Chapter 19 1. Rising calls for peace and democracy

It was already late when the plane landed in Yan'an. Accompanied by Liu Shaoqi and Ren Bishi, Zhou Enlai and Lu Dingyi got off the plane and went directly to the Yangjialing cave dwelling where Mao Zedong lived. Knowing that Zhou Enlai hadn't eaten yet, the guards brought over a plate of corn bread and millet porridge. Sitting on the kang, Zhou Enlai ate with gusto and said, "Yan'an's millet porridge is still delicious!" "Of course the food at home is delicious. Eat more, it's enough!" Mao Zedong joked seeing Zhou Enlai's delicious food. "Is the chairman healthy?"

"Marx only allowed me to rest for two days, and now he is urging me to work." Mao Zedong lit a cigarette and said humorously. It turned out that after returning to Yan'an for the Chongqing negotiations, Mao Zedong was overworked and had mental problems. He couldn't sleep at night for a while, and his hands and feet trembled.It was not until March and April that work gradually resumed. Before losing his job, Zhou Enlai couldn't wait to report to work. First of all, Zhou Enlai made a detailed report on the implementation of the Central Committee's instructions on the armistice in Northeast China and the work of the delegation.Zhou Enlai: Chiang Kai-shek was very unhappy about the 15-day truce.When I came, they were holding military councils, financial councils, traffic councils, and food councils.What he couldn't get at the negotiating table, he was determined to grab with a gun.Outside the customs, under the pretext of accepting sovereignty, they want to occupy the major cities and transportation lines in the Northeast, and expel the CCP to the countryside or mountainous areas.In the customs, their goal is to restore the traffic, and also want to drive the CCP into the mountains.After the ostensible national unity was achieved, peace was then advocated.

Mao Zedong took Zhou Enlai's words and said: If the CCP is unwilling, he will say that he advocates peace, and the CCP wants civil war.At that time, he can reorganize the government and convene the "National Congress", no matter whether the CCP participates or not, and pass a constitution, indicating that China is already democratic.Chiang Kai-shek's Ah Q spirit is still very strong! "What has been the recent change in the attitude of Marshall and the American government?" Zhou Enlai made a report on the analysis of the reports from the United States and overseas by members of the delegation in the previous two days.He said that according to our analysis, Marshall's views on Chiang Kai-shek's launch of a full-scale civil war are still not consistent.However, the two sides of the US policy became more and more obvious, and the center of gravity of the mediation was clearly biased towards Chiang.On the one hand, he advocated that the Kuomintang and the Communist Party should reach a reconciliation agreement;This fueled Chiang Kai-shek's confidence in the civil war.Marshall was also very ambivalent about this truce. He believed that as long as Chiang won Siping and Changchun, the war would cease.At the same time, he was also afraid that if the Battle of Changchun was protracted, it would cause a war in the pass.

"It is probably Chiang's true intention to use negotiations to cover the ever-expanding civil war and achieve the elimination of the CCP through peaceful means." Liu Shaoqi said. "Regardless of whether Jiang and Ma are making peace or pretending to be peaceful, it is necessary to strive for a little more time for the truce to establish a solid Northeast base area. This may be the key issue now." Mao Zedong said. Zhou Enlai added: If the United States publicly sponsors the civil war, it will not be approved by Congress and the American people.At the same time, they had to be concerned about international public opinion and the attitude of the Soviet Union.Therefore, Marshall insisted on lending money to Chiang Kai-shek only after the armistice.And Chiang Kai-shek may formally reorganize the government to accommodate the proposals of the US government and Marshall.Mao Zedong, Liu Shaoqi, Ren Bishi, Zhou Enlai and others continued to exchange views in depth until the sky cleared around the next step of the Nanjing negotiations and the development of the domestic and foreign situation.

The next day, the Central Work Conference was held again, and the leaders who attended the Central Work Conference felt bleak about the prospect of peaceful negotiations between the KMT and the Communist Party.In the end, the basic policy of our party in the recent negotiations between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party was formed: on the premise of not losing the basic interests of the people, strive for peace, even for a short period of time. On June 9, Zhou Enlai flew back to Nanjing from Yan'an Airport on a special plane provided by Marshall.Considering the changes in the situation, Lu Dingyi, head of the Central Propaganda Department, stayed in Yan'an to work.

