Chapter 34 Reject Chiang Kai-shek

On August 25, 1936, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China sent the revised and supplemented "Letter from the Communist Party of China to the Chinese Kuomintang" to the Nanjing Kuomintang government.The title of the letter is "Gentlemen of the Central Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang and a lesson to all members of the Chinese Kuomintang."This 6,000-word open letter is the "new manifesto" of the Communist Party of China, including proposals for the second "KMT-CPC cooperation" and the establishment of a "unified democratic republic" and other new content.

This open letter pointed out: Since the "September 18th", the Japanese aggressors have taken advantage of the situation and made gains. This is entirely caused by the wrong policies of the Kuomintang and its government. "If you continue to fight internally, if you don't turn your guns from inward to outward, if you don't turn your policy of concessions to the War of Resistance, if you don't turn the situation of separation to unity, and if you don't turn the situation of scatter to unity, you will be in trouble. It is unimaginable, and the crimes of you gentlemen will last forever." The open letter also appealed to the Kuomintang Central Committee members and all party members: "Stop the civil war immediately, organize a nationwide anti-Japanese united front, launch a sacred war of national self-defense, resist The attack of Japanese imperialism."

The letter referred to Chiang Kai-shek as "Chairman Chiang", admitted that his new interpretation of the policy of the Fifth Plenary Session of the Kuomintang "has made some progress compared with the past", and expressed "sincerely welcome this progress"; At present, "the period of peace and despair has not been reached" and "the last moment has not been reached" to criticize.The letters listed the fall of the four northeastern provinces, the loss of most of Chahar, the rampant anti-communist self-government in eastern Hebei, the entry of Japanese troops into Hebei and Chahar, the loss of economic rights in North China, and the open smuggling that flooded the whole of China... until the South China Autonomy Movement Facts such as the instigation and other facts show that "in the eyes of the people of the whole country, peace has long been hopeless, and sacrifices have long been at the last moment. Apart from launching a resolute self-defense war by the people's national armed forces, the total loss of China's territorial sovereignty is irreparable."The open letter also stated: Years of continuous civil war and disunity are caused by the Kuomintang's policy of "suppressing the outside world first." "Using this kind of wrong policy to seek centralization and unification is really just trying to achieve the opposite result."

In particular, the open letter proposes to use the program of the "democratic republic" as the program of "centralization and unification" of the "modern state".Solemn declaration: "We support the establishment of a democratic republic that will unify the whole of China, sponsor the convening of a Congress elected by universal suffrage, support the National People's Congress and the Anti-Japanese National Salvation Congress, and support a unified national defense government." When the Republic was established, the Soviet Area became "an integral part" of it, and the Red Army was willing to submit to the command of the Anti-Japanese Allied Army Headquarters.

The open letter clearly puts forward the proposal of "new cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party": "We are willing to form a solid national united front with you, just like the two parties formed against national oppression and feudal oppression during the first Chinese Revolution from 1925 to 1927. It is the same as the great united front. Because this is the only correct way to save the nation today." The letter pointedly pointed out to the Kuomintang: "Should we work with the Japanese imperialists and traitors to establish a united front against the Communist Party, that is, a united front for the subjugation of the country? Or with the Chinese Communist Party? Together with the people of the whole country, how about establishing a united front against Japan, that is, a united front for national salvation? Now the juncture of decision has been reached.”At the end of the open letter, it said: "The key to the cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party is now in the hands of your party." Actual negotiations, with a view to quickly concluding a specific agreement to resist Japan and save the nation, and we are willing to resolutely abide by this agreement."

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China decided to abandon "resist Japan and oppose Chiang" and adopt a new policy. What slogan to use instead of "resist Japan and oppose Chiang" has been considered and changed many times. I don't think it's appropriate.On August 30, 1936, in the telegram jointly signed by Zhang Wentian, Lin Yuying, Zhou Enlai, Bogu, and Mao Zedong to Zhu De, Zhang Guotao, and Ren Bishi, the term "force Chiang to resist Japan" was used for the first time to summarize the Party Central Committee's abandonment of "anti-Japanese and anti-Chiang" The basic policy of the united front adopted: "Forcing Chiang to resist Japan, creating various conditions that the Kuomintang and Jiang's army had to compromise with me, so as to achieve the goal of the two parties and two armies uniting against Japan."

On August 27, Zhang Zihua, deputy director of the International Liaison Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, returned to Zhidan with Zeng Yangfu's letter to Zhou Enlai and the password to contact Wuhan Radio Station. On August 31, Zhou Enlai replied to Zeng Yangfu, saying: "I am eager to conduct specific negotiations with your responsible representative."Invite Zeng Yangfu and Chen Lifu to meet in the Soviet Area or Huayin County, Shaanxi Province. On August 30th, Li Zongren and Li Jishen sent representatives Qian Shoukang to Zhidan, and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China agreed to their request for an anti-Japanese and national salvation agreement.

