On July 22, 1944, Zhou Enlai, Ye Jianying and others arrived at the widest urban main road in Yan'an, which was once the only airstrip in Yan'an. On that day, they were about to welcome a military observation group from the United States.

Yan'an during the Anti-Japanese War was one of the few places in China that was full of vitality. Young people who came here could feel the hope of China firsthand. Therefore, Yan'an at that time became a pilgrimage place for progressive youth across the country. .

On July 22, 1944, Zhou Enlai, Ye Jianying and others came to the widest urban main road in Yan'an - which was once the only airstrip in Yan'an. On that day, they were about to welcome a military observation group from the United States.

Chairman Mao attached great importance to the arrival of the observation team, but something happened soon after, which made Chairman Mao and other important leaders of our party have to doubt the real purpose of the Americans going to Yan'an...

So, At that time, why did the US military observation group come to Yan'an at such a special time? What purpose did they have to make Chairman Mao suspicious? How did Chairman Mao respond?

The Kuomintang troops were retreating steadily, and the United States was seriously dissatisfied.

Regarding the arrival of the US military observation group, Chairman Mao from Yan'an, Roosevelt from the United States, and Chiang Kai-shek from Chongqing could be said to have spent a lot of money on this, and they had launched many games for this purpose. and negotiations.

On November 23, 1943, the leaders of China, the United States and Britain discussed the strategy of counterattacking Japan and the arrangement of the post-war international situation at the Cairo Conference. At that time, Chiang Kai-shek, who was at the peak of his political career, was poured cold water on by US President Roosevelt.

In order to achieve an early victory in the war, Roosevelt suggested that Chiang Kai-shek and the Chinese Communist Party form a coalition government, but the tough Chiang Kai-shek rejected the proposal at the time. Therefore In order to more effectively ensure that the Japanese troops were contained on the eastern battlefield, Roosevelt decided to put pressure on Chiang Kai-shek.

In the autumn of the same year, the United States formulated the Matterhorn Plan, which used airports in India and near Chengdu, China as bases to carry out strategic bombing of industrial bases in Japan, Taiwan, and Northeast China.

However, during the implementation of the plan, the Japanese army assembled heavy troops and launched the decisive battle of Henan, Hunan and Guangxi in 1944.

Due to the continuous defeat of the Kuomintang troops on the front line, the Nationalist government was unable to control most of northern China, and it was even more impossible to provide the US military with the required intelligence, support and protection, which greatly hindered the US military's plans.

At the same time, the military and civilians behind enemy lines led by the Chinese Communist Party launched counterattacks against the Japanese and puppet troops in North China, Central China, and Southern China. The effective resistance of the CCP's armed forces against the Japanese army impressed the commander of the US military stationed in the China-Burma-India theater, Stilwell.

In fact, as early as 1942, some military and political personnel in the United States continued to lobby the U.S. State Department and the military, requesting the dispatch of military observers to Yan'an. At the same time, Zhou Enlai also extended an invitation to visit Yan'an to American military and political figures in China. But at that time, all these lobbying and invitations came to nothing.

Until 1944, the Kuomintang was defeated in the Battle of Henan, Hunan and Guangxi. This not only disrupted the U.S. bombing plan, but also caused serious concerns in the United States. They believed that the deterioration of the war situation in mainland China would definitely affect the U.S. military's military operations. pacific battlefield action.

Therefore, the White House in the United States had great suspicion and dissatisfaction with Chiang Kai-shek and the National Government led by him. In order to avoid the failure of the plan to eliminate Japanese fascism, American diplomat Davis proposed to Roosevelt that he send an observation team to Yan'an. Finally, A turning point is coming.

The Vice President of the United States went to Chongqing in person to put pressure on Chiang Kai-shek

Before the Battle of Henan, Hunan and Guangxi broke out, the Japanese army's maritime supply lines in Southeast Asia had been cut off by the US military, so the Japanese army urgently needed to open up the land supply lines from China to Southeast Asia, Based on this situation analysis, Roosevelt had always had a vague feeling that the Japanese army might make big moves in China.

In view of the changes in the situation, in February 1944, at the instruction of Roosevelt, Stilwell, who was the chief of staff of the China Theater and commander of the U.S. Army in the China-Burma-India Theater, sent a telegram to Chiang Kai-shek.

The content of this telegram mainly emphasized that the United States had extremely limited information on the main anti-Japanese battlefield in North China. In order to avoid a similar situation , President Roosevelt believed that an American observation team should be sent to Shanxi, northwestern Shanxi and other areas in China. Gather intelligence.

Regarding this telegram, Chiang Kai-shek could tell at a glance that the place where the American observation team wanted to go was Yan'an, the CCP's base.

Therefore, Chiang Kai-shek was worried that if the Americans went to Yan'an and came into contact with the CCP, they would most likely provide assistance to the CCP, and his regime would be greatly threatened by then.

After much thought, Chiang Kai-shek rejected Roosevelt on the grounds that if the American inspection team wanted to come to China, the route needed to be planned by them.

But not long after, Roosevelt made the same request again. Just when Chiang Kai-shek was thinking of finding another reason to make Roosevelt give up, the Battle of Henan, Hunan and Guangxi broke out.

In order to cover up his mistakes, Chiang Kai-shek tried his best to block the truth about the CCP's war of resistance. Then he tried to cover up the CCP's victory on the battlefield behind enemy lines, and even attributed the KMT's failure on the battlefield to the CCP.

Roosevelt soon sent US Vice President Wallace to China for talks with Chiang Kai-shek.

During this negotiation, Wallace expressed that hoped that Chiang Kai-shek could unite the Communist Party to resist Japan, and once again proposed to send an observation team to Yan'an, China.

This time, Chiang Kai-shek not only agreed with the United States' idea, but also lifted all restrictions on the observation group.

However, Chiang Kai-shek made a request, asking the United States to recall Stilwell from the Chinese battlefield.

Since Stilwell was dispatched to China, he and Chiang Kai-shek have been in a state of opposition. Chiang Kai-shek twice asked the United States to remove Stilwell within a year, but was rejected without exception.

Just before Wallace arrived in Chongqing, Stilwell and Chiang Kai-shek had a fierce quarrel over the defeat of the Kuomintang in the Battle of Henan, Hunan and Guangxi. Stilwell took strong responsibility for the Kuomintang's poor performance in this battle, and Chiang Kai-shek He was furious and shouted that Stilwell must be driven back to the United States.

Finally, Chiang Kai-shek took advantage of the opportunity of the United States to send an observation team to Yan'an to inspect, and finally got what he wanted and replaced Stilwell.

The inspection team arrived in Yan'an successfully, and the CCP warmly welcomed

On the morning of July 22, 1944, Zhou Enlai and Ye Jianying, wearing brand new clothes, appeared at the Yan'an airport. The previous signboards at the airport had also been replaced with new ones overnight. .

At around eight o'clock in the morning, an American C-47 transport plane landed at the airport, and then nine American guests with special identities walked out of the plane.

These nine Americans are elites from the U.S. government and military in diplomacy, intelligence, communications, etc., and began their official visit after arriving in Yan'an, the holy land of China's revolution.

On August 7, 1944, nine more Americans arrived in Yan'an again.

Historically, these 18 Americans were called the "China-Myanmar-India Theater US Military Observation Group in Yan'an." There is a little episode behind the origin of this name.

At first, the United States followed the usual operation and named this team a delegation, but it received strong opposition from Chiang Kai-shek. Chiang Kai-shek felt that the name "delegation" was usually used during diplomatic visits between two countries.

However, this time the United States only sent people to Yan'an for inspection, so he believed that the word "delegation" had a higher standard and suggested using the name "inspection team".

However, the United States also raised objections to the name "inspection team" because "inspection" generally refers to superiors going to lower-level units to inspect work. The United States and the CCP appear to have no superior-subordinate relationship.

Finally, after multiple rounds of negotiations, the name of the delegation was finally confirmed as the "Observation Group".

In order to welcome the arrival of the observation team, Chairman Mao and the Party Central Committee attached great importance to it.

From the special repairs to the airport to their food, clothing, housing and transportation in Yan'an, Chairman Mao would personally take care of the relevant details. For example, he even specially prepared coffee for fear that they would not be used to the local food.

In order to allow the members of the observation team to live as comfortably as possible, He Long's troops deliberately set aside a number of cave dwellings with better locations and conditions, and their troops' offices were moved from the south gate to the north gate.

In addition, a toilet with better conditions was specially built not far from the cave dwelling where the American observation team lived.

In addition, our party also specially sent two comrades Tan Kah Kee and Huang Hua who are good at English to communicate with the observation team at all times to understand their needs. Chairman Mao not only met with the members of the observation group in person, but also had in-depth exchanges with them.

After that, they became one with the simple residents of northern Shaanxi, put on northern Shaanxi style clothes, built roads, worked together with party members, cadres and the masses, and went to the anti-Japanese front line together.

The difference between ideology , the United States proposed to change the name

After living in northern Shaanxi for a period of time, the American Xie Weisi, who is the political consultant of the observation group, compiled a report. It was clearly mentioned in his report that every member of the observation team could feel the vibrant atmosphere and power of Yan'an.

