The Long March
Overview map of the route of the Long March Red-hatched areas show Communist enclaves. Areas marked by a blue "X" were overrun by Kuomintang forces during the Fourth Encirclement Campaign, forcing the Fourth Red Army (north) and the Second Red Army (south) to retreat to more western enclaves (open dotted lines). The solid dotted line is the route of the First Red Army from Jiangxi. The withdrawal of all three Red Armies ends in the northwest enclave of Shanxxi.
Date October 1934 - October 1936 Location China. from Jiangxi to Shaanxi Result Red armies of the Communist Party of China evade the Kuomintang (KMT) armies
Belligerents
Nationalist Party of China and allied warlords	Communist Party of China
Commanders
Chiang Kai-shek	various, eventually Mao Zedong
Strength
over 300,000	First Front Red Army: 86,000 (October 1934) 7,000 (October 1935)

The Long March (traditional Chinese: 長征; simplified Chinese: 长征; pinyin: Chángzhēng) was a massive military retreat undertaken by the Red Armies of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the forerunner of the People's Liberation Army, to evade the pursuit of the Kuomintang (KMT or Chinese Nationalist Party) army. There was not one Long March, but several, as various Communist armies in the south escaped to the north and west. The most well known is the march from Jiangxi province which began in October 1934. The First Front Army of the Chinese Soviet Republic, led by an inexperienced military commission, was on the brink of complete annihilation by Chiang Kai-shek's troops in their stronghold in Jiangxi province. The Communists, under the eventual command of Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, escaped in a circling retreat to the west and north, which reportedly traversed some 12,500 kilometers (8,000 miles) over 370 days.^[1] The route passed through some of the most difficult terrain of western China by traveling west, then north, to Shaanxi. Combatants National Revolutionary Army Chinese Red Army Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Chen Cheng Cai Tingkai Zhu De Mao Zedong Wang Ming Zhou Enlai Bo Gu Li De Strength Around 500,000 70,000 Casualties 30,000  ? The Fourth Encirclement Campaign (Chinese: ) was the fourth campaign launched by the Chinese Nationalist...   (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Chiang-hsi; Postal map spelling: Kiangsi) is a southern province of the Peoples Republic of China, spanning from the banks of the Yangtze River in the north into hillier areas in the south. ... For other uses, see October (disambiguation). ... Year 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see October (disambiguation). ... Year 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...   (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Chiang-hsi; Postal map spelling: Kiangsi) is a southern province of the Peoples Republic of China, spanning from the banks of the Yangtze River in the north into hillier areas in the south. ...   (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ShÇŽnxÄ«; Wade-Giles: Shan-hsi; Postal map spelling: Shensi) is a north-central province of the Peoples Republic of China, and includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River as well as the Qinling Mountains across the... The Communist Party of China (CPC) (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ), also known as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is the ruling political party of the Peoples Republic of China and also the worlds largest political party. ... The Kuomintang of China (abbreviation KMT) [1], also often translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party, is a political party in the Republic of China (ROC), now on Taiwan, and is currently the largest political party in terms of seats in the Legislative Yuan, and the oldest political party in the... Image File history File links Naval_Jack_of_the_Republic_of_China. ... The Kuomintang of China (abbreviation KMT) [1], also often translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party, is a political party in the Republic of China (ROC), now on Taiwan, and is currently the largest political party in terms of seats in the Legislative Yuan, and the oldest political party in the... The Warlord era represents the period in the history of the Republic of China from 1916 to the mid-1930s when the country was divided by various military cliques, and this division continued until the fall of the nationalist government in mainland China in many regions, such as in Sichuan... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Chinese_Communist_Party. ... The Communist Party of China (CPC) (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ), also known as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is the ruling political party of the Peoples Republic of China and also the worlds largest political party. ... Image File history File links Naval_Jack_of_the_Republic_of_China. ... Chiang Kai-shek (October 31, 1887 – April 5, 1975) was the Chinese military and political leader who assumed the leadership of the Kuomintang (KMT) after the death of Sun Yat-sen in 1925. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Chinese_Communist_Party. ... Mao redirects here. ... Belligerents Nationalist Party of China Communist Party of China Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Mao Zedong Strength 4,300,000 (July 1946) 3,650,000 (June 1948) 1,490,000 (June 1949) 1,200,000 (July 1946) 2,800,000 (June 1948) 4,000,000 (June 1949) The Chinese Civil War... The Encirclement Campaigns were a series of campaigns launched by the Nationalist Government with the goal of destroying the developing Chinese Red Army during the early stage of Chinese Civil War between 1930 - 1934. ... Combatants National Revolutionary Army Chinese Red Army Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Lu Diping Zhang Huizan Mao Zedong Zhu De Strength 100,000 40,000 Casualties 9,000 kill, 6,000 captured  ? Chinese Civil War Major engagements in bold Encirclement Campaigns (First - Second - Third - Fourth - Fifth) - Long March (Luding Bridge) - Intermission... Combatants National Revolutionary Army Chinese Red Army Commanders He Yingqin Zhu De Strength 200,000 30,000+ Casualties 30,000  ? The Second Encirclement Campaign (Chinese: ) was another series of battles launched by the Chinese Nationalist Government in hope to encircle and destroy the Jiangxi Soviet after the previous campaign have... Combatants National Revolutionary Army Chinese Red Army Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Zhu De Strength 300,000 30,000+ Casualties 30,000  ? The Third Encirclement Campaign (Chinese: ) was the third campaign launched by the Chinese Nationalist Government in hope to destroy the Red Army in Jiangxi. ... Combatants National Revolutionary Army Chinese Red Army Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Chen Cheng Cai Tingkai Zhu De Mao Zedong Wang Ming Zhou Enlai Bo Gu Li De Strength Around 500,000 70,000 Casualties 30,000  ? The Fourth Encirclement Campaign (Chinese: ) was the fourth campaign launched by the Chinese Nationalist... Combatants National Revolutionary Army Chinese Red Army Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Chen Jitang Wang Ming Zhou Enlai Bo Gu Li De Strength 500,000 under Chiang Kai-shek, 300,000 under Chen Jitang, 200,000 form other warlords of Manchuria, Sichuan, Hunan, Fujian and Guangxi. ... now. ... The Second United Front was the alliance between the Kuomintang and Communists during the Second Sino-Japanese War that suspended the Chinese Civil War from 1937 to 1940. ... The New Fourth Army Incident occurred during the Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945), during which the Chinese Civil War was in theory suspended, uniting the Communists and Nationalists against the Japanese. ... Shangdang (上党) campaign was a series battles fought between the communist force under the leadership of Liu Bocheng and the nationalist Yan Xishan’s Kuomintang force from September 10, 1945 thru October 12, 1945. ... Combatants National Revolutionary Army Peoples Liberation Army Commanders  ?  ? Strength  ?  ? Casualties 16,000  ? The Longhai Campaign (Chinese: ) was series of battle launched by Peoples Liberation Army in Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region against the National Revolutionary Army. ... Combatants National Revolutionary Army Peoples Liberation Army Commanders  ? Liu Bocheng, Deng Xiaoping Strength  ? 50,000 Casualties 17,000  ? The Dingtao Campaign (Chinese: ) was series of battle launched by the Peoples Liberation Army against the National Revolutionary Army in Dingtao region, Xuzhou. ... Combatants National Revolutionary Army Peoples Liberation Army Commanders  ?  ? Strength  ?  ? Casualties 35,000  ? The Zhengtai Campaign (Chinese: ) was a serie of battles launched by the Peoples Liberation Army around Zhengtai Railway in hope to connect the military region of Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei and Shanxi-Heibei-Shandong-Henan. ... The Liaoshen Campaign was an important series of battles in the Chinese Civil War fought in the north-eastern province of Liaoning. ... Combatants National Revolutionary Army Peoples Liberation Army Northeast and North China Field Army Commanders Zheng Dongguo Xiao Jingguang Strength ~100,000 100,000 Casualties unknown; ~330,000 civilian deaths minimal The Siege of Changchun (Simplified Chinese: , Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ChángchÅ«n Wéikùnzhàn) was a besiege... Combatants National Revolutionary Army Peoples Liberation Army Northeast Field Army Commanders Fan Hanjie Lin Biao Strength ~200,000 250,000 Casualties 20,000 deaths, 80,000 captured unknown Battle of Jinzhou (Simplified Chinese: , Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Jînzhou ZhÄ«zhàn) was a battle between the Peoples Liberation... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... Combatants National Revolutionary Army Peoples Liberation Army Northeast and North China Field Army Commanders Fu Zuoyi Lin Biao, Luo Ronghuan Strength ~500,000 1,000,000 Casualties ~520,000 (including non-combat losses) 40,000 Pingjin Campaign (Traditional Chinese: , Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: PíngjÄ«n Zhànyì), known as... Combatants Republic of China, National Revolutionary Army Peoples Republic of China, Peoples Liberation Army Commanders Tang Enbo Ye Fei Strength Roughly 40,000 garrisoned troops from the ROC 18th Army, air support from ROC Air Force, maritime support from ROC Navy. ... Combatants Republic of China Army Peoples Liberation Army Commanders Liu Lien-Yi (劉廉一) Hu Wei (胡煒) Strength Unknown from 221st Division, 67th Division, 75th Division 20,000 men+ from 61st Division with additional unit Casualties 2173 killed and wounded 3660+ killed 677+ captured The Battle of Dengbu Island (登步島戰役) was a conflict... Combatants National Revolutionary Army Peoples Liberation Army Commanders Cheng Zhiwu 程志武 Li Yuanheng 李元亨 ? Strength 3,000+ 100 Casualties 300+ killed 100+ captured alive Minor The Battle of Tianquan was a battle fought between the communists and the nationalists during the Chinese Civil War in the post World War II era... Combatants National Revolutionary Army Chinese Red Army Commanders Wu Qijun 吴起骏  ? Strength 1,375 around 7,000 Casualties 27 killed 1,348 captured Minor The battle of Nan’ao island (Nan’ao Dao, 南澳岛) was a battle fought between the nationalists and the communists during the Chinese Civil War and communists emerged... Combatants National Revolutionary Army Peoples Liberation Army Commanders  ?  ? Strength 5,000 14,000 Casualties 2,044 Minor The battle of Eastern Mountain (Dongshan, 东山) Island (东山岛战斗) was a battle fought between the nationalists and the communists during the Chinese Civil War for the control of the Eastern Mountain (Dongshan, 东山) Island at... Combatants National Revolutionary Army Chinese Red Army Commanders Qi Hongzhang 齐鸿章 Hong Xuezhi 洪学智 Strength 4,000 40+ naval vessels 10,000 24 naval vessels Casualties > 700 4 gunboats sunk, 11 naval vessels captured by the enemy > 300 1 landing ship and 1 gunboat severely damaged Wanshan Archipelago Campaign (万山群岛战役) was a campaign... Combatants National Revolutionary Army Chinese Red Army Commanders  ?  ? Strength 421 > 1,000 Casualties 421 Minor Battle of Nanpéng Island (南鹏岛战斗) was a battle fought between the nationalists and the communists during the Chinese Civil War and resulted in the communist victory. ... Combatants Republic of China Army Peoples Liberation Army Commanders Wang Kuan-Yao (汪光堯) Ye Fei (葉飛) Strength 6000+ men from 75th Division 1,300 men+ Casualties Less than 100 500+ killed 700+ captured 3 torpedo boats sunk The Battle of Nanri Island (南日島戰役) was a conflict between the Republic of China Army... Combatants National Revolutionary Army Chinese Red Army Commanders Huang Songsheng黄颂声  ? Strength > 150 around 400 Casualties 106 killed 40+ captured 89 killed 300+ wounded Battle of NanpÄ“ng Archipelago was a battle fought between the Chinese nationalists and the communists over the islands of NanpÄ“ng (南澎) Archipelago off the Cantonese coast... Combatants National Revolutionary Army Peoples Liberation Army Commanders He Zhuoquan何卓权 ? Strength 239 450 Casualties 239 Minor The battle of Dalushan (Greater Deer Mountain) Islands (大鹿山等岛战斗) was a battle fought between the nationalists and the communists for several islands and islets just off the coast of Zhejiang, China during the Chinese... Combatants National Revolutionary Army Chinese Red Army Commanders Hu Lian 胡琏 Ye Fei 叶飞 You Meiyao 游梅耀 Strength 10,000 11,000 Casualties 2,664 killed 715 captured 1,250 total Dongshan Island Campaign (东山岛战役) was a series battles fought on the Eastern Mountain (Dongshan, 东山) Island, Fujian between the nationalists and the communists during... Combatants National Revolutionary Army Peoples Liberation Army Commanders Wang Shen-Ming (王生明) Zhang Aiping (张爱萍) Strength 1000+ men 5,000 men+ 137 warship 184 planes Casualties 567 killed 519 taken as prisoners 393 killed 1024 wounded The Battle of Yijiangshan Islands (一江山島戰役) was a conflict between forces of the Republic of China... Combatants National Revolutionary Army Peoples Liberation Army Commanders  ?  ? Strength 15,000  ? Casualties Minor None The Battle of Dachen Archipelago (大陈等岛之战) was a struggle between the nationalists and the communists for the control of several archipelagos just off the coast of Zhejiang, China during the Chinese Civil War in the post... Combatants Republic of China Navy Peoples Liberation Navy Commanders 何德崇 Unknown Strength 1 Patrol Craft 8 Gun Boats Casualties Official Claim: 3 killed 4 wounded Estimate: 7 killed 43 wounded 4 Boats sunk 2 Boats damaged The Battle of Dong-Yin (東引海戰) was a naval conflict between forces of the Republic... Traditional Chinese characters refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... Simplified Chinese character (Simplified Chinese: or ; traditional Chinese: or ; pinyin: or ) is one of two standard sets of Chinese characters of the contemporary Chinese written language. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... The Communist Party of China (CPC) (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ), also known as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is the ruling political party of the Peoples Republic of China and also the worlds largest political party. ... Peoples Liberation Army redirects here. ... The Kuomintang of China (abbreviation KMT) [1], also often translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party, is a political party in the Republic of China (ROC), now on Taiwan, and is currently the largest political party in terms of seats in the Legislative Yuan, and the oldest political party in the...   (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Chiang-hsi; Postal map spelling: Kiangsi) is a southern province of the Peoples Republic of China, spanning from the banks of the Yangtze River in the north into hillier areas in the south. ... Flag of the Chinese Soviet Republic (1931-1934). ... Chiang Kai-shek (October 31, 1887 – April 5, 1975) was the Chinese military and political leader who assumed the leadership of the Kuomintang (KMT) after the death of Sun Yat-sen in 1925. ... Mao redirects here. ... Zhou Enlai (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Chou En-lai) (March 5, 1898 – January 8, 1976), a prominent Communist Party of China leader, was Premier of the Peoples Republic of China from 1949 until his death in January 1976, and Chinas foreign minister from 1949...   (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ShÇŽnxÄ«; Wade-Giles: Shan-hsi; Postal map spelling: Shensi) is a north-central province of the Peoples Republic of China, and includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River as well as the Qinling Mountains across the...

