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Chapter 3 The Keomintann g Peac e Missio n o n th e Eve o f th e Communis t Takeove r Huang Jianli Introduction On th e afternoo n o f 1 Apri l 1949 , a Kuomintan g (KMT ) Peac e Missio n arrived i n Beijin g charge d wit h th e tas k o f negotiatin g a peac e settlemen t in th e ongoin g civi l war . Th e missio n bega n o n a n ominou s note . Th e reception a t th e airpor t wa s frosty , wit h senio r leader s o f th e Chines e Communist Part y (CCP ) conspicuousl y absen t o n th e tarmac . Significantly , the Communist s ha d arrange d fo r th e missio n t o reac h Beijin g o n a dat e celebrated aroun d th e worl d a s April Fool' s Day, leadin g to speculatio n tha t they ma y hav e extende d th e invitatio n a s a joke.1 Th e eventua l collaps e o f negotiations withi n a few week s o f the mission's arriva l cast a further shado w over th e significanc e o f th e Apri l 194 9 KM T Peac e Mission . The perceptio n o f th e missio n a s bein g littl e mor e tha n a joke — compounded b y th e brevit y o f it s forma l meeting s an d th e lac k o f an y tangible result s — account s fo r a n historica l indifferenc e towar d th e negotiations amon g historian s o f th e revolution . Historie s o f peac e effort s in th e civi l war focus overwhelmingl y o n th e American peace-makin g effort s of Patric k Hurle y an d Georg e Marshal l i n 1945—47. 2 Ther e i s n o majo r study o n th e 1 April peac e mission . Th e omissio n i s curious i n ligh t o f th e conclusion tha t th e America n negotiator s themselve s dre w fro m th e failur e of thei r attempt s a t mediatio n betwee n th e warrin g parties : tha t th e onl y hope fo r a peaceful resolutio n o f the civi l war la y in th e contendin g partie s themselves meetin g an d reachin g a settlement. Th e Apri l 194 9 peac e talks , held a t th e initiativ e o f th e KM T an d CCP , satisfie d thi s condition . The y 92 Huang Jianli were a crucia l elemen t i n th e politica l dynamic s o f Chin a o n th e ev e o f the Communis t takeover . In th e followin g discussion , th e KM T Peac e Missio n i s place d i n th e context o f wide r publi c appeal s fo r a peacefu l resolutio n t o th e civi l wa r which ha d gathere d momentu m ove r th e precedin g year . Du e recognitio n is give n t o th e drasti c reversa l o f KM T fortune s toward s th e en d o f 1948 , notably i n it s management o f the economy , it s military disposition , an d th e level o f foreign assistanc e i t received. Together , thes e setback s pressured th e KMT int o seekin g a political settlemen t a t thi s lat e stag e o f th e civi l war . Although thi s sudde n KM T peac e initiativ e initiall y caugh t th e CC P b y surprise, i t soo n responde d wit h a n acceptanc e an d a n invitatio n t o Beijing . At th e en d o f the negotiations , i n April 1949 , a proposed Peac e Treat y wa s carefully crafted . However , th e term s o f th e treat y turne d ou t t o b e...

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