In the summer of 1950, a military truck drove into the Fushun War Criminals Management Center. A tall middle-aged man walked out of the car, and he looked around with a complicated expression. This person is Zhang Jinghui, who once dominated the political arena in Northeast China. At this time, he has become a prisoner and is about to start a new chapter in his life. However, he could not have imagined that a big surprise would await him.
[Zhang Jinghui's life turning point]
The name Zhang Jinghui was thunderous in the Northeast in the last century. From an ordinary farmer to a warlord and then to a traitor, his life can be described as ups and downs.
Zhang Jinghui was born in poverty, and when he was young, he and Zhang Zuolin were brothers. Relying on this relationship, he climbed step by step to the position of deputy commander of the Feng warlord. I thought it was going to be a big deal, but I didn't know that there were unforeseen circumstances. In 1931, the September 18 Incident broke out, and Zhang Jinghui stood at the crossroads of history.
Faced with the threat of force from the Japanese army, Zhang Jinghui was undecided. He hesitated and finally chose to join the Japan. This decision completely changed the course of his life. Since then, Zhang Jinghui has become a notorious traitor, holding important positions in the puppet state of Manchukuo and working for the Japanese.
However, Zhang Jinghui never expected that his decision not only ruined himself, but also almost ruined his son's future. His youngest son, Zhang Mengshi, has suffered since he was a father since he was a child.
【The Centrifugal Road of Father and Son】
When Zhang Mengshi was born, Zhang Jinghui was 51 years old. As an old son, Zhang Jinghui dotes on this little son. In Zhang Mengshi's childhood memories, his father was an amiable and good old man.
But the good times didn't last long, and at the age of 9, Zhang Mengshi's world completely collapsed. The fact that his father became a traitor was like a bolt from the blue, which he couldn't accept when he was young. Since then, Zhang Mengshi has begun to distance himself from his father, and his heart is full of contradictions and pain.
In order to escape reality, 16-year-old Zhang Mengshi decided to study in Japan. Who knew that in a foreign country, he found a new direction in his life. In Japan, Zhang Mengshi joined a secret organization called the "New Knowledge Research Association". This organization is ostensibly a book club, but in fact it is an underground intelligence network of the Communist Party.
In this way, Zhang Mengshi changed from a pampered boy to a progressive young man who risked his life to engage in underground work. This change can be said to be earth-shattering, and even Zhang Mengshi himself did not expect such a big change.
[The amazing duel between father and son]
In 1942, Zhang Mengshi received an organizational task to return to the northeast to penetrate the enemy. So, he returned to his hometown as a son-in-law who returned from studying abroad. In order not to arouse suspicion, Zhang Mengshi had to reconcile with his father and became a well-behaved and obedient son on the surface.
However, in fact, Zhang Mengshi has been secretly collecting intelligence. He used his father's identity to move around and gather all sorts of confidential information. Sometimes, he even secretly looked through his father's briefcase and took pictures of important documents to pass on to the organization.
Zhang Mengshi's boldness and carefulness are admirable. Once, he noticed a large blank space on the back of his father's photo, and he used it to write a secret report on the spur of the moment. This is a stroke of genius, and no one will suspect it even if it is discovered.
In August 1945, Japan surrendered. Zhang Mengshi finally waited for this day. He immediately provided the Soviet army with the whereabouts of high-ranking officials of the puppet Manchukuo, including his father Zhang Jinghui.
With Zhang Mengshi's cooperation, the Soviet army quickly captured Zhang Jinghui and others. However, things went unexpected. The Soviet army didn't know what considerations were there, but they actually included Zhang Mengshi in the arrest list. In this way, father and son were escorted to the Soviet Union together.
It's not a big oolong. Zhang Mengshi couldn't be more depressed in his heart, he finally survived the day of victory, but instead became a prisoner with his father. However, this also gave the father and son a chance to be alone.
[The amazing scene of father and son recognizing each other]
Five years later, Zhang Mengshi was repatriated as one of the first war criminals. The organization took into account his special experience and arranged for him to work in the War Criminals Management Center. A few months later, a second group of war criminals was also sent back to China, including Zhang Jinghui.
One day, the director suddenly asked Zhang Mengshi, "Do you want to meet your father?" This question confused Zhang Mengshi. He hesitated, but finally decided to go and see his father.
When Zhang Jinghui saw his son, he was stunned. He never expected that the son of a prisoner a few months ago would now become a guard and wear a majestic military uniform. How embarrassing and embarrassing this meeting was, the father and son stared at each other, and they didn't know what to say for a while.
Zhang Jinghui has mixed feelings in her heart. He was both happy for his son and ashamed of his past. At this moment, he finally realized how wrong his choice was back then. Looking at his son's upright figure, Zhang Jinghui couldn't help but burst into tears.
Zhang Mengshi was also very excited. Although his father made a mistake, he was a relative whose blood was thicker than water. He had so much to say in his heart, but he didn't know where to start. In the end, the father and son just looked at each other silently, their eyes full of mixed emotions.
This dramatic recognition became a turning point in Zhang Jinghui's life. From then on, he began to seriously reflect on his past and actively accept transformation. During his days in the War Criminals Management Center, he slowly realized his mistakes and was full of gratitude to New China.
[A new chapter in the life of father and son]
In 1956, Zhang Mengshi and his wife were transferred to the School of International Relations to work. With his profound knowledge and patriotic enthusiasm, he made important contributions to the construction of the college. From an underground worker to a university professor, Zhang Mengshi's life experience is legendary.
Zhang Jinghui died in 1959 at the age of 88. In the last days of his life, he realized his mistakes and was grateful for the government's leniency. Seeing that his son has a bright future, the old man can be regarded as smiling Jiuquan.
Zhang Mengshi was later elected as a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and continued to contribute to the country's education. In 2014, this old man who had experienced ups and downs passed away. Looking back, his life was full of ups and downs and drama.
Zhang Jinghui and his son reflect the many contradictions and complexities of that special era. From warlords to traitors, from underground workers to university professors, their life trajectories are like a rollercoaster of ups and downs. This history teaches us that the path of life is often full of accidents, and that choices at critical moments can completely change a person's fate.
In today's society, we will not face the same difficult choices as Zhang Jinghui. However, how to uphold the right values in a complex environment is still a problem that everyone needs to think about. Zhang Mengshi's experience reminds us that even in adversity, as long as we have ideals and beliefs, we can eventually create a wonderful life of our own.
History is always repeating itself and innovating. Looking back on this dusty past, we should cherish the hard-won era of peace and contribute our own strength to the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. After all, history doesn't repeat itself, but the future can be created together.