Baotou Iron and Steel Company (hereinafter referred to as Baotou Steel) is one of the large-scale iron and steel joint backbone enterprises in China. The completion and development of Baotou Steel not only improved the layout of China's iron and steel industry, but also transformed Baotou from a small border town with a weak industrial base into a new city with metallurgy and machinery as the main industries. It also promoted the rapid rise of iron and steel industry in New China, and made great contributions to consolidating national defense, strengthening national unity and developing frontier economy.
Yang Wei is the first person in charge of the preparation of Baotou Iron and Steel Base. 1953, he led all the staff to set up the factory. After nearly ten years of hard work, a grassland steel city has finally been built. Yang Wei's lover briefly reviewed Yang Wei's working days in Baotou Steel in "A Clashing Baotou Steel Man-A Record of Yang Wei in the Spring beyond the Great Wall"; Yang Weichuan in the Chronicle of Baotou Steel introduces Yang Wei's life and work, and Yang Wei, the first manager of Benxi Coal and Iron Company, introduces Yang Wei's work as the manager of Benxi Coal and Iron Company at the beginning of the People's Republic of China. It is precisely because of the selfless dedication of a large number of entrepreneurial leaders like Yang Wei that China's modern industry can be established quickly in a short time. From the importance of Baotou Steel to the importance of Yang Wei, the research value of this paper is illustrated. This paper attempts to explore why Yang Wei became the first manager of Baotou Steel from the perspective of the history of science and technology. What did Yang Wei do after he became the first manager of Baotou Steel, and what contribution did he make as a technical expert and leader of the new China iron and steel industry? Under the special political background, why is Yang Wei's scientific spirit criticized? What are the consequences of not following Yang Wei's scientific practice?
1. Yang Wei served as the first manager of Baotou Steel.
Why did Wei become the first manager of Baotou Steel? Let me start with Yang Wei's life. Yang Wei, 19 1 1, is a native of Shuangcheng County, Jilin Province. He entered his home school at the age of six. Because of his extensive knowledge, he was loved by his parents and appreciated by his relatives and friends. 1928, Yang Wei was admitted to the preparatory course of Harbin Special Economic Zone Institute of Technology jointly organized by China and the Soviet Union. The following year, he was admitted to the Russian Law School in Peking University. 1932, joined the * * * production party of China, and established China * * * Russian Law School Branch with Li Yifan and others. 1935, Yang Wei was arrested by the Kuomintang for leading the anti-imperialist movement of Tianjin workers, suffering from serious skin diseases and stomach diseases, and was rescued from prison in 1936. From 65438 to 0948, he served as the general manager of Benxi Coal and Iron Company, leading workers to build people's iron and steel enterprises on the ruins of war. He himself began to study hard, from the relevant basic courses in the university to metallurgy, machinery and other disciplines, sleeping only four or five hours a day, tirelessly studying industrial management and smelting technology, and organizing cadres and technicians to go to night classes to study and study technology. With the help of Soviet experts, the production of blast furnace, open hearth furnace, iron ore and coal mine resumed quickly, the people's coal-iron base was rebuilt, and a large number of leading cadres who knew technology and management were trained. Engineer Jin, the general manager of the company appointed by the National Government, was hired by Yang Wei as an engineer in Benxi. Benxi soon shed the first batch of molten iron made by China people after the war as a gift to the 28th anniversary of the founding of the Party. "This is the backbone of a heavy load, with faith and hope, and the dawn of the new China iron and steel industry. In the desolate wilderness of Liaodong Mountain, he stepped on thorns, stood on the biting wind and rain, and walked on the cold smoothies ... "This passage recorded his hardships for the development of new China iron and steel industry.
