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"My career is in China, my achievements are in China, and my destination is in China"
This sentence was said by Qian Lao when he was imprisoned. In the fifties of the last century, after learning that the People's Republic of China was founded, Qian Lao, who was far away in the United States, resolutely decided to return to China to contribute to the motherland.
His road back to China was extremely difficult, and it once became the focus of the diplomatic struggle between China and the United States, and in order to win back Qian Lao, China paid a price that the United States had to let go and Qian Lao's firm belief.
So what happened to Qian Lao's way back to China? And at what cost did China pay?
If you succeed in your studies, it will be difficult to go home
The first half of the last century was an era of ups and downs, and New China finally stood up under the leadership of Chairman Mao and other leaders.
In 1950, Qian Xuesen, who had successfully studied in the United States, had already become a talent in the aviation field with a pivotal position in the United States.
Qian Lao, who has been in the United States all the year round, has never forgotten the purpose of his study in the United States, he has witnessed China's backwardness and barrenness, which is also the driving force that urges him to move forward and study diligently, and he is eager to use his knowledge to serve the motherland and let China have the sword to protect itself.
The bell of the founding of New China made Qian Lao know that he had worked hard for decades at this moment, and finally it was time to show it, and he immediately took his wife and children and prepared to go to the motherland immediately.
But his ability also made the US authorities blush, and even bluntly said: "One Qian Xuesen is worth the strength of five divisions." ”
It can be seen how worried the United States is about the return of money to the country.
Qian Xuesen is a genius in the field of aviation, and putting it back to China will be "letting the tiger go back to the mountain" for the United States, and it will be the greatest help to China, and the United States will not dare to imagine China's development at that time.
You must know that although China has just been established at this time, it is a sleeping dragon.
And Qian Xuesen is simply a gong that wakes up that dragon, and the value he can create is enough to shake China's status in the international community at that time.
Therefore, the U.S. government knew that it could not let Qian Xuesen go back to China, let alone let him leave the United States.
Therefore, without waiting for Qian Lao to be prepared, the US government dispatched the FBI to directly detain Qian Lao on trumped-up incriminating evidence.
During the days of his detention, the Americans "talked" with Qian Lao every day, trying to wear down his determination to return to China.
In just half a month, Qian Lao's weight has lost 15 kilograms, however, how can the physical torture dispel Qian Lao's belief in returning to China, but in the past half a month, he has seen the face of the United States more clearly, and his heart to return to China is even stronger.
Fortunately, with the unremitting efforts of the rich old teacher Professor Carmen and his wife Jiang Ying, the US government released him.
However, he said that he was released, but he was shamelessly monitored and strictly forbidden Qian Lao's travel, and such days lasted for five years.
Although he was constantly under surveillance, in the past five years, Qian Lao continued to carry out his plan to return to China under the nose of the Americans, pretending to change the academic direction of his research, and no longer contact with aviation-related research.
Avoid the edge for a while, and finally go home
During this period, a wind called "McCarthyism" also blew in the United States.
The U.S. government also put this hat on Qian Lao's head, and even directly canceled Qian Lao's qualification for military knowledge research.
However, this hat also gave Qian Lao just one more reason to appeal and go home, and also had a cover to hide his purpose for returning home.
Although he is still under surveillance by the federal government, Qian Lao's low profile and the diversion of targets have made the United States relax its surveillance for a while.
By chance, Mr. Qian learned the news of Mr. Chen Shutong, he was Mr. Qian's father, and with this relationship, Mr. Qian saw a hope of returning to China.
Taking advantage of the slackness of the agents who monitored him, he hid the written distress letter in a cigarette case and asked his colleagues to take it out and hand it to Mr. Chen Shutong.
After receiving such a heavy "letter for help", Premier Zhou deeply felt Qian Lao's ardent patriotic feelings, and immediately contacted Chairman Mao to launch a thorough rescue plan on this matter.
On August 1, 1955, at the Geneva Conference, Premier Zhou bluntly asked the United States to release Qian Xuesen and other Chinese students in the United States.
And the letter hidden in the cigarette case has become a key piece of evidence, which is enough to overturn the lie that the United States detained Qian Xuesen and other Chinese students.
At the same time, the mainland released 11 American prisoner of war pilots of the Korean War a day ahead of schedule to show sincerity and to put pressure on the United States from the side, so that the United States would give up its control over Qian Xuesen and Chinese students.
Although it was only 11 prisoners of war, no one knows how tragic it was on the Korean battlefield at the beginning, and how many volunteers bought China's tranquility for the peace of China, so the importance of these 11 prisoners to China can be imagined.
