Chapter 13 Chapter Twelve

In 1969, the Party Central Committee formally decided to conduct an underground nuclear test, and appointed Wang Ganchang as the commander-in-chief of the nuclear test.As with previous nuclear tests, when major decisions are made by the central government, hundreds of factories, dozens of research institutes, and tens of thousands of people involved in the manufacturing and testing will be put into intense operation. But what about people?Where has everyone gone?When Wang Ganchang flew from Beijing to Lop Nur, how could there not be many people in the battlefield that was full of people in the past?

"Old director, you are finally here. Our people have been dragged to a criticism meeting. There has been no serious production here for a month or two!" Someone came over and whispered to Wang Ganchang. Not working for a month or two?Is this still a nuclear test site?The anger in Wang Ganchang's heart could not help rushing straight to his forehead.He found two leaders of the "Zuo Zuo" sent by the above, known as the "Evil Erzhao" (the two were suppressed later), and asked, "Can the order of the Central Committee not be carried out?" Wen, knowing that it is not good to confront Wang Ganchang head-on, so he quietly avoided it.But how can there be no one to work?The underground nuclear test is not like planting radishes in the ground. If there is no one aspect of the manpower, the whole system will not be able to work normally.As the commander-in-chief of the underground nuclear test, Wang Ganchang was very anxious.He once again found the leader of the "Military Control Commission" "Evil Er Zhao", and asked them to stop pulling the brigade out to engage in sports all day long.

"How can that be done! The 'Cultural Revolution' launched by the great leader Chairman Mao himself is an unprecedented revolutionary mass movement in itself. If the broad masses don't participate, it's still called a movement. No one can disrupt the development of this great movement!" "Evil The "Er Zhao" was so aggressive that they didn't pay attention to Wang Ganchang, the "commander in chief".Wang Ganchang is a person who is devoted to his duties, he never expected to be so frustrated!On the same day, he used a confidential telephone to report the situation of the base to Beijing.

"Nonsense! The underground nuclear test is a decision made by Chairman Mao and the Party Central Committee. How can it be delayed? Production and scientific research must be resumed, and comrades who should go to work must return to the front line! This is an order from the Central Committee and must be implemented!" After Zhou Enlai learned about it, he called the base directly. "Evil Er Zhao" had no choice but to bite the bullet and held a meeting to communicate, but the cadres, masses and commanders and fighters at the base hated these two people so much that no one paid any attention to them.This time, "Evil Er Zhao" became nervous instead.They understand that the "Cultural Revolution" is important, but the nuclear test is not a trivial matter. Every nuclear test is carried out with iron discipline and iron orders, just like a war. What kind of accident, it was a matter of the sky falling, who can stand it? "Evil Er Zhao" had no choice but to recruit people to start work very reluctantly, but the base that had already fallen into chaos was unable to move even if it wanted to.

Reluctantly, the "Evil Two Zhao" found Wang Ganchang: "Mr. Wang, how good this is, we can't find anyone to work! We have put in a lot of effort, but it still doesn't work. Are you going to report the work here to the Central Committee?" Report on the situation?" Wang Ganchang is not stupid, he knows that the opponent wants to kick the ball to his side.After thinking for a moment, he said: "In this case, let's use my old face to do the work. We must complete the underground nuclear test within the time set by the central government, otherwise we will be sorry to Chairman Mao. What do you think? "At the time of crisis, Wang Ganchang was more anxious than anyone else.In fact, the majority of cadres, technicians, and commanders at the base are very concerned about the underground nuclear test, but everyone hates the "Evil Erzhao" for sabotaging production and punishing people. Some timid people are even afraid of their crazy behavior, so It is better to make less trouble, let the "rebel" go to the "rebellion", and let the "criticism meeting" go to the "criticism meeting", no matter what production or experiment it is!Faced with such a mess, how could Wang Ganchang not be in a hurry?

