Chapter 2 Chapter 1 Confronting the Yangtze River
The Yangtze River is magnificent and majestic, and is known as the "Sky Moat".The stars are changing, and the wheel of history rolled to the beginning of 1949. At that time, the Chinese People's Liberation Army was approaching the north bank of the Yangtze River after the three strategic decisive battles in Liaoshen, Huaihai, and Pingjin.At this time, the Jiang family dynasty was in a precarious state.In order to support the collapse of the building, the Kuomintang, while demanding "peace talks" with the CCP, stepped up defenses against the Yangtze River, attempting to prevent the People's Liberation Army from crossing the river with the help of the United States, keeping half of the south of the Yangtze River, and making China go back to the old path of the Northern and Southern Dynasties.However, will history repeat itself?
The answer is definitely not!Because, the commander-in-chief of the CCP at this time is no longer Cao Cao of the Three Kingdoms and Fu Jian of the former Qin Dynasty, and the People's Liberation Army at this time is no longer the army of Cao Jun and the army of the former Qin Dynasty.
The first set of figures reflects the KMT.
From July 1946 to January 1949, the Kuomintang army lost a total of 4.95 million troops, and the remaining regular army was only 71 armies, 227 divisions and 1.15 million people, plus special forces, government agencies, schools and local troops, the total strength Although there are still 2.04 million people, there are only 1.46 million troops available for combat.Among these troops, except some of Bai Chongxi, Hu Zongnan and Ma Bufang, which had not yet suffered major blows from the People's Liberation Army, most of the rest were newly formed, or they were wiped out or even patched up after being wiped out many times. Their morale was low and their combat effectiveness was very weak.They are scattered on the long front from Xinjiang in the west to Taiwan in the east, and they are no longer able to form an effective defense strategically.
Economically, the Chiang Kai-shek clique is facing a desperate situation of total collapse. In 1948, the youth and heavy industries decreased by 30% and 70% respectively compared with those before the Anti-Japanese War, and the barren area of rural land accounted for nearly 40% of the cultivated land area.Financial resources are exhausted, prices are soaring, and the fiscal deficit is as high as 900 trillion yuan, while fiscal revenue is only about 5% of its expenditure.In particular, Chiang Kai-shek ordered all the gold, silver dollars, and U.S. banknotes stored in the treasury to be transported to Taiwan, and the "gold dollar notes" issued not long ago to replace the "fiat currency" depreciated sharply, which accelerated the financial collapse.National industries and businesses closed down one after another, the rural economy went bankrupt, and the people in the Kuomintang-controlled areas fell into the abyss of unemployment, poverty, and hunger.
Another set of numbers indicates the Communist Party.
The People's Liberation Army has grown rapidly.After two and a half years of fighting, by January 1949, the total force had increased from 1.27 million in the early days of the Liberation War to 3.58 million, of which the field army had increased to 2.18 million in 188 divisions (brigades).The People's Liberation Army not only has powerful artillery, but also has a certain scale of arms such as railways, engineering, armor, and communications.The large corps has richer combat experience and stronger morale.Both in terms of quantity and quality, it has an absolute advantage over the Kuomintang army.
Also economically, the liberated areas led by the Communist Party of China are prosperous.After the three major battles, the liberated Northeast China, North China, and the vast areas north of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River have been connected together, with a total area of 2.61 million square kilometers, accounting for 27% of the total area of the country; 42% of the total population.In the liberated areas after the Qing bandits and anti-hegemony and land reform movements, the enthusiasm of the people for production and support was unprecedentedly high, the industrial and agricultural production recovered and developed rapidly, the transportation became smoother, the financial economy increased, the social order was stable, and the market trade was active.The broad masses of peasants who got the land enthusiastically supported the front line, joined the army and fought, and defended the fruits of victory.
In view of the loss of the main force of the Kuomintang army and the loss of most of the country, seeing that Nanjing was precarious, Chiang Kai-shek was devastated and disheartened. Various factions and several provinces in the Kuomintang requested Chiang Kai-shek to step down.
This may be the third time Chiang Kai-shek has gone to the field.
The first time he went to the field was on August 12, 1927.
Chiang Kai-shek and his wife Chen Jieru in 1926
The second time was on December 15, 1930.
At this time, Chiang Kai-shek had no way to recover, but he didn't want to just step down. At the same time, the United States, which had always supported him, lost patience and interest in him at this time.Where do we go from here?Chiang Kai-shek's heart was like fifteen buckets fetching water, and it was also like a mess of hemp that became more and more chaotic.
As early as October 23, 1948, Leighton Stuart, the U.S. ambassador to China, made a suggestion to U.S. Secretary of State Marshall: "Advise Chairman Chiang to retire and make way for Li Zongren or other promising political leaders in the Kuomintang."
At the end of the year, Washington revealed to Gu Weijun, the ambassador of the Nationalist Government to the United States through various channels, that "people related to foreign policy" in the White House believed that the "Chairman" should give way to others. As long as he was there, the United States would not do anything for China. What's up.The U.S. State Department has repeatedly released rumors that as long as Chiang is in power, it is impossible to expect the U.S. to increase aid.
In order to find out the intention of the United States, Chiang Kai-shek not only sent Song Meiling to the United States, but also sent Dong Xianguang, the director of his information bureau, to the United States, and sent Zhang Qun to meet with Leighton Stuart.Stuart hinted that he wanted Chiang to step down.
"The fight against chaos has failed," the "US aid" is hopeless, and the strategic decisive battle is about to come to disaster.Chiang Ching-kuo described the scene at that time in "The Tranquility in the Wind and Rain" and said: "The morale of the army on the battlefield is slack, and the troops are lost; Levy, the river collapsed."
Chiang Kai-shek was in a desperate situation, and the Guangxi faction headed by Li Zongren and Bai Chongxi took advantage of this favorable opportunity to create public opinion to force Chiang to "go to the field to seek peace".
On December 24, Bai Chongxi, the commander-in-chief of the Central China "Suppression General", called Chiang Kai-shek, requesting to stop the military action between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, and invited the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union to jointly mediate peace, "quickly make arrangements for internal and external peace talks, and buy time." Chiang Kai-shek refused. ignore.
On December 30, Bai Chongxi called Chiang Kai-shek again, reiterating his idea of "peace talks".
Li Zongren also immediately put forward his "peace talks" proposition:
(1) President Chiang resigns;
(2) release of political prisoners;
(3) freedom of speech and assembly;
(4) The two armies each retreat 30 miles;
(5) Designate Shanghai as a free city, and the government withdraws the garrison; and appoints people from various parties to form a Shanghai coalition government; the government and representatives of the Communist Party hold peace talks in Shanghai.
At the same time, Zhang Zhen, Chairman of the Henan Provincial Government of the Kuomintang, Cheng Qian, Chairman of the Hunan Provincial Government and Director of the Changsha Appeasement Office, and the Senate Councils of the four provinces of Hunan, Hubei, Henan, and Guangxi passed a telegram to Chiang Kai-shek, warning: "If the disaster of war continues to spread, we will not If we try to find a way to change the course, the country will not be the country, and the people will not be the people." Jiang was asked to "follow the usual track of political settlement, find a way, and resume peace talks."
Just two days before this, on December 28th, Nanjing, Chiang Kai-shek's presidential palace.
Zhang Zhizhong, Zhang Qun, and Wu Zhongxin looked at Chiang Kai-shek standing with his hands behind his back with distressed expressions on their faces.
Chiang Kai-shek was very angry: "Bai Chongxi is 'forcing the palace'. He is in collusion with Li Zongren. Li Qing (Wu Zhongxin's word), what did Bai Chongxi say in Wuhan?"
Wu Zhongxin hesitated to speak.
Chiang Kai-shek eased his tone: "Say it, let everyone listen."
Wu Zhongxin said tremblingly: "He said that 'peace talks' cannot be made unless Chiang goes down, and Jiang should let someone else do the 'peace talks'."
Chiang Kai-shek turned around, and the anger in his heart burst out again: "Listen, this is not 'forced palace', what is it?"
Zhang Zhizhong was sitting on the side. He was used to seeing Chiang Kai-shek get angry, and he was neither surprised nor nervous about it. He persuaded Chiang Kai-shek with his unique calmness: "President, I dare not say whether Bai Chongxi is 'forcing the palace'. But the Vice President didn’t know about it. Bai sent the telegram to me and Yue Jun (word Zhang Qun), and Vice President Li didn’t see it.” After Zhang Zhizhong finished speaking, he turned his attention to Zhang Qun.Zhang Qun nodded.
Chiang Kai-shek did not get rid of his resentment towards Li Zongren. When Li Zongren was running for vice president, he had the idea of killing Li Zongren.When he heard the news of Li Zongren's election as vice president from the radio, he kicked the radio over in a rage and said: "If it weren't for the constitutional period, Li Zongren could have been shot."
However, Chiang Kai-shek is a man of deep city power. He takes ruthless blows to people in private, but on the surface he still pretends to be generous.He said to Zhang Zhizhong: "I don't think Delin (Li Zongren's character) should be so anxious. A few days ago, I asked Li Qing to tell him that I don't want to do it anymore. Let him go out of the mountain and let him deal with the situation at hand."
"Today's situation is all their fault." Chiang Kai-shek felt that in the past six months, things that made him unhappy happened one after another: he lost troops on the battlefield, lost the support of the United States in diplomacy, and now he is facing another internal crisis. , All this pushed him to the point where he was at the end of his rope.
On the night of December 31, on Huangpu Road in Nanjing, the presidential residence was decorated with lights and festoons, and limousines drove in.Compared with Xibaipo, the atmosphere of the New Year here is much stronger, but people's faces do not reveal the joy of the New Year.No cheers, no laughter.
At 7:00 p.m., more than 40 people including Vice President Li Zongren, Premier Sun Ke, Legislative Yuan Tong Guanxian, Supervisor Yu Youren, and members of the Standing Committee of the Kuomintang Central Committee Zhang Qun, Zhang Zhizhong, Shao Lizi, Chen Lifu, Gu Zhenggang, and Zhang Daofan were invited to the palace. Mansion.They were here for a New Year's Eve dinner hosted by Chiang Kai-shek.
The light meals were plentiful, but no one had the appetite to swallow them.After the meal, Chiang Kai-shek delivered a speech to everyone, his tone was very low.Jiang said: "The situation is serious now. Some people in the party advocate peace talks. I have to say something about such an important issue. Now I am preparing a statement and preparing to publish it on New Year's Day. Now, Mr. Yue Jun is invited to read it aloud for everyone's attention. Views."
Chiang Kai-shek said in the proclamation: "In this national crisis, I can only blame myself for my leadership's incompetence and responsibility for the people's entrustment. I am really ashamed and terrified."
He also said: "As long as the peace agreement does not harm the independence and integrity of the country, but helps the people to recuperate and live, as long as the sacred constitution is not violated by me, and the democratic constitutionalism is not destroyed, the state system of the Republic of China can be guaranteed, and the rule of law of the Republic of China can be guaranteed. If there is no interruption, the army is guaranteed, and the people can maintain a free way of life and the current minimum standard of living, then I personally have nothing else to ask for. Zhongzheng has been a revolution all his life, only knowing to be loyal to the country, serve the people, and implement the Three People's Principles, so as to fulfill one The sacred mission of the revolutionaries. If the fruit of peace can be realized, the entry and exit of individuals will never be lingering, and the general will of the people will be followed."
Zhang Qun read the more than 2,000-word statement in one go.Then there was silence.
Chiang Kai-shek asked Li Zongren who was sitting on the right: "What's your opinion on this proclamation?"
Li Zongren didn't expect Chiang Kai-shek to ask this question, so he hastily replied: "I have no disagreement with the president."
At this time, Gu Zhenggang, Gu Zhengding, and Zhang Daofan spoke successively.They disagreed with Chiang Kai-shek's resignation and opposed the publication of this proclamation.Gu said: "The president cannot have the intention to go down to seek peace, otherwise it will have a major impact on the morale of the people."
As soon as his words fell, someone expressed a contrary opinion.These people demanded that Chiang Kai-shek go down as soon as possible.The two factions immediately started arguing.Seeing that the two sides were arguing endlessly, Chiang Kai-shek's anger that had been suppressed for several days finally burst into the sky.He cursed loudly: "I don't want to leave, it's just that you party members want me to resign; Niang Xipi, I want to go out, not because of the Communist Party, but because of a certain faction in the party."
Jiang was so angry that both eyes popped out. He had hoped that after he showed a sympathetic look, his direct descendants, his confidantes, and even other people in the party would keep him in order to help him through a period of time. This crisis has created an impression in the country and the Americans that "it is not that Chiang Kai-shek is unwilling to retire, but that his subordinates and comrades in the party do not want him to step down."
But Chiang Kai-shek was disappointed.Bai Chongxi forced him in Wuhan, and Zhang Zhen also sent a telegram to ask him to go to the field in Henan. He was beyond his reach.Now someone actually told him to go to the wild in front of his face, how could he bear it.Chiang Kai-shek shouted to Zhang Qun angrily: "A word about my resignation must be included in the announcement!" After finishing speaking, he left the table angrily, leaving 40 senior officials looking at each other.
The next day, Chiang Kai-shek's New Year's message was published.On this day, Jiang invited Li Zongren to a lounge after the "group meeting" ceremony in the presidential palace.Jiang said to Li: "As far as the current situation is concerned, of course I can't do it anymore. But before I go away, there must be arrangements, otherwise it will not be easy for you to take over. Please tell Jiansheng (Bai Chongxi) to also Understand this truth, stop the Hubei and Henan provincial councils, and stop issuing telegrams, so as not to shake people's hearts."
At this point, Chiang Kai-shek finally realized that, on the one hand, if he did not step down, many people in the Kuomintang would not agree;Under the circumstances of domestic and foreign difficulties, it is better to retreat behind the scenes and lead the government with the party than to spend the years on the stage.
On January 4th, Chiang Kai-shek settled all the affairs after he left the field. Yujia personally visited Fu Hougang, visited Li Zongren face to face, and asked Li Zongren to come out to maintain the situation so that he could "retire".
When Li Zongren heard that Chiang Kai-shek had arrived, he hurried out to greet him.Li was very disturbed by Jiang's presence in person. In the past, Jiang always "summoned" Li, but now Jiang Yizun asked for advice, which did not seem to be a good omen for Li.
After the two exchanged a few words of pleasantries, Jiang directly brought the topic to his "retirement".The two of you started a verbal war with each other.
Chiang Kai-shek: "What do you think of the current situation?"
Li Zongren: "I have suggested to the President before that Wuhan and Xuzhou should be classified as one unit with unified command. Although there are many reasons for today's defeat, the biggest problem lies in the lack of unified command."
Chiang Kai-shek: "There is no need to mention the past. After Xu Bang's defeat, the bandit army will go to Jiangbei immediately. What do you think?"
Li Zongren: "We are at a disadvantage in everything now, but we can only deal with the Communist Party to the end, taking every step counts!"
Chiang Kai-shek shook his head and said, "It's not a problem if things go on like this! I think I'll retire, and it's up to you to stand up to this situation and make peace with the Communist Party!"
Li Zongren: "If you can't make peace, then I can't!"
Chiang Kai-shek: "If you take on this situation, it will be different immediately."
Li Zongren: "I can't play any role."
Chiang Kai-shek: "I think you should come out. Once you show this posture, the communist army's attack may ease." Jiang's words revealed his motive. It turned out that he asked Li Zongren to come out only as a way to ease the communist army's attack. shield.
Li Zongren: "President, if you can't support this situation, I can't support it. In any case, I can't bear this matter."
Chiang Kai-shek: "I support you. After you come out, at least the Communist Party will not force us so hard."
Li insisted on not agreeing, and the conversation on this day was fruitless.
A few days later, Chiang Kai-shek talked to Li Zongren again.
Chiang Kai-shek: "I used to advise you not to run for vice president, but you must run for it. Now that I quit, according to constitutional procedures, you will succeed me. Since you are vice president, you have to do it if you don't."
Li Zongren: "According to the constitution, I can't refuse, but in the current situation, if you can't do it, how can I stand up?!"
"The Communist Party will never make peace with me." Chiang Kai-shek said, "If you come out, at least you can change it."
Li Zongren: "If I come out, the Communist Party must make me surrender unconditionally!"
Jiang encouraged Li and said, "Talk about it, I will be your backing! I will be your backing!"
Li Zongren resigned firmly.
The reason why Li Zongren did not agree to Chiang Kai-shek several times was because he had some concerns in his heart at the time.First, he didn't know Jiang's true intentions, whether he should quit completely or let him deal with it temporarily. There is a plan to abandon the mainland and run Taiwan. If so, what future does he have in the mainland? Third, Li Zongren really feels unable to cope with the current mess. The peace talks with the communists can only delay the time for another war , it is impossible to achieve the purpose of "drawing the river and governing".
On January 6, Chiang Kai-shek's presidential palace.
Chiang Kai-shek sat on a chair wearily.Jiang Jingguo walked in.
"Jingguo, what's the news about Guangting's breakout?" Chiang Kai-shek asked feebly.
"No news." Jiang Jingguo replied.
Chiang Kai-shek simply closed his eyes and said: "There are more bad luck than good luck, with hundreds of thousands of troops, Xuzhou, the battleground for military strategists, can't be defended, so how can we talk about breaking through?"
Jiang Jingguo: "Father, if things go on like this, Jiangbei seems to be in jeopardy. Is it okay to retreat to the Yangtze River?"
Chiang Kai-shek: "The Yangtze River is also difficult to hold."
Chiang Ching-kuo: "Wouldn't the whole mainland fall into the hands of the Communist Party?"
Chiang Kai-shek opened his eyes, "We can't let go easily, we still have one million troops, let them fight with the Communist army on the mainland. Taiwan, as long as it has some sea and air force, it can defend it, and it doesn't take so many people. However, If Li Delin can negotiate peace with the CCP, it will be very difficult for the CCP to cross the river when the flood season of the Yangtze River comes in April and May.”
Since Chiang Ching-kuo returned to China from the Soviet Union, he has learned a lot from the president's father, but he still feels that he cannot understand this father.He has lost millions of troops in the civil war, and now he is about to step down and become a grassroots man, but he still has hope for the future.Jiang Jingguo couldn't help asking: "Even if the communist army does not cross the river for a few months, can the Yangtze River be held?"
Chiang Kai-shek seemed to regain his spirits. He stood up, paced and said: "If the Communist Army does not cross the river before May, it will be affected by the flood season of the Yangtze River, and it will have to wait until after October. By then, our Yangtze River The line of defense will be very strong. At the same time, several training headquarters behind us will provide more than 1 million new troops to strengthen the Jiang defense. By then, Jiangnan, Jiangbei, the KMT and the Communist Party will have an equal share.”
"If the communist army crosses the river immediately and the defense line of the Yangtze River is not secured, then are we going to Taiwan?" Chiang Ching-kuo asked.
Hearing this, Chiang Kai-shek's joyful eyes immediately turned into a fierce light. He picked up the cane leaning against the fireplace, beat the ground vigorously, and said through gritted teeth: "When I arrive in Taiwan, I will also counterattack the mainland."
While the father and son were talking about the future, Zhang Qun walked in. "President, Xinhua News Agency published a commentary on the New Year's Proclamation, which I heard was written by Mao Zedong."
Chiang Kai-shek: "Mao Zedong's article? What title?"
Zhang Qun hesitated and stopped talking.Seeing this, Jiang Jingguo stretched out his hand to take the newspaper, saw five large characters at a glance, and suddenly felt his tongue twirling in his mouth.
Chiang Kai-shek urged: "Say it!"
Zhang Qun said: "The title of Mao Zedong's article is: Commentary on war criminals seeking peace."
Hearing the word "war criminal", Chiang Kai-shek felt a sigh of relief.Fortunately, he has suffered many blows in the past few decades, so he can hide his anger in his heart, but on the surface he said calmly: "The winner is the king, and the loser is the bandit. Jingguo, read Mao Zedong's article , Listen to what he has to say."
Chiang Ching-kuo read: "In order to preserve the reactionary forces of China and the aggressive forces of the United States in China, Chiang Kai-shek, the leader of China's No. 1 war criminal, the Kuomintang gang, issued a peace statement on New Year's Day this year. The war criminal Chiang Kai-shek declared:..."
After reading for a while, Chiang Ching-kuo looked up at Chiang Kai-shek, but seeing no reaction from him, he read again: "'Army's real guarantee'-this is the lifeblood of the comprador landlord class, although it has been wiped out several times by the hateful People's Liberation Army Millions, but there are still one million and hundreds of thousands left. It must be "guaranteed" and "certain". If "guarantee" is not "certain", the comprador landlord class will have no capital, and the "legal system" will still be "interrupted". The Kuomintang gang will still perish, and all war criminals, large, medium and small, will still be arrested and punished.”
Mao Zedong refuted the arguments in Chiang Kai-shek's New Year's Day announcement one by one.Finally, Mao Zedong said in the article: "We have said long ago that Chiang Kai-shek has lost his soul and is just a zombie. No one believes him anymore."
Chiang Kai-shek didn't show his face on the surface, but he seemed to have knocked over the five-flavored bottle in his heart, which was not a good feeling.He was very angry at Mao Zedong's joking and scolding, and silently scolded "Niang Xipi" in his heart.At the same time, I also feel both admiration and annoyance that Mao Zedong explained his ideas one by one in the article.
The room was extremely quiet, and after an unknown amount of time, Chiang Kai-shek spoke up. He said to Chiang Ching-kuo, "You are quite familiar with the Soviets, can you contact them."
Chiang Ching-kuo said: "Why does father have to deal with the Soviets at this time?"
Chiang Kai-shek said: "The Americans are already unreliable. I want to know what the Soviets think."
Jiang Jingguo replied: "Tomorrow I will go to Luo Shen."
Chiang Kai-shek added: "Call Li Qing over and ask him to send a telegram to Bai Chongxi, saying that I agree with his proposal for peace talks."
Chiang Kai-shek lived like a year, having trouble sleeping and eating every day.
On January 9, he learned that most of Du Yuming had been wiped out, and he was even more disturbed.He wrote in his diary that day: "Most of Du Yuming's troops seem to have been wiped out by bandits this morning. I heard that there are still 30,000 people breaking out from the southwest of Chenguanzhuang. I don't know if they can escape safely. I am worried. Others forced those who went to the field, for which Du's department is waiting for help, I can't take the blame."
In the afternoon of the next day, Chiang Kai-shek summoned Sun Ke, Zhang Qun, and Zhang Zhizhong to discuss whether they could use diplomatic promotion and talks.However, because the United States hoped to see Chiang step down as soon as possible, it politely rejected Wu's proposal, and the Soviet Union, Britain, and France also followed the United States' attitude.Chiang Kai-shek's efforts failed again.
On January 14, Mao Zedong issued the "Statement on the Current Situation." In the statement, Mao Zedong proposed eight conditions for the peace talks: "(1) Punish war criminals; (2) Abolish the false Constitution; (3) Abolish the false constitution. (4) reorganize all reactionary armies based on democratic principles; (5) confiscate bureaucratic capital; (6) reform the land system; (7) abolish traitorous treaties; The government will take over all the powers of the Nanjing Kuomintang reactionary government and all levels of government to which it belongs."
On the list of war criminals listed by the Communist Party, there are more than 40 war criminals, and Chiang Kai-shek ranks number one.Chiang Kai-shek knew that he could no longer hold on to the presidency.However, he would not shed tears when he saw the coffin, as long as there was a glimmer of hope, he would persevere, and he would never go down in disgrace under the pressure of others.
On January 17, Li Zongren saw that Jiang still had no clear intention to step down publicly, so he sent a special envoy to Wuhan to ask Bai Chongxi to jointly prepare to launch a campaign for peace and force Chiang to step down.
In order to negotiate peace, Jiang must step down, and Jiang is very clear about this.It is precisely because of this, precisely because Jiang hoped that there would be an opportunity for peace talks to get rid of his military difficulties, strengthen the defense line of the Yangtze River, and realize "government by drawing the river", so he finally decided to step down.
On January 19, Chiang held an "imperial meeting" at the Presidential Palace. Sun Ke, Zhang Zhizhong, Zhang Qun, Wu Zhongxin, Shao Lizi, Wu Tiecheng, Chen Lifu and others attended.
To put it bluntly, this "imperial meeting" is Chiang Kai-shek's "retirement meeting".
Chiang Kai-shek said coldly at the meeting: "Mao Zedong's statement on the current situation must have been seen by everyone. He proposed peace negotiations under eight conditions. These conditions are too harsh. I decided to step down. Now there are two options Please study it, one is to ask Li Delin to come out to negotiate, and then go out after the negotiation is settled; the other is to go out now, and Li Delin will preside over everything."
Everyone looked at each other in blank dismay, speechless for a while.Jiang asked one by one. When he asked Wu Tiecheng, the head of the Executive Yuan who had just taken office, Wu said: "This matter is of great importance. Do you want to convene the Central Standing Committee to discuss it?"
Jiang Yuan wanted them to keep him, at least he had to say a few words of comfort, but now they resisted with silence.Jiang felt angry, so he vented his anger on Wu Tiecheng, and said angrily to Wu: "No need! What kind of CCP meeting! Now I am not defeated by the Communist Party, but by the Kuomintang! I don't want to Enter the Central Party Headquarters!"
Chen Lifu followed Chiang for a long time, and at this moment he said tearfully: "President..."
Chiang Kai-shek didn't want to listen to their useless words anymore, so he stood up suddenly and said repeatedly: "Excellent! Excellent! I am determined to adopt the second plan. What should be said in the proclamation to the field, everyone should study it, but the main point should be Including 'I can't carry out the idea of putting an end to chaos, and how can I bear to be an obstacle to peace." After finishing speaking, Jiang left his seat.
On January 21, Chiang Kai-shek's presidential palace.
At 10 o'clock in the morning, more than a hundred Kuomintang party, government, and military dignitaries gathered in Chiang's mansion to attend an emergency meeting.The venue was silent, and the air was extremely dignified.
Jiang spoke first, his tone low and full of sadness.After a detailed analysis of the current situation, he finally said: "At a time when the military, politics, finances, and diplomacy are all at an impasse, and the suffering of the people has reached its peak, I intend to suspend my troops and make peace, but the CCP insists on going its own way to the end. Under the current circumstances, I personally have to retire and let Brother Delin execute the powers of the presidency in accordance with the law and conduct peace talks with the CCP. I will never interfere in politics within 5 years, and I hope to assist from the side. I hope that all comrades will work together to support Delin and save the Party-state crisis."
When Jiang spoke, some people in the crowd were already weeping, feeling a sense of grief.After Jiang finished speaking, Gu Zhenggang, Chen Qingyun, He Haoruo, Hong Lanyou, Zhang Daofan and others burst into tears.
Gu Zhenggang, a young member of CC and Minister of Social Affairs, suddenly stood up and shouted with tears: "The president should not retire, he should continue to lead, and fight the Communist Party to the end!"
Jiang shook his head: "It's impossible, I've made up my mind."
After all, Chiang Kai-shek took out a prepared manuscript from his pocket and said to Li Zongren: "I will leave Nanjing today, and you will take up your post immediately. Here is a proclamation I prepared for you. Please sign it stop."
Amid sobs all around, Li Zongren didn't finish reading the manuscript, so he signed it without thinking.He never thought that Chiang Kai-shek would still have a hand for him at this time, setting a trap for him.
Everyone saw that it was a foregone conclusion for Jiang to go to the wild, so they turned the topic to the future peace talks.But Jiang didn't want to listen to any more discussions in this area, so he got up and announced the end of the meeting not long after.
Li Zongren hurriedly got up and asked Jiang respectfully: "When will the president leave today, we will go to the airport to see him off."
Jiang said: "I still have important matters to deal with in the afternoon, and the departure time has not yet been set, so you don't have to see me off!" As he spoke, he walked out the door.
At this time, Yu Youren suddenly walked out of the crowd in a senile manner, and shouted: "President! President!"
"What's the matter? Chiang Kai-shek stopped for a while.
Yu Youren said: "For the convenience of the peace talks, can the president issue a warrant to release Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng before leaving Beijing?!"
Chiang Kai-shek waved his hands back and said, "Go to Delin!" After finishing speaking, he walked away quickly.
Yu Youren, a 70-year-old man with a long beard, walked back slowly under the gaze of everyone.Seeing this, everyone left sadly.
Chiang Kai-shek came out of the presidential palace, drove to the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, and climbed up the high steps step by step.Jiang stood in front of Sun Yat-sen's mausoleum with a serious face, silent and deeply sad.
On the way out, Jiang said to the people around him: "Although we have failed in the military today, as long as we know our shame and work hard, we still have a bright future. The foundation is much better. I hope that everyone will carry forward the revolutionary spirit and unite, and we will surely turn defeat into victory."
After bidding farewell to Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, Jiang drove to Ming Palace Airport and took a plane to Hangzhou.After the plane took off, Jiang ordered the pilot to circle the sky over Nanjing City.Looking at the ancient stone city under the wing, Jiang seemed to wake up from the "Jinling Spring Dream".However, it was too late at this time, and Chiang Kai-shek had no chance to return to Nanjing.
First of all, in terms of personnel arrangements, Chiang Kai-shek appointed a large number of confidants and cronies to take charge of the military and political power in the southeast and southwestern half of the country that was still under the control of the Kuomintang.
Appoint Chen Cheng as Chairman of Taiwan Province and Commander-in-Chief of Taiwan's Garrison;
Jiang Jingguo is the chairman of the Taiwan Provincial Party Committee of the Kuomintang;
Xue Yue is the chairman of the Guangdong Provincial Government;
Zhu Shaoliang is the director of the Fuzhou Appeasement Office;
Fang Tian is the chairman of Jiangxi Province;
Wang Lingji is the chairman of Sichuan Province;
Zhang Qun is the director of the Chongqing Appeasement Office;
Expand the Beijing-Shanghai Garrison Headquarters into the Beijing-Shanghai-Hangzhou Garrison Headquarters, with Tang Enbo as the commander-in-chief, putting Nanjing directly under Tang Enbo's control.
Secondly, in terms of economy, Jiang Jingguo was sent to "go to Shanghai to visit Mr. Yu Hongjun, hoping that he would transfer the central bank cash to Taiwan for safety." Chiang Kai-shek also met with Yu Hongjun and others.Yu was ordered to transfer gold, silver, and foreign exchange worth 500 million U.S. dollars from the national treasury to Taiwan; to break up the foreign exchange held in the United States by the central government and the Bank of China, and deposit it in a private account.
Thirdly, in terms of military affairs, "individually studied the defense of Jinpu and the north bank of the Yangtze River", "decided to withdraw all the troops from Peiping to Qingdao by airlift", and scheduled to "begin implementation" on January 13, but failed due to Fu Zuoyi's refusal Realized; also drafted a plan to use "peace talks" to fight for 3 to 6 months to re-train 200 divisions and 2 million people in the south of the Yangtze River in order to make a comeback.In addition, a high-power radio station and a communication network were set up in Xikou for remote command after "retirement".
On the day when the head of the People's Liberation Army on the Pingjin front line and Fu Zuoyi formally signed the "Agreement on the Peaceful Resolution of the Peiping Issue", that is, January 21, 1949, Chiang Kai-shek successively "had a banquet" with the president of the Fifth Academy of the National Government and "talked with the Kuomintang Central Standing Committee". ", "The impromptu report is determined to 'retire', and presented a joint declaration with Vice President Li." Said that "the war is still not over, and the goal of peace cannot be achieved. Decided to retire first, in order to end the war and eliminate the army, and relieve the people's hunger in case .”
As a result, Chiang Kai-shek, who had just been elected president at the "Constitutional National Congress" for nine months, "retired".
On January 22, 1949, Chiang Kai-shek returned to his hometown Xikou Town, Fenghua County, Zhejiang Province.
But he still firmly controls the power of the party, government and military as the president of the Kuomintang.He is still trying his best to fight Mao Zedong in the final contest on the mainland.
As New Year's Day was approaching in 1949, Mao Zedong remembered that he had promised Xinhua News Agency that he would write a New Year's message for them.
Mao Zedong returned to the office from Xibaipo Village.
There are two north rooms in the courtyard where Mao Zedong lived.The inner room is about 16 square meters, and it is Mao Zedong's bedroom. There is a double plank bed, a small sofa, a coffee table, and a small wardrobe.The connected outer room is slightly larger, about 20 square meters, and it is Mao Zedong's office. There is a sofa, a round table, a coffee table and a rattan chair in it. Maps are hung on the wall.
