Chapter 32 Returning to Guangzhou Kuomintang became prominence 1925

Journalist: “Did you attend the 4th Congress of the Communist Party?”

Mao: “No, I didn’t. The 4th Congress of the Communist Party was held in Shanghai in January 1925, with 20 delegates representing a total of 994 party members nationwide. Attendees included: Chen Duxiu, Cai Hesen, Qu Qiubai, Tan Pingshan, Zhou Enlai, Peng Shuzhi, Zhang Tailei, Chen Tanqiu, Li Weihan, Li Lisan, Wang Hebo, Xiang Ying, Wiernikowski.

The newly elected Central Executive Committee consisted of 9 members: Chen Duxiu, Li Dazhao, Cai Hesen, Zhang Guotao, Xiang Ying, Qu Qiubai, Peng Shuzhi, Tan Pingshan, Li Weihan. There were also 5 alternate members of the Executive Committee: Deng Pei, Wang Hebo, Luo Zhanglong, Zhang Tailei, Zhu Jintang.

During the first meeting of the Central Executive Committee, Chen Duxiu was elected as the General Secretary and Director of the Central Organization Department, Peng Shuzhi became the Director of the Central Propaganda Department, Zhang Guotao became the Director of the Central Workers and Peasants Department, and Cai Hesen and Qu Qiubai served as members of the Central Propaganda Department. These five individuals formed the Central Bureau.

I was not a delegate to the 4th Congress, and I was not informed to attend. At that time, I was hiding in Shaoshan village, officially recuperating. In 1924, some people within the party criticized me for having right-leaning tendencies, so my reputation wasn’t good at the time.”

Journalist: “You stayed in seclusion for 8 months, and since the Communist Party didn’t want you, you went to Guangzhou to make a name for yourself within the Kuomintang, right?”

Mao: “Yes. I stayed at home, waiting for an opportunity to reenter the political arena. Soon, the opportunity came. In March 1925, Sun Yat-sen passed away, and Wang Jingwei succeeded him. I knew Wang Jingwei and had previously worked for him in Shanghai. He appreciated my abilities. He was ten years older than me and was a well-known figure within the Kuomintang, a prominent and charismatic individual inside Kuomintang. During the Wuchang Uprising, he was in prison, and after the Xinhai Revolution, he was released and became one of the leaders of the Kuomintang. He had been by Sun Yat-sen’s side until his final moments, giving him the status of Sun Yat- sen’s successor. However, it was his closeness with the Soviet Union and the affirmation from Borodin that solidified his position as the new leader of the Kuomintang.”

Upon Sun Yat-sen’s death, I sent my younger brother Zetan to Guangzhou to gather information. My other brother Zemin also followed shortly after. In June, when Wang Jingwei’s position stabilized, I prepared to go to Guangzhou myself. I wanted to present my own track record. I started organizing grassroots branches in the Shaoshan area, and most of them were Kuomintang branches.”

Journalist: “So, you wanted to show Wang Jingwei that you had a group of followers?”

Mao: “Yes, how could I go to meet Wang Jingwei empty-handed? In September 1925, I arrived in Guangzhou. The Soviets were the masters of Guangzhou now, and there was a distinct Soviet atmosphere with red flags and slogans everywhere. Soviet cars, guarded by Chinese bodyguards, raced through the streets, and the faces of Soviet advisors could be seen through the car windows. Soviet cargo ships were anchored on the Pearl River. Revolutionary court committee members sat around tables covered in red cloth, conducting trials of subversives under portraits of Lenin.

As soon as I arrived in Guangzhou, I joined the preparations for the 2nd Congress of the Kuomintang. By that time, the National Government had been established in Guangzhou, with Wang Jingwei as its chairman. On October 5th, Wang Jingwei recommended me as the acting Minister of Propaganda for the Kuomintang, and I took office on October 7th. On November 12th, 1925, I was elected as a member of the Credentials Committee for the 2nd Congress of the Kuomintang. As the congress approached, I became one of the five members of the Credentials Committee. The congress was held in early 1926, and I delivered a propaganda report to the congress.”

Journalist: “Wow, so you became the Minister of Propaganda for the Kuomintang and delivered a major report at the congress?”

Mao: “Yes, I worked day and night. In November 1925, I first showed interest in peasant issues. In December, the Kuomintang’s ‘China Peasant’ magazine was launched, and I wrote articles for it. Moscow issued an urgent directive emphasizing the importance of paying serious attention to peasant issues, as 90% of China’s population were peasants, and the peasants were the decisive social force in the communist movement. Moscow ordered both the Kuomintang and the Communist Party to extensively penetrate the rural areas. The Kuomintang took action ahead of the Communist Party.”

Journalist: “Oh, so Stalin wanted the CCP to focus on the peasants, and you took action within the Kuomintang ahead of time?”

Mao: “Yes, I acted swiftly. On November 27th, together with Wang Jingwei and nine others, including myself as an alternate member of the Central Executive Committee, we issued a telegram denouncing the Central Plenum held in Xishan, Beijing as illegal, accusing the Xishan Conference faction of splitting the Kuomintang.

On December 5th, 1925, under the name of the Kuomintang’s Propaganda Department, I founded and edited the ‘Political Weekly’ publication.

In December 1925, I published ‘An analysis of the various social classes in China.”

Journalist: “So, you took a series of actions focused on political propaganda?”

Mao: “Political propaganda is about winning hearts and minds, and it’s the foremost priority.”