Chapter 52 5. Mao Zedong told Tao Zhiyue to pass the three tests
December 17, 1949.
The Xinjiang Provincial People's Government was formally established.
The list of leaders of the Xinjiang Provincial People's Government after this reorganization was proposed by Peng Dehuai and Zhang Zhizhong before it was submitted to the Central People's Government Committee for approval.Its members are:
Chairman: Paul Han
Vice-Chairmen: Gao Jinchun, Sai Fuding
Members: Wang Enmao, Wang Zhen, Tao Zhiyue, etc.
Secretary-General: Liu Mengchun
At that time, the central government was very concerned about the situation in Xinjiang. After the establishment of the new provincial government, they discussed and formulated the following ten policy plans:
1. To ensure the peace of the province, eliminate spies, bandits and hidden counter-revolutionaries; the people love the PLA, the PLA loves the people, and assist in the establishment of the people's local government;
2. Resolutely implement the ethnic policy in the common program, ethnic equality, solidarity and mutual assistance, oppose large-scale nationalism, narrow nationalism, and large-scale Turkism, and prohibit all acts of discrimination, oppression, revenge, vendetta, and separatism among ethnic groups;
3. Establish a democratic united front of the people of all ethnic groups;
4. Transform the regime in accordance with democratic principles, abolish Baojia, implement land reform, and prepare to hold people's meetings at all levels;
5. Guarantee the people's freedom of thought, speech, publication, assembly, association, marriage, etc., and religion shall not interfere with the judiciary;
6. Carry out Xinjiang's economic construction in accordance with the guidelines of the economic policy in the common program and the policy of taking into account public and private interests, benefiting both labor and capital, mutual assistance between urban and rural areas, and internal and external exchanges;
7. Unify the currency system, manage trade, organize taxation, stabilize finance, reduce the burden on the people, and promote production and construction;
8. After eliminating bandits, fighting hegemony, and reducing rent and interest, resolutely implement land reform to achieve land to the tiller and rational control of water conservancy; organize workers, farmers, youth, women and other groups to make them the pillars of assistance in various constructions ;
9. Reform the education system, promote national culture, develop health care, eradicate the bad habit of smoking and gambling, and establish a new national morality;
10. Develop Sino-Soviet friendship and learn from the experience of Soviet revolution and construction.
This policy was adopted at the celebration meeting.
Chairman Bao Erhan, who announced his inauguration at that time, was in a good mood. He said in an impromptu speech: "The establishment of the Xinjiang Provincial People's Government and the first adoption of a policy by the provincial government are the long-awaited gospel for the people of Xinjiang. This is unprecedented in the history of Xinjiang. The people are victorious. It is our greatest honor for the Central People's Government and the people of Xinjiang to entrust us with this glorious task. I believe that in the course of implementing this policy program, Chairman Mao Zedong of the Central Government, Chairman Peng Dehuai, the military and political leader of the Northwest, and Deputy Zhang Zhizhong Under the correct leadership of the chairman, all comrades can 100% overcome all difficulties, and can successfully and successfully implement the common program of the Chinese people's political consultation and the governance program of Xinjiang Province."
Vice Chairman Sai Fuding, who was sitting on the rostrum, also said excitedly: "From today onwards, Xinjiang will embark on a new and bright road. The tasks before us are major and arduous. and encourage us to build the backward Xinjiang into an advanced Xinjiang, all of us have full confidence in victory..."
This is indeed a warm and spectacular scene.
Peng Dehuai and Zhang Zhizhong looked at the smiling faces of the people who stood up and liberated, and felt that the people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang supported the Communist Party of China and were capable of building this place well.
Zhang Zhizhong was the most excited. After the policy was passed, he said to Peng Dehuai:
"This is epoch-making, marking the end of the old era and the beginning of a new era for the people of Xinjiang, truly entering the historic stage of peaceful construction of Xinjiang."
Peng Dehuai said: "The people are still great. Without the support of the people, Xinjiang could not have what it is today, and we would not be able to sit here with peace of mind."
"Yes, for someone like me who has had considerable ties to the people of Xinjiang in the past, how excited to see this happen!"
Bao Erhan asked Peng Dehuai to speak, and Peng Dehuai waved his hand and said, "Let's ask your old chief, Vice Chairman Wen Bai, to speak, he can represent me."
