Chapter 21 (2) "The dove flew"

In the summer of 1934, Jiang Jun's planes continued to descend on the sky over Ruijin, carrying out indiscriminate bombing. After the defeat in the Guangchang Battle, Jiang's army was tightening the encirclement around the Soviet area, and Ruijin, the capital of Hong Kong, felt the danger of soldiers pressing down on the territory.At this time, the vigorous conscription campaign began.Party and government departments at all levels sent people everywhere to call for the mobilization of all young and middle-aged people to join the army in order to restore the strength of the Red Army.Meanwhile, the newly constructed arsenal was busy repairing machine guns, mortars, field guns, and manufacturing all kinds of ammunition, especially mortar shells and grenades.

Then, the grain requisition campaign and material reserves were also going on intensely. A heavy grain collection task was issued, and borrowing was used to raise enough food and materials as much as possible. thicker than ever.All of these, of course, are to meet the needs of the war. People thought that the Red Army was going to launch a major counter-offensive to regain lost ground and keep Jiang's army out of the Soviet area.Therefore, from the army to the localities, everyone is full of enthusiasm, and there is a busy scene everywhere. Only Bogu, Li De, and Zhou Enlai know what all this is for.Because, whether it is the army or the local government, these campaigns are carried out in accordance with the strategic deployment formulated by their three-member group.

In order to mobilize Jiang's army and cooperate with the strategic shift of the main force of the Central Red Army, the three-man regiment first sent two advance teams to adjust the enemy and explore the way. The first unit was the 7th Army of the Red Army. Under the leadership of Zeng Hongyi, the representative of the Central Committee, Xun Huaizhou, the head of the army, Le Shaohua, the political commissar, Su Yu, the chief of staff, and Liu Ying, the director of the Political Department, set off from Ruijin on July 6.At the time of departure, the entire army consisted of more than 6,000 people, of which new fighters accounted for about two-thirds, and guns accounted for less than half of them. There were more than 4,000 combatants, and they were organized into three divisions.This force passed through the ancient city of Fujian, Tingzhou, and Liancheng. After Xiaotao joined forces with the Red Ninth Army, which served as an escort mission, and took a short rest, it passed through Yong'an, Datian, Youxi, and Yuntan, and quickly advanced towards the Minjiang River, attacking the enemy along the way. Many bunkers of Jiang's army were captured, hundreds of Jiang's soldiers were captured, and a batch of guns and supplies were seized.At the end of the month, under the cover of the 9th Army, they rushed across the Minjiang River, marched towards Wubutang and Sandukou, captured Huangtian, Gukou, and Shuikou Town in Gutian, captured hundreds of Jiang's troops, and seized a batch of arms and supplies.

On August 2, the 7th Red Army Corps officially left Shuikou Town in the name of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army Northward Anti-Japanese Advance Team, passed through Anrenxi Street, and transferred from the Minjiang River to the northern mountainous area of ​​Minhou County. The second unit is the Red Sixth Army, with a total of more than 9,000 people. It was led by Ren Bishi, the representative of the Central Committee and the chairman of the military and political committee of the army, Xiao Ke, the head of the army, and Wang Zhen, the political commissar. They set off from Bixi and Xinjiang on August 7. embarked on a westward journey.Bogu led the provisional central authority of the Communist Party of China to withdraw from Shanghai and enter the Central Soviet Area. After merging the Provisional Central Committee and the Central Bureau of the Soviet Area, Ren Bishi was not assigned an important position.

Bogu accused him of being ineffective in criticizing Mao Zedong's "rightist" ideas and "guerrillaism", and demoted him to the Hunan and Jiangxi regions as the secretary of the provincial party committee.According to the deployment of the three-member regiment, their actions will be carried out in three steps: the first step is to move from the weak defenses of Jiang Jun's fortifications in the Huang'ao and Shangxiaqi areas or south to the eastern Guangxi area where the 4th Independence Regiment operates. The central government must quickly separate from Chiang’s army so that they can go to the guerrilla areas in eastern Guangxi to develop guerrilla warfare and spread guerrilla warfare to a high degree and rapidly; the second step is to transfer to the Xintian, Qiyang, and Lingling areas to develop guerrilla warfare and establish base areas in the Soviet area. ; The third step is to develop to the mountains between Xinhua and Xupu counties, and from this area to the north to get in touch with the Red 2 Army led by He Long.

