Chapter 12 Chapter 11 Realize the Joining of the Three Main Forces
On September 12, 1935, the Russian Conference made the "Decision Concerning Comrade Zhang Guotao's Mistakes." However, in order to unite and fight for Zhang Guotao, this decision was only issued to the Central Committee members and not issued.
After the meeting, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China called Zhang Guotao and others on September 14, asking him to extricate himself from his mistakes, obey the central telegram, and lead his troops to the north.The telegram pointed out that the reasons for the current inconsistency between the actions of the First and Fourth Front Armies, and the danger of separation operations, are that Zhang Guotao refused to implement the central government's strategic policy and disobeyed the central government's repeated instructions and telegrams.Zhang Guotao should bear absolute responsibility for all the evil consequences of his actions.Only when Zhang Guotao gave up his erroneous position and resolutely carried out the line of the central government, could it be said that there was internal unity and agreement.No diplomatic rhetoric can conceal this truth, let alone deceive the whole party.The central government first led the first and third red armies to the north, just to realize the central strategic policy, and prepared to use its own hard struggle to open up the way for the left army and the right army's fourth and thirty armies, so as to facilitate their northward march.The leaders of the first and third armies and all the commanders and fighters resolutely shouldered the important task of the vanguard to realize the strategic policy of the central government despite all difficulties. They are a model of the Red Army of Chinese Workers and Peasants.Without the consent of the Central Committee, Zhang Guotao privately transferred his troops to directions that were extremely dangerous to the Red Army (Aba and Dajinchuan).For the benefit of the Chinese Soviet revolution, the central government once again asked Zhang Guotao to immediately cancel his determination and order to go south, obey the central telegram, and specifically deploy the left army, the fourth army, and the thirty army to march north.
However, Zhang Guotao ignored the telegram from the Central Committee, and instead held an enlarged meeting of the CPC Chuankang Provincial Committee in a lama temple in Aba, where a banner saying "oppose Mao Zhou and Zhang Bo's northward escape" was displayed.The meeting made a resolution to slander the Party Central Committee for leading the Red Army to the north as "opportunism" and "fleeing from the right", and beautified its own "south" idea as an "offensive route."Zhang Guotao also threatened to impose "disciplinary sanctions" on "elements that have not changed after struggle and education."
At this meeting, Zhang Guotao launched a surprise attack on Zhu De, forcing Zhu De to accept his idea of "going south".Zhu De reprimanded him for his wrong claims and patiently educated him on persuasion.Zhu De said: I came to work in the Left Army to implement the decision of the Party Central Committee.My task is to work with the comrades of the Fourth Front Army to implement the resolution of the Party Central Committee and go north resolutely.Going north is a wise decision of the Party Central Committee.Everything is subject to the command of the Party Central Committee, which is the organizational principle of our party.Zhu De said: I believe that the commanders and fighters of the Fourth Front Army understand the general situation and take into account the overall situation, and they will not agree with you to do this.One day, they will come to the Party Central Committee.
Zhang Guotao organized the siege of Zhu De and Liu Bocheng, forcing Zhu De to issue a declaration against the Central Committee's northward move, and threatened to be shot.Zhu De was righteous and refused sternly, saying: You can cut me in half, but you will never cut off the relationship between me and Comrade Mao Zedong.And said: Going north is the decision of the central government, the central line is correct, I have raised my hand, I cannot object.Liu Bocheng also made it clear at the meeting: I agree with going north, and the Central Maoergai meeting is correct.From the perspective of the national situation, going north is beneficial.If you go south, you will hit a snag.Xue Yue and Li Baobing didn't leave. If you go south, you will meet Xue Yue and the Sichuan army. If you fight well, you can stay for a while.
Zhang Guotao refused to accept the orders of the central government, and he did not listen to the criticisms and warnings of Zhu De and Liu Bocheng. On September 15 and 17, he issued the "Political Guarantee Plan for the Great Southward Advance" and the "Southern Movement" order, driving the Red Army to Tianquan, The areas around Lushan and Dajinchuan retreated.Zhang Guotao advocated: "Our current strategic policy is to concentrate the main force, attack southward on a large scale, eliminate the remnants of the Sichuan enemy, establish a solid base in a vast area, and first redden the whole of Sichuan." will freeze to death", "At most a few members of the Central Committee will be left in northern Shaanxi".
Zhang Guotao went farther and farther on the road of anti-party right-leaning escapeism, and walked into the mud pit of anti-party splitting and establishing a new central government.
On October 5, 1935, Zhang Guotao publicly announced the establishment of a separate "Central Committee" of the Communist Party of China in Zhuomu Tower, Lifan County (now Baisha Village, Maerkang County), proclaimed himself the "Chairman of the Central Committee", and organized the "Central" Central Political Bureau, Central Secretariat, Central Military Commission and Standing Committee, and passed a resolution announcing that "Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Bogu, and Luo Fu should withdraw from their jobs, be expelled from the Central Committee and the party, and ordered to be wanted. Yang Shangkun and Ye Jianying were dismissed and investigated."
After Zhang Guotao established the second "Central Committee", he once again forced Zhu De to express his position.Zhu De sternly refuted Zhang Guotao's opposition to the words and deeds of the Party Central Committee, saying: Our Red Army is well-known throughout China and the world. Everyone knows Zhu Mao. It is impossible for Zhu to oppose Mao.He emphasized that the party must be united, the Red Army must be united, and unite to fight the enemy.Zhang Guotao wanted Zhu De to be a "member of the Central Committee" of his "Central Committee", but Zhu De refused to accept it, and said that he was not against the Central Committee, and that he was "doing revolutionary work in his own name" here.
On November 12, the Party Central Committee sent a telegram to the Fourth Red Front Army, telling them that "our first and third armies have joined forces with the twenty-fifth, twenty-sixth, and twenty-seventh armies in northern Shaanxi" and that they are now "working with the White Area Party and the International contact", instructing the Fourth Front Army: "Your battle situation and work situation, you should call the Party Central Committee at any time", and pointed out to Zhang Guotao that in the speeches and documents of the Kuomintang, the Japanese Kwantung Army Command and He Yingqin, the slander of our Party Central Committee is escapism. , in order to belittle the prestige of the CPC Central Committee, the Trotskyites also attacked the Party Central Committee in this way, "response within the party", "please pay serious attention".At the same time, the Party Central Committee did not exclude Zhang Guotao. For example, in November, the Central Executive Committee of the Chinese Soviet Republic announced the establishment of the Soviet Central Government Office in the Northwest in the Shaanxi-Gansu-Shanxi Soviet Area, which was still issued in the name of Chairman Mao Zedong, Vice-Chairman Xiang Ying, and Zhang Guotao. .On the same day, Zhang Guotao's telegram seemed to call himself the "central government" and did not call the legitimate Central Committee of the Communist Party of China the central government.The telegram notified that the Fourth Front Army had occupied Tianquan and Lushan, boasted that it had opened the door to western Sichuan and laid the foundation for the establishment of the Chuankang Soviet Area, and advertised that "this is the victory of the offensive line", and continued to insist on mistakes, attacking the central government, saying that this "proved It is nonsense to say that it is unfavorable to the south."And "instructed" the Party Central Committee: "I hope that you will resolutely destroy the enemy in the current area, immediately consolidate and expand the Soviet area and the Red Army, and report the details."
On December 5, Zhang Guotao sent a call to the Party Central Committee, and arrogantly proposed four items: "A, I have published documents in the name of the Party Central Committee, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Central Government, the Central Revolutionary Military Commission, and the General Command, and have had relations with you. B. You should use the Northern Bureau of the Party, the Shaanxi-Gansu Government, and the Northern Route Army, and you must not use the name of the Central Committee. The names of C, First, and Fourth Front Army have been cancelled. D. You should report the status of the Northern Bureau, the Northern Route Army, and the political organization The report comes for approval."
Prior to this, at the end of September, Zhang Guotao received an air call sign from the Radio Stations of the Second and Sixth Army Corps, which had lost contact with the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China for a long time. Using the password of the Red Army Headquarters and the name of the General Political Commissar, Zhang Guotao established communication links with the Second and Sixth Army Corps.Since then, Zhang Guotao cut off the direct connection between the Second and Sixth Army Corps and the Party Central Committee.The direct contact between the Party Central Committee and the Second and Sixth Army Corps was not restored until May 18, 1936, when the Central Committee asked Zhang Guotao for the password.Zhang Guotao thought that with such a conspiracy, he could bring the Second and Sixth Army Corps under his control.
In the face of Zhang Guotao's anti-party separatist activities, Maoluo cooperated and united the whole party. With the greatest patience, he combined principle and flexibility well, adopted appropriate methods, and launched an active and effective struggle.They believed that Commander-in-Chief Zhu and Liu Bocheng, who followed the Left Route Army, were in agreement with the Central Committee, and tried their best to educate Zhang Guotao through Zhu De and others.At the same time, it is estimated that at that time, only the Party Central Committee was used to do the work, and Zhang Guotao, who was obsessed with obsession, might not be able to work. He had to rely on the authority of the Communist International.Zhang Wentian, Mao Zedong discussed with Lin Yuying (that is, Zhang Hao), and Lin Yuying came forward as an "international representative" to educate and help Zhang Guotao.The organizational relationship between the Party Central Committee and Zhang Guotao was also handled in a flexible way.Lin Yuying supported the attitude and method of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, accepted the tasks given to him by Zhang Wentian and Mao Zedong, and constantly called Zhang Guotao alone or jointly with Luo Mao, criticizing his mistake of splitting the party, asking him to change course, accept the opinions of the Communist International, and go north to meet with the Central Committee. meet.
On December 22, 1935, Lin Yuying called Zhang Guotao, advising him to pay attention to the unity of the party, and put forward his opinions on the issue of organizational unity: "It is possible to organize the Northern Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Shanghai Bureau, the Guangzhou Bureau, the Manchuria Bureau, the Northwest Bureau, the Southwest Bureau, etc. According to various relationships, some are directly under the central government, and some can be managed by the Chinese Communist Party delegation in Mozambique. This may be a method to unify the party at present.”Ask Zhang Guotao to "think carefully and see the answer." On January 6, 1936, Zhang Guotao sent a telegram to Lin Yuying, stating that "everything is subject to the instructions of the Communist International", continued to call himself the "Central Committee of the Communist Party of China", and continued to attack the Party Central Committee's move northward after the first and fourth front armies met. Counterattacking the enemy" is "fleeing north" and "the consistent opportunist line".
Aiming at Zhang Guotao's mistake of not listening to the advice of international representatives and insisting on anti-Party splitting, Zhang Wentian called Zhang Guotao on January 13, 1936, severely criticizing him and admonishing him to "automatically cancel" the separate "central government".The telegram said:
The political dispute between us can wait for the final settlement in the future, but setting up a separate central government to hinder reunification will only be of interest to the enemy, and it is by no means in the interest of the revolution.I did not make any organizational conclusions about my mistakes here. I sincerely believe that I am one of the leaders of the party and the Chinese revolution, and the party should express it with caution.But I can't be silent about my brother's political mistakes. I have called my brother a few days ago, and the fundamental intention is to hope that my brother will correct it and put the Fourth Front Army on the right track.Brother's temporary center, I hope it will be canceled automatically.Otherwise, if things go on like this, not only the whole party will not take it seriously, but the international community will also not take it seriously. I hope you will think twice.
On January 16, the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China telegraphed the summary of the "Wayaobao Conference Resolution" to Zhang Guotao.
However, Zhang Guotao insisted on going his own way and persisted in opposing the party’s splitting mistakes. On January 20, he called the international representative Lin Yuying, declaring that the legal Party Central Committee with Zhang Wentian as the General Secretary was a “fake Party Central Committee” and even demanded that the Party Central Committee “automatically cancel the name of the Central Committee.”Zhang Wentian presided over a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee on January 22, and made the "Decision on Comrade Zhang Guotao's Establishment of the Second Central Committee".The full text is as follows:
After Comrade Zhang Guotao broke with the Central Committee, he recently publicly established his own "Party Central Committee", "Central Government", "Central Revolutionary Military Commission" and "Regimental Central Committee" in the Red Fourth Front Army.Comrade Zhang Guotao's inclination to establish a second party is tantamount to cutting himself off from the party and from the Chinese revolution.Apart from the telegram ordering Comrade Zhang Guotao to immediately abolish all his "central committees" and abandon all anti-Party tendencies, the Party Central Committee decided to announce within the Party the decision of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee on the Russian border on September 12, 1935.
However, in terms of the party's organizational relationship, workarounds are still adopted. On January 23, 1936, Zhu De, who was in the Fourth Red Army and was fighting against Zhang Guotao's separatist behavior, called Zhang Wentian. Losses", he "suggested to temporarily use the Southern Bureau here and the Northern Bureau to exercise powers in the name of the brother office, and an international delegation to temporarily take the central position and unify the leadership".Zhang Wentian replied to Zhu De on January 24, saying that "I welcome the call." Regarding organizational issues, on the premise that Zhang Guotao "abandoned the second party organization", he agreed to adopt Zhu De's proposal.The telegram is as follows:
(1) Only unity within the party can save the colonies from danger and benefit the Chinese revolution.You are most welcome to answer and read calls. Brother Guotao and Brother Guotao are both comrades in the party, and the comrades here are all respectful.What the younger brothers are arguing for is the highest principle of political line and organizational line. Fortunately, the international contact has been completed, and it can be resolved as calmly as possible.If you are willing to give up the second party organization, it is better to discuss other matters.
