"Today's victory has made a difference for our country, and the mission of the United University ends with the War of Resistance." - Feng Youlan
The "vest" of Tsinghua Institute of Technology
At the beginning of the westward move to Kunming, Southwest United University first rented Mengzi Customs, Kunming Agricultural School outside Kunming Daximen, and Yinxi Guild Hall on Tuodong Road as school buildings. The main office was located at No. 46 Chongren Street in the city, but it was still insufficient for use. In July 1938, the school built a new school building on 124 acres of wasteland outside the city in the northwest corner of Kunming City. In April 1939, the new campus of Southwest Associated University was completed. Except for the library and two large cafeterias, which were tile-roofed buildings, all classrooms had adobe walls and iron roofs. According to Yang Zhenning’s recollection, “The classrooms are houses with iron roofs, and it rains There was a constant clanking sound. The ground was made of clay, and after a few years, it was full of mud puddles. The windows had no glass, and the paper had to be held down with something when the wind blew, otherwise it would blow away." As for the student dormitories and various offices, they are very shabby. They are all thatched houses with earth walls.
In 1939, the Southwest Associated University building was built in Kunming. The classrooms were all made of iron roofs and adobe walls. According to Yang Zhenning’s recollection, “When it rained, the clanging sound kept coming.”
This was certainly not a design problem. The design of the new campus of Southwest Associated University was designed by famous architects Liang Sicheng and Lin Huiyin. Due to the school's lack of funds, the Liang couple's design plan had to be changed again and again: the high-rise building became a low-rise building, the low-rise building became a bungalow, and the brick wall became an earth wall... What was left in the end can be said to be The most unsightly "humble room" in their design career. In fact, Liang Sicheng and Lin Huiyin were not the only two people who felt helpless! Even with the strength of Southwest Associated University College of Engineering, it would never design such a simple school building under normal circumstances.
In 1944, due to lack of funds, the Southwest Associated University, which was in financial crisis, had to sell the iron roofs of the original classrooms and replace them with thatched roofs.
The School of Engineering of the Associated University is largely based on the staff of the original School of Engineering of Tsinghua University. consist of. Among them, the Department of Civil Engineering basically maintains the original structure of the Department of Civil Engineering of Tsinghua University. In fact, it is the Department of Civil Engineering of Tsinghua University during the war, including the current majors in civil engineering, water conservancy, railways, highways, municipal administration, and architecture. A comprehensive civil engineering department. The department heads were successively held by Cai Fangyin and Tao Baokai, and the teaching staff was more abundant than before the war. Fortunately compared with other departments, when the war of resistance against Japan was just starting in Marco Polo Bridge, in the summer vacation of 1937, the 1938 and 1939 students of the Department of Civil Engineering of Tsinghua University under the leadership of professors such as Shi Jiayang, Wu Liusheng, and Qin Xiudian He took all the measuring instruments with him to Jining, Shandong Province for surveying practice. Therefore, when Beiping (now Beijing) fell, all the measuring instruments were preserved and later transported to Kunming. In this way, during the surveying internship at the Department of Civil Engineering of Southwest Associated University, every two people can have one theodolite and one level; during the internship in geodetic and astronomical surveying, there are Zeiss precision theodolite, precision level and standard steel ruler. It was available for use, which was not easy to achieve in other universities at that time. The engineering materials laboratory also had a lot of equipment, and the load capacity of the universal testing machine was the highest among universities at that time.
The Department of Mechanical Engineering of Lianda University is mainly derived from the Department of Mechanical Engineering of Tsinghua University. At the beginning of the move, there was a lot of waste waiting to be renovated, and there was still a shortage of school buildings and teaching equipment. The mechanical department has particularly heavy tasks. Not only must we solve the teaching tasks of this department and external departments, but we must also build a metalworking practice factory and a thermal engineering laboratory from scratch in a short period of time. Fortunately, as early as one or two years before the July 7th Incident, the Department of Mechanical Engineering of Tsinghua University was already preparing to move to the south. Dozens of machine tools in the internship factory and the thermal engines in the thermal engineering laboratory were dismantled and moved to the south. This not only satisfied the internship requirements of the students, but also later It is truly commendable that we can also produce hand drills, bench drills, simple lathes, water pipe valves, woodworking lathes, water pumps and other products. The famous old professor Liu Xianzhou of the Department of Mechanical Engineering was over 50 years old at the time. With his many years of experience in mechanical engineering education, he put forward many valuable suggestions for the Department of Mechanical Engineering’s curriculum, teacher selection, and enrichment of teaching equipment.
For example, the four-year course arrangement should constitute two systems: prime mover mechanical design and mechanical manufacturing. In the fourth year, elective courses are set up. Students must write special reports before graduation. Professors from the School of Science are invited to take charge of mathematics, physics and chemistry courses in the first and second years. Key engineering courses such as engineering mechanics, materials mechanics, thermodynamics, hydraulics, mechanical principles, and mechanical design must be taught by professors with rich teaching experience.
As for the Department of Electrical Engineering, it was another department of the School of Engineering at the beginning of the establishment of Southwest Associated University. Similar to the situation in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, as early as the winter of 1936, in view of the tense situation in North China, the Department of Electrical Engineering of Tsinghua University had also transported some equipment to the south, which basically met the needs of teaching and experiments. Compared with some other schools in the rear area, the equipment is relatively good. Tsinghua also has some equipment that will be handed over to the Tsinghua Radio Research Institute after arriving in Kunming. For example, a complete set of equipment for manufacturing electronic tubes was still rare in China at that time. Therefore, some special new equipment can be manufactured by oneself, which supports the research of magnetrons and the testing of ionosphere.
All for the war
In addition to these three departments, on July 29, 1938, the 82nd Standing Committee meeting of the Southwest Associated University also decided to follow the orders of superiors to establish an "Aviation Engineering Department" in the College of Engineering starting from the second half of the year. ".
This was undoubtedly due to the needs of the Anti-Japanese War. During the Japanese bombing of Kunming, the teachers and students of Southwest Associated University also suffered the bitter consequences of losing air supremacy. The establishment of the Department of Aeronautical Engineering was naturally aimed at developing China's aviation industry.
As the first aeronautical engineering department established in China, the Department of Aeronautical Engineering of Southwest Associated University originated from the aviation group of the Department of Mechanical Engineering of Tsinghua University (the Department of Mechanical Engineering was originally divided into two majors: thermal engineering and mechanical manufacturing). In 1938, the first class of aviation freshmen began to be recruited. In the first three years of study, there is not much difference in the basic courses of the mechanical, aviation and other departments in the engineering college. During the summer vacation of the third year, students from the Department of Aeronautical Engineering will have a one-month internship in a factory. The internship location is sometimes the No. 1 Aircraft Manufacturing Factory in the western suburbs of Kunming, and sometimes the No. 10 Aircraft Repair Factory near Wujiaba Airport in the eastern suburbs. The First Aircraft Manufacturing Factory was originally founded by the Guangdong warlord Chen Jitang . After Chen Jiang failed to rebel against Chen, the factory moved from Guangdong to Kunming. During the Anti-Japanese War, the factory manufactured some single-seat military aircraft with steel tube fuselages, wooden wing ribs and cloth. Raw materials and engines are purchased from the United States. Students doing internships there mainly take turns observing the process flow in each work section and are not allowed to directly participate in operations. The Tenth Aircraft Repair Shop is located next to the airport. Its main tasks are to renovate aircraft engines and repair damaged skins. Students doing internships there can only watch from a distance but are not allowed to do anything. By the fourth grade, the courses in the aviation department are almost all aviation majors, including internal combustion engine B (also known as aeroengine), advanced aircraft structure, applied aerodynamics, aircraft design, engine design, etc.
Teachers and students of the Department of Aeronautics of Southwest Associated University worked together to create a small open-circuit wind tunnel under extremely difficult conditions.
Zhuang Qianding, chairman of the Department of Aeronautical Engineering, in addition to teaching, also serves as the director of the newly established Aeronautical Research Institute. Since the three universities merged only the undergraduate part, the Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics of Tsinghua University is not legally part of the Southwest Associated University. However, the professors of the Institute of Aeronautics all teach, conduct experiments and guide students in the Department of Aeronautics; the aerodynamic experiments of students in the Department of Aeronautics are also conducted in the wind tunnel of the Institute of Aeronautics; in fact, the two have been integrated. Under extremely difficult conditions, thanks to the efforts of Southwest United teachers and students, the aviation wind tunnel experiment achieved outstanding results. Its aerodynamic research and experiments were far ahead of other regions in China at that time.
In 1943, American experts came to China and specifically visited the Aeronautical Research Institute of Tsinghua University. He believes that although the wind tunnel experimental equipment of Tsinghua University is small in scale, its level is comparable to that of American university research institutes. When officials from the U.S. Army Department investigating the aviation situation in Germany and Japan passed through Kunming, they also took time to visit the Aviation Research Institute of Tsinghua University and expressed their praise. The aerodynamics group of the Aeronautical Research Institute also designed several aircraft models, including bomber models, for the Aeronautical Commission and its two affiliated aircraft manufacturers.It is a pity that until the end of the Anti-Japanese War, we could not see the day when the domestic bombers painted with the Chinese Air Force emblem were launched.
The road to self-rescue through production
The last few years of the Southwest Associated University in Kunming were during the most difficult period of the Anti-Japanese War. At that time, only the northwest and southwest half of China's rear remained. The Burma Highway, the only international thoroughfare known as the main artery, was also cut off in 1941. The areas under the control of the National Government suffered from a shortage of supplies and serious inflation. It is admirable for the teachers and students of Southwest Associated University to live in poverty and live happily, but the school cannot do nothing. Since there is no way to ask for relief, the only way is to produce self-rescue. So Professor Wang Derong of the Department of Aeronautical Engineering and Professor Xie Mingshan, Director of the Department of Chemical Engineering, collaborated to develop and produce "Seaman" ink. This "Seaman" ink is comparable to the famous brand "Parker" ink and can also be used in "Parker" fountain pens. But the price was low, so it became the best-selling domestic product in Kunming market at that time.
At the same time, there are also a large number of joint students who serve as tutors and part-time middle school teachers in Kunming. Even the chores such as blacksmithing, water fetching, sounding the alarm, and setting off cannons at noon were also participated in by Union students. Only work-study programs for students in engineering colleges can be combined with their majors. Teachers and students of the Department of Civil Engineering cooperated with the Resources Committee of the Ministry of Economic Affairs to form the "Yunnan Hydropower Survey Team" to develop hydropower resources in Yunnan rivers; they also co-organized the "Kunming Hydraulic Laboratory" with the Central Hydraulic Laboratory. After two years, In the work, a plan for developing Yunnan's water conservancy resources was put forward, a number of small hydropower stations were designed, and model tests of the control gate and water diversion of Yunnan Tengchong Power Plant, model tests of the Dianxi barrage correction plan, and runoff coefficient tests near Kunming were completed.
On the other hand, the Engineering College has senior intellectuals, skilled technicians and craftsmen; there are also some mechanical equipment that were snatched out from under Japanese artillery fire. As a result, in 1943, under the initiative of President Mei Yiqi, a "Tsinghua Service Club" was established. Speaking of its main business,
was actually providing supporting services to the US military stationed in Kunming at that time. The United States is a developed country, and American soldiers are the world-famous "Young Master Soldiers". Their daily lives are inseparable from running water. But where did the tap water come from in Kunming at that time? Some places have sewer facilities, but most rely on well water. Installing running water for Americans requires a vast array of pipe joints and valves. Tsinghua Service Co., Ltd. undertook the production of these water pipe fittings and processed them in the metalworking internship factory. The Thermal Engineering Laboratory of the Department of Mechanical Engineering assembled a set of ice-making equipment made in Germany. The ice produced was supplied to the logistics of the US military stationed in Kunming at that time. This was also the first ice-making factory in Kunming at that time.
Teachers and students of the Department of Civil Engineering of Southwest Associated University took a group photo while doing hydrographic survey internship at Kunming Daguan Tower
During the Anti-Japanese War, the US military set up many meteorological observation stations across China, which required a large number of sounding balloons, so a large number of sounding balloons were needed hydrogen. This business also fell into the hands of Tsinghua Service Co., Ltd. The Mechanical Department undertook the task of producing hydrogen. The service agency added aluminum powder to the heated sodium hydroxide solution to generate sodium metaaluminate and release hydrogen gas. Aluminum powder is made by removing parts from scrapped aircraft, melting them and casting them into aluminum rods, which are then repeatedly turned on a simple lathe. The packaging problem was solved like this: Use the old powder cartridges of US military artillery shells to pack aluminum powder and sodium hydroxide, and deliver them to the US military for transportation to weather stations in various places. It made full use of waste materials from the US military to make raw materials and packaging products, and chose a hydrogen production process suitable for the conditions at the time. This is an example of Tsinghua Service Co., Ltd. taking advantage of its knowledge. For the professors at Lianda University's School of Engineering, it can only be regarded as overkill.
Engineering students who join the army
Despite the difficult conditions, the School of Engineering has never relaxed its efforts in students' learning. For example, in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, the drawings of water pump designs must be inked before they are collected. In the fitter internship class, you need to make a hexagonal hole in an iron plate, and then use round steel to make a hexagonal prism. After they are assembled, the six sides are not light-transparent to be considered qualified. The exams are also very strict. The most difficult exams for the first-year students of Southwest Associated University College of Engineering are calculus and general physics. Those who fail any subject or have poor grades are in danger of being kicked out of the school in their second year.The second year is a critical period, especially for static dynamics and materials mechanics. These two courses are considered to be the basis for learning engineering in the School of Engineering. If you don't learn well, it will be difficult to follow the following courses, so these two courses There were frequent quizzes. Most courses only had one major exam, and at most there was one quiz in midterm. For these two courses, the exam was once every two weeks, and later it was once a week (the number of hours per week increased to four to five). Some students cannot pass this level and are eliminated. In today's college entrance exams, the final score is calculated by multiplying the square root by 10 to ensure that most students pass. This is not uncommon in Southwest Associated University College of Engineering.