"Comrades, there is a long distance between what we are doing and the western world. We can't delay any longer! Everyone should be aware that scientific experiments take a lot of time. We already have a lot of things to do. If we hold meetings every day, there will be no guarantee for production and scientific research, and we will not be able to complete the tasks entrusted to us by the central government!" "Underground nuclear testing is of great significance. It can enrich our past ground and air tests and obtain a lot of new data. Therefore, everyone must seize the time, devote all their efforts to work, and pass the underground test as quickly as possible!" Wang Ganchang A scientific research room and a production workshop run, explaining the truth to everyone over and over again.At that time, scientific researchers were not even allowed to read business books, and could only secretly read them in their own homes.Wang Ganchang used the meal time to go door-to-door to invite researchers to study and research in the laboratory with business books.

There was no one in the workshop where the parts were produced. Wang Ganchang dragged his sick body around to look for the workshop director.The workshop director told him: "Mr. Wang, we have already been seized by others, and no one will care about us again. Besides, everyone really comes to work, and they can't even eat in the cafeteria. The master chefs also returned Those who are at home are going home, and those who are making revolutions are going to make revolutions, so it’s hard to handle.” Seeing the troubled look of the workshop director, Wang Ganchang rubbed his hands anxiously. He is a scientist who can calculate and design countless intricate neutrons, neutrons, and The top difficult problems like atoms can also direct and handle various intricate business work as the main leader and organizer of nuclear weapon scientific research, but he has never done administrative work.Facing the similar problems raised by the workshop director and the following, I don't know what to do.After thinking deeply, he suddenly said to the workshop director: "Can you mobilize the family members of the comrades and let them cook for everyone?"

"This..." The workshop director thought for a while and said, "It's a good idea. But who pays them? The money for our employees is allotted from the top according to the head, and the family members can't get it from the financial department even after they have done their jobs. Got the money!" "I can solve this problem." Wang Ganchang replied without any hesitation, "Maybe I can pay them!" The workshop director couldn't help laughing: "Mr. Wang, how much money do you have to pay everyone? Besides You really posted it to everyone, and the rebels will say that you are hiring labor to work, which is an act of the 'exploiting class'!" Wang Ganchang was stunned for a moment, thinking that he was right, this is a problem.So he muttered: "Then I'll mobilize those master cooks." Maybe it's the cadres, masses and scientific and technological personnel of the base who saw the seriousness and naivety of their old dean, coupled with Wang Ganchang's original prestige. It is high, so most departments and institutions have returned to their posts.However, as long as there is a conflict between the two factions artificially created by the "Evil Two Zhao", the production and scientific research at the base will be affected, and even stop production.Factional struggles have become so serious that guns and heavy weapons are used. In order to get the two sides to stop fighting and return to production and scientific research, Wang Ganchang personally went to the "headquarters" of the two factions to persuade them more than once, risking his life.

"Think about it soberly, what time is it now? According to the time set by the central government, we can't be more tight, and you all can't be emotional anymore. Conducting underground nuclear tests is a national event. Profit is the most important thing, otherwise you will become a sinner of history in the future!" However, due to factional struggles and management chaos, some people who had previously returned to Beijing for vacation or work took the opportunity to not return to the base, leaving many positions at the base staffed. Extremely scarce.From Qinghai to Beijing, it takes several days to travel by train.Taking advantage of his frequent return to Beijing to report on his work, Wang Ganchang took the time to visit those comrades who stayed at home and persuade them to return to the base.

Many old comrades in the family compound of the "Ninth Academy" said to me with emotion: "At that time, Dean Wang went around every day to find people, and when he met one, he would keep a close eye on one until he agreed to return to the base. Many comrades returned to the base, and they left Beijing only because of the face of the old dean. Without him, the first underground nuclear test in our country would have been delayed!" If it weren't for Wang Ganchang's mobilization, If it weren't for his lofty prestige, the base controlled by the "Evil Er Zhao" would never have been able to carry out any substantive experimental work in those few years.People at the base still remember that the main road leading from Urumqi to the base pass was heavily guarded by rebels from the two factions. Not to mention the difficulty in transporting supplies, even pedestrians were often detained.

