Rebirth: I am in Jin-Cha-Ji

Have a certain understanding of the distribution of coal.

The central government allocates coal, which is a broad policy. Some areas need coal, but because coal allocation is handled by the central government, they can't get coal quotas no matter how much they beg.

Wei Hongjun looked at Xu Daben and said, "Don't give too many. Let's start with Shanxi. We can give one of the eight major coal bases to the province and see how it goes."

“Are both the management and distribution rights given to the province?”

Xu Daben asked Wei Hongjun.

"of course."

Wei Hongjun said, "If you don't give them management and distribution rights, then what's the point of them having coal mines? Let's test the waters first. In the future, our coal industry won't be entirely controlled by the central government."

"Yes."

Li Xuefeng interjected, "I looked at the data and found that in 1952, 140 million tons of coal in Heilongjiang were unsaleable."

"Heilongjiang coal was previously sold to Jilin and Liaoning, and the Ministry of Coal Industry also allocated it this way, with approximately one million tons per year. However, last year, coal production in Liaoning and Jilin increased, and the local coal demand was completely self-sufficient. Therefore, they refused to purchase Heilongjiang coal, resulting in so much unsold coal. However, we have resolved this issue. The demand for coal in the interior of the country is very high. The overall situation in our country is currently a coal shortage, so we have arranged to transport this batch of coal to Shanghai."

Xu Daben explained.

But Wei Hongjun frowned.

There's a nationwide coal shortage, but some areas are experiencing coal shortages. The state isn't a machine, and neither can people be machines. The most important issue in a planned economy is calculation—everything must be calculated.

Unfortunately, given China's current situation, it is impossible to achieve such a rigorous and thorough review without any omissions. Not to mention now, even a hundred years from now, it will not be possible.

That's the case with coal.

Based on past experience, when the central government allocates coal, Northeast China currently primarily consumes its own coal. Due to the rapid industrial development and the large number of cities in Northeast China, the demand for coal is even greater, so the region produces and consumes its own coal.

Any excess coal produced in Heilongjiang was sold to Jilin and Liaoning. As a result, as Jilin and Liaoning Agricultural University increased their coal production, demand for imported coal decreased. Consequently, Heilongjiang's coal sales were sluggish. However, Heilongjiang simply ignored this and continued to consolidate its coal production, with no thought to how to deal with the large amount of unsold coal produced.

It was not until the accumulation of more than one million tons that it was reported to the central government, hoping that the central government would resolve it quickly.

This is the problem.

This is a rigid distribution system.

Some places are short of coal, and some places have unsaleable coal after production.

Wei Hongjun said to Li Xuefeng, "Comrade Xuefeng, this problem reflects a problem with our distribution method. Could you discuss whether our distribution system can be more flexible? Ideally, we should have an organization that can monitor coal production and sales in various regions at all times. At the same time, this data could be shared with major mining bureaus nationwide. This would allow these bureaus to adjust production and sales based on changing circumstances, in addition to fulfilling national mandates. We can't have a situation like Heilongjiang, where over one million tons of coal were unsold before we even received the news."

"We'll discuss this and come up with a solution." "Okay."

Wei Hongjun wanted to continue arranging matters at the Ministry of Coal Industry. Li Shiping, Deputy Secretary-General of the State Council, walked in and said to Wei Hongjun, "Vice Premier Wei, news has come from the Soviet Union that Comrade Stalin is critically ill. The Chairman wants you to accompany the Premier and his delegation to the Soviet Embassy in China to express their concern and condolences for Stalin's health."

919Funeral

1953 3 Month 4 Day.

When the news of Stalin's critical illness came, Chairman Mao, together with the Commander-in-Chief, the Premier, Marshal Nie, Wei Hongjun, Li Fuchun, Zhang Wenguan and others, went to the Soviet Embassy in China and asked Soviet Ambassador Pan Youxin to convey the concern and condolences of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese people to Stalin, and hoped that he would recover soon.

The specifications are very high.

Central leaders who had time in Beijing went to the Soviet Embassy in China one after another.

It fully expresses China's concern for Comrade Stalin's health.

The Chairman himself was rather casual and disliked such occasions. However, the Soviet Union was the elder brother, and China still relied on it in many areas, so due respect had to be given. Since it was known that Comrade Stalin was in poor health, the Chinese government must have expressed its concern.

Furthermore, the Chairman attached great importance to Comrade Stalin's health. It should be said that the entire socialist camp attached great importance to this.

This is the influence of a political strongman.

Although the world communist movement relied on the Communist International, the Communist International at the time was subject to the Soviet Union and Comrade Stalin. So, seriously speaking, for more than twenty years before that, the world communist movement was led by Comrade Stalin.

Just like in the early days of the Chinese revolution, anyone who met and talked with Comrade Stalin had revolutionary capital.

Comrade Xiang Ying has just arrived in the Central Soviet Area.

He always mentioned Comrade Stalin because he had met Comrade Stalin, and Comrade Stalin not only talked with Xiang Ying but also gave him a unique pistol. Xiang Ying treasured that pistol very much.

After the Provisional Central Committee arrived in the Central Soviet Area, it would frequently mention what Comrade Stalin had said. It can be said that Comrade Stalin's influence was no longer limited to the Soviet Union, but to the entire socialist camp.

For many communists, Comrade Stalin is a revolutionary mentor and idol. Although the CCP has made its own decisions independently since the Seven Days Conference, Comrade Stalin's influence in China remains significant.

Moreover, the relationship between China and the Soviet Union has been good in the past two years.

Various collaborations are ongoing.

If Comrade Stalin died at this time, no one could be sure of the future development of Sino-Soviet relations. Chairman Mao was particularly worried. Chairman Mao had met with Stalin twice and had already figured out Stalin's style of doing things.

Stalin was a tough-minded person, with some chauvinistic ideas. However, he understood the importance of priorities and knew how to maintain a strategic perspective. He understood the Soviet Union's overall strategy, and many of his decisions were guided by this overall course of action. Therefore, as long as China could maintain the Soviet Union's strategic perspective, Sino-Soviet cooperation could continue.

Comrade Stalin can be considered a qualified leader of a major country.

But what if Stalin is gone?

On March 1953, 3, a little after 5: PM (China time), news of Stalin's death reached China. Upon hearing the news, Chairman Mao was deeply concerned. Of course, this wasn't to say that Chairman Mao and Comrade Stalin had any particular affection for each other.

Instead, the Chairman was thinking about the overall future of China and the Soviet Union.

—A person stayed in the room, didn't eat dinner, and kept smoking.

About two hours later, the Chairman notified all Politburo members and convened a Politburo meeting overnight to make arrangements for this major event. For the socialist camp, Comrade Stalin's death was truly a major event.

After deliberation, the Party Central Committee decided to hold a large-scale nationwide memorial service. The central government issued a proclamation declaring that flags would be flown at half-mast from March 1953 to 3, 7. During this period, all enterprises, military units, government agencies, schools, and mass organizations were to suspend formal banquets and entertainment activities. The Politburo treated Comrade Stalin's death as a state funeral.

After the Politburo meeting, the Chairman did not rest.

On March 1953, 3, Chairman Mao sent a letter to Soviet leaders expressing his grief over Stalin's death. He said: "It is with deep sorrow that the Chinese people, the Chinese government, and I learned of the death of Comrade Stalin, the Chinese people's closest friend and great mentor."

"This is an immeasurable loss not only to the Soviet people, but also to the Chinese people, the entire socialist camp, and the peace-loving people of the world. On behalf of the Chinese and Chinese governments, and in my own name, I express my deepest condolences to the Soviet people and government."

Then, Chairman Mao, along with the Commander-in-Chief, Comrade Xiu Yang, Premier Li Keqiang, Marshal Nie, Wei Hongjun, Deng Xixian, and other leading Party and State comrades, went to the Soviet Embassy in China to pay their respects. Starting at 1953:3 PM on March 6, 3, people from all walks of life in the capital flocked to the Soviet Embassy to express their condolences.

Various groups in Beijing also organized people to go to the Soviet Embassy in China.

Many local groups also sent phone calls expressing their condolences for Stalin's death. Long lines formed in front of the Soviet Embassy in China, one after another entering the memorial hall. By the evening of the 8th, the number of mourners had reached over 20.

This shows the influence of Comrade Stalin in China during this era.

Consider Chairman Mao's personal tribute to Stalin, "The Greatest Friendship": "Comrade Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin, the greatest genius of our time, the great mentor of the world communist movement, and comrade-in-arms of the immortal Lenin, has passed away. We have lost our great mentor and most sincere friend, Comrade Stalin. What a tragedy this is! The grief this tragedy has caused us cannot be expressed in words."

Just like how many people later mocked Guo Moruo for his corny birthday poem to Stalin.

In fact, when Stalin celebrated his birthday in 1949, the Chinese cultural community wrote congratulatory poems for him. Each one was more disgusting than the other, including the birthday poem written by the Central Committee for Comrade Stalin.

After the central leaders went to pay their respects, the Politburo convened another meeting to discuss the list of people going to Moscow to attend Comrade Stalin's funeral.

China’s sincerity must be demonstrated.

