"The Chinese Cultural Revolution," by Zhang Mu. Chapter 1.1-8

This is a continuation of the main text of Mr. Mu's Chapter 1.1.  My apologies once again to Mr. Mu and readers alike for the inability to easily copy his marvelous photographs. I'm still trying but it is my judgment that the writing should not be held up. Such is my confidence in my photo-posting abilities. 


Mr. Mu asked when he sent me his work to please help him by making corrections in the English grammar and spelling. I have done that with Microsoft Word's automatic program and by utilizing that program have made additional corrections when I have noticed them. Clearly, I have not come close to turning this into a finished English product however. Part of that I confess is due to time constraints. Part also to not wanting to mess with the man's words. I just spent about 15 minutes thinking about a sentence that Mr. Mu wrote in the next installment.  This was the sentence:


In 1959 CCP“Lushan conference” it had became reason to criticize  Peng Dehuai.


This was Microsoft's  prompt on that sentence and it gave no suggested corrections (Swine Microsoft):


In 1959 CCP"Lushan conference" it had became reason to criticize Peng Duhai.


Okay, okay, I didn't need Microsoft's help to correct the spacing between CCP and "Lushan, so I did that. Then I capitalized Conference. Then I changed "became" to the present tense and inserted the article "a," so that the sentence now read, 


In 1959 CCP "Lushan Conference" it had become a reason to criticize Peng Duhai.


"In 1959 at the Lushan Conference...?"  "In 1959, the CCP at the Lushan Confernce...?"  "At the CCP's 1959 Lushan Conference...?"  


Mr. Mu wrote "CCP" in there, I wasn't going to take it out so I nixed the first variation. The rest of the sentence, "it had become a reason to criticize Peng Duhai," was trickier.  I read the full paragraph:


This is the CCP propaganda picture, hype of the Eighth Route Army’s “hundred-regiments in the picture it can be seen the army lifts Kuomintang's flag. From August to December,1940, Peng Dehuai directed the Eighth Route Army to send 400,000 persons (105 regiments) to fight continual 3 months, annihilated tens of thousands Japanese, but Eighth Route Army's loss was also too big. Initially the CCP approved it and Mao once had also made affirmation, afterward Mao said that the “hundred-regiments campaign” “had premature exposed our army strength”, “the fight showed impure motives, intended to raises someone’s own prestige”, “director crudely, to act recklessly”, “had helped Chiang Kai-Shek Kuomintang's busy” and so on. In 1959 CCP“Lushan conference” it had became reason to criticize  Peng Dehuai.


S***!  Why didn't Swine Microsoft prompt me on the other typos?   So I corrected them. Now the substance--which is, like, the most important part, no?--of this paragraph is that although initially Marshal Peng's "Hundred Regiments" (Should that be capitalized? I don't know. Do I have time to check? No.) were hyped by Party propaganda, and the mission of the Eighth Route (Route?) Army was approved by the Party, afterward the campaign, and Peng, came in for criticism from Mao at Lushan. 


So did I change the whole paragraph to that?  Noooo. That's too much messing with Mr. Mu's words. So I corrected the typos and let the rest of it alone. But that didn't resolve my uneasiness with Mr. Mu's meaning in that last sentence. Were the Eighth Route Army's travails a "legitimate," reason for criticism of Peng at Lushan?  Or were they a pretext?  In Mr. Mu's opinion.


I did not know that the goddamn Eighth Route Army had anything to do with the Peng-Mao fight at Lushan. I still do not know that. The historical importance of Lushan is that Peng challenged Mao over the failures of the Great Leap Forward and got purged. If Peng hadn't challenged Mao over the GLF at Lushan, the Eighth Route Army could have been wiped out, Peng would still have remained Defense Minister, and Lushan would be remembered only as a scenic vacation spot. But that's not what Mr. Mu wrote. So I'm not changing it!  What am I changing it to? I don't know yet!

3. Fought on the “Long March” road, under Moscow’s control Mao work as the party chieftain（1936-1937）

Depending on “hitting local tyrants” and Soviet Russia's support, it was difficult to maintain Jiangxi's Central Soviet Area, in addition the CCP inner conflict (hitting “the AB group”, counterrevolutionary suppression and so on); the central Red Army was compelled to flee. Simultaneously the Soviet Russia was also afraid Japan to seize China to harm itself, so detained Kuomintang leader Chiang Kai-Shek’s son who studied in Soviet Russia as hostage, let Kuomintang oppose Japan and to protect Mao and Chinese Red Army (i.e. “the former Soviet Union Red Army's Chinese crew”). Chinese Red Army fled toward west to approach Soviet Union and Mongolia. On the one hand the CCP shouted loudly to north to oppose Japanese, on the other hand the area near Russia did not have Japanese. A year later they fled to northern Shaanxi, the main force more than eighty thousand of the Central Red Army reduced only six thousand. This is the "Long March”. In Ruijin the "Chinese Soviet Republic" and in "Long March" road the CCP was controlled by Soviet Union (Comintern representative Ono Braun), Because the support of Moscow and Mao’s shrewd political skill, Mao defeated Zhang Guotao and Wang Ming who had more army and higher political status than Mao. Mao worked as the CCP chieftain.

