Source: People's Liberation Army Daily
In 1960, the Chinese scientist Wang Ganchang led a team to experiment and discovered an anti-Sigma negative superon, which shocked the physics community. At the time, it was asserted that 'he would be a strong contender for the Nobel Prize in Physics'. However, in the following decades, Wang Ganchang's name never appeared in any academic papers or journals. Academic circles at home and abroad have speculated, 'Where has Wang Ganchang gone'? ”
On a midsummer evening, at a series of party history study and education classes organized by a certain institute of the Army Research Institute, the opening remarks of associate researcher Chen Qiaogui deeply attracted the officers and men present.
"At first, even Wang Ganchang's wife and children didn't know where he had gone." Chen Qiaogui said in a regal way: Originally, in 1961, Wang Ganchang was given the task of participating in the development of the atomic bomb, and the circular clearly put forward the requirements of "hiding one's name and not telling one's parents, and not telling one's wife and children at the bottom."
In the face of the arduous mission entrusted by the party and the people, Wang Ganchang's answer was only 6 words: "I am willing to promise the country with my body!" Under the pseudonym "Wang Jing," he came to a nuclear test base in the western part of the motherland.
Wang Ganchang was completely "missing.". His wife, Wu Yueqin, recalled those years: "At that time, I really didn't know what mysterious cause he was doing... What is the mailbox of the letter address. I knew he was in the 'mailbox', and God knows where he went. ”
After unremitting efforts, at 3 p.m. on October 16, 1964, China's first atomic bomb was successfully exploded, and the cloud of nuclear blackmail hanging over the heads of Chinese people completely dissipated.
After the mission was completed, Wang Ganchang could have returned to the direction of elementary particle research and launched an impact on the Nobel Prize. However, he resolutely chose to stay and dedicate the rest of his life to China's nuclear weapons development cause. Chen Qiaogui told the officers and men that when Wang Ganchang learned that China was developing a hydrogen bomb at the same time, he immediately asked the organization to join this work.
In 1967, China successfully exploded its first hydrogen bomb; in 1969, China successfully conducted its first underground nuclear test; in 1976, China successfully conducted the largest nuclear test to date... Behind the earth-shattering loud noises of the stones, the painstaking efforts of Wang Ganchang and other scientific researchers were poured out.
"During this period, there is a historical detail that is moving." Chen Qiaogui said that one year Chinese New Year's Eve night, Wang Ganchang and Deng Jiaxian chatted in the tent of the nuclear test base. Talking about the emotional place, Deng Jiaxian hugged Wang Ganchang's shoulder and choked up: "Comrade Wang Jing has been called comrade Wang Jing for more than ten years, today, call you Comrade Wang Ganchang once!" ”
Parting with a full head of black hair, the return is already rare. In 1978, at the age of 71, Wang Ganchang returned to Beijing after returning to his original name. Talking about the 17 years of his "disappearance", he told his colleagues: "You can live without yourself, but you can't live without the motherland." ”
At this point, many officers and men in the audience burst into tears. "Hide your name for seventeen years, and cast a heavy weapon with your body!" Zhao Yanlei, an associate researcher at the institute, said emotionally: "With profound patriotic feelings, the older generation of scientists have made great contributions to the party, the country, and the people. For us, to study history is to inherit the spirit of our ancestors and closely link our personal struggle with the fate of the motherland and the rejuvenation of the nation. ”
"In order to commemorate Comrade Wang Ganchang, a few years ago, China named an asteroid 'Wang Ganchang Star.'" The lecture was nearing its end, and the sky was already full of stars outside the window. Looking at the starry sky, assistant researcher Du Junfeng said in his heart: "As a military scientific researcher in the new era, I am willing to be like Wang Ganchang's predecessors, turn into a 'long star', and integrate my youth and life into the brilliant galaxy of the motherland's scientific research cause!" (Lang Wanpeng, Zhou Liang, Li Jiahao)
Practice and promote the spirit of scientists
■ Liu Xuewu
A history of military scientific research is also a concentrated display of the spirit of scientists. Wang Ganchang quietly "disappeared" for 17 years, giving up the opportunity to win the Nobel Prize in Physics, just to let China have its own atomic bomb; Deng Jiaxian, the "founder of the two bombs," was willing to be an unsung hero and struggled in obscurity for decades in order to develop the cause of national defense scientific research. After the founding of New China, a large number of scientists adhered to the belief that the interests of the party, the state and the people were supreme, overcome difficulties, and bravely forged ahead, which not only cast the heavy weapon of the country, but also cast the spirit of scientists with rich connotations.
Scientific achievements are inseparable from spiritual support. Implementing the strategy of strengthening the army through science and technology and providing strong scientific and technological support for the realization of the centennial goal of the founding of the army is the sacred mission entrusted to the military's scientific and technological workers in the new era. In making great strides in a new journey, the military's scientific and technological workers should take the initiative to draw spiritual nourishment from the history of military scientific research in our country, inherit and carry forward the excellent qualities of the older generation of scientists who bear the motherland in mind and serve the people, consciously practice and carry forward the spirit of scientists, and make greater contributions to the great cause of strengthening the army.
(Source: Jiefangjun Bao)