At the residence of the CCP delegation in Meiyuan New Village, Deng Yingchao, Dong Biwu, Li Weihan and other comrades were all waiting for Zhou Enlai's return. "Is Mao Zedong healed? How are you, Commander-in-Chief and Liu Shaoqi?" Comrades, he can't wait to ask you every word. "The chairman is in good health, everyone is well, and he is in good spirits. I greet everyone. You see, I also brought you millet from Yan'an, and let the kitchen cook porridge in the evening. You can try it." Zhou Enlai replied with a smile. Zhou Enlai suddenly found a letter on his desk, "Taiwan Review of the CCP Delegation". Deng Yingchao said: "This is a letter of peace and anti-war sent to Chiang Kai-shek and Mao Zedong by well-known people from all walks of life in Shanghai. I just received it this morning."

"Okay," Zhou Enlai took the letter: "Civil war is unpopular, and the people of Shanghai have taken action. This is a great thing!" This is an anti-war letter signed by 164 people from all walks of life in Shanghai, including Ma Xulun, Tao Xingzhi, Ma Yinchu, Wang Shaojiao, Yan Baohang, Bao Dasan, Luo Shuzhang, Xu Guangping, Zhou Jianren, Lei Jieqiong, calling for peace and opposing the civil war.In order to prevent the Kuomintang government from further questioning, this peaceful anti-war statement was also sent to Marshall and the CCP delegation for Mao Zedong. The anti-war book pointed out: "The current domestic situation, the economy is in danger of collapse, and the society is worried about turmoil. After the war, stability is urgently needed. However, since the Japanese invaders have fallen, the war is still raging, and the hope of peace is vain." Therefore, it is required that : "The book of the rate-cutting war enables the people to save their lives when they are on the edge, and seek peace when they are dying..."

"We must immediately reply to representatives from all walks of life in Shanghai, and express the CCP's determination for peace, democracy, unity, and unity through the news media. We must also hold a press conference and reiterate that as long as there is a glimmer of hope for peace, we will go all out for a long-term truce " Zhou Enlai said firmly. "What about the involvement of the Democratic League in the mediation?" Li Weihan said: "In the third aspect, most of the representatives of the CPPCC have left Nanjing. Before leaving Nanjing, they made a special trip to Marshall's mansion, and hoped that Marshall would extend the truce period; the military and political talks will be carried out in coordination. Recently, they are going to be transported back to Shanghai, and then held Plenary meeting to study countermeasures."

"The third party once read and visited Chiang Kai-shek regarding the extension of the armistice, but was ridiculed," Dong Biwu went on to say, "Chiang ridiculed Zhang Junmai and others, saying, 'You know that the Communist Army is untenable, so you advocate the withdrawal of the Communist Army from Changchun. .'" Seeing that almost all the members of the delegation had come, Zhou Enlai immediately said, "Just let's have a meeting and talk about the situation." Mao Zedong's peaceful and anti-war statement was just received this morning. "Okay," Zhou Enlai took the letter: "Civil war is unpopular, and the people of Shanghai have taken action. This is a great thing!"

This is an anti-war letter signed by 164 people from all walks of life in Shanghai, including Ma Xulun, Tao Xingzhi, Ma Yinchu, Wang Shaojiao, Yan Baohang, Bao Dasan, Luo Shuzhang, Xu Guangping, Zhou Jianren, Lei Jieqiong, calling for peace and opposing the civil war.In order to prevent the Kuomintang government from further questioning, this peaceful anti-war statement was also sent to Marshall and the CCP delegation for Mao Zedong. The anti-war book pointed out: "The current domestic situation, the economy is in danger of collapse, and the society is worried about turmoil. After the war, stability is urgently needed. However, since the Japanese invaders have fallen, the war is still raging, and the hope of peace is vain." Therefore, it is required that : "The book of the rate-cutting war enables the people to save their lives when they are on the edge, and seek peace when they are dying..."