After returning to the office, Mao Zedong faced the map he had stared at countless times and lit a cigarette.He surveyed the entire land of China from south to north, and from east to west.Looking back at the long course of the Chinese revolution, the situation has finally changed completely, and the Chinese People's Liberation Army has surpassed the Kuomintang army both in quantity and in quality.Gradually, Mao Zedong suddenly felt his writing and thinking like a spring, turned around and sat down at the desk opposite the map, extinguished the cigarette, dipped his pen in thick ink, and wrote quickly.
"The Chinese people will win the final victory in the great war of liberation. Now even our enemies have no doubts about this..."
Mao Zedong wrote nearly a thousand words in one breath, telling the war history of more than two years like a few treasures, and then he wrote: "The enemy's strategic front has completely disintegrated. The enemy in the Northeast has been completely wiped out, and the enemy in North China is about to Completely wiped out, there are only a handful of enemies left in East China and the Central Plains.... The nationwide victory of the Chinese People's Liberation War is now completely uncontroversial in the world's public opinion circles, including all imperialist newspapers."
Mao Zedong's pen was like a snake, and several hours passed without knowing it.Looking at the thick stack of manuscripts, he thought, he should tell the people what they will do in the new year.
What did the Communist Party of China and the Chinese People's Liberation Army do in 1949?
Mao Zedong put down his pen and looked up at the map.This map once inspired countless inspirations for Mao Zedong.On the map, there are not many blue circles, and the remaining ones are mainly concentrated in the northwest and south of the Yangtze River.Mao Zedong was not too concerned about the northwest region, where Hu Zongnan could not last long.As for the enemies in the south of the Yangtze River, Mao Zedong was very worried because of the natural danger of the Yangtze River.
In Mao Zedong's eyes, the Yangtze River cannot be a dividing line!
As a strategist and statesman, Mao Zedong clearly reminded the Chinese people, the democratic parties, and the people's organizations:
"Should we carry the revolution to the end, or stop the revolution halfway? If we want to carry the revolution to the end, we must use revolutionary methods to resolutely, thoroughly and completely wipe out all reactionary forces, unswervingly insist on overthrowing imperialism and feudalism, Overthrow bureaucratic capitalism, overthrow the reactionary Kuomintang rule throughout the country, and establish a people's democratic dictatorship led by the proletariat and led by the worker-peasant alliance throughout the country... If the revolution is to be abandoned halfway, it is against the will of the people , to accept the will of the foreign invaders and the Chinese reactionaries, so that the Kuomintang won the opportunity to heal its wounds, and then swooped in one morning, strangled the revolution, and brought the whole country back to the dark world."
He illustrates the problem with a famous parable:
"Here is a fable from ancient Greece: 'A farmer saw a snake frozen in winter. He took pity on it and put it on his chest. The snake woke up when it was heated, and when it recovered Its nature bit its benefactor and caused him to be mortally wounded. When the farmer was dying, he said: "I pity the wicked, and I deserve this evil reward!" Foreign and Chinese poisonous snakes hope that the Chinese people will still be like这个农夫一样地死去，希望中国共产党，中国的一切革命民主派，都像这个农夫一样地怀有对于毒蛇的好心肠。但是中国人民、中国共产党和中国真正的革命民主派，却听见了并且记住了这个劳动者的遗嘱。况且盘踞在大部分中国土地上的大蛇和小蛇，黑蛇和白蛇，露出毒牙的蛇和化成美女的蛇，虽然它们已经感觉到冬天的威胁，但是还没有冻僵呢！”
写完一沓文稿，毛泽东搁下笔，点燃一支香烟，又一次凝视起墙上的地图，他从南到北，从东到西，审视着整个中华大地。从地图上可以看到，长江以北已经大部获得解放，人民解放军下一步的主要任务，将是解放长江以南的广袤国土。
毛泽东在献词里宣布：
“1949年中国人民解放军将向长江以南进军，将要获得比1948年更加伟大的胜利。”
三路大军挺进中原示意图
最早在1947年7月，毛泽东就提出来了渡江战役的战略构想。1947年下半年，当他在部署刘伯承、邓小平率领的晋冀鲁豫野战军主力千里跃进大别山的时候，就考虑到将已经进入鲁南作战的华东野战军第一、第四两个纵队（纵队司令员分别为叶飞、陶勇，因此也叫叶纵、陶纵）渡过长江，直出闽赣地区建立根据地，以便把战线进一步推向国民党军的战略后方。
这年的7月23日，军委在《对确保与扩大战略主动权的军事部署》的电文中提出，在刘邓率部千里跃进大别山、陈谢（指陈赓、谢富治）南渡黄河挺进豫陕边的同时，由陈毅、粟裕、谭震林率华东野战军主力留置山东（包括鲁西南）“担负整个内线作战任务”，另以叶纵陶纵出闽浙赣，创立闽浙赣根据地。其步骤：第一步，进行整补和政治动员；第二步，出至皖西，建立临时根据地；第三步相机渡江至皖南，建立第二临时根据地；第四步，至闽浙赣目的地。为了加强这支部队出击后的领导，毛泽东还提出以邓子恢、张鼎丞、曾山组成东南分局的设想，要华东局考虑。
刘邓大军千里跃进大别山，开创新的中原解放区，是毛泽东独具匠心地布下的棋局，它从根本上扭转战局，使人民解放军由防御转为进攻。但是，全局中最关键的一着棋——向大别山地区挺进的刘邓大军，虽有陈谢集团进入豫西从右侧辅弼，力量仍嫌不足，在优势敌人的围追堵截下，还有被迫撤回的可能。
毛泽东经过再三考虑，在8月6日致电陈毅、粟裕、谭震林和8月7日致刘邓并告陈粟的电报中，决定由陈毅、粟裕立即赴鲁西南，统一指挥包括第一、第四纵队在内的华野6个纵队，组成华野西线兵团，进行直接配合刘邓大军挺进大别山的作战任务。毛泽东估计，在刘邓大军向南跃进时，国民党军必然会以重兵追堵。在这种情况下，陈粟西线兵团立即尾随敌军南下，就可以从“反对方向钳制敌人”，有效地掩护刘邓大军的挺进并在大别山地区立足生根。此电实际上暂时改变了7月23日要叶飞、陶勇率第一、第四纵队分兵渡江南下的计划。随后，中央军委正式决定：停止执行第一、第四纵队渡江南下闽浙赣之计划。
毛泽东对他经过缜密思虑后所下的决心，是不会轻易改变的。他执着地认为，只有适时地和有步骤地把战线向蒋介石统治区推移，使人民解放军所需的大部人力、物力取之于对方，才能使新解放区逐渐扩展，使得解放区得到进一步巩固，经过逐步跃进和巩固，最终取得革命战争的胜利。因此，他在根据战局的发展适当调整陈粟大军的作战部署后，还多次致电刘邓、陈粟，要他们继续准备以一部分主力在第二年的适当时机渡江南进，吸引部分国民党军从中原地区转援江南，以利于中原解放区的巩固。
1948年1月上旬，从中原前线赶赴陕北中央的陈毅，同毛泽东在杨家沟见面了。这是他们随着抗战胜利而在延安分手后的第一次见面。毛泽东在同陈毅谈到1947年7月以来的全军作战行动时强调：我军作战的性质已不再属于“自卫防御”，而是一种“革命的进攻”，是把战争的主要战场推向蒋管区、以求解放全中国的作战行动，所以叫“战略进攻”。毛泽东指出：蒋介石已处于防御地位。黄鹤一去不复返，他要回到战争初期那种形势是不可能的了，今后是我们如何转入江南、四川、两广的问题。
毛泽东在与陈毅的交谈中，又一次说到南渡长江的问题。
当时，刘邓、陈粟、陈谢3军挺进中原，对蒋介石的长江防线和沿江重镇南京、武汉构成了严重的威胁。蒋介石无论如何都想把他们从自己的卧榻之旁赶走。1947年12月初，国民党政府国防部长白崇禧根据蒋介石的命令，在九江设立国防部前进指挥所，调集33个旅的兵力，对大别山地区的刘邓大军展开大规模“围剿”。大别山地区的反“围剿”斗争，坚持了一个多月，虽然取得重大胜利，但还没有取得决定性胜利。国共两军在整个中原地区，基本上处于胶着相持的状态。
怎样打破这种僵持局面？毛泽东和周恩来、陈毅最初商定的南线3军在3个月内的作战方针，是以刘邓军主力位于大别山内线，“分遣坚持，多休息，多打小仗”，待正由晋冀鲁豫南下的3万新兵到达以充实部队后，再打中等规模之仗；以粟裕所部并指挥陈谢军在二、三、四3个月内，在中原地区寻求打几个中等规模的歼灭战，以配合刘邓军坚持大别山区的斗争。他们还设想以山东兵团的许世友、谭震林率两个纵队南下苏北、苏中，会合原在这两个地区活动的华东野战军两个纵队，“形成一个重要战场，威胁京沪”，迫使蒋介石从大别山抽调一部分力量向东。“3个月后，南北配合行动，可能进入打大歼灭战之阶段。”1月26日，毛泽东以军委的名义，把这个战略构想传达给刘邓、粟裕和陈谢等。
打破大别山乃至整个中原的僵持局面，是关系全局的一篇大文章。对这样的重大问题，毛泽东在发出电报后，仍在反复思索，并同周恩来、陈毅继续商议。毛泽东所担心的是，这样的布局能不能有把握打破中原的僵持局面，是不是还有其他更积极、更大胆、更能震动敌人的方案呢？毛泽东又想到了由粟裕率领华东野战军3个纵队渡江南进这一着棋。本来，他是准备在1948年秋季中原战局基本上得到改善后再走这一步棋的，现在考虑要提前实行。周恩来、陈毅也同意这个设想。
这是1948年的1月27日。
中央军委电示粟裕：“关于由你统率叶、王、陶3纵队渡江南进执行宽大机动任务问题……有3个方案……渡江以后势将迫使敌人改变部署，可能吸引敌20至30个旅回防江南。你们以七八万人之兵力去江南，先在湖南、江西两省周旋半年至1年之久，沿途兜圈子，以跃进方式分几个阶段到达闽、浙、赣，使敌人完全处于被动应付地位防不胜防。”电报上还说，渡江时间，可在2月，或5月或秋季。
阅完电报，粟裕敏锐地预感到这是中央的又一重大战略决策，显然是为了进一步把战争引向敌人的深远后方，以配合正面战场，主要是配合中原战场我军作战，发展战略进攻。这一战略行动能否达到预期目的，对中原战场、华东战场和解放战争的全局，都会有重大影响。于是，粟裕一边与陈士榘、唐亮等商讨部署，一边将军委的指示迅速传达到部队。