Although Ruijin's secrecy work is very strict, there is still no impenetrable wall. At the beginning of August, Li De drew up a plan for the Central Red Army from August to September, and started the process of preparing to withdraw from the Central Soviet Area. The scheduled breakout time was the end of October and the beginning of November.As usual, all major actions of the Red Army in the Central Soviet Area must be reported to the Comintern.First, the document was telegraphed from Ruijin to the Shanghai Bureau, and then the Shanghai Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China sent someone to secretly send it to the Consulate General of the Soviet Union in Shanghai. The consulate sent it to Vladivostok, the Soviet Union, and then to Moscow.

In late August, the Shanghai Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was destroyed by Kuomintang agents. The leader Li Zhusheng and others were arrested and rebelled, and they confessed the plan of the Central Red Army to break out to the west.When Chiang Kai-shek learned of this information, he immediately notified He Jian, commander-in-chief of the West Route Army who was "encircling and suppressing" the Central Soviet Area: "According to the Shanghai Municipal Government, the Red Bandits have recently decided to abandon Fujian and Jiangxi at a meeting of the top cadres, and flee to the Hunan-Guizhou border. , with the Sichuan bandits occupying Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan and other provinces as their major (half) base camps.”

On September 13, Chiang Kai-shek sent a telegram to He Jian to consolidate and expand the blockade line: He Jian immediately ordered all the troops and militia groups to rush to repair the bunkers, and transferred the two divisions chasing the Red 6th Army's breakout to southern Hunan to speed up the construction of the blockade blockade. Zhou Enlai was very alert to He Jian's abnormal activities of the West Route Army.He personally rushed to Yudu to scout the enemy's situation, inspect the weak parts of Jiang's blockade line, and choose the breakthrough and marching route for the Central Red Army to withdraw.He chose to make a breakthrough in southern Jiangxi, which is the southern line of the Central Soviet Area, which belongs to the area under the control of the Guangdong warlord Chen Jitang.If some kind of secret agreement could be reached with Chen Jitang, it would be the best thing for the main force of the Red Army to withdraw from the Central Soviet Area smoothly.

The secret negotiations with Chen Jitang caused differences of opinion among the trio, because Bogu and Li De regarded Chen Jitang and Chiang Kai-shek as the same breed, and there would be no room for compromise except life-and-death struggle.Zhou Enlai did not give in to this, but bypassed the trio, and he and Zhu De directly led the secret negotiations with Chen Jitang. The contradiction between Chen Jitang and Chiang Kai-shek has always been deep, and he has opposed Chiang three times.In the fifth "encirclement and suppression" of the Central Soviet Area, although he was named the commander-in-chief of the South Route Army by Chiang Kai-shek, out of his own interests, he only wanted to prevent the Red Army from entering Guangdong and Guangxi, and he did not want to be used by Chiang Kai-shek to "kill people with a knife". Let alone the trap of "killing two birds with one stone", let alone Chiang Kai-shek taking the opportunity to enter Guangdong from Jiangxi and seize his territory.Therefore, his "advancement and suppression" of the Red Army was slow.

In May of this year, under the coercion and lure of Chiang Kai-shek, Chen Jitang captured part of the positions at Junmenling defended by the Red Army. On the one hand, he bluffed and lied about attacking Huichang City, posing as a fight; on the other hand, he secretly sent his senior officials to Ruijin and Junmenling to negotiate a tentative negotiation of not attacking each other. Although Chiang Kai-shek angrily denounced him for "respecting himself by taking advantage of the bandits", he was tired of "advancing and suppressing" the Red Army and had nothing to do with him. In June, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China issued the "Confession of Army Officers and Soldiers" in the name of Mao Zedong, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Soviet Union, and Zhu De, Chairman of the Central Revolutionary Military Commission, calling on the officers and soldiers of Jiang's army: "(1) Do not fight the Red Army, or fire your guns to the sky! The Chinese people do not fight China. People, the Red Army will never come to attack you first; (2) Hurry up and agree that the two sides of the Red Army will send representatives to each other, and conclude an armistice and an anti-Japanese alliance."

