Chapter 23 From Shanghai to Northern Shaanxi

Edgar Snow was born in Kansas City, Missouri, USA on July 19, 1905. He was admitted to the University of Missouri School of Journalism and Columbia Journalism School successively. In February 1928, he was lucky enough to earn $800 on the stock exchange, so he came up with the idea of ​​venturing across the ocean to find "the charm of the East".Because the money was too little, even the travel expenses were not enough, so I worked as temporary sailors on an ocean-going ship with my friends, and arrived in Shanghai, the largest city in China, in early July of the same year. Snow successively served as the assistant editor of "Miller's Review" in Shanghai and the Asian travel reporter of the American foreign news agency.One evening, Snow met Helen Foster, a 23-year-old lady who had just arrived in Shanghai, and learned that she also had a strong interest in ancient China, and she had a copy of Edgar Snow's report on China under her arm. Big book clippings.Ms. Foster came to China to serve as the secretary of the US Consulate in Shanghai. Their common interests and aspirations ignited love, attracted each other, and quickly fell in love.

In the autumn of 1931, Snow got acquainted with Soong Ching Ling, Lu Xun and others during social activities, and developed a strong interest in China's future.But soon, the Japanese aggressors deliberately created the September 18th Incident and aggressively attacked all parts of the Northeast. Chiang Kai-shek hoped to rely on the "League of Nations" to mediate and deal with it, and Zhang Xueliang withdrew a large number of troops from Shanhaiguan, making the three northeastern provinces easily fall into the hands of the Japanese invaders. under.As a journalist, Snow rushed to the Northeast for interviews and wrote the book "Frontline in the Far East".Then the Japanese warships stared at the industrial city of Shanghai, threatening the Kuomintang government to disband the anti-Japanese groups and withdraw the anti-Japanese 19th Route Army.On January 18, 1932, he deliberately created an incident and repeated the old tricks like September 18. He suddenly launched a military attack on Shanghai at midnight. Amidst the fierce gunfire, Snow saw Chinese soldiers bravely fight back against the Japanese aggression By.Snow was very excited and immediately sent a telegram to the world: The Chinese have begun to resist!

During the two or three years in China, Snow discovered that he was living in a turbulent social environment, and he was eager to understand what the real and living China was like.What is the status of China's cultural and art circles?How much suffering did foreign powers inflict on the Chinese?Snow had many conversations with Lu Xun, which made him suddenly realize that Lu Xun was a key to teach me to understand China.In particular, during the Anti-Japanese War in Shanghai, Snow visited everywhere and saw Soong Ching Ling caring for the wounded in the Anti-Japanese War hospital and doing everything possible to rescue patriots.

In 1932, the love between Snow and Helen Foster (nicknamed Nim, or Helen Snow) became deeper and deeper in the test of time. The wedding was held.Afterwards, they sweetly traveled together in Taiwan, Borneo, Serbia, Java, Bali, Singapore and other places. In the spring of 1933, the two returned to mainland China and moved to a courtyard house in Cinder Hutong, Beiping.Snow devoted himself to writing, and Helen Foster took extra care of her husband and made three chapters for herself: first, to ensure her husband’s health and work at any cost; second, not to spend money on herself unless necessary; Complaining, not complaining, or feeling dissatisfied.Helen Foster said: "If the truth of the source of a great man's strength is revealed to the world, the wife is often the power plant of the husband's material and spiritual power to accomplish higher achievements."

Not long after, Snow was hired as a special correspondent for the British "Daily Herald", and had more frequent contacts with patriotic students.Some leaders of the student movement often went to Snow's home to discuss current affairs, the Red Army, the Communist Party, the Anti-Japanese National Salvation, and the Fascist Blue Shirts.I like to read the "forbidden books" collected by Snow, including Smedley's "The Chinese Red Army is Marching".People who often come here include Zhang Zhaolin, Chairman of the Yenching University Student Union, Wang Rumei (Huang Hua), Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Student Union, and Yu Qiwei (Huang Jing), one of the leaders of the Peking Student Movement.

After the fall of the three northeastern provinces, the Japanese invaders plundered the Rehe area of ​​Hebei and most of eastern Hebei, and stationed troops in Shanhaiguan, Tangshan, Tianjin, and the suburbs of Beiping, showing off their power and bullying the people. In June 1935, the Kuomintang government issued a "Diplomatic Relations Order", banning all anti-Japanese groups and prohibiting all anti-Japanese speeches.The Kuomintang sent military police to hunt down and persecute patriotic youths and progressives in Beiping, and the underground organization of the Communist Party of China was also greatly damaged.The Japanese invaders coerced the Kuomintang government into signing the notorious "Ho-Mei Agreement" and instigated the self-government movement for the five provinces in North China in an attempt to turn North China into a second puppet Manchukuo. North China was in serious crisis and Beiping was shrouded in darkness.

As an American reporter, Snow interviewed important figures in the Japanese military, learned of the Japanese military's aggressive plot and the government's weak compromise, and extremely sympathized with and supported the students' anti-Japanese activities.He told the news to the person in charge of Peking University and the Middle School Federation in a timely manner, and said clearly: "You must act, you are the hope of China. I support you!" At the beginning of December, the political situation in Beiping deteriorated sharply. The "anti-communist autonomy" parade directed by the Japanese invaders appeared on the streets of Beiping, and news came that the Kuomintang agreed to "specialize North China."

At dawn on December 9, 1935, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the patriotic students in Peiping gathered into the ocean and started a petition parade to resist Japan and save the country. Slogans such as "Imperialism", "Down with traitors and traitors", "Stop the civil war and unite with the outside world", marched from all directions to the Xinhua Gate of Zhongnanhai, where the Beiping Army of the Kuomintang government is located.The Kuomintang military and police blocked the parade, beat the parade students with wooden sticks, and used fire trucks to spray the parade.The students bravely broke through the obstruction of the military and police, joined forces in front of the Xinhua Gate, and put forward six anti-Japanese demands to the government.After the students' request was rejected, the parade marched along Chang'an Avenue, and students from other schools also rushed to it one after another. The parade became bigger and bigger and gathered in Tiananmen Square.The Snows witnessed the parade and saw the political courage displayed by a large number of Chinese educated youth.

On December 16, the Chinese Communist Party launched and organized the Second Anti-Japanese National Salvation Parade in Beiping.More than 10,000 students and more than 20,000 workers, farmers, vendors, and citizens gathered in Tianqiao Square.Snow and his wife were extremely excited and took a lot of photos and film footage. In the face of the growing student movement, the Kuomintang government promulgated the "Emergency Measures for Maintaining Public Security", which stipulated that the military and police could shoot and arrest anti-Japanese patriotic masses.Snow was completely disappointed with the Kuomintang government, so he had to look at the Chinese Communist Party differently, and eagerly hoped to understand and interview the Communist Party.

Snow didn't know that the god of luck was waving to him.At this time, the Central Red Army led by the Communist Party of China has successfully arrived in northern Shaanxi and gained a firm foothold. It secretly reached a united front with Zhang Xueliang of the Northeast Army to stop the civil war and jointly resist Japan.Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai wrote to Soong Ching Ling in northern Shaanxi, asking her to find a fair and upright foreign journalist and a doctor who had nothing to do with the Communist International to visit the Soviet area, break the news blockade of the Kuomintang, and make known the internal and external policies of the Communist Party to the world. Fight for the international community to understand the CCP's anti-Japanese proposition, and help the Soviet area and the Red Army improve the extremely difficult medical and health conditions.

