Hello audience, welcome to watch “The Untold Truth of a Century.”
In mainland China, Norman Bethune is known as a famous foreigner. The majority of Chinese people have learned about Norman Bethune during their primary school years through Mao Zedong’s article “In Memory of Norman Bethune.” They know that Bethune “sacrificed his valuable life for China’s War of Resistance against Japan,” and that he was described as “a noble person, a pure person, a moral person, a person free from base interests, a person beneficial to the people.”
To commemorate him, the Communist Party of China even established the Norman Bethune University of Medical Sciences in Changchun, Jilin Province. However, the Communist Party always sets up deceased individuals as role models rather than living ones because the dead cannot make mistakes anymore, and the Party often glorifies the exemplars it establishes, leading to doubts about whether Bethune was truly as Mao Zedong described.
Today, let’s combine some historical data to explore what kind of person Norman Bethune really was.
In July 2012, the Norman Bethune Heritage Museum Visitor Center in Ontario, Canada, was officially opened. The Canadian federal government provided $2.5 million for this project, sparking controversy in Canada.
Rob Anders, a member of the Canadian Parliament, criticized the funding, calling Bethune an “evil Communist Maoist follower,” stating that the Canadian government should not use taxpayer money to support such a “suspicious and hypocritical project.” He argued that spending millions of dollars to commemorate a Maoist had gone too far and was “too appeasing towards China.” Some Canadian media even demanded the demolition of the Norman Bethune Museum.
However, some Canadians believe that Bethune made invaluable contributions to the well-being of Canadians. He was a pioneer advocate of Canada’s public healthcare system, the founder of volunteer clinics for the unemployed, and the inventor of the “Bethune rib shears” still in use today. Therefore, “even though one may not agree with his political beliefs, his accomplishments should not be ignored.”
Despite having passed away almost a century ago, why does Norman Bethune still generate so much controversy in his homeland?
According to the book “Phoenix: The Life of Norman Bethune” co-authored by Canadian historical researchers Roderick Stewart and Sharon Stewart, the real Norman Bethune was indulgent in women and had a violent temper.
The book describes how, in 1923, at the age of 33, Bethune became a clinical student at the Royal College of Surgeons in England. It was then that he met Frances Campbell Penney, an 11-year-younger Scottish girl from a wealthy family. Despite her family’s objections, Frances married Bethune in London in August of the same year.
In 1926, Bethune contracted tuberculosis, believing he was near death, he forced Frances to divorce him. “Unless you agree to divorce me, I will never go to the sanatorium for treatment.”
It is unclear to outsiders what the real reason was that compelled Bethune to force Frances to divorce him, but according to a short film provided by the Norman Bethune Heritage Home, Bethune’s life at that time was quite debauched, involving heavy drinking, smoking, and attending various parties at night with no moderation.
In the autumn of 1929, after recovering from his illness, Bethune pleaded with Frances, who had been living in Scotland, to return to him, and they remarried. However, years later, their marriage reached another dead-end in March 1931.
Having personally experienced tuberculosis, Bethune was deeply concerned about the disease, which was perceived as incurable at the time. In 1932, he published an article titled “Early Treatment of Tuberculosis Is Preferable,” in which he proposed that “the root cause of tuberculosis is poverty.”
He believed that poverty was the “root cause of tuberculosis” and that doctors could not solve problems that should be addressed by economists and sociologists, proposing the concept of “universal protection of public health.”
In 1935, after visiting and attending the International Physiological Congress in Moscow, Soviet Union, Bethune witnessed the free healthcare system there. Upon returning to Canada, he vigorously advocated for the implementation of universal healthcare in Canada, but was unsuccessful.
At that time, during the Great Depression, leftist ideologies were prevalent in North America. Industrial workers and intellectuals, who were suffering due to the depression, were attracted to the “Soviet economic miracle.” Bethune seemed to be one of those impressed by it.
His visit to the Soviet Union was more like a superficial observation, combined with his strong subjective tendencies. The so-called “Soviet healthcare model” was likely more of a reflection of his own ideals rather than a reality.
In October 1935, Norman Bethune joined the Communist Party of Canada. In 1936, with the support of Germany and Italy, Spanish fascists attacked the left-wing government of Spain. Communists from 54 countries formed the “International Brigades” to support the Spanish Republican Army in the defense of Madrid. Bethune was among them.
Bethune went to Madrid with the medical team and established the first mobile blood transfusion station in history.
Although areas of conflict inherently require medical professionals, Bethune left Spain after only seven months in May 1937.
Why did Bethune leave Spain while the war was ongoing? The mystery was only unraveled 60 years later when secret archives of the Communist International were decrypted. It was discovered that Bethune was forced to leave by the Spanish government at the time.
Juan Elizalde, a Spanish official, explained in a report to his superiors why Bethune had to depart. He listed some of Bethune’s faults: “Due to misconduct and other reasons, he frequently drinks excessively, and his physical and mental condition has never been suitable for leading delicate work such as blood transfusions… He has taken some jewelry for reasons claiming to give it to someone, then later said he wanted to sell it in Paris to raise funds for the team, but no one knows what he did with those things to this day.”
“He spends money extravagantly without any consideration that it was collected bit by bit by the Canadian proletariat to show solidarity with Spain… We have always noticed his great enthusiasm for the front lines whenever there was a combat mission, but never for the legitimate purpose of blood transfusion.”
After the outbreak of the full-scale war against Japan, Communist Party member Bethune raised five thousand dollars from the American Communist Party, purchased a batch of medical equipment, arrived in China in January 1938, and was recruited by the Communist Party to Yan’an.
In her book “Red Memories,” Shen Rong, who had worked in Yan’an, revealed the phenomenon of “temporary wives” during the Yan’an period. Two Soviets working in Yan’an asked the Communist Party to find them two “temporary wives” for the duration of their stay in Yan’an. Their request was granted, and many foreigners in Yan’an at that time also acquired temporary wives.
However, Bethune was an exception. Despite Communist leadership suggesting finding him a “temporary wife” or becoming Mao Zedong’s personal physician, he declined. The reason was simple: language barriers, cultural differences, and the belief that they would not be happy together, so he adamantly refused to marry.
Nevertheless, this did not mean he had abandoned his tendencies for alcoholism and indulging in women.
According to Shen Rong’s book, there was a time when Bethune went missing while waiting for a boat to cross the Yellow River. The CCP troops searched for him in vain, seeking help from a Canadian priest working as a rural doctor. The priest quickly found Bethune from a brothel, where he had been attracted by local sorghum liquor and the rural brothel, drinking heavily for days and passing out by a prostitute’s side.
Living conditions in northern Shaanxi were harsh back then, lacking milk and bread, with only coarse grains from mountain villages. Bethune persevered through it, refusing special treatment and living among equals.
Once, upon hearing that someone intended to “take care of” him in Yan’an, he flew into a rage and threw a chair out the window.
In comparison to the CCP high-ranking individuals who enjoyed special privileges and frequently changed wives, Bethune seemed more “noble.”
He saved lives and performed 115 surgeries within 69 hours. Those familiar with him mentioned that while he had a terrible temper, he was “very gentle and caring towards patients; it seemed his character could suddenly change.”
In late October 1939, while performing surgery on a wounded soldier near the frontlines in Hebei, Bethune became infected, contracting sepsis.
Upon learning of this, the CCP leadership ordered his full recovery. Eventually, with the help of Shanghai Green Gang leader Du Yuesheng, CCP obtained a scarce supply of medicines for treatment.
By the time the medicines reached Yan’an, Bethune was already critically ill. Whether the medicines were used on Bethune remains unknown. Rumors circulated that there were two opposing opinions within the CCP at the time: one group believed the medication was too precious and might be ineffective even if used on Bethune, and the other believed they should use it regardless. The impasse was resolved with Bethune’s opinion.
A translator and two officials were sent to inquire Bethune’s wishes. After understanding their message, Bethune said slowly, “Go ahead, for the sake of our cause, life is also important.” Unfortunately, this statement was later misinterpreted as, “Forget it, for the sake of our cause, life can be sacrificed.”
Thus, on November 12, 1939, for the Communist Party’s cause, Norman Bethune departed from this world.
Norman Bethune’s life may have been beneficial to the Canadian people, but it cannot be said to have been beneficial to the Chinese people.
Most of those he assisted were Chinese Communist soldiers, shedding blood to defend the CCP’s regime. Considering the heinous acts committed by the CCP against the Chinese people after coming into power and the grievous crimes committed, assisting Bethune and those he aided was akin to supporting tyranny.
In reality, Norman Bethune died for the CCP’s regime. By saving the lives of CCP soldiers and aiding the CCP in disguising itself as anti-Japanese during the war, Bethune contributed to the growth and development of the CCP. It’s no wonder Mao Zedong wanted to commemorate him.
Thank you for watching today’s program. See you next time.
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