Speaking of Hu Shi, many people will think of the image of a master of traditional Chinese studies, a humble gentleman, gentle as jade, and known all over the world.
However, many people do not know that in fact, during the Period of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Hu Shi also had a great hand in turning the tide and changing the world pattern, and he can be called a "national soldier"!
At the beginning of the Second World War, in addition to the just war of the Chinese people against Japanese aggression, there were also a large number of historical problems left over from the First World War on the European battlefield, and the countries such as Nazi Germany, Britain, france, and other countries on both sides of the enemy had not yet completely shaken off the shackles of the imperialist war of hegemony.
At this time, the United States was even more an "isolationist" policy of staying out of the way and being independent of itself; the broad masses of the American people were addicted to the pleasures of peace and did not want their lives to be affected by the country's involvement in the war, so at the beginning of World War II, the United States, instead of actively opposing Japan's aggression, continued to carry out "normal trade" with it, selling a large amount of steel, rubber, oil, and other war materials to Japan, and conniving at Japan's aggression against China.
Under these circumstances, in order to win the support of the Americans for the Chinese War of Resistance, Chiang Kai-shek appointed Hu Shi as the ambassador to the United States on September 17, 1938, and used Hu Shi's influence in the United States to win the assistance of the United States.
In fact, as early as Hu Shi returned to China in 1917, he was determined to transform the people from education, and vowed to "not talk about politics for twenty years."
Twenty years later, in 1937, Japan launched an all-out war of aggression, and Hu Shi, as a leading figure in the cultural circles, naturally could not stand idly by and resolutely went out of the mountains to jointly resist Japan.
Because Hu Shi had great influence in the United States, Chiang Kai-shek thought of Hu Shi in order to ask the Americans for help, and appointed him as ambassador to the United States, hu Shi also gladly accepted, and wrote in his diary: "Twenty-one years of independent and free life, from today onwards, sacrificed for the country." ”
In an interview with foreign reporters, Hu Shi said: "I have never held an official position, and I cherish my independent thoughts. Because I used to know that I openly criticized the government, but the times have changed, there is no room for opposition to the government, and all Chinese should be united! ”
After Hu Shi took office, he actively campaigned in various circles in the United States, holding various speeches and exhibitions to expose the heinous crimes of the Japanese fascists in China with a large number of detailed materials.
Hu Shi studied in the United States in his early years, and his profound English skills and talent, so his propaganda campaigns around the United States were very successful, and more and more American politicians and people began to pay attention to the war in the Far East.
In addition, Hu Shi also used a large amount of accurate intelligence to remind the Americans that Japan has long posed a threat to the us Far East interests such as the Philippines, Guam and other places that are close at hand, so that US President Roosevelt also has a strong good feeling for him, and often receives Hu Shi to discuss the prospects of Sino-US cooperation.
The Washington Post commented: "Chinese Ambassador to the United States Hu Shi has traveled 35,000 miles in the past six months, resulting in the highest record for foreign envoys traveling in the United States." Ambassador Hu received more honorary degrees than President Roosevelt; he gave more speeches than President Roosevelt's wife; and his record of being invited to public meetings and speeches was unmatched by all members of the diplomatic corps. ”
Hu Shi's great success in the United States also aroused the vigilance of the Japanese people, who constantly protested to the United States. At the same time, Japan was also extremely afraid of Hu Shi's propaganda in the United States, and the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs even said: "Even if three Japanese ambassadors are sent to the United States, I am afraid that we will not be able to resist Hu Shi's propaganda offensive!" ”
To this end, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs specially sent their "ace ambassadors" - Nomura Yoshizaburo and Saburō Raisu, as well as the literary scholar Yusuke Tsurumi, the economist Kikujiro Ishii, and the eloquent Yoshiro Matsuoka to engage in an all-out confrontation with Hu Shi.
These two "ace ambassadors" were both from the military, and Nomura Yoshizaburo was even blinded by the anti-Japanese soldiers in Shanghai, and these two "Saburos" were cunning and sinister, taking advantage of the Americans' fear of getting involved in the war, and tried to deceive the Americans that Japan would never infringe on the interests of the United States in the Far East. But in fact, at the time of their arrival in the United States, Japan's huge mixed fleet had secretly assembled, ready to launch a surprise attack on the United States if the negotiations failed!
On September 24, 1941, U.S. Secretary of State Hull met with Hu Shi and showed Him a draft agreement with shame, which was a compromise agreement to be signed between the United States and Japan.
After Hu Shi saw it, he immediately felt that China had been ruthlessly betrayed, and Hu Shi, who had always been gentle and humble, was as angry as a lion! Afterwards, Hull recorded in his notes: "This little man's Chinese, trembling with rage, and if it were not for his profound literary qualities that finally stopped him, I am afraid that I would have been slapped twice by him." ”
Undeterred, Hu Shi decided to engage in the "last ten minutes of battle" and directly meet with Roosevelt to complain about the insidiousness of the Japanese. Although President Roosevelt wanted to side with the anti-fascists from the bottom of his heart, he was helpless to compromise too much in the United States, and he could not do anything about it.
Hu Shi had long anticipated this and actively contacted the British ambassador and communicated directly with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
As Britain's wartime prime minister, Churchill knew better than the Americans how great a Japanese threat to Britain in the Far East Pacific was, and at the crucial moment, Churchill personally communicated with Roosevelt, reminding him that once China collapsed, it was entirely possible for Japan to immediately throw in hundreds of divisions and quickly take all the British and American colonies in the Far East Pacific.
With Churchill's support, Roosevelt also had more confidence, and finally rejected the compromise agreement with Japan, and met with Hu Shi on November 26, saying that the United States would support China more. At the same time, Roosevelt also had a strong premonition at this meeting: "It is very likely that Japan will launch an attack on the United States somewhere in the next few days." ”
However, at this time, Roosevelt did not expect it to be Pearl Harbor, thinking that it might be the Philippines or Guam.
On December 7, 1941, Japan dispatched six aircraft carriers, 14 warships, and 441 aircraft to launch a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, causing unprecedented losses to the U.S. Navy and the outbreak of the Pacific War.
When Hu Shi got this news, in addition to being shocked, he was also a little happy, because the Americans would no longer be kind to the Japanese, and China's great cause of the War of Resistance would also usher in a new situation!
Therefore, when we commemorate the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japan, we must not forget the merits of Hu Shi, who was not only a deeply cultivated master of traditional Chinese studies, but also a hero who made great contributions to the War of Resistance Against Japan!
Because he was running around the United States, Hu Shi was too tired and fell ill many times, but he did not rest a day, insisted on working with illness, and in a letter to a friend at home, Hu Shi wrote: "I came out for the country's affairs, it doesn't matter if I suffer a little. Stay in the green mountains, not afraid of no firewood. The country is a green mountain, and when the green mountain falls, our children and grandchildren must be slaves. "#为什么有些人总有贵人相助 #
(References: "Hu Shi Biography", "Fragments of the Republic of China", "China's Foreign Relations during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression")