Republic of Korea in Yeokcheon - Chapter 174



Only Krnovel

#174 How did we end up in this situation?

July 10, 1951.

The official residence of the President of the People’s Republic of China, Beijing.

bang!

“what is this sound! “Prepare for negotiations to end the war!”

Mao Zedong was so furious that he slammed down on the table and shouted that he was afraid it would break.

He was so angry that his half-bald skin looked red.

Despite Mao Zedong’s fury, Zhou Enlai opened his mouth as calmly as usual.

“It is exactly as you just heard, Comrade Chairman, the Republic of Korea and the United States have contacted me to begin negotiations to end the war.”

“What on earth are they! Why are you telling me to do this and that in another country’s war? This is China! china!”

“… … .”

Indeed, Mao Zedong was extremely angry.

Even Zhou Enlai, his long-time comrade, had never seen Mao lose his temper and get angry like this.

But I couldn’t help it.

I had to say what I had to say.

“Comrade Chairman!”

“why!”

“Unfortunately we have to listen to them!”

“why! Why?! We’re almost there! The end of our long journey is in sight! little bit more! This means that if we push Chiang Kai-shek a little more, we can unify the Central Plains! “The end of the revolution is in sight, so why should we listen to them?”

It’s true.

The territory ruled by Chiang Kai-shek’s Kuomintang now consists of Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong.

Of course, unfortunately, they also control parts of Shanghai, southern Anhui Province, and eastern Jiangxi Province, which are close to Hangzhou, but in any case, overall, the areas controlled by the Kuomintang government can be considered to be three provinces, so the areas controlled by the Kuomintang government other than the three provinces are not large. .

But now you’re telling us to stop the war?

After crossing the Yangtze River, the Kuomintang’s National Revolutionary Army fought better than expected and the war situation was sluggish, but even so, the Kuomintang would not be able to hold out for long.

How can you stop the war under these circumstances?

“Do you know why I’m not angry? “A thousand dollars are coming out of me!”

“But why should we listen to them! That’s a reaction, a reaction! “No matter how much I do, I can’t forgive you!”

“Comrade Chairman! Is there any solution if I don’t want to listen to what they say? Did you forget? “Who do I owe it to to get to this point?”

“… … .”

“What if the Koreans didn’t support Japanese and Soviet weapons? Could we have crossed the Yangtze River? No, what is the Yangtze River? We would have been wiped out by the Kuomintang revolutionary army a long time ago. “Isn’t that true?”

“… … .”

Even Mao Zedong, who had lost his senses, could not have had anything to say about Zhou Enlai’s words.

Because it was an obvious fact.

“Even the mighty Soviet Union fell to the Joseon bastards! You know it well, right? “After the Soviet Union collapsed, there was no force anywhere to support us!”

“Keuung!”

“It was the Joseon bastards who reached out to us. “Without them, we would never have gotten this far.”

“That’s because they…” … .”

“I know! i know! This means that the Koreans are not supporting us because they like us! They want our Chinese culture to dry up by fighting against each other! but! But were we in a position to choose between hot and cold food? Even if you sold your soul to the devil, you still needed a weapon!”

“ha… … .”

“But now even that support is being cut off. And although we crossed the Yangtze River, we couldn’t wipe out the Kuomintang bastards! How many years has the civil war already been? The young men who seemed endless, as numerous as grains of sand, are now drying up! And yet you want the war to continue further!”

“… … .”

Now Mao Zedong had no choice but to calm his excitement.

As Zhou Enlai said, he knows that the People’s Liberation Army has reached its limit.

“We must listen to the North Koreans and the United States. Too bad! I feel like I’m going crazy because I’m so sad! little bit more! “I feel like if I just push a little harder, unification will be within reach, but I feel like I’m going crazy because I have to stop here!”

“… … .”

Zhou Enlai’s eyes became bloodshot and blood vessels burst out.

How bitter and angry would he have been to have all the blood vessels in his eyes burst?

“By the way. We need to listen to them. What if you don’t listen? What are you going to do after that? Support? Support is not the problem!”

“Well, then?”

“Do you know what Kim Kyu-sik, their foreign minister, said to me? He said if we didn’t listen, he would start the plan again from scratch! You don’t know what that means, do you? These are the Koreans who overwhelmingly defeated the Soviet Union! We were able to concentrate our forces in the south even though we were facing those guys on the border. But what if we don’t listen to them? Can you imagine what happens after that?”

“… … .”

I could imagine.

But I couldn’t express that imagination to Mao Zedong.

Because it’s such a miserable conclusion.

Although they tried to ignore it, the current Chinese Communist Party survives entirely on the mercy and support of the Republic of Korea.

What if they advance towards Beijing right now?

There is nothing to see.

It was obvious that I wouldn’t be able to last even a few days.

“Whoa! Comrade Mao.”

“Say it, Zhou.”

“The proposal they made this time is a suggestion, not a proposal. It’s a threat, a threat! And they must face the reality that they have the ability to carry out their threats.”

“… … .”

“We lost Manchuria and most of the West. And it is unknown what else will be taken away in these negotiations to end the war. Still, still. Is there no territory left where we can build up our strength again? annotation! It is said that the nobleman will be dissatisfied for ten years! We have over 300 million people and still have a wide Central Committee. Whether it takes ten or twenty years from now, all you have to do is improve your skills and take revenge on those guys. Do you understand?”

