Chapter 11 Chapter Ten Focusing on the Great Southwest
Chiang Kai-shek marched into the Southwest for the first time.Liu Xiang of the Sichuan Army, Wang Jialie of the Guizhou Army, and Long Yun of the Dian Army are all targets of clean-up.The personnel changes at the Zunyi Conference were agreed upon in Huangping Orange Grove.The "Qingong Pond" in Zhang Wentian's heart.Mao Zedong was not a prophet, but he came to the turning point with the greatest historical consciousness.The Red Army pays attention to the enemy's surprise in combat, but the operation into Sichuan fell into Liu Xiang's expectation.
The spiritual products of human beings are extremely vast, but an individual's life is extremely short.So throughout the ages, it is not uncommon for a simple sentence to affect a person's life.
So many people have a motto.
Chiang Kai-shek's motto is a handwritten letter written by his mentor Chen Qimei: "There is nothing wrong with the husband, and nothing is self-sufficient."
He has kept it for a long time.
"It's not right for everyone" he did it. In 1925, Chen Jiongming was defeated twice in the Eastern Expedition, during which he returned to defeat Yang Ximin of the Yunnan Army and Liu Zhenhuan of the Guangxi Army.
In 1926, he attacked Wu Peifu fiercely, and in 1927, he swept Sun Chuanfang with such force.
Beat Zhang Zuolin and Zhang Zongchang in 1928;
Beat Li Zongren and Bai Chongxi in 1929;
Beat Feng Yuxiang and Yan Xishan in 1930;
In the Chinese civil war, Chiang Kai-shek, who held a heavy army, was invincible and invincible.
Only the Red Army cannot show this kind of "improper generosity".When he was in a hurry, he twice wanted to fly away, and twice he was afraid that he would not be able to fly away.
During the fifth "encirclement and suppression campaign" in November 1933, Peng Dehuai rushed to Huwan, only one day away from Linchuan.Jiang Dexun took his entourage and Wei Tu, and went to the Fuhe River to check whether the seaplane could land or not, and the safe place to take off and land.
In April 1934, when the Red Army approached Guiyang, Jiang was most worried about the safety of the airport.Early the next morning, he scolded the adjutant Jiang Xiaozhen, saying that he was allowed to live in a ventilated house.Jiang Xiaozhen was dissatisfied, knowing that it was because the Red Army was approaching, he was afraid, and secretly complained that Jiang "surprised the house".
In front of the Red Army, Chiang Kai-shek never felt "everything is wrong", but he always chewed on "nothing is self-sufficient".
The Red Army broke out of the Jiangxi Soviet Area and started the Long March, which surprised him at first, but then excited him.He believed that the Red Army left the base area on which it relied for survival and turned to long-distance trekking. case.
He felt that the opportunity had come.
This opportunity is not just a chance to eat the Red Army.
To fight against the outside world, we must first secure the interior. "Security" includes not only the "encirclement and suppression" of the Red Army, but also the suppression of local powerful factions.
From the early morning of December 29, 1928, when Zhang Xueliang, Zhang Zuoxiang, and Wan Fulin announced the change of flag in the Northeast, Chiang Kai-shek unified China in name, but in fact it did not unify for a day.Several years of bloody battles defeated Tang Shengzhi in the two lakes, Feng Yuxiang and Yan Xishan in the Central Plains, and lost Chen Jitang, Li Zongren, and Bai Chongxi in Guangdong and Guangxi, but they did not touch the strength of the Southwest Warlords at all.
This is his confidant.
The southwest warlords gathered together, mainly Liu Xiang from Sichuan, Wang Jialie from Guizhou, and Long Yun from Yunnan.
Among the three, Liu Xiang entered the Armed Forces Academy under the age of 17, so he can be regarded as a professional soldier.
Wang Jialie was born as a tutor in a wealthy family.
Long Yun used to be a homeless man on both sides of the Jinsha River in western Sichuan and northern Yunnan.
In China, there are many people who lead troops and lead generals but come from a humble background.Because soldiers must shed blood.The hot-blooded young people who have no way out and look for a way out are the most passionate.How many people from poor backgrounds and low social status, with the dream of saving the country, the people, and themselves, poured into the Fengjun, Zhijun, Anhui, Lu, Jin, Shaanxi, Gan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan Army, Yunnan Army, Guizhou Army, Hunan Army, Hubei Army... Most of them cannot realize their dreams.They didn't have time to finish the road of gunfire and warlord melee.A small number of survivors who walked over covered with scars gathered energy that could not be emitted by a single life.
Whether it's Liu Xiang who was born in a rich family, Wang Jialie who was a tutor for rich children, or Long Yun who wandered on both sides of the Jinsha River and worshiped warlocks as his teacher, which one didn't fight out of the smoke and blood?Which one is the wine bag and rice bag that only spends time and money?
It should also be added: Facing Chiang Kai-shek's Central Army, which one does not have its own careful planning?
Among the three, Chiang Kai-shek has the deepest relationship with Wang Jialie.
Wang Jialie was an early veteran of the Kuomintang in suppressing the Communist Party. In September 1927, he led his troops to Yuanling, Hunan to attack the Autumn Harvest Uprising peasant army led by Mao Zedong.It's a pity that before contacting the rebel army, they fought with the Hunan warlords Xiong Zhen and Chen Hanzhang for turf.Wang Jialie came from a foreign land, went deep into the army alone, was swept out by force, and had to return to Tongren.
In the winter of 1929, Zhang Fakui and Li Zongren joined forces to fight against Chiang. Chiang appointed Wang Jialie as the commander of the national army to fight against the rebellion, and allocated him the use of the fourth radio station of the General Ministry of Political Affairs, so that he could directly contact Chiang.Wang Jialie was so flattered that he did everything he could to send troops to the border of Guizhou and Guangxi.Contain the rear of Li Zongren and Bai Chongxi, and then force the Sichuan warlord Lai Xinhui away to occupy the southeastern area of Guizhou.
In July 1930, Wang Jialie was ordered by Chiang to send troops to western Hunan to cooperate with the central government in encircling and suppressing the revolutionary bases in western Hunan and Hubei.He was appointed by Jiang as the commander of the "General Suppression" in the Hunan-Guizhou border area because of "actively dispatching troops and making great contributions to the suppression".
In July 1931, Wang Jialie, together with Zhang Liangji of the Hunan Army, intercepted the Seventh Red Army of Li Mingrui and Zhang Yunyi who had joined forces with the Central Red Army.Chiang Kai-shek praised him face-to-face for "very successful in suppressing the Communist Party", and gave him 16 mortars with 200,000 rounds of ammunition as special rewards.Later, 1,000 new German rifles were given away.