Since students of the School of Engineering take exams every day, they always keep slide rules and drawing instruments with them. Students from other colleges often ridicule those from the School of Engineering for being like machines and leading a rigid and tense life. Since students from the School of Engineering are immersed in internships, calculations, designs, and drawings all day long, it is no wonder that they do not have the fun of reading in a teahouse. The situation of uneven suffering and happiness due to different majors is not much different from that in contemporary universities.
The Southwest Associated University School of Engineering is located in the former Yinxi Hall, Jiangxi Hall and Quanshu Hall. It is located on Tuodong Road, Kunming.
Also due to their professional relationship, students from the School of Engineering account for a larger proportion of the Union students who join the army. As early as when Southwest Associated University was still in Changsha before moving to Kunming, Professor Zhuang Qianding, the director of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, told the students: Kunming does not yet have factories and laboratories for internships, and the transport school (Army Transport and Transport School) is where everyone learns. A professional place where you can learn the construction, repair and driving of cars and tanks. The learning period lasts for about 6 months. After the expiration, you can directly participate in the Anti-Japanese War and be assigned corresponding work. Later, except for 5 students in the 1938 and 1939 classes in the department, more than 20 other students went to the Army Transportation and Transport School to study.
Canteen of Southwest Associated University Engineering College
After the outbreak of the Pacific War, both the American Volunteer Air Force and the Chinese Expeditionary Force to Burma were in great need of military translators. On November 17, 1943, the Southwest Associated University held a meeting to discuss that "all fourth-year students this year will be recruited from the next semester to serve in the field. Service performance will be used as the graduation grade for the next semester. It is stipulated that the service areas will be Yunnan, Myanmar, and India." It is limited to each battlefield, and most of the work is to accompany the army as an interpreter." Leaders of the General Assembly have set an example by actively allowing their children to participate in training classes or serve in the military. Mei Zuyan, , the son of principal Mei Yiqi, has just been promoted to the second year of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and does not meet the recruitment requirements, but he still signed up.
As a result, most students from the Aeronautical Engineering Department of the College of Engineering entered the 11th advanced aircraft training class of the Air Force Mechanical School. After completing their studies, most of them were sent to work at various airports and aviation repair shops. Four students from the aviation department, Ding Chengliang, Tian Baodong, Sun Jichang, and Song Zaizhen, were assigned to the third aircraft manufacturing plant. After the Japanese surrender, Ding Chengliang, Sun Jichang and Song Zaizhen were incorporated into the 9th Ground Service Squadron and went to North China to take over Japanese aviation facilities, and took over some aviation equipment and a repair shop in Tianjin. There are also a group of students who signed up to join the 5th Kuomintang Baggage Truck Regiment, hoping to take the opportunity to learn some skills. Except for 4 of the 26 students in the Department of Civil Engineering, all the others went to build the airport. More than ten students from the Department of Electrical Engineering were assigned to the Telecommunications Machinery Manufacturing Factory of the Ministry of Military Affairs. It is worth mentioning that the students from the Department of Aeronautical Engineering of Southwest Associated University who were admitted to China National Aviation Administration of China. The hump route is a difficult and dangerous road. Southwest Associated University students have flown over the hump route countless times. They flew over the hump route from the air. The aid materials transported to the front line and the expeditionary troops who went abroad to participate in the war maintained the smooth flow of shipping routes and made great contributions to the victory of China's Anti-Japanese War and even the world's anti-fascist war. But they also pay a heavy price, with aircraft accidents happening every year. One person involved recalled: During my flight, I saw three planes missing one after another...
The Southwest Associated University Monument is now located on the campus of Yunnan Normal University. The inscription was written by Feng Youlan, a professor of Southwest Associated University, and was carved by Wen Yiduo and handwritten by Luo Yong. Therefore, it enjoys the reputation of
. In short, Southwest Associated University students were recruited on a large scale and appeared in various battlefields and various workplaces after being recruited on a large scale. The advantages of knowledge and enthusiasm made due contributions to the victory of the Anti-Japanese War.Today, the "National Southwest Associated University Monument" stands majestically on the campus of Yunnan Normal University. On the front of the monument is engraved: "More than 2,000 students have graduated from the National Southwest Associated University, and more than 800 people have served in the military." On the back of the monument is "Names of students from the National Southwest Associated University who have served in the military since the Anti-Japanese War." A total of 832 students from the Southwest Associated University are listed above. List of military students. Just like what is sung in the school song of Southwest Associated University, "A thousand years of shame will eventually become a snow. To revive the industry, we need outstanding people." These students were the outstanding people of that era.
