"One Qian Xuesen is worth 5 Marine Divisions. I'd rather shoot this guy than let him go back to China!" ”The remarks made by US Deputy Secretary of the Navy Daniel Campbell revealed the firm attitude of the US side to prevent Qian Xuesen from returning to China. However, at the Geneva talks in 1955, the United States unusually agreed to let Qian Xuesen return to China. And what sacrifices have our country made?
On October 1, 1949, the People's Republic of China was officially established in Beijing. Qian Xuesen, who was in a foreign country, was extremely excited when he learned this exciting news. He immediately packed his luggage with his wife Jiang Ying and prepared to return to China. Qian Xuesen has made remarkable achievements in the American aviation industry. As an outstanding student of the famous scholar von Kármán, he served as a professor at the California Institute of Technology and at the same time held a key position at the Pentagon of the US Department of Defense, where he had a large amount of classified information and a deep understanding of the American aviation industry. As U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Navy Kimble noted: "Qian Xuesen's capabilities are equivalent to five Marine Corps." However, the international situation at that time was not optimistic. Sino-US relations are at a freezing point, and the United States is trying to isolate New China by various means. Against this backdrop, it is absolutely impossible for the United States to easily allow scientists such as Qian Xuesen, who hold core secrets, to return to China. An obscure battle for genius ensues.
In August 1950, Qian Xuesen took his family to Los Angeles Airport to prepare for boarding for Hong Kong. However, during the baggage security check, the US ** Intelligence Bureau suddenly stopped them and detained Qian Xuesen and his wife for interrogation on the grounds of "smuggling". The US side tried to induce Qian Xuesen to give up his plan to return to China by various means, but his firm will to return to China has never wavered. Fortunately, a month later, with the help of his mentor von Kármán, Qian Xuesen was finally released. But by this time, he was under house arrest and his life was under close surveillance.
Seeking Aid from the Motherland Qian Xuesen was placed under house arrest in the United States for five years from 1950. During these five years, he did not participate in any research and completely cut off ties with the academic community. In this way, the United States hopes to "break the chain" of Qian Xuesen's knowledge in the field of aviation. Despite the huge psychological pressure, Qian Xuesen never gave up his dream. In order to be able to return to their homeland, Qian Xuesen and his wife tried to contact the outside world in an attempt to send a distress signal to China. But all attempts were intercepted by the FBI. Finally, in 1955, Qian Xuesen's wife Jiang Ying got a group photo of the founding ceremony by chance, with Chen Shutong, an old friend of Qian Xuesen's father. Jiang Ying decided to send a distress message to her Belgian relatives in the hope that it would be conveyed to China through them. The letter eventually reached the prime minister, describing Qian Xuesen's house arrest in the United States and begging *** to try to rescue him.
**After reading the letter, you immediately feel the urgency and importance of the situation. He immediately convened the person in charge to discuss countermeasures, and decided to formally raise the issue of Qian Xuesen's return to China at the upcoming Sino-US ambassadorial-level meeting in Geneva, Switzerland. In August 1955, at a meeting of Chinese and American ambassadors in Geneva, the two sides discussed the Korean prisoner of war issue.
China demanded that the United States release American soldiers captured in the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, while the United States demanded that China allow Chinese citizens and students stranded in the United States to return to their homeland. There was a heated debate on this issue. China noted that the students wanted to return to their home countries, while the U.S. claimed that their stay in the U.S. was voluntary. In the first two rounds of negotiations, both sides failed to reach an agreement, which led to an impasse in the negotiations. In order to break the stalemate, China took more active measures and demonstrated its sincerity by releasing several US pilots captured during the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea. The U.S. places a high value on the value of these pilots and has an understanding of the cost of training new aviation talent. China** made it clear that it was willing to exchange more U.S. military pilots for Qian Xuesen. At the same time, China has also won the support of the international community by exposing the illegal house arrest of scientists by the United States. Under pressure from many sides in China, the United States finally reconsidered the pros and cons.