(2) The elder brother follows the example of the Northeast Bureau and establishes an international delegation directly under the Southwest Bureau. If there is a temporary relationship with this bureau, the younger brother can agree.The organizational relationship of the original Northwest Bureau, Northern Bureau, Shanghai Bureau, and Southern Bureau remained the same, and there was nothing wrong with it both internally and externally.
Here, what Zhang Wentian proposes is a combination of adhering to the "supreme principle" (the Party Central Committee is the highest leading organ of the whole party, not called the Northern Bureau, and Zhang Guotao must abandon the second party organization), and at the same time making certain compromises based on the reality at the time (the Party Central Committee Temporarily not leading the Fourth Army vertically, but only in a parallel relationship) plan.
On the same day, Lin Yuying called Zhang Guotao as a representative of the Communist International, telling him: "The Communist International fully agrees with the political line of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, and believes that the Chinese Communist Party is the first in the ranks of the Communist International, except for the Communist Party of China. China The revolution has become a great factor in the world revolution. The Chinese Red Army has a high status in the world, and the Central Red Army's long march has won." He also instructed: "Brother, the Southwest Bureau will be established directly under the delegation. Brother, wait for the principles of the Central Committee disputes may be referred to international settlement".
Under such circumstances, Zhang Guotao replied to Lin Yuying and Zhang Wentian on January 27, expressing his agreement to "emergency seek to unify the party within the party", and at the same time he still did not recognize the legal party center and insisted on his second "central". He proposed: "Forcing here to admit that the elder brother is in the center and orthodox, but it leaves a bad mark in the history of the party. If one party makes concessions, it must be the root of evil that planted the traces of factions. Mutual insistence will definitely push each other to the line of the Tuochen faction and Luo Zhanglong. ".He also proposed: "At this time, the international delegation may temporarily act as the central government. If seven conferences cannot be convened for a while, the international and delegation will consult with both of us to re-announce the composition and guiding methods of the Politburo. It is also possible to cooperate with each other. At the same time, it was changed to the Northwest Bureau and the Southwest Bureau." On the same day, Zhang Guotao expressed his agreement in principle to the "Wayaobao Conference Resolution" but proposed supplementary and revised telegrams. He does not recognize the position of the Party Central Committee.Lin Yuying and Zhang Wentian categorically rejected Zhang Guotao's unreasonable demands and insisted on the legal leadership of the Party Central Committee.
On February 9th, Zhang Wentian replied to Zhang Guotao and forwarded it to his comrades. On February 14th (Lin) Yuying and (Zhang) Wentian jointly called Zhu De and Zhang Guotao, saying, "Brothers, etc. agree with the political resolution (note by the quoter: Refers to Wayaobao Resolution of the meeting") agreed in principle, and also used the Southwest Bureau in organization, so that both internally and externally will be unified, which is in the interests of the party and the revolution, and I welcome it unanimously." As stated in the previous telegram, other methods cannot be agreed by the international community.” Replied Zhang Guotao’s telegram on the “Additional Comments” on the “Resolution of the Wayaobao Conference” item by item, and explained that the “Resolution of the Wayaobao Conference” and the “Anti-Japanese War” The National Salvation Declaration, including the basic strategy of the United Front, the slogans of the National Defense Government and the Anti-Japanese Allied Forces, the Ten Programs, and the policy of rich peasants, etc., were all determined in accordance with international instructions. There are more changes."Proposed "unified external measures", "hope that the two sides adopt a consistent approach" to develop the anti-Japanese national united front.It strongly affirmed the correctness and authority of the leadership of the Party Central Committee.
Regarding the strategic policy, it is proposed that the Fourth Front Army and the Second and Sixth Army Corps "cross the Minjiang River once, and the Yangtze River once, the first step is to go to northern Sichuan, and the second step is to go to Shaanxi and Gansu, in order to establish a large base in the north."In the military, it also insisted on the command of the Central Committee over the Fourth Front Army and the Second and Sixth Army Corps.
Zhang Guotao brazenly split with the Party Central Committee and the Red Front Army, and issued the "Go South" order on September 17, 1935, leading the Left Route Army to march towards Chuankang.After more than 60 days of continuous marching and fighting, he fought a decisive battle with the Sichuan army in Baizhang in mid-November.After 7 days and 7 nights of fierce fighting, although the heroic Red Army killed and injured more than 15,000 enemy troops, it also suffered nearly 10,000 casualties.The failure of the Battle of Baizhang was a sign that Zhang Guotao's "going south" goal had hit a wall.
After the Battle of Baizhang, the Fourth Red Army stayed in the Maogong, Danba, Baoxing, Tianquan, and Lushan areas, and Chiang Kai-shek and the Sichuan warlords united to surround the Red Army.They stepped up the blockade from the south, east and west, preparing to attack.The Red Army was in a dangerous situation, it was impossible to go south or east, and the population of the controlled area was only a few hundred thousand, the products were not abundant, the land was barren and the people were poor, food, clothing, and medicine were very difficult, and the soldiers could not be replenished.Under siege, Zhang Guotao was at a loss as to what to do.By late February 1936, only 40,000 of the 80,000 Red Army troops left when they went south.At this time, not only the food was about to be exhausted, but the military situation became more serious.Zhang Guotao had no choice but to "go west", advocating first to develop in the ethnic minority areas along the Kang (Xikang), Sichuan (Sichuan), and Qing (Sea) borders.
Although the "going south" policy has gone bankrupt, Zhang Guotao still refuses to admit it.After the troops arrived in Daofu, Zhang Guotao held a cadre meeting on March 15. At the meeting, he made a report on the development of the Soviet movement in China. Zhou Bo's "totally correct" old tune.It is very correct to say, "It is very correct to play back the carbine and take advantage of the enemy's emptiness to suddenly go south." "As for our northward movement this time, we took the initiative to develop northward after achieving the predetermined goal." "In a considerable sense Said that going south is a victory and has achieved our intended purpose." He also advocated that "we are not passing by here, but to organize the troops and establish a political power." On April 1, Zhang Guotao made another speech at the organization activist meeting. The report on the future of the Soviet movement in China and our current tasks continued to attack the central government's "going north" policy and spread his fallacies of preferring the northwestern border.He was very concerned about Zhang Wentian, Kai Feng and others who criticized him for setting up the "Northwest Federal Government" without authorization. Strengthen the work of the Northwest Federal Government and establish its prestige firmly."Zhang Guotao said: "We want to establish a large number of revolutionary and anti-Japanese bases in the provinces of Sichuan, northern Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Xinjiang, and Xikang."Zhang Guotao was unwilling to cooperate with the Party Central Committee, and his intention to go to the Northwest to create another situation was fully exposed.
