Reveal why Sun Yat-sen gave way to Yuan Shikai

Sun Yat-sen was the forerunner of China's modern democratic revolution, his real name is Sun Wen, because he was pseudonymized as Zhongshan Qiao when he was engaged in revolutionary activities in Japan, so he later became known as "Zhongshan".

(Revolutionary forerunner Sun Yat-sen 1866-1925)

Sun Yat-sen's greatest revolutionary achievement in life was to lead the Xinhai Revolution to overthrow the feudal monarchy of the Qing Dynasty and establish a bourgeois democratic republic, the Republic of China. However, in the short period of four months that followed, he gave way to Yuan Shikai, which led many people to think that Sun Yat-sen was too stupid, too compromised and concessionated to Yuan Shikai, and even some people thought it was a manifestation of cowardice. So is history really like these people think? Not really. According to the analysis of the data collected by the Second Historical Archive of China (Yuan Shikai's telegram to Sun Yat-sen in the edict informing the Qing Emperor of abdication), Sun Yat-sen is not stupid, let alone weak, but a wise, overall-minded, and revolutionary mind that does not consider personal gains and losses. Why? Here's why:

First: Do our utmost to promote the reunification of the North and the South in a peaceful manner and to realize a republican system throughout the country. In the year of the founding of the Republic of China, China was not a unified country, and in the course of the Xinhai Revolution, a number of military groups had been formed in the country, and the strongest was the power of Yuan Shikai. The revolutionaries naturally hoped to gain the support and support of Yuan Shikai in establishing and maintaining the republican system, so as to avoid the disasters brought to the people by more wars. Therefore, we must try our best to get the support of Yuan Shikai, of course, Dr. Sun Yat-sen is not ignorant of Yuan Shikai's two-faced faction, but Sun Yat-sen is full of confidence in restricting Yuan Shikai and maintaining the republic. He believed that the democratic republic had been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, and if Yuan Shikai did not fulfill his promise to support the republic, then he would lose his faith in the people, and it would be much easier to overthrow him than to overthrow the Qing court with his help; if Yuan Shikai sincerely approved of the republic, then the purpose of the revolution would be achieved. This is Sun Yat-sen's thoughtful, well-informed, and personal gain or loss.

Second: At that time, Yuan Shikai was the prime minister of the Qing Dynasty, and not only held the power of the Qing government, but also controlled the most elite national main force in China at that time, the Beiyang Liuzhen, and also received the support of the imperialist countries and the old bureaucrats and constitutionalists in China, and it can be said that he was the most influential figure in China at that time. However, due to the lack of military strength, if the revolutionaries fight hard, Yuan Shikai is undoubtedly risking the total annihilation of the army and is the most inferior approach. Therefore, while trying to win Yuan Shikai, we must restrict him, and putting a "tight curse" on him is obviously the wisest choice. According to the large number of sun and yuan correspondence and telegrams preserved in the Second Historical Archive of China, sun Yat-sen's abdication of the throne in order to maintain the republican system is a strategy adopted after careful consideration and weighing the advantages and disadvantages, not a temporary measure forced by the situation, let alone a compromise of fear.

Third: The fledgling Republic of China was forced to make the decision to abdicate due to its extreme lack of financial resources. At that time, although representatives of the provinces formed the Senate, the influence of the provisional government was still small, and the provinces were basically independent, and the expenditure of the army and the operation of the government required huge funds. The great powers also controlled the customs and salt taxes, and they were looking for agents for their own interests, refusing to borrow from the Republic of China, and even finding excuses to interfere in China's internal affairs at any time. All kinds of circumstances show that the newly established republican system must still face a dangerous situation of internal and external difficulties, and if it is best to resolve internal and external difficulties and maintain the republican system at the lowest cost, then the minimum cost is to use Yuan Shikai. Sun Yat-sen once said: "It is true that Yuan Shikai is not credible; but I have therefore used it to overthrow Manchuria, which has been aristocratic for more than 260 years, and it is wise to use 100,000 troops." In fact, according to the situation at home and abroad at that time, Yuan Shikai was also the only best candidate.

However, the changes in the revolutionary situation did not develop as Sun Yat-sen thought, but far exceeded his expectations, and there was a long-term warlord scuffle, especially after the death of Yuan Shikai, which brought great disasters to the country and the people. But this cannot be said to be Sun Yat-sen's mistake, if he was compromised and weak, then why did he later launch the Second Revolution, the Patriotic War and the Two Dharma Protection Movements at his call? In addition, with the help of the Communist Party, the Whampoa Military Academy was founded, a large number of military and political talents were trained, preparations were made for the establishment of the National Revolutionary Army and the Northern Expedition, and the lifelong energy was exhausted for the transformation of China, leaving indelible merits for the Chinese revolution.

Sun Yat-sen said: "I am doing great things for the revolution, not for the individual, as long as it is beneficial to the country, I will never consider personal gains and losses." "I would like to encourage you here.