Red Spy Tu Zuochao, English translation Fujian TV aired June 12 and 13, 2012 福建电视台2012-6-12+13《红色特工涂作潮》
Screen: Tu Zuochao’s hand writing (of his own autobiography in November 1925 when admitted to Moscow Orient Communist Labor University)
Tu Zuochao, who had joined in CCP as early as in 1924, had shot and wounded one hooligan and therefore exposed his CCP identity. So he was sent to study in USSR.
Screen: Tu Zuochao entered (photo of) Moscow Orient Communist Labor University
Screen: Tu Zuochao’s signature in Russian (with a red oval mark) (Note by this translator and curator—Tu Zuochao’s signature on the letter dated September 11, 1927 was in Russian. The letter was asking for a further military training at Bekovo Camp. Tu Zuochao was one of the 4 signatories.)
During that time, the CCP organization had 3 different arrangements for the young Party members. Those who had not exposed their CCP identities and who enjoyed a strong organizational and leading ability would stay and hide underground in Shanghai. Those physically strong would go to Huangpu Military Academy. Tu Zuochao and another dozen of comrades whose identity had been exposed would go to study in Moscow. But, before his course was completed, Tu Zuochao asked for the termination of his course. Why?
Hao Zijin: Normally, they would first had to learn radio operation. But the radio operation was not readily learnt. You must have a quick mind and quick response. And a very fast memory. For instance, when you are receiving and copying down the signals, di di da da…, you have to change them into numerals. Further, when you copy down the incoming signals, you will have to be able to write down what you had heard some time ago while you still keep on memorizing what you are hearing. That is, when you are hearing 1 you are possibly writing 3. What you are writing is what you had previously heard. To make things harder, several groups of codes will have to be kept on mind, upon to 4 to 5 groups. This means in this case you are a good radio operator. This demands both a good memory and quick response. So some people can do while others can not. Perhaps Tu Zuochao was not for this job. He might have failed to keep the signal codes previously received on his mind. Though he had tried hard.