Chapter 60 4. The Korean people warmly send off the volunteers

On February 27, 1958, Prime Minister Kim Il Sung signed the North Korean Cabinet's "Decision on Everlastingly Commemorating the Great Achievements of the Chinese People's Volunteers and Farewelling Their Withdrawal from the Northern Half of the Republic."The decision spoke highly of the actions of the Chinese people to resist U.S. aggression and aid Korea and the glorious achievements of the Chinese People's Volunteers, and pointed out: The immortal feats and glorious achievements made by the heroic Chinese People’s Volunteers in our country during and after the fierce Fatherland Liberation War will forever be engraved in the hearts of the Korean people and shine brightly with the prosperity and development of our country.

In order to forever commemorate the great achievements of the volunteers and send off the volunteers, the North Korean cabinet decided to send a letter of thanks signed by all Korean people to the Chinese people and the Chinese People's Volunteers; "; renovate the tombs of the Chinese People's Volunteers in various places, and take permanent protection measures; name the Central Street of Shaliyuan City, North Huanghai Province, which formed a deep friendship with the Chinese People's Volunteers in the war, as the Chinese People's Volunteers Street; to participate in the Korean War All officers and soldiers of the Chinese People's Volunteers awarded the "Fatherland Liberation War Commemorative Medal"; based on the great achievements of the Chinese People's Volunteers in helping the Korean people in the liberation war and economic recovery and construction, feature films and documentaries were produced; October 1958 was designated as the DPRK-China Friendship Month. Various grand commemorative and celebration activities were organized and held to publicize and praise the great achievements of the Chinese People's Volunteers and further strengthen the friendship and unity between the people of the DPRK and China.

On March 15, the Chinese People's Volunteers began to withdraw from North Korea in batches.When the volunteer troops withdrew from North Korea in batches, Prime Minister Kim Il Sung and other leaders of the North Korean party and government, regardless of the busy state affairs, visited, condolences and sent off the volunteers at the station of the withdrawing troops, and attended the farewell meeting and farewell banquet in person.At these meetings, Kim Il-sung and other North Korean party and government leaders thanked the Chinese People’s Volunteers for their contributions in the Korean people’s war against aggression in the name of the entire Korean people, the Workers’ Party of Korea and the government of the Republic, and praised them for their “contribution to the Korean people’s war against aggression.” The great achievements established in the war will last forever together with the beautiful mountains and rivers of North Korea." He praised the volunteer army as "a real people's army, a real Marxist-Leninist party army, and a real internationalist army." The Chinese People's Volunteers "The profound friendship formed with the Korean people will forever remain in the hearts of the descendants of the Korean people."At these rallies, North Korean party and government leaders also awarded huge silk banners to the volunteers withdrawing troops, and personally wore the "Korean Fatherland Liberation War Commemorative Medal" and "North Korea-China Friendship Medal" for the withdrawing officers and soldiers.

When the volunteer troops withdrawn in batches set off, the Korean people stationed there put on festive costumes and held the national flags of the DPRK and China to see the volunteers off.People's Army troops who have fought side by side with the Volunteers for a long time also reluctantly bid farewell to their comrades.There are loud gongs and drums everywhere, and there are crowds singing and dancing farewell everywhere.A North Korean old man sang with infinite affection: October 1958 was the "North Korea-China Friendship Month" stipulated by the North Korean government, and it was also the last batch of volunteer troops to withdraw from North Korea.The farewell activities of the North Korean government and the Korean people and the farewell of the volunteers reached a climax.

The Volunteer Army Headquarters sent ten delegations to various parts of North Korea to bid farewell to the party and government organs and local people, and thank them for their kind care and enthusiastic support for the Chinese People's Volunteers over the past eight years.The delegations held a grand farewell meeting, and the accompanying art troupe and film screening team also held a farewell party.During the farewell period, the delegations paid extensive visits to the famous frontline models and the families of the martyrs who died in support of the Volunteer Army, conveyed the nostalgia and gratitude of all the officers and soldiers of the Volunteer Army, and presented gifts.Accompanied by party, government and military leaders from all over the country, the delegations laid wreaths at the Volunteer Army Martyrs Cemetery and the People's Army Martyrs Tomb. , presented to the Korean People’s Army as a permanent commemoration, including photos of martyr Qiu Shaoyun, relics of martyr Huang Jiguang, stationery used by Commander Peng Dehuai and General Nam Il when signing the armistice, weapons and equipment used by the volunteers, sand table models, and combat maps And the trophies captured on the battlefield, etc.

