When it comes to General Chen Geng, we have to talk about the Kazakh military industry he created. We all know that during the revolutionary years, Chen Geng mainly commanded troops on the front line to fight wars. Like the TV series "Bright Sword" that we have all watched, the brigade commander who Li Yunlong shouted in his mouth is the prototype of Chen Geng.
After the founding of New China, Chen Geng also went to Korea to command battles and served as deputy commander of the volunteer army. But in June 1952, Chairman Mao transferred Chen Geng back from Korea with a paper transfer order.
Chairman Mao gave him a special task - to establish a military engineering academy to train modern military talents for the motherland, that is, the military engineering college of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (referred to as The Kazakh Military Industry)!
Chen Geng used to lead soldiers to fight, but now he asked him to set up military academies, which also makes sense. But the burden on Chen Geng's body is not light, if you want to establish such a school, some of the most basic conditions and facilities should always be needed.
But the reality is, nothing! No school buildings, no teaching materials, no equipment, and the most important thing is that there are no teachers!
What if I don't have one? Start from scratch! At first, he didn't even know where the school was built, but after some investigation and research, Chen Geng decided to set up the school site in Harbin, which led to the Kazakh military industry.
Speaking of the establishment of the Kazakh military industry, Chen Geng encountered many difficulties, if you want to run a school, students are naturally easy to find, the army is a lot of old and rough, need to learn military theoretical knowledge of the commanders and fighters, but there are not many teachers who can teach knowledge! At that time, he was in urgent need of talents in this area!
In order to find excellent teachers, Chen Geng did not know how much effort had been put into it. In order to invite an expert, he did not hesitate to find the Central Committee, to find Chairman Mao, and ask them for help. Why?
Because this person is not an ordinary person, he is a death row prisoner in a cell!
The end result? Under Chen Geng's many requests for help, it was finally successful, and Chairman Mao made a decision: "I approved!" ”
Only then did Chen Geng bring people to the Kazakh military industry and put him into the front-line post of work.
So, who is this death row inmate? He actually let Chen Geng go to the Central Committee and Chairman Mao for him. What happened to the death row inmate and was he executed?
Figure | Chairman Mao
The answers to these questions, we will reveal them one by one later, now let's talk about it slowly...
First, everything is difficult at the beginning
In 1950, the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea began, and our People's Volunteer Army crossed the Yalu River to resist the imperialist army. In the early days of the battle, our army fought a series of beautiful battles, not only defeating the "United Nations Army" one after another, but also helping Korea recover its territory. When it comes to this achievement, the international community has shown an expression of disbelief.
Among them, there is surprise at the mainland's invasion of Korea, and there is also admiration for our military's defeat of the US military with its low-end equipment, which has superiority in land, sea and air, and advanced weapons and equipment. The international community is extremely surprised that our army can rely on such equipment and achieve such results.
Admittedly, this is the truth! But on the other hand, Chairman Mao and other party leaders and frontline commanders and fighters have profoundly realized that there is a huge gap between us and the US military in terms of weapons, equipment, and technological strength!
This prompted Chairman Mao and others to decide to speed up the construction of national defense modernization, and in 1952, the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea had been fought for nearly two years. In March, Nie Rongzhen and Su Yu submitted a "Report on the Establishment of a Military Engineering College" to the Central Military Commission.
In this report, Premier Zhou and Zhu De both agreed, and Chairman Mao gave instructions: "Agree! Retire to the Yu Office. ”
In July 1952, Chairman Mao signed an order that Chen Geng should be appointed as the first president and political commissar of Kazakhstan's military industry.
For Chen Geng, he not only founded a military academy, but also undertook the heavy task of building national defense modernization. But now if he wants to start a Kazakh military industry, if there is nothing, everything is difficult at the beginning, he has to start from scratch.
Like marching to fight, the difficulties did not frighten him. Chen Geng first spent a month investigating and researching in various places, visiting various places, and finally decided to run a school in Harbin.
After determining the school address, he began to prepare for the construction of the school building, and the teaching building, dormitory building, family home, canteen, etc. began to break ground. In order to build the teaching and scientific research building, Chen Geng often went to the construction site, and when he encountered any important things, he discussed with the staff of the infrastructure office to solve them.
In order to ensure the quality of the project, he often climbed on scaffolding, talked to front-line workers, checked the construction progress and quality, and completely ignored his leg injuries left in the war years...
It only took seven months for 36 teaching and scientific research buildings of 100,000 square meters to rise from the ground, all of which were inseparable from Chen Geng's careful guidance and supervision.
On September 1, 1953, the inaugural meeting of the Kazakh military industry and the opening ceremony of the first phase were solemnly held, at which Chen Geng solemnly announced: "The first military engineering college in the history of the mainland has been formally established!" ”
Figure | Inaugural Meeting of The Kazakh Military Industry
Later, when Qian Xuesen returned from overseas, Chen Geng invited him to visit the Kazakh military industry, and after seeing the Kazakh military industry, Qian Xuesen said emotionally: "It is also a miracle in the world to set up such a complete and comprehensive military technology academy in such a short period of time. ”
But who knows how much Chen Geng paid behind his back in order to create such a "miracle"...
Second, find experts
Behind this "miracle", Chen Geng not only needs to pay attention to the construction of the building, but also all aspects of things, of which for the college, the most critical is to find experts!
The establishment of a military academy requires a large number of experts to teach, and although the central authorities have recruited a number of people from all over the country, there is still a gap, and there are not many skilled experts.
In order to hire excellent teachers, Chen Geng asked professor Zhang Shuzu, a ballistic expert, to propose a list of professors and experts needed according to the majors arranged by the college. When Professor Zhang Shuzu found Chen Geng with the list, his face showed a difficult color: "I wrote it, but it is difficult to adjust the people on the list!" It's too hard! ”
Chen Geng took the list and took a cursory look: "You say, what kind of people need to go through the consent to mobilize the people above?" ”
"Some people need at least the level of vice premier to approve, and some even have the prime minister's personal approval..."
Chen Geng looked at the list, and his heart was also playing a drum, he understood that it was really difficult. But when you think about building such a military academy, what is it difficult to be afraid of?
Chen Geng decided to make it easier and then more difficult, and some of them did not need instructions, so he first issued an order to transfer people from various schools and factories. Then I went to He Long, Chen Yi, and several other vice premiers, consulted with them, and asked them to help.
In the end, some people had to find Premier Zhou. But Premier Zhou has a lot of things to do every day, and he is often too busy to find time, and it is difficult for ordinary people to see him. Chen Geng had no choice but to go to Premier Zhou's house in the morning or evening to "block people."
Once, Chen Geng heard that Premier Zhou was going to hold a meeting in the West Flower Hall of the State Council, and he had been waiting there early in the morning. But when Premier Zhou arrived, it was already full of democrats, and Premier Zhou greeted them when he went in, and then held a meeting.
Figure | Premier Zhou
As soon as Chen Geng saw this situation, it was naturally inconvenient to break in, so he waited outside the door. Suddenly, he saw that Premier Zhou had gotten up and was supposed to go to the toilet. When Premier Zhou walked to the toilet, Chen Geng stood outside the door and waited. When Premier Zhou finished going to the toilet, Chen Geng immediately stepped forward and blocked Premier Zhou at the door of the toilet.
When Premier Zhou saw Chen Geng, he was a little strange: "Chen Geng, how did you get here?" ”
"Prime Minister, there are several lists of professors, please approve them." Chen Geng laughed.
"Is this matter in such a hurry?" I didn't even let go of the time I had to untie my hands. ”
"It's urgent! Didn't you ask me to hurry up and run the Kazakh military industry? ”
"Can't you wait?"
"Wait a minute and you're gone." Chen Geng was a little anxious.
Premier Zhou joked: "You Chen Geng, but you really have a way to find a toilet to ask me to work, this is a big invention of yours." ”
Chen Geng smiled and did not speak, and after Premier Zhou took the report and read it again, he signed and agreed, and Chen Geng smiled happily and thanked Premier Zhou one after another.