In early May, Zhang Guotao established the "Bobaydwa Government" (Tibetan People's Government) in Ganzi.However, the Ganzi area is a Tibetan residential area, sparsely populated and lacking in food. Tens of thousands of Red Army were trapped in a corner of Xikang, making it difficult to survive and develop.The harsh reality proved the bankruptcy of the Party Central Committee's prediction that "going south is a dead end" and Zhang Guotao's separatist activities and escape policy.Zhang Guotao himself had to admit that "it would be disadvantageous for the main Red Army to stay in the Sichuan and Kangxi areas for a longer period of time."On May 21, 1936, Zhang Guotao's second "Central Committee" made the "Outline of the Resolution on the Future of the Development of the Chinese Soviet Movement and the Current Urgent Tasks".Zhang Guotao, who had come to the end of this dead end, had to look back at this time and pointed out: "Our current revolutionary strategy is to seize the northwest region and establish an anti-Japanese base area in the vast region of the northwest." Ibid.Although Zhang Guotao's seizure of the Northwest is still based on "I" as the center of self-development, he does not want to join the central government, but Zhang Guotao, who is in a desperate situation, finally looks forward to "the Red Army in northern Shaanxi taking cooperative actions."Ditto.The original sentence of this sentence is: "The establishment of the Northwest Anti-Japanese Base Area may attract the Northern Shaanxi Red Army to take coordinated actions."
In early May 1936, Zhang Wentian, Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai and others discussed the issue of continuing to unite and fight for Zhang Guotao after summarizing the Eastern Expedition and deploying the Western Expedition.At this time, Ren Bishi, He Long, Xiao Ke, and Guan Xiangying had led the Second and Sixth Army Corps north across the Jinsha River, and were about to join the Fourth Front Army. The direct communication between the Party Central Committee and the Second and Sixth Army Corps was finally restored.
On May 20, 1936, Lin Yuying (Zhang Hao), Zhang Wentian, Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Bogu, Deng Fa, Wang Jiaxiang, Kaifeng, Peng Dehuai, Lin Biao, Xu Haidong, and Cheng Zihua jointly called Zhu De, Zhang Guotao, Liu Bocheng, Xu Xiangqian, and Chen Zihua. Comrades Chang Hao, Ren Bishi, He Long, Xiao Ke, Guan Xiangying, Xia Xi, and all comrades in charge, reported the great victories achieved under the leadership of the Party Central Committee since the Wayaobao Conference, analyzed the current international and domestic situation, and explained the current tasks of the Party and the Red Army .The telegram first reported the progress of the joint work between the Red Army and the Northeast Army, which was most closely related to the Second and Fourth Front Armies:
With regard to the close cooperation between the Red Army and the Northeast Army, which has entered the Northwest University to jointly establish a Northwest National Defense Government, open up the Soviet Union, and conclude an anti-Japanese mutual assistance treaty with the Soviet Union and Outer Mongolia, we are conducting nationwide political, military, economic, and diplomatic discussions. The arrangement must strictly deal with the sabotage and military attacks of the Japanese emperor and Chiang Kai-shek, and it is especially necessary to strictly keep secrets from the outside world.
Then, the telegram commented on the domestic and international situation.With regard to the domestic situation, the telegram stated:
The party's political resolutions in December and the political declaration of the Seventh Congress, as well as Comrade Shao Yu's report at the Seventh International Congress, all received sympathy and support from the broad masses of the people across the country, including the vast majority of intellectuals.The Red Army’s Eastern Expedition aroused fanatical support from the people in North and Central China. Many anti-Japanese groups in Shanghai, as well as Lu Xun, Mao Dun, Song Qingling, Qin Zhen, etc., all sent letters expressing their support for the propositions of the Party and the Central Committee of the Soviet Union. Even Li Jishen also issued a telegram in support, Feng Yuxiang advocated resisting Japan and not fighting the Red Army. The Nanjing government was divided into two factions, the Allied Japan and the Communist Party and the Allied Communist Party and the Anti-Japanese faction. There were more than 30 public publications in Shanghai that supported our ideas on politics, economy, and culture. The number of sales reached about 200,000 copies, breaking the historical record, and Chiang Kai-shek could not stop it.Ma Xiangbo and He Xiangning led demonstrations on the streets of Shanghai, and many foreign journalists sponsored the anti-Japanese movement. From the Blue Shirts, the Kuomintang to the Nationalist faction, dozens of factions across the country rose up on the issue of uniting the Communist Party against Japan or Japan against the Communist Party. Splits, shocks and changes, our party and the united front of all parties and factions are actively organizing, all of which prove that the development of the Chinese revolution is taking a stormy situation.
Regarding the international situation, the telegram pointed out: "The Communist International's call for a united front has already won victory in many countries." "The International has sent people to us three or four times, hoping that we can establish a big situation in the Northwest."
The telegram finally proposed the current task: "There are no political and strategic differences between my younger brother and Comrade Guotao. There is no need to talk about the differences in the past. The only task is to unite the whole party and the whole army to oppose the Japanese emperor and Chiang Kai-shek. Brothers and all the comrades in the Second and Fourth Front Army expressed their boundless respect for their hard work, and they unanimously welcome the adoption of the Northward Policy."It is completely a sincere and sincere attitude, adopting a tolerant and magnanimous attitude, and never bullying others.
On May 25, Lin Yuying, Zhang Wentian, Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Bogu, Peng Dehuai, Lin Biao, and Xu Haidong also jointly called Zhu De, Zhang Guotao, Liu Bocheng, Xu Xiangqian, Chen Changhao and transferred to Bishi, He Long, Xiao Ke, Guan Xiangying, and Xia Xi to analyze The domestic and international situation and the war situation in the Northwest show that "after the Red Army crossed westward, it developed into Shaanxi, Gansu, and Ningxia, coordinated with the Fourth Front Army and the Second Front Army, vigorously developed the Soviet area, and gradually approached Outer Mongolia." Take advantage of this very favorable opportunity and favorable weather to make a quick plan, or leave Gansu, or leave Qinghai."Said: "After the elder brother and others decided on the big plan, on the one hand, the army dispatched to Tianshui and Lanzhou at the right time to further support the elder brother and others so that the Jiang army could not stop them."As for the Northeast Army, it was informed that "it has been agreed to not block it."
