In the late autumn of 1931, Zhang Jingwu left Shanghai and arrived in Ruijin, the base of the central revolution, and from then on, under the leadership of Chairman Mao, he engaged in revolutionary armed struggle. In 1932, he became the head of the Red Army's Military Instruction Regiment. Later, he successively served as the commander of the Guangchang base, the commander of the instructor division directly under the central military commission, the chief of staff of the second field column of the Central Military Commission, and the chief of staff of the third column of the Shaanxi-Gansu detachment.
In the winter of 1936, Chairman Mao sent Zhang Jingwu to Hebei as a military liaison officer to meet with Song Zheyuan, chairman of the Jicha Administrative Affairs Committee and chairman of the Hebei Provincial Government, to publicize the CCP's idea of joint resistance to Japan and to take charge of the united front work of the North China Liaison Bureau.
Zhang Jingwu, who had remembered Chairman Mao's teachings and instructions, immediately set off for Hebei. Under the persuasion of Zhang Jingwu, Song Zheyuan's attitude toward the Japanese invaders changed somewhat, and after the "July 7" incident, he finally rose up to resist the Japanese army.
Zhang Jingwu's work in Hebei satisfied Chairman Mao. The day after the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Chairman Mao decided to send Zhang Jingwu to Jinan as a military liaison officer to meet han Fuyu and win over his Third Army to participate in the anti-Japanese resistance. At this time, Han Fuyu, just like the ants on the hot pot, was facing the situation of being caught between front and back, and the enemy was strong and weak, and felt helpless. Zhang Jingwu's arrival relieved Han from his distress, and he once said to his subordinates: "To talk about resisting Japan and saving the country, the Communist Party is the most resolute, and this force cannot be underestimated." Right now, we're taking advantage of this to make a big splash. Zhang Jingwu did not fail in his mission, and after hard work, he finally enabled Han Fuji to reach an agreement with the Red Army to jointly resist Japan.
After that, Zhang Jingwu was transferred back to Yan'an and successively served as deputy commander of the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Left-behind Corps, chief of staff of the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Jinsui Joint Defense Command, chief of staff of the Northwest Military Region, and commander of the Xi'an City Garrison Command.
In October 1949, the whole country except Tibet and Taiwan was liberated. Therefore, liberating Tibet and realizing the reunification of the mainland of the motherland became one of the most urgent tasks of the state at that time. Proceeding from the situation at home and abroad and the characteristics of Tibet, Chairman Mao defined the policy of peaceful liberation of Tibet. In April 1951, the Central People's Government sent Li Weihan as the chief plenipotentiary representative, with Zhang Jingwu, Zhang Guohua, and Sun Zhiyuan as representatives, and began negotiations with the Tibetan representatives. After more than 20 days of consultation and negotiation, on the basis of friendship and unity, the two sides successfully reached the "Agreement on Measures for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet" and officially signed it in Beijing on May 23. On the afternoon of the same day, chairman Mao happily said when meeting Zhang Jingwu and other negotiators: "Well, wow, you have done a big thing, this is a victory, but this is only the first step, and the next step to realize the agreement depends on your efforts." "
The next day, Chairman Mao held a banquet to celebrate the successful signing of the agreement, and Zhang Jingwu attended the banquet.
However, just after the agreement was signed, a small group of pro-imperialist elements headed by Regency Daza colluded with imperialism to hold the Dalai Lama hostage to Yadong and plotted to take him abroad in an attempt to exert pressure on the central government, disrupt the situation in Tibet, and obstruct the peaceful liberation of Tibet.
Chairman Mao promptly analyzed the urgent situation in Tibet, judged the hour and sized up the situation, and decided to send Zhang Jingwu as the representative of the Central People's Government in Tibet, quickly rushed to Yadong, and mobilized the Dalai Lama to return to Lhasa. Before Zhang Jingwu's departure, Chairman Mao specially received him at The Fengze Garden in Zhongnanhai and had a long talk with him until late at night.
When Zhang Jingwu resigned, Chairman Mao changed his habit of not sending or welcoming comrades within the party, and kept sending Zhang Jingwu out of the gate, and cordially instructed: "Comrade Jingwu, pay attention to work methods, the upper echelons of the united front, and the patriotic family, I believe that you can persuade the Dalai Lama to return to Lhasa." "
On June 13, 1951, Zhang Jingwu embarked on a long journey with Chairman Mao's handwritten letter to the Dalai Lama, along with Le Yuhong, director of the Liaison Department of the 18th Army, And Peng Zhe, a Tibetan translator. Tibet has a harsh climate, a harsh environment, thin air along the way, and great wind and sand. From Kalundborg in India to Yadong in Tibet, the road is steep and difficult to ride on horseback, so Zhang Jingwu and his party had to hike over the mountain.
