1937 heroic resistance war

Author: Qi Weiping, Hao Xianzhong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-04-01
Features: Zhou Enlai visited Lushan again to negotiate with Chiang Kai-shek, which was after the "July 7th" Lugou Bridge Incident. What would be the outcome of this negotiation? Would the war in North China have a positive impact on the Lushan talks? Could the situation of the KMT and CCP joining forces to resist Japan be created from this? These questions were still uncertain in Zhou Enlai's mind, who bore the heavy burden of the negotiation. Zhou Enlai was one of the Communist Party leaders who had the most interactions with Chiang Kai-shek. From the Second Kuomintang-CCP Cooperation period to the break of the Second Kuomintang-CCP Cooperation after the victory in the War of Resistance, their interactions over more than 20 years could almost be considered a history of the relationship between the two parties. More than a decade ago, Zhou Enlai and Chiang Kai-shek had worked together. In November 1924, Zhou Enlai served as the Political Director of the Whampoa Military Academy in Guangzhou, while Chiang Kai-shek was the of the academy. In February 1925, Zhou Enlai and Chiang Kai-shek led the Whampoa students 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 Military Justice Director of the Whampoa Military Academy. In August, Chiang Kai-shek became the commander-in-chief of the th Army of the National Revolutionary Army, with Zhou Enlai serving as the Political Director of the army and the party representative of the th 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 th 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 insisted on struggling against Chiang Kai-shek. As the conflict between the KMT and CCP intensified, the between Zhou and Chiang, representing 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 KMT and CCP, and Zhou and Chiang became sworn enemies for ten years. During the civil war, the Communist Party and the Red Army led by leaders like Zhou Enlai were always the targets of Chiang Kai-shek's troops in pursuit and blockades. Whether from the perspective of the party's interests or personal relationships, the resentment between Zhou Enlai and Chiang Kai-shek was very deep. 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 had to maintain the dignity of his former superior and the dignity of the Committee Chairman, he outwardly did not regard Zhou as a savior, but inwardly still remembered Zhou's kindness and loyalty. After the Xi'an Incident, the interactions between Chiang and Zhou continued for 10 years, though the struggles marked by sharp words and mutual accusations persisted throughout, sometimes reaching extremely intense levels. However, Chiang always held great respect for Zhou's character and wisdom, to the extent that rumors circulated that Chiang once sighed over the lack of talents like Zhou 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