This year marks the 120th anniversary of Liu Shaoqi's birth.Recently, Liu Shaoqi's son, Admiral Liu Yuan, Dreams of Wanliwei Huang Baohua: Memories of Father Liu Shaoqi and National Defense, Military, and Army was published by People's Publishing House.This book focuses on Liu Shaoqi's achievements in national defense, military affairs and army building. From the unique perspective of his children and military leaders, this book uses concise, passionate and personalized language to describe some major events in the history of the party, as well as Liu Shaoqi's cooperation with Mao Zedong,The relationship between Peng Dehuai, He Baozhen, Ho Chi Minh and other old comrades in arms was sorted out.Among them, there is no shortage of exclusive historical materials and supplementary explanations, and the problems are evaluated and analyzed from an independent perspective.
Liu Yuan was born in 1951 and is now 67 years old. After retiring from the military in 2015, he has been serving as the deputy chairman of the Financial and Economic Committee of the National People's Congress.Why did he write such a book?As a general, how would he evaluate Liu Shaoqi's military contribution?How does he view Liu Shaoqi's relationship with Mao Zedong, Peng Dehuai and other old comrades-in-arms?Focusing on these issues, Liu Yuan accepted an exclusive interview with a reporter from the Beijing News.
Dreaming back to Wanliwei Huang Baohua: Memories of his father Liu Shaoqi and national defense, military and army Author: Liu Yuan Edition: People's Publishing House August 2018
Writing about fathers, how to balance historical reality and personal emotions
Beijing News: This year marks the 120th anniversary of Liu Shaoqi's birth. Is this an opportunity to write this book?
Liu Yuan: I wrote a sentence in the preface. As the leader of the country and the first general, the people raise soldiers, the responsibilities of soldiers and the responsibilities of sons all determine that I must write this book.Not much has been said about Liu Shaoqi's military contributions in the past.What he said, what he did, and what contributions he made, many people don't know.Everyone may generally know that he is the representative of the correct line in the work of the white areas, but he only knows the outside, not the inside.For example, how did the white area route come about?Who was the predecessor of the People's Army?What does it have to do with the Anyuan Labor Movement?etc.As a descendant, I have the responsibility and obligation to explain these historical situations clearly.
The Beijing News: When a son writes about his father, how does he strike a balance between historical truth and personal emotion?
Liu Yuan: In the past, Liu Shaoqi’s military biography was published. Party history expert Huang Zheng wrote about Liu Shaoqi’s military contributions 20 years ago. Wang Shuangmei wrote about Liu Shaoqi’s Long March. These books review how Liu Shaoqi opened up the North China battlefield during the Anti-Japanese War, etc.story.However, many experts, including those who specialize in military history, do not know about Liu Shaoqi's military contributions.I study history, and writing history must go back to the background of the environment at that time, and try to help people today understand history, using today's language to understand.In my narration, I wrote out some content in an outline, supported by various historical materials, added a lot of annotations to the book, and also had my own opinions.In my personal opinion, readers may or may not accept it, but they can see if it makes sense.
As a child writing articles reviewing my parents' generation, I still have a little advantage over other authors.For example, when I write about Peng Dehuai, describing his bad temper and emptying the toilet on the top of a mountain, it is generally not easy for authors to write like this in the main text.I wrote that Deng Xiaoping, an old man from Bashu, tasted all the delicacies in the world. It was about Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping reunited after a long absence when they passed through the base areas of Shanxi, Hebei, Shandong and Henan during the war years.I wrote in the book: When Deng Xiaoping recalled Liu Shaoqi in his later years, he would still mention this meeting and stew dried mutton, ls"I haven't eaten meat for a long time", it was delicious.Sichuanese are the best at eating, and it can make an old Bashu man who has tasted delicious food all over the world recall it for a lifetime. How delicious is that?Smell the fragrance and think of others, sincerely!Ordinary authors would not write about Deng Xiaoping in this way.My identity is to look at the older generation from the perspective of the younger generation, and I can tease and joke with them.
The Beijing News: How do you evaluate Liu Shaoqi's military achievements?
Liu Yuan: Liu Shaoqi's life is inextricably linked to national defense, the military and the army.Because in the age when he grew up and lived, it was unavoidable and crucial; for the cause he was fighting for, it was indispensable and life-threatening.Many people are familiar with the story of Liu Shaoqi's labor movement in Anyuan, and the workers' representatives are courageous.Who did the workers of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army and the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army embody at that time?The main force is Anyuan workers.This is directly related to Liu Shaoqi's years of work foundation and educational achievements.The earliest practice of the Communist Party of China in arming workers and peasants is recognized to have begun in Anyuan, which has made an extremely valuable and continuous positive exploration for the establishment and development of the People's Army.In the following decades, Liu Shaoqi's relationship with national defense, the military, and the army became increasingly close, and he made extremely outstanding contributions to the establishment and growth of the people's army.
For example, before the Long March of the Red Army, the Tingzhou Defense Battle and the Songmaoling Battle organized and commanded by the Fujian Provincial Party Committee were heroic, but there are few historical records.Liu Shaoqi served as the secretary of the Provincial Party Committee at the time, and when the battle came, he was appointed as the representative of the Central Committee of the Ninth Red Army, directly leading and participating in the command of the battle.Regarding the correct line in the White Areas, who can say that the correct line in the White Areas has nothing to do with national defense, the military, or the army?The guerrilla warfare carried out in the White Area and the plain guerrilla warfare are almost known to everyone, but what is less known is that Liu Shaoqi first advocated and led the guerrilla warfare in the Hebei Plain.In 1946, Liu Shaoqi was in charge of commanding the Central Plains to break through.When Li Xiannian saw me in his later years, he said, "Your father commanded us to fight another terrible battle! It's thrilling!
As a revolutionary of the older generation, Liu Shaoqi's achievements and deeds are not personal. Sometimes he is alone, and sometimes he assists Chairman Mao.From March 1943 to 1954, Liu Shaoqi served as the vice chairman of the Central Military Commission for 11 and a half years, and presided over the work of the Central Military Commission.During his tenure, it was the period when the People’s Army grew stronger, the process of victory in the Revolutionary War and national defense construction advanced by leaps and bounds, and achieved the most remarkable results. It was also the most important period when China’s modern military and military emerged in the world and were recognized by the world.
Compatible with each other: clarifying the relationship between Liu Shaoqi, Mao and Peng
The Beijing News: In your book, you talked about the relationship between Mao Zedong and Liu Shaoqi, and commented that it was deep and close, and compatible with each other.
Liu Yuan: I think that after reading this book, readers will think the same way.In addition to the common basic principles of maintaining the overall situation and strictly abiding by political rules, the relationship between Mao and Liu is deep and close, and they are in harmony with each other. I am afraid that no one in the party can match it.Both of them are thinkers, theorists, and doers, and their personalities are very similar. Chairman Mao is sometimes more temperamental, and sometimes he gets angry and slaps the table. My father rarely has it, and he is more rational.
Looking back at the road the two of them have traveled together, I will tell you a few historical facts.As soon as the Second National Congress of the Communist Party of China was over, Liu Shaoqi was appointed to return to Hunan as a member of the Executive Committee of the Hunan Region of the Communist Party of China to convey the spirit of the Second National Congress.At that time, Mao Zedong served as the Secretary of the Hunan District Executive Committee.That is to say, one year after the founding of the party, Mao and Liu worked together. According to the current terms, they are working in the same team. The 28-year-old Mao is the monitor, and the 23-year-old Liu is a member.He Baozhen was also introduced to Liu Shaoqi by Chairman Mao. He Baozhen and Yang Kaihui were best friends. At that time, they were members of the Socialist Youth League developed by Yang Kaihui and approved by Mao Zedong. After the Second National Congress, they met Liu Shaoqi. Chairman Mao sent He Baozhen to Anyuan.In 1923, my father Liu Shaoqi married He Baozhen in Anyuan. In 1925 my eldest brother Liu Baohua was born, later named Liu Yunbin.
At the Zunyi Conference, Liu Shaoqi fully supported Chairman Mao on the military line, sharply criticized Bo Gu, Li De, and Wang Ming, and for the first time pointed out at the Central Committee meeting that the Central Committee's political line was wrong since the August 7th Conference.The work route of the white area was constantly denied at the beginning. In the white area work meeting in June 1937, there was a quarrel for more than ten days. Some people accused Liu Shaoqi of being an old rightist and having a wrong line.Chairman Mao made a long speech with a clear attitude, affirming Liu Shaoqi's adherence to the work line, saying that he was basically correct in the mass struggle and inner-party relations in his practical work all his life, and he understood the dialectics of practical work.He systematically pointed out the diseases that the party had suffered on this issue in the past, and he was a doctor who hit the nail on the head.
Beijing News: You also clarified the relationship between Liu Shaoqi and Peng Dehuai in the book. How do you evaluate the relationship between the two?
Liu YuanIn recent years, it has been rumored on the Internet that Liu Shaoqi has been punishing Peng Dehuai, and Qi Benyu specifically said so in the book.Pang Prophet, the old director of the Central Literature Research Office, was in Zhongnanhai before the Cultural Revolution. I call him Uncle Da Pang.In recent years, he has repeatedly asked me to refute Qi Benyu.I promised him that I would seriously write historical facts so as to set the record straight.So I wrote a paragraph in the book to clarify their relationship.
They do not avoid conflicts, and often quarrel.If you want to say who Peng Dehuai is best with and has the most legitimate relationship with, I dare say it must be with my father.Peng Dehuai has a strong personality, and so does my father.Both of them were from the martial arts hall, and the two boys from Hunan were the same age as soldiers. The way they communicated at that time was to quarrel, but they didn't hold any grudges after the quarrel.Sometimes Peng Dehuai would drop the cup, and my father would say, you have no words, no reason.Then laugh out loud.The two of them barred each other, carried each other, and spoke directly when they had something to say.
Beijing News: In 1964, when you were 13 years old, you served as a soldier for the first time. Were you influenced by Liu Shaoqi in your later military career?
Liu Yuan: I have lived in the environment of Zhongnanhai since I was a child, and there is no one around who is not a soldier, including my mother, who also worked in the translation team of the General Office of the Military Commission.Surrounded by soldiers, I have lived in a military camp since I was a child.
This kind of specialization when I was a child is essentially different from the various cares and conditions that some leading cadres give their children today and create conditions for doing business.My father asked me to join the army since I was a child. The main purpose is to make us used to suffering from an early age.At that time, when we went to Beidaihe every year, he asked us to go to the countryside to work for two or three hours a day, pulling weeds in the rice fields and removing seedlings in the corn fields.When I went to the army to exercise, I had to report to him when I came back. He asked in detail, what time did I get up?Run first or eat breakfast first?When do you wash your face?How many hours do you study and how many hours do you train every day?What is the content of the training?He didn't ask how I behaved in the army, but used me to understand the life of the army and conduct research.
There is a photo in the book, when I reported to him back then, I gestured a number six with my right hand. At that time, he asked me what time I got up every day, and I gestured for six o’clock. This scene happened to be photographed by my mother.
Written by Beijing News reporters Wang Shu and He Qiang
