In China in the 1950s, a strategy called "repression combined with leniency" was adopted, a policy that was strongly advocated by the chairman. This strategy is designed to be both severe and flexible in dealing with those who have committed serious crimes in previous historical periods. Specifically, for those who have committed serious crimes, the death penalty will be carried out mercilessly, as a demonstration of the seriousness of the law and the enforcement of justice. However, for those who have committed lesser crimes, a path of reformation is chosen, allowing them to be educated and reformed in prison in the hope that they will have the opportunity to repent and reintegrate into society.
In addition, for those who sincerely repent and are willing to make amends, ** takes a prudent attitude, and the organization examines them in detailand to give a fair trial based on their repentance and reform。This approach reflects the spirit of humanistic care and tolerance in law enforcement, and emphasizes the importance of education and reform.
Kung Tak Lin, as a place where criminals are held, is no exception to this strategy. All incarcerated offenders are subject to an investigation to assess the seriousness of their crimes. Prisoners of extremely serious crimes will inevitably face the death penalty in accordance with the above-mentioned provisions. Every year since 1950, criminals who have been imprisoned in the Kung Tak Lam have been executed for their serious crimes.
This strategy of "combining repression and leniency" reflects the policy orientation and social governance concept of the first in dealing with the problems left over from history at that time, aiming to provide opportunities for some criminals to reform while severely cracking down on crime, reflecting a governance strategy that is both resolute and humane.
The story behind the prison, famous for its detention of high-ranking Kuomintang generals, is an indelible memory of China's modern history.
Gongdelin Prison was originally established to hold war criminals of the Kuomintang. After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the Kuomintang retreated to Taiwan and remained on the mainland with many high-ranking generals in the Kuomintang army. In order to deal with these war criminals, Gongdelin Prison came into being. According to statistics, it once housed more than 14,000 Kuomintang war criminals, many of whom were important figures in the Kuomintang system.
In Gongdelin Prison, the Kuomintang war criminals were faced with a completely new living environment. Unlike the heroic images they once had on the battlefield, here they are more reflective and waiting. There is a strict management system in place inside the prison, and the daily life of the prisoners is well organized. In addition to the necessary labor and study, they will also participate in some ideological transformation courses, with the aim of making them recognize the direction of historical development and re-examine their own positions and behaviors.
During the years in Gongdelin Prison, many touching stories took place. Among them, after a long period of ideological reform, some war criminals gradually realized their mistakes, began to actively cooperate with the reform, and even made contributions to the construction of new China in the later days. Some war criminals, on the other hand, have always stuck to their stance and have not changed their minds even in the face of the grim reality.
Over time, many reformed war criminals were gradually released. Many of them chose to stay on the mainland and devote themselves to the construction of New China. As a result, the trajectory of their lives has changed dramatically, from rivals on the battlefield to partners in building their homeland together. The stories of these people are a microcosm of the transition period in China's history, reflecting the complexity and diversity of that era.
In 1954, three generals were executed in Gongdelin, why were they executed?
Liu Peixu, formerly known as Liu Yunpeng, was born in 1905 and was one of the senior generals of the Kuomintang. His life was full of ups and downs, from the anti-Japanese hero in his youth, to the Kuomintang general after the war, and finally to the death sentence, his life trajectory was full of drama and changes.
Liu Peixu participated in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression when he was young and had outstanding military performances. After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, with the outbreak of the civil war between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, Liu Peixu sided with the Kuomintang and became a senior general. However, with the defeat of the Kuomintang and the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, Liu Peixu's fortunes also changed dramatically.
In the early years of the founding of the People's Republic of China, dealing with the remnants of the Kuomintang was a major challenge for the new regime. As a high-ranking general of the Kuomintang, Liu Peixu naturally became the target of the new regime's suppression of counter-revolution. Although he contributed to the War of Resistance Against Japan, his position in the civil war between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party determined his fate.
In 1939, with the changing situation in the world, Liu Peixu's fate also ushered in a turning point. In this year, he made a major decision - to take refuge in Wang Jingwei and become a member of the puppet national **. In this controversial period, Liu Peixu served as the deputy chief of staff of the puppet national, the deputy general of the puppet national, the alternate member of the puppet national, and the supervisory commissioner, and became an important figure in Wang Jingwei's regime.