However, we must know that there are more than 5,000 Chinese compatriots studying in the United States at this time, and in the face of China, which is poor and white, and at a time when it is employing people, these 5,000 people are the hope of the future of New China and the most favorable weapon for China to shake off poverty and shake off US suppression.
Fortunately, in the eyes of the United States, the status of air force pilots is very high, coupled with Qian Lao's five years of obscurity, the United States thought that Qian Lao had no expected threat, so he had to let Qian Lao return to China.
Work hard to build a home
After five years, Qian Lao finally embarked on a cruise back to China on September 19, 1955.
Arriving at the land of the motherland, Qian Lao only briefly met with his father for a while, and after sweeping his mother's grave, he went to Beijing the next day.
Premier Zhou and his wife personally prepared a reception banquet for Mr. Qian, pointing out the way for his follow-up work.
Under the recommendation of Premier Zhou, Qian Lao immediately went to the mainland's heavy industry base at that time - Northeast, where Chen Geng, then the dean of the Harbin Military Industrial Institute, was beside him.
After meeting Mr. Qian, Mr. Chen Geng seemed to see hope, and said bluntly: "Do you think China can make its own missiles?" ”
Qian Lao said without hesitation: "Why can't the Chinese!" ”
With the backing of the motherland, Qian Lao had full faith and determination, although it was difficult to reach the blue sky along the way, but he used practical actions to create a gong that was enough to wake up the giant dragon of China, and completely built a weapon to defend the homeland.
In fact, as early as when Qian Lao was imprisoned by the United States because he wanted to return to China, his mentor von Kármán once persuaded him: "China is so backward, what can you do when you go back, grow apples?" ”
You must know that at that time, Qian Lao's annual salary in the United States was as high as 200,000 US dollars, and Qian Lao was still a hot new star in the aviation field, and his future development in the United States was immeasurable.
But Qian Lao replied to his teacher with full faith: "This is the only way to serve the motherland, I must return to China!" ”
At that time, most people in China were still in the stage of not having enough to eat and not have enough clothes, as von Kármán said, are you going to go back to plant apples?
But in Qian Lao's heart, the strength of the motherland requires the joint efforts of countless Chinese, and he must contribute as a Chinese, which is not in vain for him to study hard for decades.
In the barren Gobi Desert, countless incognito comrades are deeply engaged here, immersed in the study of China's missiles.
At this time, China was still suffering from the blockade of scientific research in various countries, and without a professional team, Qian Lao organized it himself;
Without professional scientists, Qian Lao taught by himself;
Without the guidance of advanced technology, Qian Lao led his comrades to study together and impart all his knowledge to students.
This road to creating Chinese missiles was already rugged and bumpy, but under the shouts of Qian Lao's charge, he stubbornly walked out of a broad road.
At 9:02 a.m. on November 5, 1960, a roar that resounded all over the world made China's international status tremble, and the "Dongfeng No. 1" rose from the ground.
The Chinese dragon was finally sounded by this gong, and opened its eyes that had been sleeping for a long time, although the dragon was still in the process of recuperation, but this dragon had already lit a flame, and it would not be long before it could continue to soar into the sky again.
On June 29, 64, Dongfeng 2 was successfully launched.
On January 8, 65, Qian Lao launched the Sputnik program.
On October 27, 66, the missile-carrying atomic bomb was successfully launched.
On April 24, 70, the "Dongfanghong" satellite was launched, completely breaking the blockade of China's artificial satellites by the United States.
Qian Lao devoted his life to China's aviation industry and composed the most beautiful tunes for China.
epilogue
The exchange of 11 prisoners of war for a Qian Xuesen is undoubtedly the most cost-effective deal, although those 11 people were obtained at a painful price, but in exchange for a "father of Chinese missiles" and in exchange for China's hope for the future, it is the most correct confrontation with the United States.
Qian Lao once wrote this sentence in the article: "I studied in the first three or four years in the United States, and worked in the last ten years, all of which I was preparing for, so that I could do something for the people after returning to the motherland, because I am Chinese." ”
Qian Lao's whole life has also been fulfilling this sentence, he gave up his status as a high-glory American scientist, gave up a high-paying job in the United States, and resolutely returned to his impoverished hometown.
It is his selfless dedication and the efforts of countless ancestors that have created the vigorous development of China's aviation field and allowed China to gain a firm foothold in the world.
A generation of young people has a generation of opportunities, so we must use struggle and persistence to chase the future and write more miracles.
Resources:
Qian Xuesen's return to China: Zhou Enlai used diplomatic means to clear obstacles, the People's Political Consultative Conference newspaper
https://www.cas.cn/zt/rwzt/qxsssyzn/jnwz/201010/t20101031_3000034.html