On the morning of October 24, the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK held a grand awarding ceremony in Pyongyang, conferring the Chinese People's Volunteers Commander Yang Yong and political commissar Wang Ping with the highest medal of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the First Class National Flag Medal, and awarded Liang Biye, deputy political commissar of the Volunteer Army, and Gong Yunrui, chief of staff, were awarded the second-class national flag medal.In the afternoon, people from all walks of life in Pyongyang gathered grandly at the National Art Theater to send off the officers and soldiers of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army Headquarters who are about to leave North Korea and return home.Kim Il Sung and other North Korean party and state leaders attended the meeting.At the meeting, Pak Jong-ae, vice chairman of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, handed the "Letter of Appreciation from the Korean People to the Chinese People's Volunteers and the Chinese People" to Guo Moruo, head of the Chinese delegation, and Yang Yong, commander of the Volunteer Army.Along with this letter, 228 autograph books were handed over to the Chinese people and the Chinese People's Volunteers, on which a total of 6,847,439 Korean people signed.On the first autograph book, the first one to sign is Kim Il Sung, the leader of the Korean people.At the meeting, Wang Ping, the political commissar of the Volunteer Army, also handed over the "Chinese People's Volunteer Army Farewell Letter to the Korean People" signed by Peng Dehuai, the first commander and political commissar of the Volunteer Army, and the signature book of all officers and soldiers of the Volunteer Army to members of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea. Long Cui Yongjian.The thank-you letter from the Korean people and the farewell letter from the Chinese People's Volunteers are vivid manifestations of the great fighting friendship between the Chinese and North Korean people.In the evening, Kim Il Sung also held a grand state banquet in Pyongyang to send off the officers and soldiers of the Volunteer Army Headquarters who were about to leave North Korea and return home.More than 450 people including Yang Yong, Wang Ping, generals and officers and soldiers from the Volunteer Army Headquarters were invited to attend the banquet.

October 25, 1958 was the eighth anniversary of the Chinese People's Volunteers' War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, and it was also the day when the officers and soldiers of the Chinese People's Volunteers Headquarters left Pyongyang and returned home on the last withdrawal train.North Korean Prime Minister Kim Il Sung and other leaders of the party and government personally went to the station to see him off.On this day, the national flags of the DPRK and China were flying everywhere in Pyongyang.At 10:00 in the morning, the officers and soldiers of the Chinese People's Volunteers Headquarters set off from Kim Il Sung Square to the station. Yang Yong and Wang Ping walked at the front of the team.On both sides of the two-kilometer-long street that the volunteers walked through, there were many Pyongyang citizens who warmly sent off.They hold flowers and colorful flags, forming a colorful "river" of the whole street.It took a whole hour for the team of volunteers to pass through the enthusiastic crowd and reach the station square.On the station square, Yang Yong delivered a farewell speech to the 300,000 people of Pyongyang.He first thanked the North Korean people for their support and meticulous care to the Volunteers over the past eight years, and thanked the North Korean people for the lofty honor and warm farewell given to the Volunteers.When it was time to board the train, the "Battle Hymn of the Chinese People's Volunteers" was played at the station.Yang Yong, Wang Ping and others warmly shook hands and bid farewell to Kim Il Sung and other North Korean party and government leaders who came to see them off. At 12:00, the train on which officers and soldiers of the Volunteer Army Headquarters left Pyongyang Station.

On October 26, officers and soldiers of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army Headquarters, full of the deep friendship of the Korean people, crossed the Yalu River Bridge, passed through the "Arch of Triumph", and returned to the embrace of the motherland. On the same day, the headquarters of the Chinese People's Volunteers issued a withdrawal communiqué.So far, except for the representatives of the Chinese People's Volunteers who remained in the Korean Armistice Commission, who still continue to perform the task of supervising the implementation of the Korean Armistice Agreement together with the representatives of the Korean People's Army, the Chinese People's Volunteers have followed the statement issued on February 20, 1958. Withdrew from North Korea.