In 1985, Wen Qiang embarked on a flight to the United States, and after years of ups and downs, from the young talents of the Whampoa Military Academy to the profound introspection in the meritorious forest, and then to the active participation in politics of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, his life seems to have reached a successful old age.
When the plane slowly landed on American soil, Wen Qiang, who was far away in a foreign country, did not expect that a dusty past was about to be revisited by Jiang Zhiyun, an old student. Before the joy of the reunion faded, Jiang Zhiyun mysteriously took Wen Qiang's hand and whispered: "Teacher, do you know? There is also a salary of 1 million US dollars, and you have not received it." ”
Wen Qiang was stunned, what kind of story is hidden in this distant money?
Early life and revolutionary career
Wen Qiang was born into a family with a deep revolutionary background, and his father was a brother and sister to Mao Zedong's mother, and this family environment naturally pushed him to the future revolutionary road. In 1927, at the age of 20, Wen Qiang stepped into the gate of the Whampoa Military Academy, which gathered like-minded young people from all over the country.
At the Whampoa Military Academy, Wen Qiang's classmates had many young talents who later became important military and political figures, including Lin Biao. Lin Biao was not tall and did not speak much, but he always performed well in military training and theoretical study, and was deeply respected by instructors and classmates.
Another important classmate of Wen Qiang was Zhou Enshou, Zhou Enlai's younger brother. Zhou Enshou has a cheerful personality and is sociable, often mediating disputes among his classmates and promoting friendly relations between classmates. He often mentioned his brother Zhou Enlai and described Zhou Enlai's activities and achievements at home and abroad, which made Wen Qiang have a deep admiration for Zhou Enlai.
By chance, Zhou Enshou arranged for Wen Qiang to meet Zhou Enlai. It was a sunny weekend, and Zhou Enlai visited the school and had a discussion with some of the students. Facing this already influential leader, Wen Qiang felt both nervous and excited.
During the meeting, Zhou Enlai inquired in detail about Wen Qiang's family background and personal aspirations, and encouraged him to adhere to revolutionary ideals, work hard to learn military technology, and serve the country and the people in the future. After this meeting, Wen Qiang's admiration for Zhou Enlai turned into deep trust and loyalty, and he strengthened his determination to realize his ideal of saving the country through military means.
Under the recommendation of Zhou Enlai, Wen Qiang and Lin Biao joined the Communist Party of China together and officially embarked on the road of revolution. After joining the Communist Party, Wen Qiang's life and scope of activities changed dramatically. He began to participate in various anti-Japanese and revolutionary activities, planning and carrying out tasks together with other members of the party.
In 1927, he participated in the Nanchang Uprising led by Zhou Enlai. During the uprising, Wen Qiang was not only responsible for liaison and intelligence gathering, but also directly involved in the fighting.
In the years that followed, Wen Qiang's military prowess and leadership skills gradually emerged, and in 1930, he was appointed secretary of the East Sichuan Special Committee. This position has given him more opportunities to carry out the party's policies and directives, and it has also exposed him to more serious challenges and risks.
Dilemmas and misunderstandings
One day in 1931, Wen Qiang was operating underground as usual, but he did not know that he had been targeted by Kuomintang agents. At that time, the Kuomintang was very strict in its repression of the Communist Party, and they used all available resources to track down and arrest party members. On the way back from his mission, Wen Qiang was unfortunately captured by the Kuomintang army in ambush.
He was captured by a group of Kuomintang soldiers who took Wen Qiang to a secret interrogation room. In the Kuomintang prison, Wen Qiang was subjected to harsh interrogation and torture. The Kuomintang interrogators hoped to use him to obtain internal information about the Communist Party and a plan of action for the next step. They use a variety of methods, including physical torture and psychological oppression, to try to get him to submit.
Despite the great suffering, Wen Qiang remained true to his principles and did not reveal any information about his comrades and the organization. During the days of his torture, Kuomintang officers and soldiers frequently came to the interrogation room for "questioning". The pressure they exerted on Wen Qiang was enormous, and after each "questioning", Wen Qiang was severely beaten and his physical condition deteriorated day by day.
A year later, late one night, a Communist team infiltrated a Kuomintang prison and successfully rescued Wen Qiang. That night, the rescue team quietly approached the prison, using the dark cover and the intelligence provided inside, broke through multiple security doors, and finally found Wen Qiang's cell.
After being rescued, Wen Qiang was temporarily placed in a safe location where party doctors and other comrades-in-arms were located. Despite his severe physical weakness, Wen Qiang was fortunate to be able to regain his freedom. But the experience of this arrest had a serious impact on his career.
As a result of his capture by the enemy, some party leaders began to suspect him, believing that he might have compromised with the Kuomintang while in prison. During this period, Wang Ming, as the leader of the provincial party committee, began to review Wen Qiang's loyalty and behavior. Due to the lack of understanding of Wen Qiang's behavior in prison, Wang Ming arbitrarily labeled Wen Qiang as a possible defect based on the fact that he was arrested.
The decision was made without a full investigation and did not give Wen Qiang enough opportunity to prove his innocence. Wang Ming's decision made Wen Qiang feel greatly aggrieved, and he contacted old friends and superiors everywhere, hoping to clarify the facts and restore his reputation.
However, due to the political environment and internal suspicions at the time, his efforts failed to achieve the desired results. He was forced to accept the punishment of "one year of probation in the party".
Suspicion and escape
Wen Qiang faced an unprecedented predicament under the punishment of "one year of probation in the party". As soon as the punishment announcement came out, his reputation was damaged, and many former comrades began to keep their distance from him, for fear of being implicated. Under these circumstances, Wen Qiang decided not to sit idly by, and he began to actively look for opportunities to clean up his grievances.
He first contacted some old comrades-in-arms, hoping to explain his situation through them into the upper echelons of the party. Wen Qiang had distinguished himself in the Nanchang Uprising and many other important battles, and he hoped that these achievements would vindicate his name. He wrote several letters detailing his performance in prison, as well as his loyalty to the party.
He personally handed over these letters to reliable people, hoping that they would pass them on to his superiors. At the same time, Wen Qiang also tried to restore his reputation through public means. He participated in organizing small rallies to tell the party members about his experience, emphasizing that he had never betrayed the party's ideals while in prison.
Although this series of actions won the sympathy and support of some comrades, the overall effect was limited. The misgivings of the leadership of the provincial party committee about him have not been completely dispelled. After many attempts, Wen Qiang was very disappointed, and he realized that it would be difficult to change the status quo by his own efforts.
In the end, Wen Qiang made a difficult decision to leave Sichuan and go to Shanghai to try to contact Zhou Enlai. He believes that Zhou Enlai, as a senior leader in the party, may be completely cleared of his innocence if he can get his support. He changed his identity and line several times to avoid being discovered by the Kuomintang.
After arriving in Shanghai, it took Mr. Wen several weeks to find Mr. Zhou's contact information. Through a mutual friend, he sent a letter to Zhou Enlai, detailing his situation and the purpose of the trip. However, due to the highly sensitive political environment in which Zhou Enlai was located at the time, coupled with the continuous political meetings and events, he was unable to respond to Wen Qiang's request in a timely manner.
Wen Qiang's wait in Shanghai became long and anxious, and he tried to find more ways to get closer to Zhou Enlai every day. But as time went by, without the direct help of Zhou Enlai, Wen Qiang's situation did not change much. Eventually, after a long period of hard work and waiting, Wen Qiang realized that his attempt in Shanghai might not bear fruit. He decided to leave Shanghai for a while.
Anti-Japanese and turning point
While deciding to leave Shanghai for support elsewhere, Wen Qiang came into contact with some of his former military academy classmates and comrades-in-arms, including his friend Liao Zongze during his time at the Whampoa Military Academy. Liao Zongze also performed well during the Sino-Japanese War, and after the war, he was recommended to teach at a military school headed by Dai Li, a high-ranking officer of the Nationalist government.
