Chapter 4 04. Chen Jitang gave way, the Red Army passed the first blockade

In October 1934, the preparations for the westward expedition of the large Red Army troops had reached the final stage.During the arduous struggle of the workers and peasants Red Army commanders and fighters led by the Communist Party of China to overcome many obstacles and forge ahead, the Chinese Communists showed extraordinary wisdom and outstanding military ability in dividing the enemy, exploiting the enemy's contradictions, and weakening the enemy's strength.Among them, Chen Jitang of the Cantonese Army made way for the Red Army's Long March, enabling the Red Army to quickly pass through the Guangdong border and successfully break through the first blockade line that was heavily fortified by Chiang Kai-shek. This is one of the masterpieces.

One day in mid-October 1934, He Changgong, then commander and political commissar of the Guangdong-Jiangxi Military Region, received a telegram from Zhou Enlai from Ruijin, asking him to rush to Ruijin immediately.He knew that the army was about to make another big move.After he received Zhou Enlai's telegram, he rushed to Ruijin with his combat staff and guards at dawn. He Changgong, a veteran commander of the Red Army, has felt that since the fifth counter-campaign against the "encirclement and suppression", the battle has intensified. Not to mention the successive losses of the Red Army, the base area established with painstaking efforts is also shrinking day by day. The Red Army soldiers were dissatisfied, and their commanders were already full of complaints.But they can’t express their grievances to the subordinates, nor can they write it on their faces. Regarding the instructions of the central government, they can only try their best to persuade the subordinates to implement them, and do everything possible to complete the tasks assigned to them by the central government.He Changgong wanted to change his fighting strategy against the enemy even in his dreams.Sure enough, Zhou Enlai called him to rush to Ruijin.As a seasoned commander, he seemed to have smelled the tension of preparing for battle.

As soon as He Changgong saw Zhou Enlai, he asked eagerly, "Political Commissar Zhou, what is the mission?" Zhou Enlai said solemnly: "'Southern King' Chen Jitang has called us to hold secret military negotiations with us." He Changgong looked at Zhou Enlai in astonishment. He had both expected and unexpected to negotiate with the "Southern Heavenly King". Zhou Enlai also said: "This is a very good opportunity. Comrade Zhu De and I have discussed it. We will send you and Pan Hannian, the deputy director of the Central Propaganda Department, to Xunwu, Chen Jitang District, to discuss this matter with Chen's representative in secret. Comrade Changgong , This is the important task given to you by the central government. I hope you will be brave and calm, and act according to the opportunity. If you send a telegram to inform you that the pigeon you fed has flown away, you should come back quickly. I will send a cadre to wait for you in Huichang. During the negotiation If there is any difficulty, we can use the password to contact at any time.” Zhou Enlai handed over another letter of introduction signed by Zhu De, which was written to Huang Zhiwen, the commander of the Seventh Division, Chen Jitang’s representative.The letter of introduction reads:

In September 1933, Chiang Kai-shek mobilized a large army to "encircle and suppress" the Central Soviet Area in four routes: southeast, northwest, and four.The commanders-in-chief of the four routes are Gu Zhutong of the North Route, He Jian of the West Route, Jiang Dingwen of the East Route, and Chen Jitang of the South Route.In the fifth counter-campaign against "encirclement and suppression" in the past year, the northern front was fought extremely fiercely, but the southern front was relatively moderate. Not open.The Cantonese army has always shared the same bed with Chiang Kai-shek. Chen Jitang sent telegrams against Chiang three times. During this "encirclement and suppression" of the Central Soviet Area, Chiang Kai-shek conferred Chen Jitang the title of commander-in-chief of the Southern Route Army in order to tie Chen Jitang to his chariot.But Chen Jitang did not buy Chiang Kai-shek's account. In order to preserve the strength of the Cantonese army, he did not want to work for Chiang Kai-shek in Jiangxi.He had already learned about Chiang Kai-shek's treachery, cunning and capriciousness, and he knew Chiang Kai-shek's usual trick of "killing two birds with one stone". He didn't want to work for Chiang Kai-shek in Jiangxi and waste his strength.

After that, Mao Zedong rushed from Ruijin to the front line of Huichang, commanded the Red Army to win several battles, and at the same time carried out arduous and meticulous united front work against the Cantonese Army.Inspired by the anti-Japanese proposition of "unanimous muzzle to the outside world" and "Chinese people will not fight Chinese people", Chen Jitang secretly sent people to the Soviet area for tentative peace talks.Chen Jitang's senior counselor Yang Youmin personally sent 30,000 rounds of ammunition to the Red Army stationed in Huichang.It is rare in the history of war to send ammunition to the opponent on the front line of the war.Chen also knew that Chiang Kai-shek's interest in mobilizing him to encircle and suppress the Red Army this time was related to whether he could dominate Guangdong and occupy the throne of "King of the South" forever.Therefore, Chen Jitang moved slowly to suppress the Red Army. He had always coveted Shaoguan and only completed the blockade blockade. The purpose was to prevent the Red Army and Chiang Kai-shek's Central Army from entering Guangdong.In order to preserve his strength, he only deployed 10 regiments into Jiangxi. Rather than obeying Chiang Kai-shek's order, he was more concerned about his own interests.

At the same time, Chiang Kai-shek summoned Yang Dezhao, Chen Jitang's representative, in Mount Lushan, gave Chen Jitang a huge amount of military pay, and urged Chen Jitang to quickly march in order to "suppress" the Red Army.Under Chiang Kai-shek's coercion and lure, Chen Jitang knew that attacking the Red Army would not have good results, and disobedience to Chiang Kai-shek's orders would not have good results.He was forced to have no choice but to play a double-faced game with Chiang Kai-shek.On the one hand, he sent troops to attack Junmen Ridge guarded by the Red Army, and on the other hand, he sent people to establish relations with the Red Army to test the truth.

In April 1934, the enemy captured Guangchang, the northern gateway of the Central Soviet Area, and advanced non-stop to the hinterland of the Soviet Area.Under such circumstances, the southern line guarded by Chen Jitang had to send 2 columns of the South Route Army, including 6 divisions, 1 aviation brigade, and 1 heavy artillery regiment, to the Red Army guarded Xunwu, Anyuan, Chongshi, Qingxi, Junmenling and other areas attacked.The Red Army immediately attacked head-on, and the Red 22nd Division of the Guangdong-Jiangxi Military Region resisted bravely, causing heavy casualties to Chen Jitang's troops.This confrontation surprised Chen Jitang, he never expected that the Red Army would have such a strong combat effectiveness.Through the fight, Chen Jitang also became more convinced that the existence of the Red Army in southern Jiangxi and northern Guangdong was the best barrier to cut off Chiang Kai-shek's Central Army from entering Guangdong from Jiangxi.He was not only afraid of Chiang Kai-shek's entry into Guangdong, but also afraid that the Red Army would counterattack.After capturing Junmen Ridge, he adopted the strategy of "fighting outside and inside" and "fighting openly and secretly". On the one hand, he bluffed and lied about attacking Huichang, posing for a decisive battle. Staff officer Yang Youmin went to Junmenling to show the Red Army that they would no longer commit mutual crimes.Although Chiang Kai-shek was aware of Chen Jitang's tactics, but because he was tired of "encircling and suppressing" the Red Army, he had nothing to do with Chen Jitang's actions.

Although Mao Zedong was squeezed out by the wrong "Left" leaders during the fifth counter-campaign against "encirclement and suppression" and left the leadership positions of the party and the Red Army, he was still keenly aware that the contradiction between Chen Jitang and Chiang Kai-shek could be exploited. In the spring of 1934, when the anti-"encirclement and suppression" war was in short supply, he came to Huichang from Ruijin many times as a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee and chairman of the Soviet Central Executive Committee to investigate and study the situation in Guangdong and Jiangxi. Learn from the failed lessons of the 19th Route Army Mutiny, grasp the contradictions within the enemy and do a good job in united front work.After many investigations, Mao Zedong's work was fruitful. After returning to Ruijin, he was in a good mood and wrote the famous poem "Qing Ping Le Hui Chang", in which there is a line "the scenery here is beautiful".Zhou Enlai also played an important role in this "borrowing the way". He secretly sent representatives to negotiate with Chen, so that the southern line was in a relatively peaceful environment, which laid an important foreshadowing for the Central Soviet Area to break out to the south.

In September 1934, Chen Jitang secretly sent Li Jun as a representative to demand negotiations with the Red Army.Zhu De, chairman of the Military Commission, personally wrote to Chen Jitang, saying in the letter: The great rivers and mountains in North China have fallen to Japan, and the southeast half is also in jeopardy. Anyone with blood in the Chinese people should take resisting Japan and saving the country as the top priority. The Red Army is willing to conclude an anti-Japanese agreement with any united force of armed forces who can stop attacking the Soviet area, give the people democratic rights and arm the people.He also drew up five agreements: Both sides will stop combat operations, immediately restore the freedom of trade between the two sides, realize the freedom of publication, speech, assembly, and association, release anti-Chiang and all revolutionary political prisoners, and immediately start political activities against Chiang’s traitors and fascist plots, And earnestly make various military preparations for anti-Japanese and anti-Chiang, please purchase arms on behalf of others.

Zhu De's letter was quickly answered by Chen Jitang. Zhu De and Zhou Enlai studied and agreed, and then sent He Changgong and Pan Hannian to Xunwu to have a secret discussion with Chen Jitang. The next day, He Changgong and Pan Hannian set off with two guards.This time, the four of them all changed into casual clothes. He Changgong and Pan Hannian all wore long gowns and top hats, and looked like businessmen.The two Red Army soldiers also all dressed up as followers.The four red horses hurried towards the "Southern Heavenly King" to look for Wuchi. Early the next morning, Major General Chen's staff officer Yang Youmin appeared in front of them with Huang Zhiwen, commander of the Seventh Division, and others.After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the conversation quickly turned to the main topic. The representatives of the two sides talked with each other for three days and three nights, and reached five agreements:

1. Cease fighting on the spot and cancel the hostile situation; 2. Exchange intelligence and report by cable; 3. Lift the blockade; 4. Trade with each other. By mutual excuse, the Red Army had an action to tell Chen in advance that Chen's troops were evacuated for 40 Li, and the Red Army personnel used Chen's passports to enter Chen's defense area. As soon as the negotiation was over, the translator sent a telegram, which read: Changgong, the pigeon you fed has flown.Pan and He got up and left after receiving the telegram.Chen Jitang sent a cavalry company to escort Pan Hannian and He Changgong to the wooden bridge north of Yunmen Ridge.Several people rushed back to Yudu with horses and whips, and Zhou Enlai had already sent someone to wait for them in Yudu.At this time, it was mid-October, 1934, and in late October, the central authority of the Red Army began the Long March to break through.According to the agreement between the two sides that "they can borrow from each other", Chen Jitang demarcated a road on the Hunan-Guangdong border and gave way to a 40-mile-wide passage, allowing the Red Army to quickly and smoothly pass through the Guangdong border and enter Hunan.The Red Army only passed the first "steel" blockade set up by Chiang Kai-shek at the cost of more than 3,700 personnel.