195 1 year, the Northeast Ministry of Industry selected more than 100 internship places in the Soviet Union from leaders and technical cadres in metallurgy, coal, machinery and other industries. Yang Wei is responsible for the organization of the iron and steel group. He led 25 members of the Iron and Steel Group from Moscow to Ukraine to join the internship in Dnieper dzerzhinsky Iron and Steel Plant in China. During this period, he successively served as a former furnace worker, monitor, furnace chief, technician, workshop director, factory director, chief engineer and manager, earnestly studied the metallurgical technology of the former Soviet Union and accumulated rich experience.
Yang Wei returned to China in the spring of 1953, and served as the deputy director of the Iron and Steel Industry Administration Bureau of the Ministry of Industry, responsible for the preparatory work of Baotou Iron and Steel Company. During this period, he also served as a member of the Construction Committee of Baotou Industrial Base of the Central North China Bureau and participated in the formulation of the urban construction plan of Baotou. During the period of 1953- 1957, Yang Wei led the preparatory group of Baotou Steel to carry out a series of preparatory work. When attending the site selection, the reason of Yang Wei's skin is that it can't be cleaned frequently, and a large area of skin discolors to form a hard scab. He had to work standing up, and his stomach was so bad that he finally fell ill. He was diagnosed with severe hepatosplenic syndrome, and his spleen was as big as two fingers, but he kept on working. 1In July, 957, Baotou Steel started construction, and Yang Wei led the first batch of employees of Baotou Steel to enter the peak period of comprehensive construction. 1in March, 958, Yang Wei had to have an operation because of the deterioration of hepatosplenic syndrome. The removed spleen weighed 5 kilograms, and he should have rested for two years after the operation. However, in April of 1959, Yang Wei returned to Baotou Steel to continue his work in the case that his liver was still obviously diseased and he could not eat normally. At this time, the construction of Baotou Steel is in the climax stage. He and the leaders of Baotou Steel in charge of the project often go deep into the construction site to coordinate and deal with various problems. Finally, the largest blast furnace in China was built one year ahead of schedule, and the first batch of molten iron flowed out before the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Less than half a month after the beating, Yang Wei was admitted to Union Medical College Hospital due to illness again. At this time, Yang Wei was classified as a right opportunist and dismissed from all his posts.
Yang Wei's background of studying Russian and technical universities in his early years, coupled with his diligence and selfless dedication, gave him the foundation to engage in smelting industry; During his stay in Benxi Steel, he began to study the basic courses and professional knowledge of metallurgical industry desperately, and his practical experience in steel laid a solid foundation for the construction of Baotou Steel. As well as his internship experience in various positions in the Soviet steel works in the past two years, he became a rare expert in managing the steel industry after the founding of New China, the best candidate for preparing for the construction and management of Baotou Steel, and was appointed as the first manager of Baotou Steel, which laid the foundation for the later construction of Baotou Steel. As a technical expert leader, Yang Wei played a vital role in the early construction of Baotou Steel.
Second, Yang Wei's early work in Baotou Steel.
Yang Wei has led the preparatory group of Baotou Steel since 1953, presided over the site selection of the factory and participated in the urban construction planning of Baotou. Since then, Yang Wei has led a series of work, such as providing design data, assembling construction team, reviewing preliminary design, establishing relevant institutions, training cadres and skilled workers, starting construction, and urging design drawings and equipment adjustment, so that Baotou Steel entered the stage of large-scale construction as scheduled.
(a) Baotou iron and steel company is responsible for the preparation.
1953 On April 23rd, the Baotou Preparatory Group (full name: Baotou Preparatory Group of the Iron and Steel Industry Administration of the Ministry of Heavy Industry of the Central People's Government) was established in Beijing, which was directly led by the Iron and Steel Administration, and Yang Wei, deputy director of the Iron and Steel Administration, was responsible for the preparatory work. The specific affairs shall be undertaken by the design department of Shijingshan Iron and Steel Plant. Yang Wei sent someone to set up a work station in Baotou, and set up an office in Baotou. The address is No.0/55 Heping Road, Baotou City (now Donghe District). It is stipulated that the main task of Baotou Office is to collect personnel, select sites and provide relevant information for Baotou Steel Design. With the approval of the Iron and Steel Industry Administration of the Ministry of Heavy Industry, the Baotou Preparatory Group was renamed as "the Preparatory Office of the May 4th Iron and Steel Company of the Iron and Steel Industry Administration of the Ministry of Heavy Industry of the Central People's Government" and the Baotou Office was renamed as "the Baotou Office of the Preparatory Office of the May 4th Iron and Steel Company".
1September 1953, the state allocated the first batch of 40 college graduates and 32 technical secondary school graduates, majoring in smelting, electromechanical and construction, and transferred 4 Soviet girls as Russian typists. 1957, Yang Wei published an article "Preparations for the Construction of Baotou Steel" in Construction Monthly, which recorded more than three years' preparations for the construction of Baotou Steel from the second half of 1953, including site selection, geological exploration and scientific work test, collecting and sorting out design data, commissioning design review, and collecting equipment data for equipment orders and production preparation. Baotou Steel focuses on the training of cadres and skilled workers and the preparation of production technology. Since 1954, the training of cadres and skilled workers has begun. Some people are selected to study in brother factories and mines, or to train in colleges and universities. Technical schools have been set up to train senior technical workers, and some people have been sent abroad for internships, and various preparations have been made for the production of technical materials and technical materials. By the end of September 1954, the company had employees 10937, and Yang Wei sent 357 people to study in Angang, Beiman Steel Plant, Shijingshan Steel Plant, Taigang and Benxi Steel. During the preparation of Baotou Steel, a group of cadres, workers, farmers, demobilized soldiers and idealistic intellectuals gathered in Baotou from all over the country and became the earliest entrepreneurs of Baotou Steel.
(2) Presided over the site selection of the factory.
Yang Wei presided over the site selection of Baotou Steel's factory. History has proved that the site of Baotou Steel was decided after three inspections. 1954 At the end of April, Yang Wei instructed Gong, deputy director of the design department of Shijingshan Iron and Steel Plant (now Shougang), and led Run 1 1 person to conduct the first site selection and conduct a large-scale rough survey of the western part of Inner Mongolia. After that, Yang Wei personally went out and conducted the second site selection work near Baotou with five people, including Yuan, director and deputy director of the Iron and Steel Industry Bureau. In July of the same year, he and Andreev, chief engineer of Baotou Steel Design Group of Leningrad Design Institute of the former Soviet Union, and other five people formed the third site selection group, and traveled around the vast areas around Baotou to determine Luanshuiquan (now Wanshuiquan), Songjiahao and Wuliangsuhai as the pre-selected sites. Yang Wei, together with the State Planning Commission, the Mengsui Branch of the North China Bureau of Central China, the Baotou Construction Committee of Central China, experts from the Ministry of Heavy Industry and the Soviet Union, Beliangqikov, the head of the Baotou design team of the Soviet Union, and Andreev, the chief engineer, visited three candidate sites again. After analyzing and comparing various economic and technical conditions of several sites, it was initially identified as Songjiahao site. Later, Beliang Chikov formally submitted the site of Baotou Steel Company, which is one of the most favorable sites for large enterprises in China.
1956, Yang Wei published the article "How to Choose the Site of Baotou Steel" in Architectural Monthly. Starting from the decisive technical and economic conditions of how to choose the site, according to various factors such as raw materials, proximity to the ground and water, convenient transportation, proximity to the city, convenient cooperation with other enterprises, unrestricted development of the company, etc., the three selected schemes were compared in detail, and the whole process of the site was finally determined. He talked about his site selection experience, with special emphasis on "our" site selection experience, so as to emphasize that it is the result of collective labor. He pointed out that the support of the party and leaders is a powerful guarantee for the smooth progress of the work; And the cooperation of all relevant departments must be obtained before the plan is completed; Learn from the advanced experience of the Soviet Union and Soviet experts, with special emphasis on "putting their advanced technical and economic ideas into the site selection will be of great help to us"; We should have cadres with high political level and basic professional knowledge, and we can bring a group of technical cadres to work.