(1) Ono Braun, Comintern representative and CCP military adviser in Ruijin’s “the Chinese Soviet Republic” and in the “Long March” road. (2) Liao Chengzhi (1908-1983), member of CCP 12th session Central Political Bureau committees, fifth session vice-chairman of National People's Congress Standing Committee. His parents were Kuomintang's senior statesmen Liao Zhongkai and He Xiangning. In Long March process Liao Chengzhi was “criminal”, was being detained by Red Army, sometimes wore handcuffs or tie up to walk the Long March road. (3) Mao and Zhang Guotao in Yenan in 1938. (4) Wang Ming (Chen Shaoyu): Once CCP general secretary, born in 1904, in 1925 joined CCP and was sent to Moscow to study. In 1929 returned China, after 1930, supported by Comintern representative Mif, he managed the CCP Central Committee’s work. Stalin ordered him to restrict Mao. But afterward Stalin support Mao’s core status, Wang Ming lost power and because of sickness long-term rest. In the 1942 Yenan rectification movement Wang Ming was attacked by Mao. In October, 1950 he went to Moscow to recuperate. Lived for a long time in Soviet Union and wrote a book to attack Mao. Mao gave many charges in domestic to criticize Wang Ming. 1974 Wang died of illness in Moscow. (5) Left to right: Zhang Wentian, Kang Sheng, Zhou Enlai, Kai Feng, Wang Ming, Mao Zedong, Ren Bishi, Zhang Guotao, in 1938 in Yenan.

In January, 1931, the 4th Plenary Session of the CCP central committee was in noisy, Wang Ming under the Comintern support was the CCP leader, and the real power was in Zhou Enlai. But He Mengxiong, Luo Zhanglong and so on set up a “second central CCP committee”, later it had established the second provincial CCP committee in each regions；but was defeated soon by the Comintern. In October, 1935 Zhang Guotao led the Red Fourth Front Army to establish a “CCP Central Committee” and “Central Government” in north Sichuan, announced to abolished duties of Mao and Zhou Enlai et al. Mao’s “CCP Central Committee” led more than 10,000 people soon became more than 4000, arrived at North Shaanxi on October 19. 1935. The Comintern sent Lin Yuying (other name: Zhang Hao, Lin Biao's cousin) to return China from Moscow, arrived at Yan’an in December, 1935, represented Moscow to support Mao’s “CCP Central Committee”. (1) Mao Zedong and Zhang Guotao in Yan’an, 1938. (2) Lin Biao, Lin Yuying (Zhang Hao) and Mao Zedong in Yan’an. (3) Lin Yuying died of illness in Yenan on March 6, 1942, Mao Zedong personally lifted the coffin to bury, wrote the tombstone.

4．The inner fighting between Mao and Zhang Guotao caused the annihilation of 20,000 men of the Red Army’s West Route, the CCP had covered this history（1936-1937）

Chinese Soviet movement mainly divided into several areas: Mao et al. was the Central Soviet area in Jiangxi, its Red Army was called the Central Red Army; Zhang Guotao's was “Hubei, Henan, Anhui and Jiangsu Soviet area”; In addition also had He Long's “Hubei Honghu Soviet area”, Liu Zhidan's “North Shaanxi Soviet area” and so on. The Comintern wanted Mao to leave Jiangxi and unite with Zhang Guotao, but Zhang Guotao’s army and the influence was much stronger than Mao, therefore on the Long March road each faction fought vigorously. After each route Red Army gathered at North Shaanxi, continued to fight. Moscow wanted Zhang Guotao's Red Army to found the base in the Gansu Corridor, makes a connection with Soviet Union, so it called the “West Route Army”; Mao kept the North Shaanxi Yenan to expand the base. Encountered serious attack by Qinghai warlord’s army and Mao played trick as well as the Moscow had a bias and supported Mao, in October, 1936, Zhang Guotao’s “West Route Army” 21800 officers and men had been completely annihilated in Gansu Corridor, more than 7000 people were killed and more than 9000 people were captured. Mao and the North Shanxi's CCP Central Committee were preparing shift to go “the second Long March”, but because Moscow arranged “Xi'an Incident” which saved North Shaanxi Mao’s Red Army, as well as helped Mao to eliminate his enemy Zhang Guotao. The West Route Army's history had been covered half century by Mao, many survivors of West Route Army were also received Mao’s persecution, for example high-ranking general officer Xiong Guobing starved to death in Gansu Jiuquan in October, 1960; some others were tortured and non-normally died in “Cultural Revolution”. After Mao's death, a CCP leader Chen Yun only then dared to say the West Road Army's history in November, 1981: “This problem cannot be avoided”. But the CCP “avoided” too much history problem about its inner fight.

 (1) Red Fourth Army (West Route Army) prepared to go west to cross the Yellow River. (2, 3) West Route Army in Xinjiang Dihua (Urumqi). (4) Li Xiannian and so on led West Route Army broke through enemy in Xinjiang, after multi-rescues returned to Yenan in March, 1937. This was on February 21, 1940 in Yenan's group photo.

