In December 1974, Zhou Enlai, then Premier of the State Council, went to Changsha with illness to report to Chairman Mao about the arrangements of the Fourth National People's Congress. During the conversation, Chairman Mao told Zhou Enlai: "There are still a group of war criminals who have not been released yet. They have been detained for so many years. It is recommended to release them all."
According to Chairman Mao's instructions, after returning to Beijing, Zhou Enlai summoned Luo Qingshan, Hua Guofeng and others to discuss specific solutions.
Hua Guofeng, who was then the Minister of Public Security, soon sent someone to send Chairman Mao a report called "Report on the Seventh Batch of Amnesty"
After reading the content, Chairman Mao was a little unsatisfied with
The reason was that Hua Guofeng hoped to continue to detain 13 people according to the amnesty requirement.
Chairman Mao made a long instruction in this regard.
Chairman Mao said: " Jinzhou , Dahushan, Shenyang, Changchun, and there are war criminals. Why didn't they be released? When war criminals are released, they should hold a farewell party, invite them to a meal, eat more fish, each person gives 100 yuan pocket money, everyone has the right to citizenship, don't force the transformation, it's not good to force them to reform... They have put down their weapons for 25 years."
After Chairman Mao's instructions, Hua Guofeng ordered that all the classified processing materials prepared before be invalidated and treated equally.
Why did Chairman Mao insist on releasing all these unqualified war criminals? What is the deep meaning behind it?
first proposed to pardon war criminals
When the founding of New China, the country was not completely liberated. Later, as time progressed, the mainland was liberated step by step.
In 1950, Su Yu was appointed as the commander-in-chief of the attack on Taiwan, preparing to fight against Taiwan and liberate Taiwan.
But later, due to the outbreak of Korean War , the liberation of Taiwan was put on hold.
Throughout the War of Liberation, our army captured many Kuomintang war criminals. According to the truth, these war criminals committed serious war crimes against the people, and the people should punish them for their own sake.
However, Chairman Mao has a far-sighted vision. He put forward different opinions from the perspective of the long-term interests of the Party and the country.
Chairman Mao believes that killing these war criminals will not contribute to our country's production, nor will it improve the development level of our country. In addition, if they are killed, it will not be able to strengthen our national defense, which will not be of any help to our country's four-pest activities.
After thinking about it, if you don’t kill these people, it is likely to be of great help to the cause of unification of our country.
In fact, the reason is very simple, because these Kuomintang war criminals captured by our army are all favorite generals of Chiang Kai-shek and are middle-level and high-powered people of the Kuomintang. They have a certain influence in the Kuomintang.
Chairman Mao’s unique views were first approved by the Party Central Committee.
1956, based on the domestic and international situation, Zhou Enlai first raised the issue of amnesty, but Chairman Mao did not agree after seeing it.
Chairman Mao said: "The time is not ripe for release. We cannot explain to the people that it will take a few years to wait until the people's lives are better, and we will release them."
However, although these war criminals were not immediately pardoned, the amnesty of war criminals spread among democratic parties and celebrities.
Everyone agrees with our party’s policy very much.
Cheng Qian spoke on behalf of the Central Committee of the China Democratic League. He believed that our party’s leniency policy was very good. He was very excited after hearing this. In addition to Cheng Qian, other democrats also agreed to the amnesty policy. Some even believed that this was a “benevolent government” that won people with virtue
In May 1956, the Party Central Committee collected opinions from all parties and finally made a decision: will not kill any domestic war criminals and release them in batches.
According to Chairman Mao, the time is not yet ripe at this time, so when is the best time?
Time is 1959. This year is the tenth anniversary celebration of the Republic. At this time, the people's lives are much better than before. Therefore, this is the best time to release the Kuomintang war criminals.
In August 1959, Chairman Mao in Hangzhou wrote to Liu Shaoqi, who wrote: "I thought about whether to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the National Day this year, can a group of war criminals who have indeed changed their evil and good, as well as some criminal criminals who are serving their sentences... Whether this matter is feasible, please also convene relevant notices to discuss it."
