In 1964, zhang Aiping suddenly took a leave of absence when attending the prime minister's meeting of the Purple Light Pavilion, saying: "I am very sorry, I am in a hurry to attend an event of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. ”
Zhou Enlai, who presided over the meeting, nodded to Zhang Aiping and agreed to his leave, Zhang Aiping saw that Zhou Enlai was not angry, and his heart was immediately relieved, but what he did not expect was that just when he was about to leave, Zhou Enlai stopped him and pointed to his pocket and said: "There is no small matter of secrecy." ”
After Zhang Aiping heard this, she busied herself with her pockets, and after making sure that there was nothing, she was released from the conference room by Premier Zhou. So, why did Zhou Enlai search Zhang Aiping's pocket? What does he mean by secrecy?
Zhang Aiping
Zhang Aiping is the founding general of our country, with outstanding military achievements and outstanding merits, in the impression of many people, they all think that he is a general who can only fight, but in fact, this is not the case, Zhang Aiping said that he prefers to preside over national defense science and technology work and lead scientists to develop atomic bombs than to lead troops to fight.
In 1960, the Soviet Union withdrew the atomic bomb experts who remained in China, and after that, China's atomic bomb research and development fell into a dilemma, and in the face of this situation, Zhang Aiping deeply felt that it was better to rely on her own reasoning than to ask for people.
After the Soviet experts left, the launch test of the imitation P-2 missile entered a stagnant stage, and Zhang Aiping, then deputy director of the National Defense Science and Technology Commission, set up a 12-person test committee group in order to change this dilemma, and he told the members of the group: "The Soviet experts are gone, but our experiments must continue, and after studying the results of so many years, we cannot easily give up." ”
Zhang Aiping's words greatly encouraged the group members, and after that, the group members worked hard to prepare for the launch test, working until midnight every day to rest.
With the joint efforts of Zhang Aiping and his colleagues, on November 5, China's first ground-to-ground missile was successfully launched.
At the moment when she saw the successful launch, Zhang Aiping said excitedly: "This time, China launched a missile to the ground with its own strength, and next time, China will also rely on its own strength to develop an atomic bomb." ”
In 1961, the central government issued a document entitled "Several Issues Concerning the Strengthening of Atomic Energy Construction", in which it emphasized the need to rely on oneself and break through the barriers of nuclear technology.
At this time, China's economy was in a three-year difficult period, and the successive natural disasters in the farmland led to a nationwide food crisis, coupled with the fact that the key places for nuclear engineering were in the remote northwest region, so it led to a shortage of materials, and Zhang Aiping worried that the research project of the atomic bomb would be temporarily suspended.
Not long after, a meeting of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee was held, and the cadres of the CENTRAL Committee talked about "continuing to study" and "suspending research." Zhang Aiping resolutely said at the meeting: "Nuclear weapons research projects cannot be stopped for a moment. ”
Nie Rongzhen nodded in agreement after listening, he explained the current progress to the cadres present, and said that if you continue to engage in it, the probability of success is very large, Nie Rongzhen just finished speaking, some people began to refute, they believe that after the Soviet experts left, China will need a long time to break through the technical difficulties, so it is better to develop the economy first and stabilize the economy.
The meeting lasted for nearly an hour, the two sides insisted on their own opinions, and never discussed the results, and finally, Mao Zedong made a conclusion: "Everyone is right, we are not sure whether to get off the horse and get on the horse, let Comrade Zhang Aiping, deputy director of the National Defense Science and Technology Commission, investigate, and if the results are optimistic, we will tighten our pants belt to develop the atomic bomb." ”
After listening, Zhang Aiping assured everyone present: "I will immediately launch an investigation." ”
On October 9, 1961, Zhang Aiping, accompanied by Liu Jie, deputy director of the Second Machine Department, officially began to investigate the situation of the atomic bomb in China, in order to find out how China's research on the atomic bomb is progressing, they ran all over all the subordinates of the Second Machine Department to investigate, Zhang Aiping is a person who does not know how to do things, in order to be able to understand these things thoroughly, every time he goes to a department, he will humbly ask the staff of the department to introduce the situation.
In addition to listening to others' explanations, Zhang Aiping will also ask them questions, such as: What are the conditions for this project to be engaged? What other issues need to be solved? After the problem is resolved, how long does it take to complete the task?
