In the long history of China, there are some decisive moments that have shaped us today. In 1965, Peng Dehuai, a veteran who seemed to have taken a back seat and was ready to enjoy his old age at home, was suddenly called to take up an important position in the southwest. Do you know what kind of force made this veteran come out of the rivers and lakes again and go to that difficult place to support the construction of the third line?
1965 was a turbulent year for China. At that time, China was in a complex situation of domestic and foreign difficulties, and urgently needed to strengthen national defense and industrial construction. Against this backdrop, the state decided to launch a huge project called "Three-Line Construction", which aims to relocate key industrial and scientific research institutions from the coast to the inland, especially in the mountainous southwest regions such as Sichuan and Guizhou.
This decision is not trivial, because the natural conditions in the third-tier area are extremely complex, transportation is inconvenient, and natural disasters often occur. It is undoubtedly a difficult task to carry out large-scale construction here. And why was Peng Dehuai, a veteran with rich military experience but almost a "layman" in industrial construction, selected as one of the important leaders of this project?
In fact, since Peng Dehuai was "marginalized" in 1959, he has long lived in seclusion in the Wu Family Garden in the northwestern suburbs of Beijing, living a relatively quiet life. His daily routine is to do some farm work in his yard, and it seems that he has no quarrel with the world. However, whenever he thinks of the past battlefield years, his heart is still undisturbed. Although he knew little about industrial construction, Peng's sense of responsibility and loyalty to the country made it impossible for him to refuse such a call.
On the afternoon of 1965, Peng Dehuai received a message from Comrade Peng Zhen sent by the Central Committee, informing him that he needed to go to the southwest to support the construction of the third line and serve as the third deputy director. Faced with such an appointment, Peng Dehuai was full of contradictions. He wanted to contribute to the country, but he was also worried that his lack of experience in industrial construction would make it difficult for him to take up such an important position.
After some thought, Peng Dehuai decided to decline the position, and he even wrote a letter to Chairman Mao, expressing his apologies and expressing his willingness to go to the frontier to develop agriculture. The arrangement of fate is always unexpected. Chairman Mao summoned Peng Dehuai shortly after receiving the letter, and the re-meeting between the two was full of emotion and understanding.
Chairman Mao was well aware of Peng Dehuai's personality and ability, and he persuaded Peng Dehuai in a rational and emotional way, emphasizing the importance of the construction of the third line in the southwest to the future of the country. Chairman Mao said: "Elder Peng, although this task is difficult, I believe that your ability and determination can lead the people to complete this great project. Touched by these words, Peng Dehuai finally accepted the mission and decided to serve the country again.
After Peng Dehuai took office, he faced extremely difficult conditions. The mountainous areas of the southwest are not only inconvenient for transportation, but also often have geological disasters. Like the workers, he had to wear a straw hat and carry a wooden stick, climb mountains and mountains, and conduct field investigations. Despite the difficult conditions, Peng Dehuai still insisted on going to the front line every day, personally supervising the battle, and sharing weal and woe with the workers.
Under Peng Dehuai's leadership, remarkable progress has been made in the construction of the third line. He not only solved many technical and material problems, but also greatly boosted the morale of the workers. He often interacts with workers on the construction site, encouraging them to be hard-working and contribute to the future of the country. His people-friendly style and attitude of not fearing difficulties have won the respect and love of countless workers.
In addition to day-to-day management and construction guidance, Peng Dehuai also faced another challenge – how to ensure the supply of life under extremely adverse conditions. He personally coordinated to ensure that the workers had enough food and necessities. He also pays attention to the health and safety of workers, frequently checking the sanitary conditions in the camp to ensure that diseases and accidents are minimized.
Under Peng Dehuai's leadership, the construction of the third line not only accelerated the industrialization process in southwest China, but also laid a solid foundation for subsequent economic development. The development of Panzhihua and other places was gradually carried out with his efforts. Although his work is difficult, it has injected a strong impetus into the long-term development of the country.
Peng Dehuai's three superiors were important leaders of the country at that time, and they gave great support and trust to Peng Dehuai's work. Under Peng Dehuai's leadership, the third-line construction project gradually moved from chaos and difficulties to order and success. The cooperation between them, which demonstrates the combination of collective leadership and individual heroism in difficult conditions, is capable of creating extraordinary achievements.
Peng Dehuai's story in the construction of the third line in the southwest is not only a legend of personal dedication and leadership, but also an important chapter in the process of industrialization of New China. Through his efforts, we can see that the courage and determination of one person can lead a group of people to a seemingly impossible task when the country needs it most. Peng Dehuai's story is not only a part of history, but also a source of strength that inspires each of us. He proved with practical actions that no matter how great the difficulties are, as long as we persevere, there is no challenge that cannot be overcome.