Finally, the Political Bureau decided that Premier Wu Hao would be the head of the Chinese delegation, and Vice Premier Wei Hongjun would be the deputy head. The members included Vice Premiers Li Fuchun and Mao Zemin, Vice Premier and Minister of Foreign Affairs Chen Yi, Vice Foreign Ministers Zhang Wentian and Wu Xiuquan, Director of the Fifth Office of the State Council Ye Jizhuang, Vice Chairpersons of the National People's Congress Peng Zhen and Guo Moruo, President of the All-China Women's Federation Cai Chang, Vice Minister of the United Front Work Department and Vice Minister of the External Liaison Department Liao Chengzhi, and Yang Quanwu, a member of the Central Military Commission and a general of the People's Liberation Army who served as Minister of Nuclear Industry, and 21 others.

"The death of Comrade Stalin, a Red Army comrade, is a great loss to the socialist camp and a great shock to it. It may be political or cultural."

After the Politburo meeting, the Chairman spoke specifically with Wei Hongjun. His tone was low.

The Chairman really hasn't slept well these days.

I have been thinking about what changes will occur in the socialist camp after the death of Comrade Stalin.

So this time when the Chinese delegation went to the Soviet Union to attend Comrade Stalin's funeral, the Chairman specifically mentioned Wei Hongjun's name and asked Wei Hongjun to go as the deputy head of the Chinese delegation.

One is to let Wei Hongjun appear at this gathering of leaders from socialist countries. Because Wei Hongjun will have contact with these socialist countries in the future, we should take this opportunity to get to know him.

Another reason is that the Chairman wanted to know about some changes after the death of Comrade Stalin.

"After you go there, you should interact more with the leaders of the Soviet Union and Eastern European countries. If you can visit Eastern European countries, they would also like to see you, the general who defeated the US military."

"Yes."

Eastern European countries are curious about Wei Hongjun.

Everyone wants to know what kind of person the Chinese general who defeated the US military was.

So the Chairman asked Wei Hongjun to go to Eastern Europe and satisfy the curiosity of Eastern European countries. But this was not the Chairman's main purpose. The Chairman said seriously: "When you arrive in Eastern Europe, observe the actual conditions in Eastern European countries. Will these countries have changed since Comrade Stalin's death?"

Why did the Chairman choose Wei Hongjun?

This is because Wei Hongjun has never had any problems in his judgment of grand strategy.

This is a kind of trust.

Wei Hongjun has proven himself in the past. He consistently possesses unique insights into grand strategic decisions. Over the years, Wei Hongjun's numerous suggestions have helped the Central Committee avoid detours during its decision-making. Therefore, the Chairman's opponent has an inexplicable trust in Wei Hongjun's abilities in this area.

After Stalin's death, all countries in the socialist camp would be affected. Whether this impact would be positive or negative, the Chairman wasn't sure. He could only investigate the situation first before making a decisive decision. China's diplomacy was one-sided, so anything that happened in the socialist camp would directly impact China.

Wei Hongjun nodded.

I understand what the Chairman means.

Time was short, so the Chairman simply gave Wei Hongjun some instructions. Wei Hongjun said, "Chairman, I'd like to use this opportunity to systematically study the economic systems of the Soviet Union and Eastern European countries. So, when we go to Eastern Europe, I'd like to go with Mao Zemin. He has a deep understanding of the economies of several countries in the socialist camp."

Wei Hongjun has always wanted to write a comprehensive analytical article on the economic systems of the Soviet Union and Eastern European countries.

It's just that I never had the chance before.

It included a research and analysis report on the political, economic and cultural aspects of the socialist countries in Eastern Europe. After Khrushchev's secret report, the entire socialist camp fell into chaos.

The situation is particularly severe in Eastern European countries.

It was precisely because of the secret report that Eastern European socialist countries fell into chaos, which in turn affected China.

Wei Hongjun needed to take some precautions. Not to prevent things from happening, but to investigate the causes of them. Only with sufficient analysis and understanding of the political systems, economies, and cultures of Eastern European countries could he produce a comprehensive report.

This time, he had the opportunity. However, it would be difficult for Wei Hongjun to complete such a report alone.

over work load.

So Wei Hongjun chose Mao Zemin.

Mao Zemin was in charge of foreign trade in recent years and had in-depth research on the Soviet and Eastern European economies.

It's a good opportunity for the two of us to collaborate and write a report on this topic. The chairman nodded.

He said, "Okay. Comrade Wu Hao will be returning home soon after attending Comrade Stalin's funeral. If you need anything then, you can send a telegram directly to the Central Committee."

"Yes."

On March 1953, 3, the Chinese delegation set out from Beijing.

The Chinese delegation arrived in Moscow that day. After arriving in Moscow, everyone made a simple arrangement and went to pay their respects to Stalin's remains, and then held a vigil.

On that day, a serious stampede occurred in Red Square, injuring hundreds of people. Thousands of Soviet citizens had rushed to see Stalin for the last time, and the large crowds caused an accident.

Stalin's funeral was held on March 1953, 3. Stalin's funeral was a major event in the socialist camp.