This decision is undoubtedly the most controversial step in Liu Peixu's life. Under the historical background at that time, the Wang Jingwei regime was regarded as a puppet regime of Japan, and defecting to Wang Jingwei meant deviating from the just position of resistance against Japan, which had a great negative impact on Liu Peixu's reputation and image. His behavior was seen by many as a betrayal of national interests, and it also cast a shadow on his evaluation in later generations.
However, history is always complex and multifaceted. Liu Peixu's choice may be due to a misjudgment of the situation, or it may be due to personal survival or other irresistible pressures. In that turbulent era, everyone was faced with difficult choices, and Liu Peixu's decision may not have been easy. Nevertheless, his act was still an obstacle to the course of the War of Resistance Against Japan, and a betrayal to those who fought for national independence and national liberation!
In 1954, Liu Peixu was charged with "counter-revolutionary" and sentenced to death. This trial is part of the reckoning with the "historical bills" left over from the old era during the country's political transition. Liu Peixu was executed for several reasons:
1.*Political stance**: Liu Peixu, a high-ranking Kuomintang general who was an enemy of the Communist Party in the Kuomintang-Communist civil war, was the main reason for his trial.
2.*Historical responsibility**: As a senior general, Liu Peixu's role in the civil war between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party and his historical responsibility became an important basis for his trial.
3.*Social Stability**: In the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China, for the sake of national stability and unity, the liquidation of the generals of the old regime was regarded as one of the important measures to consolidate the new regime.
Han Buzhou, born in 1900 in an ordinary family in Shanxi Province, has been smart and studious since childhood, and has a strong interest in traditional Chinese culture. As a young man, he witnessed the turmoil of Chinese society and the invasion of Western powers, and he had the ambition to serve the country. During the Beiyang period, he devoted himself to studying military and politics, hoping to contribute to the country's independence and national rejuvenation.
His talents were soon recognized and he became the right-hand man of the Shanxi provincial warlord Yan Xishan. Under Yan Xishan's leadership, he was involved in a series of reforms in Shanxi, including educational, economic, and military reforms. His work was excellent, winning the admiration of Yan Xishan and his colleagues.
However, the good times did not last long, and with the success of the Northern Expedition of the National ** and the reshuffling of various domestic forces, the situation in Shanxi became increasingly tense. In 1937, when Japan invaded China in an all-out way, Han Buzhou participated in organizing anti-Japanese activities to save the country, but in this war full of variables, Shanxi's situation was extremely difficult.
In 1949, when the People's Republic of China was founded, most of the country responded to the call of the new regime, but Yan Xishan chose to resist to the end. Han Buzhou, as Yan Xishan's cronies, was naturally involved in this struggle with no chance of winning. In the end, after the People's Liberation Army captured Taiyuan, Han Buzhou**.
* Later, Han Buzhou faced trial. Although he vigorously defended himself in the trial, he was only an executor, never had the power to make his own decisions, and contributed to the struggle against Japan and the salvation of the country, but in that special historical period, his past identity and everything he did became a shackle that he could not shake off. In the end, Han Buzhou was convicted of "counter-revolutionary" and was soon executed.
Zhang Zhankui may have received a certain level of education in his youth, which gave him a vision of changing society and participating in the future of the country. He may have joined some political organization and took an active part in the struggle against foreign aggression and feudal forces at home. However, it was this experience that ultimately led to his tragic fate.
Why was Zhang Zhankui shot? The answer to this question lies in the turbulent backdrop of those turbulent times. It can be assumed that his political positions or certain actions offended the political forces that were in power at the time. In China in the 20th century, the political environment was extremely complex, and various forces at home were fiercely fighting, and the slightest carelessness could lead to the fall victim of political struggle.
One possibility is that Zhang Zhankui was on the wrong side in the political struggle, and the organization he supported or participated in lost power, and he was personally labeled as a "counter-revolutionary" or "hostile." In that era of "life and death", such labels often meant the death penalty.
Another possibility is that he was considered guilty of serious crimes, such as "espionage" and "treason", while performing certain tasks or participating in certain activities, which often led directly to the execution at the time.