“The Father of American Missiles“ - Lin YeBuilding Missiles for the United States

Is this true? A Chinese-American who chose to stay in the United States. Perhaps the name is unfamiliar to many, but his inventions are closely tied to the world’s geopolitical landscape. He participated in the creation of America’s deadly weapon - the intercontinental ballistic missile named Minuteman, which sent shockwaves throughout the world. In the polarized world of that time, the missiles directly pointed at the newly established People’s Republic of China. Regarding this matter, China only felt regret but did not force him to stay because it was an individual’s freedom. As an adult, he had the right to choose a better life. Lin Ye was born in Beijing in 1918, enjoying relatively favorable living conditions and a good educational environment, providing him with the opportunity to change his fate through knowledge. He cherished this opportunity, worked hard from an early age, and, being exceptionally intelligent, smoothly entered Tsinghua University, becoming an outstanding student among his peers. Opportunities are either for the prepared or the outstanding, and due to the special social environment at the time, each year we selected a group of outstanding talents to study abroad, hoping that they would one day become the backbone of our country and help build it. Lin Ye was one of those sent to study in the United States. In 1943, at the age of 25, Lin Ye seized the opportunity to study in the United States due to the indemnity payments, becoming one of the “indemnity students“ and leaving to study and research in the field of rocket development. In 1945, Lin Ye obtained a Bachelor’s degree from Purdue University in the United States. At this time, he was in the prime of his life and continued his studies for a Master’s degree in the U.S. After two years of hard work, he received a Master’s degree from the University of Cincinnati in 1947. Knowledge is endless, and the more you learn, the more you realize your own ignorance. With a strong desire to excel, Lin Ye was determined to pursue all available degrees, a goal he successfully achieved by obtaining his Ph.D. from the University of Cincinnati in 1949. At the age of thirty, Lin Ye was at the peak of his capabilities, an ideal age for ambitious endeavors. His close friend Liang Sili, who accompanied him in his studies, also earned a Ph.D. at the same time. Lin Ye, Liang Sili, Deng Jiaxian, and Yang Zhenyu, all accomplished scholars, drew the attention of the U.S. Department of Defense as they approached graduation. The U.S. hoped they would stay and contribute to the country. In 1949, after the founding of the People’s Republic of China, during the initial stage of the nation-building, China needed a large number of scientific and technical talents. The country wished to bring back Lin Ye and others to contribute to the scientific and technological development of the motherland. Faced with the choice between their homeland and the lucrative, comfortable environment of the United States, they each harbored different thoughts and made distinct decisions. Some, with patriotic hearts, chose to forgo wealth and prosperity for the sake of their motherland, while others opted for a superior life, forgetting their homeland. Among the four friends, Yang Zhenyu and Lin Ye chose to stay in the United States, while Deng Jiaxian and Liang Sili returned to China. The four friends parted ways after enjoying the splendid days of their student life, embarking on new journeys in life. The conditions offered by the United States were undoubtedly irresistible, prompting Lin Ye to give up his Chinese citizenship and identity to stay and develop in the United States. A yearly salary of $300,000, a substantial sum even by today’s standards, was just one aspect. In addition, the U.S. assisted Lin Ye in resolving his nationality issue, welcoming him to obtain U.S. citizenship and become a Chinese-American. The working environment was also extremely favorable, conducive to Lin Ye’s research pursuits. Fresh out of graduation, Lin Ye joined the renowned American company Boeing.