The staff of the department answered Zhang Aiping's doubts one by one, and the answers to these questions also enabled Zhang Aiping to fully understand the progress of the research, and after the investigation, Zhang Aiping summarized a report on the problems and submitted it to the Central Military Commission, asking them to make a decision.
Zhang Aiping wrote in the report: "According to the results of the investigation, our country's atomic energy construction industry is generally in good condition, and all departments have made some progress, as long as the organization is good, continue to study, in 1964 to make nuclear weapons and carry out nuclear explosion tests is very likely to achieve." ”
Money three strong
Shortly after Zhang Aiping handed in her report, the central authorities made up their minds to develop the atomic bomb, and in order to study this 'cannon battle' as soon as possible, in 1962, Zhang Aiping specially met with Qian Sanqiang and the leaders of the Ninth Bureau of the Second Machine Department.
During the meeting, Zhang Aiping said bluntly: "Our Second Machine Department has formulated a two-year plan, according to our plan, in 1964 or 1965, we will develop an atomic bomb. ”
Qian Sanqiang made a remark: "Director Zhang should know that the atomic bomb test is extremely complicated, and the construction of a nuclear test range requires strong technical support, and since the state intends to study and make it as soon as possible, then this project cannot be delayed..."
After some discussion, Zhang Aiping also had a general understanding of the situation, he assured Qian Sanqiang that the government would do its best to help them complete this preparatory work, and at the end of the conversation, Qian Sanqiang recommended a person to Zhang Aiping.
Qian Sanqiang said: "I know that the country lacks the talent to organize nuclear range construction experiments, so I recommend to you a person, this person is Cheng Kaijia, a physicist from Jiangsu, who got a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom and returned to the motherland to do construction." ”
After Zhang Aiping listened, she excitedly shook Qian Sanqiang's hands: "Thank you so much." ”
Soon after, Cheng Kaijia received the transfer order, and when he met Zhang Aiping, before he could speak, Zhang Aiping enthusiastically stepped forward to shake hands with him: "You are Cheng Kaijia, Director Qian Sanqiang strongly recommended you to me, you are a great patriotic scientist, and after that, the work of the test range will be entrusted to you." ”
In addition to Cheng Kaijia, under the call of the state to "manufacture atomic bombs and overcome technical difficulties", a large number of patriotic scientists have joined the research work in anonymity, such as Deng Jiaxian and Guo Yonghuai, who have made rapid progress in the research progress of China's atomic bomb, and this is one of the reasons why the atomic bomb can be successfully developed.
In 1964, China's atomic bomb research came to an end, and by the middle of this year, China was even ready for the test explosion, waiting for the atomic bomb test explosion.
At this critical moment, no one wants to make a mistake, and the central authorities have issued a deadly order stipulating that everything must be kept secret and that no information about nuclear tests should be carried.
Premier Zhou (Figure 1)
On September 23, Zhang Aiping came to the three-gate conference room in Beijing to listen to the decision on the timing of the nuclear test, and at this meeting, he said: "According to the meteorological forecast, there are four good weather in October, so the time of our test may be set for 20 days..."
After saying this, Zhou Enlai once again emphasized the discipline of secrecy, and he said solemnly: "In this special period, you should not write any letters, let alone use private telephones to make phone calls, and then, do not contact your family, take me as an example, my wife Comrade Deng Yingchao, although she is a veteran party member and a member of the Central Committee, I have never revealed any information to her." ”
After the meeting, Zhang Aiping urgently convened a meeting based on Zhou Enlai's speech, and after repeated discussions, they formulated a set of confidentiality rules and decided to exchange atomic bomb work in secret language only in the coming January.
They referred to the atomic bomb as "Miss Qiu," the tower as the "dresser," and the detonator tube before detonation as the "comb braid."
In early October of that year, the date of the test explosion was getting closer and closer, and all the units at the nuclear test site were in a "state of war", so in order to ensure that nothing went wrong, Zhou Enlai held another meeting at the Ziguang Pavilion in Beijing.
