As everyone knows, since the founding of New China, our military has begun to introduce a series of advanced systems from abroad in order to learn from the various new requirements for "modernization" and "regularization" that keep pace with the times.
However, in the process of learning and emulating, there have been many phenomena of half-understanding and rigid copying, and there are also some unhealthy tendencies of respecting others and humbling oneself and admiring foreigners.
For example, at that time, our army introduced and learned the Soviet military management system, and some of the rules and regulations were very inconsistent with the traditional oriental civilization etiquette on the mainland, as well as the uniforms of our army since the beginning of history, and so on.
For example, in the old days, when new recruits of our army joined the army, our army needed to swear and read the party flag and the military flag, but after the introduction of the Soviet military system, it was changed to kneel to the military flag and kiss the corner of the military flag.
Anyone who is familiar with the history of the military knows that this is a very typical practice of the "Slavic peoples of Europe". This move would seem very real and touching to the "Slavic people", but for our introverted and reserved Orientals, it is actually very awkward and nondescript.
Moreover, at that time, in order to emphasize the authority of officers, the Soviet army looked arrogant and condescending wherever they went.
They wore elegant military uniforms, sat in grand cars, and were served in high-end restaurants for military officers during meals, demonstrating their noble status as officers all the time.
These behaviors and practices obviously violated the ideological concept of equality between officers and soldiers that our army has always advocated, but they did not expect to be unconditionally introduced by some units at that time, and even promoted and imitated them as "advanced experience that keeps pace with the times." And it was precisely this incident that immediately aroused the dissatisfaction and complaints of many old comrades.
One day in 1955 (the year of the award ceremony), the founding marshal He Long inspected the naval academy in Qingdao, accompanied by the leaders of the military academy and Soviet instructors and military advisers.
Later, when it was time to eat, Marshal He Long found that the entire dining hall was empty except for a group of school leaders and Soviet advisers.
Seeing that everyone was waiting with anticipation to sit down at his seat, Marshal He Long shook his head helplessly. He felt very uncomfortable at that time, so he approached the window to take a look, and found that the cadets and soldiers of the military academy were squatting in a circle outside the window to eat.
The students were eating in a very uncomfortable posture at that time, but everyone was talking and laughing, and the scene and atmosphere were very relaxed and happy.
So Marshal He Long made a move that surprised everyone, he picked up the big rice bowl on the table, and then walked out of the dining room to squat on the ground to eat with the students and soldiers outside the window.
At that time, the leading cadres of the military academy and the Soviet advisers were dumbfounded and did not dare to say anything, and a large group of people sat in the huge dining hall and did not stand or sit.
Subsequently, someone walked out of the restaurant and was beside Marshal He Long, and quietly invited him back to the restaurant for dinner. However, He Long said, "Tell them that I will eat here." I'll tell you the truth, I really can't get used to their way of doing things, and if we want to learn, we should learn from each other! We have to learn from their excellent and good aspects. But we also have good aspects, and they should learn from them as well. So today, I want them to take a look at the glory and traditions of our army, and let them study hard!"
After Marshal He Long finished speaking, he continued to squat in the circle with the students and soldiers to eat and chat, just like when they were marching and fighting, and there was no officer at all.
As a matter of fact, equality between officers and men is indeed a rule of our army's fine tradition all along, and it is also the fundamental reason why our army has been able to develop and grow so rapidly. With such ideas and concepts, our army has finally won the world. Therefore, Marshal He Long said a great deal, and the fine traditions of our army should also be popularized and studied.