The Important Contributions of the Northeast Industrial Base in the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea

The Northeast region, as the “eldest son of the republic,”[1]1 “Eldest son of the republic” (共和国长子) is a common metaphorical title for the Northeast region, particularly Liaoning Province, reflecting its status as the first and most important industrial base established after the founding of the People’s Republic of China. is China’s earliest large-scale industrial production base, as well as its largest and longest-established industrial production base, possessing rich industrial heritage resources. The industrialization of the Northeast began at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea was precisely the turning point at which the Northeast’s industrial system, after half a century of development, was integrated into the modernization of New China. The victory in the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea was inseparable from the Northeast industrial base. Without the Northeast industrial base serving as a solid strategic rear area, the course of this war would have been far more difficult. It is no exaggeration to say that without the selfless support of the Northeast industrial base, there would have been no victory in the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea; and without the stimulus of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, there would have been no subsequent high-quality development of the Northeast industrial base.

作为“共和国长子”的东北地区，是我国最早成规模的工业生产基地，也是我国规模最大、历史最悠久的工业生产基地，拥有丰富的工业遗产资源。东北的工业化始于19、20世纪之交，抗美援朝战争正是东北工业体系经历过半个世纪的发展之后融入新中国现代化建设的转折点。抗美援朝战争的胜利与东北工业基地的关系密不可分，没有东北工业基地作为坚实的战略大后方，这场战争的进程将会艰难得多。可以毫不夸张地说，没有东北工业基地的无私支持，就没有抗美援朝战争的胜利；而没有抗美援朝战争的刺激，也不会有东北工业基地之后的高质量发展。

Examining the specific historical facts of the Northeast industrial base’s support for the victory in the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, it mainly comprises two parts: production and transportation. First, production. In the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, we faced the world’s leading military-industrial power—the United States. The equipment of the U.S. military, from aircraft and guns to canteens, represented the highest industrial level of the time, far surpassing the equipment of the Japanese invaders in China. Our ability to achieve victory in the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea certainly could not rely solely on fervent passion; it was inseparable from the Northeast industrial base providing our military with modern equipment. As the strategic rear area immediately adjacent to the battlefield, the Northeast industrial base, which possessed the most developed military industry and heavy industry base in China at the time, continuously supplied combat equipment and military materials to the Chinese People’s Volunteers (CPV),[2]2 The Chinese People’s Volunteers (中国人民志愿军) was the official name of the Chinese military forces that fought in the Korean War (1950–1953) under the banner of “Resisting U.S. Aggression and Aiding Korea” (抗美援朝). effectively serving as the entire logistics backbone for the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea. For example, munitions factories, steel mills, and chemical plants in places like Shenyang, Anshan, and Fushun operated at full capacity, producing and repairing large quantities of military equipment such as firearms, artillery, ammunition, and communication devices for the front lines. Additionally, light industries in the Northeast, such as textiles, clothing, and food processing, provided millions of sets of military uniforms, military shoes, grain, and canned food for the CPV, ensuring the basic survival needs of the officers and soldiers. At the same time, the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea also stimulated the combat effectiveness and productive capacity of the Northeast industrial base, enabling it to be elevated and tempered in the crucible of war.

从东北工业基地支持抗美援朝战争胜利的具体史实看，主要包括生产与交通两个部分。首先说生产。抗美援朝战争，我们面对的是世界军事工业化的头号强国——美国。美军的装备从飞机、枪炮乃至水壶，都代表了当时的最高工业水平，其装备先进程度远高于侵华日军。我们能够取得抗美援朝的胜利，当然不能仅凭一腔热血，而是与东北工业基地为我军提供现代化装备密不可分。作为当时紧邻战场的战略大后方，拥有当时中国最发达的军事工业和重工业基础的东北工业基地，为志愿军源源不断地输送战斗装备与军用物资，相当于整个抗美援朝战争的总后勤。如沈阳、鞍山、抚顺等地的兵工厂、钢铁厂、化工厂开足马力，为前线生产、修复了大量的枪支、火炮、弹药、通信器材等军用装备。此外，东北的纺织、被服、食品加工等轻工业也为志愿军提供了数百万套军服、军鞋、粮食和罐头，保障了将士们的基本生存需求。与此同时，抗美援朝战争也激发了东北工业基地的战斗力与生产力，使之在战争的熔炉中得到了提升与淬炼。