In the end, the United States agreed to exchange 11 US military pilots for Qian Xuesen and his wife. In this diplomatic struggle, although China has paid a huge price, it has not hesitated, because the value of a scientist who has made significant contributions to the country's scientific and technological cause is immeasurable. In October 1955, Qian Xuesen finally left the United States on a cruise ship and returned to New China, where he was received by a high standard from the state. Subsequently, Qian Xuesen immediately devoted himself to the construction of China's scientific and technological undertakings, and contributed all his experience and knowledge in the aerospace field to the motherland. It can be said that Qian Xuesen's return has advanced China's aerospace industry by 20 years and has had a far-reaching impact on the country's scientific and technological progress and the enhancement of national strength. He fulfilled the grand ambition of his youth.
In 1911, Qian Xuesen was born into a family of traditional knowledge elements, his father Qian Junfu was a famous educator, and his mother was also from a famous family. Under the influence of his parents, Qian Xuesen showed outstanding wisdom since he was a child. He is introverted, inquisitive, often immersed in books and learning, and has an interest in science and technology. Growing up in Beijing, he witnessed China's backwardness and weakness, which inspired him to have strong patriotic feelings. He was determined to contribute his strength to the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. In order to achieve this goal, Qian Xuesen studied diligently, and his grades were always among the best in the High School Affiliated to Beijing Normal University. The 20s of the 20th century coincided with the rapid development of Western science and technology. The rapid spread of modern technologies such as the telegraph, automobiles, and airplanes in the West has greatly enhanced the national strength of these countries. By contrast, China, which is technologically backward, is becoming weaker. After clearly realizing the importance of science and technology to the country's strength, Qian Xuesen made up his mind to study science and technology in depth and contribute to China's development.
In 1929, Qian Xuesen was admitted to the Department of Mechanical Engineering of National Jiaotong University. During his studies at Jiaotong University, Qian Xuesen gained an in-depth understanding of the field of mechanical manufacturing, but at the same time, he was also aware of the rapid progress of aviation technology in Western countries and the limitations of mechanical engineering. In the 30s of the 20th century, with the increasing importance of aviation technology in the military, countries around the world were actively developing aircraft and spacecraft. In 1934, Qian Xuesen decided to abandon mechanical engineering and instead study aeronautics, which was still relatively new at the time. Von Kármán's Outstanding Student Since China was still in its infancy in the aerospace field at that time, Qian Xuesen chose to go to the United States for further study and entered the world's forefront of aviation technology. In 1935, Qian Xuesen entered the Department of Aeronautical Engineering of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a publicly-funded student of Tsinghua University. During his studies at MIT, Qian Xuesen worked day and night to study professional knowledge and make full use of his limited time to study aviation theory.
In 1936, he moved to the California Institute of Technology, where he met his lifelong mentor and friend, Professor von Kármen. The famous scientist was not only a pioneer in aviation technology, but also an activist in the fight against fascism. In 1937, Professor Carmen made a special trip to China to help China build a modern air force, laying the foundation for Chinese research in this field. In 1936, under the guidance of Professor Carmen, Qian Xuesen continued his studies at the California Institute of Technology, laying a solid foundation in the fields of aerodynamics and rocketry. During his 20-year study career, Qian Xuesen focused on research in the field of aviation, and eventually became an internationally renowned aviation expert and made a name for himself in the academic community. His efforts have promoted the development of China's aerospace industry, not only organizing the first liquid rocket research team in China, but also cultivating a large number of aerospace technical talents. Under Qian Xuesen's leadership, China successfully developed the Dongfeng missile, which made a significant contribution to national defense construction.
**10,000 Fans Incentive Program In 1964, China successfully tested its first atomic bomb; In 1967, the hydrogen bomb was successfully developed, setting a record for the rapid completion of the development of the "two bombs". In 1970, China's first artificial satellite, Dongfanghong 1, was successfully launched. All these achievements are inseparable from Qian Xuesen's contribution as a technical backbone. Conclusion Mr. Qian Xuesen dedicated his life to the motherland and embodied his deep patriotic feelings for the country with practical actions. His life is a model of patriotic dedication for Chinese science and technology workers. Today, when we review the brilliant achievements of China's aerospace industry, every Chinese should remember Qian Xuesen's contribution and spirit.