiers with the atomic bomb
Faced with the economic problems at that time, Chen Yi said:
"At that time, the country was really difficult, but it was not without money to build an atomic bomb."
Immediately after, Chen Yi turned sharply and admitted what he had said at that time
"When you are a trouser, you must also build an atomic bomb", which is indeed a bit one-sided and absolute.
Wearing pants is also an important thing compared to building an atomic bomb.
During the Republic of China period, the common people did not have enough to eat, did not have warm clothes, and were bullied and oppressed by the great powers and warlords.
Under the premise of national security, there are people who guard national security.
If even the people don't have pants to wear, what guarantees are there for national security? Even if there is an atomic bomb, how can we go to war and fight with other countries?
For this reason, Chen Yi did not feel that there was anything wrong with what Mr. Jin Yong said, but
The remark that "I'd rather have pants than a nuclear" is indeed inappropriate.
As Chen Yi said:
"When you drop your pants for a core", it seems too absolute. ”
Chen Yi said to a friend:
"I agree with Mr. Cha's editorial in Ming Pao, if the two companies combine, it will be comprehensive."
Then he continued:
"In the future, we will have both pants and cores!" I say pants oh, which is a metaphor. I hope that Chinese have enough food and clothing, and there is a small and small core in his hand. ”
This remark is also very much in line with Chen Yi's character. Don't look at Marshal Chen Yi fighting fiercely, in fact, in terms of diplomacy, he is not inferior to others.
The so-called one-leaf obstacle and Chen Yi's outstanding military talent make most people tend to ignore that he is still a literati himself.
As the saying goes, "weak countries have no diplomacy," and at the beginning of the founding of New China, everything was in ruins to be rebuilt. Under the arrangements of Premier Zhou and Chairman Mao, Chen Yi carried out a series of diplomatic activities. With firm faith and a broad mind, he broke into a vast field in the history of diplomacy.
Marshal Chen Yi at a diplomatic conference
It is precisely the past diplomatic experience and methods of handling things that make Chen Yi good at listening to different voices and absorbing different ideas. very
Obviously, Mr. Jin Yong's words woke him up and reminded him, making him aware of the bias of this sentence.
After listening to Chen Yi's remarks, Jin Yaoru said that the mainstream media in Hong Kong mostly agreed
"I'd rather drop my pants than an atomic bomb"
This sentence not only expresses the ambition of Chinese, but also shows China's determination.
Chen Yi shook his head and said:
"Those media are mostly related to us, so there will be such a scene, which is not necessarily the right thing."
It is true that the "Shang Bao" and "Wen Wei Po" are mostly red newspapers, and their own newspapers naturally support the party's policies and leaders' speeches unconditionally. But when the policies of a political party and the speeches of its leaders are only approved by their own newspapers, what is not a dangerous thing?
Without testimony and criticism, no matter what is wrong or correct, the opportunity to be dialectical will be lost. Such "family words" have always been a bad thing.
To this day, adopting the words of a hundred families and listening to the opinions of all parties is still the policy adhered to by our party. Only by listening to the sounds everywhere can we best deal with it.
Marshal Chen Yi was with Premier Zhou
Chen Yi said frankly:
"Criticism, opposition, always make people uncomfortable. But for the Communist Party, it must treat critical opinions with goodwill, and even if there are incorrect opinions, they must be analyzed. ”
Finally, Chen Yi clearly stated his attitude towards critical voices:
"As long as it is not an enemy who does not share heaven, if he scolds me for reason, I will treat him as a close friend and a slanderous friend."
In 1969, when Sino-Soviet relations once again reached an impasse, and a small-scale armed conflict broke out between the two sides on Zhenbao Island, which made the trilateral relations between China and the Soviet Union and the United States more complicated, Chen Yi once again stepped forward and was determined to repair Sino-US relations.
In the context of the world, there are no two countries that are completely opposite. It is for this purpose
Chen Yi wrote several written reports and proposed to the central authorities the use of US-Soviet contradictions to open up a new situation of Sino-US reconciliation.
In the early days of the rupture of Sino-Soviet relations, in the face of the Soviet Union's interference in China's sovereignty, Chen Yi loudly refuted Khrushchev in public. When the Soviet Union intended to reconcile with China, he proceeded from the overall situation and proposed to see the first meeting.
Chen Yi's well-founded, temperamental, and attitude diplomatic method enabled New China to win great initiative in diplomacy.
As the saying goes, "to strike iron, you also need to be hard", before China's first atomic bomb was successfully exploded, China's external environment can be described as extremely poor. But what about after the explosion is successful? The change is obvious.
On the day of the successful explosion, China issued a statement:
"This is a major achievement made by the Chinese people in the struggle to strengthen their national defense forces and oppose the policy of nuclear blackmail and nuclear threat of US imperialism."
It is precisely because of this atomic bomb that other countries no longer dare to underestimate China. Although China's national strength at this time is still inferior to that of the United States and the Soviet Union, the gap between the two sides has been further narrowed, which undoubtedly adds a layer of insurance to China's diplomatic cause.
It is not difficult to find that in the long run, the impact of this atomic bomb does not stop there.
In 1969, the Soviet Union once again carried out nuclear deterrence against China, Sino-Soviet relations reached an extremely dangerous point at this time, in the face of the provocation of the Soviets, China did not back down, because this time China had the confidence, so it was no longer afraid of the so-called nuclear deterrence, nuclear blackmail.
Chinese soldiers on Treasure Island
Since then, China's status in the international community has become higher and higher, from the restoration of the United Nations seat, to the ice-breaking of relations with the United States, the establishment of diplomatic relations, China has gradually broken the blockade of Western countries.
From the current point of view, China's decision to develop nuclear weapons at that time was extremely far-sighted. Deng Xiaoping's words are one of the best proofs of this, he said:
"If China had not had an atomic bomb, a hydrogen bomb, or launched satellites since the 1960s, China would not have been able to be called an influential power and would not have had such an international status as it has now."
From the explosion of the first atomic bomb to the sound of dongfang red resounding in the clouds, China has moved forward step by step and made little progress, and has become an inseparable and undeterred part of the world.
But behind this happiness is the result of thousands of Chinese day and night struggle and unremitting efforts.
People's Daily published news about the successful explosion of China's first atomic bomb
From the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea in the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China, scientific research in the 1960s, reform in the 1980s, and opening up in the 1990s, to the current prosperity and happiness, it is really not easy to come by.
When we feel happy in the moment, we should remember that those ancestors sacrificed their lives and forgot their deaths on the battlefield, just in exchange for giving their children and grandchildren a pure land.
When we feel that the country is strong,
We should also remember those scientists who are unknown on the Gobi Desert, who are willing to hide their names and give up countless merits and fortunes,
And there are thousands of great fighters who are groping forward on the road of the Chinese revolution with only hope of building a new China.
Without their efforts, the atomic bomb plan would not have succeeded, and China's international status would not have risen so rapidly.
Looking back now, Mr. Jin Yong's article "Prefer Pants, Not Nuclear Heads" could only give priority to solving one of these problems under the circumstances at that time, so there was such a debate.
But at present, we will not be troubled by such problems, and we do not have the dilemma of not wearing pants
。
This is a joint creation of countless predecessors, for us, only with a small effort to contribute to the modernization of the country, is the best way to repay the country!