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Preface
Throughout China's modern history, some promises have profoundly influenced the fate of a region. In 1983, at the age of 82, Huang Kecheng was admitted to the hospital due to illness, and at this time he still had an unfulfilled promise in his heart - the rebuilding of Batan. His old subordinate, Han Peixin, secretary of the Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee, immediately went to visit him after learning the news and reaffirmed his old promise. After decades of ups and downs, Batan has gradually changed from a ruin to a prosperous town, but can all these efforts really realize Huang Lao's wish?
Han Peixin left a deep mark on the history of Jiangsu Province as the secretary of the provincial party committee, he not only served in Suzhou and Yangzhou, but also planted an indelible respect in the hearts of the people of Jiangsu. The purpose of this article is to commemorate Han Lao's outstanding contributions and noble spirit, and to recall the far-reaching influence he left on this land and people.
Han Peixin was born in 1921 and grew up in a poor family in Xiangshui Town, northern Jiangsu. His early life was full of challenges, and the death of both parents allowed him to experience the hardships of life from an early age. Han Peixin often lamented that if it were not for the protection and cultivation of the Communist Party, his life would not be possible. He once said affectionately: "Without the Communist Party, I am just an orphan and have nothing."
When he was a teenager, Han Peixin was influenced by advanced ideas. Not only did he read a large number of revolutionary literature, but in the process, his thinking gradually matured and he strengthened his determination to devote himself to the revolution. During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Han Peixin showed extraordinary leadership and fighting spirit, he not only organized and established a number of anti-Japanese base areas, but also fought side by side with the New Fourth Army to resist the brutal "sweep" of the Japanese army.
In 1942, Huang Kecheng called on all personnel of the Third Division of the New Fourth Army to conduct systematic military training under the call of "the whole army to carry out large-scale military training". In this year, the officers and men of the Third Division have been markedly improved in their military skills, cultural knowledge, and physical fitness, thus laying a solid foundation for subsequent battles.
In the autumn and winter of 1942, after the large-scale sweep of the Huaihai area by the Japanese army was successfully repulsed, in the spring of 1943, the Japanese invading army once again mobilized a large number of troops to launch a more fierce offensive against the Yanfu area. This operation was planned by the General Headquarters of the Japanese Chinese Dispatch Army, led by the 17th Division under the command of Sakai Yasori, and mobilized more than 20,000 Japanese and puppet troops.
Since February 17, the Japanese army, with the synergy of aviation and navy, has carried out a delicate and brutal "comb grate" search and sweep with the east side of the Salt River and the north of Sheyang River as the main direction of attack. At the same time, they also strengthened the blockade along the coast, added a number of military posts, and vigorously promoted the construction of roads and the establishment of a puppet regime. In the face of the unprecedented scale of the Japanese army's sweeping operation, Huang Kecheng knew that it would be difficult to resist the enemy with the strength of one division alone, so he formulated a thorough anti-sweeping strategy.
In a key battle in February 1943, the Japanese 17th Division, under the command of Yasushi Sakai, launched a fierce and large-scale "sweeping" operation in the Yanfu area. They were divided into five armies, aiming directly at Dongkan and Batan, in an attempt to completely cut off the supply lines of the New Fourth Army. At this time, Batan was not only a key supply depot for the New Fourth Army, but also the center of life for the people in the area.
Han Peixin, as the head of the Batan District, received an urgent order from Huang Kecheng in the face of the approaching Japanese army: in order to avoid heavy losses, Batan must be completely dismantled before the enemy arrives to ensure that the Japanese army has nothing to gain. This order, while strategically necessary, caused great confusion and unease among the local population, who found it difficult to understand why they were destroying their hard-built homeland.
In the face of the confusion and dissatisfaction of the masses, Han Peixin felt a heavy responsibility, and he reported these feedback to Huang Kecheng. When Huang Kecheng learned of the situation, he replied firmly: "For the greater good of the revolution, we need to make sacrifices. Sacrifice Silver Eight Beach now, and I will repay it with Golden Eight Beach in the future. His words reaffirmed the revolutionary spirit of sacrificing the ego and accomplishing the ego.
After Han Peixin returned to Batan, he went deep into the people, patiently explained the strategic intentions of his superiors, and worked hard to dispel their doubts. Under his inspiration and leadership, the people of Batan have shown a high degree of unity and sacrifice. In just three days, they quickly demolished more than 300 homes and moved critical supplies such as food and ammunition to safety, ensuring that the enemy could not receive any supplies.
When the Japanese brigade finally arrived at the Eight Beaches, they found it empty, with nothing but ruins. The Japanese army, having lost supplies and a place to rest, was ambushed by the New Fourth Army when they were exhausted. Huang's meticulously planned counterattack was remarkable, not only repelling the enemy forces, but also inflicting heavy losses on the Japanese army and capturing a large number of weapons.
This strategy of fortifying the walls and clearing the wilderness successfully won a valuable opportunity for the New Fourth Army to counter-sweep, greatly reducing the losses of our army, and also highlighted the wisdom of Huang Kecheng's decision-making and Han Peixin's resoluteness in carrying out orders. Their actions not only protected the lives of the masses, but also accumulated valuable experience for the final victory of the War of Resistance Against Japan.
In 1983, Han Peixin, as the secretary of the provincial party committee of Jiangsu Province, learned that his former comrade-in-arms Huang Kecheng was being treated in the 301 Hospital in Beijing, so he immediately went to visit. Before the hospital bed, Huang Kecheng mentioned a promise in the past: "When I ordered you to demolish Yinbatan, I once said that I would give you Jinbatan after the victory of the revolution." Now that you are the secretary of the provincial party committee, has this promise been fulfilled?