Once, when Wang Ganchang and several important officials with him arrived at Urumqi Airport, they heard fierce gunshots, and the passage leading to the base's test site was tightly guarded by rebels. "What should we do? What we bring is confidential information, so we can't let it be snatched away by bad guys!" Wang Ganchang was circling in a hurry. Someone suggested a detour. "No, if something happens on the way, how do you explain if the data is lost? We have to think of a new way." Wang Ganchang was quick to make long-distance calls to the relevant departments overnight, and soon a plane arrived to safely send Wang Ganchang and his party to the nuclear test base. Malan. Today, many Chinese are extremely proud of their country's powerful nuclear weapons. Who would have imagined that the experiments carried out by Wang Ganchang and the others were so difficult!Not to mention the country's poor material and economic conditions, not to mention the Western world's blockade of our country's technology and intelligence, but we have created so many problems for ourselves!China's underground nuclear test was actually carried out in a man-made cave, which is one kilometer long.Assembling an atomic bomb in such a deep cave is much more difficult than on the ground, especially hundreds of various lines, each of which has to be stretched several kilometers long. In between, even the slightest problem could lead to catastrophe. In order to ensure that there are no problems with all underground devices and lines, Wang Ganchang put forward requirements for each link and system, and at the same time went deep into the cave to direct and supervise the operation and inspection of each process. Once, the detector suddenly made a "popping" sound. Wang Ganchang rushed to the scene immediately and asked if there was radioactive material leaking from the product itself, and whether there was depleted uranium ore in the mountain itself?In order to find out the truth, Wang Ganchang drilled in the dark and damp cave for dozens of hours. At that time, he was already over 60 years old. What exactly is at work?After repeated tests, it was finally found out that something called radon gas was at work.Radon gas is a kind of radioactive harmful gas, which has great damage to the human respiratory system.After Wang Ganchang learned the truth, he saw that the little soldiers of the People's Liberation Army working in the cave had no protective measures at all, so he warned them one by one: "Little comrades, try not to stay in the cave after finishing work and eating. It will be very dangerous. When working, you must wear a protective mask. Please remember my words, human life is precious!" "Isn't he preaching the philosophy of survival?" "This is disturbing the morale of the army!" Wang Ganchang did not expect that the "evil Erzhao" gang who had long wanted to punish him would take his words of concern for the soldiers as "reactionary speeches" and openly named them at the meeting to let the "revolutionary the masses" critique. "President Wang, they posted all the big-character posters, you should hide for a few days first." Several kind-hearted people came to persuade Wang Ganchang. Wang Ganchang stared wide-eyed: "Why am I hiding? Who will complete the task assigned by Premier Zhou? Radon gas is poisonous, what do they know? Comrades stay in the cave for a long time, if you don't pay attention to protection, you will hurt your body." What's wrong with me asking everyone to pay attention? They criticize me like this, I have to report to the prime minister to see if I'm wrong!" The old scientist tried harder and no one could stop him, "What is the 'philosophy of survival'? We are engaged in science, and science is about seeking truth from facts!" It was the patriotic sincerity of the old scientist that influenced the soldiers and scientific and technological personnel who participated in the underground nuclear test at the whole base.With the joint efforts of everyone, preparations for the test are in full swing. However, the big criticism on the ground is getting higher and higher.When the "Evil Two Zhao" blatantly criticized Wang Ganchang as a "reactionary academic authority" and "corrupting young people with a smile", a comrade couldn't stand it anymore, so he asked the rebels: "A good expert like Wang Ganchang, all of you should Criticize, then there are no good people in this world!" With just such a sentence, this comrade was arrested by the "Evil Er Zhao" group, put in handcuffs, and dragged to the execution ground for a brutal "fake shooting". After Wang Ganchang learned of this, he burst into tears.He howled to the sky angrily: "What is wrong with our hard work?" He finally collapsed, and his blood pressure suddenly rose.But he knew that the nuclear test was far more important than his own life, so he ignored everyone's advice and directed the final nuclear device and desiccant to be put into the cave for 3 days and 3 nights.When the engineer sealed the hole with the last piece of cement, an emergency came from the command system: the voltage of the console was almost gone!How to detonate the atomic bomb thousands of meters underground without power supply! "Reopen the hole, I want to go in and check!" Wang Ganchang ordered immediately. "No, Dean Wang, you can't go in. There is already a nuclear material device inside, it's too dangerous! You can't go in!" The soldiers and comrades at the scene formed a human wall to block Wang Ganchang outside. "Get out of the way, all of you. I have the right to deal with technical issues. No one can stop me. Go away and let me in!" Wang Ganchang broke through the human wall and directed the engineers to quickly remove the seal. The body got into a deep cave... Later, the cause of the accident was finally found out: the wires in one place were "shelled"!This accident made Wang Ganchang determined to mobilize the base personnel to conduct a comprehensive inspection of the entire nuclear explosion system that had been installed from beginning to end. On September 23, 1969, Wang Ganchang and tens of thousands of people who participated in the experiment were on the top of a mountain dozens of kilometers away, and saw with their own eyes billowing dust on a mountain in a branch of the Tianshan Mountains.Bursts of muffled thunder emanating from the thousand-meter underground echoed in the north and south of the Tianshan Mountains... my country's first underground nuclear test was a success! "Old Dean, we have succeeded! We have finally completed the task!" When everyone happily congratulated Wang Ganchang, the "two bomb hero" only showed a very dignified smile on his face... Wang Ganchang returned to Beijing with the good news that the underground nuclear test was successful. However, when he returned to the familiar "gray building", everything suddenly became strange. "Mr. Wang Ganchang, according to the 'Order No. 1' of 'Vice Chairman Lin', we have decided to move all the institutions of the Ninth Academy in Beijing to Mianyang, Sichuan. Go there." The "Military Management Committee" of the Second Ministry of Machinery officially notified Wang Ganchang. "Should I go alone, or should all my family members move?" Wang Ganchang asked. "Of course, the whole family will go. And, you have to be prepared to work and live there for a long time!" "Okay, I'll go back and make preparations for the relocation immediately." Wang Ganchang didn't think about any other issues at all.In his opinion, the work he was engaged in was originally highly confidential, and he even changed his name a few years ago, which is normal.It's just that this time it was a big migration, so he thought about the problem of home.When he got home, Wang Ganchang only said a few words to his wife and children, and then settled the whole family's departure from Beijing.Of course, Wang Ganchang did not understand the background of the central government's decision. While Wang Ganchang was busy organizing an underground nuclear test in Lop Nur, a major event happened in Beijing: On September 11, Premier Zhou Enlai and Soviet Premier Kosygin had a historic brief meeting at Beijing Airport.At this meeting, after nearly 10 years of hostility between the two major powers, China and the Soviet Union, both sides wanted to test out some of the other's intentions.But the politicians of the two countries at that time really didn't trust each other, so some of the judgments they made seem extreme now.More than a month after Kosygin left, that is, on the 22nd day after Wang Ganchang reported the successful news of the first underground nuclear test, Zhongnanhai held an important Politburo meeting with only one theme: to study the current international situation and the strategy of the Soviet Union trend.According to an intelligence report from nowhere, some people in the Soviet Union advocated a "surgical" devastating blow to China's nuclear facilities when China's nuclear weapons were not sufficiently developed. This made Chinese leaders suspect that the "old Soviet Union" "Really want to suddenly launch a nuclear attack on us China.The meeting was approved by Mao Zedong, and the Politburo made a decision: to immediately launch a national mobilization of "digging deep holes, accumulating food widely, and not seeking hegemony" across the country. In order to prevent problems before they happen, the leaders of the party and the country have to evacuate Beijing urgently regardless of whether there is a problem or not.According to this spirit, Mao Zedong went to Wuhan immediately, "Vice Chairman Lin" went to Suzhou, and only Zhou Enlai stayed in Beijing to "guard home". According to later understanding, the "Order No. 1" of "Vice Chairman Lin" has five contents: one is that the Soviet negotiating delegation will come to Beijing for talks on October 20, and we must be vigilant about this; the other is to prevent the Soviet Union from using negotiations as a smoke screen For a surprise attack on our army, all units of the army must immediately hide heavy weapons and important targets; third, communication must be kept smooth; fourth, the defense industry must pay close attention to