Su Tong is meeting with the British Ambassador Sir Carl at the Presidential Palace in Nanjing. Although there is a cold wind blowing outside, the room is as warm as spring. Su Tong is wearing a Zhongshan Zhongshan jacket, with just a snow-white shirt underneath, and is holding a teacup in his hand.
He drank slowly and listened to the plenipotentiary ambassador saying some polite words with a strange look in his eyes.
"Dear Mr. President, first of all, on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen of England, I would like to congratulate you on your assumption of office as the president of the Republic of China. I also want to congratulate you on becoming the father of your second child." Sir Carl always had a diplomatic politeness on his face.
His words were spoken with a hint of reserve and arrogance typical of British Empire officials.
Su Tong put down the tea cup in his hand, smiled and said, somewhat answering the question: "Sir Carl, it's very cold outside. Are you still used to it on the road?"
The expression on Sir Carl's face froze. Su Tong's words just now clearly meant that it was very cold outside and asked him to speak quickly. Well, Sir Carl also suppressed a smile and said seriously: "Your Excellency, the President of our country, I heard that the government of our country has heard that you
A few days ago, an order was issued to allow the new 10th Panchen Lama from Qinghai to enter Tibet. For this reason, the Tibetan Provincial Government, [] Lama, Langdun Kunga Wangchuk Silun and others were extremely uneasy about this. They entrusted the Government of our country to advise the President.
Don’t be in a hurry to enter Tibet, because this will cause instability in the Tibetan province and people, so please be sure to carefully consider their opinions.”
Su Tong's narrowed eyes seemed to shoot a ray of light onto Sir Xu Gesen's face, "Sir Carl, can I take what you said as a warning to our country?"
"No, no, dear President, I am just giving you a piece of advice in accordance with the instructions of our country's government." Sir Carl shook his head with a smile, but his arrogant look was already on his face.
Su Tong sneered, "Tibet Province has been the territory of our country since ancient times. This is an indisputable fact. If the local government of Tibet Province has anything to say to me, it can be sent to the government through normal channels. I don't understand.
What’s more, when did your country become the spokesperson of Tibet Province?”
"Uh." Sir Carl's expression froze. He didn't expect that the President would be as smooth as the rumors. This was his impression of Gwen, a gentle man. Even if he was angry in his heart, he would only hide it in his heart and not show it on the surface.
Are the Chinese people showing off?
But out of the pride of an official of the British Empire, he was not to be outdone. He raised his head and said: "Mr. President, the reason why our government sent me to tell you these words is for the security of India, a colony of the British Empire."
.The behavior of your country’s government in Tibet has damaged the interests of our country’s government in Tibet, so I have to solemnly inform you of our country’s government’s words. Please be cautious when dealing with issues in Tibet.”
Su Tong sneered disdainfully: "Excuse me, does your country have a factory, company or enterprise in Tibet? If not, I don't understand how a normal order we issued harmed your country's interests. Is it your country's interests?"
Is it a matter of the upper lip touching the lower lip?”
As the British Ambassador to China, Sir Carl had never experienced such cynicism in China. He took a deep breath, suppressed the anger in his heart and said solemnly: "Your Excellency, you must know that we are also based on the Treaty of Simla.
The Treaty of Simla stipulates that the troops of your country are not allowed to enter Tibet, and the internal affairs of Tibet are temporarily supervised by the Indian government. Your remarks have seriously damaged the friendship between the British Empire and your country.
relation."
The Treaty of Simla that Sir Carl mentioned was that after the Revolution of 1911, the British instigated some reactionaries in Tibet to rebel in an attempt to create the so-called "reading power" in Tibet. Under British coercion, in October 1913, Yuan Shikai's government
The United Kingdom sent representatives to Simla, India to attend the "China-British-Tibet Conference." British representative McMahon proposed a so-called solution, which stipulated that China was not allowed to station troops in Tibet, and "the internal affairs of Tibet were temporarily supervised by the Indian government." In this regard,
Yuan Shikai's government refused to accept it. Later, the British and local representatives of Tibetan Province signed the Simla Treaty privately. The Chinese government representatives refused to sign, and the meeting broke down. Subsequent Chinese governments never recognized this treaty. Therefore, this so-called
The Treaty of Simla is completely illegal. As for the meeting, the British and local representatives from Tibet, carrying the ax of the Central Government of China, arbitrarily delineated the so-called "McMahon Line", which is the eastern section of China and India, in a secret exchange of letters.
The boundary is a flagrant violation of the basic norms of international law and has no legal effect. Representatives of the Chinese government declared on July 3 that they categorically denied the so-called "McMahon Line". In fact, at the Simla Conference, it was never
The China-India border issue has been formally discussed. Now Sir Karl has brought up the so-called Simla Treaty to explain the issue.
Su Tong's face began to turn cold: "Haha Simla Treaty. Who signed this so-called Simla Treaty with your country? As far as I know, any Central Committee, including the Manchu Qing government that we overthrew,
Your government has never signed this document, and you have never recognized the McMahon Line. This treaty is just an invalid agreement privately signed by your government with a small group of people in Tibet. You just treat it like this.
