Long March
The Long March refers to a significant military retreat undertaken by the Chinese Communist Party from 1934 to 1935, during which its forces sought to escape encirclement by the Nationalist government led by Chiang Kai-shek. Beginning in Jiangxi province, the Communist troops, initially numbering 86,000, embarked on a treacherous journey towards the northwestern region of China, covering approximately 6,000 miles. The retreat was marked by numerous battles and hazardous crossings, including the fierce engagements at the Xiang River and Tucheng, as well as the dramatic contest at Liuding Bridge over the Dadu River, where heroic efforts allowed some troops to cross despite heavy enemy fire.
The Long March ultimately concluded in Shaanxi province, where only about 4,000 of the original troops reached their destination after enduring significant casualties and hardships. This arduous trek not only solidified Mao Zedong's leadership within the Communist movement but also established a new political base in Yenan. The surviving forces from the Long March became instrumental in rebuilding the Communist state that would later challenge Nationalist forces in the context of the Chinese Civil War following World War II. The event is often viewed as a pivotal moment in Chinese history, highlighting both the resilience of the Communist Party and the complexities of the political landscape in early 20th-century China.
Long March
Type of action: Long march during Chinese Civil War
Date: October, 1934-December, 1935
Location: Western China from Jiangxi to Shaanxi
Combatants: Nationalist Party forces vs. Communist Party forces
Principal commanders: Nationalist, Chiang Kai-shek (1887–1975); Communist, Mao Zedong (1893–1976), Lin Biao (1907–1971)
Result: A deeply wounded Chinese Communist Party survived the onslaughts of the Nationalists and regrouped in the northwest
Beginning in 1934, Chiang Kai-shek, leader of the Nationalist government in China, launched a series of encirclement campaigns around the armies of Mao Zedong, who had formed a separatist state in Jiangxi province. Trapped within the state, the Communists made a desperate move to break out in October, 1934. Their success prompted the beginning of a long flight to the northwest region, a one-year trek involving at least fifteen military encounters. From November 25 to December 3, 1934, a battle raged as the Communist army crossed the Xiang River. Communist General Lin Biao directed the troops and the crossing, suffering high casualties. The next major battle was near Tucheng, at the Red River. Here the Sichuan provincial army defeated them in battle, but the Communists successfully made the crossing at Tucheng on January 28-29, 1935. On May 27, 1935, the famous contest for the Liuding Bridge took place across the Dadu River when a hero named Yang Chengwu led his battalion across the bridge under heavy gunfire. Behind him were other comrades replacing the planks so that the other troops could safely cross. After six thousand miles, the Communist armies arrived in Wuqi, Shaanxi, and the Long March was completed. Mao established a new political center in Yenan by December, 1935. Of the original 86,000 troops that left Jiangxi, only 4,000 arrived in Shaanxi. Many were killed, some deserted, and others simply stayed behind.
Significance
The surviving forces in Shaanxi provided the nucleus for rebuilding the Communist state that challenged Chiang after the Japanese were expelled in 1945.
Resources
Lindesay, William. Marching with Mao: A Biographical Journey. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1993.
Salisbury, Harrison E. The Long March: The Untold Story. New York: Harper & Row, 1985.
Tuten, Frederic. The Adventures of Mao on the Long March. New York: Marion Boyars, 1997.