In July, in the name of Mao Zedong and others, he published the "Declaration for the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army to Go North to Anti-Japanese War", expressing that under three conditions, he is willing to conclude a combat agreement with any armed force in China. On August 21, Zhou Enlai called Xiang Ying and asked the rear office of the General Political Department of the Red Army to rush to print 5,000 copies of the "Confession to the Army Officers and Soldiers" and 5,000 copies of the "Confession to the Field Masses" to Nanxiong and Dayu to strengthen the political offensive against the White Army. .Militarily, the Red Army strengthened the strength of the Guangdong and Jiangxi regions. On August 22, Zhou Enlai wrote a letter to the Jiangxi Provincial Party Committee, instructing Xinfeng, Dayu, Nanxiong and other places to develop greatly in order to consolidate the rear.Soon after, the Red 8th Army was established in southern Jiangxi to fight against Chen Jitang's troops on the southern front. The Red Army strengthened its forces on the southern front of the Central Soviet Area. Chen Jitang felt threatened. He was afraid of Chiang Kai-shek's entry into Guangdong, and also feared that the Red Army would counterattack.Therefore, he adopted the strategy of "communicating from outside to inside" and "peace from the inside". On the one hand, he bluffed and put on a fighting posture to deal with Chiang Kai-shek; on the other hand, he was determined to negotiate with the Red Army. In late September, Chen Jitang sent his representative Li Jun to Ruijin secretly, where he was warmly received by Zhou Enlai and Zhu De.The two sides exchanged views on the current situation openly and honestly, and discussed the policy of uniting against Chiang and ending the civil war. On September 27, Chen Jitang instructed the Red Army of the 7th Division of the 2nd Column stationed in Yunmenling to call: "In order to adapt to the situation and deal with the current situation, we must first discuss the military, so as not to delay the opportunity. I hope to send military representatives to come to discuss the military. Proceed with the benefit, and hope to return." Under the auspices of Zhou Enlai, the negotiation plan was quickly determined, suitable candidates for the Red Army's negotiating representatives were selected, and special communication codes as well as contact locations and methods were exchanged.At first, Chen Jitang wanted to use Guangzhou as the venue for the negotiations. Because of the tense situation, Zhou Enlai suggested that the negotiation venue be changed to Xunwu.The representatives sent by Chen Jitang were Yang Youmin, his most trusted chief of staff, Li Zongsheng, Huang Yanzhen and others. Huang Yanzhen was the commander of the 7th Division stationed in Junmenling, and had a good personal relationship with Chen Jitang. At the beginning of October, after some progress was made in contact, the "Letter to Chen Jitang on Resisting Japan and Opposing Chiang Kai-shek" was issued in the name of Zhu De. The letter pointed out that "the aggression of Japanese imperialism has become more and more fierce in recent years, and the traitors of Jiang, Wang and other countries have become increasingly blatant and shameless. The great mountains and rivers in North China have fallen to Japan, and the southeast half is also in danger. Therefore, it is imperative to resist Japan and save the country. There is no other way to resist Japan and save the country than the National Revolutionary War, and eradicating traitors and traitors is the prerequisite for the victory of the National Revolutionary War. Over the years, Germany and hundreds of thousands of Red Army soldiers have fought hard for years. To achieve the complete liberation of the Chinese nation, territorial integrity and the liberation of the workers and peasants." "Two years ago, the Soviet government announced that the Red Army is willing to conclude an anti-Japanese war agreement with any army that can stop attacking the Soviet area, give the people democratic power and arm the people." The letter proposes to negotiate with Chen Jitang's representatives at Junmenling. The content of the negotiation is: "First, the two sides stop combat operations, and take Ganzhou along the river to Xinfeng and Longnan, Anyuan, Xunwu, and Wuyan as the dividing line. The cities listed above and It is under the jurisdiction of your side ten miles away from the attached country, and your army outside the line, please order it to move to fight against Chiang. Second, immediately restore the freedom of trade between the two sides. Third, within the territory under