More than 50 years ago, for the sake of national defense construction, more than 60,000 soldiers and civilians resolutely disappeared into the depths of the mountains and disappeared without a trace.
They have lost contact with their relatives, and some of them do not even know what they are building until the end.
At the same time, a small town named Bai Tao outside Fuling in Chongqing also disappeared from the map without a trace. However, it was not long before a "Great Underground Wall" shook the world and unveiled its mystery here.
What is puzzling is that a top-secret project related to the fate of national defense, 17 years after it was about to be completed, was personally ordered by *** to stop immediately and never be rebuilt.
Since that moment, this mysterious town has been accompanied by many questions, and it is only today that we understand the foresight of *** and unravel the reasons for the halt.
Today, let us go back to those eventful years and appreciate the former "Yugong moved mountains". At that time, the international situation had changed, and Sino-Soviet relations were tense.
We are working on the first nuclear ** - the atomic bomb, and Soviet specialists are the core backbone.
Later, however, all these Soviet experts were withdrawn, leaving us with a large number of complex topics. Some people even said that "the Chinese will not be able to develop an atomic bomb in another 50 years."
In the face of pressure, we worked hard to build our country's first atomic bomb on October 16, 1964.
This atomic bomb, called the "Qi Fighting Bomb", made China the fifth country in the world to possess nuclear weapons, which greatly shocked the world. However, the success of China's first atomic bomb** caused panic in Western countries.
Western countries, led by the United States, on the grounds of the "Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty" reached with the Soviet Union and other countries in 1963, believe that China's exhaustion of national strength to develop the atomic bomb is a wrong act, and even more exaggeratedly claim that possessing nuclear weapons is a threat to the global pattern.
To this end, they are trying to unite countries to ban China's nuclear ** retest. In the face of the suppression of other countries, China solemnly promised: "The Chinese develop nuclear ** completely for self-defense, and will never use nuclear ** first."
However, the Chairman and *** did not compromise on this. The chairman firmly stated: "We must vigorously develop nuclear research. ”
On June 17, 1967, China's first hydrogen bomb was successfully exploded, which not only once again demonstrated China's determination to research nuclear power, but also opened the prelude to a mysterious project, which is the nuclear fuel production base codenamed "816 Project".
At that time, China's economy had just recovered, and its national defense construction was not yet perfect, and although the success of the atomic bomb was exciting, the lack of its own combat readiness warehouses and experimental bases was a real problem.
In order to protect the economic lifeline of China's coastal and southwestern regions, the "816 Project" was approved by China in 1966 and began construction, becoming China's second nuclear material production base.
However, this project was not all smooth sailing, 10,000 people went missing, and the project known as "Yugong Moving Mountains" was a strong guarantee that they exchanged sweat and blood for China's nuclear **.
In the face of doubts and pressure from the international community, China has always insisted on independent research and development of nuclear power, and until today, we have a complete nuclear system and become a real nuclear power.
On the issue of how to secretly establish a second production base of nuclear materials, ** and experts in various fields conducted in-depth ** and investigations.
Eventually, they determined the location of the second nuclear industrial base in New China in Baitao Town, Fuling District, Chongqing.
This base, known as the "Great Underground Wall", is about to start construction. One of the reasons the town was chosen was that the site was almost hidden in the mountains, with only a towering chimney exposed.
The secret ** base here has been carefully designed and built by Chinese experts. In addition, the fog capital of Chongqing and the high forests of Jinzi Mountain also make it difficult to detect the base from above.
Eventually, the site's chimney will vent water vapor, leading to the perception that it is a chemical plant.
Shaded by thick smoke and dense trees, this is a natural hideout.
Fortunately, the Wujiang River meanders through the area, providing the necessary water for the production of nuclear materials, and the river is like a pulse in the minds of site selection experts.
In 1967, all the residents of Baitao Town moved out, and the entire area was designated as a military base. Even on the new map, the name Bai Tao no longer exists. In order to maintain secrecy, it was announced that a state-owned chemical plant would be built here, and outsiders were strictly prohibited from entering.
In addition, the officers and men, scientists, and technicians who participated in this large-scale "campaign" were all trained in strict confidentiality agreements in the early stage, and they were not allowed to leave at will after coming here, and their families were not allowed to visit them.
Just like the people who entered Lop Nur to build the atomic bomb base, until the end, some people did not know what they were doing.
However, as long as they make up their minds, countless scientific researchers will devote themselves to the revolutionary construction without regrets.
When more than 60,000 soldiers and civilians saw this towering mountain with their own eyes, and then heard the project leader put forward the challenge of hollowing out the mountain, they couldn't help but sigh at its arduousness. You must know that in the 60s, China's infrastructure capacity was still relatively weak.
Such a magnificent project can only be carved little by little with flesh and blood by a will of steel. In the process, many people have paid with their lives.
Because of the hollowing out of the mountain, the most worrying thing is the collapse. Once a collapse occurs, not only will the previous efforts be in vain, but it may also create **personnel**. Yin Baozi, from Henan, was the construction squad leader at the time.
Once, while digging a passage, he and two comrades-in-arms encountered a crack in the wall. The experienced Yin Baozi sensed that the situation was wrong, and he didn't have time to call out to his comrades, so he immediately pushed them away.