As the leader of the observation team, Bao Ruide emphasized that the Kuomintang's description of the Communist Party was untrue. The people living in Yan'an had enough food and clothing and supported the Communist Party very much. They formed a strong bond with the people in Kuomintang-controlled areas who were in dire straits of contrast and contrast.

Bao Ruide also said that if the Communist Party can obtain better weapons and supplies, they will definitely win the war against Japan.

But just when everything was moving in the right direction, Chairman Mao and the Party Central Committee believed that by virtue of the good impression left on the members of the observation group, there would be a substantial breakthrough in the relationship between the United States and the CCP. But at this moment , but the United States made a very unreasonable request...

The United States once declared that the main purpose of dispatching the observation team was not only to collect more favorable battlefield intelligence, but also to mediate the dispute between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party. contradiction.

Focusing on the second goal, at the end of August of the same year, Xie Weisi suddenly proposed to Chairman Mao that if the CCP wanted to obtain assistance from the United States and support and recognition from the international community, it would be best to change the name "Communist Party of China".

The rude request made by the Americans at that time made their selfishness obvious.

The United States made this unreasonable request. Rather than saying that the military observation group is intended to mediate the conflicts between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, it is better to say that this is the implementation process of the United States’ secret military strategy in China. The ultimate goal of this strategy is of course to achieve the goal of the United States government interests.

After all, as early as early 1943, the U.S. government passed a so-called new policy to make China a powerful country. Its real purpose was to contain the Soviet Union by improving China's strength and international status, and then support itself in the Far East. dominance.

Therefore, a large part of the reason why the observation group was born stemmed from this plan full of ambition and self-interest.

Although the United States had provided various supports to the Kuomintang at that time, it was obvious that the Kuomintang was very unsatisfactory. On the other hand, the Communist Party had won the hearts of the people in China.

At that time, the relationship between the Communist Party of China and the Soviet Union was far better than that of the United States, and there were fundamental ideological differences between the United States and the Soviet Union.

In view of the ideological differences between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, they made a request for the Communist Party to change its name, and behind this request, the greater selfishness of the United States was also concealed.

Chairman Mao was very resolute and refused unreasonable demands.

Chairman Mao did not immediately respond to Xie Weisi’s unreasonable request to change the name of the CCP.However, at the subsequent meeting of the Presidium of the Seventh Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Chairman Mao expressed a clear view and directly rejected the American request.

In Chairman Mao's view, any attempt to change the name and original intention of the Communist Party using international aid as bait was nonsense, and he saw through the United States' tricks at a glance.

Members of the American observation group expressed the hope that the Communist Party of China should change its name entirely out of the interests of their own country.

After the Communist Party changes its name, the United States will fully support the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, laying a good foundation for their selfish interests in controlling Chinese politics.

Under the circumstances at that time, the Kuomintang would definitely be forced to carry out reforms in order to win over the powerful backing of the United States.

In addition, the United States provides assistance to the CCP, and the Kuomintang and the Communist Party are developing in the direction of reaching a coalition government. In this way, the direction of China's political trends will be firmly in the hands of the Americans.

After learning that Chairman Mao refused to change the name, the United States never gave up and sent a special envoy to visit China, hoping to further promote peace talks between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party. This person was Hurley.

But after Hurley came to China, he completely turned to the Kuomintang.

In the meeting with Chairman Mao, his attitude was very arrogant and unreasonable, and he always used a threatening tone to force the CCP to cooperate with Chiang Kai-shek's Kuomintang to jointly build the country.

In Chairman Mao's view, Hurley obviously missed the point. Although his words were full of threats, Mao Zedong was not afraid at all.

Because the Chinese Communist Party has never relied on aircraft and artillery to win the hearts of the people. Even without the support of the United States, the Communist Party can rely on millet and rifles to lead China to achieve true democracy and self-reliance.

Chairman Mao relied on his neither humble nor overbearing attitude to sign the "Five-Article Draft Agreement" with Hurley in Yan'an, which stated: the establishment of a coalition government and a joint military committee, recognition of the legitimacy of all anti-Japanese parties, etc.

However, what Hurley did not expect was that when he went to Chongqing and handed the agreement to Chiang Kai-shek, Chiang Kai-shek completely denied the contents.

Conclusion

In this turmoil when the United States asked the CCP to change its name, the United States was very successful in its wishful thinking, but Chairman Mao was obviously superior and did not allow the American conspiracy to be realized.

Because since the day the Communist Party of China was born, both the government and the military have come from the people. The Communist Party of China has been working hard to save the nation from danger and save the people from fire and water. It has always adhered to the original intention of putting the interests of the people above all else and has never changed.