"We must immediately reply to representatives from all walks of life in Shanghai, and express the CCP's determination for peace, democracy, unity, and unity through the news media. We must also hold a press conference and reiterate that as long as there is a glimmer of hope for peace, we will go all out for a long-term truce " Zhou Enlai said firmly. "What about the involvement of the Democratic League in the mediation?" Li Weihan said: "In the third aspect, most of the representatives of the CPPCC have left Nanjing. Before leaving Nanjing, they made a special trip to Marshall's mansion and hoped that Marshall would extend the truce period; the military and political talks were carried out in coordination. Recently, after they return to Shanghai, they will hold a plenary meeting Meeting to study countermeasures." "The third side once visited Chiang Kai-shek to extend the armistice, but was ridiculed," Dong Biwu continued, "Jiang ridiculed Zhang Junmai and others, saying that you know that the Communist Army is untenable, so you advocate the withdrawal of the Communist Army from Changchun." Seeing that almost all the members of the delegation had come, Zhou Enlai immediately said, "Just let's have a meeting and talk about the situation." It was late at night, and the Meiyuan New Village meeting was not yet over. Suddenly, the staff came in and reported that Shen Junru, a member of the Standing Committee of the Democratic League, had come to visit.Zhou Enlai got up immediately and greeted everyone: "I got up so late, there must be something urgent, I'll go and receive it." "I heard that Duke Zhou has returned to Ning, so I specially sent a copy of the materials, which may be useful to you." Shen Junru said again: "One of my acquaintances just sent it in the evening." It turned out that this was the speech that Chiang Kai-shek had just delivered at the Central Party Headquarters Memorial Week.The mimeograph printed with the words "Top Secret" has only a few thin pages, exposing Chiang Kai-shek's false truce and real preparations for war.At the meeting, Chiang Kai-shek said: "Before today, Yu advocated a political solution. But now I have to give up the political solution. I hope they will reflect on it during the 15-day introspection period. During the Northern Expedition, it was decided to solve the unification issue within three years, but the result was not satisfactory. Reunification will be achieved in three years. Comrades, please believe again that Yu will complete the military within one year and restore the economy within two years." Shen Junru said very worriedly: "It seems that Chiang Kai-shek is very determined to fight a civil war. The CCP should have considered it earlier." Shen Junru was an influential person in charge of the Democratic League who saw clearly Chiang Kai-shek's dictatorship and civil war policies earlier.When he was in Chongqing, he married his daughter Shen Pu to Fan Changjiang of Xinhua Daily. Zhou Enlai was very grateful to Shen Junru for his late night visit and provided valuable information.He enthusiastically briefed him about the trip to Yan'an, and conveyed greetings from Chairman Mao Zedong and Commander-in-Chief Zhu De to the leaders of the Democratic League. He said earnestly: "Mr. Heng, please take care. I am worried that with the openness of the civil war, Chiang Kai-shek will kill the democrats." Early the next morning, Zhou Enlai went to the Marshall Mansion. Marshall expressed his gratitude to Zhou Enlai for visiting and meeting despite the fatigue all the way back from Yan'an. Zhou Enlai explained to Marshall the CCP's attitude towards the truce in the Northeast.He said: "I talked a lot when I went back this time. I talked about your opinions as much as I remembered." peaceful democracy. Marshall did not interrupt Zhou Enlai's speech. He wanted to know the exact views of the CCP leaders on the current situation that Zhou Enlai brought back from his trip to Yan'an.This is very important to him. "Yan'an believes that after the Northeast issue occurred, conflicts broke out everywhere in the pass. This makes Yan'an feel that no matter how the CCP makes concessions and demands peace, the Kuomintang will never stop. . . . After occupying the line, the CCP army forced into a certain area; in the name of restoring traffic in the pass, it occupied all 8 railways in North China, and also expelled the CCP to the countryside to show that it was unified, and then advocated peace.” Zhou Enlai knew that Marshall was very concerned about any news from Yan'an, and he also wanted to know Marshall's plan for the next step of mediation and Chiang Kai-shek's attitude.However, Marshall seems to talk very little today. Zhou Enlai went on to say: Yan'an believes that the current growing danger of civil war will force us to resist.Only in this way can the Kuomintang's policy of civil war fail to achieve its goal, make them realize the difficulty, and then turn around and move towards peace.Concerning the conflict in Northeast China, Zhou Enlai said: "I think the solution to this issue should be negotiated on the basis of the agreement on mediating conflicts in Northeast China on March 27." Marshall knew that the core of the March 27 agreement was to immediately stop the armed conflict, and the military mediation executive department sent an executive team to mediate.He was reporting to the United States when the agreement was entered into.At that time, Chiang Kai-shek's elite troops launched a fierce attack on the Northeast Liberated Area following the retreat of the Soviet army. It was an agreement signed by his representative, Lieutenant General Ji Lun, Zhang Zhizhong and Zhou Enlai.Chiang Kai-shek strongly opposed this agreement. Things have changed, and now Chiang Kai-shek will have any new ideas, he does not know.Marshall had no choice but to say: "I will seriously consider these issues. Would you please continue the discussion with my assistant, Colonel Hill first?" Seeing that Marshall was in a bad mood, Zhou Enlai didn't intend to talk more, and