Snow did not know much about the Chinese Communist Party in the past. From the propaganda of the Kuomintang, he left some impressions in his mind. "The Communist Party has destroyed countless lives and properties." The armed struggle of the Communist Party may mean "mob politics." background and quality leaders", "never become strong".In 1934, the American publisher Harrison Smith signed a contract with Snow to write "Red China", but Snow did not complete the contract because he had no information; in 1935, the British "Daily Herald" " also wanted to fund Snow to obtain "the truth about Red China", and Snow also gave up under various conditions. Now that Snow saw the situation in China clearly, he really doubted the Kuomintang's propaganda against the Communist Party.Why can the Communist Party fight against the Kuomintang for 10 years?What powerful factors exist?Is the Communist Party really better than the KMT? What kind of people are the Chinese Red Army?What kind of person was Mao Zedong, the number one "red bandit" who was offered a reward of 250,000 yuan by the Kuomintang?What kind of person is Zhu De, commander-in-chief of the Red Army? Is China's Red Army a new type of bandit led by some so-called "red bandits", or a group of conscious Marxist revolutionaries under the unified command of the Communist Party of China and following a unified program? What kind of people are Red Army soldiers?What is supporting them?What ideals, hopes and goals do they have? How does the Communist Party dress?How to eat?How to entertain?How to fall in love?how to workAre their women really like the "shared wives" that the Kuomintang propaganda says? Did the Communist Party and the Red Army have real support from the peasantry?Is the Red Army still basically a peasant rebellion? Many sources also confirmed that the Red Army of the Communist Party of China and the Northeast Army met in secret, an anti-Japanese agreement was signed between them, and the blockade in northern Shaanxi and Xi'an was loosened.For a sensitive journalist, the mysterious figure of the Communist Party and Mao Zedong must arouse a strong professional desire in his heart.Snow realized: The Chinese Communist Party and the Red Army are the world's top news that has been blocked for 9 years! Snow told the New York "Sun" and "Daily Herald" about his idea of ​​going to northern Shaanxi to interview the Red Army, and immediately received positive responses from the two newspapers. The "Daily Herald" is willing to bear the full cost of Snow's interview, and will give a bonus if the interview is successful.Random Press also offered to prepay a manuscript fee.His wife also supported Snow, saying: "The opportunity is too important. In order to find out the truth, it is worth risking your head." How can I enter the Northern Shaanxi Soviet Area?Previously, Snow had entrusted people to contact the Communist Party in the Pingjin area to go to northern Shaanxi. Due to limited conditions, the North China Bureau of the Communist Party of China failed to make arrangements.Now, Snow thought of Soong Ching Ling.In Snow's view: no one, including the Chinese, does not understand what the Red Army looks like, and someone must figure it out.This person is Snow himself.A journalist's responsibility drove him to the residence of Soong Ching Ling in Shanghai, and asked Soong Ching Ling to help him go to the Northern Shaanxi Soviet Area for interviews.Soong Ching Ling said: "You are a Chinese saying that 'blessed people don't have to be busy', and I just have a chance. Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai asked me to find a fair foreign reporter to interview. I recommend you to go with George Haydham. To After Xi'an, a priest surnamed Wang will join you." Snow was overjoyed, took Haydham's photo and contact information, bid farewell to Soong Ching Ling and returned to Beiping, got in touch with the Northern Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, and took Liu Shaoqi with him in secret. Letter of introduction written in colored ink. Edgar Snow secretly told Huang Hua that the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China had approved him to visit and interview the Soviet area in northern Shaanxi. Although he could speak some Chinese, he was not very good at it. translate?Huang Hua immediately agreed. On June 3, 1936, Snow embarked on the road of interviewing the Soviet area in northern Shaanxi. On the platform of Zhengzhou Railway Station, as Soong Ching Ling said, Snow, who was going to interview the Red Army, met Haydham, who was going to join the Red Army.Haydem once wanted to go to the Jiangxi Soviet Area, but failed due to various reasons; not long ago, he planned to go to the Northern Shaanxi Soviet Area, but was blocked again; this is the third time, and he hopes to get his wish. Haydem was born in Buffalo, New York, to a family of steelworkers.He first studied medicine at the American University of Beirut, and then studied medicine at the University of Geneva. Came to Shanghai to give lectures in 1933, researching sexually transmitted diseases and skin diseases.Introduced by a friend, he met Soong Ching Ling, participated in a Marxism study group, and learned many things about the Red Army. He was determined to help the Red Army and used his clinic as a contact point and meeting place for the underground party. Snow and Haydem arrived in Xi'an and stayed at the famous Xijing Guest House.A few days later, the tall and imposing Reverend Wang of the Christian Congregational Church came to visit. Snow and Haydham were overjoyed. They immediately took out the business card and pound sterling that Soong Ching Ling had given them to match with Reverend Wang, and asked and answered in code words. The relationship is connected. Pastor Wang's real name was Dong Jianwu. He had served as a senior official in the Kuomintang government.Under the arrangement of Pastor Wang, they met Deng Fa, the head of the Communist Party's secret police who was arrested by the Kuomintang with a reward of 50,000 oceans.Deng Fa warmly embraced them and extended welcome and greetings to their visit on behalf of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. In order to keep it secret, after contacting the underground organization of the Communist Party in Xi'an, Snow sent a secret telegram to his wife Nim (Helen Foster), asking Nim to inform Huang Hua to leave for Xi'an quickly.At that time, Huang Hua was about to graduate, and he had to take an exam. He took a picture of wearing a bachelor's hat, and was worried about being interrogated on the road. He asked the secretary of the university, Mr. Cai Yi'e, to write a letter of introduction to General Zhang Xueliang to inspect the Northwest Bank, and borrowed it from Nim. 30 silver dollars for travel expenses.Soon, Huang Hua joined Snow in Xi'an. At dawn on a summer day, under the escort of Liu Ding, an officer of the Northeast Army, Snow and Haydem hid in a pile of cotton clothes in a truck with a cover, left Xi'an and headed north, passing through checkpoints set up by Kuomintang military and police agents. Live in Luochuan that night.However, Huang Hua did not go with Snow, and was left in Xi'an, and arranged to go to the Soviet area with the next group of people.Liu Ding, who had studied in Germany and the Soviet Union, worked in the Jiangxi Soviet Area after returning to China. He was an effective underground worker for the Communist Party to break into the Kuomintang army. On the second day, the truck continued northward along the simple road and arrived at the Weibei dry plateau. What appeared in front of us was the endless hilly landform of the Loess Plateau.Snow felt very strange about this: some hills are like huge castles, some are like a line of mammoths, some are like big round steamed buns, and some are like hills torn by giant hands, and some are still left. Crude finger marks.Those grotesque, unbelievable and sometimes even frightening images seem to be a world made by crazy gods—sometimes it is a surreal world. That afternoon, the truck drove into the ancient city of Yan'an and stayed at the home of a regiment commander of the Northeast Army.After the long journey, Snow and Haydham were very tired. When they woke up, it was already daylight.Liu Ding attracted two porters, carried their luggage on two mules, and sent them all the way to the last checkpoint guarded by the Northeast Army in the north of Yan'an, before he hugged and bid farewell to them in peace.