Chapter 53 The “September 18th” Incident saved the CCP and I became chairman 1931

Journalist: “Chiang Kai-shek’s forces besieged you time and again. How did you manage to withstand it?”

Mao: “I couldn’t hold on. In Apri 1931, the Kuomintang Army launched the second encirclement campaign. I employed the same ‘lure the enemy deep’ strategy, along with the same Soviet intelligence and assistance, and once again achieved victory. However, in early July, Chiang Kai-shek personally led a 300,000-strong army in the third encirclement campaign. Chiang’s forces outnumbered mine tenfold, and he changed tactics, making it impossible for the Red Army to engage in ambush warfare. The Red Army was forced to retreat repeatedly, and two months later, the Red base area was reduced to just a few tens of square kilometers. At this critical moment, I was saved when the ‘September 18 Incident’ broke out, and Chiang Kai-shek suddenly halted his relentless pursuit.”

Journalist: “At a life-or-death moment, the September 18 Incident saved you. How did that happen?”

Mao: “In 1931, Japan continued to create disturbances in Northeast China. Chiang Kai-shek’s consistent policy was ‘expel the foreign invaders first and pacify the domestic elements.’ He aimed to eliminate the Red Army before dealing with Japan. On September 18, Chiang set sail from Nanjing to Nanchang, intending to deliver a fatal blow to me. But on that very night at 10 o’clock, Japan invaded Northeast China. Marshal Zhang Xueliang did not resist because he couldn’t achieve victory.

On September 19, 1931, Chiang Kai-shek arrived in Nanchang, while Japan had already occupied Shenyang and other major cities. He hurriedly returned to Nanjing on the 20th to handle the crisis. He did not declare war on Japan, for the same reason as Zhang Xueliang: ‘it would be like hitting a rock with an egg.’ Japan also did not declare war; they adopted an ‘encroachment’ policy. Chiang’s strategy was to maneuver with China’s vast territory and large population, engaging with Japan while buying time. He sought international intervention from the League of Nations while modernizing his military as quickly as possible, hoping to engage Japan when there was a chance of victory.”

Journalist: “Oh, so when Japan invaded, Chiang Kai-shek changed course and didn’t attack you?”

Mao: “That’s correct. Chiang Kai-shek proposed the policy of ‘uniting the domestic front and facing the national crisis together.’ On September 21, Nanjing made the decision to ‘suspend the anti-communist campaign plan.’ They called for a ‘national united front’ and ‘united action against external threats’ throughout the country. However, the Communist Party of China (CCP) flatly rejected this. On September 30, the CCP issued a statement stating that any claims of unanimity between Zhu and Mao regarding external matters were ‘laughable rumors,’ and described Chiang as an ‘irreconcilable mortal enemy.’ The slogan of the CCP was ‘Overthrow the Kuomintang!’ whereas regarding Japan, it was ‘Oppose Japanese imperialism.’ The central task of the Party was to ‘armed support for the Soviet Union.’”

Journalist: “Chiang Kai-shek wanted unanimity on external matters, while the Communist Party wanted to overthrow Chiang Kai-shek, and their stance towards Japan was opposition only?”

Mao: “They were treated differently. The Party considered Chiang as the main enemy, not Japan. In order to establish a ‘national united front’ with the CCP, Chiang Kai-shek, at a critical moment when the Red Army was in jeopardy, halted the third encirclement campaign and withdrew his troops. Seizing this opportunity, the CCP expanded its influence and established a state within a state: the Chinese Soviet Republic. It was formally established on November 7, 1931, on the anniversary of the Russian October Revolution. Although no country recognized this ‘republic,’ not even the Soviet Union, it was still a communist ‘state.’

This state within a state consisted of several Red Zones, including the Central Soviet Zone, Hubei-Henan-Anhui, Xiang-E-West Hunan, and others, covering an area of 150,000-160,000 square kilometers with a population of over 10 million. The largest Red Zone was the Central Soviet Zone formed by Gan (Jiangxi) and Min (Fujian), covering 50,000 square kilometers with over 3.5 million people, and Ruijin as its capital.

Moscow designated me as the leader of this state within a state, the Chairman of the Central Executive Committee. It was the first time people called me ‘Chairman Mao.’

Journalist: “Haha, with Japan’s invasion, it really helped you, and you became chairman for the first time.”