As the principal person in charge of the nuclear test and explosion work, Zhang Aiping did not dare to slacken off at all; he came to the conference hall early, just to listen to Premier Zhou's report, and after Zhou Enlai met with the people, he stressed in a serious tone: "Comrades, I have held more than one meeting to emphasize the importance of nuclear test explosions. ”
After saying this, Zhou Enlai asked the cadres present to report on the recent situation one by one, and when it was Zhang Aiping's turn to report, Zhang Aiping said: "In recent days, I have been at the weather station, every day to understand the weather conditions in October, once there is a change, it must be recorded, and I also analyzed the problem of wind direction, because after the successful atomic bomb test, many nuclear radiation pollutants will be emitted, and it just so happens that our launch site is close to Nepal and Pakistan, so we must choose a wind direction to the east or windless weather." ”
After Zhou Enlai listened, he nodded appreciatively, and he told Zhang Aiping: "You are mainly in charge of this work, and you should pay more attention to this aspect and discuss with meteorological experts more." ”
Zhang Aiping assured: "The premier is assured that the atomic bomb test explosion is of great importance, and I will certainly not make any mistakes." ”
After listening to everyone's reports, Zhou Enlai made a summary and continued to emphasize the issue of confidentiality discipline, and halfway through the meeting, Zhang Aiping looked at the watch in his hand, and he was shocked in his heart, and suddenly remembered that there was a foreign affairs activity.
Premier Zhou (Figure 2)
Because the key content of the meeting had been completed, Zhang Aiping made a report and got up to tell Zhou Enlai about the leave: "I am very sorry, I am in a hurry to participate in an event of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the meeting can only participate here." ”
Zhou Enlai nodded at Zhang Aiping and signaled him to go out, and after Zhang Aiping received instructions, she immediately picked up the clothes on the chair and dressed and walked in the direction of the door.
Before he could take a few steps, Zhou Enlai hurriedly stopped him in front of him, pointed to the pocket in his coat, and said: "There is no small matter of secrecy, you see if you have a note related to the atomic bomb information on your body." ”
Zhang Aiping suddenly patted her head, and then searched the pockets of her jacket and pants, the pockets were empty, and there was nothing, Zhou Enlai saw this, smiled and said: "Okay, Comrade Zhang Aiping, you can leave." ”
After leaving the conference room, Zhang Aiping said with emotion: "Thanks to the prime minister's reminder to me, otherwise I would have forgotten this work, approaching the special period of atomic bomb test explosion, if I, the main person in charge, did not abide by discipline, what would it be like?" ”
After participating in this meeting, Zhang Aiping did not dare to slacken off at any time, in order to ensure the success of the atomic bomb test, he gathered all the well-known experts of the Meteorological Bureau together to discuss the date of the atomic bomb test explosion, after multi-dimensional analysis, experts agreed that the 15th and 16th were good weather for the test explosion.
Just when Zhang Aiping had a headache and should choose which day to test the explosion, a forecaster at the weather station monitored that there was a strong wind on the evening of the 14th, so Zhang Aiping set the test explosion date as October 16.
At two o'clock in the middle of the night on the 15th, Zhang Aiping was still a little uneasy, so she patrolled around again, and when she saw that the staff dormitory was brightly lit, Zhang Aiping walked in, and he asked: "Why don't you sleep?" ”
Hao Zuofei, head of the cultural and labor troupe, said: "Chief, just like you, I am excited and can't sleep." ”
Zhang Aiping said: "What is this like, go to sleep quickly, how to witness the test explosion of the atomic bomb without nourishing the spirit?" ”
Hao Zuofei: "Yes! Everything listens to the chief. ”
Zhang Aiping watched the lights go out in the dormitory and returned to his office with peace of mind, but he did not sleep all night after returning.
At 14:30 on the 16th, Zhang Aiping walked into the Baiyungang Observation Post, 60 kilometers away from the center of the explosion, and Premier Zhou and Zhang Aiping stood next to the telephone at the same time, waiting for the results of the test explosion.
China's first atomic bomb exploded
At 15:00, with a terrifying noise, a huge mushroom cloud rose in the air, Zhang Aiping looked at this scene excitedly, and immediately dialed Premier Zhou's phone, he told Premier Zhou: "Miss Qiu is at the dresser, and she has combed her braids. ”
At this moment, people on both ends of the phone were excited, and their hearts were full of emotions, since this moment, China successfully developed the atomic bomb, and also proved to the world that China can still create miracles and research atomic bombs without relying on the help of anyone!