The practice of the past year has proved that the "Go North" policy of the Party Central Committee is a correct and successful policy; Zhang Guotao's "Go South" policy is a wrong and failed policy.The practice of the past year has also proved that the strategy and policy determined by the Wayaobao Conference are correct, and the leadership of the Party Central Committee has made great achievements in realizing the strategic transformation and implementing the anti-Japanese national united front strategy.The Shaanxi-Gansu base areas have been expanded and consolidated; the Red Army has grown and grown; a "trinity" with the Northeast Army and the Northwest Army has begun to take shape, and the Northwest Great Alliance has begun to take shape; The Kuomintang and Chiang Kai-shek were regarded as their negotiating opponents, and started the second secret negotiation of KMT-CPC cooperation; the Communist International affirmed and supported the Party Central Committee with Zhang Wentian as the general secretary, and fully agreed with the political line of the CPC Central Committee.All of this made Zhang Guotao, who was in a desperate situation, no longer able to fight against the Party Central Committee.
On May 28, Zhang Wentian presided over a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee in Wayaobao.The meeting estimated that Zhang Guotao might change his mistakes under the current circumstances. In order to unite and win over Zhang Guotao, the Red Fourth Front Army and the Red Second Front Army marched northward to Gannan. Everyone agreed with Mao Zedong's opinion and decided that "the organization can make concessions to the extent that they are not necessarily under our command." .
On March 23, 1936, the leaders of the Red Fourth Front Army learned that the Red Second and Sixth Army Corps had reached the borders of Guizhou and Yunnan. Zhu De and Liu Bocheng strongly advocated that the Red Second and Sixth Army Corps crossed the Jinsha River north to join the Red Fourth Front Army.After the Second and Sixth Army Corps of the Red Army determined the North Crossing policy, the Fourth Front Army of the Red Army cooperated in action. On April 27th and 28th, the Second and Sixth Corps crossed the Jinsha River near Shigu Street in Lijiang County, Yunnan.According to Appendix 2 of "Refuting Zhang Guotao", "The Kuomintang's Records on the Actions of the Red Army at that Time", p. 409.After learning about it, Zhu De immediately took the lead to send a congratulatory message: "Since Jinsha is crossing, the rendezvous is on schedule. The good news comes, and the whole army rejoices; Salute!" At this time, the heroic force numbered about 16,000.Li Ping's "History of the Long March of the Chinese Red Army" records that when the Second and Sixth Red Army crossed the Jinsha River, there were a total of 15,995 people and 7,852 guns.Among them, the Second Army has 9995 people and 4867 guns; the Sixth Army has 5998 people and 2985 guns.Page 280 of the book. In late May, the Second Army entered the Ba'an area. On June 3, the vanguard of the Sixth Army Regiment led by Xiao Ke and Wang Zhen joined Luo Binghui, the 32nd Army of the Fourth Front Army, in Xiongba.In a few days, the Second and Sixth Army Corps will be able to reach Zhanhua and Ganzi and join forces with the Fourth Front Army.Under such circumstances, Zhang Guotao's second "central government" could no longer exist.
That's how Zhang Guotao went bankrupt in his "Going South", failed in his "Westward Advance", and was at a dead end. Through the leadership of the Party Central Committee, comrades Mao, Luo, Zhou, and Bo, and the international representative Lin Yuying, as well as the Red Army generals Peng and Lin in northern Shaanxi at that time, With the help and urging of Zhu De, Liu Bocheng, Xu Xiangqian, etc., and with the repeated criticism and education of Zhang Guotao, Liu Bocheng, and Xu Xiangqian, and the upcoming meeting of the Red Second and Sixth Army Corps, Zhang Guotao's second "Central Center" could not continue to exist.
On June 6, 1936, Zhang Guotao was forced to announce the cancellation of his separate "Central Committee of the Communist Party of China" and the establishment of the "Northwest Bureau" (the "Southwest Bureau" should have been established, Because of the mistranslation of the telegram, it was called "Northwest Bureau" (according to Cheng Fangwu: "Remembering the Traitor Zhang Guotao", Beijing Publishing House, 1985 edition, p. 128.).However, he still persisted in his mistake and did not really repent.In Zhang Guotao's report, he first talked about the current situation, and then announced that "the name of the central government will be abolished", saying that "we may not necessarily use the form of orders to comrades in northern Shaanxi, but it is still possible to use the form of mutual consultation."At the same time, he announced that the Party Central Committee in northern Shaanxi would also cancel the name of the Central Committee, and that the functions and powers of the Central Committee would be temporarily exercised by the international delegations. “Northern Shaanxi set up the Northern Bureau of the Central Committee to direct the work of the Party and the Red Army in northern Shaanxi. In addition, of course, there were the Shanghai Bureau and the Northeast Bureau in the white areas. We set up the Northwest Bureau, all under the command of the international delegation.”Regarding northern Shaanxi, he had to admit that "development and new victories have been achieved", but he also said that these developments and victories should not be "overestimated".He also insisted that "our opposition to escape routes in the past was based on principles."Zhang Guotao still insisted on making mistakes, but he had to take off his Second Central Committee's brand. In terms of military affairs, he also announced that he would still follow the establishment of the first and fourth front armies when they met, that is, four, five, nine, thirty, thirty-one, three The Twelfth Army is the Red Fourth Front Army.Zhang Guotao also confiscated all the "central government documents" of his "central government" and burned them.
During the Long March, the struggle against Zhang Guotao's anti-party separatist activities finally won, but because Zhang Guotao still insisted on his wrong position, the struggle against Zhang Guotao did not end here.To achieve the rendezvous of the three main forces of the Red Army, we have to go through a series of sharp, complicated and arduous struggles.
On June 22, 1936, Xiao Ke and Wang Zhen led the Sixth Red Army to Puyulong near Ganzi to join the Fourth Red Army Command.Zhu De rushed there to meet him in person. On the 24th, a division meeting was held. On June 30, He Long, Ren Bishi, and Guan Xiangying led the Second Red Army to Rongbacha near Ganzi and joined forces with the 30th Army of the Fourth Red Army. On July 1, arrived at Ganhaizi in Ganzi.He Long, Ren Bishi, and Guan Xiangying met with Zhu De.
When the Red Second and Sixth Army Corps entered the Ganzi area, they were warmly welcomed by the commanders and fighters of the Red Fourth Front Army. Along the way, they posted "Welcome the Second and Sixth Army Corps that swept across Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou and Kang", "Welcome the Second and Sixth Army Corps that are good at mobile warfare" " and other huge slogans, the Tibetan masses lined the road to welcome, singing and dancing, "Yemo! Yemo!" The cheers continued.