With the support and funding of Chiang Kai-shek, in more than three years, Wang Jialie added several new regiments, and the equipment of the troops was also updated. In the spring of 1932, at the instigation of Chiang Kai-shek, Wang Jialie led his elite spy regiment and the first, second, and fourth regiments from Hongjiang to Guiyang, forcing Guizhou warlord Mao Guangxiang to hand over power.The Kuomintang Central Committee immediately appointed Wang as the commander of the 25th Army and the chairman of Guizhou Province.
Wang Jialie, who became the provincial chairman, gradually forgot who gave him the power in his hands.
In order to protect himself, on the one hand, he transported the opium native to Guizhou and exchanged it for weapons through Guangdong and Guangxi to supplement his strength; on the other hand, he signed a three-provincial alliance with Chen Jitang and Li Zongren to secretly oppose Chiang.This secret agreement was betrayed to Jiang by Chen Jitang's subordinate Yu Hanmou. From then on, Jiang regarded the king as a thorn in his side and began to create opportunities to absorb Guizhou.
In October 1934, Wang Jialie received a telegram from Chiang Kai-shek from Guling, saying that the main force of the Red Army had left Ruijin and marched westward, and its head had arrived near Dayu County, and it appeared that it had entered Guizhou along the route of Xiao Ke's troops. To intercept.At that time, Wang Jialie only had 15 regiments of He Zhizhong and Bai Huizhang's two divisions. He heard that the Red Army had 40,000 to 50,000 people. He felt that his strength was weak and it was difficult to compete with the Red Army.At the same time, he also knew that Jiang had learned about the secret agreement, and this time he might take the opportunity to send troops into Guizhou to eat himself.
He began to make two-handed preparations, while implementing Jiang's order, and secretly contacting Li Zongren and Chen Jitang from Guangdong and Guangxi, asking for their assistance.He also made corresponding deployments for the troops, and once the situation was unfavorable, he would move closer to Li Zongren's department in Guangxi.
At that time, Wang Jialie's combat and self-protection plan was: Hou Zhidan was responsible for the defense in the north of Wujiang River; the defense in the south of Wujiang River was in charge of Wang himself and You Guocai; Move closer to Guangxi.The connection with Guangdong and Guangxi has also echoed: Li Zongren and Bai Chongxi in Guangxi promised to send Liao Lei, the commander of the Seventh Army, to lead two divisions into Duyun and Rongjiang, Guizhou, as a response; Chen Jitang in Guangdong promised to send Zhang Da, the commander of the Second Army, to lead the army. The army advances to Guiping, Guangxi, and if necessary, advances to Liuzhou to support.No matter how far away, Guangdong and Guangxi will be difficult to achieve.
Chiang Kai-shek did not know about these transactions.
But Jiang Tuqian's determination is so great that Wang Jialie doesn't know.
The relationship between Jiang and Liu Xiang is not shallow.
Liu Xiang helped Chiang Kai-shek a lot at the critical moment.
He has no historical connection with Chiang. On March 23, 1927, a Whampoa student named Dai Bian brought two telegrams.One was the resolution of the Wuhan Central Party-Government Joint Conference, which dismissed Chiang Kai-shek as the commander-in-chief of the National Revolutionary Army;
Without even saying hello in advance, just face to face and ask people to choose where to go.
Liu Xiang read the two telegrams, held up the Nanchang telegram in public, and said loudly: "A soldier takes obedience as his bounden duty, and I obey the orders of the commander-in-chief."
Commander-in-chief Jiang immediately gave him the commander-in-chief of the Fifth Route Army of the National Revolutionary Army, and specially asked Huang Yu to entrust the Japanese warship "Biliang" to transport a short-wave radio station.At that time, there were only three such radio stations in the country, one in Nanjing Chiang Kai-shek General Headquarters; one in Shanghai Longhua Bai Chongxi Headquarters; and one in Chongqing Liuxiang Headquarters.
It can also be seen that Jiang attaches great importance to Liu Xiang.
Chiang Kai-shek also helped Liu Xiang at a critical moment.
In 1932, Liu Xiang and Liu Wenhui competed for Sichuan. At that time, Liu Wenhui was the chairman of Sichuan Province. To overthrow him, Chiang Kai-shek must be supported.
Chiang Kai-shek unreservedly supported Liu Xiang.
Among the Southwest Warlords, the one who has the least relationship with Chiang Kai-shek is Long Yun.Chiang Kai-shek thought it was Long Yun who was the most difficult to figure out.Chiang Kai-shek helped Wang Jialie to control Guizhou and Liu Xiang to unify Sichuan, but he did not help Long Yun.
Therefore, Long Yun is also the most difficult to control.
Long Yun's experience is quite rich in today's film and television legend.He is a native of the Yi nationality, whose Yi name is Naji Niaoti. He was originally a slave-owner aristocrat. After his father died of illness, his family declined. He wandered on both sides of the Jinsha River in western Sichuan and northern Yunnan.After the Revolution of 1911, he entered the fourth cavalry department of Yunnan Jiangwu Hall to study. In the autumn of 1914, a French strongman came to Kunming, claiming to be invincible all over the world, and set up a ring in the Yunnan Army Lecture Hall for three days.In the first two days, no one could beat him. On the third day, Long Yun came to the stage wearing a pair of straw sandals. He insisted on knocking the strong man over with his fists and head using the method of "monk hitting the bell", and then pressed him down with a pounce.
The French boxer surrendered and left Kunming. Long Yun also attracted the attention of Tang Jiyao, a warlord in Yunnan.
From serving as an adjutant of the Tang Department at the end of 1915 to launching the "February 6" coup that overthrew Tang Jiyao in 1927 as the guardian envoy of Kunming, Long Yun operated in a miserable manner for 12 years.Relying on Tang Jiyao to make a fortune and then to overthrow Tang Jiyao, he is also following the old path taken by the warlord predecessors.The difference is that Long Yun's road seems to be extremely difficult. He was hit by a bomb just after taking power in Yunnan, and one eye was stabbed by broken glass, dripping with blood, and became permanently disabled.
In January 1928, Chiang Kai-shek announced that Long Yun was the chairman of the Yunnan Provincial Government and the commander-in-chief of the Thirteenth Route Army.When Long Yun carefully examined the letter of appointment, his eyes must have been bloody.
In any case, the three key figures of the Southwest Warlords were all appointed by Chiang Kai-shek.They all depended on Chiang Kai-shek, feared and guarded against him.
Judging from the combat effectiveness of the troops, Liu Xiang's Sichuan Army has more than a hundred regiments, with the strongest military strength and combat effectiveness, and the most complicated internal factions.Long Yun's Yunnan army has the smallest force, no military division, and only 6 brigades plus 1 guard regiment, a total of 13 regiments, half less than the Qian army, but it has the most elite troops, the most unified interior, and the strictest control .The Guizhou army was the latest to form an army. Among the armies in the Southwest, although the Guizhou army had enough troops and was in the middle, its combat effectiveness was the weakest, and it seldom won in previous warlord wars.It was either defeated by the Yunnan Army or the Sichuan Army.