your army's current and future jurisdiction, publication, speech, Freedom of assembly and association, the release of anti-Japanese and all political prisoners, and the effective implementation of arming the people. Fourth, immediately start the political campaign against Chiang Kai-shek’s treachery and fascist conspiracy, and earnestly make all aspects of military preparations against Japan and Chiang. Fifth, please purchase arms , and transported quickly via Junmen Ridge." On October 1, Chen Jitang called the Red Army through the 7th Division stationed in Yunmenling, suggesting to discuss military issues first, and urged to send military representatives to Guangzhou for negotiations.Zhou Enlai immediately responded to the request of the other party. While selecting Pan Hannian and He Changgong as negotiators, he agreed with the other party on the communication code of the radio station, and also called in senior radio experts such as Qian Zhuangfei and Wu Yunfu as translators to ensure communication. correct.On the same day, Zhou Enlai personally drafted a reply message, urging the other party to quickly respond to Zhu De's request in the letter in order to prepare for negotiations, and suggested that the Red Army representatives go to Yunmenling to convey everything through the 7th Division.After the other party answered the call, they replied that they agreed to negotiate in Xunwu. On October 5, Zhou Enlai summoned He Changgong and Pan Hannian to Ruijin to explain the negotiation tasks face to face.He cordially and solemnly told He Changgong and Pan Hannian: "This negotiation is of great importance. If it is successful, it will greatly promote our next action. This is the important task entrusted to you by the central government! Therefore, you You must be brave and calm, see the opportunity, and do your best." Ye Jianying, deputy chief of the general staff of the Military Commission, also entrusted: "Going to the White Area to negotiate is a major task. If the negotiation is successful, it will be very beneficial. If the negotiation fails, it doesn't matter. The key is to be calm and flexible." He Changgong was appointed by Mao Zedong in Jinggang Mountain, and successfully persuaded the bandit leader Wang Zuo on the mountain to lead his troops to surrender to the Red Army.After listening to Zhou Enlai and Ye Jianying's instructions, he said: "We must do our best to complete the tasks of the Party Central Committee." Zhou Enlai patted He Changgong on the shoulder and said: "Back then you were able to persuade Wang Zuo to lead his troops to surrender to the Red Army, and this time you will surely be able to persuade Chen Jitang's representatives to be lenient about our strategic shift." He Changgong said: "Negotiating with Wang Zuo back then was already the old emperor's calendar. Comrade Hannian had experience in negotiating with the 19th Route Army last year. This time we have to rely on him for the expedition!" Seeing that Pan Hannian was silent, Zhou En said, "Comrade Hannian, do you have any worries?" Pan Hannian smiled bitterly and said, "I feel a great responsibility." Zhou Enlai said, "Isn't your responsibility light when you negotiated with the 19th Route Army last year?" Pan Hannian said: "The current situation is very different from last year's negotiation with the 19th Route Army. Besides, the negotiation with the 19th Route Army was completed last year, but it was not put to use." Zhou Enlai: "It's not that you are incompetent. Well, don't mention it now. As far as negotiations are concerned, your performance last year was still very good." Pan Hannian said: "To be honest, I really don't know what to do now." Ye Jianying said: "So, as the General Political Commissar said just now, this negotiation is of great importance. You are required to act according to the opportunity and do your best." Pan Hannian nodded: "Please rest assured, Chief, we will do our best." Zhou Enlai held the hands of He Changgong and Pan Hannian tightly, and said in an encouraging tone: "The whole army is waiting for your good news!" Zhou Enlai explained to He Changgong and Pan Hannian the secret communication language and other matters.At the same time, for the safety of the negotiators, he called Zhou Kun, the commander of the Red 8th Army, and Huang Su, the political commissar, about the specific matters of the escort, and told them that "the Guangdong side has invited my representatives to meet in Xunwu, and our side sent Pan Jianxing as our representative." (Han Year), He Changgong will leave tomorrow, pass Jiantang at noon on the 7th, and plan to arrive at Yunmenling that night." He also instructed them to send a reconnaissance squad leader to send a letter to Huang Yanzhen, commander of the 7th Division of the Chen Department, to inform the other party to arrive To the north of the designated Baipu, the representatives of the Red Army entered the area under the jurisdiction of Chenbu. On October 6, Pan Hannian and He Changgong set off with Zhu De's letter of introduction.The letter reads: "Teacher Huang learns from the lesson: In response to the call from your commander-in-chief, I will send Pan Jianxing and He Changgong as representatives to come to Xunwu to discuss everything with your representatives You Min and Zong Sheng. It’s a feeling!” On the same day, the Red 8th Army sent the scout squad leader to Yunmenling in advance, just as the division commander and chief of staff of the 7th Division of the Chen Department were in Yunmenling, and the two sides negotiated matters related to the transfer of the negotiating representatives.In the middle of the night, Zhou Kun and Huang Su called Zhou Enlai to report the situation of contacting the 7th Division of the Chen Department to pick up the negotiators. This unusual negotiation was conducted in a state of extreme secrecy.Huang Su noted on the side of Zhou Enlai's telegram on October 5 that "except for me and the two translators, no one else has shown this telegram to him."After Pan Hannian and He Changgong were picked up by Chen Bu, they also kept it very secret. They also specially prepared a sedan chair carried by four people. Whenever they were interrogated by the sentry, they used the name that they were distinguished guests invited by Commander-in-Chief Chen, and their subordinates were not allowed to ask more questions. All the way unimpeded. Negotiations took three days and three nights before an agreement was reached.During the negotiation, Zhou Enlai sent a secret telegram to He Changgong and Pan Hannian: "The pigeon you fed has flown." Chen Fang's negotiator was very sensitive, and Yang Youmin asked He Changgong: "Are you going to fly away?" "No." He Changgong replied calmly, "This is to congratulate the successful negotiation, and the dove of peace has gone to heaven!" In fact, "the pigeon you fed has flown", it was Zhou Enlai who told He Changgong and Pan Hannian that the Red Army had decided to implement a strategic shift. After the negotiation, He Changgong and Pan Hannian were escorted by a cavalry company sent by Chen Jitang to a single-plank bridge north of Junmen Ridge.When He Changgong and Pan Hannian returned to Huichang, the Central Revolutionary Military Commission had moved from Baishishan in Ruijin to Yudu. Zhou Enlai sent people to wait for them in Huichang, and left a letter saying: "I will wait for you in Yudu. " After returning to Yudu, He Changgong and Pan Hannian reported the negotiation situation to Zhou Enlai, and handed over the armistice agreement signed by the Red Army and Chen Jitang's troops to Zhou Enlai.The armistice agreement reached the following agreement: (1) Cease the war on the spot, cancel the hostile situation, and continue to negotiate a joint anti-Chiang plan; (2) Exchange intelligence and report by cable; (3) Mutual trade, lift the blockade of salt and cloth; (4) Support part of the Red Army's arms, and Agree to purchase on behalf of others; (5) If necessary, they can borrow from each other, and the Red Army will inform Chen in advance of any action, and the Chen Department will be evacuated for 40 li, and the Red Army personnel will use the Chen Department's passport to enter Chen's defense area. "Great!" Zhou Enlai said happily after reading the armistice agreement. "This agreement will play a big role in our smooth breakthrough and transfer!" Pan Hannian said: "The General Political Commissar, they are very interested in continuing to negotiate a joint fight against Chiang, and proposed to focus on this topic in the second meeting." Zhou Enlai's face was gloomy, he let out a long breath, and said, "I believe they are really interested, but we seem to be impatient." Pan Hannian and He Changgong looked at Zhou Enlai in confusion. Zhou Enlai said: "At the beginning of the strategic transfer operation, we must pass through Chen Jitang's defense zone as quickly as possible. Lao Jiang is not stupid, he will not just watch us swagger through Chen Jitang's defense zone and be helpless." Pan Hannian asked: "So, there won't be a second negotiation?" Zhou Enlai shook his head. He Changgong asked: "What if it is not smooth to pass through the Chen Jitang defense zone?" Zhou Enlai said: "There are only two choices before us. If it goes well, we go through it, and if it doesn't go well, we fight it. Time does not allow us to make a third choice."