我晋冀鲁豫野战军陈谢集团为配合刘邓大军挺进大别山的战略行动，于1947年8月22日，在晋南、豫北交界处的垣曲、济源间及茅津渡江以东地段，强渡黄河，跨过陇海路，挺进豫西地区。转战两个月，先后解放县城10余座，歼敌4万余人，完成了在豫陕鄂边区的战略展开。
这是我军在灵宝外围进行战斗
时隔三天的1月31日，粟裕给军委回电，汇报了研究贯彻军委指示的意见和部队的状况，并向军委建议两个方案：一是即将叶、王、陶纵队调到陇海路附近继续休整一个半月，至3月下旬出动；二是叶、王、陶纵仍照目前部署南下参加一两个战役，3月中旬起休整一个半月或两个月，到5月中旬出动。
粟裕还建议：将目前在中原的3支野战军由刘伯承、邓小平统一指挥，采取忽集忽散（要有突然性）的战法；于3个地区寻机歼敌，争取在短期内打几个歼灭战，取得较大胜利。如果我军再能在数量及技术上对敌人取得优势，则战局的发展可以急转直下，也将推进政治局势的迅速变化。
对于渡江路线，粟裕提出两个方案：一是由武汉以西渡江，好处是江面狭小，易于渡过，易于阻击蒋军兵舰，缺点是到闽浙赣远，一路去要减员一半。二是从湖口、当涂之间甚或南京至江阴之间采取宽正面的分路与分梯队的偷渡，缺点是江面宽防御严，好处是江南江北我群众基础好，叶、王、陶纵的干部熟悉，渡江后主力向浙赣沿线及闽赣腹地挺进亦可调动敌人。
第二天，中央军委复电粟裕并致刘伯承、邓小平，饶漱石、邓子恢：
“（一）完全同意第一方案，叶、王、陶3纵即开陇海线附近再休整一个半月，3月下旬出动。3万新兵中，以2万补充叶王陶3纵。渡江路线，争取走湖口、当涂之间或南京至江阴之间。渡江方法采宽正面分路或分梯队偷渡。望加紧布置水上及两岸工作。（二）三、八、十、十一等4纵集中配合刘邓、陈谢两军，由刘、邓统一指挥，采忽集忽分战法，机动歼敌……”
1949年元旦前夕，两辆沾满泥浆的吉普车从淮海前线一直向西柏坡开来，车上坐着的是两大野战军的司令员。
车停在一座大院前。车门打开，刘伯承和陈毅走了出来。他们拍了拍身上的尘土，整整衣服，谈笑着向院里走去。
刚到门口，就听见里面非常热闹，俩人互相对视了一眼，推开了门，只见毛泽东、朱德、刘少奇、周恩来、任弼时个个谈笑风生。
刘伯承、陈毅一走进大门就说：“来晚喽，来晚喽。”
众人纷纷起身，互道问候。毛泽东说：“真是说曹操，曹操到，我们正等着你们来谈谈渡江作战的打算呢。快坐下吧。”
二人入座后，朱德说：“伯承，陈毅，我们刚才正在谈论，打完淮海后，你们下一步怎么办？二位对渡江作战有什么考虑？”
刘伯承扶扶眼镜，慢慢地说：“总前委5个人已经研究过了，一等吃掉杜聿明，大部队就可以向南开进，准备渡江。现在就是时间紧一点，部队很疲劳，需要抓紧时间结束淮海战役。”
“让你们晚一点消灭杜聿明，主要是考虑到平津方面，打早了，傅作义就有可能逃跑。”毛泽东笑着说。
“这一点我们明白。”
周恩来坐在一张旧沙发里，这时将身子向前倾了倾，问道：“你们对渡江作战有什么具体想法？有问题吗？”
刘伯承说：“在军事上不存在什么大问题，与挺进大别山那时相比，我们这次非常主动。”
陈毅笑呵呵地说：“我看得天下没有问题，”说完这一句，他的脸色又认真起来，“可是，治天下有点难。今后向南发展，解放的土地和城市多了，看来缺少接管地方的干部。这一点请中央尽早考虑，给我们准备一批地方党及军区的配备。”
“陈老总不必担心，打下地方，总会有人去管理的。你就可以管理嘛！”刘少奇在一旁说。
毛泽东接过刘少奇的话，对陈毅说：“等上海解放了，让你当个市长怎么样？”
陈毅说：“有伯承，让他去吧。”
“伯承还有南京嘛。”朱德笑着说。在中共军事家的眼里，似乎南京、上海已在掌握之中。
毛泽东弯腰从面前的火盆里取出一块红炭，点燃香烟，说：“我们是一定要打过长江去的，中国不能成为'南北朝'，不能分裂，分裂就要受外人欺负，要统一成为一个整体。”
大家都没有说话。毛泽东抽了两口烟后，继续说：“到南方去作战，我们有不利条件：那里最广大区域还处在国民党统治之下，我党的组织还不强大，群众还没有发动；在这种条件下，军队的给养在头一个时期内将遇到许多困难；大城市夺取容易，但掌握它则较掌握北方诸城要困难得多。”
毛泽东从座位上站起来，左手叉腰，右手夹着香烟，走了几步说：“可是我们也有许多有利条件啊！比如，国民党军队已经没有主力了，我们则有强大的军队；国民党的威信已经丧失，特别是当南京和武汉被我们夺取之后，它将更加威信扫地，我党则有极高的威信；南方有许多老革命根据地，现在又有许多游击部队和游击区。这些都是有利条件。”毛泽东一边说，一边扳着指头。
刘伯承一直在全神贯注地听毛泽东讲话，见主席此时稍有停顿，就问：“主席，美国有没有可能出兵？”
中原局第二书记、中原军区及中原野战军第一副司令员（仍兼华东野战军司令员和政治委员）陈毅
没等毛泽东回答，陈毅抢先说：“美国鬼子出兵，我们也不怕。”
毛泽东思虑一会儿，站起身走到地图前说：“我们要防止美国出兵，要把美国直接出兵占领沿海若干城市，并同我们作战作为一种可能性，计算在我们的作战计划之内。这一种计算现在不要放弃，否则事变万一到来，我们就会手足无措。”
毛泽东将语气缓和下来，接着又说：“不过，现在美帝国主义的对华政策正在发生改变，已由单纯地支持国民党武装反共，转变为两面性的政策。这即是：一方面，支持国民党残余军事力量和地方军阀，继续抵抗人民解放军；另一方面，则派遣其走狗混入革命阵营，组织所谓反对派从内部来破坏革命。在人民解放军接近于全国胜利时，甚至不惜用承认人民共和国的方法，以求取合法的地位，实施这一'内部破坏'的政策。对于这一帝国主义的阴谋计划，我们必须提高警惕性，并坚决地将其击破。”
任弼时始终默默地坐着，这时却说：“苏联人对我们渡江作战好像不大赞同。”
毛泽东一时没有说话。
刘少奇说：“据说斯大林不同意我们同蒋介石再打下去，罗申大使还在南京，同国民党政府来往频繁。”
毛泽东把手一挥，说：“不去管他们，我们中国人走自己的路！”
淮海战役刚结束，赫赫有名的大将军粟裕便把眼光落在了长江之上。
“要进行渡江作战了”，粟裕心想。去年底，刘、陈两位老总去西柏坡前，总前委5个人第一次聚到一起，粟裕见到了井冈山分手后，17年没见面的刘伯承。在那次总前委会议上，他们研究的已经不是淮海战役的问题，而是何时进行渡江。
粟裕想：“主席对渡江作战非常重视，等两位老总回来后，一定要开始进行渡江的准备。”想到渡江，粟裕的思绪不禁回到了将近一年之前。
那是1948年三四月间，粟裕在接到中央电令他亲率3个纵队渡江南进后，一直在思考渡江作战问题。他认为：“从全局来看，为了改变中原战局，进而协同全国其他战场彻底打败蒋介石，中原和华东解放军势必还要同国民党进行几次大的较量，打几个大歼灭战，尽可能多地把敌人主力消灭在长江以北。从当时的情况看，要打大歼灭战，3个纵队渡江南进是做不到的。”
当时，粟裕认为渡江有许多不利因素。“3个纵队，加上地方干部，约近10万人，渡江后要在敌占区转战数省，行程几千甚至上万里，敌人必然会利用其大后方的各种有利条件，对解放军实施围追堵截。而解放军则远离其大后方根据地，在无后方依托的条件下连续作战，兵员补充、粮弹和其他物资供应，伤病员的安置和治疗，都将遇到很大困难。渡江后，将不得不在沿途湘西（或鄂南）、湘南、湘赣边、赣南和赣东北等地区，依次留下一些部队，建立小的游击区，以收容伤病员和处理多余的武器。在这种情况下，解放军将无力攻取大城市，即使出现有利战机和可能打胜的仗，有时也不敢下决心打。”
对这种情况，粟裕有着亲身体验。早在1934年，由红七军团组成北上抗日先遣队，当时粟裕任参谋长。抗日先遣队一路转战闽浙赣，行程2500多公里。由于长途跋涉，一路上要同敌人的围追堵截作斗争，战斗十分频繁，加以兵员补充、物资供应，尤其是伤病员的安置和治疗非常困难，部队到达皖南时，已减员二分之一。
粟裕把他的想法电告了中央，中央