When Mao Zedong chose the target of annihilation, he chose the weak to fight.
The same is true of Chiang Kai-shek's dealing with local warlords.
To clean up the Southwest, he first selected Wang Jialie, who had the deepest relationship with him but was the weakest.
He has the stone ready.
This stone is Xue Yue who followed closely behind the Red Army.
In January 1935, when the Long March marched deep into the southwestern hinterland and approached Zunyi step by step, did the leaders of the Chinese Communist Party know that they were approaching the turning point that would eventually lead them from failure to victory?
The failure of the fifth campaign against "encirclement and suppression" forced the Central Red Army to give up the base area to break through the siege and the Western Expedition. The Xiangjiang War also lost more than half of it. Enough quantitative changes have been accumulated, and qualitative changes are inevitable.But the difference between social laws and natural laws is that the former cannot be realized naturally, and must be fought for through people's unremitting efforts and selfless struggle.
In this regard, Mao Zedong was indeed indomitable.
American writer Salisbury described Mao Zedong's closeness with Zhang Wentian and Wang Jiaxiang during the Long March as "a 'conspiracy' on a stretcher".In fact, this work of Mao Zedong had already started before the Long March.
Kong Hechong's rebellion made the enemy know the exact location of the various central agencies in Ruijin. In August 1934, Ruijin was continuously bombed by enemy planes, and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was forced to move to Yunshi Mountain.There is a small temple on Yunshi Mountain, called "Yunshan Ancient Temple", where the residences of Mao Zedong and Zhang Wentian are located.At the beginning, they cared about each other in life, and then Mao Zedong learned that Zhang Wentian was also deeply dissatisfied with the leadership of Bogu, Li De and others in a deep talk under the yellow oak tree in the small temple.
Mao Zedong had been separated from the central core for a long time at that time, and he didn't even know about the "Boluo Split" after the Guangchang Battle.
Luo Fu, namely Zhang Wentian.
Zhang Wentian and Bogu have known each other for a long time.Both joined the party in 1925.At that time, Zhang Wentian was teaching at Suzhou Leyi Girls' Middle School, and he gave a speech at Suzhou Higher Industrial Technical School. Among the audience was a young man named Qin Bangxian.Qin Bangxian entered Sun Yat-Sen University in Moscow in 1926. He named him БОГУНОВ in Russian, and translated it into "Bogunov" in Chinese. The name also fit his personality very well: БОГ is "God "meaning.After returning to China, his pseudonym was Bo Gu.
Zhang Wentian first went to Sun Yat-sen University to study.The two have completely different temperaments and personalities.Zhang Wentian is knowledgeable and thoughtful; he is bold and eloquent.During the internal struggle of CUHK, both of them stood on the side of the Branch Bureau and belonged to the minority, that is, the "twenty-eight and a half Bolsheviks" who became famous later.
The Bolsheviks, who were united and fought bravely in the Soviet Union, accused the other party of being Plekhanov when they arrived in China.
Bogu returned to China in May 1930, seven months earlier than Zhang Wentian.These 7 months should not be underestimated, it has become an important source of Bogu's sense of superiority in front of Zhang Wentian in the future.
At that time, Li Lisan, who was more aggressive than Bogu, was promoting the "Lisan line".Bo Gu knew the Comintern's attitude towards the "Li San Line" from Wang Ming, and he and Wang Ming fiercely opposed this line.Li Lisan gave Wang Ming 6 months of probation in the party, and gave Bogu, Wang Jiaxiang, and He Zishu a severe warning from the party, and all four were transferred from the central government.
When Miff came to China to clean up the situation, the punishment he received became an important asset for Wang Ming, Bogu and others.Miff's greatest achievement in China was the Fourth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee, which brought huge losses to the Chinese revolution.After this plenary session, Wang Ming became the main leader of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, and Bo Gu also turned defeat into victory. He first became the propaganda minister of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League, and then became the secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.
When Zhang Wentian returned to China in February 1932, all the thrilling struggles had passed.He came back with Yang Shangkun, and Bogu greeted them first on behalf of the Party Central Committee.Based on his theoretical foundation, Zhang Wentian soon assumed the position of head of the Propaganda Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, but in the eyes of Bo Gu and others, there was always a feeling of going down the mountain to pick a pick. In September 1931, considering that Wang Ming was going to the Soviet Union and Zhou Enlai was going to the Central Soviet Area, the Far East Bureau of the Communist International proposed the establishment of the Provisional Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.Both Bo and Zhang were not even alternate members of the Central Committee, and both became members of the Politburo Standing Committee overnight.
But the first and second in command quickly became discordant.
In late October 1932, the Central Committee of the League was severely damaged, and several leaders were arrested and defected one after another.Zhang Wentian, who lived in the League Central Office, felt that he could no longer engage in underground struggle, so he proposed to work in the Central Soviet Area.Bogu disagrees.Previously, Bo Gu had stated at the interim meeting of the Central Standing Committee that in order to strengthen the leadership of the Central Soviet Area, he would go there in person.He wanted to assign Zhang Wentian to the Northern Bureau to develop work.
Their opinions were not unified, so they asked the Communist International for instructions.
International reply: The entire central authority moved into the Jiangxi Central Soviet Area.
From mid to late January 1933, Zhang Wentian, Bogu, and Chen Yun successively arrived in the Central Soviet Area of Jiangxi.In the work in the Soviet area, Bogu and Zhang Wentian had constant differences on how to understand the changes in the united front strategy and how to view the capitalist economy in the Soviet area. At the Second National Congress of the Chinese Soviets at the end of January 1934, "because Mao Zedong didn't care about daily affairs", Bogu asked Zhang Wentian to be the chairman of the Soviet People's Committee.Zhang Wentian felt that Bogu wanted him to crowd out Mao Zedong, but also to squeeze him out of the central decision-making circle.The long-standing conflict between the two finally broke out.
The failure of the Battle of Guangchang became the flashpoint of the conflict.
At the meeting of the Central Revolutionary Military Commission in early May 1934, Zhang Wentian criticized Bogu and Li De for improper command and fighting the enemy recklessly, causing the main force of the Red Army to suffer undue heavy losses.Bogu was emotional, stood up and said loudly that after the failure of the Russian workers' armed uprising in 1905, Plekhanov stood up and accused the party like this, saying that "there was no need to use weapons."
Anyone who is familiar with the history of the Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) knows that this sentence carries a lot of weight.The Bolsheviks created a method in the inner-party struggle that had a great influence on the Communist Parties of all countries: they frequently used the analogy of the leading figures of the opportunist line to describe each other.The names of Kautsky, Bernstein, and later Trotsky, Bukharin and other figures have all changed from nouns to adjectives, becoming heavy shells that can be fired at any target at any time.
Zhang Wentian, who has studied in the Soviet Union for many years, certainly knows the weight of being described as "Plekhanov".He was usually gentle and quiet, but this time he couldn't sit still anymore.
The two blushed.If the previous differences between Bogu and Zhang Wentian were more theoretical or did not touch on the fundamentals, then the battle of Guangchang raised the debate to the point of who is Plekhanov, and it naturally and unnaturally involves the line.Zhang Wentian has already said in his speech that Li De cannot be completely relied on for China's affairs, and he needs to have some ideas.
The meeting broke up badly.None of the other comrades present expressed their opinion.
Silence turned into a crack, cracking the ice of the Fourth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee.
The most direct result was that Zhang Wentian and Mao Zedong were greatly close.On the stone bench under the yellow oak tree in front of the "Yunshan Ancient Temple" in Yunshi Mountain, Zhang Wentian talked to Mao Zedong about the depression before and after being described as "Plekhanov".
Prior to this, Mao Zedong had won over Wang Jiaxiang.
At that time, the central government had already made the decision to disperse Zhang Wentian, Mao Zedong, and Wang Jiaxiang to various army regiments.After Mao Zedong knew Zhang Wentian's attitude, he immediately suggested to the central government to arrange him with Zhang Wentian and Wang Jiaxiang.
This recommendation is extremely important and critical.If Zhang Wentian, Mao Zedong, and Wang Jiaxiang were really dispersed among the legions, it would be difficult to imagine whether the Zunyi Conference could be held and what it would look like.
This is the historical initiative by which great men become great men.
Due to Mao Zedong's insistence, when the Red Army set off on the Long March, all three of them stayed in the central column, which became the basis of the new three-member regiment in the future.If this is what Salisbury called "the 'conspiracy' on the stretcher", then it was "conspiracy" before the stretcher.
The Long March started.In the central column, the three-member regiment Bo, Li, and Zhou were busy commanding the battle.Mao Zedong took advantage of this specific environment to form a Mao, Zhang, and Wang "Xin Trio" through repeated exchanges of views with Zhang Wentian and Wang Jiaxiang.
Mao Zedong later said: "Before the Long March, I had only one vote in the Politburo. Later, when I really couldn't do it, I did the work of Wang Jiaxiang first. Wang Jiaxiang agreed with my point of view. I then passed Wang Jiaxiang and did the work of Zhang Wentian. .”
The core of the Zunyi Conference had already been formed before the Long March.
The biggest blow to the old trio was the Battle of Xiangjiang.The Red Army lost more than half of this battle, and Bogu felt the heavy responsibility, heartbroken, and his mood plummeted.On the march across the Xiangjiang River, he kept making gestures at himself with a pistol. Nie Rongzhen saw him and stepped forward to dissuade him, saying, this is no joke!The more difficult times are, the more calm and responsible a leader must be.
Li De, who dared to take responsibility the most, often became furious. Not only did he not admit his mistakes, but he said that Xiangjiang's failure was due to differences of opinion, thus delaying the opportunity of the war.
Only Zhou Enlai continued to work silently.
From December 1, 1934, when the whole army crossed the Xiangjiang River, to January 15, 1935, when the Zunyi Conference was held, within one and a half months, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China held three important meetings: the passage meeting on December 12; the Liping Conference of 1999;
January 1, 1935, Monkey Field Meeting.
These are the foreshadowing and preparations for the Zunyi meeting.
Although she was pregnant in October, it was extremely difficult to give birth once.
Although enough quantitative changes have been accumulated, it is extremely difficult to complete qualitative changes.
How persevering was Mao Zedong in the process of promoting this qualitative change.
After breaking through the first blockade and entering Hunan, Mao Zedong began to talk to Zhang Wentian and Wang Jiaxiang about the mistakes of Bogu and Li De's military command.At this point, it was just a discussion stage among the three of them in a small area.
After breaking through the fourth blockade and crossing the Xiangjiang River, Mao, Zhang, and Wang began to openly criticize the central military line at meetings.From the crossing of the old mountain boundary of Yuechengling in northern Guangxi, the internal debates among the leaders of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China became public.
The channel meeting is the first important place.At this emergency meeting of the leaders of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China to discuss the direction of the Red Army's actions, Li De proposed that Xue Yue's troops, who were pursuing in parallel, should overtake them, and the Red Army would turn north behind them to join He Long and Xiao Ke.Mao Zedong resolutely opposed it and advocated westward march to Guizhou, where the enemy's troops were weak.In addition to Zhang Wentian and Wang Jiaxiang, this suggestion was also supported by Zhou Enlai.
Mao Zedong won the support of the majority for the first time.
Because it is the first time, the results are not consolidated.After the meeting, although the Central Revolutionary Military Commission sent an "urgent" message to the heads of the various armies to continue their westward march, at the same time they ordered the Second and Sixth Red Army Corps to support the Central Red Army and "seek maneuvers as they continue to advance westward in order to turn northward."Mao Zedong's suggestion became a stopgap measure.
The Liping Conference is the second important venue.Zhou Enlai adopted the opinions of Mao, Zhang, and Wang as the presiding officer of the meeting, and crossed the Wujiang River westward and northward.The "Decision of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee on Strategic Guidelines" adopted by the meeting stated: "The past decision to establish a new Soviet base area in western Hunan is now impossible and inappropriate"; "The new base area should be Sichuan. The frontier area of Guizhou should be centered on Zunyi at first."
The direction was completely reversed.
The Liping Conference also made an unobtrusive decision: According to the debates on military command since the fifth counter-campaign against "encirclement and suppression" that had intensified within the central leadership starting from southern Hunan, it was decided that after crossing the Wujiang River to the Zunyi area, Then convene an enlarged meeting of the Politburo to discuss it.
The Liping meeting decided the location and content of the Zunyi meeting.However, the actual content of the Zunyi meeting went far beyond the scope of the Liping meeting.This must mention Huang Ping between Liping and Zunyi.
On December 20, 1934, the Military Commission column arrived at Huangping.
Geng Biao recalled in 1990:
It was the harvest season for oranges in the south at that time, and the oranges in Huangping were big, good, and very sweet.At that time Zhang Wentian was not in good health, so he was sitting on a stretcher on the Long March, while Comrade Wang Jiaxiang was also sitting on a stretcher because of his injuries, and the two stretchers walked together.In an orange orchard full of orange-yellow oranges, they stopped the stretcher and the two lay head to head talking.At this time, Wang Jiaxiang asked Zhang Wentian, where is the final target center of our transfer this time?Zhang Wentian replied worriedly: Well, I don't have a goal either.It seems that this battle cannot be fought like this.Then he said that Comrade Mao Zedong has a way of fighting, which is better than ours. If we can't lead, we still need Comrade Mao Zedong to come out.Regarding Comrade Zhang Wentian's two sentences, Comrade Wang Jiaxiang first called Comrade Peng Dehuai that night, and then told Comrade Mao Zedong.As soon as a few people passed it on, those generals also knew about it, and everyone agreed to hold a meeting and let Comrade Mao Zedong come out to command.
The meeting has not yet been held, not only the new three-person regiment has the same understanding, but also the main commanders of each legion are generally aware of it and know it well.
This conversation in Julin was told to Geng Biao by Zuo Quan, chief of staff of the First Army Corps before forcibly crossing the Wujiang River.Liu Bocheng also said the same thing to Geng Biao later.Geng Biao, the 25-year-old head of the Fourth Regiment of the Second Division of the First Army Corps, was already 81 years old when he spoke at the symposium commemorating Zhang Wentian's 90th birthday on August 29, 1990.Zuo Quan has died for 48 years, Wang Jiaxiang has passed away for 16 years, Zhang Wentian has passed away for 14 years, and Liu Bocheng has passed away for 4 years.Thanks to Geng Biao's memory.Who can know how many precious materials we have, or even a few words in the future, will be lost and disappeared in the endless river of history?
The Julin talk added an important content to the meeting decided at the Liping meeting and planned to be held in the Zunyi area: Mao Zedong was asked to come out to command, that is, a change in personnel was required.
Whether it is "conspiracy" or "Yangmou", the core content of the meeting in Zunyi area has been settled in this way.This is indeed completely unprepared for the old trio.As for the new trio, preparations have already been made.
Mao Zedong was not a foresight, but he was indeed the one who came to this turning point with the greatest historical consciousness among the leadership, including the new trio.
On January 1, 1935, at the Houchang meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee, it was stipulated that "the Military Commission must report at the Politburo meeting on the choice of operational policy and the time and place of combat", and Li De's military command power was actually abolished. The meeting made final preparations, and the ending was a matter of course.
The ice has been broken and the waterway has been opened.
The Communist Party of China finally ushered in the Zunyi Conference.
There are too many words to describe this conference.Some people even say that a meeting can wear so many laurels and add so many halos.Indeed, because it determines the fate of an army, then a party, and ultimately a country.
On January 15, 1935, the Zunyi Conference was held.Attending the meeting were members of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee Bo Gu, Zhang Wentian, Zhou Enlai, Mao Zedong, Zhu De, and Chen Yun; alternate members of the Political Bureau Wang Jiaxiang, Deng Fa, Liu Shaoqi, and Kai Feng; heads of the Red Army headquarters Liu Bocheng and Li Fuchun; Peng Dehuai, Yang Shangkun, and Li Zhuoran; as well as military adviser Li De, translator Wu Xiuquan, and secretary-general of the Central Team Deng Xiaoping.
Because of the interruption of contact, the preparations for the Zunyi Conference could not be consulted with the Communist International.
When the provisional central government moved from Shanghai to the Soviet area in early 1933, the Shanghai Central Bureau was specially established to be in charge of telecommunications with the Communist International.But later, as Li Zhusheng and Sheng Zhongliang, the heads of the Shanghai Central Bureau, were arrested and rebelled, the Shanghai underground radio station was cracked by the enemy.On the eve of the Long March, the communication between the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Communist International had been severed.
And it was precisely this interruption that gave the Chinese Communists the opportunity to choose their own leaders.
The meeting was chaired by Bo Gu.
In the mansion of Bai Huizhang, the commander of the Guizhou Army, and now in the Zunyi Conference Memorial Hall, the most difficult problem to solve is probably the arrangement of people's seats in the venue.The meeting lasted for three days. Except for Bo Gu who presided over the meeting, who was fixedly sitting in the middle of the long table, the participants of the meeting basically took their seats in random order, which was not as strict and cumbersome as today's ranking.Gong Jiaxiang had an unhealed abdominal wound and was lying on a rattan couch to attend the meeting; Nie Rongzhen was injured on his foot and sat on a stretcher to attend the meeting every day; Peng Dehuai hurried back to the front to carry out new orders before the meeting was over.
But all this does not prevent the Zunyi Conference from becoming the most important event in the history of Chinese revolution.
Military matters of life and death are the entry point.The first item on the agenda of the meeting is to study the destination of strategic transfer.The idea of establishing the Sichuan-Guizhou frontier base area with Zunyi as the center determined by the Liping Conference was rejected.Liu Bocheng and Nie Rongzhen suggested to go across the Yangtze River and establish a base in northwestern Sichuan.
The meeting adopted the suggestions of Liu and Nie.
After the new direction of progress was determined, the military line since the fifth counter-campaign against "encirclement and suppression" began to be sorted out.
Bo Gu made the report.
Zhou Enlai made the deputy report.
Zhang Wentian made a counter-report.
History will show a unique charm at some important junctures.Just as in 1978, at the Central Work Conference preparing for the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee, it was not Deng Xiaoping who spoke the most but Chen Yun, and the most important speaker at the Zunyi Conference in 1935 was not Mao Zedong but Zhang Wentian.
First of all because of his position in the party at that time.
Geng Biao recalled:
At that time, Comrade Zhang Wentian was a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat, equivalent to the current member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo.His position in the central government at that time was the highest among the three people (Mao Zedong, Zhang Wentian, and Wang Jiaxiang) who first stood up to oppose the wrong military line on the Long March.So when I think about it seriously, the Zunyi Conference would not have been possible without Zhang Wentian first raising this issue at the central government.In fact, if he didn't mention it, no one else would dare to mention it.In the past, many comrades in the Soviet area were punished for raising different opinions.If no one mentions it and Chairman Mao cannot come out, our Red Army will not be able to successfully reach northern Shaanxi, and there will be no subsequent development.
At that time, there were only four members of the Standing Committee of the Central Committee or the secretariat: Bo Gu, Zhang Wentian, Zhou Enlai, and Xiang Ying.Xiang Ying stayed in the Central Soviet Area, and only the first three participants participated in the Zunyi meeting.Among the first three, Zhang Wentian's status is second only to Bogu.He was the first to stand up at the enlarged meeting of the Politburo and criticize the wrong military leadership with a clear-cut stand. Naturally, the weight is the heaviest.
Second, because of the systematic nature of his speech.
Yang Shangkun recalled: "I clearly remember that Comrade Wen Tian made the report against the 'Left' leaning military line at the Zunyi Conference. When he made the report, he had an outline in his hand, and he basically spoke according to the outline."
Zhang Wentian is quick in thinking and fluent in writing. He gave an outline speech at the Zunyi Conference, which was exactly the opposite of Bogu's main report.Judging from the lineups of both sides, Bo and Zhang happen to be the leaders of the new and old trio.Bo Gu's speech was the main report at the meeting, and Luo Fu's speech outline became a tit-for-tat "anti-report".
Mao Zedong, Wang Jiaxiang, and Zhu De spoke successively after Zhang Wentian finished speaking.Mao Zedong talked for more than an hour, analyzing the crux of the wrong military line.The meeting decided to entrust Zhang Wentian to draft the resolution of the Zunyi meeting.The content of his counter-report was basically included in the "Summary Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Opposing the Enemy's Five Encirclement and Suppression".
History is strikingly similar.
The original agenda of the Zunyi Conference in 1935 was to study military issues.
The original agenda of the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee in 1978 was to study economic issues.
Both meetings were off track.
The Zunyi meeting eventually became a battle to liquidate Wang Ming's leftist wrong line militarily.The Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee launched a general attack on the policy line of the "Cultural Revolution" by completing the shift of the focus of the work of the whole party.
The courage to face history was needed to be the first to criticize Bo Gu and Li De’s leftist military line at the Zunyi Conference, and to be the first to deny the “Cultural Revolution” at the Central Working Conference before the Third Plenary Session.
Zhang Wentian is from Nanhui County, Shanghai.Zhangjiazhai, my hometown, is located on an alluvial plain between the Yangtze River estuary and Hangzhou Bay. "Qingongtang" stretches for nearly a hundred miles from north to south, and has guarded a large area of fertile land in the west of the embankment for generations. In 1905, when there was a high tide, the fertile land on the east side of the embankment suddenly became a vast ocean.The huge tide moved mountains and seas, and the tide head was more than 5 meters high, which was likely to destroy the dikes and dams.But "Qingongtang" remained unchanged.There was no loss of life and property of the Tixi people.After the tide receded, people went to the "Qin Gong Temple" to burn incense and pray in memory of this good official who benefited the people.This solid pond has protected the lives and properties of people in Nanhui and Chuansha counties for more than 170 years.The common people call "Qin Gongtang" "Mingtang".
This incident left a very deep impression on Zhang Wentian's mind when he was young.
Zhang Wentian later studied in Japan, the United States, and the Soviet Union, and his first lesson was always "Qingongtang".The bank of the pond gave Zhang Wentian a lifelong ambition: to be the "life pond" for the common people.
History has provided Zhang Wentian with two opportunities to be a "Qingongtang".