The Museum to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea in Dandong, Liaoning, still treasures one of the few national first-class cultural relics of China’s industrial heritage—the banner of the No. 53 Factory. The Shenyang No. 53 Factory was originally a Japanese puppet gun and artillery repair shop, later becoming an important factory in New China. During the period of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, the factory worked overtime to produce military materials for the CPV, relied on the masses to improve enterprise management, and overfulfilled the national production plan. While providing powerful support for the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, it also greatly improved its own production level. The central government named the factory a “National Model Factory,” and Comrade Zhu De[3]3 Zhu De (朱德, 1886–1976) was a founding father of the People’s Republic of China, a key military leader of the Chinese Communist Party, and served as Commander-in-Chief of the People’s Liberation Army. inscribed for it: “You are models of relying on the working class to run factories and enterprises well.”

辽宁丹东的抗美援朝纪念馆至今珍藏着我国工业遗产的少数国家一级文物——五三工厂锦旗。沈阳五三工厂原本是日伪的枪炮修理所，之后成为新中国重要的工厂。抗美援朝时期，该厂加班加点为志愿军生产军用物资，并靠群众搞好企业管理，超额完成国家生产计划，在为抗美援朝战争提供有力支援的同时，也使得自身的生产水平得到了巨大提升。中央命名该厂为“全国模范厂”，朱德同志为其题词：“你们是依靠工人阶级搞好工厂企业的模范。”

Railways are the top priority of modern transportation. The Northeast possesses the densest railway network in the country. During the period of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, this “steel transportation line that could not be destroyed or broken by bombing” continuously gathered materials from all over the country in eastern Liaoning, and then transported them to the Korean front via ports such as Dandong and Ji’an. At the same time, it also bore the heavy responsibility of evacuating the wounded and rotating troops. Around the railways, the Northeast established a vast system of military depots, warehouses, hospitals, and repair shops, forming an efficient logistical support network. This ensured that war materials could be transformed from “carrying on shoulders and transporting by horse” at the front into organized, large-scale modern logistical supply, greatly enhancing the combat effectiveness of the troops. For example, the Yalu River Cross-Border Railway Bridge in Tonghua City, Jilin Province, is the boundary bridge between China and Korea and was the main passage for the transportation of CPV troops and materials during the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea. It transported a total of 420,000 officers and soldiers and 172,000 stretcher bearers, earning the reputation of “the first crossing of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea.”

铁路是现代交通的重中之重。东北拥有全国最密集的铁路网络。在抗美援朝时期，这条“打不烂、炸不断的钢铁运输线”将全国各地的物资源源不断地集结于辽东，再通过丹东、集安等口岸运往朝鲜前线。同时，它也承担着伤员后送、部队轮换的重任。围绕铁路，东北建立了庞大的兵站、仓库、医院和修理所体系，形成了一个高效的后勤保障网络，确保了战争物资能够从前方的“肩扛马驮”转变为有组织、大规模的现代化后勤供应，大大提升了兵员的战斗力。如吉林省通化市的鸭绿江国境铁路大桥是中朝的分界桥，也是抗美援朝战争期间志愿军及物资运输的主要通道，累计运送42万官兵和17.2万担架队员，被誉为“抗美援朝第一渡”。

