Chapter 22 Chapter 21 Representatives of New China contacted the United States in Geneva, and Chiang Kai-shek made concessions to meet the demands of the United States

The contact between representatives of New China and the United States in Geneva made the stubborn Chiang Kai-shek make concessions to meet the demands of the United States, so as to sign a mutual defense treaty as soon as possible. (Yangmingshan Official Residence - Presidential Palace, July 8, 1954) Chiang Kai-shek stood firmly in the old wooden pavilion by the fountain.He didn't move, just looking at the mountains in the distance in the mist.Yangmingshan Park seemed very quiet, and there were a few sparrows chirping on the top of the wooden gazebo, which broke the tranquility; the attendant knew that he was thinking about something, and wanted to drive away the chirping sparrows, but was afraid of disturbing his thoughts.

He didn't eat much breakfast just now, so he flipped through the newspapers and listened to Soong Meiling, who rarely woke up early that day, talk about the latest news from American newspapers. It was July 8, 1954.Two hours after breakfast, he will go to the presidential palace in the city to meet the US ambassador to China, Rankin, who is about to return to China to report on his duties.According to his usual habit, he still had to go to the study to review documents and deal with official duties. The attendants had already prepared drinking water for the study.When he came out of the restaurant, he didn't go to the study to work, but went for a walk in Yangming Park alone, and he didn't invite Song Meiling to walk with him like he did when he was in high spirits.I said it was a walk, but I didn't walk very far. I just stood there and didn't move when I entered the gazebo.

He was tired of looking at those dark mountain scenery, he was thinking about something.In a moment he was going to make concessions to the American ambassador back to Washington.He has a stubborn temper since he was a child, the more he is suppressed, the more disobedient he is.He had to give in today, and he felt uncomfortable. After the government of the Republic of China withdrew to Taiwan, Mao Zedong and Stalin formed an alliance and signed the Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Alliance and Mutual Assistance in Moscow. Chiang Kai-shek has always wanted to formally form a treaty with the United States in order to ensure that Taiwan can be reliably protected by the United States. military alliance.During the years when Truman was in power, the United States wanted to get rid of Chiang Kai-shek's burden. Even though it was forced to assist Taiwan because of the need of national interests because of the Korean War, it was not enthusiastic about forming an alliance with Chiang Kai-shek's government.Since the United States signed the North Atlantic Treaty with its Western European countries in 1949, it has entered into separate treaties in the form of alliances with the anti-Communist countries in the Eastern Pacific.In 1951, the United States concluded a mutual defense treaty with the Philippines, a security treaty with Australia and New Zealand, and a security guarantee treaty with Japan.Subsequently, Republican Eisenhower was elected president, and the United States also signed a defense treaty with South Korea in 1953.In this way, the only link missing in the defense chain of the United States implementing the "containment strategy" in Asia is Taiwan.The United States had many concerns about forming an alliance with Chiang Kai-shek in Taiwan, mainly out of dislike and fear of being dragged directly into the Chinese civil war by Chiang Kai-shek.

Even though the Taiwan authorities were recognized as the biggest beneficiaries in the Korean War, Chiang Kai-shek still complained deeply to the Americans.When the situation in Taiwan was the most turbulent, because of the Korean War, the United States sent troops to protect it, and received a large number of American aid and American military equipment including jet planes and battle tanks; the Americans had a condition, that is, the Kuomintang troops were not allowed to attack the mainland. , angered the CCP.When the Kuomintang army wanted to launch a pre-emptive attack on the assembly area of ​​the CCP's troops preparing to attack Taiwan, the United States tried its best to stop it.Chiang Kai-shek wanted to send troops to fight in North Korea several times, but was also rejected by the United States.Some officials of the U.S. State Department, such as Director of the Department of Far East Rusk, mobilized Hu Shih to launch a democratic movement against Chiang.Lusk said that American friends all have an aversion to the Kuomintang regime. The regime in Taiwan today still claims to represent the Chinese government, which has caused many troubles in the United States. If only democratic reforms are carried out and no actions to attack the mainland are made, the number of American grants may increase.This Rusk was ordered by Secretary of State Acheson to draft seven draft policies toward China on August 14, 1950——

First, the US policy toward China today is still in a transitional period. Second, the Seventh Fleet's measures do not imply a request to resolve the Taiwan issue, but merely freeze the current situation in the Taiwan Strait for the time being. Third, the United States has no intention of military occupation of Taiwan, but only wants to keep Taiwan and the mainland from taking actions to attack. Fourth, it is not in the interests of the United States to use subversive means to bring down the Taiwan authorities. It should be supported by economic and military aid, and its legitimate use should be supervised.

Fifth, we still recognize the Chinese government in Taiwan, but we do not want to guarantee the length of the recognition period. Sixth, we still oppose the CCP's entry into the United Nations, and believe that the issue of China's representation should be resolved by a majority vote in the Security Council, and it does not fall within the scope of the veto. Seventh, the United States will not bind the Chinese government to support indefinitely, will not make a promise of long-term support to the Chinese government's seat in the United Nations, and will not support the National Government's attempt to return to the mainland. Everything depends on how the overall interests of the United States change.

This draft policy toward China was an extremely confidential document of the U.S. State Department at the time. It was declassified 30 years later and was handed down to the world. Although Chiang Kai-shek might not have seen it at the time, Chiang Kai-shek felt the American behavior from the actions of the Americans. secretly plotting.At the end of July 1950, when MacArthur visited Taiwan from Tokyo, when Gu Weijun, the ambassador to the United States, was called back to Taipei to attend the reception, Chiang Kai-shek talked with Gu Weijun.Chiang Kai-shek asked for opinions on sensitive issues in the U.S. policy toward Taiwan, and Gu Weijun, who had a deep understanding of the inside story of the U.S. policy toward China, told the truth: "The order of the Seventh Fleet to protect the Taiwan Strait has not changed the U.S. policy toward China. They pay attention to the CCP, They pay more attention to Taiwan than the Kuomintang regime. To them, protecting the national government is just an incidental matter! For us, although the temporary counterattack to the mainland is limited, the balance between the two is still more beneficial than harmful; What's more, Washington's China policy is changing, and it's changing for the better. We can't ask too much at once."

Chiang Kai-shek believed that Gu Weijun's analysis was very reasonable. Out of the need for the survival of the Kuomintang regime in Taiwan, it didn't matter if he had deep resentment towards the United States. Then, as the Korean War entered its third year, the situation took a new turn; both sides in the war lost interest in continuing the contest.Not only is the U.S. government spending huge sums of money to sustain the war, but it is finding itself increasingly isolated at home and abroad.Allies of the United States, regardless of the United States, withdrew their troops from the Korean battlefield one after another.The American people are growing weary of a war that costs money and blood, has no clear purpose, and is clearly unwinnable.Therefore, in the 1952 U.S. presidential election, the North Korean issue became a major focus of the bipartisan campaign.Eisenhower of the Republican Party came to the White House by assuring voters that the war would end as soon as possible.Although Eisenhower came to power and repeatedly repeated his anti-communist determination and appointed the extremely anti-communist Dulles as Secretary of State, he still adopted an attitude of stopping as much as possible on the issue of the Korean War.Mao Zedong's New China was also forced by the need for a peaceful environment to carry out economic construction and implement the five-year plan.In this case, the Korean ceasefire is of course only a matter of time.

The Korean armistice was widely welcomed in the world. Apart from South Korea's Sang Sung Wan being very annoyed, it brought deep uneasiness and anxiety to Chiang Kai-shek.What he particularly does not want to see is that the Korean War ends in an armistice rather than a failure of the CCP, which means that his dream of returning to the mainland through the Korean War has turned into a soap bubble, and this undoubtedly symbolizes the CCP’s New China's international prestige has been improved, while the international status of the Taiwan authorities has once again been severely impacted and shaken.Furthermore, after the Korean War ended, the Chinese Communist Party, a large army that even caused headaches for the U.S. military, moved southward. Peng Dehuai's attack was undoubtedly aimed at the island of Taiwan across the sea.Before the Korean armistice, he had approved General Hu Lian, who was good at dealing with the communist army, to storm Dongshan Island with the army, land and air forces. There is no return.

