Deng Xiaoping's Secret Nuclear Submarine Program

This episode explores the hidden history of China’s nuclear submarine program during Deng Xiaoping’s early political rehabilitation in the late 1960s. We trace how Xiao Jingguang and Admiral Zhao Renkai navigated the chaotic Cultural Revolution to build the Type 091 Han-class submarines. The conversation examines the strategic isolation of Huludao, the technological hurdles faced by the Second Artillery Corps, and the delicate balance between military secrecy and national survival. Listeners will learn about the specific engineering challenges of cooling systems and hull design that turned a desperate gamble into a credible deterrent. We also look at how these naval advancements were kept secret from the public even as Deng began his broader reforms, laying the groundwork for modern Chinese maritime power without the fanfare of later economic zones. #DengXiaoping #HanClassSubmarine #Type091 #SecondArtilleryCorps #XiaoJingguang #ZhaoRenkai #Huludao #BohaiSea #ChineseNavy #CulturalRevolution #MilitaryHistory #EastAsiaHistory #ColdWarNaval #NuclearDeterrent #ShanghaiBlueprint #FexingoHistory #History #Podcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo