Chapter 5 Speech at the Politburo meeting before going to Chongqing for negotiations

(August 26, 1945) According to reports from various places, some comrades in the party were not able to enter the big cities, He Yingqin[1] did not assign us a place to surrender and disarm, and the Soviet Red Army did not enter the border, and their mood fluctuated a little, and they needed to settle down.In fact, we have already achieved great victories. Chare[2] has no footprints of Chiang Kai-shek, and most of Jianghuai, Shandong, Hebei, Shanxi, and Suiyuan[3] can be in our hands.The anger of comrades is understandable now, but careful calculation is necessary.After our telegram [4] is sent out, this problem can be solved.

Regarding my going to Chongqing, seven comrades from the Politburo discussed with Comrade Ruofei[5] last night and decided to answer Wedemeyer’s telegram[6] and go.In this way, we can take full initiative.When going to Chongqing, we must fully estimate the possibility of Chiang Kai-shek forcing me to make an alliance under the city, but the signing is in my hand.Naturally, certain concessions must be made in negotiations, and a compromise can only be reached on the condition that the fundamental interests of both parties are not harmed.The first batch of areas we are going to make concessions are the base areas from Guangdong to Henan, the second batch is the base areas in Jiangnan, and the third batch is the base areas in Jiangbei. This depends on the negotiation situation. Under favorable conditions, we can consider making concessions. [7] From the north of Longhai Road to Outer Mongolia, we must have the upper hand.We also have an advantage in the Northeast. The administrators are from the Kuomintang. If we go to the cadres, there must be something to do there.If these conditions are not enough, then there will be no alliance under the city, and I am going to sit in prison.In the history of our Party, apart from the He Ming Incident[8], there has never been any random handing over of guns, so don't be afraid.If it's under house arrest, don't be afraid, I just want to do something there.Now the Red Army of the Soviet Union does not enter the customs, and the American army does not land. Formally, China solves the problem by itself. In fact, the three countries [9] intervene. None of the three countries wants China to fight a civil war. International pressure is not conducive to Chiang Kai-shek's dictatorship.The Sino-Soviet Treaty[10] was beneficial to the Chinese people, and the capture of the three eastern provinces by the Soviet Red Army had a great impact.Therefore, Chongqing can and must be visited.I can send a telegram to Chiang Kai-shek, saying that I am going, and a message will be published in the newspaper tomorrow [11].The Party's leadership center is still in Yan'an, and there will be no disturbances within the Party. In the future, more comrades may go outside. As long as there is an inner center, the outer center can be maintained.Don't move easily in Yan'an.

When the National Assembly is held in the future, whether the Communist Party members can vote for Chiang Kai-shek as the president depends on the situation.Chiang Kai-shek is the enemy of the Communist Party, but we have to partner with him. Due to the four conditions of our strength, the hearts of the whole country, Chiang Kai-shek's own difficulties and foreign intervention, some problems can be solved by going to Chongqing this time. Published based on the transcript of the speech kept by the Central Archives. -------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------

note [1] He Yingqin (1890-1987), a native of Xingyi, Guizhou.At that time, he was the Chief of Staff of the Military Commission of the Kuomintang Government, the Commander-in-Chief of the Army General Command of the Kuomintang Army, and the Supreme Commander of the surrendered Chinese theater. [2] Cha, referring to Chahar Province, and Re, referring to Rehe Province, see note [3] on page 10 of this volume. [3] Suiyuan refers to Suiyuan Province, which was revoked in 1954. At that time, the jurisdiction was Ulanchabu League, Yikezhao League, the eastern part of Bayannur League, Hohhot City, Baotou City and other places in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

[4] Refers to the "Notice of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Peaceful Negotiations with the Kuomintang" drafted by Mao Zedong on August 26, 1945 ("Selected Works of Mao Zedong", Volume Four, People's Publishing House, 1991 edition, pp. 1152-1155 ). [5] Ruofei, namely Wang Ruofei (1896-1946), was born in Anshun, Guizhou.At that time, he was the secretary of the Chongqing Working Committee of the CPC Central Committee and was in charge of the daily work of the Southern Bureau.On August 28, 1945, he went to Chongqing to negotiate with Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai.

[6] Refers to Mao Zedong's telegram on August 25, 1945, to Wei Demei, commander of the US military's China theater.The telegram said: "I accept Chairman Jiang's three telegram invitations, and Ambassador Hurley twice expressed his wish to come. I am very grateful for this sincerity. I would like to express my sincere welcome to Ambassador Hurley for an interview. General Zhou Enlai and Ambassador Hurley can fly to Yu on the same plane to meet Chairman Chiang's appointment, so as to negotiate all major plans as soon as possible." [7] The areas that the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China considered at that time referred to the eight anti-Japanese base areas of Guangdong, Zhejiang, southern Jiangsu, southern Anhui, central Anhui, Hunan, Hubei, and Henan (not including northern Henan).

[8] The He Ming incident refers to July 1937 when He Ming, who was then the acting secretary of the Fujian-Guangdong Border Special Committee of the Communist Party of China and the head and political commissar of the Third Independent Regiment of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army in southern Fujian, was defeated by the Kuomintang through negotiations. The Red Army in the Fujian-Guangdong Border Region was unaware of the conspiracy, and nearly a thousand people from the Third Independent Regiment led by them were surrounded and disarmed. [9] Refers to the Soviet Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

[10] Refers to the "Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Alliance" signed in Moscow on August 14, 1945, between the Chinese Kuomintang government and the Soviet government. [11] On August 27, 1945, the "Liberation Daily" published the news "Chairman Mao Decided to Go to Chongqing to Discuss the Great Plan of Unity and National Construction".