Thanks to Chen Geng's efforts, a large number of experts and professors have successively come to the Kazakh military industry, and the Kazakh military industry has finally done a good job.
Third, experts who do not come
So many experts came, but the cadres of the preparatory office were busy. Not only the preparatory office, but also the staff of the security department were very busy, and the deputy director of the security department had just sorted out a stack of questionnaires and was ready to send them to Chen Geng for approval.
Chen Geng's office was arranged in an old house, and the outside of the corridor was piled with some old furniture and building materials, and various footsteps were rattling in the corridor.
The vice minister knocked on Chen Geng's door, walked in, found that the ballistics expert Professor Zhang Shuzu was also there, he handed the questionnaire to Chen Geng and sat down.
Chen Geng took off his glasses, picked up the questionnaire and looked at it for a while, then asked, "What does the question mark above mean?" ”
The vice minister sat down a little closer: "There is doubt, her brother is an important member of the Kuomintang in Taiwan, staying in our college to work, I am afraid it is not appropriate." ”
Chen Geng was also well aware of the professor's situation and immediately said, "You have overlooked the more crucial point, you only know that he has an older brother who is an important member of the Kuomintang in Taiwan, but you do not know that she also has an older brother who is a member of our Central Committee." Instead of running to Taiwan with that brother, she stayed on the mainland with her brother of the Communist Party, doesn't that mean that she has made progress? ”
The deputy minister hesitated for a moment and then said, "But..."
"Nothing, leave her behind!" Chen Geng said firmly.
Figure | Chen Geng
Chen Geng then asked Zhang Shuzu again, "Professor Zhang, what about the ballistics expert you just mentioned?" ”
Zhang Shuzu helped down his glasses: "He once went to France to study, in our line, he is a baby!" ”
"Baby?" Chen Geng rubbed his hands, and his eyes revealed a desire for talent, "Since it is a baby, let's hurry up and come here!" ”
Zhang Shuzu shook his head and looked at the vice minister again: "I'm afraid this person will not come." ”
Chen Geng seemed to have been poured a basin of cold water: "Why don't you come?" Is it necessary to ask the Prime Minister for approval again? ”
Zhang Shuzu smiled a little: "Premier? I'm just afraid that Lao Tzu, the Heavenly King, can't approve it. ”
The vice minister also seemed to know who Zhang Shuzu was talking about, and said to Chen Geng: "Commander, this person really can't come." ”
Chen Geng was very strange and hurriedly asked, "I don't believe him, what kind of person is he?" ”
The vice minister said: "His name is Shen Yi, he used to work in the Kuomintang Military Engineering Bureau, he revolted in the northeast during the Liberation War, and he also contributed to the construction of an arsenal for our army..."
Speaking of this, the vice minister was reluctant to go on, and Chen Geng asked, "Isn't this very good?" Since the uprising has started, it is not to blame in the past, but also a talent, and there is still a great contribution. ”
The deputy minister added: "Commander, but then he was transferred to the Civil Aviation Administration as the chief of finance, and it did not take long for corruption to be discovered and sentenced to death, which was later changed to a two-year suspension of death. ”
Chen Geng froze, he did not expect the situation to be so complicated, his face instantly faded, and he kept walking back and forth in the office, squeaking on the old floor.
Suddenly, Chen Geng stopped and said firmly, "Bring him here!" ”
The deputy minister was anxious and stood up from the stool: "Commander, everyone else can be transferred, this person is absolutely not OK, he is a death row prisoner." ”
"You can make him make meritorious atonement for his sins."
"Commander!" The deputy minister wanted to say something, but he didn't know how to say it.
Chen Geng seemed to have made up his mind, and did not hesitate in the slightest: "Don't call me commander, this is not a battlefield, I am not a commander, I am now the dean of Kazakhstan's military industry!" If I want to develop talent, I need experts. He is indeed guilty, but his technique is real, and technology is not sinful. ”
The vice minister reluctantly agreed, but his heart was still reluctant, and his face was a little unwilling: "Dean Chen, we can't do this matter." ”
Chen Geng said, "I know who did the master, you hurry to buy two train tickets, let's go to Beijing." ”
Looking at Chen Geng, the vice minister understood that he was going to Beijing again to ask for someone...
Fourth, the experts are coming
After Chen Geng and the vice minister arrived in Beijing, they got out of the car and went straight to the Supreme People's Court and found Dong Biwu, the president.
"Elder Dong, be merciful under the knife and leave that treasure to our Kazakh military industry." Chen Geng quipped.
Figure | Chen Geng
Dong Biwu was a little confused: "What baby?" ”
"It's shen Yi of the Civil Aviation Administration, he's a famous ballistic expert!"
Dong Biwu smiled, "I understand, I can consider this matter, but I can't be the Lord!" ”
Chen Geng had no choice but to go to Zhongnanhai again, met Chairman Mao with difficulty, and told him about the situation, and Chairman Mao finally smiled and said: "You Chen Geng really have the ability to fight the idea of a death row prisoner, and I approved this matter, so that he can wear the crime and make meritorious deeds first." ”
With the approval of Chairman Mao and Premier Zhou, two weeks later, Shen Yi, a ballistic expert and death row prisoner, was brought before Chen Geng.
As soon as he saw Chen Geng, Shen Yi wept bitterly, "Chief, you are my reborn parents!" If you say you want me to do something, I will do it, and I will never be sloppy. ”
Chen Geng comforted him: "We guarantee that you will come out, hoping that you will use your knowledge to make more contributions to the country." When you get to Harbin, we will find you a house, where you will translate scientific and technological information, work and renovate. ”
After Chen Geng took Shen Yi to the Kazakh military industry, he found him a house and asked him to translate some foreign language materials on ballistics there, and he also worked very hard. But his attitude of working there aroused the suspicion of the deputy minister.
The vice minister came to Chen Geng's office and said to him: "Dean, I see that the death row prisoner has not repented, and when some comrades passed by his room, they found that there was often a smell of wine inside. ”
Chen Geng was also a little strange, but he still decided to go to see, and the vice minister said: "It is now dark, it is snowing outside again, the road is not good, go again tomorrow." ”
"Just take advantage of the darkness and make a surprise attack on him."
Chen Geng and the vice minister descended the stairs and walked to another row of small bungalows. After arriving, Chen Geng really smelled a hint of wine, and the vice minister looked inside from the window, and Chen Geng smiled: "Don't look, just push the door and go in." ”
After they walked in, a smell of wine wafted from Shen Yi's position. Shen Yi raised his head from a few stacks of materials, his face was full of dirt and his beard was pulled, and he immediately greeted Chen Geng when he saw him come in.
Chen Geng smelled a little unhappy about the wine: "You drank?" ”
Shen Yi nodded.
Chen Geng said: "Recently, you have translated a lot of materials, which has helped us a lot, but you should not be proud, and you should be strict in life. ”
Figure | Chen Geng
Shen Yi said humbly: "I understand, I understand, I am working overtime to try to translate this batch of materials as soon as possible." ”
Standing in Shen Yi's room, Chen Geng took a few steps, suddenly felt a little cold, sneezed, he looked around, only to find that there was no fire in the house: "Why don't you light the stove?" ”
Shen Yi looked at the room full of materials and books and said, "There are too many materials here, some of the whole country have only one copy, I am afraid that the stove is not well managed and causes a fire, and then my sin will be great." And a little stove, people are prone to drowsiness when they heat up..."
Chen Geng hurriedly said, "Then you will freeze like this." ”
Shen Yi pointed to the wine bottle next to him and said, "No, no, I will drink it when it is frozen." ”
Chen Geng understood at this moment, he was touched by Shen Yi, and without saying anything, he withdrew from the room. When he returned to his office, he said to the deputy minister, "Find a way to move him into the building." ”
The tone in Chen Geng's words was not a discussion, more like an order. The deputy minister's face was a little ugly: "This is also too much to take care of him, and the other experts also live in the bungalow." ”
"Then move all the experts into the building!"
