After the defeat of the three major battles, by September 1949, all the rest of the country except the southwest corner was liberated. Chiang Kai-shek, hiding in Chengdu, fidgeted, and finally boarded a special plane from Chengdu to Taiwan on December 10 with Chiang Ching-kuo, preparing to flee the mainland.
Before the plane took off, the news that he was going to escape had been intercepted by Marshal Ye Jianying, and the airport personnel suggested that it be shot down or forced to land.
Unexpectedly, Ye Shuai did not agree, and even the telegram sent to the central government for instructions sank into the sea and did not receive any reply. Everyone could only watch as Chiang Kai-shek's special plane glided over Guangzhou and flew toward Taiwan.
Why did the Central Committee and Ye Shuai give up this good opportunity to capture Chiang Kai-shek? What is the reason behind it?
Chiang Kai-shek's plane stopped at Chengdu Phoenix Mountain Airport, and to fly to Taiwan, it was necessary to pass through Guangzhou Baiyun Airport. At that time, Baiyun Airport was already under the control of the 15th Corps of the People's Liberation Army, but in order to maintain the normal operation of the airport, a small number of former Kuomintang staff were retained.
On this day, Phoenix Mountain Airport asked Baiyun Airport about the weather conditions in Guangzhou, and inadvertently exposed Chiang Kai-shek's itinerary during the dialogue:
"President Jiang's special plane took off at 2 p.m., arrived over Guangzhou at about 3 p.m., and then flew directly to Taipei."
This remark attracted the attention of the PLA cadres supervising the people's liberation army next to him, and he immediately asked the staff to ask: "What kind of plane is the president on?" ”
"3 transport aircraft, the president on the 2nd."
The staff in Chengdu did not know that there were PLA cadres in Guangzhou, and directly stated Chiang Kai-shek's itinerary.
This is no small matter! The airport immediately reported to Hong Xuezhi, deputy commander of the corps, and suggested: First, directly shoot down Chiang Kai-shek's special plane; second, dispatch fighters to intercept it in the air and force it to land.
General Hong Xuezhi
Hong Xuezhi did not dare to make a decision, and immediately reported the matter to Ye Jianying, commander and political commissar of the corps.
After Ye Jian heard this, he pondered a little and said, "This is a major matter, you have to ask the Central Committee, and you will report it." ”
It is not safe to make a phone call, and you can only use a secret telephone for instructions.
Who knew that Hong Xuezhi sent several telegrams in a row, but he never received a call back from the central government.
This is clearly not normal. Seeing that Chiang Kai-shek's special plane was about to arrive, the airport also kept asking for the results of the request. Hong Xuezhi couldn't sit still and asked Ye Shuai, "What should we do?" ”
Ye Shuai did not comment, but only asked him: "Does the central government have a reply?" ”
"Nothing." Hong Xuezhi was helpless.
"Then don't move." Ye Shuai said affirmatively.
Hong Xuezhi was a little reluctant and discussed with Ye Shuai whether he could cut first and play later. After all, Chiang Kai-shek is the number one war criminal, and the opportunity is so rare that if he misses it, he will never have it again.
Ye Shuai vetoed his proposal, saying that whether there was a chance or not, there was no instruction from above, and we could not fight.
Hong Xuezhi said, don't fight but only intercept down the head office, right? It's a shame to let him go like this!
But Ye Shuai still insisted on waiting for instructions from the central authorities.
In the end, without the approval of the central authorities, Chiang Kai-shek's special plane flew safely over Guangzhou and flew to Taiwan.
Perhaps Chiang Kai-shek has been nervous when he sits in the plane, carrying a parachute ready to jump at any time. Where did he know that the CCP had ignored him?
In fact, why did the Central Committee not know that Chiang Kai-shek left to let the tiger return to the mountains? However, the central authorities proceeded from the overall situation and finally left a way for Chiang Kai-shek to live.
At the beginning of the founding of New China, it was in a critical period of struggle between the United States and the Soviet Union for hegemony, and one Soviet Union was enough for the United States to have a headache, and they naturally did not want another big socialist country to rise.
For the United States, Taiwan is an opportunity to restrain China, and to grasp Taiwan is equivalent to giving China a tight curse and being able to exert force at any time.
Therefore, the United States spared no effort to support Chiang Kai-shek during the Liberation War. But to the surprise of the United States, the Kuomintang's millions of troops, advanced American equipment, were actually inferior to the Communist army with millet and rifles.
In addition, Chiang Kai-shek only planned for himself, and did not completely obey the will of the United States at all -
In Chiang's heart, he always believed that there could be only one China, and although he believed that this China belonged to his Chiang family, there could only be one in form, and he would never allow the United States to create two Chinas by controlling him, which was contrary to his concept.
Therefore, the United States decided to abandon Chiang Kai-shek and find another puppet. Under this premise, Chen Cheng entered the eyes of the Americans.
Chen Cheng has always been loyal to Chiang Kai-shek, he arrived in Taiwan before Chiang Kai-shek, and during his reign in Taiwan, society and economy have developed benignly, and they have made achievements in many aspects, making great contributions to stabilizing the Kuomintang's rule in Taiwan, so they have won the popular will of the People in Taiwan.
Chen Cheng, known as the "small chairman of the committee", was twice elected vice president of the Kuomintang, and after Chiang Kai-shek, he is most likely the new president. Therefore, the United States has been lobbying Chen Cheng and doing its best to win over. Once the lobbying succeeds, it is inevitable to abandon Chiang Kai-shek.
In fact, before this, US President Roosevelt and former Chinese military adviser Stilwell even planned to assassinate Chiang Kai-shek, but were forced to give up because of the outbreak of the Pacific War.
How can the Central Committee of the Party and Chairman Mao not understand the minds of the Americans? Therefore, we must not allow the Us conspiracy to succeed.
Once Chiang Kai-shek is gone, there will inevitably be great turmoil within the Kuomintang and among the Taiwan authorities. All kinds of complicated forces and situations, Chen Cheng still has no ability to control, let alone Chiang Ching-kuo.
Although Chiang Kai-shek did not fight very well, he was extremely politically skillful, and only he had the ability to grasp the overall situation and hold his ground. As long as Chiang Kai-shek was there, the new China at that time did not have to directly face the threat of American soldiers coming to the city.
Based on this level of consideration, the Central Committee did not reply to Hong Xuezhi's telegram. Not replying is tantamount to refusing, which not only preserves Chiang Kai-shek's last decency, but also preserves Taiwan for China.
This is great wisdom.