However, he himself was hit on the head by the sudden collapse of the rubble, and finally gave his life to make a sacrifice for the party he loved.
Feng Fujin, only 18 years old, has already become a member of the construction of the "816 Project". Although he only works as a correspondent, he has to hike up and down the mountain every day, sometimes dozens of times a day.
Despite this, he still worked conscientiously and responsibly and adhered to the faith of the people's army. As a squad leader, he not only has to be responsible for his work, but also cares about the emotions of his comrades. At Base 816, homesickness keeps most people awake at night.
Feng Fujin would lead his comrades to share their family routines and relieve the pain of homesickness, even though he himself was from Luliang, Shanxi.
However, during a rescue operation, Feng Fujin was unfortunately hit by a falling boulder, and by the time his comrades found and rescued him, he had already left us.
According to statistics, more than 70 officers and soldiers died in the construction of the "816 Project", and they poured their blood here to jointly guard the future of the motherland.
"816 Project", a dream that once carried more than 60,000 people, has experienced more than 6,000 days and nights of hard work.
They tried their best to chisel one more meter downward, widen one meter of road, and do thousands of tests, just to ensure the accuracy of the instrument.
However, the gears of history are often full of unknowns and uncertainties. In 1984, a directive from ** forced the "816 nuclear project" to stop work and never rebuild, which made everyone's hearts ache, but could not be changed.
However, the mission of the military is to obey, and even if they have a deep attachment to this place, they can only have no choice but to quit. However, history has left traces of this project, allowing us to witness the progress of that era and the courage of humanity.
Only by conforming to the context of the times can we make the right choice and promote the prosperity and development of mankind.
The original intention of the "816 Project" was to improve national defense capabilities and maintain *** However, since the formal establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States on January 1, 1979, this situation has changed.
In 1978, based on a detailed analysis of the international situation, it was concluded that the world would remain peaceful in the coming decades, and China needed to keep up with the pace of the times and vigorously promote socialist economic construction.
Therefore, he resolutely proposed reform and opening up, so that the whole country could make concerted efforts to carry out economic construction in a peaceful environment.
Among them,"Project 816"The total investment accounted for one-third of the national budget at that time, which shows our determination and courage to seize the opportunities of the new era.
In addition,"Project 816"It has gathered many industry elites, who have worked in obscurity in the depths of the mountains for 17 years. If these talents are placed in more visible positions, their contribution will be immeasurable.
In the 20 th century, information-based warfare became an important part of the battlefield, and various countries began to strengthen the study of satellites in order to achieve precise positioning and indiscriminate strikes.
With the advancement of information technology, the way of launching and manufacturing nuclear ** has become more diverse.
From underwater submarine launches, aerial aircraft launches, to mobile launches by land missile vehicles, the mobile, fast, all-weather, and multi-angle nuclear strike mode has become the main force on the battlefield.
In the National Day military parade in recent years, we can see the display of modern nuclear missiles such as the "Dongfeng" series of nuclear missiles, which only need a launch team to operate the launch of a nuclear weapon, realizing the race against time and the degree of accuracy of information warfare.
Taking these factors into account, the construction of Project 816 was no longer adapted to the needs of modern warfare, and therefore *** decisively stopped the task of continuing construction.
The manufacture of nuclear ** requires refining raw materials, which is very difficult in nature, so one of the main functions of the "816 Project" is to concentrate on refining.
However, with the enhancement of China's national strength, the advancement of refining technology, and the gradual reduction of location constraints, the role of the "816 Project" has become less important.
Now, people have to admire Deng Gong's foresight.
This old man, who lived through two world wars, with his keen observation and decisive decisions, provided an opportunity for modernization, putting the right people in the right positions to maximize the interests of the country.
In peacetime, we also need to be prepared for danger in times of peace and review the "816 Project", which was once a task of national defense construction, and was not reopened until 2002, so that we have the opportunity to understand the nuclear weapons situation in the last century.
The site of Project 816, a world-class artificial cave hidden deep in the mountain, is more than 20 kilometers long, as if it has been hollowed out of the mountain.
Its total floor area is more than 1040,000 square meters, the interior is intricate, and if you go wrong, you can get lost.
The main cavern is 796 meters, some people describe it as "a hole in a hole, a building in a hole, a hole in a building".
In 2019, the restored site of the 816 Project has become a 4A-level scenic spot in China, attracting tourists from all over the world to visit this world wonder known as the "Underground Great Wall".
At the same time, people can also see a martyr's cemetery called "A Bowl of Water" in a place near it. Heroes who gave their lives for Project 816 are buried there.
However, due to the rules of secrecy, their families do not even know the reason for their death, only that they have passed away. "
The establishment of the Chongqing Martyrs Cemetery is to forever remember those heroes who sacrificed their lives for the country. In the cemetery, their names and heroic deeds are deeply engraved, like the heroic posture of soldiers, standing forever.
The flowing water of the Wujiang River is accompanied by the towering monument, silently guarding their faith in dedicating themselves to the country.
Where you can't see, there are always people who are silently giving; While you enjoy the peaceful years, there are people behind you who carry the burden for you.
When saluting the bright five-star red flag, don't forget to say to them in your heart: "Thank you!" ”