SDHF Newsletter No. 409 The Road to the Greater East Asian War Part 28, Chapter 8-3
THE ROAD TO THE GREATER EAST ASIAN WAR
Nakamura Akira, Dokkyo University Professor Emeritus
(English Translation: Society for the Dissemination of Historical Fact)
Part 28, Chapter 8: Revolutionary China and Communism – III
July 12, 2024
Once they joined the GMD, CCP members immediately began to spread Marxist propaganda using their weekly Guide magazine, books, and other periodicals. Only a year after the inception of the First United Front, they drafted a secret resolution entitled “Tactics for Use on the GMD.” The main tactics were: (1) Regard each GMD department as a CCP organization dedicated to group activity, and use those organizations to achieve CCP objectives; (2) Disrupt ties between powerful individuals and the GMD; and (3) Create an environment within the GMD and in society at large that is skeptical and critical of the Three Principles of the People.
One look at this resolution and we are convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that the First United Front was an illusion. Sensible GMD members thought the communists had ulterior motives, but Sun Yat-sen never lost faith in the CCP. In fact, his blind acceptance of communism was the gravest mistake made by fledgling China. All the ruinous chaos and wars in the Far East during and after 1920s can be traced to China’s (or Sun Yat-sen’s) blunder.
On November 10, 1924 Sun Yat-sen issued his Manifesto on a Northbound Journey. His plans were to travel to Beijing in response to requests from northern warlords Duan Qirui and Zhang Zuolin.
At around the time when Sun Yat-sen arrived in Beijing, Feng Ziyou and other anti-communist GMD members suddenly made a move, issuing a demand that Sun expel communists from the GMD. Additionally, in March 1925 right-wing members like Xie Chi and Zhang Ji joined with other kindred spirits to form the GMD Comrades’ Club. The organization issued a declaration demanding the expulsion of CCP members from the GMD.
Wang Jingwei and other left-wing GMD members retaliated swiftly by announcing the expulsion of Feng Ziyou and 320 other members from the GMD. It was amidst this conflict that Sun Yat-sen’s life came to an end in Beijing.
On January 1, 1926 the Second National Congress of the GMD commenced. It was dominated by communist members, who acquired every important position. Chiang Kai-shek proposed the Northern Expedition at the congress, but his plan was rejected by Borodin. Then the Zhongshan Incident of March 1926 provided the impetus for Chiang to crack down on the CCP, and strengthened his resolve to conduct the Northern Expedition.
On July 1, 1926 the National Military Council issued the mobilization order for the expedition. Eight armies comprising 100,000 men made preparations as they awaited their marching orders.
URL: https://www.sdh-fact.com/book-article/2212/
PDF: https://www.sdh-fact.com/CL/Road28E.pdf
MOTEKI Hiromichi, Chairman
Society for the Dissemination of Historical Fact