he didn't force it. Leaving Marshall's mansion, according to Marshall's request, he rushed to the office of American Officers Club Hill to discuss with Colonel Hill. The American Officers Club is located in the villa area of ​​the beautiful Yihe Road in Nanjing, diagonally opposite the Marshall Mansion. From the 1920s to the 1930s, hundreds of high-end residential buildings were successively built here.There are wide asphalt roads, neat street trees, perfect water supply and drainage systems, and specially equipped police security buildings.The individual buildings are mostly built by the homeowners according to their own hobbies. Each household has a large garden green space, garage, guardhouse, etc., with complete water, electricity, sanitary and heating and cooling facilities. The US Military Officers Club is No. 34, Yiyuan Road, which was originally Wang Jingwei's mansion.Hidden in the depths of tall trees and dense forests, this Western-style building is surrounded by the thick shade of French plane trees. It is a courtyard-style three-story building. The first floor is a meeting room, office, etc., and the second floor is a gym with different styles and a pool table. In the middle was a large conference hall, which was transformed into a bar room, and the third floor was the bedroom occupied by Sear and several other senior US military officers. Colonel Hill was wearing a shirt, and was spending time in the bar on the second floor with a few US military officers and a few showgirls with heavy makeup. For the visit of Zhou Enlai and his party, he did not make any preparations, so he hurried downstairs and earnestly invited Zhou Enlai to have a glass of wine before discussing business. Hearing obscene screams from upstairs, Zhou Enlai declined. Zhou Enlai knew that after the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, with the close relationship between the National Government and the United States and the establishment of the American Military Advisory Group, American officers and soldiers became domineering emperors in Nanjing. There are many places like this in Nanjing. It is possible to replace the power of the Japanese army in China. The Stars and Stripes are everywhere in front of the door, and people who come here for the first time almost think that they have arrived in the United States. for Huadong Hotel). In the meeting room on the first floor, Zhou Enlai originally wanted to discuss the CCP’s issue of restoring transportation in North China and Northeast China and the CCP’s participation in railway administration with Xi Er in detail, in order to gain Xi Er’s understanding of the CCP’s negotiating position.Seeing that it was not the right time to come, after exchanging pleasantries, he briefly explained the basic position of the CCP’s request to participate in the railway administration, agreed to talk in detail at another day, and then politely left. After leaving the U.S. military club, Zhou Enlai drove non-stop to the Ministry of Communications of the Kuomintang government, and met with Minister of Communications Yu Dawei on the issue of reorganizing the army and restoring transportation.The Ministry of Communications is located near the third archway on Zhongshan Road (now Zhongshan North Road). Because Zhou Enlai had dealt with Yu Dawei when he was in Chongqing, after the pleasantries, he quickly entered the topic. Yu Dawei said: "In the past, the CCP raised its objection to the establishment of an armed railway police by the military. I understand that now that the government is going to propose that the Ministry of Communications be responsible for the establishment, this problem is no longer a problem." Yu Dawei is a fellow of Chiang Kai-shek, a native of Zhejiang, graduated from Shanghai St. John's University, studied in Harvard University in the United States and obtained a doctorate, and then went to Germany to study mathematics and ballistics.He used to be the Director of Ordnance Engineering Department of the Military and Political Department, the Minister of Military and Political Affairs, etc., and was the Minister of Communications at that time.The issue of the Kuomintang Gendarmerie and the Railway Guard was one of the important differences in the negotiations between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, and it was also the most difficult point of difference to resolve.The Kuomintang is planning to organize 18 regiments of railway guards by the "Military Commission Investigation and Statistics Bureau" (referred to as "Military Command").Everyone knows that the Kuomintang military police and road police are actually spies.There is no doubt that letting the military command organize the railway guards and then protect the railways is actually letting the Kuomintang agents control the railways.In this regard, Zhou Enlai strongly opposed it, and repeatedly proposed at the meeting of the three-member group that the civil affairs must be protected from the interference of the military police, the number of military police should be limited, and their duties should be limited to protecting roads.The Kuomintang did not want the gendarmerie to be restricted, nor did it agree that the Ministry of Communications should organize the railway guard. Marshall appeared less sympathetic to the National Party on this issue.He believes that one of the manifestations of the Kuomintang's "one-party dictatorship" is the rule of secret agents.Due to the KMT's tenacious adherence to its position, the issue was shelved during the Chongqing negotiations and is still being disputed to this day. Zhou Enlai: "The CCP opposes that the road police should be managed by the Dai Li system or the Ministry of Communications, but should be managed by the executive team." "The executive team is a temporary organization." Yu Dawei said. "After the executive team is over, it can be managed by the local government." Since the meeting was informal, the dispute did not continue. With the support of Zhou Enlai, on June 11, Deng Yingchao took advantage