On July 14, after more than a month of arduous trekking, Zhang Jingwu and his party passed through Hong Kong, India, and Sikkim, and finally arrived in Yadong. Zhang Jingwu came to Dongga Monastery, where Lai lived, and handed over Chairman Mao's handwritten letter and a copy of the peace agreement, in which Chairman Mao fully affirmed that after the Dalai Lama was pro-government, he "began to change his previous attitude and" it was "completely correct" to send representatives to Beijing for negotiations. "The agreement is in the interests of the Tibetan nation and the Tibetan people, as well as the interests of the people of all ethnic groups in China. Since then, the local government of Tibet and the Tibetan people, in the great family of the motherland and under the unified leadership of the Central People's Government, have been able to forever shake off the shackles of imperialism and the oppression of foreign nationalities, stand up, and work for the cause of the Tibetan people. I hope that you and the local government of Tibet under your leadership will conscientiously implement the agreement on the methods for the peaceful liberation of Tibet and do your utmost to assist the People's Liberation Army in entering Tibet peacefully." After reading Chairman Mao's handwritten letter, the Dalai Lama folded his hands and asked Chairman Mao if he was healthy.
At this time, Zhang Jingwu said to the Dalai Lama: "You personally sent representatives to Beijing to negotiate and signed an agreement on the method for the peaceful liberation of Tibet. "
Then, Zhang Jingwu explained the spirit of the agreement and the process of signing the agreement, and repeatedly explained the ethnic policy of the Communist Party of China, and through Zhang Jingwu's patient persuasion, the Dalai Lama said that he would leave for Lhasa on the 22nd. Before leaving, he also made a special telephone call to Chairman Mao to report on the date of the trip, indicating that he would convene a meeting of all officials to study the implementation of the agreement. On August 17, the Dalai Lama returned to Lhasa, and Zhang Jingwu presided over a grand welcoming ceremony. On September 28, Zhang Jingwu went to The Dalai Lama's summer palace, Norbulingka, to present gifts to the Dalai Lama on behalf of Chairman Mao, and held discussions on such issues as implementing the "agreement," welcoming Panchen Erdeni back to Tibet, and sending specially invited representatives to attend the NATIONAL COMMITTEE of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. After the talks, on October 24, the Dalai Lama finally sent a message of tribute to Chairman Mao in the name of the local government of Tibet and himself, expressing his support for the agreement.
After that, zhang Jingwu followed the spirit of Chairman Mao's instructions, vigorously carried out the united front work of the upper echelons, and distributed alms to the lower-level monks and masses, which soon won the support of people from all walks of life and established a firm foothold in Tibet. The war policy and religious policy require the Dalai Lama to return to Lhasa as soon as possible, unite as one, and realize the agreement.
In January 1952, the turbid currents lurking in Tibet suddenly gathered in the 3-square-kilometer city of Lhasa, and the haze rose, obscuring the Tibetan sky.
The reactionary upper echelons of the local government and the serf-owning class in Tibet began to openly oppose and sabotage the implementation of the "Seventeen-Point Agreement" from dark to explicit. In order to maintain the "wonderful and sacred" serfdom, they did everything in their power to prevent Tibet from carrying out the necessary social reforms, although these reforms were extremely prudent and prudent.
On January 13, Lu Kangwa summoned officials from the local government of Tibet to a meeting on the second floor of the former "Foreign Affairs Bureau." At the meeting, the reactionaries arrogantly declared that they would "take armed action to drive the PLA away." On the third day after the meeting, the "People's Assembly" they illegally organized was proclaimed, and immediately began to launch sporadic armed riots in Lhasa, openly opposing the establishment of the Tibetan Military and Political Committee and the reorganization of the Tibetan army. For a time, in the face of the dawn of Tibet's just rising, a thick shadow appeared.
In the early morning of March 31, the situation suddenly deteriorated unexpectedly. In the name of petitions, the "People's Assembly" mobilized more than 3,000 people to surround the residences of upper-class patriots such as Ngapoi Ngawang Jigme, while at the same time suddenly surrounding the office of Zhang Jingwu, the plenipotentiary of the Central People's Government in Tibet, and erecting machine guns on the roofs around it. The order of the urban area has fallen into extreme chaos, the citizens are panicked, and the shops are closed...
A group of coercive followers, armed with live ammunition, murderous spirits, and all over the streets, dispatched so-called "people's representatives" to storm Ngapoi's residence, shouted wildly, and besieged Zhang Jingwu, putting forward demands such as "the People's Liberation Army withdraws from Tibet" and "Tibet's system cannot be changed," and forcing Zhang Jingwu to respond immediately.