According to Chairman Mao's instructions, Liu Shaoqi presided over a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee and passed the proposal for amnesty.
There is no problem with the Politburo, and Chairman Mao wrote a letter to the National People's Congress. In addition, Chairman Mao also invited people from various democratic parties, people's organizations, cultural and educational circles, etc.
Chairman Mao explained : "We pardon anything that has been transformed. According to the Constitution, it is called a special amnesty, not a general amnesty."
Everyone believes that after ten years of development in the New China, the people have stood up and their lives have improved. The people are energetic, so naturally they will no longer be afraid of these war criminals.
This is also the best time to pardon these war criminals.
On September 17, 1959, the Standing Committee of the Second National People's Congress passed the decision to amnesty and change evil and do good. On the same day, Liu Shaoqi, who served as President of the State, issued the amnesty order .
A day later, the front page headline of " People's Daily " published content about the amnesty of war criminals. For a time, public opinion across the country was particularly shocking, especially for war criminal management offices located across the country.
Chairman Mao’s suggestion, the amnesty order issued by Liu Shaoqi as the President of the People’s Republic of China made these war criminals see the hope of “full moon”. Coincidentally, this day is a traditional Chinese festival, Mid-Autumn Festival .
Gongdelin Prison is a prison for the detention of important Kuomintang war criminals. When the news that our party was preparing to pardon war criminals reached Gongdelin Prison.
These war criminals were particularly shocked. They jointly wrote a letter to Chairman Mao to express their excitement and gratitude.
letter read: "Dear Chairman Mao: On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the National Day of the Great Motherland, the Party and the government issued a special amnesty order to us, war criminals who were extremely guilty, to release them for the true reform of evil and good. This is the embodiment of the noble revolutionary humanitarian of the proletariat... Today, on the eve of our new life, we would like to solemnly assure you that in the future, we will actively support the leadership of the Party and the socialist path in our thoughts and actions, and always follow the Communist Party...."
On December 4, 1959, the Party and the government announced the first batch of amnesty war criminals.
These amnesty war criminals include Du Yuming , Wang Yaowu , Zeng Kuaiqing, Zheng Tingji, Song Xilian and other senior Kuomintang war criminals, as well as the last emperor Puyi and others.
Ten days after being pardoned, Premier Zhou Enlai held a banquet at the West Flower Hall in Zhongnanhai to invite them to visit.
Most of these Kuomintang war criminals had studied at Whampoa Military Academy , and Zhou Enlai was the director of the political department of Whampoa Military Academy. After many years, when seeing Zhou Enlai again, many people felt ashamed.
Zeng Kuaiqing said : "I'm sorry, Teacher Zhou, I didn't listen to the teacher."
Zhou Enlai patted him and said with a smile: "It's me, the teacher, that didn't guide you all."
In the midst of humor, many war criminals' expressions relaxed, and everyone began to talk enthusiastically.
Since our party conducted its first amnesty for war criminals in 1959, six amnesty were conducted in 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1966, and 1975.
1975 was the last batch of amnesty for war criminals. That is, when this batch of amnesty for war criminals, Hua Guofeng put forward different opinions.
As early as 1971, the Ministry of Public Security reported to Premier Zhou Enlai. The main contents are two aspects. First, from 1966 to 1971, war criminals died. Second, many of the war criminals in custody suffered from various diseases.
Zhou Enlai received the report without delay and immediately ordered that he first criticize the work of the Ministry of Public Security, and secondly, he required strengthening treatment of patients and war criminals, showing the party's policies, and giving them hope of pardon.
The Ministry of Public Security immediately held a meeting and realized the seriousness of the problem. At the same time, they wrote a new report to Zhou Enlai, proposing that they could release a group of war criminals during the Fourth National People's Congress. After
, the fourth National People's Congress delayed again and again, the amnesty of war criminals was delayed.
In December 1974, the fourth National People's Congress was determined, and Zhou Enlai immediately called the Ministry of Public Security to ask them to publicly write out all the list of all detained war criminals so that they can pardon after the Fourth National People's Congress.
In the same year, when Zhou Enlai went to Changsha to report to Chairman Mao, the scene at the beginning of the article appeared.
