Explore Chengdu Panda Base and Leshan Giant Buddha in one day. Enjoy a traditional Xiba tofu banquet and discover Sichuan’s famous wildlife, cuisine, and Buddhist heritage.......
The Long March: Retreat and Survival from 1934 to 1935
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The Long March was a decisive episode in the history of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). It began when Communist forces were forced to withdraw from their revolutionary bases in southern China in the face of a major military campaign launched by the Kuomintang (KMT) under Chiang Kai-shek. The retreat ultimately preserved the Communist movement and played an important role in the rise of Mao Zedong as its principal leader.In the autumn of 1933, Chiang Kai-shek launched a major campaign against the Communist forces based primarily in Jiangxi and Fujian in southeastern China. Chiang was advised by the German military officer Hans von Seeckt, who recommended avoiding a costly frontal assault. Instead, the KMT adopted a strategy of gradual encirclement, constructing trenches, fortified positions, and blockhouses as its troops advanced.The strategy was designed to isolate the Communist forces and gradually deprive them of supplies and territory. It proved increasingly effective. By 1934, the Communist-controlled area had been substantially reduced, and the Red Army faced the growing danger of complete destruction.The Communist leadership then adopted a more conventional military strategy, influenced by Soviet advisers and particularly Otto Braun, a German Communist military adviser also known by his Chinese name, Li De. The Red Army engaged in direct confrontations with the KMT, suffering heavy losses in both personnel and equipment.As the Communist position deteriorated, the leadership decided to withdraw from the Jiangxi Soviet. In October 1934, approximately 80,000–85,000 troops of the First Front Army began the strategic retreat that became known as the Long March.The Red Army initially carried large quantities of equipment, including weapons, ammunition, printing equipment, and other supplies. Moving through the KMT's fortified lines was extremely difficult. After breaking through the encirclement, the Communist forces suffered another devastating setback at the Battle of the Xiang River in November 1934, where tens of thousands of soldiers were killed, wounded, or captured.The disaster contributed to growing criticism of the military strategy of the Communist leadership. At the Zunyi Conference in January 1935, Mao Zedong's influence increased dramatically. Mao subsequently advocated a more flexible and mobile style of warfare, supported by commanders such as Zhu De.Rather than following a predictable route, the Red Army adopted highly mobile tactics, changing direction frequently and dividing its forces when necessary. These tactics made it much harder for the KMT to anticipate the Communist army's movements. Mao also shifted the strategic destination toward Shaanxi in northwestern China, where Communist forces could establish a new revolutionary base.The journey was extraordinarily difficult. The Red Army had to cross some of China's most challenging landscapes, including high mountain ranges and vast marshy grasslands. Soldiers suffered from hunger, exhaustion, disease, extreme weather, and a lack of supplies. They also encountered resistance from local warlords whose territories they crossed.By October 1935, the First Front Army reached the Communist base in northern Shaanxi, having traveled thousands of kilometers over approximately one year. Only a fraction of the soldiers who had originally left Jiangxi survived the journey.Although the Long March was a military retreat involving enormous losses, it became a major turning point for the Chinese Communist movement. It preserved a core of the Red Army, relocated the Communist leadership to a more secure base in northern China, and strengthened Mao Zedong's position within the party.The Long March subsequently became one of the most powerful symbols in the history of the Chinese Communist Party. It came to represent endurance, sacrifice, discipline, and determination in the face of overwhelming adversity. For Mao and his supporters, it also provided the foundation from which the Communist movement would eventually expand its influence and, after years of further conflict, achieve victory in mainland China in 1949.
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