(3) Approve the Request for Instructions on Establishing the Name of Baotou Iron and Steel Company.
1953 19 February 19, the Ministry of Heavy Industry submitted the Work Report on Baotou Iron and Steel Company to the State Planning Commission, and the title of "Baotou Iron and Steel Company" appeared for the first time in the title and content of the report. At the beginning of 1954, due to the increase of personnel, the expansion of institutions and the convenience of external contact, Yang Wei and others discussed changing the name of Baotou office. 1954 In March, Yang Wei submitted the Request for Instructions on Changing the Preparatory Office of the May 4th Iron and Steel Company into Baotou Iron and Steel Company to the Iron and Steel Industry Administration of the Ministry of Heavy Industry of the Central People's Government, and gave a reply on April 3rd. 1 in may, the preparatory office of may 4th iron and steel company was officially renamed as Baotou iron and steel company (Baotou steel). On June 20th, 1956, Baotou Steel was renamed as Baotou Iron and Steel Company of the Ministry of Heavy Industry. The Ministry of Metallurgy decided to merge Baotou Iron and Steel Company, Baotou Metallurgical Construction Corporation and Baotou Branch of Metallurgical Design Institute into Baotou Iron and Steel Company. Chen Shouzhong was appointed as the Party Secretary of Baotou Steel, and Yang Wei was officially appointed as the General Manager of Baotou Steel (actually starting from 1953).
(d) Leading Baotou Steel workers to carry out large-scale construction.
Baotou Steel successfully completed the preparatory work of Baotou Steel in more than three years, and built a production subsidiary enterprise base and a certain number of workers' housing construction tasks. 1July 25th, 957 is a milestone in the history of Baotou Steel. The groundbreaking ceremony of Baotou Steel was held in the riveting workshop of Kundulun West Bank Machinery General Factory. Yang Wei dug up the first shovel in the base, and Baotou Steel entered the stage of large-scale construction, and officially started the construction and installation of production workshops and mines.
Yang Wei has a clear understanding of Baotou Steel's construction tasks and existing problems: Baotou Steel's current construction tasks are significant, and the state's investment is limited. Under the condition of ensuring quality, it strives to spend as little money as possible to complete the construction tasks as planned; The problems encountered by Baotou Steel are that some technical design and construction drawings need to be revised, and some professional strength of design institutes is insufficient; Raw materials are not enough, but the demand is urgent; Equipment ordering and construction schedule requirements are also somewhat inconsistent; The vast majority of employees are foreigners, but the construction of welfare facilities can't keep up with the demand at present; The working steps of collaborative departments also need to be further unified. Therefore, it is necessary to do a good job of cooperation, diligently build Baotou Steel, ensure the quality of the project, and complete this arduous task on schedule or ahead of schedule. In his opening speech at the opening ceremony, Yang Wei emphasized twice that we should save as much as possible and overfulfil the task on schedule or ahead of schedule on the premise of ensuring the quality of the project.
1958165438+1At the end of October, the Sixth Plenary Session of the Eighth CPC Central Committee was held in Wuchang. During the meeting, Ulanhu made a report on the construction of Baotou Steel to the CPC Central Committee. Mao Zedong, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, said that we should find ways to solve the problem for Baotou Steel. Premier Zhou Enlai specially met with Yang Wei, the general manager of Baotou Steel, listened to the report on the construction work of Baotou Steel, and guided the formulation of specific plans to solve the construction difficulties of Baotou Steel. Later, under the care of the CPC Central Committee and Premier Zhou, there was a big scene of national support for Baotou Steel. The People's Daily published an editorial "Ensuring Key Support for Baotou Steel", which fundamentally changed the difficult situation faced by Baotou Steel.