"Dean, there aren't so many empty rooms!"
"Move my office to the bungalow, and your security department will move it." Chen Geng said firmly.
"In this case, the old cadres will have opinions." The deputy minister muttered.
"If you have an opinion, ask them to come to me and mention it, and you have to understand the value of those data and experts." Tomorrow I'll ask them to move, and if an expert freezes, I won't spare you. Chen Geng said to the vice minister.
The house was moved, but some old cadres complained: "We broke out of the rain of bullets and bullets, those intellectuals, who have been reading books for a few years, why are they so high?" ”
After hearing this remark, Chen Geng made a severe criticism: "You are indeed revolutionary heroes, but it is not easy for them to study hard for ten years!" Now our country is in urgent need of talents, especially in national defense, will you? You are old Communists, and you were brought here to make you play a leading role, not to treat you. ”
Not only did the old cadre's house give way to the experts, Chen Geng even gave up his own room. In addition, Chen Geng also built a restaurant for experts, asked chefs to cook for them, and also helped solve the employment problems of experts' families and the problem of their children's schooling.
In Chen Geng's view, intellectuals are one of the two pillars supporting the academy, and the other is military cadres. In terms of business, experts are arranged to be leaders, and they are also provided with good treatment in life as much as possible.
For Shen Yi, Chen Geng also applied for an amnesty for him, giving him peace of mind to run a school in Kazakhstan's military industry. After the three-story building with floor and bathroom was built, Chen Geng asked the experts to live in it first, and he still lived in a simple bungalow.
It is precisely because Chen Geng's long-term living conditions are difficult, the military industry in Kazakhstan is often overloaded, coupled with the pain left by the war years, resulting in his health getting worse and worse.
In 1954, the Kazakh military industry began to take shape, but Chen Geng fell ill. After this, the doctor repeatedly reminded him to pay attention to rest, but he still kept running.
In December 1957, shortly after Chen Geng visited Su Gang and returned to China, he suddenly suffered a myocardial infarction and was bedridden in Beijing for three months. For Chen Geng, those days were too difficult, he was a person who couldn't stay idle, let him live in the hospital for three months, you can imagine how uncomfortable.
After recuperating for a while, his condition improved. So he went to the doctor every day and asked for permission to go back to work. At several requests, the hospital reported Chen Geng's ideas to the central government, and finally the central government agreed to Chen Geng's discharge, but could only spend a little time every day to deal with official affairs. As soon as he got busy, Chen Geng had long forgotten about these things, and he couldn't stop when he often worked.
Once, a defense research project needed to be tested in a suburb dozens of miles from Beijing. At that time, Chen Geng was serving as deputy director of the National Defense Science and Technology Commission, and he had to go no matter what he said. On the day he left, Chen Geng's wife Fu Ya received a call from the Central Military Commission and the hospital, asking her to persuade Chen Geng not to let him go to the test place.
But how could Chen Geng listen? Just insist on going. After returning from there, as soon as he entered the door, he said to his wife, "Fu Ya, you go and report, just say that I came back alive." But in fact, on that day, Chen Geng's body was already a bit overwhelmed, and his face was a little pale.
In the winter of 1960, Chen Geng's myocardial infarction recurred. After being rescued from the brink of death, Chen Geng obviously felt that his body was almost dead. His condition was getting worse and his chest was more painful.
He knew that his days were running out, and he wanted to seize the remaining days and make more contributions to the country. He has always been worried about the Kazakh military industry founded by his own hands, and wrote a letter to the leader of the Kazakh military industry, putting forward some of his suggestions for the construction of the college. The teachers and students of The Kazakh military industry could not have imagined that this was the last letter written to them by Chen Geng.
On March 16, 1961, Chen Geng died of a heart attack due to long-term fatigue in Shanghai.
Figure | Statue of Chen Geng
Chen Geng has made a lot of painstaking efforts for the construction of the Kazakh military industry, and although he died prematurely, his spirit will always exist!