“… … .”

Without answering, Mao Zedong took out a cigarette, put it in his mouth, and lit it.

He continued to smoke several shots in a row and then opened his mouth.

“Zhou!”

“Yes, Comrade Chairman.”

“I looked ugly.”

“No, tin.”

“Yes, I was too impatient. “Aren’t we the ones who survived the long march?”

“That’s right, Tin!”

“When a typhoon blows, you may have to bend down for a moment. Still, aren’t the conditions this time incomparably better than the long march? It has a population of 300 million and most of the Central Plains. ha ha ha!”

“Hehehe! Comrade Tin!”

Zhou Enlai shed tears.

Even when we are close to completing the revolution of a lifetime, we must let go.

It’s hard to imagine what that feeling is like.

“Let’s accept their offer.”

“I understand, Comrade Chairman.”

“So, who will be involved in the negotiations?”

“They said that if possible, the top leaders should meet in person and negotiate.”

“Supreme Leader? “And me?”

“That’s right.”

“Where?”

“I would like to meet you in Seoul, the capital of Korea.”

“How do you ensure my safety?”

“Lee Kang-cheol and Truman say they guarantee it in writing.”

“Is that safe?”

“I’m sorry, but if they decide to harm Comrade Chairman, there is no reason to call them to Seoul and harm them.”

“Right.”

“This is a guarantee from the leader of the world’s most powerful country and the next superpower. “You can believe it.”

“Okay. “If Chiang Kai-shek comes out, I will go out myself.”

“I will handle it that way.”

* * *

The Presidential Office of the Hangzhou Kuomintang government around the same time.

An elderly white gentleman was facing Chiang Kai-shek.

“Washington and Seoul intend to end your country’s civil war within this year.”

The old gentleman was none other than Patrick Hurley, who had been the U.S. ambassador to the Republic of China since his days in Chongqing.

Truman, considering his long-standing friendship with Chiang Kai-shek, appointed him as a special envoy, and he immediately flew from Washington to Hangzhou.

“Are you talking about the end of the war?”

“Yes, President.”

“Hmm… … .”

Chiang Kai-shek was lost in thought with a tired expression.

Although his wife, Song Meiling, received enormous support by reversing public opinion in the United States, he did not think that American support would last long.

But it seems to be faster than I thought.

“Is that possible? Even if we agree, Mao Zedong won’t agree, right?”

“You don’t have to worry about that. “The Communist Party decided to take responsibility in the Republic of Korea and bring it to the negotiation table.”

“Hoo? “South Korea?”

“That’s right. “President Lee Kang-cheol assured us, so you can believe it.”

“… … .”

Chiang Kai-shek was a bit shocked.

The United States, the world’s most powerful country, always distrusts its own words, but it completely believes the words of the president of South Korea, which has only been around for a few years.

It was bitter.

“Envoy Hurley.”

“Yes, President.”

“What happens if we refuse?”

“I’m sure you know it well, right? Ms. Soong worked her magic to turn public opinion around in our country, but that public opinion does not last long. “Our American citizens are already getting tired of supporting their return home.”

“… … .”

“And this time, even if ten Ms. Songs rush in, they won’t be able to turn it over.”

“okay.”

“Besides, this proposal to end the war isn’t a bad thing for your country, is it? “How are you holding on now, but I understand you’re slowly reaching your limit?”

“… … .”

“Mao Zedong will be furious, but it is good for the President and the Republic of China. In any case, this is an opportunity to stand up again with Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong.”

“Mao will have several times as much as we have.”

“President, we know each other well. “Please stop.”

“… … .”

When Chiang Kai-shek seemed to keep dragging his horse and being rude, Special Envoy Patrick Hurley answered with a straight face.

“Hehehe! This is it. How did I end up in this situation… … .”

“President, I think the United States has really done enough. And too many people died. Let’s stop now. If this continues, all Chinese people will die.”

“So, where are the negotiation talks taking place?”

“It will be held in Seoul.”

“In Seoul?”

“Yes, the negotiations will be held in Seoul, and the United States and the Republic of Korea will mediate the negotiations and guarantee their implementation.”

“Who is the representative of the negotiations?”

“President Lee Kang-cheol said he would come personally. Therefore, the Kuomintang and Communist governments should also bring in someone worthy of that position. “I will be there for our America.”

“Will that Mao come out? “You know very well that he was so suspicious that he even refused to take a plane in the past, right?”

“I know. Chairman Mao wouldn’t fly unless I was on the plane with him. But there is no need for that now.”

“Why?”

“The Republic of Korea will take care of that too.”

“You really have great faith in the Republic of Korea.”

“It has to be that way. They have proven themselves time and time again. Of course you have to believe it.”

“Hehehe!”

America’s faith in Korea was firm.

It seemed like people would believe me even if I told them that black things were white.

“All right. It is not a situation for us to refuse and go to sleep. “I will go directly to the negotiation table.”

“That’s a good decision.”

“step! Mao must come to the negotiating table. Otherwise, I won’t negotiate.”

“I told you not to worry?”

“… … .”

* * *

September 4, 1951.

Negotiations to end the historic Chinese Civil War took place in Seoul.