(V) Contribution to tapping of Baotou Steel 1 Blast Furnace
Baotou Steel 1 BF was originally planned to be completed at the same time as 1960 mineral processing and sintering plant. Later, with the help of Soviet experts, industrial tests proved that before the completion of the mineral processing and sintering plant, rich ore could be directly put into the furnace. Under the situation of the Great Leap Forward, the workers of Baotou Steel are full of energy. This large blast furnace 15 13m3 was built in advance 1 year as a gift to the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.
1 In August, 1959, the construction of Baotou Steel1BF was coming to an end, but the bell rod of blast furnace burden from Fulaerji, Heilongjiang Province was bent during transportation and could not be installed. Expert construction must be taken back to the original factory for re-processing, but if it is returned to the factory for re-processing, the tapping plan of Baotou Steel's National Day 10 anniversary will be disrupted. Yang Wei proposed on-site repair, but Soviet experts thought it was impossible, so it went away. Yang Wei actively contacted the Ministry of Metallurgy, and the Ministry of Metallurgy sent Comrade Hui Jisheng and an engineer from Xi 'an Metallurgical Machinery Factory to repair the tie rod in a short time. On September 25, Yang Wei announced: "Everything is ready, and the blast furnace begins to ignite!" All automatic machines of Baotou Steel 1 BF system are running. On September 26th, the blast furnace of Baotou Steel 1 was successfully tapped, and the construction of Baotou Steel achieved fruitful results for the first time. 1 0On June 5438+05, Premier Zhou inspected Baotou Steel and cut the ribbon for tapping1BF. After the commissioning ceremony, Premier Zhou, accompanied by Yang Wei and others, inspected the coking plant of Baotou Steel, and Yang Wei reported the current situation and long-term development plan of Baotou Steel to Premier Zhou Enlai. The editorial of Inner Mongolia Daily pointed out: "The tapping of 1 blast furnace marks that the construction of Baotou industrial base with Baotou Steel as the center has entered a new stage, that is, the construction and production go hand in hand. It is a milestone in the history of industrial development in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. This feat is inseparable from the hard work of all the leaders and employees of Baotou Steel's preparatory group during Yang Wei's tenure as general manager, which is also the happiest moment for Yang Wei.
From 1953, when Yang Wei was the head of the preparatory group of Baotou Steel, to 1957, during this period, the national line policy was in line with reality and was the premise of the normal and healthy development of the iron and steel industry. In the Soviet Union's aid to Baotou Steel, Yang Wei, as an expert in iron and steel industry management, played an expert role under the correct policy leadership, and all the work in the construction of Baotou Steel proceeded normally. First of all, with the help of the Soviet Union, site selection, factory survey, design review, mobilization and training of technical cadres and workers, and construction of living bases and construction bases were carried out. At that time, the conditions were very difficult, but the work was step by step and in line with the construction procedures. Baotou Steel entered the stage of large-scale construction.
Secondly, Yang Wei attaches great importance to the cultivation of technical backbone, and has sent cadres and skilled workers to Anshan Iron and Steel Group, Beijing Institute of Iron and Steel, Northeast Institute of Technology and other places for training and practice. In practical work, learning from Soviet experts, but not superstitious about Soviet experts, not only trained a large number of engineers and skilled workers for the later production and construction of Baotou Steel, but also laid the foundation for self-reliance in steel technology.
From the second half of 1957 to 1960, Baotou Steel has built a raw material base and a non-standard equipment processing base, from the Yellow River water source project to ironmaking, coal preparation, coal washing and factory transportation. On the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, iron was successfully tapped, and Baotou Steel entered the stage of production and construction. But at the same time, after a series of policies were introduced, the achievements we saw at that time-building factories ahead of time and tapping iron ahead of time ... paid a price for the later technological development.
Third, Yang Wei's scientific spirit was criticized.
In a series of political movements such as "Great Leap Forward", "Big Steelmaking" and "Anti-Right Deviation", the normal construction of Baotou Steel was disrupted, and Yang Wei was beaten to the right for opposing Baotou Steel's blind modification of its design.
