First Published: In Beijing Red Flag
(红旗), in
Chinese, No. 17, 1 September 1985, pages 3-4.
Source of the translation: Joint Publications Research
Service, Arlington (VA), USA, China Report: Red Flag No. 17, 1 September 1985.
(JPRS-CRF-85-022), 19 November 1985, pages 3-5.
Transcription/HTML/Markup for marxists.org: January
2024.
During the long years of the new democratic revolution in our coun-try, thousands of CPC members and revolutionaries outside the party, one stepping into the breach as the other fell, fought bravely and laid down their valuable lives for the Chinese people's liberation cause, for the founding of the new socialist China, and for the realization of the communist ideal. Among the revolutionary martyrs were Comrades Zhang Wenjin, Wu Zuyi, and Mao Chuxiong.
In June 1946, in accordance with the strategic plan drawn up by the party central leadership and Chairman Mao, the Mid-China People's Liberation Army fought in a heroic and indomitable revolutionary spirit and broke through the encirclement by hundreds of thousands of KMT troops, then continued to defeat the KMT troops that encircled, pursued, obstructed, and intercepted the advancing KMT troops that were fighting toward the southern Shaanxi area by overcoming mountains of difficulties. The KMT army's viperous attempt to surround and annihilate the Mid-China People's Liberation Army was thus foiled, and the PLA troops successfully completed the strategic shift. While continuing to send massive forces to frenziedly pursue and attack our troops, the KMT authorities also continued their false peace efforts. They used planes to drop leaflets on our position, calling for our troops to send a delegation to talk with them. In order to further expose the KMT authorities' plot to prepare for triggering a civil war by means of false negotiations, our army decided to send Comrades Zhang Wenjin, Wu Zuyi, and Mao Chuxiong as our delegates to go to Xian to negotiate with KMT General Hu Zongnan. However, Hu Zongnan perfidiously arrested these three comrades when they went to Dongjiangkou town, Ningshan County. Our party central leadership paid special attention to this incident. Comrade Zhou Enlai in Nanjing and Comrade Ye Jianying in Beiping both immediately lodged strong protests with the KMT authorities, and Yanan's JIEFANG RIBAO also exposed Hu Zongnan's sinister scheme. On the one hand, Hu Zongnan flatly denied the facts of the case; on the other hand, he issued a secret order to carry out secret executions on the spot." Several departments recently completed their joint investigations and collected all detailed information about how the three comrades were killed. They remained unyielding and awe-inspiring y upholding justice against the vicious enemy and remained faithful to the party until they were killed. They demonstrated the fearless spirit and revolutionary heroism of communists.
Comrade Zhang Wenjin was born in Hubei Province. He cherished a strong sense o justice and national self-respect. He was brave in combat and competent in commanding the army. He was one of the leading commanders in the 5th division and commander of the cadre brigade when our troops fought the battles to break through the enemy's encirclements. Comrade Wu Zuyi was previously a student from Beiping. Before joining the army, he participated in the famous December 9th Movement and was director of the Civil Movement Department of the CPC Committee in the Hubei-Henan border area. In the battles to break out of the enemy s encirclements, he was director of the political department of the cadre brigade. Both Zhang and Wu.made important contributions to the founding and development of the 5th Division and the revolunary base in the Hubei-Henan border area. Comrade Mao Chuxiong joined the Mid-China PLA troops as a member of the south-advancing contingent of the 359th Brigade. He was under 20 years old when he was killed. Under extremely angerous circumstances, the three comrades bravely undertook the task assigned by the party and went to the enemy's lair. They, unfortunately, died a hero s death. The three comrades and all other martyrs who died in the battles to break out of the enemy's encirclements should always be remembered by us.
During the new democratic revolution, Comrade Mao Zedong said: "We communists never conceal our political views. Definitely and beyond all doubt, our future or maximum program is to carry China forward to socialism and com-munism. Both the name of our party and our Marxist world outlook unequivocally point to the supreme ideal of the future, a future of incomparable brightness and splendor." Through more than half a century's arduous struggle, the Chinese people have eliminated the exploiting system, established a socialist system, and made great achievements in socialist construction. The realization of the great ideal of communism still requires the continuing efforts made by many generations. When commemorating the revolutionary martyrs, we should carry out their behest and take the martyrs as models to dedicate our energy throughout our lives to the cause of communism.
Now, our country has entered a new historical period. Since the 3d Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee, we have done a great deal of work to develop socialist democracy, perfect the socialist legal system, carry out the policy of opening up to the outside world and enlivening the domestic economy, carry out economic structural reforms, and build socialist material and spiritual civilization. Over the past 6 years, we have made great achievements in all fields. The political and economic situation in our coun-try is getting better every year; our cause is becoming more prosperous every year; and our people's livelihood is improving every year. Changes in the countryside are particularly obvious. We are full of confidence in building socialism with Chinese characteristics. Ours is still a developing country. We still have to explore the way ahead and to solve many complicated problems in order to fulfill the grand task of socialist modernization put forth by the 12th CPC National Congress and to catch up with the advanced countries in the world. The fulfillment of this great task still requires the painstaking efforts and hard work of two or three generations to come. The present historical period is a key period for the transition to communist society. We should ensure that our cause will be carried forward continuously, and that the continuity of the cause of revolution will be maintained so that it may continuously advance along the correct course. On 7 March this year, at the national scientific and technological work conference, Comrade Deng Xiaoping pointed out: "The purpose of socialism is to make the people throughout the country become rich together rather than to cause polarization. If our policies lead to polarization, we would be unsuccessful. If we give rise to a new bourgeois class, we would have taken an evil road. He also said: "It is particularly to educate the younger generations and require them to establish the lofty ideal of communism. We must never let our youngsters fall captive to decadent bourgeois ideology."
On 29 June this year, at the national conference for exchanging experience in improving party style, Comrade Chen Yun pointed out: "It is necessary to make all comrades in the party understand that what we are engaged in is the cause of socialism and that our ultimate objective is to realize communism. This point is extremely important." Comrade Xiaoping and Comrade Chen Yun have reminded us that we must keep in mind the important issue concerning the future and destiny of the state. We must seriously carry out the spirit of their instructions in our daily work. All comrades in the party must firmly maintain the purity of communism. All people in the country should have lofty ideals, moral integrity, education, and a sense of discipline. Our party members and cadres engaged in all kinds of work must firmly bear in mind the party's general task and the orientation of advance under any circum-stances and at any time. They must pass revolutionary ideals from generation to generation and must not lose the achievements of the revolution gained at the price of the blood of the martyrs. We firmly believe that as long as we unswervingly advance along the course charted by the 3d Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee, adhere to the socialist road, the people's democratic dictatorship, the leadership of the Communist Party, and Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought, work earnestly and serve the people wholeheartedly as the revolutionary martyrs did, we will certainly be able to achieve the grand objective of socialist modernization and to realize the great ideal of communism.