On September 1, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China's "Instructions on Forcing Chiang to Resist Japan" drafted by Zhang Wentian was released within the party, and the phrase "forcing Chiang to resist Japan" appeared.The instructions said: "At present, the main enemy of China is the Japanese emperor, so it is wrong to treat the Japanese emperor and Chiang Kai-shek as the same. The slogan of 'resisting Japan and opposing Chiang' is also inappropriate." Under the condition that the movement continues to develop, it is possible for all or most of Chiang’s army to participate in the resistance against Japan. Our general policy should be to force Chiang to resist Japan.” Carry out joint resistance against Japan. The more we can organize the warlords of all factions outside Nanjing to resist Japan, the more we can achieve this goal.” The instruction also notified the whole party that the KMT and the Communist Party will conduct joint anti-Japanese negotiations; the Party Central Committee sponsors the establishment of a “democratic republic” ", at that time "the Soviet area can become an integral part of the unified democratic state", and "the Red Army will obey the unified military command".The release of this directive marked the formal determination of the policy of "Forcing Chiang to Resist Japan".The strategies and guidelines succinctly described in this instruction became the program of action of the Chinese Communist Party before the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War.Since then, the anti-Japanese national united front work has entered a new stage with the main content of "forcing Chiang to resist Japan" and realizing the second cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party.

From September 15th to 17th, Zhang Wentian presided over an enlarged meeting of the Politburo in Zhidan's Hongshi Cave, at which he made a report on "The Current Political Situation and the Issues of the National United Front in the Past Year".Zhang Wentian emphasized: "The alliance of all parties is mainly the alliance of the Kuomintang and the Communist Party." The slogan of the United Front is: "Build a democratic republic."The current strategy is: "Realize the United Kuomintang's resistance to Japan."That is to use various methods to push the Kuomintang, the Nanjing government and Chiang Kai-shek, who are shaking in the middle, to resist Japan.He also emphasized: "We must gain leadership in the united front. This is our basic task. We must maintain the independence and purity of our party." The meeting also passed "On the New Situation of the Anti-Japanese National Salvation Movement and the Democratic Republic resolution".This resolution is a continuation and deepening of the meeting on August 10, and also absorbed the opinions of the "International Telegram".This resolution not only has guiding significance for the formation of the second cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, but also makes the party's strategy more perfect and more in line with reality, and has a profound impact on the victory of the entire Anti-Japanese War.

Before the "Guangdong" incident was resolved, Chiang Kai-shek was more active in negotiating with the Kuomintang and the Communist Party. When he brought down Chen Jitang and resolved the "Guangdong" crisis by buying and dividing the internal affairs, he miscalculated that the Communist Party was in a difficult situation and was eager to compromise with Nanjing. Therefore, he ordered to increase troops to the Shaanxi-Gansu region and attack the Red Army on a large scale. For this reason, on September 22, Zhou Enlai sent a letter to Chiang Kai-shek, reiterating that "what the Communist Party seeks today is to stop the civil war, establish the anti-Japanese united front, and truly launch the anti-Japanese war.... Agree on the truce area and invite representatives from all walks of life of the national salvation organization to monitor the truce He also pointed out that Jiang Ru wandered off the road, "The Japanese invaders advance more and more, and your reputation suffers. There are many people who rise up with arms. The local war of resistance will definitely affect the whole country. Even if you come to him with heavy troops, it is difficult to stop him from being angry for the war of resistance." Involved, and how will the master deal with himself?"