In the middle of 1957, * * the Political Bureau of the Central Committee passed the "Instructions on Launching the 1957 Campaign of Increasing Production and Saving", and the Ministry of Metallurgy called on the national steel production front to "double the speed and double the investment". The Great Leap Forward began at 1958. After the People's Daily issued the call of "catching up with Britain in 15 years" to the people all over the country, it strived to overfulfil the steel production task-strive to produce1070,000 tons of steel annually. The "Great Steelmaking" that started from this pushed this political movement to a climax, which not only put forward unattainable goals, but also shortened the time to achieve them. The Ministry of Metallurgy put forward the instruction of "Baotou Steel 1 1 100 million investment contract, 1962 to build 3 million tons of steel production capacity (4 blast furnaces and 6 open hearth furnaces)" (according to the preliminary design of the Soviet Union at that time, the second phase construction of Baotou Steel was completed with an investment of 2 1 100 million. The Party Committee of Baotou Steel further put forward the slogan of "halving investment, doubling output and completing the task in eight years and five years", and revised some important designs according to the so-called "saving principle". Yang Wei resolutely opposes the design modification of key parts in the production process, and is very disgusted with this practice of not doing things according to the scientific attitude. However, in the special political atmosphere at that time, although Yang Wei had a position, he had no decision-making power. Who has the decision-making power? At that time, Mao Zedong advocated that "the secretary is in command", "everything depends on the masses" and "the layman leads the expert is the general rule". On the other hand, Yang Wei put forward the responsibility system and opposed the "package" of the party and government. Advocate the reuse of intellectuals and rely on scientific and technological progress; In order to improve the quality of workers, the slogan "to realize industrialization, learn mathematics and physics first" was put forward.
According to the statistics of Baotou Steel Design Institute, 1958 * * revised 106 foreign designs, including 33 major projects, of which 7 1% was proved to be reasonable and 29% was unreasonable. There are many quality problems in these projects after construction and completion. For example, the hollow cylinder of storage tank in Baiyun Obo Mine was changed from reinforced concrete structure to brick structure. Due to insufficient pressure resistance, the whole equipment began to vibrate after being put into use. Yang Wei asked for immediate reinforcements, but his opinion was not adopted. Later, we had to add a reinforced concrete enclosure equivalent to the original thickness around the brick column. Even if these projects can be produced after reinforcement, the quality is lower than the original design, and the construction period is delayed 1 and 2 months. Another example is the Yellow River water source pipeline, which was originally designed with four steel pipes. Due to the shortage of steel, the Ministry of Metallurgy decided to build a 18km long prestressed cement pipe (the latest domestic technology, trial-produced products) first. Yang Wei insisted on not agreeing to the revision, and Soviet experts also resolutely disagreed. Later, the Ministry of Metallurgy decided to use 8 kilometers of prestressed cement pipes near the water source end of No.2 water transmission pipeline, and the remaining 10 kilometers still use steel pipes. 1959, with the approval of the Ministry of Metallurgy, Baotou Steel set the No.3 water conveyance pipeline with 8 km steel pipe in parallel with the No.2 prestressed pipeline to ensure water supply, but it failed again in less than a year, until 1962, when the Ministry of Metallurgy agreed to change it to steel pipe water conveyance, which caused a loss of 4 million yuan to the country. These modifications not only caused frequent accidents, but also caused more waste.
