In that magnificent era, everyone had an untold story. On October 1, 1949, the whole of China was boiling, and the founding of New China brought tears to the eyes of hundreds of millions of people. And at this exciting moment, there is such a misunderstood hero - Li Maotang. It is said that he is a traitor, but is that really the case?
In the crowd of the founding ceremony, a past incident was recalled, and a few words of Marshal He Long made people's understanding of this "traitor" change dramatically.
What are the twists and turns and bitterness of his story that no one knows? Follow my brushstrokes, let us uncover the dust of history and explore the real and confusing past.
Li Maotang, this name may not be prominent in the public memory, but his fate is closely linked to that turbulent era. Born in 1906 in Weinan, Shaanxi Province, Li Maotang grew up in a poor family and had to go out to earn a living after only a few years of study. His life did not seem to have many ups and downs, until 1921, by chance, he came to Xi'an to study telegraph technology, and from then on, the trajectory of his fate began to take a turn.
During his time in Xi'an, Li Maotang was exposed to many progressive ideas and books. He was full of admiration for the deeds of Chen Duxiu, Li Dazhao and others, and the ideas of these revolutionary pioneers deeply influenced him.
Finally, in 1926, at the age of 20, he resolutely joined the Communist Party of China and closely linked his destiny to the party. But the good times did not last long, and with the purge of the Kuomintang in 1927 and the failure of the Great Revolution, Li Maotang's life fell into crisis.
He was forced to return to Shaanxi and began a difficult career of underground activities. In order to protect the party's secrets, Li Maotang sometimes incarnated as a peasant, sometimes as a worker, and even occasionally as a high-ranking Kuomintang official, and his life was full of danger and uncertainty.
In 1935, when he rushed to Zhengzhou to attend an important meeting, the meeting place was surrounded by Kuomintang secret services, and many comrades were arrested.
In the face of this sudden change, Li Maotang knew that if he acted rashly, not only would his safety be difficult to protect, but also more people might be endangered.
Just when he was in despair, he learned that the Kuomintang had made a condition that if he surrendered himself, the others could be released. In this moment, he made a difficult decision and chose self-sacrifice.
Things didn't go as Li Maotang had hoped.
The Kuomintang did not keep its promise, not only did not release him, but also severely tortured Li Maotang. Under extreme pain and pressure, he seemed to show signs of rebellion, which is why he was later misunderstood as a "traitor". But the truth is far more complicated than it seems.
In those dark days, Li Maotang did not really betray the revolution, but made a series of wise choices in the face of extreme difficulties to save the lives of more comrades.
In fact, Li Maotang did not leak any important information after his arrest, on the contrary, he used his wisdom and courage to continue to exert his residual heat in the enemy's prison, transmit intelligence, and help the party organization adjust its strategy and rescue comrades. Until the eve of the founding ceremony of the People's Republic of China in 1949, his son Li Keqian did not know.
Li Keqian grew up in the cradle of New China, and he has always been haunted by his father's "rebellion". On the day of the founding ceremony, when Marshal He Long told him the truth in person, Li Keqian was stunned. It turned out that the traitor he had always thought of was actually an unknown hero. Marshal He Long's words not only made Li Keqian re-examine his views on his father, but also made many people present look at this misunderstood hero with admiration.
At this moment, Li Keqian finally understood that the reason why his father was misunderstood was because he chose a way that no one could understand to protect others. His father, Li Maotang, not only did not betray the revolution, but used his own way to protect the flame of the revolution.
The story returns to the present, Li Keqian stood in Tiananmen Square, looking at the raised five-star red flag, and his heart was full of complex emotions. His eyes moistened when he thought of the misunderstandings and tribulations his father had endured in those years. He knew that if it weren't for Marshal He Long's confession, this secret might be buried in the dust of history forever.
And Marshal He Long's sentence "Actually, your father is a hero of the party" is more like a key that opens the truth that has been sealed for a long time. It's a story of faith, sacrifice, and misunderstanding, but also a narrative about the intertwining of history and personal destinies.
The story of Li Maotang is not only the history of an individual, but also the epitome of countless heroes in that turbulent era. They may not have left behind feats that will go down in history, but every choice and sacrifice they made affected the course of history in one way or another.
This story reminds us that history is often more complex and multidimensional than we know what we see, and that understanding the heroes who are misunderstood is perhaps the best way to approach history.
In the days to come, let us not forget our original intention, continue to discover those truths buried by time, and let every side of history be brightened.