After the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japan, the short-lived peace did not dissipate the dark clouds of civil war, and the Kuomintang launched a civil war, which aroused the resistance of many patriots who threw themselves to the Communist Party.
Liu Shanben was one of them, and he took the lead in flying to Yan'an as a pilot. The Air Force has always been hailed"The pride of the sky"As the first pilot of the uprising, how did the Communist Party treat Liu Shanben?
Liu Shanben cherished the dream of saving the country and devoted himself to the cause of the Air Force. In 1915, Liu Shanben was born in a rural family in Lechang County, Shandong Province, his parents were simple and hard-working farmers, he was smart and clever since childhood, and his personality was upright.
In 1931, the "September 18 Incident" occurred, and the Japanese invaders invaded and occupied Northeast China, revealing their aggressive ambitions against China. Liu Shanben, who was studying at the time, and his classmates spontaneously formed a progressive organization and took to the streets to march and shout to cheer for the anti-Japanese national salvation movement.
The following year, Liu Shanben was admitted to the High School Affiliated to Peking University, when he was already a 17-year-old young talent, thinking about how to contribute to the country in crisis.
In 1935, Liu Shanben graduated from high school, just when China was in domestic and foreign difficulties. Externally, there was the invasion of the Japanese invaders, and internally, the Kuomintang reactionaries pursued absurdity"Outside first settles inside"、"Suppress bandits and resist the Japanese"strategy, the CCP's Soviet areas have been encircled and suppressed many times, the country has been fighting endlessly, and the arrogance of the aggressors has put the country in a dangerous situation.
In the face of all this, Liu Shanben was very worried. At the time, it was respected by many colleges and universities"Aviation to save the country"Liu Shanben was convinced that air combat would play an important role in future wars, so he applied for the Hangzhou Jianqiao Aviation School and was successfully admitted.
In the summer of the same year, Liu Shanben first went to the "Air Force Enlistment Battalion" of the Kuomintang in Nanjing to learn army knowledge, and a year later transferred to the Luoyang branch of the ** Aviation School and began his primary flight training career.
The training of junior pilots is not an easy task, and the requirements for the overall quality of the individual are very high, but Liu Shanben does not feel intimidated by this, but sees it as an opportunity to hone himself, hoping to experience more challenges and become the talent that the country needs.
After two years of unremitting efforts, he successfully passed the examination, transferred from the branch to the main school, and began to receive intermediate flight training.
During this time, Liu Shanben learned of the occurrence of the "Xi'an Incident" and learned that Chiang Kai-shek had cooperated with the CCP and formed an "anti-Japanese national united front" throughout the country.
This made him extremely excited, but he regretted that he had not yet fully completed his training as a pilot and could not go to the battlefield to serve his country. However, his joy did not last long, as Liu Shanben soon discovered that his understanding of the Kuomintang was too simplistic.
Chiang Kai-shek had always been dissatisfied with the "Xi'an Incident", and if it were not for the fear of opposition from the people of the whole country, he would never have agreed to cooperate with the CCP. When the all-out war of resistance broke out, Chiang Kai-shek began to play with the strategy of yang and yin, often implementing a "policy of non-resistance" in an attempt to "preserve strength and eliminate the CCP".
In the early days of the all-out War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, although the Japanese army was well-equipped, we already had an advantage, but due to a series of erroneous decisions made by Chiang Kai-shek, the situation in the early days of the War of Resistance was grim, which seriously hit the morale of the anti-Japanese soldiers and civilians in many places.
When Liu Shanben, who was still studying at the empty school at this time, learned the news, he was very sad in his heart and was deeply indignant at the selfish behavior of the Kuomintang, but he was powerless to do anything about it. However, it was not over yet, and his bombing unit was to fight the Japanese army on the battlefield before graduation according to the original plan, and accept the baptism of war.
However, due to Chiang Kai-shek's "policy of non-resistance", their troops were withdrawn to the Hexi Corridor and the Lanzhou area, and were not allowed to fight on the front line. Obviously, Chiang Kai-shek saw their air force as an important force in the future elimination of the CCP, and intended to hide it.
Liu Shanben was extremely disappointed in the Kuomintang led by Chiang Kai-shek, because at this time the country had reached a critical point of life and death, but the upper echelons were still quarreling over power, completely ignoring the safety of the country and the life and death of the people.
Even though the troops were withdrawn to the rear, many pilots had nothing to do all day and lived passively, and although Liu Shanben felt uncomfortable, he still insisted on training every day, exercising his body, studying aviation theory and flying technology, and always being ready to go to the battlefield.
Under his influence, the comrades-in-arms cheered up, united, and often trained together and encouraged each other. During his stay in the rear, Liu Shanben successfully completed his studies at the Air Force Academy, and served as warrant officer, second lieutenant, and lieutenant pilot in the Chengdu Air Force Bombing Corps, the Sixth Brigade, and the Eighth Brigade.
Liu Shanben's anti-Japanese journey: from the idea of taking refuge in the Eighth Route Army, to sticking to the rear and waiting for the opportunity, to the danger during the test flight, and finally going to the United States to study and win glory for the country.
His story is full of tenacity and courage, and he is a true anti-Japanese hero.
When Liu Shanben was in the United States, he was deeply excited to hear the good news of the victory in the anti-fascist war and at the same time receive an order to return to China. However, when he arrived in Karachi, India, he was ordered to "stand by and stand" there.
Liu Shanben was very angry about this, because the Kuomintang had played this trick in the past.
Liu Shanben lost confidence in the Kuomintang, because the Kuomintang always put the struggle for power and profit in the first place. At the end of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the domestic soldiers fought bravely to kill the enemy and fight for the country, but Liu Shanben stayed lonely in Karachi, India, and his heart was extremely depressed.
It was only after Japan's surrender that he received orders to fly home. After returning, Liu Shanben was surprised by the Kuomintang's move. He had long known that Chiang Kai-shek regarded the CCP as a bandit and had been clamoring to "settle the outside world before the interior", but he did not expect that now that the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression had just passed, the country and the people had just extricated themselves from the dire straits, and the Kuomintang planned to break with the CCP regardless of the life and death of the people!
After Liu Shanben returned to China, he received his first order: to transport arms. He knew full well that behind the actions of the Kuomintang was a conspiracy of civil war. This order plunged him into deep contradictions and struggles.
As a soldier, he should be loyal to the army and strictly disciplined, which is the duty of a soldier. However, as a Chinese, he cannot betray his motherland and people, let alone stand on their opposite side.
It's a tough test of the heart. Liu Shanben was faced with a difficult choice, and he had to find a solution that would not only complete the task, but also stick to his principles.
The flood in Hunan, the loss of three million **, the Kuomintang and the United States contacted for support, the chairman denounced Chiang Kai-shek's actions, Liu Shanben struggled in his heart, and remembered "Red Star Shining on China" and "On New Democracy".
He understands that China is facing a contest between light and darkness and must make a choice.
Liu Shanben Uprising: Fly to Yan'an and Fight for Peace!
Liu Shanben and his entourage arrived in Yan'an and were warmly welcomed by Mr. Zhu. ** Personally greeted and presided over the welcome meeting. After the meeting, Mr. Zhu invited them to visit the Yan'an cave.
Although the Communist Party has always emphasized a clean and honest style, even in Yan'an, the headquarters of the Communist Party of China, the environment is very difficult, and it is impossible to provide Liu Shanben and others with lucrative material treatment.
The "biggest gift" Liu Shanben received was just a cigarette and five packs of biscuits. However, he did not mind, but believed that it was the consistent incorruptibility of the Communist Party that made him even more convinced that his decision was correct, and that this was the party he identified with.
Liu Shanben received the commission of *** and went to Northeast China on September 22, 1946 to prepare for the establishment of the first aviation school. After taking a group photo with the chairman, he immediately rushed to the Heilongjiang area to serve as the vice president of the aviation school.
Despite the harassment of enemy planes and the lack of various equipment and teaching materials, Liu Shanben still served as an instructor himself, teaching both aviation theory and practical operation, and personally designing teaching equipment and compiling teaching materials and books.
The wind gauge disc designed and produced by him was widely used in aviation schools and troops for many years before being eliminated, which shows its great effect. Thanks to Liu Shanben's efforts, the Northeast Aviation School was successfully established and trained air force talents for our party.
Liu Shanben (middle in the back row) piloted the captured C-46 transport plane and returned to the aviation school regardless of the danger to his life to add equipment to the aviation school. He devoted himself to the country, was highly recognized by his superiors, and joined the Communist Party of China.
At the founding ceremony, as the leader of the team, he flew a plane over Tiananmen Square to be inspected by the party and the people. Since then, he has held important positions in the Air Force Academy, and concurrently held important positions in the Air Force Military Department, serving as Air Force Brigade Commander, Deputy Division Commander and Division Commander.
Liu Shanben's selfless dedication and heroic and fearless spirit deserve our deep admiration.
Before Liu Shanben defected to our party, our party was still blank in the construction of the air force, and he made great contributions to the founding of the Chinese People's Air Force. When the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea broke out, Liu Shanben served as the commander of the 10th Division of the Air Force, and led the People's Liberation Air Force to strike a severe blow at the US army.
At the 1955 Rank Conferment Conference, he was awarded the rank of Colonel and was awarded the Order of Liberation of the First Class. This is a high degree of recognition given to him by the party and the people. On March 10, 1968, Liu Shanben died of illness at the age of 53, and his ashes were placed in the Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery.
Epilogue: "This is a loud signal that declares 'The people are immortal, justice is immortal, and in the trumpet of dawn all demons will be dispersed!'" This is a hymn written for Liu Shanben after hearing about his deeds in Yan'an.
Liu Shanben's righteous deeds inspired the military and people in the liberated areas, and also prompted many Kuomintang officers and men with patriotic aspirations to rush to the light and throw themselves into the liberated areas.
Liu Shanben was a pioneer in the defection of the Air Force to the Communists, and his heroic actions inspired more than 100 members of the Kuomintang Air Force to revolt and provided them with the courage to resist. On September 24, 1949, when entertaining the Kuomintang rebels, including Liu Shanben, he said with emotion: "Because of the uprising of some lovers in the Kuomintang army, it not only accelerated the collapse of the remnants of the Kuomintang's military forces, but also enabled us to have a rapidly increasing air force and navy. ”
In the course of the development of the Chinese Air Force, Liu Shanben's name will always be remembered.