Mao: The Unknown Story

CHAPTER 19 Red Mole Triggers China — Japan War

1 Chiang did not declare war: Chiang diary, 8 Aug. 1937, Chiang, p. 1144. Japan did not want full-scale war: Ma Zhendu 1986, pp. 214–16, 220–1; CPPCC (Tianjin) vol. 1, pp. 334–6, 360–1. “It was a commonplace”: Abend, p. 245.

2 –198 Very direct danger to Stalin: cf. CPPCC (Tianjin), vol. 1, pp. 334–6, 360–1; Mirovitskaya 1999, pp. 41ff; Haslam, pp. 88ff. “In summer 1925”: Zhang Zhizhong, pp. 664–5. contact with Soviet embassy — and as mole: interview with two people who had access to ZZZ files, 13 Sept. 1997, 7 Sept. 1998. ZZZ advocates “first strike” in Shanghai: ZZZ cable to Nanjing, 30 July 1937, and Nanjing reply, in Zhang Zhizhong, p. 117; Shi Shuo, p. 90.

3 –199 Airport incident, Japanese wishing to defuse: Zhang Zhizhong, p. 117; Liu Jinchi, pp. 41–2; Shi Shuo, p. 91; Dong Kunwu, pp. 131–2. ZZZ urged war, Chiang reluctance: telegrams, in Zhang Zhizhong, pp. 121–5; in Second Archive 1987a, pp. 264–5, 287–8; in ZS vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 169–70. ZZZ expanded offensives, all-out war unstoppable 22 Aug.: Zhang Zhizhong, pp. 125–6; Chiang, p. 1150.

4 Russian aid: Garver, pp. 40–1; DVP vol. 22 (1939), book 2, pp. 507–8, n. 27; Mirovitskaya 1999, pp. 41ff; Vartanov. Russia “perfectly delighted”: FRUS 1937, vol. 3, p. 636 (Bullitt to Washington, 23 Oct. 1937); cf. Haslam, pp. 92, 94. Russians dealing with ZZZ executed: Slavinsky 1999, pp. 123–6; cf. Dimitrov, 7 Nov. 1937 (Stalin to Dimitrov); Tikhvinsky 2000, pp. 136, 154–5 (Stalin to Yang Jie).

5 Stalin ordered CCP: Avreyski, pp. 282–4; Grigoriev 1982, p. 42.

6 “Three Kingdoms”: in Li Rui 1989, p. 223. “thank Japanese warlords”: Mao to visiting Japanese, 24 Jan. 1961, Mao 1994, pp. 460–1 (E: Mao 1998, p. 353); also to Japanese Communists, 28 Mar. 1966, Kojima, p. 207. Russia “cannot ignore events in Far East”: Mao to Snow, 16 July 1936, MRTP vol. 5, p. 262. Got Chiang to agree: Huang Xiurong, p. 264; Zhou 1991, p. 377. Ordered Red commanders: many Mao cables, especially the three on 25 Sept. 1937, in Mao 1993a, vol. 2, pp. 57–61 (E: one in Saich 1996, pp. 793–4), also on 12th, 21st, & 29th, in Mao 1993a, vol. 2, pp. 44, 53, 66 (cable of 21st in Saich 1996, pp. 792–3).

7 –202 “The more land Japan took”: in Li Rui 1989, p. 223; cf. Snow 1974, p. 169 (Mao to Snow, 9 Jan. 1965). Japanese “mainly asleep”: Hanson 1939, p. 104 (Lin to Hanson). Lin report in Russia: RGASPI 495/74/97, pp. 1304–5 (Lin to Dimitrov, 5 Feb. 1941, sent on to Stalin). “helping Chiang”: in Li Rui 1989, p. 223; Zhang Xuexin et al., p. 410.

8 Lin Biao report, 5 Feb. 1941, cit., p. 1304.

9 –203 Mao urged stop fighting Japan: cables, e.g. on 13 Nov. 1937, in Mao 1993a, vol. 2, pp. 116–17; cf. p. 66. “created the condition for our victory”: Mao to visiting Japanese, 24 Jan. 1961, in Mao 1994, pp. 460–1 (E: Mao 1998, p. 353). Stalin laid down line: Dimitrov, 11 Nov. 1937; Tikhvinsky 2000, p. 151 (Stalin said he had a further meeting with Wang Ming on 18 Nov. 1937). Congress to convene, Wang Ming No. 1 speech: Politburo resolution, 13 Dec. 1937, ZZWX vol. 11, pp. 405–7; Hu Qiaomu, p. 367.

10 “house-sitting”: in Li Rui 1989, p. 329; Xiao Jingguang, pp. 200–8.

11 Tried to turn army back: Mao — Zhu telegram exchanges, in Jin Chongji et al. 1993, pp. 437–42. Summary of Politburo meeting: 11 Mar. 1938, in ZZWX vol. 11, pp. 430–65 (E: Saich 1996, pp. 802–12).