On the morning of April 2, more than 100 delegates of the "People's Assembly" gathered in front of the Potala Palace as usual and adopted a reactionary declaration, declaring: "We will not give up until we have achieved our goal." After the meeting, a large number of militants poured into the streets and continued to surround the garrison of Ngapoi Ngawang Jigme and the central representatives. At the same time, the Tibetan army began to assemble in front of the Potala Palace and build fortifications at the commanding heights of Yaowang Mountain opposite. The streets and alleys of Lhasa began to spread: "On March 14 of the Tibetan calendar, the Tibetan army attacked the People's Liberation Army";
"The Kashag made a pact with the three monasteries to jointly attack the People's Liberation Army on March 3 in the Tibetan calendar";
"Si Cao Lu Kang Wa played a gua, and the gua showed the divine indication that 'we will never lose to the People's Liberation Army, we must fight it'..."
On April 8, while continuing to spread the word about "attacking the People's Liberation Army," Si Cao Lu Kang Wa and Rosan Zaxi transferred the 6th Regiment (Artillery Regiment) of the Tibetan Army stationed in Shigatse back to Lhasa without authorization. The Tibetan army openly carried out homicide, rape and robbery activities, and public order in Lhasa deteriorated sharply.
At the same time, the reactionaries are also intervening in the economy in an attempt to disrupt Tibet's economy. The price of grain in Lhasa suddenly soared, and the price of barley per gram (about 28 catties) in the grain stores of some aristocratic officials has risen to 70 taels of Tibetan silver. The reactionaries took the opportunity to spread rumors everywhere, falsely claiming that "the price of grain has increased, and the People's Liberation Army has bought out all the grain and starved people to death..." On April 10, the Tibetan Language Cadre School of the Tibet Military Region was forced to close classes.
Under the instigation of Si Cao Lu Kang Wa and RosanZaxi, various illegal incidents such as cutting telephone lines, shooting PLA barracks and sentries at night, attacking troop field personnel, swearing and defaming PLA soldiers, stealing PLA supplies, and insulting female soldiers have occurred in the Lhasa area. The city of Lhasa is full of murderous spirits, the situation is getting more and more serious, if decisive measures are not taken, blind patience, the consequences are unimaginable, and the peaceful situation exchanged for major sacrifices will be ruined in one day...
General Zhang Jingwu, a central deputy and secretary of the Tibet Working Committee, who had been sleepless all night, immediately telegraphed the situation to the CPC Central Committee. Soon, Chairman Mao replied with a telegram. Zhang Jingwu's bloodshot eyes lingered on Chairman Mao's signed telegram for a long time. "Every effort must be made to uphold the Seventeen-Point Agreement, to adopt the policy of not firing the first shot at the provocations of the reactionaries, to strike later, to adhere to the principle of self-defense of 'no one offends me, I do not offend', and at the same time to be fully prepared..."
The handwriting of a red and blue pencil finally fell under the line of black words "Every effort must be made to maintain the Seventeen Agreements," and two thick red lines flowed slowly under the general's slightly trembling hands. Zhang Jingwu stood up and took the tea sent by the confidential secretary, and a meaningful smile appeared on his face that he had not seen in a long time.
The night before dawn is dark and confused. A few hours later, on April 18, Zhang Jingwu announced a gripping decision: he would personally go to the Potala Palace, meet with the Dalai Lama, explain the seriousness of the situation to him, and ask him to remove the two masters behind the "People's Assembly", Lu Kangwa and Rosanzaxi, from their posts to prevent the situation from deteriorating.
In order to resolutely implement the spirit of Chairman Mao's telegram, Zhang Jingwu decided to disregard the danger to his life, go to the dangers, and personally do the work.
It was a clear morning, and although April in Lhasa was a little chilly, the willow branches had begun to sprout green, and the grass was also sprouting green shoots, heralding the coming of spring in Lhasa.
General Zhang Jingwu took an interpreter, two security officers and a guard squad and fearlessly walked into the Potala Palace. After a reasoning struggle, the Dalai Lama agreed to dismiss the two priests and ban the "people's assembly.", the separatist and reactionary forces were unexpected, they were hit hard, the bets were lost, the birds and animals were scattered, and the situation in Lhasa temporarily stabilized.
During his time in Tibet, Zhang Jingwu successively served as the representative of the Central People's Government in Tibet, the secretary of the Tibet Working Committee of the COMMUNIST Party of China, and the first political commissar of the Tibet Military Region. Zhang Jingwu fought for 15 spring and autumn battles in Tibet, which is known as the "roof of the world," until after the Tibet Autonomous Region Government was formally established, when he was transferred out of Tibet and returned to Beijing as deputy director of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee.