At a forum of the Central Military Commission in June 1986, General Zhang Aiping, who was the minister of national defense, suddenly questioned the business practices of the troops, which were very prevalent at that time.
At the time, some people thought that this was a historical trend, and the opponents were "ignorant of current affairs".
In response to this opinion, General Zhang Aiping said a very famous sentence:
"As soon as the army looks at the 'money', the glory is tarnished. This is not a question of methodology, but of position. ”
Are General Zhang Aiping's remarks alarmist, and will the troops' business situation be stopped because of his opposition?
All of this has to start with Zhang Aiping's interpretation of "Water Margin" and the Eight Banners System of the Qing Dynasty.
General Zhang Aiping is a native of Daxian County, Sichuan. Although he is an authentic peasant child, his family does their best to provide for him to study.
At the age of 15, he was already a secondary school student. Although he did not change his life because of reading, he laid a very solid foundation for cultural literacy.
Later, on his magnificent revolutionary road, Zhang Aiping benefited a lot from his excellent cultural level. Although his main energy was later spent on the battlefield, he was still able to keep his hands on it.
In 1943, Zhang Aiping, deputy commander of the 3rd Division of the New Fourth Army and commander of the 8th Brigade, commanded the battle of Chenjiagang on Yantuo.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, General Zhang Aiping became one of the explorers of military theory and military manufacturing. He put forward very important views on the establishment of the armed forces, the allocation of weapons, the direction of development, and the form of organization.
In 1955, he pioneered the use of the three-dimensional combat method of the army, navy and air force to liberate a river and mountain island in one fell swoop, creating a precedent.
The top three are Zhang Aiping
After that, he began to lead the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, and spent his efforts on rockets, missiles, atomic bombs, hydrogen bombs and other projects. Sometimes, he has several meetings a day for several big projects, and he rarely has time to rest. The only thing that can relax him is reading.
Zhang Aiping loves to read, especially history books. He was even more fond of some classical novels and books that studied the military systems of various dynasties. Because of this, his understanding of some historical lessons is far deeper than others.
Around 1985, the situation of reform and opening up was in full swing. However, the difficult situation of the country's finances has not been fundamentally improved.
In order to reduce the burden of raising troops, Deng Xiaoping put forward two goals for the army at this time: one was to disarm one million, and the other was to carry out a "strategic shift in peacetime."
What exactly is meant by "strategic transfer"? According to some people's understanding, it means undertaking some commercial projects, earning a certain amount of profits, and then subsidizing military spending and extending less of its hand to the state.
Some military-industrial enterprises soon came to the front and used idle military production capacity to produce civilian products. Soon, these military-industrial enterprises made a lot of money through socialized large-scale production. The days when the state was simply supported have become history.
Seeing that the "marketization" of the military industrial enterprises has succeeded, some cadres in the military have also begun to "prepare to move." They have set up companies belonging to the military, or various business "centers," and have fully intervened in the life of the market economy.
Zhang Aiping (first from left)
Relying on the military's manpower and policy advantages, these military-run enterprises are more profitable, and indeed solve the problem of the country's "raising troops."
In fact, the involvement of the military in economic life is not a precedent within our troops. In all periods of the armed struggle, even including the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, our troops had a tradition of "large-scale production."
It has long been a fine tradition of our army for soldiers to lay down their weapons and pick up farm tools and solve the problem of food and clothing on their own.
During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, cigarette factories were set up in the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region, and during the Northeast period, there were also troops that made their own wine and sold it. Therefore, when military-run enterprises first appeared, many people raised their hands to support them.
However, General Zhang Aiping was very disgusted with this atmosphere at this time.
Having read all the history books, he has long realized that after such a trend prevails, it will certainly lead to corruption, and the phenomenon of corruption will cause the military to lose its prestige and combat effectiveness.
Zhang Aiping, Yang Shangkun, Yang Dezhi, Wu Shaozu and others inspected the 8709 exercise.
He once said bitterly:
"This has never happened in previous dynasties. I have never heard of a country or dynasty that would allow the military to operate with such fanfare. The economic inspection department knows best how many cadres have fallen because of corruption; when we enter society, we will know how many people are poking us in the backbone? The prestige of the armed forces has long been greatly degraded. ”
In order to stop this wind, Zhang Aiping wrote letters to the Central Military Commission many times, bitterly stating the benefits and disadvantages. Especially when she heard that the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, which she once led, also began to set up an enterprise, Zhang Aiping was rarely angry.
He said a very stern remark: "What kind of company? I think it is borrowing from the public and private interests; what kind of center? In my opinion, it is taking money as the center!"
In addition, Zhang Aiping also wrote a letter to the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, in which he said: "
The form of official, commercial, and military businessmen is really not something that should appear in a society under the leadership of the Communist Party. In the days of the Kuomintang and the warlords, this kind of thing was very popular. I warn you, if you start to get into business, then corruption will follow!"
Zhang Aiping also said in the letter:
"Some people want to set up enterprises and companies, and that's fine, but ask them to leave the army or the government to do it! Scientific research institutions like the Commission of Science, Technology, and Industry for National Defense are especially not allowed to do this. It would be sad if you stopped climbing the heights of science and technology and were keen to make money. We can't turn our personality into a commodity to sell. I once said: 'Don't be ashamed of yourself by chasing fame and fortune.' What I said may not be good, but my purpose is nothing more than to let you maintain the fine traditions of the mainland's national defense science and technology front. ”
Zhang Aiping said earnestly in the letter, but at that time, under the impact of the tide of the market economy, few people could give up the rich returns and take the hidden dangers seriously.
Many military leaders are advocates of military-run enterprises. And Zhang Sheng, the son of General Zhang Aiping, is also very supportive of military-run enterprises. The two of them often debate about this.
On one occasion, Zhang Sheng said to his father: Since military enterprises can undertake civilian orders, why can't military enterprises? The army is self-reliant and engaged in the economy, isn't this also carrying forward the spirit of Nanniwan?
Zhang Aiping listened to her son's words and was immediately furious. In front of the secretary and staff, he said loudly:
"What you say is all bastard! The national defense industry and the armed forces are fundamentally different, and they themselves are economic construction departments! The state cannot have enough orders, so of course it can undertake civilian production, and this does not belong to the scope of the party, government, and military business! The military is not allowed to do business! Whoever does it, I will investigate whom! Wood will decay before insects begin to eat it, and if the army fails in the future, I think it will be ruined on it!"
After that, perhaps realizing that her temper was a little bigger, Zhang Aiping lowered her voice and said:
"I know that some people believe that the army can be used to support the army in business, and I do not deny the original intention of some comrades. But that's not where the real point is. The key point is what kind of nature is the army that we have raised through business with the army? Is it still the people's army? When faced with foreign humiliation again, can such an army still stand the test? Once the army looks at the money, all the glory will be tarnished! This is not a question of method at all, but a question of stand!"
Later, the development of reality began to confirm Zhang Aiping's worries.
As more and more military and political departments intervene in social management and life, the scope of affairs is gradually expanding. And the disadvantages of this behavior are gradually emerging. Military and political departments often have policy advantages and are often able to give higher priority to the control of social resources.
In the competition with them, private enterprises gradually declined, and unfair competition began to appear. At the same time, in order to maintain their own position, some vested interests have begun to develop corruption. The prestige of the army and the government in the hearts of the people is being undermined by this.
However, although the facts have been proven, and General Zhang Aiping is still vocal against the army's business, his voice is lonely within the army.
He was very distressed, why could he not be recognized for such a simple truth? He was also a senior leader of the army, so how could no one listen to what he said?
And in 1986, the appearance of a person allowed Zhang Aiping to find a soulmate.
In June of that year, at a forum of the Central Military Commission, General Chi Haotian from the Jinan Military Region made a report on rectifying the work style, in which he mentioned the problem of doing business with the troops and criticized it.
Chi Haotian's words made Zhang Aiping, then Minister of National Defense, feel that he had found a soulmate. He originally wanted to speak on this issue at this meeting, but at this time he found an introduction.
So, he took Chi Haotian's words and continued to express his attitude. The difference is that this time General Zhang Aiping changed his strategy. He didn't talk about the army doing business first, but told everyone a story in "Water Margin".
In "Water Margin", the chapter "Wu Song's Blood Splashed Mandarin Duck Tower" is quite exciting, which is about helping Shi En recapture the occupied Happy Forest Hotel after Wu Song was assigned.
As a result, he was framed by his immediate boss Zhang Dujian and almost lost his life. Wu Song was furious, returned to the Mandarin Duck Tower with a steel knife, and killed Zhang Dujian and others.
Zhang Aiping said that in terms of ability, Wu Song was a very outstanding general at that time, and Zhang Dujian also appreciated him very much.
However, because Zhang Dujian had interests with Jiang Menshen, who occupied the Happy Forest, he wanted to kill Wu Song to ensure his own interests.
His tragedy was caused by the intervention of the military in economic life. General Zhang Aiping used the past to compare the present with the present, and once again expounded the bad consequences of the army's doing business.
In 1987, General Chi Haotian was transferred to the General Staff Headquarters. One day, he suddenly received a call from Zhang Aiping, asking him to come to his house to talk.
In this conversation, Zhang Aiping gave the example of the Eight Banners of the Qing Dynasty. He said that the Eight Banners soldiers outside the customs were so strong that they were almost "invincible."
However, after entering the customs, because the generals of the Eight Banners took the lead in doing business, the army was blinded by economic interests, and its combat effectiveness plummeted.
During the warlord period, most of the old armies were also in business, and as a result, whenever it came to war, they always put their own interests first and put strategy aside. Their eventual defeat is inevitable.
Zhang Aiping said that these are very clear historical lessons. The function of the army is to protect the security of the motherland and to go to the battlefield.
If you get involved too much in economic life and start business yourself, it will inevitably lead to discouragement. There may even be bad consequences of competing with the people for profit.
Even if it is not involved in corruption, this can have a serious impact on civil-military relations. If the army engages in management, the final result will inevitably be self-destruction of the Great Wall.
Chi Haotian very much agreed with Zhang Aiping's words, believing that this was the old general's far-sighted and far-sighted golden words. So, in the days that followed, they continued to speak out against the bad habits of the army doing business.
Their opinions were also supported by the country's third-generation leaders. The leader has repeatedly stated that he does not approve of the military doing business.
In 1998, the state promulgated relevant regulations prohibiting all commercial activities of the armed forces and the armed police force! Thus, this unhealthy trend was finally curbed.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army is the people's army and a selfless army. And once the pure nature of this army is covered with the dust of interests, it will inevitably lead to undesirable consequences.
General Zhang Aiping's remarks have a far-reaching impact on maintaining the true character of the people's army and maintaining its combat effectiveness.
Today, the PLA's individual combat effectiveness is still the best in the world, which is the result of stripping away commercial behavior. General Zhang Aiping's subtleties are enough to amaze and admire future generations.
Resources:
Phoenix Information: "Zhang Aiping in the Tide of Reform: So the Minister of Defense Should Be Dismissed", March 2, 2009
China News Network: "Mao Zedong Commented on General Zhang Aiping's "Good Offense" Deng Xiaoping Said "Can't Be Provoked", March 1, 2009
Chi Haotian: "Standing up to the sky, chasing the wind and clouds - recalling several things about Comrade Zhang Aiping", July 5, 2013