Chiang Kai-shek had been inspired by Eisenhower's State of the Union address on February 2, 1953 when he came to power.Eisenhower said: "I formally order that the Seventh Fleet not be used to shield Communist China. Let me put it bluntly. This order does not imply that we have aggressive intentions, but we are under no obligation to protect a nation that is fighting against us in Korea .” Chiang Kai-shek once called Eisenhower’s decision “the most reasonable and bright move by the United States.”He thought that the new president of the United States would support him in counterattacking the mainland, so he acted to increase the tension in the Taiwan Strait as much as possible, involving the United States in the conflict between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, and using the United States to counterattack the mainland.This is not the case. The United States could not win even on the Korean battlefield, and of course it did not dare to play with fire and "counterattack the mainland."On July 17, 1953, the day when Hu Lian's Jinmen troops attacked Dongshan Island and retreated, the U.S. Advisory Group in Taiwan hastily declared that although this operation was tactically reasonable, it had not been approved by the U.S. Pacific Fleet beforehand. The command's agreement violates Taiwan's commitment to the United States.Chen Cheng, the Premier of the Executive Council, had no choice but to come forward and say that "the future will not be an example."Just a few days later, the U.S. Seventh Fleet Skerak issued a statement in Hong Kong, claiming that if Taiwan decides to counterattack the mainland, there is no need to consult with the United States in advance, and the Seventh Fleet will not stop it.When Chiang Kai-shek heard this, he could only smile wryly: With the troops on the island, how could he counterattack the mainland alone? !

