Chapter 38 1. Depressed democracy, failed peace talks

After World War II, according to the Yalta family, the United States and the Soviet Union, the two hegemonic countries divided the world equally, and under the rule of the National Government, China was "fortunately" to become the sphere of influence of the United States.The United States actively supported China, and the Nationalist Government became one of the five permanent members of the United Nations along with the Soviet Union, the United States, Britain, and France. The United States attempted to turn China into the leader of Asia and replace Japan.It hopes that Japan's industrial level and people's living standards will not be higher than the living standards of other people's countries that have been invaded.The United States worried that if the Communist Party came to power, China would be drawn into the Soviet camp, so the United States actively supported the Kuomintang.

Behind the Yalta system is a series of balance of interests among the governments of the United States, the Soviet Union and Chiang Kai-shek.The United States and the Soviet Union tried to make international arrangements acceptable to both of them for the political development of postwar China.After the outbreak of the Pacific War, American leaders firmly believed that supporting a strong China in East Asia would help defeat Japan during the war and serve as a barrier to contain the Soviet Union after the war.The United States does not want a large-scale civil war in China, and a civil war is not in the strategic interests of the United States.Therefore, from the summer of 1944, the U.S. government directly and actively intervened in the conflict between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, trying to find a way to maintain Chiang Kai-shek’s position and prevent civil war.

As the Anti-Japanese War was in full swing, the US government sent two semi-official organizations to Yan'an, the "Dixie Mission" and the "Hurley Mission".The official main mission of the former is, "In order to defeat Japan and unify all military forces in China." The latter submitted a report to the U.S. government after inspection, no matter from the current U.S. war policy against Japan or from the long-term interests of the U.S. in the Far East after the war. , should give up the wrong policy of only supporting Chiang Kai-shek, and avoid tying the interests of the United States with the fate of Chiang Kai-shek collectively. Unfortunately, it has not attracted the attention of the US authorities.

Later, the United States supported Chiang to oppose the Communist Party because it was afraid that once the Communist Party took power, it would fall to the Soviet Union and China would become the sphere of influence of the Soviet Union.This concern is actually due to the lack of understanding of Mao Zedong and the Communist Party. After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, the United States invited China, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia and India to carry out the task of occupying Japan. At that time, the occupied area designated for us was Shikoku Island. China sent a force to occupy Japan and put up a sign "China Republic of China Occupation Army Command".Although China, the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union set up control committees to control Japan, it was the United States that actually occupied Japan.The troops sent by Britain were only more than 3,000 people, and China sent a small number of troops, both of which were under the control of the United States.

The United States provided $5.9 billion in aid to the Nationalist Government of the Republic of China. In 1949, Mao Zedong met with Stalin and got back 300 million US dollars.The Marshall plan gave more than 10 billion to Europe, 90% of which were free gifts. At the end of World War II, the U.S. produced nearly 300,000 military aircraft, more than 60,000 tanks, and more than 1.1 million artillery pieces.There are 101 aircraft carriers.After the war, these things were all useless. The United States gave these things to others. The National Government alone gave more than 1,000 tanks, and one tank was equivalent to the firepower of a battalion of the Communist Army.The Kuomintang army suddenly exchanged shotguns for cannons, and all of them were fat and strong.

In the eight years of the Anti-Japanese War, in addition to the carnival of victory and the devastated land of China, there was more of a declining economy, poor people's livelihood, stagnant education, and displaced people.The direct economic losses during the War of Resistance amounted to more than 500 billion U.S. dollars, and more than 18 million people died.After the Anti-Japanese War is over, the most important thing to do is to recuperate and build.After the Japanese imperialists were expelled from China, the dispute between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party became the focus of attention at home and abroad again, and people worried that the civil war would repeat itself in China.

The Kuomintang and the Communist Party avoided civil war, and the call for peaceful reunification was very high.The biggest problem faced by the Kuomintang government after the surrender was to restore its rule in the whole of China, including controlling the vast areas in Central and North China occupied or surrounded by the CCP army, and taking over the Northeast from the Soviet army.Because the Kuomintang army was greatly weakened during the war and retreated to the far southwestern border, Chiang Kai-shek could not gather military forces to launch a strategy against the CCP army in a short period of time.In addition, Chiang Kai-shek needs the support of the United States. Although the United States supports his "unification of military orders and government orders", it does not approve of him using force to unify.

Therefore, on the one hand, Chiang Kai-shek was preparing for the war, and on the other hand, in order to appease the hearts of the people, he launched and commented on the offensive. He sent three telegrams in succession, inviting the leader of the Communist Party of China, Mao Zedong, to go to Chongqing to participate in the negotiations to discuss the unresolved issues between the two sides.The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China believes that the stage of the War of Resistance Against Japan has ended, and the new stage is peaceful construction. We should strive for a period of peaceful construction to avoid civil war or delay the outbreak of a full-scale civil war as much as possible. Accompanied by him, he took a special plane from Yan'an to Chongqing.

On August 28, 1945, Mao Zedong delivered a brief speech to the press at the airport, pointing out that the most urgent task at present is to ensure domestic peace, realize democratic politics, and consolidate domestic unity in order to achieve national reunification and establish independence, freedom and prosperity. new China.Mao Zedong personally went to Chongqing to negotiate, and the sincerity of the Chinese Communist Party for peace, democracy, and unity was enthusiastically welcomed and supported by the people of the whole country.After Mao Zedong arrived in Chongqing, although Chiang Kai-shek treated each other with courtesy, the KMT did not have the sincerity of the peace talks and did not make any preparations for the negotiations. almost done.

During the period in Chongqing, the entire negotiation process between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party went through several twists and turns, and was full of fierce political struggles. The focus of the struggle was the army and the liberated areas. On the issue of the army, the Kuomintang is deliberately trying to eliminate the people's army led by the Communist Party of China. The Communist Party of China has deeply realized in the long-term revolutionary struggle that without the people's army, there is nothing for the people.However, in order to strive for peace, the Communist Party made necessary concessions in the negotiations. The Chinese Communist Party proposed a fair and reasonable reorganization of the national army, saying that the army led by the Communist Party of China could be greatly reduced.At that time, the number of the People's Army had exceeded 1 million. The Communist Party proposed to reorganize it into 48 divisions, while the Kuomintang army had 263 divisions at that time. Division as the highest limit", and even demanded that the Communist Party "hand over the army".Later, the Communist Party made further concessions, agreeing to 263 divisions of the KMT and 43 divisions of the Communist Party, a ratio close to 7:1.After many concessions and struggles by the Communist Party, the Kuomintang said that it "may consider it."

Regarding the issue of the liberated areas: The Chinese Communist Party proposes that the existence of a democratic government in the liberated areas is the result of the development of the revolution, which has the support and users of the people.At the beginning of the negotiations, the Communist Party proposed to "recognize the democratically elected governments in the Liberated Areas and all recovered areas", but the Kuomintang stated that "recognition of the Liberated Areas is absolutely impossible" and denounced the Liberated Areas as "feudal separatism."The most intensely debated issue of the army and the liberated areas has been unresolved, and the negotiations were once stalled. In order to make progress in the negotiations, the CCP has made many concessions. In early October, the negotiations made progress. Mao Zedong said that it was of great historical significance for the Kuomintang and the Communist Party to discuss issues of unity, cooperation, and peaceful nation-building.Emphasizing that "peace is the most important thing", we must use a peaceful approach to resolve disputes between the two parties. On October 10, Wang Shijie, Zhang Qun, Zhang Zhizhong, Shao Lizi's Zhou Enlai, and Wang Ruofei, representatives of the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, jointly signed the "Summary of the Talks between the Government and the Representatives of the Communist Party of China", that is, the "Double Ten Agreement". The "Summary" clarifies the brief introduction of both the Kuomintang and the Communist Party on 12 issues including the basic policy of peaceful nation-building, political democratization, the National Assembly, party cooperation, nationalization of the army, and local governments in liberated areas.Some of them reached an agreement, and some did not reach a consensus.The Kuomintang accepted the basic policy of peaceful nation-building proposed by the CCP and admitted that civil war must be resolutely avoided. The content of the Chongqing negotiations is relatively pragmatic.It is proposed to resolutely avoid civil war, but it is not easy to operate.The only thing that can be done is to hold a political consultative conference. The two issues are fiercely debated, the nationalization of the army and the democratization of politics.The victory of the self-defense war in the liberated areas and the upsurge of anti-civil war activities in the Kuomintang political areas.Force the Kuomintang to hold a political consultative conference in accordance with the requirements of the "Double Ten Agreement". When the Kuomintang and the Communist Party were still negotiating in Chongqing, armed conflicts continued.Northeast China and North China are the focus of the CCP's post-war strategy.The Pinghan, Pingwei and Jinpu railways have long been raging with war.When Mao Zedong was at a disadvantage in military strength, he encouraged everyone not to be afraid.We hope to unify China peacefully, but Chiang Kai-shek's approach is ferocious and puts a lot of pressure on us. There is no other way but to resist.If you don't fight, you will definitely be wiped out.We stand for peace, but do not submit to force, and there is a great possibility of victory in fighting.On the one hand, the Kuomintang and the Communist Party demonstrate their military superiority on the battlefield, and on the other hand, they are arguing with each other on the table. Victory or defeat on the battlefield will increase or weaken the bargaining chip on the negotiating table.In order to win the public opinion and hearts of the people, the negotiation has to continue, and it cannot be replaced by war. When the Kuomintang and the Communist Party broke out in a large-scale military conflict in North China, the negotiations between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party were temporarily suspended. The Kuomintang and the Communist Party confronted each other politically and militarily, and the negotiations could not continue.Intense armed conflict and an atmosphere of domestic tension.It has aroused concern from all walks of life in the society.The domestic centrist parties and all forces strongly appeal for the continuation of peace talks, and the United States has always hoped that China can resolve internal disputes peacefully.In December 1945, General Marshall was sent to China again as the special envoy of the US President.Mediate the relationship between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party. In January 1946, Marshall, KMT Foreign Minister, Premier Zhang Qun, and Zhou Enlai formed a three-person mediation team to mediate the KMT-CPC military conflict. The Chinese Communist Party does not want to start another war, but it is absolutely impossible for the KMT and the Communist Party to organize a coalition government and coexist peacefully.To nationalize the Chinese Communist Party's army, to incorporate the Chinese Communist Party's troops into the KMT's military system, and to disarm the Communist Party is to let the Communist Party seek its own death.Mao Zedong said: "Peace talks are political preparations for another war." In the early days of the war, the Communist Party did not gain the upper hand in the military, so it threw bones at the dogs' mouths to do what they liked. Negotiations were another war. Japan had just surrendered, and Commander-in-Chief Zhu De immediately issued seven orders to dispatch the Communist Army to Northeast China and North China to occupy the occupied areas.To strive for peace as much as possible, but also to safeguard the interests of the people as much as possible. As for negotiations, in the early days of Marshall's mediation, the Communist Party had not yet gained the upper hand in the military, but "Zhou Enlai at the negotiating table echoed Lin Biao, the commander-in-chief of the Communist Army on the Northeast battlefield. To be tough, loose and tight, political negotiations and military conflicts were used alternately. During Marshall’s mediation period, the CCP’s conference tactics were used superbly. Marshall faced Zhou Enlai, a resourceful negotiator. At the conference table, of course, only Being led by the nose." Marshall went to China to mediate, and he had a trump card in his hand: US aid.Marshall frequently threatened the Kuomintang to submit by cutting off US aid, and stopped military conflicts and organized a coalition government with the Communist Party.When the Kuomintang was disobedient again, Marshall really ordered an embargo on the import of American arms to China, and Chiang Kai-shek suffered a lot.However, the Chinese Communist Party's troops do not rely on American aid, so Marshall has no restraint on our side.Marshall put himself in a dilemma. Poor Marshall, completely ignorant of China's national conditions, came to China with ideals.He hopes to transform China into a country like the United States.The ruling government tolerates other parties, the Communist Party, and other democratic alliances. A coalition government is established, from one-party dictatorship to multi-party rule. Both sides hand over military power, and the military is subordinate to the state.In this way, the system of a democratic country can basically be possessed in China.The nationalization of the military and the democratization of politics have also been realized.It is a pity that his understanding of China is too superficial. Mao Zedong described this period of history in this way: "In January 1946, representatives of the Kuomintang government and the representatives of the Communist Party of China signed an 'armistice agreement' and issued an armistice order. During the so-called "mediation" period, Marshall used various tricks, first in Northeast China, and later in North China, East China, and Central China to assist the Kuomintang troops in invading the Liberated Areas, and actively trained And equip the Kuomintang army, supply Chiang Kai-shek with arms and a large amount of strategic materials. By June 1946, Chiang Kai-shek had mobilized 80% of the total strength of the Kuomintang regular army (about 2 million people) to the line of attacking the liberated areas, of which More than 540,000 people were transported directly by the U.S. armed forces with the help of Sichuan military ships and planes. After Jieshi was ready, he launched a nationwide counter-revolutionary struggle in July. Then, on August 10, Marshall He and the US ambassador to China Leighton Stuart issued a joint statement, announcing the failure of "mediation" in order to let You Jieshi let go of the civil war. Marshall's mediation did not please Mao Zedong.The United States is just helping Chiang Kai-shek to gain time for scheduling.But the Communist Party also needs this time, and it doesn't want the war to resume, and the lives will be devastated. It hopes to use this opportunity to promote domestic peace.The results of the mediation were not satisfactory.But Chiang Kai-shek felt that with a special envoy, he was always under the control of others, and there were always people who opposed him everywhere, making him miss good opportunities.The American general couldn't please both sides, so he had to leave disappointed.General Marshall almost left China amidst a lot of scolding. According to the spirit of mediation, the CPPCC meeting was held in Chongqing on January 10, 1946.A total of 38 people from the Kuomintang, the Communist Party, the Democratic League, the Youth Party, and people without party affiliation participated.The meeting had heated debates on issues such as the reorganization of the government, the policy program, the reorganization of the army, the National Assembly, and the draft constitution.The meeting passed the "Agreement on Military Issues", "Agreement on National Assembly Issues", "Agreement on Issues Concerning the Draft Constitution", "Agreement on Peaceful Nation Building", and "Agreement on Issues Concerning Political Organizations".The signing of these agreements is a victory won by the Communist Party of China, democratic parties, patriots and the Kuomintang in their struggle.But the Kuomintang quickly tore up these agreements and launched an all-out civil war. Since the era of Rao Shunyu, China has been used to obeying one person for thousands of years.On this land, it is impossible to produce Washington and Napoleon, only Liu Bang, Zhu Yuanzhang and the like.Chiang Kai-shek firmly believes that there is no two suns in the sky, and there are no two masters in the country. There is you without me.So the photo session ended in vain, and Marshall left China disappointed.China has lost an opportunity to move towards a peaceful democracy.