Hua Guofeng, who was the Minister of Public Security at the time, did a lot of investigation according to Zhou Enlai's order. In the end, he listed 13 war criminals. Because they did not meet the conditions, they suggested not to release them for the time being.
Chairman Mao was a little dissatisfied after seeing the report from the Ministry of Public Security. He believed that the Ministry of Public Security was too courageous.
Later, under Chairman Mao's supervision, the Ministry of Public Security resumed work and finally decided to release all 293 war criminals in custody. After Chairman Mao learned about it, he smiled with satisfaction.
What surprised these war criminals the most was that our party not only completely released them, but also gave them quite good arrangements.
Party organization told them that they can choose their residence freely, go back to their hometown, and the government can arrange work for them, or enjoy national medical care. In addition, they can also go to Hong Kong and Taiwan, and our party will also give them enough travel expenses. If they are willing to come back after they go, our party still welcomes them.
These war criminals learned that our party organization had such good policies to them, and everyone was moved to tears. Even the most difficult to transform Huang Wei was moved. For this, he also wrote a letter of thanks to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Chairman Mao on behalf of these war criminals.
Huang Wei's move shocked those old friends who were familiar with him.
In fact, Chairman Mao has a more profound meaning in releasing these war criminals.
Chairman Mao’s far-sighted vision, and afterwards he felt that he was really clever
After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Chairman Mao insisted on not killing these war criminals despite the opposition of many people. Whether from the time or from the present, the benefits outweigh the disadvantages.
Chairman Mao believes that pardoning these war criminals will create a stable and peaceful domestic and international political environment.
At the beginning of the founding of New China, it was hostile to many Western capitalist countries. In the face of American imperialism and Chiang Kai-shek, if these war criminals were properly placed, it would collapse and isolate Chiang Kai-shek's collective, which would be conducive to national reunification.
In addition, it will also impress people in society and within the united front who do not have a deep understanding of our party, so that the united front will be further expanded.
In April 1956, in a speech, Zhu De clearly stated : "The policy of not killing the counter-revolution has international significance, which can reduce hatred and strive for more people to believe in socialism."
I think Chairman Mao should also hold this view.
The second good factor is not to kill these war criminals, and to increase positive factors for the construction of socialism.
Facts have proved that Chairman Mao’s far-sighted vision makes sense.
Some of the Kuomintang war criminals who were pardoned actively did many useful things for the construction of socialism in our country in their later years. For example, Du Yuming, who was released, focused all his energy in his later years on calling for the unification of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.
In addition, those war criminals who were pardoned also used their personal experience to tell many unknown historical facts and left valuable historical materials for future generations.
Also, these war criminals were later properly placed, and many of them served as CPPCC members . They did their best in their positions and made many contributions to the development and construction of New China.
Chairman Mao insisted on pardoning war criminals. In fact, in addition to being beneficial to the war criminals themselves, it also had a profound impact on the work of our party.
is particularly shocking to be able to pardon so many war criminals. Many democrats are impressed by the courage of our party. People from all walks of life have further believed that through this matter, only under the leadership of the Communist Party can we have a bright future.
The honest official of the Republic of China period, Zhang Nanxian, who was invited to serve as the vice chairman of the Central and Southern Military and Political Committee after the founding of the People's Republic of China, was invited to visit these war criminals. He said with emotion: "I, Zhang Nanxian, lived to be nearly 80 years old. After the Communist Party of China found a way out for China, I had a real way out in my later years. The Communist Party treated you as close as my family's care, and the ideological transformation methods and living facilities adopted were all unheard of. Not seen... I wish you to walk on the road from now on, this is a bright road that the people of the New China must walk on together."
Conclusion
Only then can the sea be flowing, showing the true nature of heroes. For these war criminals, our party finally took lenient treatment and granted amnesty to them. This feat affected the international community at that time. To this day, we still have a feat.
All of this also demonstrates the people-oriented fundamental thinking and value pursuit of the Communist Party of China.
At the same time, this measure has also made indelible contributions to the cause of unification in our country. This is what Chairman Mao is so brilliant.
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