The Party Central Committee was very happy to hear the news of the successful rendezvous between the Second and Sixth Army Corps and the Fourth Front Army. That is, on July 1, Lin Yuying, Luo Fu, Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Bogu, Peng Dehuai and other party, government and army leaders in the Shaanxi-Gansu base area 68 people jointly sent a call to Zhu De, Zhang Guotao, Xu Xiangqian, Chen Changhao, Ren Bishi, He Long, Xiao Ke and other Red Army generals to congratulate the Second and Sixth Army Corps and the Fourth Front Army on their meeting in Ganzi.The congratulatory message said: "We celebrate your victorious rendezvous with infinite enthusiasm. I hope you will continue to march bravely and go north to Shaanxi and Gansu to cooperate with and even rendezvous with the first army. Establish the base camp of the Chinese revolution in Northwest China and integrate with the Soviet Union and Outer Mongolia. , establish a united front to resist Japan and save the country with the anti-Japanese people, anti-Japanese troops, and anti-Japanese parties throughout the country, organize the people's national defense government and the anti-Japanese coalition forces, and launch a sacred national revolutionary war against Japanese imperialism and its lackeys and traitors, save China from peril, and liberate China The nation is under the iron hoof of Japanese imperialism." The congratulatory message also pointed out: "The political environment in the Northwest is very good. After the Second and Fourth Front Armies go north, we will have greater power to carry out the struggle of all ethnic groups, parties, and armed forces in the Northwest. Great alliance of forces."
When Zhu De met Xiao Ke and Wang Zhen in Puyulong on June 23, and when Zhu De and Liu Bocheng met He Long, Ren Bishi, and Guan Xiangying in Ganhaizi on July 1, they successively joined forces with the Red Front Army and the Red Fourth Front Army. He told them in detail about the situation, differences, and Zhang Guotao's activities of establishing a separate "Central Committee", splitting the party, and splitting the Red Army.Zhu De also showed He Long and others the documents of the Lianghekou meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee and the meeting of Mao Ergai, as well as the telegram from the Central Committee strictly ordering Zhang Guotao to lead his troops to the north.Zhu De told them that due to Zhang Guotao's mistakes, the Red Fourth Front Army suffered serious setbacks after going south, and finally had to retreat to the Ganzi area.After repeated criticism and urging by the Party Central Committee, repeated mediation by the Communist International, and the efforts of Zhu De, Liu Bocheng, Xu Xiangqian, and the commanders and fighters of the Fourth Red Army, Zhang Guotao was forced to cancel the illegal center he organized and agreed to go north.However, Zhang Guotao still opposed Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Zhang Wentian, and Bo Gu, the main leaders of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. Therefore, the problem of Zhang Guotao's opposition to the Central Committee was not resolved.We have to do solidarity work, that is, to find ways to push him to join the central government.The Party Central Committee is with Comrade Mao Zedong.Liu Bocheng also had in-depth talks with He Long and Ren Bishi.Liu Bocheng said: "You can't get angry with Zhang Guotao. If you get angry, you need to split. The central government is in front, not here." Zhu De also said to He Long: "You are here, we will go north together. The party central committee is with Comrade Mao Zedong." According to "Refuting Zhang Guotao", Hong Kong Chinese Sons and Daughters Publishing House, 2003 edition, p. 210.