Come and tell me something, is this how your British Empire talks and acts? I can tell you clearly now, let the Simla Treaty go to hell."
Sir Karl was speechless for a while. The biggest shortcoming of the Simla Treaty was that it had not been signed by any central government in China. It was completely untenable from the perspective of international law. But now Su Tong continuously robbed Karl of the white goods.
Sir's face could no longer be kept calm. He stood up and said angrily: "Your Excellency, President, I will bring your words to the government of our country intact. I hope that by then you will be as confident as you are today and say goodbye."
Already."
After saying that, Sir Carl stood up with a livid face, picked up the hat hanging on the shelf, and walked out the door without looking back.
When Su Tong saw Sir Carl go out, his face darkened and he shouted loudly: "Come here, prepare your car to go to the Central Government Office Building."
In the central government office building, senior government officials who were urgently summoned by Su Tong gathered together: Vice President Chiang Kai-shek of the National Congress Party, Vice President Gu of the Socialist Workers' Party, Premier Li Zongren of the State Council, Minister of Defense Jiang Baili, Chief of General Staff Bai Chongxi,
Zhou Tiecheng, who had just been appointed as Foreign Minister by Su Tong, was also present.
At the meeting, Su Tong printed out the contents of Sir Carl's conversation just now and sent a transcript to everyone present. Everyone present looked bad after seeing it. The British really bullied others too much, and the government
Just sending a 10th Panchen Lama to Tibet caused such a big backlash from them, and they kept bringing up the useless Simla Treaty as an excuse. Does it really regard Tibet as its own territory?
Can you eat whatever you want with the food?
"President, we will never agree to the conditions of the British, and we will never recognize the Simla Treaty. The issue of Tibet is China's internal affair, and we will never accept blackmail from the British. I suggest that troops be immediately sent to escort the new people in Qinghai.
The Panchen Lama entered Tibet to demonstrate our country’s sovereignty.” Defense Minister Jiang Baili spoke first.
Gu Yue was still smoking a cigarette, pointing at the conversation record with fingers that had been smoked yellow for a long time, and said with a contemptuous smile: "The British have a good plan. They want to directly interfere in the internal affairs of Tibet through this matter. We
If you don’t respond again, you will be stabbed in the back by the Chinese people.”
Vice-President Chiang sat aside with a gloomy face. After the death of the 13th Lama, the voice of monks and laypeople in Tibet Province for the return of the 9th Panchen Lama to Tibet became louder. In 1936, he, the then Chairman of the General Assembly, ordered that the 9th Panchen Lama be allowed to return to Tibet.
The Panchen Lama led his guards to Qinghai, preparing to enter Tibet. However, the British immediately started to sow discord in Tibet Province, proposing that although the Tibetan Province should welcome the 9th Panchen Lama back to Tibet, it should refuse the Chinese army from entering Tibet. Under the British
Under the influence, some people in the Tibetan ruling group also advocated that they could not agree to the 9th Panchen Lama bringing his bodyguard back to Tibet. The British Embassy in China actually made multiple protests to the Chinese government on the Panchen Lama's return to Tibet, doing everything possible to create a tense atmosphere. 193
At the end of the 1960s, the 9th Panchen Lama arrived in Yushu, Qinghai, and repeatedly negotiated with Lhasa on relevant issues. Later, although the Tibetan provincial representatives no longer insisted on opposing the escort of the Panchen Lama's officers and soldiers into Tibet, the guards could only go to Houzang via Nagqu. Within five months
All must be withdrawn, and it was also proposed that after the Panchen Lama returned to Tibet, taxes from Tibet would still be collected by Tibet. Negotiations between the two sides continued until the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War in July 1937, but still could not be resolved. In August, the British took advantage of China's
Affected by the armed aggression of Japanese imperialism, he once again protested to China about the Panchen Lama's return to Tibet. The National Government ordered the 9th Panchen Lama to postpone his entry to Tibet and keep Yushu. The 9th Panchen Lama's wish to return to Tibet could not be realized, and he became depressed and ill.
, died in Yushu on December 1, 1937.
Now the British jumped out in a hurry again. This is really unbearable for uncle and aunt. Although Vice President Jiang also held back a ball of fire in his heart, he still did not express his position because of his cautious nature. He just looked at Su Tong and asked
He said: "President, what do you mean?" In this public occasion, he did not dare to call Su Tong by his nickname. He still followed the rules and used his political and official duties.
After hearing this, Su Tong sneered and slowly looked around the people at the venue and said: "I, Mr. Su, dare to do many things in my life, but I just don't dare to be a coward. The British will come and slap me in the face. If I swallow my voice again,
Are you still a man if you hold back your anger? The people elected me as president because they asked me to serve them, not to lead them as a coward. I think the ninth Panchen Lama must go to Tibet. Not only must he go to Tibet,
We have to enter the country with great fanfare, and we want the people across the country to know that we will never give up every inch of our country’s territory.”
At this time, Li Zongren frowned and said: "Now the 10th Panchen Lama in Yushu, Qinghai, only has a battalion of more than 600 guards around him. If he goes to Tibet like this, I am worried that his safety will not be guaranteed."
