1937: Tragic War of Resistance

Author: Qi Weiping
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-04-01
Features: Zhou Enlai once again went to Lushan to negotiate with Chiang Kai-shek, after the "July 7th" Lugou Bridge Incident. How would the outcome of this negotiation be? Would the war in North China have a positive impact on the Lushan negotiations? Could the united front of the KMT and CCP against Japan be established from this? These questions were still uncertain in Zhou Enlai's heart, who bore the heavy burden of the negotiation. Zhou Enlai was one of the CCP leaders who had the most interactions with Chiang Kai-shek. From the first period of the CCP-KMT cooperation to the breakdown of the second CCP-KMT cooperation after the war of resistance against Japan, their interactions over more than 20 years could almost be considered a history of the CCP-KMT relationship. More than a decade ago, Zhou Enlai and Chiang Kai-shek had cooperated on various occasions. In November 1924, Zhou Enlai served as the Political Director of the Whampoa Military Academy in Guangzhou, while Chiang Kai-shek was the (President) of the Whampoa Military Academy. In February 1925, Zhou Enlai and Chiang Kai-shek led the students of the Whampoa Military Academy in attacking the warlord Chen Jiongming, known as the First East Expedition. Through joint combat, Chiang trusted Zhou very much, and by late March, Chiang submitted a request to appoint Zhou as the concurrent Head of the Military Law Department of the Whampoa Military Academy. In August, Chiang Kai-shek became the commander-in-chief of the National Revolutionary Army's First Army, with Zhou Enlai serving as the Political Director of the army and the Party Representative of the First Division. In October, Chiang Kai-shek and Zhou Enlai led the army in the Second East Expedition together. In March 1926, Chiang Kai-shek orchestrated the "Zhongshan" Incident, arresting dozens of Communist Party members in the First Army. Zhou Enlai went to confront Chiang Kai-shek in person and was detained by him for a day. In the subsequent "Party Affairs Rectification Case," Zhou also persistently struggled against Chiang Kai-shek. As the conflict between the CCP and KMT intensified, the (contradiction) between Zhou and Chiang, who represented the interests of the two parties, also deepened. In late March 1927, Zhou Enlai successfully led the Third Workers' Uprising in Shanghai. A month later, Chiang Kai-shek launched the April 12th Counter-Revolutionary Coup in Shanghai and issued a warrant for Zhou Enlai's arrest. Afterward, the KMT under Chiang Kai-shek implemented a bloody white terror, leading to the split between the CCP and KMT, and Zhou and Chiang became bitter enemies for a decade. During the civil war, the CCP Party and the Red Army led by leaders like Zhou Enlai were constantly targeted by Chiang Kai-shek's forces for encirclement and suppression. Whether from the perspective of the Party's interests or personal relationships, the resentment between Zhou Enlai and Chiang Kai-shek was profound. On December 12, 1936, the Xi'an Incident dramatically brought Zhou Enlai and Chiang Kai-shek face to face. This historic scene was somewhat absurd—enemies meeting yet shaking hands in reconciliation. Chiang Kai-shek could not have been unaware of Zhou Enlai's crucial role in the peaceful resolution of the Xi'an Incident. At a critical moment when his life was hanging in the balance, Zhou's attitude could have sent him to his death. Therefore, even if Chiang outwardly maintained the dignity of his former superior and the President, he still remembered Zhou Enlai's kindness in his heart. After the Xi'an Incident, Chiang and Zhou's interactions continued for 10 years, though their struggles were often marked by sharp exchanges and mutual accusations, sometimes reaching extremely intense levels. However, Chiang always held great respect for Zhou Enlai's character and wisdom, to the extent that rumors spread that Chiang once sighed over the lack of talents like Zhou Enlai in the KMT. The identities and roles of Zhou Enlai and Chiang Kai-shek determined that their relationship must be free of personal emotions. Therefore, to promote