(1) Partial officers and men of Red West Route Army who were captured. (2, 3) The remains of the West Route Army officers and men.

5. Kuomintang opposed Japan in front, the CCP held inner fight in the rear of Yan'an, Cultural Revolution's embryonic form（1937-1949）

(1) Moscow planned the Xi'an Incident which saved the Chinese Red Army, Moscow coordinated the first "KMT-CPC cooperation", and the Red Army changed its name to the Eighth Route Army

In 1930s Chiang and Kuomintang encircled the CCP, Stalin withheld Chiang’s son, Jiang Jingguo (study in Moscow) as hostage, compelled Chiang to oppose Japanese and protected Mao and CCP. So Mao and CCP settled down in North Shaanxi. Chinese Red Army arrived at North Shaanxi still was difficult to maintain, in October, 1936, Mao asked Moscow for money urgently “regardless of fifty thousand or ten thousand, as soon as possible”. The Comintern mailed 550,000 US dollars immediately, transmitted through the US and Song Qingling. But this inextricability the problem of Chinese Red Army’s eats and cloths in the winter. Stalin coordinated the “Kuomintang and CCP cooperation”. In August, 1937, Chiang's National Government reorganized the national total 40 armies, the CCP’s Red Army was arrange as the “Eighth Route Army”( in addition the Red Army which had not passed the Long March was the “New Fourth Armies”). Henceforth, CCP’s armies were supplied rations and pays by Chiang’s National Government, and existed officially. Mao simply did not want to oppose Japanese in the Sino-Japanese War but to expand his Eighth Route Army and to seize power. The initial ratio 60:1 of Kuomintang’s army men and CCP’s army men, became3:1 at the end of the Anti-Japan War

 (1) “Central Red Army” started the Long March. (2) The 15th regiment of the Red Army on the Long March road in September, 1935. (3) Partial cadres of the 2nd and 6th regiments of Red Army in Dading County, Guizhou Province on the Long March way. (4) Mao Zedong, Zhu De, Zhou Enlai, Bo Gu after Long March arrived at North Shaanxi.

(1) Soviet Union had saved Chinese Red Army which arrived at North Shaanxi, Red Army was reorganizes as the Eighth Route Army, by National government supplied rations and pays; the photo was Mao Zedong and Zhu De who wore the Kuomintang’s military uniform. (2) Ye Ting, New Fourth Army Commander, wore the Kuomintang’s military uniform. (3) In 1937 Deng Xiaoping was appointed as assistant director of Eighth Route Army headquarters; political department. (4) Lin Biao, Commander of 115 Division of Eighth Route Army, wore the Kuomintang’s military uniform. (5) New Fourth Army soldiers.

(2) Kuomintang army heroic opposed Japan in the front

Mao Zedong wrote letter to Chiang Kai-Shek's in 1938, highly praises Chiang Kai-Shek’s leadership and Kuomintang armies’ role in Anti-Japanese War. Only after Mao's death then some media released this letter. 毛死后有的中共刊物公布了的毛在1938年给蒋介石的信，可看出国民党才真正抗日： “介石先生惠鉴： 恩来诸同志回延安称述先生盛德，钦佩无余。先生领导全民族进行空前伟大的民族革命战争，凡我国人无不崇仰。十五个月之抗战，愈挫愈奋，再接再厉，虽顽寇尚未戢其凶锋，然胜利之始基，业已奠定，前途之光明，希望无穷。此次，敝党中央六次全会，一致认为抗战形势有渐次进入一新阶段之趋势。此阶段之特点，将是一方面更加困难；然又一方面必更加进步，而其任务在于团结全民，巩固与扩大抗日阵线，坚持持久战争，动员新生力量，克服困难，准备反攻。在此过程中，敌人必利用欧洲事变与吾国弱点，策动各种不利于全国统一团结之破坏阴谋。因此，同人认为此时期中之统一团结，比任何时期为重要。惟有各党各派及全国人民克尽最善之努力，在先生统一领导之下，严防与击破敌人之破坏阴谋，清洗国人之悲观情绪，提高民族觉悟及胜利信心，并施行新阶段中必要的战时政策，方能达到停止敌人之进攻，准备我之反攻之目的。因武汉紧张，故欲恩来同志不待会议完毕，即行返汉，晋谒先生，商承一切，未尽之意，概托恩来面陈。此时此际，国共两党，休戚与共，亦即长期战争与长期团结之重要关节。泽东坚决相信，国共两党终必能于长期的艰苦奋斗中，克服困难，准备力量，实行反攻，驱逐顽寇，而使自己雄立于东亚。此物此志，知先生必有同心也。专此布臆。敬祝健康！ 并致  民族革命之礼                                   毛泽东谨启  民国二十七年九月二十九日”

(1) Yellow River was going to be in flood, but the Kuomintang armies crossed Yellow River to continue to resist the Japanese invader. (2) In 1937 the Kuomintang armies in Xinkou front, fired into the enemy position and launched the hand-to-hand fighting with the enemy. (3) Kuomingtang armies on Nanjing city wall. (4) Kuomingtang armies used anti-aircraft machine gun fired at Janpanese plane in Shanghai battlefield.