Su Tong smiled and said: A guard team of more than 600 people? Haha, Premier Li, don’t worry. Since the guard team of 600 people is not enough, we will send 60,000 people. I would like to see those people in Tibet who read all day long.
Are people with strength strong in their bones or our bullets?
"Sixty thousand" After hearing this number, the attendees all looked at Su Tong in surprise. What did he want to do by sending 60,000 people to Tibet? Did he want to kill all those people in one go?
Su Tong looked at the attendees at the meeting and asked: "Does anyone still hold different opinions now? If it weren't for me, I would have issued an order."
There was silence at the meeting. No one dared to raise objections on issues related to the integrity of the country's territorial sovereignty. Otherwise, if he was labeled as betraying the country's territorial sovereignty, he would be suppressed forever.
Su Tong turned to look at the newly appointed Foreign Minister Zhou Tiecheng who was silent at the meeting and said with a smile: "Minister Zhou, I will assign a task to your Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Your Ministry of Foreign Affairs will submit a diplomatic note to the British government tomorrow. , protest against the British government's interference in my country's internal affairs, and must clearly tell them that the Tibetan issue is an internal matter of our country. We do not need and will never allow any country or government to interfere in our internal affairs. Our country will The military will be sent into Tibet to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity."
Zhou Tiecheng stood up and said calmly: "President, please rest assured, I will definitely follow your instructions and inform the British government of our country's decision."
On December 3, 1938, major newspapers across the country published the story of the British government's attempt to interfere in China's internal affairs and prevent the central government from sending the 10th Panchen Lama to Tibet, which aroused great indignation and paralysis among the people across the country.
Yes, we have just driven away the Japanese, and you British people have jumped out to point fingers at our affairs, and have not allowed us to send troops into Tibet. Do you really think that we are soft persimmons and can do whatever you want to do to them?
On the same day, large-scale demonstrations broke out in major cities across the country, protesting against British interference in China's internal affairs and demanding that the government immediately send troops to Tibet to safeguard the integrity of the country's territory and sovereignty.
Zhou Tiecheng was immediately ordered to submit a letter of protest from the central government to Sir Carr, the British Ambassador to China, and clearly told Sir Carr that the central government had the right to send anyone into its own territory in any way, and that other countries had no right to interfere in China's internal affairs.
Immediately, the central government issued another statement, ordering all members of Zhang Zizhong's 59th Army to march into Tibet immediately. Anyone who encounters obstruction or obstacles can be punished on the spot.
When the news spread, the whole country rejoiced. Zhang Zizhong's 59th Army, which set out from Hunan, was warmly welcomed by the people on the march. The enthusiasm of the people along the way almost overwhelmed the 59th Army's 50,000-strong troops who marched for dozens of miles.
The men and horses were drowned.
So much so that reporters in China exclaimed in their reports sent to their home countries: After this ancient country drove away the Japanese, national sentiment erupted like a volcanic eruption.
After half a month of traveling, the 59th Army finally set foot on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The winter in December is very cold, especially on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It is very painful to walk in this place where there is no decent road.
things.
At this time, a very long team was walking on the backbone of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, winding with no end in sight. Countless people and pack horses were mixed together and moving forward slowly.
A few cars said: "You don't want to do this errand, then fine, I will let you return to Nanjing to congratulate the president. The president wants our 59th Army to do this errand, he is looking down on our 59th Army. Nationwide
With so many troops, why did the president choose our 59th Army? Otherwise, there would be too many people rushing to do this job, so why did we catch up?"
Huang Weigang laughed brightly and fell silent. A gust of cold wind blew by. Huang Weigang shivered and took out the kettle and poured a sip of wine into his mouth. After taking the cold knife, his body immediately felt much warmer.
Zhang Zizhong frowned and said, "Weigang, drink less. Although the president specially ordered two kilograms of liquor for everyone on this trip to Tibet, don't get drunk."
At this time, deputy commander Li Wentian rode over and said: "Military seat, the airship behind us has caught up. They informed us to quickly gather the soldiers and wounded with altitude sickness and prepare to send them back. Liu Zhensan asked if we should allow those with mild reactions to be sent back."
The soldiers also went back together."
Zhang Zizhong shook his head, "No, the soldiers with severe reactions can go back, but those with mild reactions must persist, otherwise we will laugh to death if other troops see it."
Li Wentian nodded, "Okay, I immediately ordered the oxygen bottles brought by the airship to be distributed to those soldiers with mild altitude sickness. However, I estimate that the number of oxygen bottles is not enough, and there will be non-combat attrition. This
This damn place is so evil, even breathing is so difficult."
"Then let them hold on. When we fought against Japan, we all said that they could not get out of the firing line even if they were slightly injured. Now they can't bear it after just walking a little bit." Zhang Zizhong's dark face showed a perseverance, "Now the people all over the country are here.
Looking forward to good news from us, our 59th Army will die on the march no matter what, and we must not let down the expectations of our fellow countrymen."
"I will convey the military commander's instructions immediately." Li Wentian saluted and went down to convey the order.
Under the supervision of Zhang Zizhong and the leading officers, the long team continued to move slowly but firmly towards the destination.