Democratic Movement in Area Under KMT Rule

In 1943 and 1944, the World Anti-Fascist War developed successfully. Under the favorable conditions, the Chinese army and civilians behind the enemy lines launched an offensive campaign against the Japanese army. But in the same period, the great defeat of Henan, Hunan and Guangxi appeared in the frontal battlefield of China. This brought serious challenges for the increasingly corrupted rule of the KMT. From these recent facts the people came to realize that the KMT’s ruling clique could not undertake the task of fighting for victory in the Anti-Japanese War, could not maintain China's independence and promote economic development, but could only become an obstacle to China's progress. After that, the patriotic democratic movement was launched in the areas behind enemy lines.

In the first half of 1944, the struggle for democracy in the areas behind enemy lines was unprecedentedly active. Huang Yanpei held a forum on democratic constitutionalism in Chongqing, and put forward ten propositions of respecting people's freedom, renewing politics, eliminating malpractices, mobilizing the whole people and arming the people, which were responded positively by people from all walks of life throughout the country. Also, Zhang Lan and others initiated and organized the China Association for Promoting Democracy in Chengdu.

The Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee issued the “Directive on Constitutional Issues” and decided to participate in the constitutional movement, demanding that Party members to unite with all democratic elements in the constitutional movement, so as to inspire the people's consciousness and promote the struggle for democracy and freedom against Chiang Kai-shek by promoting constitutional government.

Meanwhile, Zhang Shenfu, Cao Yu and other 50 people from cultural circles held a rally to demand freedom of speech and publication. And Liu Yazi and Li Jishen, democratic figures in the KMT, set up Guilin Cultural Community Association of Anti-Japanese War in Guangxi and issued the call of "mobilizing the people, resolutely fighting the war and eradicating defeatism".

The number of Chinese people who placed their hopes on the CPC to achieve national independence, people's democracy and national prosperity gradually increased. Zhou Enlai later recalled that in the areas behind enemy lines by saying that: “In 1944, not only the petty bourgeoisie, but also the national bourgeoisie approached us.”

On September 15, 1944, according to the instructions of the CPC Central Committee, Lin Boqu formally put forward the idea of putting an immediate end to the one-party rule of the KMT and establishing a democratic coalition government of all anti-Japanese parties at the National Political Conference, which aroused strong repercussions at home and abroad.

More than 500 people from all walks of life in Chongqing, such as Zhang Lan, Shen Junru and Feng Yuxiang, met to call for democracy and an end to the one-party dictatorship of the KMT. Soong Ching Ling, Guo Moruo, Zhang Lan and other 72 people initiated a memorial meeting to commemorate Zou Taofen, an advanced patriotic soldier in the cultural circle (Zou Taofen died in exile on July 24 because he was persecuted by the KMT. According to his request, the CPC Central Committee recognized him as a member of the CPC), and unanimously condemned the crimes of trampling democracy and persecuting patriots by the KMT.

On October 10, the China Democratic League also issued its “Political Proposition for the Final Phase of the War of Resistance”, calling for an immediate end to the one-party dictatorship, the establishment of a coalition regime of all parties and the implementation of democratic politics.

Under the influence of the CPC, the patriotic democratic movement in the areas behind enemy lines developed towards the clear political objective requiring the establishment of a coalition government.