After Liao Zongze learned about Wen Qiang's predicament, he suggested that he also come to this school to teach, and at the same time used Dai Li's influence to try to clear Wen Qiang's grievances. Wen Qiang knew that this might be an opportunity to start over, so he accepted Liao's suggestion and went to that school.
He taught military tactics and history in schools, and although this was not his original aspiration, he believed that in this way he could gradually restore his reputation and serve his country again. Initially, Dai had reservations about Wen Qiang, who had been a member of the Communist Party and Dai Li, who was an officer of the Nationalist government.
But as time went on, Dai began to appreciate Wenqiang's professional knowledge and responsible attitude towards his students. There was also more communication between them, with Dai sometimes asking Wen Qiang for his views on certain military strategies, and Wen Qiang always gave thoughtful answers.
Through these efforts, Wen Qiang not only established a good reputation in the school, but also gradually restored his reputation within the wider military circle.
He was pardoned in his later years
Wen Qiang's performance in the military school eventually earned him more respect and recognition. His career took a turn for the better. In 1949, with the founding of the People's Republic of China and changes in the socio-political environment, Wen Qiang's past experiences were reassessed in the new government.
When the Huaihai Campaign broke out, Wen Qiang was appointed deputy chief of staff of the Xuzhou Suppression Commander, and Wen Qiang, as a senior general, eventually became a prisoner of war after the battle. According to the policy of the time, Kuomintang officers such as him were placed in Gongdelin for reform.
Gongdelin was a place dedicated to the detention and rehabilitation of high-ranking Kuomintang generals, with the aim of educating them about the policies and direction of the new China. Wen Qiang's life in Gongdelin was very strict, and he had regular political study and labor every day. Despite the harsh environment, management here is orderly, aiming to re-cultivate people's minds and behaviors through education and labor reform.
Here, Wen Qiang, like other prisoners of war, received a long period of ideological education and self-reflection. His performance in the merit forest is documented. Managers regularly assessed the progress of his renovation, and these records detailed his performance in political studies, daily life, and labor.
Wen Qiang spent 26 years in the Gongdelin, which is a long time that is enough to change anyone's outlook on life and values. During this time, he witnessed the rapid changes and development of China, while also gradually adapting to new ways of life and ideas.
His health declined over the years, but with regular medical check-ups and treatments, he was able to maintain a relatively stable physical condition. In 1975, Wen Qiang was listed as the last prisoner of war to receive amnesty. After the amnesty, he was assigned to work at the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, marking a new beginning in his political career.
At the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Wen Qiang has participated in a number of work on national development and policy discussions, with a particular focus on promoting cross-strait exchanges and reunification. In 1985, Wen Qiang went to the United States to visit relatives. After many years away from home, he revisited a foreign land, where not only did he have his long-cherished relatives, but he also unexpectedly reunited with his young student, Jiang Zhiyun.
Jiang Zhiyun was once a proud disciple of Wen Qiang, and the scene of the reunion was full of warmth and laughter. On the occasion of the reunion, Jiang Zhiyun brought a surprising news: "Teacher, you may not know that there are still 1 million wages in Taiwan that have not been received. ”
The money came from Taiwanese leader Chiang Ching-kuo. When he learned that Wen Qiang had been granted amnesty, he made a special promise that if Wen Qiang chose to stay in the United States or come to Taiwan, the funds would be his. Chiang Ching-kuo's intentions were obvious, hoping to win the hearts of the people and consolidate his political position in this way.
However, although Wen Qiang was known for his stubbornness and stubbornness when he was young, he insisted on justice in his later years. He did not show the slightest greed for this tempting fund. He firmly responded to Chiang Ching-kuo that he would only go to receive the money on the day of the reunification of the country.
In his later years, Wen Qiang often explained when he talked about the unclaimed 1 million: "This money belongs to the Kuomintang, and I, Wen Qiang, am naturally a grateful person, and I will not betray anyone for this money." If I take this money, I am sorry for my ancestor Wen Tianxiang, and I am also ashamed of my reputation as a loyal minister. ”
Resources:
Whampoa Military Academy Historical Archives
Kuomintang military database