Since joining the Second and Sixth Army Corps, Zhang Guotao has not relaxed his separatist activities for a moment.In the name of welcoming the 2nd and 6th Army Corps, he sent a "work team" to spread rumors and rumors, and distributed the document "Opposing Mao, Zhou, Zhang, and Bo's Escapism Line" to incite anti-Party and anti-Central sentiment.He also used hard and soft means in an attempt to coerce the leaders of the Second and Sixth Army Corps to agree with his wrong line.His anti-party separatist activities were resolutely opposed and resisted by the leading comrades of the Second and Sixth Army Corps.
On the first night in Ganzi, Zhang Guotao and Ren Bishi proposed to change the heads of the Red Second and Sixth Army Corps, asking Ren Bishi to leave, and the Red Second and Sixth Army Corps to send political commissars.Ren Bishi resolutely pushed him back.Ren Bishi heard the speeches attacking the Party Central Committee and the Red Front Army in the conversations of the people from the Fourth Front Army of the Red Army, and immediately arranged down: the cadres from the Fourth Front Army were only allowed to talk about unity, introduced the experience of the grassland, and were not allowed to carry out anti-Central propaganda.The materials sent are not allowed to be distributed, one copy is kept, and the rest are all burned.
张国焘派人向任弼时说，两个方面军首先应该一致。任弼时回答：唯有在十二月决议的基础上才能一致。张国焘要开党的会议，任弼时提出：报告哪个做？有争论，结论怎么做？张国焘又提出开二、四方面军干部联席会，想以多数压少数。任弼时同贺龙、关向应商量后回答他：不能以多数压少数。张国焘谈话中指责红一、三军团北上“是毛泽东等人的疑忌太多”，任弼时立即说，那也是四方面军中一些人的“反对呼声加强了这种疑忌”。张国焘为他成立第二“中央”狡辩，任弼时毫不含糊地指出，另立中央“似乎太过分了！”
贺龙态度也很鲜明，他下令二方面军各部队收缴了张国焘的反党文件，制止了“工作团”的反党言行。同时，贺龙很讲策略。张国焘拉拢他，他虚与周旋，向张国焘要人要枪。张国焘把红三十二军（原属一方面军后划入左路军的红军团）划给了二方面军。
6月3日，王震带领部队在甘孜以南的甲洼与四方面军的三十二军团会合时，就有张国焘组织的“总政工作团”跟随三十二军前来“欢迎”，给六军团干部战士送来了《西北问题讲座》、《干部必读》。拿到这两本书的宣传部干部打开一看，书上的标题竟是“反对毛、周、张、博”，立即向政委王震报告。王震十分气愤，把书甩在草地上，说：“你把它烧掉！立刻烧！我们是拥护毛主席的！狗娘养的才反对毛主席！”张国焘拉拢王震，请他吃饭，送他四匹马，给他戴高帽子，还封官许愿。王震严词拒绝，说：“我们这个部队是井冈山的，是毛主席领导成长的，不能反毛。”王震回忆那时的情况说：“和四方面军会合后，张有阴谋瓦解二、六军团。贺、关、张是老旗帜。贺是南昌起义的总指挥之一，是革命旗帜；任、关是中委。张认为我们是娃娃，想把我和萧克及六军团买过去，反对毛、周、张、博”，“在甘孜休息时，张一个一个把我们召去谈话，送给我四匹马，给我们戴高帽子，说我们勇敢、能打。他那个军阀主义呀，简直不像话。刘帅说：送给你，你就收下。后来和贺老总一说，贺说：这是我们以前在旧军队里干的。”
朱德经过努力，把刘伯承从四方面军调派到二方面军中去。当时刘伯承与张国焘斗争尖锐，处境不利，有被张国焘杀害的危险，朱德用这个办法让他离开，免遭不测。
7月2日，在甘孜草原上，召开庆祝二、六军团和四方面军会师大会。
朱总司令发表讲话，强调执行中央北上方针，搞好团结。他说：“同志们，我祝贺你们战胜了雪山，也欢迎你们来和四方面军会合，但这里不是目的地，我们要继续北上。要北上就必须团结一致，不搞好团结是不行的。我们要有充分准备，克服一切困难。”他还说：“毛主席去年带着一方面军胜利地通过草地，到达了抗日前哨阵地——陕甘地区。现在陕甘边根据地巩固扩大了，红军也壮大了。我们要到陕北和毛泽东、周恩来率领的红一方面军会合。”
任弼时代表二、六军团讲话，旗帜鲜明地说：目前形势很好，中央已经到了陕北，根据地有了发展，中央红军东渡黄河也取得了胜利。现在中央提出了抗日民族统一战线的口号，提出了争取东北军、西北军的问题，我们唯一的道路是北上与中央会合。
张国焘是红军总政委，站起身讲话。这时，贺龙半真半假地给了他一句悄悄话：“国焘啊，只讲团结，莫讲分裂，不然，小心老子打你的黑枪！”
庆祝大会后，在甘孜召开了两个方面军主要领导人参加的会议。任弼时讲话批评了张国焘自立中央的错误，阐明了北上方针的正确性。朱德、刘伯承、贺龙、关向应表示坚决拥护党中央的正确路线。会议通过了二、四方面军北上与中央会合的方针。
7月初，红二、四方面军分为三个纵队三个纵队的编制是：红四方面军编为第一、二纵队，又称右纵队、中纵队，红二方面军编为第三纵队，又称左纵队。朱德、张国焘指挥三十军、四军两个团、三十二军、二方面军及总直各部为左纵队；徐向前指挥九军、三十一军两个团、四军两个团、红大、总供给部、总卫生部为中纵队；董振堂、黄超指挥五军、一军两个团及留绥靖各部为右纵队。分别从驻地甘孜东谷、炉霍、绥靖出发，踏上共同北上的征程。
7月5日，中央军委颁布命令成立红二方面军：“以二军、六军、三十二军组织二方面军，并任命贺龙为总指挥兼二军军长，任弼时为政委兼二军政委，萧克为副总指挥，关向应为副政委，陈伯钧为六军军长，王震为政委。”三十二军军长和政委分别由罗炳辉、袁任远担任。中央组建红二方面军的决策，彻底粉碎了张国焘分化、吞并红二、六军团的图谋。
在东谷期间，任弼时向张国焘要来了通电的密码。7月6日，任弼时就用这个密码向周恩来、林育英、毛泽东、洛甫、博古、王稼祥发电报告红二、六军团长征及与四方面军会合现正继续北进的情况，恢复了与中央中断了十个多月的直接电讯联系。电文为：“（一）二、六军团于本月一日在甘孜与四方面军会合，现随同四方面军继续北进。（二）这次远征，计费时七个多月，行军一万余里，沿途大小战斗千余次，伤亡约五千三百人。出发时两个军共一万七千人，到甘孜会合时，为一万四千五百人，二军九千人，六军五千三百人，武器比桑植出发时稍有增加。（三）我现随朱、张行进。”
红二、四方面军出发后，即进入茫茫草原。从阿坝到包座，一片水草地，到处是污水和腐草，空气稀薄，气候多变，没有粮食。四方面军这是第三次过草地了。指战员们以高昂的情绪和艰苦奋斗的精神，战胜了困难，再一次征服了草地，于8月1日到达包座地区。