Then, something happened that made Chiang Kai-shek extremely angry.In February 1954, the Soviet Union proposed to convene the Geneva Conference to seek a peaceful solution to the Korean issue and to restore peace in Indochina. China, along with the Soviet Union, the United States, Britain, and France, attended the conference as one of the five major powers.The United States actually accepted the proposal.He thought of the late World War II, when China, the United States, the Soviet Union, and Britain held a meeting in Cairo. It was he who represented China, a great country, and flew to the Nile River to sit on an equal footing with Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin.Now that the leader of the CCP is allowed to represent China in the meeting of great powers, he feels sad and even angry.Gu Weigou was ordered to negotiate with the U.S. in Washington, believing that the U.S. move was tantamount to acquiescing to the legitimacy of the Beijing regime and engaging in "two Chinas."The United States issued a statement, announcing that meeting with representatives of the CCP does not mean diplomatic recognition of the CCP regime.However, Chiang Kai-shek received a secret report. At this Geneva meeting, the CCP and the US representatives had contact under the meeting, and through the intermediary arrangement of the United Kingdom, several talks were held. prologue. He has a sense of fear about the contact between the United States and the CCP.He knew very well in his heart that although President Eisenhower said that the United States supported the Taiwan authorities, this support was only an expedient measure. His early experience in the Shanghai Stock Exchange made him keenly aware that the United States would not hesitate to sacrifice the Taiwan authorities when necessary. interests to make deals with the CCP. He felt that he needed to step up negotiations with the United States on signing a mutual defense treaty, and he would not hesitate to make some sacrifices and concessions when necessary.His stubborn temper made him feel that giving in under pressure made him extremely painful... The attendant came to the steps of the wooden pavilion and reminded him: "Sir, it's time to go to the presidential palace." Carl Rankin particularly liked the lobby of the presidential palace.The high Renaissance-style columns stand in the spacious hall, lined with several giant palm bonsai on both sides and the shiny granite floor, looking up, you can see the curved arcades with smooth lines on the third and fourth floors.It made him feel magnificent, magnificent, elegant, and full of European style; he thought it was really interesting that the Japanese governor who built this building actually let European culture stand on this oriental island. Rankin learned that Chiang Kai-shek didn't like to come to work in this luxurious presidential palace, not because of foreign affairs etiquette or holding important meetings. It's hard to find Chiang himself in this presidential palace.He expressed incomprehension that Chiang Kai-shek liked to handle official affairs in the secluded and elegant Yangmingshan residence.Since the founding of the United States, no matter which president is elected, he has to move into the White House to live and work normally. It has been three years since Rankin came to Taiwan. A few months ago, that is, on April 2, 1954, he was officially appointed as the US ambassador to the Republic of China by the newly elected President Eisenhower. Chiang Kai-shek formally submitted his credentials.The three years he spent in Taiwan as the ambassador's charge d'affaires were the most difficult three years in Taiwan, and the United States is a country that the Taiwan authorities rely on for survival. The role he assumed has become the most important thing for this small island of Taiwan. A household name. People are fond of him for two reasons.First, before Rankin came to Taiwan as charge d'affaires, the former Ambassador Leighton Stuart had already returned to the United States to recuperate, leaving only a first secretary, Shi Shuan, to act as the acting ambassador.It is said that this Secretary Shi Shuan is not bad, but he has a sense of American superiority that is difficult for the local people to accept. He appears arrogant and self-confident, does not like to communicate, and does not like contact with the government and the people; therefore, people have a bad impression of him.But Rankin does not have the pretensions of a noble envoy, he is humble and sincere, and there is always a modest smile under his silver-white hair, and officials and civilians are willing to ask him to do business.Second, Taiwan's economy was extremely difficult at that time, and after the outbreak of the Korean War, it received US aid.The U.S. has learned the lessons from the mainland period when U.S. aid fell into the pockets of the bureaucrats of the four major families, adopted new measures to use U.S. aid, and established a special U.S. aid utilization committee. Enterprises and businesses that require the use of U.S. aid must seek guarantees from senior companies. It also requires the applicants to raise the same amount of funds from Taiwan and the city as the value of the U.S. aid and bundle them up for use.The new measures enabled the use of US aid to overcome the ills of the mainland era, and played a very important role in promoting Taiwan's economic stability and development.Although Ambassador Rankin is not in charge of these matters, people are happy to ask him for help and advice.He once suggested to the Taiwan authorities that in the future, the authorities should not be too enthusiastic about receiving Senator Nolan and Governor Dewey, who are called "Taiwan gang" in the United States, so as to make the Democratic Party government feel disgusted.He also warned the foreign affairs department of the Taiwan authorities to deal more with visiting members of Congress from the Democratic Party in order to gain their favor.In the popular Chinese saying, Lan Jin has a city in his chest, is exquisite in all aspects, and is very good at being a man. On July 8, 1954, Chiang Kai-shek invited Rankin to meet him at the presidential palace because he was about to return to Washington to report on his duties.Rankin knew that Chiang Kai-shek's meeting with him would be mainly to discuss matters related to the mutual defense treaty between China and the United States. Despite Chiang Kai-shek's enthusiasm for signing with the United States, the initial reaction of the Eisenhower administration was very lukewarm.In April of this year, Rankin had just been officially appointed as an ambassador. On May 4, Chiang Kai-shek’s foreign minister, Ye Gongchao, invited and accompanied Rankin to visit Kinmen, Dachen and other coastal islands. treaty to assist in the defense of these coastal islands.Rankin was well aware of the attitude and inside information of the United States on this matter, and he could not say that the time was not yet ripe. Instead, he suggested that Foreign Minister Ye Gongchao order the ambassador to the United States, Gu Weigou, to directly propose the signing to the State Department in Washington.Sure enough, Gu Weijun called on Secretary of State Dulles on May 19, urged the early conclusion of a mutual defense treaty, and offered to submit a first draft of the treaty drawn up by the Taiwan authorities.As soon as Gu Weijun's suggestion was put forward, Dulles immediately