Zhang Zhizhong did not refuse, he looked at everyone and said:
The peaceful liberation of Xinjiang this time should first be attributed to the influence of the national victory of the People’s Liberation Army, and secondly, it should be attributed to the influence of the general psychology of the people of the whole province (of course including the people and troops in Ita’a District) who hope for peace and demand peace; At the same time, the responsible military authorities stationed in Xinjiang led all the officers and soldiers to overcome difficulties, remove obstacles, and resolutely return to the people's democratic camp. Of course, their merits cannot be buried.Special mention should also be made of the encouragement and assistance given to the Xinjiang military and political authorities by the diplomatic representatives of the great Soviet allies stationed in Xinjiang.In short, Xinjiang's avoidance of bloodshed and peaceful liberation this time is in the interests of the country and the interests of the entire province.Therefore, today, as a member of the Central People's Government, I would like to first of all express my congratulations and respect to the People's Liberation Army, the people of the whole province, and the troops stationed in the new uprising!Thanks and respect to the gentlemen of the diplomatic representatives of the USSR!
However, after the peaceful liberation, troops stationed in many places such as Hami, Shanshan, Turpan, Yanqi, Luntai, and Kuqa were instigated by reactionaries and spies, and misfortunes occurred that seriously endangered the people. The incident is really evil!In addition to having been thoroughly investigated by General Tao Zhiyue and General Zhao Xiguang and dealt with strictly, in my former position as an officer, today I should also express my greatest apology and sincerity to the people of the whole province, especially the families of the people who were affected by the disaster. condolences!
In the past three years or so, I have presided over the military administration of the four northwestern provinces, especially for the cause of peaceful reunification, democracy, and unity in Xinjiang. A lot of things are not done well, and it is said that my compatriots of all nationalities seldom blame me (I think of course no one blames me), and they often express their memory of me. This really makes me feel both grateful and ashamed.
The peaceful liberation of Xinjiang is of great significance to the people's revolutionary cause nationwide, especially to the future of the people of Xinjiang.Since then, Xinjiang has entered the stage of New Democracy and has become a powerful part of the great People's Republic of China, and due to the change in the nature of the regime, the basic contradictions of the past no longer exist, and all political, military, and ethnic issues The problems of diplomacy and diplomacy can all be solved easily, which means that the welfare of the people has been permanently guaranteed.The problem in the future is construction, such as building water conservancy, developing agriculture, forestry and animal husbandry, building railways and roads, mining all minerals, setting up various factories, improving local handicrafts, etc., so as to increase all production, alleviate people's suffering, and improve people's lives , to create a prosperous, happy and happy new Xinjiang.I firmly believe that under the leadership of the great people's leader Chairman Mao, under the leadership of the outstanding General Peng Dehuai who unified the responsibility of the five northwestern provinces, and with the organized labor force of 200,000 troops stationed in New Zealand, we can further Coupled with the hard work of the hard-working people of all ethnic groups in the province, coupled with the assistance and cooperation of the great friend the Soviet Union, Xinjiang will surely be able to quickly and smoothly enter the road of peaceful construction, thus opening up a bright future!
Xinjiang is a multi-ethnic province. The common program adopted by the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference this time, in the chapter on ethnic policies, is like Article 50: "All ethnic groups in the People's Republic of China are equal, practice solidarity and mutual assistance, and oppose imperialism. Doctrine and the public enemy of the people within each nation have made the People's Republic of China a big family of friendship and cooperation among all nations. Oppose big-nation and narrow-minded nationalism, and prohibit acts of discrimination, oppression, and splitting among nations." This is extremely correct. of.Especially in New Province, we should firmly and sincerely support it and implement it.Only in this way can we achieve "solidarity and mutual assistance", "friendship and cooperation", and work together to build a new democratic new Xinjiang!Compatriots and leaders of all nationalities must recognize this truth, that is, anyone who has a big nationalist idea or anyone who has a narrow nationalist idea is a wrong and incorrect idea.If this kind of thought is reflected in behavior, it is a wrong and reactionary behavior, and we must resolutely oppose it.
Due to the victory of the Chinese people's revolutionary cause, the friendship between China and the Soviet Union has further established a long-lasting foundation.Chairman Mao told us: China must join the international camp of peace and democracy headed by the Soviet Union in order to guarantee lasting peace in the world.In Xinjiang, China and the Soviet Union have extremely close relations in all aspects of history, geography, nationality, culture, and economy, and both need the help of the Soviet Union. We need to maintain permanent friendship and goodwill with the Soviet Union.In the province, there may still be a very small number of people who do not understand this truth, and still have fear, doubt, and wait-and-see mentality. I hope that people can think about it calmly and rationally, and accept the objective history of this new era. The development of the lessons, abandon all the old stubborn ideas, old consciousness.In the past, the policy I implemented with sincerity and respect in Xinjiang was nothing more than two sentences: "Peace! Pro-Soviet!" Of course, due to various relations, there are many places that have not been fully implemented. This is what I regret the most. .Now that peace has been fully realized, the future Xinjiang Provincial People's Government must maintain a pro-Soviet policy.