In the great steelmaking movement, Baotou Steel established the medium Baotou Steel and the small Baotou Steel. Yang Wei opposes high index, exaggeration and * * * wind. He believes that "small Baotou Steel" blocked the transportation throat of Baotou Steel, and "medium Baotou Steel" dispersed the manpower and material resources of Baotou Steel. Small blast furnaces blooming everywhere can't produce qualified iron, which wastes people and money. But at that time, anyone who raised objections would be labeled as "right-leaning". Responsible comrades of Baotou Steel (including Yang Wei, Liu, etc. It is believed that the design of the former Soviet Union should be carefully modified for the production technology and equipment technology of enterprises, and the main items in the design should not be modified without sufficient scientific basis. Don't forcibly control yourself if you are not sure, so as not to affect the construction progress of large enterprises and reduce the quality of equipment. Some equipment can be trial-produced, and after successful trial-production, the quality can be guaranteed, so we can use our own products. At the end of 1958, Yang Wei returned to Baotou Steel with illness to listen to the report of this design modification, and after investigation and research, he issued a series of decisions for various production plants and mines to partially restore the original design.
Happy event, tapping from Baotou Steel 1 BF, was short-lived for Yang Wei, because this achievement was attributed to the results of "Great Leap Forward", "Anti-Right Deviation", breaking superstition, emancipating the mind and launching mass movements. Increasing production and saving, changing the standard equipment of the original design into non-standard equipment, and putting forward innovative suggestions to modify the original design are all regarded as technological revolution and technological innovation activities. At that time, the People's Daily published the anti-rightist remarks of Baotou Steel: "... the construction of Baotou Steel is generally a situation of continuous leap forward, and the enthusiasm of the masses is very high. However, at that time, a few cadres were developing some right-leaning thoughts and emotions. They lack confidence in achieving the goal of crossing the border and ensuring the early tapping of iron, and even bossing around and throwing cold water on it. The influence of this erroneous idea has caused some confusion among cadres and the masses in a short time, many engineering plans have not been completed as scheduled, and the enthusiasm of the masses has not been fully exerted. ……"
1In July, 959, Yang Wei wrote back in a letter from Li Xuefeng, Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, on behalf of the main leaders of Baotou Steel, and reflected to his superiors that the blind revision of Baotou Steel's design was the main problem in implementing the general line of socialist construction. This letter reflects:
(1) The state's policy on the construction of Baotou Steel is changeable, which makes the construction progress, scale and order change accordingly, and affects the construction speed; (2) Due to the modification of design, the equipment level of Baotou Steel declined, which not only failed to save, but caused losses. There is an uncertain and untested "new technology" for manufacturing large-scale steel rolling in China-prestressed concrete pipes are used in water pipelines, which causes huge losses; (3) Urban construction investment should be compatible with industrial construction. (4) Without a considerable number of technical cadres, skilled workers and management cadres, it is impossible to build Baotou Steel quickly, economically and efficiently. To make builders full of emotions, we must solve the problem of low wages.
It takes courage and great scientific spirit for Yang Wei to dare to put an end to untimely practices and write a letter to the Central Committee. Because in the "anti-Rightists" at that time, his expert practice was contrary to the mass line. This letter holds that Yang Wei's opposition to the revision of the original design and the Great Leap Forward was a "right-leaning" act, Yang Wei was wrongly classified as a "right opportunist", a recording criticizing his "right opportunism" was played before his deathbed, and Yang Wei was knocked down and dismissed. But he firmly believes that truth will overcome fallacies and history will make fair judgments. When Li Chao (then manager of Baotou Steel) visited him, he also told him: "The primary rolling and rail beam should be built as soon as possible to form the production capacity, otherwise 10 ton steel ingot will be transported to Taiyuan for cogging, and the national loss will be too great." Yang Wei, a tough old revolution, was unfairly criticized in the "anti-Rightist" movement after leading Baotou Steel workers to fight day and night for several years and achieve the goal of tapping iron one year ahead of schedule. Yang Wei's old friend Ruan wrote a poem at the funeral:
"Autumn clouds fly on Taihang Mountain, and winter has reached Sanjiang. The adventure grassland is windy, and the Yinshan Mountain in Yegang is covered with snow.
Cancer demon can't take away the spleen. Ebou knows you don't have a holiday. Advance the Iron Guard's Leap Forward and win the right to suppress your death. "
This poem records the tragic truth at that time.