rejected it.Since then, the Taiwan authorities have repeatedly suggested to the United States to hold negotiations through various channels, but Washington has remained indifferent. In fact, Eisenhower, like his predecessor Truman, did not believe that the Chinese people supported Chiang Kai-shek, nor did he believe that Chiang Kai-shek's dictatorship embodied the principles of democracy and freedom, and he was not prepared to risk the world to help Chiang Kai-shek counterattack the mainland or defend a few islands. danger of war.The United States' support for Chiang's regime is only to regard Taiwan as a strategic stronghold of the United States in the Far East.If Taiwan is compared to an unsinkable aircraft carrier, Chiang Kai-shek can only be regarded as an unsatisfactory but irreplaceable captain.For such a partner, the United States certainly does not want to be tied to it by the treaty.Eisenhower was particularly worried that Chiang Kai-shek would take military action against the Communist mainland at any time and drag the United States into the Chinese civil war.The United States was unwilling to undertake the obligation to assist Chiang Kai-shek in defending Kinmen, Dachen and other islands, and did not want to clearly announce the United States' attitude on this issue.The United States wants to use the ambiguity of its policy on these small coastal islands to confuse the Chinese Communist Army, which wants to attack at any time.The conclusion of a mutual defense treaty will force the United States to make a clear attitude and put the United States into a dilemma.Assuming the obligation to defend the small islands would have put the United States at risk of direct combat with Mao Zedong's forces, and would have tarnished America's image if the undefendable islands were lost from American hands.Eisenhower also reiterated several times that the United States should not talk about "never" not recognizing mainland China, and advocated the lifting of the comprehensive embargo on trade with China.Signing a contract with Chiang Kai-shek is tantamount to blocking this road diplomatically. Rankin also made an estimate, hoping that Chiang Kai-shek's interview with him would bring some new information for him to bring back to Washington. When Rankin was ushered into the familiar guest room of the Presidential Palace, he saw Chiang Kai-shek standing up from the sofa.This large guest room is where Chiang Kai-shek received foreign guests.When he first came to this reception room, Chiang Kai-shek also guided him to appreciate the calligraphy and paintings hanging in the room.The most precious thing is the handwriting gifted to Chiang Kai-shek by Sun Yat-sen, the father of the Republic of China, in his early years.Chiang Kai-shek also introduced him to see the traditional Chinese landscape paintings by Song Meiling, Mrs. Jiang's wife. After the two shook hands and greeted each other, they began to talk. Chiang Kai-shek seemed to be careless, talking far away: "Mr. Ambassador, the Geneva Conference will resume in a few days and hold the last round of meetings." Rankin said: "The United States hopes to find a way to prevent the Communist Party from advancing in Southeast Asia through this meeting." Chiang Kai-shek asked: "It was widely rumored in the newspapers that Mr. Dulles refused to shake hands with Zhou Enlai during the meeting last month. I wonder if there is any inside information from your country?" Rankin said: "There are many rumors about this matter, and I have not yet received official domestic materials; however, our embassy has received relevant notices, and Secretary of State Dulles made a regulation to the US delegation in Geneva: from now on, no matter who Do not shake hands with representatives of the Chinese Communist Party." Chiang Kai-shek smiled indifferently: "I have worked with Zhou Enlai, and I have had many contacts; according to traditional Chinese etiquette, 'When two countries fight each other, don't kill the envoy'. It is not impossible for envoys from the two opposing sides to shake hands." Rankin also knew that Dulles's approach was a bit rigid and inappropriate, so he said: "Of course, according to international diplomatic etiquette, hostile countries can also shake hands on occasions of etiquette in third countries. It is gratifying that our Secretary of State's anti-communist stance is Very firm." Chiang Kai-shek turned a corner, and then got into what he was concerned about, and said: "In addition, there is news that your representatives in Geneva and the representatives of the Communist Party of China have had several contacts in Geneva, will there be trouble without incident?" Knowing that this was a sensitive issue that Chiang Kai-shek was very concerned about, Rankin considered it for a moment and said, "I have received news that the two sides have had several contacts and discussed the issue of the return of expatriates from both sides. Several Americans were arrested by them Detained as a spy." Chiang Kai-shek asked again: "You can ask for overseas Chinese through the channels of third countries, such as Britain and India, and there is no need to contact them directly." Rankin said: "It is said that the British chargé d'affaires Du Weilian was found. The British guy said that since both parties are in Geneva, why bother to go back and forth, they simply arranged for a chance to meet directly. As far as I know, there was nothing else discussed during the contact, only overseas Chinese. It is a non-governmental question. It does not involve any issues related to the recognition of the CCP regime in the mainland, please rest assured the President." Chiang Kai-shek had already confirmed through Rankin’s channels that the United States had contacted the CCP in Geneva, and felt that he had to make some concessions to promote the early signing of a mutual defense treaty. Americans are worried; even in his view, it is the country's sovereignty to counterattack the mainland, and this kind of concession damages Taiwan's dignity, so he has to endure it painfully.If there is retreat, there will be progress, and if there is loss, there will be gains!Chiang Kai-shek changed the subject and said: "I have no doubts and absolutely believe and admire the anti-communist stance and determination of President Eisenhower and Secretary of State Dulles. We will have further cooperation in curbing the expansion of communism in the Asia Pacific." Rankin said: "We have cooperated very well in the past three years, and we will cooperate even better in the future." Chiang Kai-shek looked at Rankin: "Mr. Ambassador, please return to Washington this time to tell the President and Secretary of State of your country that we hope to start negotiations on a treaty as soon as possible. Your country has signed alliance treaties with Japan, the Philippines, and South Korea, but has not yet Taiwan signed the contract, which left a vacant link in the anti-Communist line of defense. Through your return to China this time, I will officially convey that Taiwan is ready to meet your country's request that President Eisenhower's consent must be obtained before any major action is taken. " When Rankin heard this, the smile on his face was still moderate.But the surprise in his heart didn't show on his face.He felt that the contact between the representatives of the United States and the representatives of the CCP in Geneva had no intention of harming the Kuomintang in Taiwan;