Qian Xuesen, the father of China's aerospace industry, passed away on October 31, 2009. His body was buried in the Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery, draped in the party flag, and the state leaders personally bid him off.
He was engaged in military scientific research in the United States, obtained the rank of colonel, and became the top aerospace expert in the United States, but he resolutely chose to return to China to build the motherland. How did he get rid of the obstruction of the United States, and how did he make great contributions to China's space industry?
In 1935, at the age of 24, Qian Xuesen was admitted to the Department of Aeronautics of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. When he first arrived in the United States, he was ridiculed by American students who ridiculed the backwardness and ignorance of the Chinese, such as opium smoking and footbinding. Qian Xuesen was indomitable and refuted them on the spot:
It is true that China, as a country, is lagging behind the United States, but as an individual, who of you dares to compare with me and see who has better grades at the end of the semester? ”
Qian Xuesen studied diligently and got his master's degree a year later. In 1939, he received his Ph.D. from the California Institute of Technology.
The thirties and forties of the 20th century were the first era of the aviation industry. Under the guidance of the famous Professor von Kármen, Qian Xuesen has achieved innovative results in the fields of supersonic, gas dynamics, and solid mechanics. Von Kármán was full of praise for him:
Although he is still a young scholar, he can help me sort out some difficult problems. Such geniuses are rare. Qian and I became close partners. ”
Due to the needs of the war, the United States relaxed restrictions on foreigners, and Qian Xuesen was fortunate to participate in classified military scientific research. At that time, the technical level of rockets in the United States was very low, and the rockets could only fly to an altitude of 10,000 feet, which could not meet the purpose of sounding. After research, Qian Xuesen proposed a method of pulse-by-pulse propulsion, so that the rocket could fly to an altitude of 100,000 feet, which reached the standard of sounding.
Later, the United States commissioned the California Institute of Technology to open a training course to teach rockets and jets-related technologies, and Qian Xuesen was also one of the lecturers. Many high-ranking military officers on the US side are students of Qian Xuesen.
The United States attaches great importance to Qian Xuesen's scientific research ability and awarded him the rank of colonel. Before returning to China, Qian Xuesen was already one of the top aerodynamicists, aerospace engineering and rocket technology experts in the United States. Kimble, Truman's assistant secretary of the Navy, once said:
His value is immeasurable. In any case, he is equivalent to the strength of three to five divisions.
In 1950, there was a wave of ** in the United States, and Qian Xuesen was suspected of being a member of the Communist Party and accused of being a traitor to the United States. His confidential research qualifications were also revoked. On September 7 of this year, two strangers broke into Qian Xuesen's home and took out an arrest warrant. Qian Xuesen's daughter was just a month old, and Qian Xuesen said to his wife Jiang Ying, who took care of his daughter:
They wanted me to go with them. ”
Qian Xuesen's friends learned the news of his **, and after many efforts, Qian Xuesen was released on bail after fifteen days, paying 1$50,000 bail. In prison, Qian Xuesen was tortured and almost lost the ability to speak. In two weeks, Qian Xuesen lost 30 pounds.
Even after being released from prison, Qian Xuesen was not free, he had to report to the immigration bureau every month to prove that he had not left the United States, and for five years, he was monitored and tracked by the FBI and the immigration bureau.
Qian Xuesen wanted to resign and return to China to visit relatives because his father was seriously ill. But Kimble said to him:
You have to think about it, the United States is the best place for you to develop. China is poor and white, what's the use of you going back? ”
Qian Xuesen replied:
Mr. Deputy Secretary, I was treated unfairly by McCarthy, I was disqualified from participating in classified research, the FBI also treated me as a 'spy', I have no chance to work in the United States, I am going back home! You can go back and grow apples. ”
Kimble understands that the genius scientist will not just grow apples when he returns home, and refuses to let him go.
One day in June 1955, Qian Xuesen prepared a letter to be sent to the motherland and went out with his wife. In the letter, he expressed his strong desire to return to China to build the motherland and hoped that the motherland would help them return to China.
Next to a café, Qian Xuesen skillfully avoided the spy's scrutiny, and Jiang Ying took the opportunity to hand over the letter to Chen Shutong in the café, and the letter was later delivered to ***. ** immediately instructed Ambassador Wang Bingnan to negotiate with the US side, because there were letters as evidence, the US side had to admit to detaining Chinese citizens, and after the US ambassador asked for instructions *** and then asked for **, Qian Xuesen was able to return to the motherland.