二方面军分两个梯队随左纵队北进。他们是第一次过草地。从甘孜出发时，每人只带了七八天的干粮。原计划10天到达阿坝，实际走了20来天。第二梯队在贺龙、任弼时率领下于7月26日才到达阿坝地区，同于23日先期到达的陈伯钧、王震率领的六军团和罗炳辉率领的三十二军会合。经过短期休整、筹措粮食，即继续北上。
这时蒋介石下令集结兵力，重点堵击。在甘、青、川、康构成一条又一条堡垒封锁线。红二方面军北上，只得过川西北的水草地。严重的粮荒威胁着红军战士的生命。粮食吃光了，只能烧烤牛皮、牛羊骨以及挖野菜、钓鱼充饥。二方面军担任全军后卫，挖野菜都很不易，因为前面已有部队经过，野菜已挖过一遍了。二方面军减员很多，但这支英勇的部队终于创造了人间的奇迹，跨出了充满死亡的草地，于8月中旬前后到达班佑、包座一带。
在1936年5月太相寺会议决定西征的时候，中央就赋予以彭德怀为司令员兼政委的西方野战军配合二、四方面军北上的使命。彭德怀不负重托，西征取得巨大的胜利以后，就及时地作好了迎接二、四方面军北上，实现三大主力会师的准备。在二、四方面军甘孜会师即将共同北上之际，在张浩、张闻天、毛泽东、周恩来、博古、彭德怀等68人的联名电报中，通报了一方面军策应二、四方面军的情况：“第一方面军现在转向甘肃、宁夏方面策应你们北上，又复连战皆捷，占领了定边、盐池县、豫旺县、环县、宁条滦、曲子镇、洪德城、同心城等十余个大小城镇，消灭马鸿逵、马鸿宾的许多队伍，开辟了九个苏维埃县，夺取了出产丰富的盐区，与长城外的蒙古民族及甘宁的回族，建立了良好的统一战线。”
红二、四方面军共同北上，始终受到张闻天、毛泽东等党中央领导人的关怀和指导。
从总的战略上，毛泽东、张闻天等领导人除作出西征决策，主力组成西方野战军，由彭德怀率领进行西征，配合二、四方面军北上以外，还派二十八军南下策应。与此同时，进一步发展与东北军的关系，使其对二、四方面军的北上不加阻拦。
早在5月中旬，二、六军团进军中甸时，林育英、张闻天、毛泽东、周恩来、博古、王稼祥、凯丰、彭德怀、邓发、林彪、徐海东、程子华等党中央和红一方面军领导人即联名致电朱德、张国焘、刘伯承、徐向前、陈昌浩、任弼时、贺龙、萧克等二、四方面军领导人，表示：热忱红二、六军团同红四方面军联合北上，与红一方面军会师。
5月25日，中共中央又以张闻天、毛泽东等人名义致电朱德、张国焘等人，分析国内国际形势，再次提出二、四方面军北上的方针。要求“四方面军与二方面军宜趁此十分有利时机与有利天候速定大计，或出甘肃，或出青海”，说明现在红一方面军“西渡后，向陕甘宁发展，策应四方面军与二方面军，猛烈发展苏区，渐次接近外蒙”，“兄等大计决定之后，一方面军适时向天水、兰州出动，进一步策应兄等，使蒋军不能拦阻。”
6月1日，两广事变爆发。中共中央考虑到形势的变化，于6月19日以林育英、张闻天、周恩来、博古、毛泽东、彭德怀的名义，明确提出二、四方面军会师后以甘南地区为北上的目标。电文说：“关于二、四方面军的部署，我们以为宜出至甘肃南部，而不宜向夏洮地域。”电文陈述了北上甘南的四条理由：“避免引起回汉冲突”，“甘南敌情薄弱”，“利于以后东出陕南”，“甘南利于补充”。
6月25日，中共中央又以毛泽东、周恩来、彭德怀名义致电朱德、张国焘，重申二、四方面军会师后北上甘南的战略目标。并询问红二、四方面军：“何日开始北上？经何路？何日可达何处？敌情如何？我陕甘应如何策应？”
7月13日，毛、周、彭又致电朱、张、任，指示二、四方面军北出草地后应迅速攻占岷州，强调此举将使红军在“战略上大占优势。”
7月22日，张浩、张闻天、毛泽东、周恩来、秦邦宪、彭德怀致电朱德、张国焘、任弼时，通报：“我们正动员全部红军并苏区人民粉碎敌人之进攻，迎接你们北上”，“国际电台联络从6日起已畅通，望国焘兄将四方面军情形及意见电告，以便转达国际。”提示：“二、四方面军以迅速出甘南为有利。”告知：“待你们进至甘南适当地点时，即令一方面军与你们配合，南北夹击，消灭何柱国、毛炳文等部，取得三个方面军的完全会合，开展西北伟大的局面。”
7月25日，张闻天又发电催询：“我们盼望你们早日北来，能于8月中旬到达甘南否？”
7月27日，中共中央批准成立中共中央西北局，由张国焘任书记，任弼时任副书记，朱德、关向应、贺龙、徐向前、王震、陈昌浩等为委员，统一领导二、四方面军的北上行动。
以张闻天为总书记的党中央这些及时的指示，加强了领导，分析了敌情，指明了道路，鼓舞了士气。经过二、四方面军全体指战员的发扬不怕牺牲、排除万难的革命英雄主义精神，终于实现了北上甘南的战略目标。
1936年8月1日，朱德、张国焘、任弼时致电张浩、张闻天、毛泽东、周恩来、彭德怀，报告：红四方面军已到达包座地区，红二方面军已从阿坝北上。表示：“我二、四方面军全体指战员，对三个方面军大会合和配合行动，一致兴奋，并准备牺牲一切，谋西北首先胜利奋斗到底。”
张浩、张闻天、毛泽东、周恩来、博古于8月3日回电：“接八月一日电为之欣慰。团结一致，牺牲一切，我们的心和你们的心是完全一致的。”“我们已将你们的来电通知全苏区红军，并号召他们以热烈的同志精神，准备一切条件欢迎你们，达到三个方面军的大会合。”
8月初，彭德怀率领的西方野战军结束西征，转入整训，等候二、四方面军北上。
8月5日，中共中央西北局根据中共中央指示，在四川若尔盖县求吉寺（俗称救济寺）召开会议，拟定《岷（州）、洮（州）、西（固）战役计划》，拟乘敌主力尚未集中之际，先机进占岷州、洮州（今临潭）、西固（今宕昌）等地，以利北进。当天，四方面军从包座出发，9日占领腊子口，10日占领哈达铺到达甘南。
二方面军8月8日北出草地到达包座地区。稍事休整，12日即从包座出发，9月1日到达哈达铺地区。8月9日至9月7日，红军先后攻克漳县、洮州、渭源、通渭四座县城及岷县、陇西、临洮、武山等县的广大地区。这样，到8月中旬，红一方面军与红二、四方面军，形成了夹西（安）兰（州）大道（又称陕甘大道），南北呼应的有利局面。
8月15日，张闻天发表《欢迎北上抗日的二、四方面军》一文，指出：“现在已经没有任何天然的或人为的障碍，能够阻止我们三个方面军的伟大的会合了。”“二、四方面军的到达西北，更有利于促成西北大联合的具体实现。”
为迅速造成西北新局面，逼蒋抗日，协调9月至11月期间三个方面军的行动方针和具体部署，林育英、洛甫、周恩来、博古、毛泽东于8月30日致电朱德、张国焘、任弼时：红一方面军主力首先西出，然后南下占领西安兰州大道以北的海原、靖远、固原及以南地区。红四方面军控制甘南，占领临潭、岷县、漳县、渭源、武山、通渭地区。红二方面军速向陕甘交界出动，首先插出王均防线，之后占领凤县、宝鸡、两当、徽县、成县、康县地区，再与王均作战。红二方面军东进，一可吸引胡宗南之钟松旅于陕甘交界，使之无法西进；二可相机打击王均部；三可把陕南苏区与甘南苏区联系起来。故三个方面军的行动中以二方面军向东行动为最重要。9月8日，洛甫、周恩来、博古、毛泽东又电告朱德、张国焘、任弼时：9月至11月各方面军行动部署“即照商定办法执行”；中央已向南京国民党当局提出“联合抗日”的主张，“依情势有成就之希望”，因此在宣传上要“改造一下”，要提出“联合抗日”的口号，“不要提出'打倒中央军'及任何中国军队的口号”。
蒋介石发现红军三大主力即将会师，即于9月上旬命令他的第一军军长胡宗南率该军四个师从长沙开拔，兼程北上，会同王均（第三军军长）、毛炳文（第三十七军军长）两个军，抢占西兰大道之静宁、会宁、定西段，以隔断红军三大主力会合的通道。
针对蒋介石的企图，党中央决定进行宁夏战役。这是为了实现红军三大主力会师，造成西北新局面的重要一环。它的步骤是：一，二、四方面军尽可能地夺取岷州及其附近作为临时根据地，控制岷州附近洮河两岸的一段。然后以一部出陇西攻击国民党毛炳文部，威胁兰州，以便东北军于学忠部的三个师全部集中兰州为战略枢纽；以另一部出夏河攻击河州敌马步芳家乡，威胁青海，吸引西路甘、凉、肃三州马军东援，以便东北军派一部接防，使甘肃西部三州落入友军之手，并可相机消灭马军一部，促其与我讲和。中央再派较小的一支部队拒止国民党王均部队，并派人与王均交涉，也派人与毛炳文交涉。王、毛均在危惧中。交涉或能成功。用一个半月时间实行上述计划。二、四方面军利用这段时间补充人员、被服。二，完成上述任务后，三个方面军在甘北会合，准备进攻宁夏。第二步骤约在10月至11月实现。三，12月起，以一方面军负责保卫陕甘宁苏区，并策应东北军对付蒋介石之进攻。二、四方面军乘结冰渡河，消灭敌马鸿逵部，占领宁夏，完成瓦窑堡会议确定的打通与苏联联系的任务。完成第三个步骤后，进一步巩固陕北、甘北、宁夏新老苏区，扩大和巩固一、二、四三个方面