1957 since the second half of the year, a series of political movements have not only limited the talents of leaders and technical backbones such as Yang Wei, but also put forward scientific suggestions wrongly to varying degrees, and also made the construction of Baotou Steel violate the objective laws of iron and steel industry production and construction, blindly revised the design, and finally suffered huge losses. The sequelae left behind were solved years later. This period is the factory director responsibility system under the leadership of the party Committee. In fact, the Party Committee arranged everything, thinking that "experts are conservative", laymen have the final say, laymen command, and experts will be criticized if they object. Khrushchev said in his memoirs that "they messed up the whole black metallurgical industry ..." Later, Khrushchev asked Zhou Enlai, who was visiting the Soviet Union, "Comrade Zhou Enlai, where are the metallurgical engineers who graduated from our school? It is said that they work in your countryside and receive so-called exercise, and your steel plant is managed by a person who doesn't understand metallurgy at all. " This also fully shows that if the development of technology cannot be guided by the development law of technology itself, it will certainly suffer heavy losses.
1August, 959 17, Mao Zedong published "Comments on the Draft Resolution of the Eighth Plenary Session of the Eighth Central Committee on Launching the Campaign of Increasing Production and Saving Economy" in this resolution, and he saw that Mao Zedong and the CPC Central Committee were consciously correcting the "Left" deviation. 1960 65438+1October 13 Mao Zedong said in his speech entitled "The Wind of Investigation and Research in Daxing": "Now it seems that building socialism is not so urgent. I am too anxious to do anything. " Gradually, after 1960, the slogan of "overtaking Britain and catching up with America" ended, and the Great Leap Forward began to draw to a close. 196 1 year, the state put forward the eight-character policy of "adjustment, consolidation, enrichment and improvement". 1962,65438+1October 30th, Mao Zedong said at the enlarged central working conference that "it will take more than one hundred years for the productive forces to develop greatly and catch up with and surpass the most advanced capitalist countries in the world". The iron and steel industry entered the normal development order only after the country put forward a realistic route that meets the needs of social development. 1962, Yang Wei was screened and rehabilitated, and his reputation and all his duties were restored. Later, he was transferred to the director of the Science and Technology Office of the Ministry of Metallurgy and the vice chairman of the China Metal Society, and worked hard for various matters after the Soviet Union withdrew its experts.
Four. conclusion
In a word, it is not easy to build a modern large-scale iron and steel complex from scratch in Baotou, a barren and economically backward city in western Inner Mongolia. The completion of Baotou Steel ended the unarmed history of Inner Mongolia, and three steel bases were established in Anshan, Wuhan and Baotou. The construction of Baotou Steel has promoted the development of iron and steel industry in New China. Yang Wei, the first manager, made great contributions to the construction of Baotou Steel. He led and directed Baotou Steel to enter a large-scale construction project and persisted in the construction site despite illness. Yang Wei died in Beijing on 1964, and finally dedicated his precious life to China's iron and steel industry. His ashes were placed in Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery. During the Cultural Revolution, the "rebel" in the Ministry of Metallurgy held a "exposing and criticizing conference", at which Yang Wei's ashes were discarded. The case of Yang Wei was rehabilitated 1980. There was a hat he had worn in the urn and it was placed in Babaoshan. In 20 12, Baotou Steel named roads after enterprise pioneers and model workers, one of which was Yang Wei Road, to commemorate the contribution of the first Baotou Steel manager to the development of Baotou Steel.
About the author:
Wu yueqing, born in 1976, female, born in damaoqi, Baotou, inner Mongolia, Ph.D., associate professor of inner Mongolia vocational and technical college of architecture, famous teacher of 123, and expert of China horizon engineering vocational education. He is also a researcher at China Educational Technology History Research Center and Inner Mongolia National Cultural Industry Research Institute. Main research interests: computer application, history of science and technology, etc.