On this day, Zhou Enlai also wrote to Chen Guofu and Chen Lifu for the second time: "After the Guangdong-Guangdong Incident was resolved, Mr. Jiang still dispatched soldiers from Hu to Shaanxi to prevent our Second and Fourth Fronts from going north to fight against Japan. Stopping the civil war can be applied to the southwest, but not Shi Zhixi Northwest?" I hope that they "urge Mr. Chiang to stop the civil war and start negotiations as soon as possible so that the two parties can cooperate and jointly defend against powerful enemies. This will be a blessing for the two parties and also for the country." "In order to speed up the matter, Comrade Pan Hannian, the special committee, went to explain in detail the sincerity of the younger brother, and discussed the place and time for the representatives of the two parties to negotiate." On September 24, Pan Hannian left Zhidan for Shanghai with a letter from Zhou Enlai, the "Letter from the Communist Party of China to the Chinese Kuomintang" and the "Draft Agreement between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party to Resist Japan and Save the Nation". On October 8, I received a call from Zhang Zihua from Guangzhou: Zeng Yangfu once again invited Zhou Enlai to fly to Hong Kong or Guangzhou for negotiations. On October 9, Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai called Zhang Zihua, asking him to tell Chen Lifu and Zeng Yangfu, saying: As long as the Kuomintang does not block the Red Army's way of resisting Japan and does not invade the Red Army's anti-Japanese rear, the Red Army is willing to stop attacking the Kuomintang army first.Proposal: "The Kuomintang immediately ordered the temporary suspension of the Northwest armies' attack on the Red Army, and both sides defended their original defenses...so as to send representatives to each other for negotiations. As for Zhou En, it is feasible to fly to Guangzhou for talks under the condition of ensuring safety. Before the main representatives of the two sides have talks, we plan to send Pan Hannian in Shanghai to hold talks with Chen Lifu and Zeng Yangfu." Mao Zedong replied to Zhang Zihua, saying that the Kuomintang must "cease the war first, and then negotiate." On October 14, Zhou Enlai received a telegram from Zhang Zihua, who had been in contact with Nanjing and had returned to Xi’an, saying that the KMT’s negotiation conditions were: (1) Soviet regions could exist; The treatment is the same as that of the national army; (3) representatives of the Communist Party of China participate in the National Assembly; (4) send people to negotiate in detail. ④ On October 17, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China learned that Chiang Kai-shek was going to Xi'an, and notified Zhang Zihua to come forward and asked Chiang Kai-shek to send a plane to pick up Zhou En and come to Xi'an to negotiate with Chiang. Subsequently, Chiang Kai-shek issued an order for the Kuomintang troops to "invade" the Red Army's Soviet area.Suddenly, the situation of negotiations with Nanjing took a turn for the worse. On November 13, Zhang Wentian once again presided over a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee in the Hongshi Cave Dwelling in Zhidan County.Attending the meeting were Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Lin Boqu, Kaifeng, Lin Biao, Wu Liangping, Bogu, etc., to discuss the direction of the Red Army's actions and the issue of the united front.Mao Zedong made a report at the meeting and made a conclusion. When talking about the united front issue, he said: Our general policy is to unite the masses, use the power of the masses, and take advantage of the changes in the Kuomintang generals Zhang Xueliang, Yang Hucheng, and Yan Xishan who demanded to unite with the Red Army. , Forcing Chiang Kai-shek to join us.Our principle is to force Jiang to resist Japan under the goal of resisting Japan.Now the scope of the compromise with Nanking has been narrowed to how the Red Army should deal with it. They demanded that we change the Red Army into the National Revolutionary Army. We are ready to admit that this is a political victory. At the same time, Pan Hannian met with Chen Lifu at the Cangzhou Hotel in Shanghai, delivered Zhou Enlai's letter in person, and orally conveyed the eight conditions of the "Draft Agreement between the KMT and the Communist Party to Resist Japan and Save the Nation".At this time, Chen Lifu's attitude changed obviously, and he replied on behalf of Chiang Kai-shek: "The opposing regime and army must be abolished. The Red Army can currently retain an army of 3,000 people; all leaders above the division commander will be dismissed and sent abroad. They will be recalled after half a year and will be recruited accordingly." He also said: "If the army can solve it in this way, then all the political points you mentioned will be easy to handle." Pan Hannian immediately pointedly pointed out: "This is Mr. Jiang's incorporation regulations in the position of suppressing the Communists (stance), and it cannot be said to be the negotiation conditions for anti-Japanese cooperation." time, or be trapped (in) the proposal of Japan’s anti-communist pact.” Chen Lifu hastily changed the subject: "Neither you nor I are a military authority, and we have been negotiating with no results. Could you ask Zhou Enlai to come out once? Jiang promised to have an interview with Zhou." Pan Hannian replied decisively: "If the issue of the temporary truce is not resolved, I don't think he will be able to come out." On November 21, the Red Army wiped out more than one brigade of Hu Zongnan's army in Shancheng in one fell swoop, showing the strength of the Red Army.After that, Chen Lifu had two talks with Pan Hannian. Although he changed the number of people remaining in the Red Army from 3,000 to 30,000, his fundamental position remained unchanged. On January 22, Zhang Wentian and Mao Zedong called Pan Hannian, emphasizing that the policy of negotiating with the Kuomintang is that I can only negotiate with it on the basis of preserving all the organizational strength of the Red Army and delineating the anti-Japanese defense line.He also pointed out that it is the central key of the current anti-Japanese united front to stop the campaign to attack the Red Army from all aspects, so as to force Chiang to stop the "communist suppression". Eight days later, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China sent a telegram to Pan Hannian, stating that the negotiation was hopeless. If the other side had sincerity, it must immediately cease fighting and withdraw from the Soviet area, waiting for the outcome of the negotiation. "We are willing to seek peace through war and will never make unprincipled concessions." The Chinese Communist Party rejected Chiang Kai-shek's unreasonable demands.Unexpectedly, the Xi'an Incident happened very quickly.