Faced with this problem, Han Peixin felt very guilty and had to admit that the poverty situation in Batan had not been fundamentally improved. But he replied firmly: "Please rest assured that I will take advantage of the opportunity of reform and opening up to fully promote the development of this area and ensure that the living standards of residents in Batan and even the whole of northern Jiangsu will be significantly improved."
After returning to Nanjing, Han Peixin immediately took action and began to intensively investigate the development needs of northern Jiangsu. At a cadre meeting held in Yancheng, he clearly put forward the regional development strategy of "accelerating the development of northern Jiangsu and actively upgrading southern Jiangsu", and set up a specific policy of supporting 13 impoverished counties in northern Jiangsu with economically developed counties and cities in southern Jiangsu.
Since 1986, Han Peixin has also promoted the selection of cadres from provincial-level organs, institutions of higher learning, scientific research institutions and institutions to be stationed in difficult counties in northern Jiangsu to help the rapid development of the local area. Han Peixin's affection for Batan is particularly deep, and he decided to take the lead in demonstrating. In order to speed up the construction process of Batan, he sent his son Han Jianhua to Binhai County to assist in the local economic construction.
Shortly after graduating from the Aerospace Institute, Han Jianhua served as a deputy director-level in the Seventh Machinery Bureau of the Ministry of Aerospace Industry in Nanjing. When he first heard this order, Han Jianhua hesitated a little and sighed: "Transferring from a high-tech field to a poor area is a world of difference. But under Han Peixin's patient persuasion and ideological work, Han Jianhua understood his parents' intentions, decided to take on this responsibility, and soon adapted to the role of deputy county magistrate of Binhai County.
Thanks to Han Jianhua's efforts and the joint efforts of the local government, the town quickly transformed into a powerhouse in northern Jiangsu, with the number of enterprises surging to hundreds. The appearance of this area has been completely changed, and it was finally ranked as one of the top 100 towns in Jiangsu Province, which not only fulfilled Huang Kecheng's expectations, but also fulfilled Han Peixin's promise to his old comrades.
Today's Batan has been transformed into an industrial giant and commercial center in northern Jiangsu, with convenient transportation, vigorous social economy, and significant improvement in the living standards of local residents. Huang Kecheng's promise to Batan in 1943 and Han Peixin's guarantee in 1983 were successfully realized, and Batan Town was honored as one of the top 100 towns in Jiangsu Province.
At the beginning of the cold season of 1985, Huang was facing serious health challenges, and his lung infection worsened dramatically, resulting in a significant decrease in the effective breathing area and respiratory acidosis. The medical team quickly intervened and performed emergency medical measures, including tracheostomy and mechanical ventilation, to stabilize his condition. Under the careful care of doctors and nurses, Wong's condition was temporarily brought under control, but for an 83-year-old man, challenges remained.
When spring came, Mr. Wong's health improved, and he was even able to take a slow walk in the yard. However, the recovery did not last long, and at the end of the year, a medical check-up revealed the fact that he had rectal cancer. The medical team operated on him, and the operation initially appeared to be a success, but shortly after the operation, Huang Kecheng fell into a coma and was in critical condition several times.
Despite the difficulties he faced, Huang Kecheng's vitality showed remarkable tenacity. As time went on, his condition improved again, but the complexity of medical care also increased. In order to stay alive, he had to undergo the insertion of various tubes, such as ventilator tubes, nasogastric tubes, and intestinal fluid drains, which made him self-deprecating as a "ducted" person. By October, Huang Kecheng's kidney function began to decline, and there were more "tubes" on his body.
In the midst of all this predicament, Wong still showed a high level of selflessness, and he pleaded to stop using expensive drugs and treatments in order to save resources for those who could work for the country. He often removed his infusion needles and ventilator tubes on his own when he was not being monitored, indicating his refusal to further medical intervention.
Wong, who celebrated his 84th birthday in 1986, smiled with the help of a ventilator, shook hands with friends and family who came to celebrate, and gestured to his wife to cut the cake, although he could no longer speak. This became the last birthday he celebrated.
In the months that followed, Mr. Wong spent less and less time lucid, his words interspersed with illusions of war, such as talking about guns and "explosions." From time to time, he anxiously expressed a strong desire to report to the commander-in-chief. These moments of chaos reflect his deep impression of the bygone years and his strong fighting spirit.
In 1989, when Han Peixin stepped down as party secretary of the province, although Huang's promise had become a reality, he believed that the only Golden Eight Beach was not enough to meet the needs of all the people of northern Jiangsu. He envisions replicating and expanding this successful model to the entire northern Jiangsu region, so that more people can lift themselves out of poverty and live a better life.
In October 2011, the New Fourth Army Research Society demonstrated Han Peixin's deep affection for supporting the development of northern Jiangsu, and he mentioned in the document that without the construction and support of the Central China base area, victory during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression would not have been possible. He affectionately expressed his concern for his hometown and stressed the need to build more "Golden Eight Beaches" to change the face of poverty in northern Jiangsu.
Huang Kecheng passed away in 1986, and Han Peixin left us in 2017. Although the bodies of the two old revolutionaries have passed away, their will and firm conviction remain forever. Their lifelong efforts and vision, to build more prosperous areas like Jinbatan in northern Jiangsu, have been remembered in the pages of history and become a shining guide for the future. These efforts and achievements are not only the best consolation for the two leaders, but also a profound gift to the entire northern Jiangsu region and its people.
Bibliography:
The ideal is in my heart: "Eight Beach Battle"
Zhong Shan Wind and Rain: "Memories of Han Peixin's Investigation and Research"
Party History Wenyuan: Analysis of Huang Kecheng's Thoughts on Mass Work during the Anti-Japanese War (1941-1945)