the production of weapons and ammunition; fifth, missile units must be ready to launch preparation. The old couple Wang Ganchang and his granddaughter soon arrived at their destination - Mianyang, Sichuan (the current Changhong Group is the unit of Wang Ganchang's Ninth Courtyard).The driver Da Shao's family followed Wang Ganchang to the valley in Mianyang "fortunately", and they have been there for nearly 20 years.The following is Da Shao’s recollection of Wang Ganchang’s situation after he followed him to Sichuan—at the beginning, the ministry said that all important leaders and deans would move there, but when we arrived and lived there, we found that the hospital Among the senior leaders, Mr. Wang's family moved out.The other deans didn't go, but the house remained empty all year round.I once complained to Mr. Wang, saying that you have no intention of coming because of how smart he is.Fortunately, we moved the whole family's household registration here, and now we have no way to go back.Mr. Wang said, I don't care about other people, but we are not wrong here. The Ninth Academy has moved all the main personnel and technical equipment. From now on, this is the organization we work in. What else can we do if we don't follow the work? Mr. Wang is such a person. In his mind, he never thinks about those messy private affairs. As long as he thinks it is a task assigned by his superiors, no matter where he is or what he is doing, he will devote himself wholeheartedly until it is perfect. Get it done.At that time, the conditions in Mianyang were extremely difficult, and even the sugar for the children had to be brought from Beijing.In order to meet the needs of war preparations, the work area of ​​our Ninth Academy has a very large paved area for the entire work area and production plant, covering a total of 6 counties. The distance between them is 30 to 40 kilometers and the distance is more than 100 kilometers.The entire Mianyang area has actually become the base camp of China's nuclear weapons testing.At that time, Mr. Wang was nearly 70 years old, but he was in charge of production and technology, so he had to travel hundreds of kilometers in the work area almost every day.At that time, there were still many Kuomintang remnants in our area, and the enemy situation was very complicated.Every time I go out with Mr. Wang, I have to bring a weapon and be ready to deal with any eventuality.Due to the impact of the "Cultural Revolution", many factories stopped working, which brought great difficulties to Mr. Wang's work. He had to arrange scientific research work and work as a human being. It was really difficult for him in those few years.The Mianyang area is also an earthquake-prone area. Mr. Wang and I went out many times and encountered an earthquake. Out of fear of accidents, I didn't let him go to the work area below. How could he listen!When the earthquake hit, I dragged him to sleep in the car at night, but he refused to let him. What did he say he was afraid of?I am working on the atomic bomb, and I know in my heart how big the shock wave is and how harmful it is to human beings.He slept in the house as usual.Once I asked him, Mr. Wang, are you really not afraid of earthquakes killing people?He laughed, saying that everyone is afraid of death, but if you pretend to have too many other things in your heart, death will give way.I believe what he said, because he has so many things in his heart, how can he care about his own life and death?But it is such an old scientist who has been conscientiously contributing to the country, and the "Gang of Four" still did not let him go.The "evil Erzhao" from the Qinghai base sent people to arrest Mr. Wang in Lop Nur, saying it was "necessary for work", but in fact it was to criticize him.In Mianyang in the rear, they ransacked homes.I know that the things in Mr. Wang's house are all important materials and documents of the country's nuclear weapons test, so I am determined not to let the rebels move.For this reason, the rebels also labeled me a "driver of reactionary academic authority". But that didn't make me succumb to the ransacking issue either.I have been firmly guarding the door of Mr. Wang's house, just to prevent the rebels from entering the house where Mr. Wang lives.Finally, an "agreement" was reached: the house was sealed up.I thought to myself that this trick would work too, not only to protect Mr. Wang's things, but also to pass the hurdle of ransacking the house.But the leader of the rebel faction warned me, saying: "You are not allowed to take care of Wang Ganchang in the future, even if he comes back from Qinghai, he cannot be picked up by a car." After a few days, Mr. Wang really returned to Mianyang from Qinghai, and I secretly drove to pick him up. over him.When Mr. Wang saw it, he said to me very happily: "It's better here in Mianyang, and I won't be a bad person to be criticized here." He didn't know that the struggle here was worse than worse, but many kind-hearted people have been doing their best to protect it. Just looking at our venerable old gentleman...