At the Zunyi meeting, he made a "life pond".He succeeded.With his position and influence as No. 2 in the party, he made a major contribution to the party with his thoughtful and sharp counter-report.Mao Zedong has since become the leadership core of the Red Army of Workers and Peasants, and then the leadership core of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.
24 years later, he is determined to do "Mingtang" again.
That was the Lushan Conference in 1959.
That time, he failed.
Chen Yun's precious "Outline of the Enlarged Meeting of the Zunyi Politburo" said: "The enlarged meeting pointed out that the military leadership was wrong. Comrade Zhong Enlai and other comrades fully agreed with Luo Fu and King Mao's outline and opinions, Comrade Bogu did not fully and thoroughly admit his mistakes, Comrade Kaifeng disagreed with Mao, Zhang, and Wang's opinions, and Comrade A completely and firmly disagreed with the his criticism."
This "Comrade A" is Li De.
A "completely and resolutely disagree" vividly portrays Li De, who is completely criticized and keeps smoking at the entrance of the venue.
Regardless of success or failure, his mission in China is basically over.
The Zunyi meeting decided to "cancel the three-member regiment" was to formally revoke Li De's command.这在中国共产党同共产国际的关系史上是破天荒的第一次。
不管李德是否是共产国际派来的，他已经被作为了一个国际的信物。遵义会议在事先没有得到共产国际批准的情况下，改组中国共产党和红军的领导，取消了博古和李德的军事指挥权，确立了毛泽东在中共中央和红军中的领导地位，这是中国共产党人第一次在没有共产国际干预下，独立自主地解决自己的路线、方针和政策。
遵义会议是中共党史上一个生死攸关的转折点，同时也是中国革命和共产国际关系史上的一个意义重大的转折点。
共产国际并非对毛泽东的巨大威望和影响一无所知。1933年3月，国际执委会关于军事问题致中共中央电，特别指出：“对毛泽东应取尽可能忍耐的态度和对他施行同志式的影响，让他有100%的可能性在党的中央委员会或中央委员会政治局的领导下担任极为重要的工作。”
当时毛泽东已经离开了苏区中央局和红军的领导岗位。共产国际的态度是明显的：既要让毛泽东“担任极为重要的工作”以发挥作用，又不能让他出任主要领导。
国际的指示，从来都是上方宝剑。遵义会议以前，中国共产党领导人基本上都根据国际的指示及其驻中国代表的意见，处理中国革命的各种问题。连领导人都必须经过共产国际的圈定，或者干脆由国际包办。
1921年7月中共一大选陈独秀为书记，事前得到过国际代表马林的同意。
陈独秀1927年不行了，鲍罗廷便出来包办接班。
蔡和森1927年9月22日在中共顺直省委作的报告《党的机会主义史》中说：“不知道是七月初几，老鲍提议独秀、平山去莫斯科与国际讨论中国革命问题，秋白、和森赴海参崴办党校，新指定国焘、太雷、维汉、立三、恩来五人组织政治局兼常委。自此独秀即不视事。”
陈独秀之后的政治局常委，就这样被鲍罗廷一一指定。
李立三在1930年2月1日作的《党史报告》中回忆鲍罗廷：“他宣布改造中央也是用手段，找我们五人去，说形势非常紧迫，要主要负责人走开，陈独秀、谭平山到莫斯科，和森、秋白到海参崴办党报（校），另组织五人的中央，五次大会的中央是这样不光荣的结束。”
鲍罗廷指定了5个常委，却不说以谁为首。他开完会便带瞿秋白乘船去了庐山。9天以后从庐山返回，当天就宣布：增加瞿秋白为中共政治局常委，主持中共中央工作。虽然仍未指出谁排第一，但新常委瞿秋白成为了实际上的领袖。
老鲍一句话，接替陈独秀的人便产生了。
后来瞿秋白又不行了，斯大林、布哈林便看中了工人出身的向忠发。1928年6月，共产国际冒极大风险、花大量金钱，将一百余名中共代表接到莫斯科召开六大，彻底改组中共中央。斯大林看中的人，由米夫出来做工作。向忠发被指定为大会开幕式和闭幕式的主持人。大会闭幕前一天，米夫又以国际代表身份提出中委候选人名单，排向忠发为第一名。
这种连续举动使大家都明白了共产国际的意图。六届一中全会上，中委们不再需要国际代表提示，都推举向忠发担任会议主席。向忠发顺利地当选政治局委员、政治局兼中央常委会主席，成为中共历史上第一位工人出身的总书记。
向忠发又不行之时，1930年底到1931年初中共六届四中全会前后，共产国际包办中国革命的现象达到登峰造极的地步。
《中共四中全会决议案》是国际代表米夫起草的，出席会议的代表是米夫圈定的，政治局委员和候补委员名单是米夫与国际远东局共同拟定的。会前为避免党内出现分裂，周恩来和瞿秋白提出退出政治局，提名何孟雄进入，米夫不屑一顾，完全拒绝。他采取“留周拒瞿”的方针，瞿秋白在中共中央的地位瞬间便失去了。
米夫起草的四中全会决议案中，称中国共产党最迫切的任务是执行国际一切指示，“对共产国际路线百分之百地忠实”。加上王明写的小册子，中国共产党被强加了两个百分之百：百分之百的布尔什维克；百分之百地忠实于国际路线。
两个百分之百，给惨淡经营的苏区和红军几乎皆带来百分之百的损失。
不知道这些，很难说知道了遵义会议的伟大，知道了毛泽东的伟大。
中国革命是一幅立体巨画，凝视哪一个局部去赞美整体都是冒昧的。
应该后退一步，从宏观上去把握它的整体。这个时候你才能真正发现，高光点为什么辉煌。
中国共产党经过14年艰苦努力、曲折斗争，付出了无数鲜血与生命的代价，终于能够自己决定自己的路线，自己安排自己的领导人。
这一改组刚刚开始。1935年1月17日遵义会议结束时，毛泽东还只是政治局五常委之一，按张闻天、周恩来、毛泽东、博古、陈云的顺序排名第三。1月18日政治局会议常委分工时，才决定“以泽东同志为恩来同志的军事指挥上的帮助者”，至此毛泽东刚回到军队领导岗位。最高军事首长仍然是朱周，而“恩来同志是党内委托的对于指挥军事上下最后决心的负责者”。
不论是对党还是对军队，毛泽东都还不能一夜之间成为它们的第一号领导人。
还会有曲折，有考验，但一切只是时间问题。只要不是别人安排，毛泽东的方向就不可逆转。
1949年中华人民共和国成立之时，他说：中国人民站起来了！
1935年在遵义他虽然沉默，但历史在说：中国共产党站起来了！
也不要忘了另一个人：博古。
他是错误路线的主要代表，在一般人眼中他是遵义会议的主要打击对象。
博古此人好就好在只要认识到了，就不避讳自己的错误。他都是“阳谋”，不搞阴谋。2月5日，在云南威信地区一个叫“鸡鸣三省”的地方，中央常委讨论分工问题，决定由张闻天代替博古担任党中央书记，在党内负总责。凯丰在背后劝他不要交权，他不听，把几副装中央重要文件、记录、印章的挑子痛快地交给了张闻天。
博古比毛泽东小14岁，除了在莫斯科多读了一些马列主义的书，对中国复杂的阶级关系和社会矛盾、中国革命的客观规律以及工农武装割据特点的认识，与毛泽东比，皆相去甚远。