Taking the “first vehicle to enter Korea”—the “Little Tiger”—as another example, at 16:00 on December 26, 1950, the 6-1014 locomotive crew from the Sujiatun Railway Depot in Shenyang, pulling a train loaded with weapons, departed from Shenyang Station, crossed the Yalu River via Shanghekou, and at 16:37 on December 28, set foot on Korean soil, entering Qingshuiai Station. This vehicle was affectionately called the “Little Tiger” because it was the “first vehicle to enter Korea.” During the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, the Shenyang railway department successively sent 12,200 employees to participate in the war in Korea. Among them, over 1,800 were cited for meritorious service, and 256 employees sacrificed their lives on the Korean front. Among them, Guan Yunqing, a special-class meritorious service member, also received the Order of the National Flag awarded by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

再以“入朝第一车”——“小老虎号”为例，1950年12月26日16时，沈阳苏家屯铁路机务段的6-1014号机车组牵引着满载武器的列车，从沈阳站出发经上河口过鸭绿江，于28日16时37分踏上朝鲜国土，驶进清水台车站。这辆车因是“入朝第一车”而被亲切地称为“小老虎号”。在抗美援朝期间，沈阳铁路部门先后派出12200名职工赴朝参战，当中有1800多人荣立战功，256名职工牺牲在朝鲜前线。其中，特等功臣关云庆还获朝鲜民主主义人民共和国颁发的国旗勋章。

With the changes of history, the vast majority of the former Northeast industrial base has become today’s Northeast industrial heritage, yet the spirit of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea has always been the most important part of its value system. First, this reflects the mutual assistance between China’s industrialization and the socialist camp. Stepping outside the consistent perspective of domestic construction and placing Northeast industry within the international格局 of the early Cold War, its development was not only self-reliance but also a manifestation of internal cooperation within the socialist camp. This relationship was most concentrated and profound during the period of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea. Second, this is also an intuitive presentation of the dialectical unity of national construction and national security. During the period of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, the Northeast industrial base simultaneously bore the dual tasks of development and defense. The history of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea profoundly reveals: without national security, economic construction is impossible; and without a strong industrial base, national security cannot be guaranteed. Industrial heritage is the material witness to this dialectical relationship. Finally, this even more prominently demonstrates the symbiotic integration of the spirit of struggle and the spirit of self-reliance. The two great spirits—the spirit of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, characterized by bravery, tenacity, and the willingness to sacrifice one’s life, and the Daqing spirit,[4]4 The Daqing spirit (大庆精神) refers to the ethos of self-reliance and hard struggle associated with the development of the Daqing oilfield in Heilongjiang Province in the 1960s, often symbolized by the model worker Wang Jinxi (王进喜), known as the “Iron Man.” characterized by self-reliance and hard struggle—share the same origin in the Northeast industrial base. Together, they constitute the precious spiritual wealth of the Chinese people in defying power and overcoming all difficulties. This is both a category that we should focus on when excavating the value of Northeast industrial heritage and an indispensable part of studying the spirit of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea.

随着历史的变迁，昔日的东北工业基地绝大多数已成为今日的东北工业遗产，而抗美援朝精神却一直是其价值体系中最重要的那一部分。首先，这体现了我国的工业化与社会主义阵营的相互援助。跳出国内建设这一贯性视角，将东北工业置于冷战初期国际格局下，其发展不仅是自力更生，也是社会主义阵营内部协作的体现，这层关系在抗美援朝时期表现得最为集中和深刻。其次，这还是国家建设与国家安全辩证统一的直观呈现。在抗美援朝时期，东北工业基地同时肩负着发展与保卫的双重任务。抗美援朝的历史深刻揭示了：没有国家安全，经济建设无从谈起；而没有强大的工业基础，国家安全亦无法保障，而工业遗产是这一辩证关系的物质见证。最后，这更彰显了斗争精神与自力更生精神的共生交融。英勇顽强、舍生忘死的抗美援朝精神与自力更生、奋发图强的大庆精神这两大精神在东北工业基地一体同源，共同构成了中国人民不畏强权、克服万难的宝贵精神财富，这既是我们挖掘东北工业遗产价值所应当注重的范畴，也是研究抗美援朝精神不可忽视的一部分。