I sincerely hope that all compatriots in the province, regardless of ethnicity or religious affiliation, must come together to understand, support, and implement this completely correct pro-Soviet policy!
This time I accompanied General Peng Dehuai to Dihua to see you, and I will say goodbye to you soon.
I am a person who loves the people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang. Although what I said today is blunt, it is sincere. It is just to thank the people of Xinjiang for their kindness to me, and I will do anything that is beneficial to the compatriots of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang anytime, anywhere. I will wholeheartedly sponsor the cause.
Finally we shouted:
The peaceful liberation of Xinjiang is the permanent victory of the people!
All ethnic groups in Xinjiang must unite, help each other, and cooperate in friendship on an equal footing!
People of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang should work together to build a new democratic Xinjiang!
Long live the eternal friendship and goodwill between China and the Soviet Union!
Long live Chairman Mao Zedong, the great leader of the Chinese people!
Long live the People's Republic of China!
Long live peace, democracy and happiness for the people of Xinjiang!
Prosperity emerged in Xinjiang.
Immediately afterwards, the Xinjiang Uprising troops were reorganized into the 22nd Corps of the People's Liberation Army.
Commander Tao Zhiyue, political commissar Wang Zhen.
On December 28 of the same year, Peng Dehuai and Zhang Zhizhong flew back to Lanzhou after completing their mission, and then went to Xi'an to set up the Northwest Military and Political Committee, and began to lead the new leadership work in the five provinces of Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai and Xin.
Since then, the specific burden of reforming the Xinjiang uprising troops has fallen on the shoulders of Wang Zhen, Tao Zhiyue and others.
Later, when Tao Zhiyue came to Beijing to report to the leaders of the central government, Mao Zedong personally met him and said to him: "Your work is very successful, and the central government is satisfied."
Tao Zhiyue asked: "What instructions does the chairman have?"
Mao Zedong said: "Your approach is feasible. I would like to make three more suggestions. One is to transform the uprising troops and make them the people's army; In order to strengthen national unity; the third is to educate everyone to actively build and defend the frontiers of the motherland."
"The chairman's three instructions are very important, and I will definitely implement them when I go back."
"If you want to reform your army well, you have to start with the senior officers, and you have to set an example for the subordinates. Don't forget that the power of an example is infinite!"
"Please rest assured, Chairman, I must start from myself."
"You have to study hard and reform yourself. If you don't reform, you won't be able to keep up with the situation. You have to pass three tests."
Tao Zhiyue didn't understand the meaning of this sentence, he sat there and watched.
Mao Zedong, who took a puff of a cigarette, said with a smile: "Let me tell you, the first hurdle is the War of Liberation, which has passed, and it has been reformed very well; the second hurdle is the land reform, which will pass soon; the third hurdle It is the socialism gate, and it has not started yet, so we must be mentally prepared.”
"I now feel that as long as I follow the Communist Party closely, no matter what, as long as I listen to the chairman, I can overcome any difficulties."
"I want you to do something."
Zhang Zhizhong, who is most concerned about the reform of the Xinjiang army, believes that General Wang Zhen has encouraged, helped, loved, and taken care of the uprising troops in every possible way. In October 1950, he wrote another emotional letter to Wang Zhen:
Ten days later, he received a reply letter from Wang Zhen:
General Wang Zhen was a man of action. Under his leadership, the transformation of the Xinjiang uprising troops went smoothly. At this time, he set his sights on the vast southern Xinjiang.
Although this piece of land is not rich, it is valuable for reclamation. When Tao Zhiyue expressed his desire to hand over the troops and return to his hometown in Hunan to be a farmer, he smiled and said: "General Tao wants to go back to his hometown to farm, but I can only get a piece the size of a palm, and if I want to plant it, I can plant the big field in Xinjiang. I, Wang Zhen, can't grow the land in Xinjiang alone, so let us unite, twist into a rope, and work vigorously!"
Since then, hundreds of thousands of troops have marched into southern Xinjiang, writing a new chapter in mass production with practical actions...