小14岁、经验相去甚远，博古也毕竟做过一个党的领袖。不管是用什么方式产生的，他也毕竟代表了一个党。博古的不成熟，印证的只能是一个党的不成熟。
正是从这个意义上说，长征是中国共产党由不成熟走向成熟的里程碑。
当时的中国共产党，唯有毛泽东是真正成熟的领袖。而唯有长征那种艰难困苦的环境，才能使从1921年建党之日就开始的对领袖的漫长选择得到终结。
选择毛泽东作为领袖，本身不是同样在印证中国共产党已日益成熟了吗？
毛泽东对长征有段名言。
1935年12月，工农红军第一方面军长征结束，毛泽东说：长征是宣言书，长征是宣传队，长征是播种机。
蒋介石对“长追”也有段名言。
1935年7月，蒋介石在成都对薛岳说：“国军长途追剿，从中枢到边陲，军行所至，中央德威远播，诚为我国历史空前壮举。”
举世公认，长征是中国共产党人的壮举。
但蒋介石讲起他的长追来，也言之凿凿，认为有宣言书、宣传队和播种机的意味。
帮助蒋介石完成从东南到西南、从西南到西北，迢迢万里追击、截击、堵击的，就是在红军中从总司令到伙夫无人不知的薛岳。长征伊始，薛岳就成为一个穷凶极恶的代表，紧紧跟压在红军队伍侧面或紧跟在后面。
薛岳此人在蒋军中颇有些狂气，绰号“老虎仔”。第五次“围剿”中，陈诚在薛岳就任北路军第六路军总指挥的军官大会上说“剿共有了薛伯陵，等于增加十万兵”。话虽然说得太大，徒增薛岳之轻狂，但也可见此人确非等闲之辈。
薛岳从第五次“围剿”起，便和红军结下难解之仇。1933年10月他到达南昌，先任北路军第三路军副总指挥兼第七纵队司令，后任第一路军代总指挥兼第七纵队司令。1934年1月，出任北路军第六路军总指挥。他指挥第六路军先后夺占赣南重镇兴国及古龙岗，进迫宁都，企图围困瑞金。10月中下旬，红军主力通过赣南信丰、安远间的粤军封锁线，突围西去。薛岳立即以火急电报分电北路军前敌总指挥陈诚、总指挥顾祝同及蒋介石，主动请战，要求率第六路军追击。蒋、顾、陈分别复电，同意由其率军追击，对其战斗精神大加褒奖。
蒋介石给薛岳的命令是：“第六路军以机动穷追为主，匪行即行，匪止即止，堵截另有布置。如侦察匪军有久盘之计，务即合围，毋容其再度生根。对朱、毛与贺龙合股之企图，务必随时洞察其奸，在战略上要经常注意，加以防范。”
于是薛岳便开始了所谓的“机动穷追”。
红军以瑞金、宁都为起点开始长征。薛岳率吴奇伟第四军（韩汉英五十九师、欧震九十师）、周浑元第三十六军（万耀煌十三师、萧致平九十六师、谢溥福第五师）及直属的梁华盛九十二师、唐云山九十三师、郭思演九十九师，共计8个师，以兴国为起点开始长追。
红军干部战士一面行军一面骂后面那个总也甩不掉的薛岳，哪一个能想到就是这个穷凶极恶的薛岳，在1927年“四一二”反革命事变前夜，曾亲自跑到中共中央驻地向共产党人建议：把蒋介石作为反革命抓起来。
那真是一个大革命、大动荡、大分化、大瓦解的时代。
薛岳早年与叶挺、张发奎三人，分任孙中山总统府警卫团的第一、第二和第三营营长。1922年6月，广东军阀陈炯明公开叛变，围攻越秀楼和总统府。叶挺指挥警卫团一营坚守总统府前门，薛岳指挥三营固守后门，多次击退叛军的进攻。战斗持续十多个小时。叛军断水断电，企图困死叶、薛两营。两人齐心合力，保护孙夫人宋庆龄突围。叶挺营在前面开路，薛岳营在后面殿后，冒着枪林弹雨，终将宋庆龄安全护送到岭南大学校长钟荣光寓所石屋。
当年的薛岳，的确是孙中山的忠诚卫士。他后来又带领少数卫士冲破封锁，上了孙中山蒙难的中山舰。
虽然在中山舰上薛岳与蒋介石各立于孙中山一侧，但薛岳与蒋介石的关系却貌合神离，实在是一般。
1927年3月底，蒋介石、李宗仁、白崇禧等在上海密谋清党。第一师师长薛岳和第二十一师师长严重二人，均被蒋视为“具有左倾迹象”，归入“不可靠”一列。
直接原因是薛岳擅自调动部队进入上海。3月21日，上海工人在周恩来等人领导下发动第三次武装起义，要求北伐军立即进上海支援。前敌总指挥白崇禧对工人的要求不屑一顾。薛岳却不顾白崇禧的坚决反对，应上海总工会代表的要求，将第一师开进了上海。
这是蒋介石不信任薛岳的直接原因，间接原因则是薛岳通过师政治部与共产党人建立了联系。
所以蒋介石与白崇禧联合对共产党人开刀之前，先要拿薛岳开刀了。
4月2日，蒋介石发动“四一二”政变十天前，第一师、第二十一师的政治部被蒋下令解散。恰逢此时，武汉政府总政治部秘书长李一氓携带邓演达给同乡好友薛岳的一封亲笔信，率总政治部先遣队赴上海开展工作。薛岳见到共产党人李一氓，把对蒋的不满都倒了出来。他同时告诉李“情况不好”，要“谨慎”。没过多久，薛岳就得知第一师将要调离上海的消息。他亲自赶到在上海的中共中央委员会，建议“把蒋介石作为反革命抓起来”。
当时虽然国民党反共的气氛已经很浓了，但陈独秀领导的中共中央依然在遵从共产国际指示，小心翼翼地避免同蒋介石发生冲突。对送上门来的薛岳的意见，决定不采纳。同时建议薛岳装病，以拖延撤离时间。
装病这种把戏在蒋介石面前是无法拖延的。4月5日，汪精卫与陈独秀联合宣言发表的同一天，第一师被调离上海，蒋介石与白崇禧随便就弄出了一个比装病更大的理由：“赴京沪线护路。”
一个星期后，蒋介石大开杀戒，发动了“四一二”政变。薛岳也被解除第一师师长职务。
薛岳生在了一个大动荡的年代，大动荡的年代造就了他大动荡的性格。
建议共产党抓蒋介石的薛岳后来投靠了李济深。他在担任广东新编第二师师长后，仿佛换了一个人。南昌起义部队退到广东潮梅一带地区时，薛岳协同陈济棠等部阻击，在汤坑与起义军展开激战。对面的对手，就是当年在总统府共同掩护孙夫人宋庆龄突围的叶挺。战斗中薛岳4个团都被击败，师部也被包围，全师覆灭在即。关键时刻叶挺部营长欧震叛变革命，阵前倒戈。薛岳立即抓住机会，与赶来增援的邓龙光部向其当年好友、共同掩护孙夫人突围的叶挺展开猛烈反攻。
汤坑之战，在南昌起义部队的战史上占有重要一笔。起义领导人的南下广东建立根据地、重新北伐的设想在这里被击碎。幸亏有朱德率第九军教导团和第二十五师留守三河坝，未西进汤坑，后来和陈毅一道，率部突破敌人包围，上了井冈山。
这年12月，薛岳又率部参加了扑灭张太雷、叶挺、叶剑英等领导的广州起义。其部第四团连续5次向广州起义总指挥部发动攻击，最终占领了起义军总指挥部，使白色恐怖笼罩全城。
从孙先生、孙夫人的忠实护卫，到上海总工会的朋友、建议先下手捉蒋的左倾师长，到打击南昌起义部队、镇压广州起义，薛岳只用了5年时间。5年之内，薛岳完成了他人生中最重要的转折。
那的确是一个沧海桑田、大浪淘沙的时代。红军长征开始后第一个主动请战、向蒋报名要求率部追击红军的薛岳，仿佛与共产党人天生势不两立。追击是一个苦差事。红军走了二万五千里，薛岳也走了两万里，从江西至大西南至川北至甘肃，转战数省一面对红军进行追击作战，一面将中央军势力打入了过去针插不进水泼不进的大西南。
1935年1月上旬，红军进占遵义，薛岳率十万中央军直入贵阳。
此番入黔的薛岳，不单肩负追击红军的使命，还有更加妙算的任务待他去完成。
蒋介石对其“文胆”陈布雷讲过：“共军入黔我们就可以跟进去，比我们专为图黔用兵还好。”
蒋介石把追击红军作为进入地方实力派势力范围的敲门砖，薛岳对此心领神会。当时他的先头部队已到湘西洪江，便电约贵州军阀王家烈在平越县马场坪会见，“共商追剿事宜”。
1935年1月初，王家烈抵达马场坪见薛岳。当时王家烈满脑子红军，还总结出两点：一、红军自江西出发，一路长驱直入，势不可当；二、红军之意不在图黔，入黔境后末兵指贵阳，似是要由余庆向北，渡过乌江。所以王家烈暗中打定主意以自保为主，不与红军拼消耗，让红军过境。
他以为薛岳肯定要催促他与红军作战，他想好了对付办法。
王家烈完全想不到薛岳对他说的第一句话是：“你的政治上的敌人是何敬之，以后要对他取远距离，应该走陈辞修的路线。”
何敬之即何应钦。陈辞修即陈诚。蒋介石嫡系中央军内部也是派系林立。何、陈矛盾尖锐，不仅在中央搞，竟也带到了地方；不仅平时闹，竟然深入了战时。王家烈顿时目瞪口呆。
陈诚与何应钦矛盾之深，在国民党内也是出了名的。
1927年8月龙潭战役，陈诚坐轿指挥作战。何应钦知晓后，立即撤其师长职务。当时陈诚胃病严重，在盛夏中几次几乎晕倒，何应钦未察，