However, in the current excavation of the value of Northeast industrial heritage, attention to the spirit of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea remains insufficient. For example, related heritage is mostly displayed in themed museums of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, while some important former sites have not been effectively protected. To excavate the value of Northeast industrial heritage, first, it is necessary to strengthen IP refinement and narrative dissemination. Taking heroic models such as the Shenyang Railway Bureau and the No. 53 Factory as themes, plan and produce special documentaries or film and television works telling the stories of Northeast factories, workers, and the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, or publish reportage, oral histories, etc. Utilize platforms such as short videos and social media to create online IPs like “Searching for the Memory of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea in Industrial Heritage,” while combining important commemorative days to hold offline activities such as themed exhibitions and concerts at industrial heritage sites. Second, it is possible to deepen scene creation and immersive experiences. For example, within existing industrial museums, establish an independent exhibition hall on “The War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea and Northeast Industry,” using cultural relics, historical materials, and audio-visual technology to recreate historical scenes. Or, at industrial heritage scenic spots, design immersive experience projects such as script-killing games,[5]5 Script-killing games (剧本杀) are a popular form of live-action role-playing game in China, where participants assume characters and solve a fictional mystery, often set in a historical or themed scenario. escape rooms, or live-action performances themed around “Wartime Production Command Headquarters” or “Railway Transport Dispatch Room,” allowing visitors to feel the urgent atmosphere and spirit of dedication of the time through role-playing. It is also possible to develop cultural and creative products themed around “Defending the Homeland” and “Production Competitions,” such as commemorative badges, tool models, and themed stationery, transforming spiritual values into portable and transmissible cultural commodities.

但在目前东北工业遗产价值挖掘上，对抗美援朝精神的关注仍然不够。如相关遗产多陈列在抗美援朝主题纪念馆，而一些重要旧址没有得到有效保护。挖掘东北工业遗产价值，第一，要强化IP提炼与叙事传播。以沈阳铁路局、五三工厂等英雄模范为主题，策划制作专题纪录片或影视作品，讲述东北工厂、工人与抗美援朝的故事，或出版报告文学、口述史等。利用短视频、社交媒体等平台，打造“寻访工业遗产中的抗美援朝记忆”等线上IP的同时，结合重要纪念日，在工业遗产地举办主题展览、音乐会等线下活动。第二，可以深化场景营造与沉浸式体验。如在现有工业博物馆中，设立独立的“抗美援朝与东北工业”展厅，运用文物、史料、声光电技术重现历史场景。或在工业遗产景区设计“战时生产指挥部”“铁路运输调度室”等剧本杀、密室逃脱或实景演出等沉浸式体验项目，让游客通过角色扮演，感受当时的紧迫氛围和奉献精神。还可以开发以“保家卫国”“生产竞赛”为主题的文创产品，如纪念徽章、工具模型、主题文具等，将精神价值转化为可携带、可传播的文化商品。

The War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea powerfully shattered the attempts of Western forces to strangle New China in its cradle, proclaiming to the world an image of New China that defies power and is indomitable. The spirit of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea is the value core within the Northeast industrial heritage system. Systematically excavating and presenting it can not only effectively fill the gaps in the narrative of Northeast industrial heritage but also make the great spirit of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea shine brightly, thereby contributing to the comprehensive revitalization of the old Northeast industrial base and even to the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

抗美援朝战争有力地击破了西方势力将新中国扼杀于摇篮的企图，向世界昭示了一个不畏强权、不屈不挠的新中国形象。抗美援朝精神是东北工业遗产体系中的价值内核，将其系统挖掘并予以呈现，不仅能有效填补东北工业遗产叙事的空白，更能使伟大的抗美援朝精神熠熠生辉，从而为东北老工业基地的全面振兴乃至实现中华民族伟大复兴贡献力量。

(The author is an associate professor at the National Institute of Cultural Development, Wuhan University.)

（作者系武汉大学国家文化发展研究院副教授）

Online editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