of the Kuomintang government to prevent her from attending the International Democratic Women's Federation, and held a Chinese and foreign press conference in Room 17, Meiyuan New Village. The International Federation of Democratic Women was founded in Paris in November 1945, with women representatives from one country present.In the same year, the Preparatory Committee of the Women's Federation of China's Liberated Areas was accepted as a full member, and Cai Chang and Deng Yingchao were elected as directors of the association. At the beginning of last month, Deng Yingchao received an invitation letter from the International Democratic Women's Federation to join the council.The meeting will be held in Paris on June 27. This is an excellent opportunity to win the sympathy and support of women in the world, and to expose the truth that the United States helped the Kuomintang government launch the civil war to the representatives of various countries on the council.Deng Yingchao immediately applied to the Kuomintang Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a passport to go abroad.The Kuomintang government racked its brains to propose that it must represent the Republic of China, must be approved by the Executive Yuan, and must seek the opinions of other domestic women's groups, delaying the process of going abroad. At the press conference, Deng Yingchao introduced the process of being invited in detail.She said: "The Women's Federation of Liberated Areas, as a group member, joined the International Democratic Women's Federation in November 1945. I am attending this time as a member of the association, not representing the country or the national women's group. Therefore, there is no need to seek the opinions of other women’s groups, and I have every reason to be qualified to attend and have the right to obtain a passport to go abroad. If I cannot obtain a passport to go abroad, so that I cannot attend the meeting as scheduled, it will definitely cause adverse effects internationally!” In response to the Kuomintang government's nonsense, Deng Yingchao recalled that when the International Democratic Women's Federation held the inaugural meeting last year, the Kuomintang government's ambassador to France, Qian Tai, temporarily selected 11 people from the women who remained in Europe to attend the meeting. Jiang's wife Song Meiling also attended the meeting. The report will wait for the facts.She said: "Half a year later, the Nanjing government shouldn't be so forgetful?" Deng Yingchao's well-founded words aroused laughter from the reporters at home and abroad.The next day, many newspapers in Nanjing and Shanghai reported the meeting.Reporters from some foreign news agencies and newspapers also published the news in foreign newspapers, embarrassing the Nanjing government. On June 13 and 20, Deng Yingchao called Mrs. Gordon twice, the chairman of the International Democratic Women's Federation, stating that the Nanjing government deliberately made things difficult and refused to issue passports.At the same time, she once again protested to the Kuomintang government. Soon, she received a call from Mrs. Gordon: We are waiting for Ms. Deng Yingchao to come here. I have negotiated with the Chinese embassy in France about the passport issue, and I have already called the Ministry of Social Affairs of the Nationalist Government.At the same time, the secretary-general of the International Democratic Women's Federation went to the Chinese embassy in France to negotiate four times in person. The Nanjing government was very embarrassed.They deliberately delayed until five days before the meeting, and then prevaricated on the grounds that "the embassy in China called, there is no need to attend this meeting, and time is tight, so there is no need to go". Deng Yingchao once again spoke to reporters: he was deeply dissatisfied with this approach of the Kuomintang government, and protested against the Kuomintang government's deprivation of the people's due freedom of travel and assembly. Facing the intensified civil war situation, the democratic parties and the people of the whole country are very worried.As the Armistice Day announced by Chiang Kai-shek approached, under the careful organization and propaganda of underground party organizations in various places, the calls for peace and anti-civil war in the Kuomintang-controlled areas became louder and louder. On June 11, students from all over Hangzhou held strikes against the civil war and teachers' strikes, and were sent to Shanghai to liaise and go to Beijing to petition. On the 13th, about 7,000 people gathered and invited Professor Ma Yinchu to give a speech. After the meeting, Ma Yinchu led a parade in the rain. On June 12, Buddhists in Chongqing held a prayer meeting for peace and anti-civil war in Chang'an Temple, and sent letters to Chiang Kai-shek, Mao Zedong, and Marshall, calling for a permanent truce. On June 19, Shanghai's underground party organization organized a mass movement against the civil war according to the instructions of Zhou Enlai and Dong Biwu. More than 150 student groups initiated the establishment of the Shanghai Student Union for Peace and launched an anti-civil war signature campaign. 49 factories established the Huxi Workers Anti-Civil War Democracy Promotion Association, and the eastern Hudong area and various industries also established peaceful and democratic groups.The next day, about 30,000 women from the women's community jointly signed a letter to Chiang Kai-shek, calling for an immediate truce. In order to cooperate with the Shanghai Peace Movement, the Sichuan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China mobilized and organized more than 4,000 people from all walks of life in Chongqing to sign a telegram to the leaders of the KMT and the Communist Party to oppose the civil war and demand a negotiation to solve the problem. The Chongqing People’s Peace Promotion Association was established, and 5 representatives were elected to go to Nanjing. Petition to Chiang Kai-shek.