The Long March began the ascent to power of Mao Zedong, whose leadership during the retreat gained him the support of the members of the party. The bitter struggles of the Long March, which was completed by only one-tenth of the force that left Jiangxi, would come to represent a significant episode in the history of the Communist Party of China, and would seal the personal prestige of Mao and his supporters as the new leaders of the party in the following decades. Mao redirects here. ... Leader redirects here. ...

Background to the Long March

The Red Army in 1934

Although the literal translation of the Chinese Cháng Zhēng is “Long March”, official publications of the People's Republic of China refer to "The Great March of the Red Army" (Chinese traditional: 紅軍長征, Chinese simplified: 红军长征, pinyin: Hóng Jūn Cháng Zhēng). The Long March most commonly refers to the transfer of the main group of the First (or Central) Red Army, which included the leaders of the Communist Party of China, from Yudu in the province of Jiangxi, to Yan'an in Shaanxi. In this sense, the Long March lasted from 16 October 1934 to 19 October 1935. In a broader view, the Long March included two other forces retreating under pressure from the Kuomintang: the Second Red Army and the Fourth Red Army. The retreat of all the Red Armies was not complete until 22 October 1936, when the three forces linked up in Shaanxi. Ganzhou (赣州) is a municipal unit, equivalent to a prefecture-level city in Jiangxi province, China. ... Yanan (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Yen-an), is a city in the Shanbei region of Shaanxi province, China. ... is the 289th day of the year (290th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 292nd day of the year (293rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar). ... is the 295th day of the year (296th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The divisions of the "Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army" (紅軍) were named according to historical circumstances, sometimes in a nonconsecutive way. Early Communist units often formed by defection from existing Kuomintang forces, keeping their original designations. By the time of the Long March, numerous small units had been organized into three unified groups, the First Red Army (紅一方面軍/红一方面军/Hóng Yī Fāngmiàn Jūn), the Second Red Army (紅二方面軍/红二方面军/Hóng Èr Fāngmiàn Jūn) and the Fourth Red Army (紅四方面軍/红四方面军/Hóng Sì Fāngmiàn Jūn).^[2] Some translations refer to these same units as the “First Front Red Army", “Second Front Red Army” and “Fourth Front Red Army" to distinguish them from the earlier organizational divisions. The First Red Army formed from the First, Third and Fifth Army Groups in southern Kiangsi under command of Bo Gu and Li De. When the Fourth Red Army under Zhang Guotao was formed in the Szechuan-Shensi border area from several smaller units, no standard nomenclature of the armies of the Communist Party existed; moreover, during the Chinese Civil War central control of separate Communist-controlled enclaves within China was limited. After the organization of these first two main forces, the Second Red Army formed in eastern Kweichow by unifying the Second and Sixth Army Groups under He Long and Jen Pi-shih. A “Third Red Army" was never established. The three armies would maintain their historical designation as the First, Second and Fourth Red Armies until Communist military forces were nominally integrated into the National Revolutionary Army, forming the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army, during the Second Sino-Japanese War from 1937 to 1945. Jiangxi (Chinese: 江西; pinyin: Jiāngxī; Wade-Giles: Chiang-hsi; Postal System Pinyin: Kiangsi) is a southern province of the Peoples Republic of China, spanning from the banks of the Chang Jiang (Yangtze) in the north into hillier areas in the south. ... Qin Bangxian or Bo Gu (秦邦宪或博古) (1907-April 8, 1946) was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China from 1934-1935. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Sichuan (Chinese: 四川; pinyin: Sìchuān; Wade-Giles: Ssu-ch`uan; non-standard transliteration: Szechwan) is a province in central-western China with its capital at Chengdu. ... Not to be confused with the neighboring province of Shanxi Shaanxi (Simplified Chinese: 陕西; Traditional Chinese: 陝西; pinyin: Shǎnxī; Wade-Giles: Shan-hsi; Postal System Pinyin: Shensi, pronounced like Shahn-shee) is a northwestern province of the Peoples Republic of China, and includes portions of the Loess Plateau on... Belligerents Nationalist Party of China Communist Party of China Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Mao Zedong Strength 4,300,000 (July 1946) 3,650,000 (June 1948) 1,490,000 (June 1949) 1,200,000 (July 1946) 2,800,000 (June 1948) 4,000,000 (June 1949) The Chinese Civil War... Guizhou (Simplified Chinese: 贵州; Traditional Chinese: 貴州; pinyin: Gùizhōu; Wade-Giles: Kuei-chou; also spelled Kweichow) is a province of the Peoples Republic of China located in the southwestern part of the country. ... He Long (贺龙) (Wades-Giles: Ho Lung) (March 22, 1896–June 8, 1969) was a Chinese communist military leader. ... The National Revolutionary Army (NRA) (traditional Chinese: ; simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: , sometimes shortened to 國軍 or National Army) was the party army of the Kuomintang (KMT) from 1925 until 1947, as well as the national army of the Republic of China during the KMTs period of party rule beginning in 1928. ... The Eighth Route Army (八路軍 Pinyin: bālù-jūn) was one of the main military forces of the Communist Party of China, active during the Chinese Civil War and Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945). ... The New Fourth Army (新四軍 Pinyin: xin-si-jun) and the Eighth Route Army were the two main communist forces from 1938. ... Combatants China  United States1 Soviet Union2  Empire of Japan Collaborationist Chinese Army3 Commanders Chiang Kai-shek, Chen Cheng, Yan Xishan, Feng Yuxiang, Li Zongren, Xue Yue, Bai Chongxi, Peng Dehuai, Joseph Stilwell, Claire Chennault, Aleksandr Vasilevsky Hirohito, Fumimaro Konoe, Hideki Tojo, Kotohito Kanin, Matsui Iwane, Hajime Sugiyama, Shunroku Hata...

Civil war

Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek encircled the Communists in Jiangxi in 1934.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), founded in 1921 by Chen Duxiu with Soviet support, initially collaborated with the Chinese Nationalist Party or Kuomintang (KMT), founded by the revolutionary republican Sun Yat-sen. After the unexpected death of Sun in March of 1925, a power struggle within the KMT favored Chiang Kai-shek, whose Northern Expedition forces succeeded in wresting control of large areas of China from local warlords, establishing a unified government in Nanjing in April 1927. Unlike other nationalist leaders, like Wang Jingwei, Chiang was hostile to continued collaboration with the Communists. This initial period of cooperation to unify China against the feudal warlords and the Japanese Empire ended abruptly in April of 1927 when Chiang Kai-shek struck out against the Communists. Unsuccessful urban insurrections (in Nanchang, Wuhan and Guangzhou) and the suppression of the Communist Party in Shanghai and other cities finally drove many party supporters to rural strongholds such as the Jiangxi Soviet organized by Mao Zedong. By 1928, deserters and defecting Kuomintang army units, supplemented by peasants from the Communist rural soviets, formed the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army. The ideological confrontation between the CCP and the KMT soon evolved into the first phase of the Chinese Civil War. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Chiang Kai-shek (October 31, 1887 – April 5, 1975) was the Chinese military and political leader who assumed the leadership of the Kuomintang (KMT) after the death of Sun Yat-sen in 1925. ...   (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Chiang-hsi; Postal map spelling: Kiangsi) is a southern province of the Peoples Republic of China, spanning from the banks of the Yangtze River in the north into hillier areas in the south. ... Chen Duxiu (October 8, 1879 – May 27, 1942) played many different roles in Chinese history. ... Dr. Sun Yat-sen Traditional Chinese: 孫中山; Pinyin: SÅ«n Zhōngshān; or Sun Yixian (Pinyin: SÅ«n Yìxiān) (November 12, 1866 – March 12, 1925) was a Chinese revolutionary and political leader often referred to as the father of modern China. Sun played an instrumental role in the... The Warlord era represents the period in the history of the Republic of China from 1916 to the mid-1930s when the country was divided by various military cliques, and this division continued until the fall of the nationalist government in mainland China in many regions, such as in Sichuan... For other uses, see Nanjing (disambiguation). ... Wang Jingwei * Courtesy name: Jixin (季新) * Alternate name: Zhaoming (兆銘). Wang Jingwei (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Wang Ching-wei) (May 4, 1883 – November 10, 1944), was a Chinese politician. ... A warlord is a person with power who has de facto military control of a subnational area due to armed forces loyal to the warlord and not to a central authority. ... His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Akihito of Japan The Emperor of Japan (天皇, tennō) is Japans titular head of state and the head of the Japanese imperial family. ... 412 Incident was a large-scale purge to Communists in the Chinese Nationalist Party in Shanghai, which was ordered by Chiang Kai-shek, occured on 12 April 1927 during the Northern Expedition. ... The Nanchang Uprising (Chinese: ; pinyin: Nánchāng Qǐyì) (August 1, 1927) was the first major Kuomintang-Communist engagement of the Chinese Civil War. ... For the brand of cymbal, see Wuhan cymbals. ... Guangzhou is the capital and the sub-provincial city of Guangdong Province in the southern part of the Peoples Republic of China. ... For other uses, see Shanghai (disambiguation). ... The Jiangxi Soviet, formally called the Chinese Soviet Republic (中华苏维埃共和国 Pinyin: Zhōnghuá SÅ«wéiāi GònghÄ“guó), also translated as the Soviet Republic of China or the China Soviet Republic, existed from 1931 to 1934. ... Belligerents Nationalist Party of China Communist Party of China Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Mao Zedong Strength 4,300,000 (July 1946) 3,650,000 (June 1948) 1,490,000 (June 1949) 1,200,000 (July 1946) 2,800,000 (June 1948) 4,000,000 (June 1949) The Chinese Civil War...

Flag of the Chinese Soviet Republic in Jiangxi

By 1930, the Communist Red Army had established the Chinese Soviet Republic in the provinces of Jiangxi and Fujian around the city of Ruijin, including industrial facilities.^[3] Between 1930 and 1933, four attempts by Chiang to defeat the Communists were repelled by forces led by Mao. In spite of these successes, the Soviet Union and Comintern-influenced leaders of the party distrusted the ideas of Mao, who held that the rural Chinese peasants, not the urban proletariat, were the Communist party's base. In September 1933, the National Revolutionary Army under Chiang Kai-shek eventually completely encircled Jiangxi, with the advice and tactical assistance of his German adviser, Hans von Seeckt.^[4] A fortified perimeter was established by Chiang's forces, and Jiangxi was besieged in an attempt to destroy the Communist forces trapped within. In July 1934, the leaders of the party, dominated by the "Twenty-Eight Bolsheviks", a militant group formed in Moscow by Wang Ming and Bo Gu, forced Mao from the Politburo of the Communist Party in Ruijin and placed him briefly under house arrest. Mao was replaced by Zhou Enlai as leader of the military commission,^[5] and the Chinese Red Army was commanded by a three man military committee, including a German military advisor Otto Braun (called in Chinese, Li De zh:李德), the Comintern military advisor Bo Gu, and Zhou. The committee abandoned Mao's successful tactics of mobile warfare against the Kuomintang forces. Direct engagements with the Nationalist army soon caused heavy casualties and loss of material and territory. Mao would later write of this period: Image File history File links Chinese_soviet_flag. ... Image File history File links Chinese_soviet_flag. ... Year 1930 (MCMXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display 1930 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Jiangxi Soviet, formally called the Chinese Soviet Republic (中华苏维埃共和国 Pinyin: Zhōnghuá SÅ«wéiāi GònghÄ“guó), also translated as the Soviet Republic of China or the China Soviet Republic, existed from 1931 to 1934. ...   (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Fu-chien; Postal map spelling: Fukien, Foukien; local transliteration Hokkien from Min Nan Hok-kiàn) is one of the provinces on the southeast coast of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Ruijin (Chinese: (瑞金,pinyin: rui jin) is a small city in the mountains bordering Fujian Province in south-eastern Jiangxi. ... The First Counter Encirclement Campaign is the successful Chinese communists defense of their Jiangxi Soviet base in the southern Jiangxi against the nationalist attacks from November, 1930 thru January 3, 1931. ... The Comintern (Russian: Коммунистический Интернационал, Kommunisticheskiy Internatsional – Communist International, also known as the Third International) was an international Communist organization founded in March 1919, in the midst of the war communism period (1918-1921), by Vladimir Lenin and the Russian Communist Party (Bolshevik), which intended to fight by all available means, including... The proletariat (from Latin proles, offspring) is a term used to identify a lower social class; a member of such a class is proletarian. ... Year 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The National Revolutionary Army (NRA) (traditional Chinese: ; simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: , sometimes shortened to 國軍 or National Army) was the party army of the Kuomintang (KMT) from 1925 until 1947, as well as the national army of the Republic of China during the KMTs period of party rule beginning in 1928. ... Chiang Kai-shek (October 31, 1887 – April 5, 1975) was the Chinese military and political leader who assumed the leadership of the Kuomintang (KMT) after the death of Sun Yat-sen in 1925. ... Combatants National Revolutionary Army Chinese Red Army Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Chen Jitang Wang Ming Zhou Enlai Bo Gu Li De Strength 500,000 under Chiang Kai-shek, 300,000 under Chen Jitang, 200,000 form other warlords of Manchuria, Sichuan, Hunan, Fujian and Guangxi. ... Hans von Seeckt Hans von Seeckt (22 April 1866 - 27 December 1936) was a German soldier. ... This article needs copyediting (checking for proper English spelling, grammar, usage, etc. ... Qin Bangxian or Bo Gu (秦邦宪或博古) (1907-April 8, 1946) was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China from 1934-1935. ... Zhou Enlai (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Chou En-lai) (March 5, 1898 – January 8, 1976), a prominent Communist Party of China leader, was Premier of the Peoples Republic of China from 1949 until his death in January 1976, and Chinas foreign minister from 1949... The Comintern (Russian: Коммунистический Интернационал, Kommunisticheskiy Internatsional – Communist International, also known as the Third International) was an international Communist organization founded in March 1919, in the midst of the war communism period (1918-1921), by Vladimir Lenin and the Russian Communist Party (Bolshevik), which intended to fight by all available means, including... Qin Bangxian or Bo Gu (秦邦宪或博古) (1907-April 8, 1946) was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China from 1934-1935. ... The US M1A1 Abrams tank is a typical modern main battle tank. ...

By May 1928, basic principles of guerilla warfare, simple in nature and suited to the conditions of the time, had already been evolved...But beginning from January 1932...the old principles were no longer to be considered as regular, but were to be rejected as "guerilla-ism". The opposition to "guerilla-ism" reigned for three whole years.^[6]

In August 1934, with the Red Army depleted by the prolonged conflict, a spy placed by Zhou Enlai in the KMT army headquarters in Nanchang brought news that Chiang Kai-shek was preparing a major offensive against the Communist capital, Ruijin. The Communist leadership decided on a strategic retreat to regroup with other Communist units, and to avoid annihilation. The original plan was to link up with the Second Red Army commanded by He Long, thought to be in Hubei to the west and north. Communications between divided groups of the Red Army had been disrupted by the Kuomintang campaign, and during the planning to evacuate Jiangxi, the First Red Army was unaware that these other Communist forces were also retreating westward. Mo Xiong (莫雄), (1891 - February 1980) was born in Yingde, and was a close friend of Sun Yat-sen, and member of Tongmenghui, a member of Kuomintang, and a communist sympathizer / agent. ... He Long (贺龙) (Wades-Giles: Ho Lung) (March 22, 1896–June 8, 1969) was a Chinese communist military leader. ... Hubei (Chinese: 湖北; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Hu-pei; Postal System Pinyin: Hupeh) is a central province of the Peoples Republic of China. ...

Retreat and battles

The First Red Army

The first movements of the retreat were undertaken by forces led by Fang Zhimin, breaking through Kuomintang lines in June 1934. Although Fang Zhimin's troops were soon neutralized, these movements surprised the Kuomintang, who were numerically superior to the Communists at the time and did not expect an attack on their fortified perimeter. Fang Zhimin (Wades-Giles: Fang Chih Min; August 21, 1899 - August 6, 1935) was a Chinese communist military and political leader. ... Year 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The early troop movements were actually a diversion to allow the retreat of more important leaders from Jiangxi. On 16 October 1934, a force of 130,000 under Bo Gu and Li De attacked the line of Kuomintang positions near Yudu. More than 86,000 troops, 11,000 administrative personnel and thousands of civilian porters actually completed the breakout; the remainder, largely wounded or ill soldiers, continued to fight a delaying action after the main force had left, and then dispersed into the countryside.^[7] Several prominent members of the Chinese Soviet who remained behind were captured and executed by the Kuomintang after occupation of Ruijin in November 1934, including Qu Qiubai and the youngest brother of Mao Zedong, Mao Zetan. is the 289th day of the year (290th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Máo Zétán (毛泽覃, also named Máo Zélín 毛泽淋, courtesy name first Yǒngjú 咏菊, then Rùnjú 润菊) (September 25, 1905 - April 25, 1935) was the younger one of Mao Zedongs two brothers. ...

Initially the First Red Army, with its baggage of top communist officials, records, currency reserves and other trapping of the exiled Chinese Soviet Republic, fought through several lightly defended Kuomintang checkpoints, crossing the Xinfeng river and through the province of Guangdong, south of Hunan and into Guangxi. At the Xiang river, Chiang Kai-shek had reinforced the KMT defenses. In two days of bloody fighting, 30 November to 1 December 1934, the Red Army lost more than 40,000 troops and all of the civilian porters, and there were strongly-defended Nationalist defensive lines ahead. Personnel and material losses after the battle of the Xiang river affected the morale of the troops and desertions began. By a 12 December 1934 meeting of Party leaders in Tongdao, discontent with Bo Gu and Otto Braun appeared, and Mao Zedong began a more active role in the leadership. Not to be confused with the former Kwantung Leased Territory in north-eastern China. ... Not to be confused with the unrelated provinces of Hainan, Henan, and Yunnan. ... Guangxi (Zhuang: Gvangjsih; old orthography: ; Simplified Chinese: 广西; Traditional Chinese: 廣西; Pinyin: GuÇŽngxÄ«; Wade-Giles: Kuang-hsi; Postal System Pinyin: Kwangsi), full name Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (Zhuang: Gvangjsih Bouxcuengh Swcigih; old orthography: ; Simplified Chinese: 广西壮族自治区; Traditional Chinese: 廣西壯族自治區; Pinyin: GuÇŽngxÄ« Zhuàngzú ZìzhìqÅ«) is a Zhuang autonomous region of... Alternative meaning: Hunan Xiang (Chinese: 相) is the name of a Xia dynasty ruler who reigned during the third millennium BC. Categories: People stubs | China-related stubs ... is the 334th day of the year (335th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 335th day of the year (336th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 346th day of the year (347th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Qin Bangxian or Bo Gu (秦邦宪或博古) (1907-April 8, 1946) was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China from 1934-1935. ...

Mao in 1935.

Young Mao This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Young Mao This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ...

The rise of Mao Zedong

Under these conditions, the Communists met in Zunyi in Guizhou province from January 15–17, 1935 to reshuffle the Party politburo. Although the failed leadership of Bo Gu and Li De was denounced, after three days Mao was not able to win the support of a sufficient number of Party leaders to gain outright power at the conference. Mao was passed over for the position of General Secretary by Zhang Wentian, but gained enough influence to be elected one of three members of Military Affairs Commission. The other two members, Zhou Enlai (appointed Director of the Commission) and Wang Jiaxiang, whose support Mao had enlisted earlier,^[8] were not as highly regarded in military affairs, leaving Mao in effective control of the First Red Army after the Zunyi conference. As a well-organized and highly disciplined party, the Communist Party of China made important decisions and enforced its policies by holding different meetings. ... (Simplified Chinese: 贵州; Traditional Chinese: è²´å·ž; pinyin: Gùizhōu; Wade-Giles: Kuei-chou; also spelled Kweichow) is a province of the Peoples Republic of China located in the southwestern part of the country. ... is the 15th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 17th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar). ... The Politburo of the Communist Party of China ( Chinese: 中国共产党中央政治局 pinyin: Zhōngguó Gòngchǎndǎng Zhōngyāng Zhèngzhìjú) is a group of 19 to 25 people who oversee the Communist Party of China. ... The term General Secretary (alternatively First Secretary) denotes a leader of various unions, parties or associations. ... Zhang Wentian 张闻天 (1900–July 1, 1976), also known as Luo Fu, was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) from 1935 to March 20, 1943. ... Zhou Enlai (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Chou En-lai) (March 5, 1898 – January 8, 1976), a prominent Communist Party of China leader, was Premier of the Peoples Republic of China from 1949 until his death in January 1976, and Chinas foreign minister from 1949... Wang Jiaxiang Wang Jiaxiang (August 15, 1906 - January, 1974), one of the senior leaders of the Communist Party of China in its early stage and a member of the 28 Bolsheviks, with his life of up and down indicating the cruel reality of politics. ...

When the army resumed its march north, the direct route to Sichuan was blocked by Chiang's forces. Mao's forces spent the next several months maneuvering to avoid direct confrontation with hostile forces, but still attempting to move north to join Zhang Guotao's Fourth Red Army.^[9] During this period, in February 1935, Mao's wife, He Zizhen, gave birth to a daughter. Given the harsh conditions of the retreat, the infant was left with a local family.^[10] Two British men retracing the Long March route in 2003 met a woman in rural Yunnan province, said by local officials to be Mao and He Zizhen's long-lost daughter.^[11] This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Hè Zǐzhēn (贺子珍) (September 1909 - April 19, 1984) was the third wife of Mao Zedong from May 1928 to 1939. ... Yunan redirects here. ...

The Luding Bridge

By moving south and west, the First Red Army finally broke out of Guizhou and crossed the Yangtze on May 8, 1935. The Communist forces had now been on the move for seven months since leaving Jiangxi and had only 25,000 men left. Penetrating northward into areas populated by ethnic minorities hostile to Chinese encroachment, the Communist forces were not only harassed by the Kuomintang and their local warlord allies, but also by tribes hostile to all ethnic Chinese. The terrain was another formidable opponent: the Red Army had to cross mountains and rivers, often capturing river crossings heavily defended by hostile warlords and Nationalist troops, such as the Luding Bridge. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1728x1152, 618 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Luding Bridge Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1728x1152, 618 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Luding Bridge Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner... is the 128th day of the year (129th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar). ... The Warlord era represents the period in the history of the Republic of China from 1916 to the mid-1930s when the country was divided by various military cliques, and this division continued until the fall of the nationalist government in mainland China in many regions, such as in Sichuan... now. ...

The Fourth Red Army

In July 1935, the troops under Mao united with the Fourth Red Army, led by Zhang Guotao, which had retreated west from Henan. The Communist leadership was determined to move into Shaanxi province, although the decision was not unanimous. Zhang Guotao preferred to establish a refuge near the border with the Soviet Union. In command of a much smaller force, Mao carefully avoided Zhang's discovery of this fact, and overcame Zhang's influence over the subordinate commanders of the Communist forces. After disagreement over the direction in which the troops should move, the two forces split up.^[12] Zhang Guotao's Fourth Red Army, which took a different route, south, then west and finally north through China, was largely destroyed by the forces of Chiang Kai-shek and his Chinese Muslim allies, the Ma clique. The remnants of Zhang's forces joined elements of the Second Red Army, eventually linking up with Mao's forces in Shaanxi.^[13] 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar). ... Henan (Chinese: 河南; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Ho-nan), is a province of the Peoples Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. ...   (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ShÇŽnxÄ«; Wade-Giles: Shan-hsi; Postal map spelling: Shensi) is a north-central province of the Peoples Republic of China, and includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River as well as the Qinling Mountains across the... Soviet redirects here. ... Flag of Xibei San Ma The Ma clique (Traditional Chinese: 馬家軍; Simplified Chinese: 马家军; pinyin: MÇŽ JiājÅ«n; literally Ma family army) was a family of warlords who ruled the Chinese provinces of Qinghai, Gansu and Ningxia from the 1910s until 1949. ...

The Second Red Army

Tiger Leaping Gorge in the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain massif of western Yunnan province.

The Second Red Army began its own withdrawal west from Hubei in November 1935, led by He Long, who commanded the KMT Twentieth Army in 1923 before joining the Communist Party of China (CPC). In retribution, Chiang Kai-Shek had He Long's relatives executed, including three sisters and a brother. In 1932 he established a soviet in the Hunan-Kiangsi border area, and in August 1934 received command of the Second Red Army, establishing a base in Hubei. An advance party of the First Red Army called the Sixth Group, commanded by Xiao Ke, was sent towards the Second Red Army two months before the beginning of the Long March. Xiao Ke's force would link up with He Long and his army, but lost communication with the First Army that came behind. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 139 KB) Summary ZiCheng Xu. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 139 KB) Summary ZiCheng Xu. ... Terraces part way up the sides of the Tiger Leaping Gorge View of the gorge from the high path, showing Jade Dragon Snow Mountain on the left, and Haba Xueshan on the right. ... Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (Yulong Xueshan) is a mountain near Lijiang, in Yunnan province of southwestern China. ... Yunan redirects here. ... He Long (贺龙) (Wades-Giles: Ho Lung) (March 22, 1896–June 8, 1969) was a Chinese communist military leader. ... Soviet redirects here. ...

On November 19, 1935, the Second Red Army set out on its own Long March. He Long's force was driven further west than the First Red Army, all the way to Lijiang in Yunnan province, then across the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain massif and through the Tibetan highlands of western Sichuan. He Long and Xiao Ke were married to sisters who also accompanied the army. He Long's wife, Jian Xianren, carried the baby daughter she had given birth to three weeks before the retreat began. Jian Xianfo gave birth to a son in the desolate swamps of northern Sichuan.^[14] Forces of the Second Army detained two European missionaries, Rudolf Bosshardt and Arnolis Hayman, for 16 months.^[15] Bosshardt later related his account of the details of daily life on the Long March in a book.^[16]. is the 323rd day of the year (324th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar). ... Lijang may refer to: Lijiang is a city in Yunnan Province, China. ... Yunan redirects here. ... Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (Yulong Xueshan) is a mountain near Lijiang, in Yunnan province of southwestern China. ...   (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: SzÅ­4-chuan1; Postal map spelling: Szechwan and Szechuan) is a province in the central-western China with its capital at Chengdu. ... Rudolf Alfred Bosshardt (1897-1993) was a Protestant Christian missionary in China. ...

In 2005, Ed Jocelyn and Yang Xiao retraced the rugged path of the Second Red Army's Long March.^[12]

Union of the three armies

Mao's First Red Army traversed several swamps and suffered ambushes from the Tibetans and the Hui. Finally in October 1935, his army reached Shaanxi province. The remnants of Zhang's Fourth Red Army eventually joined Mao in Shaanxi, but with his army destroyed, Zhang, even as a founding member of the CCP, was never able to challenge Mao's authority.^[17] After an expedition of almost a year, the Second Red Army reached Bao'an (Shaanxi) on 22 October 1936, known in China as the “union of the three armies”, and the end of the Long March. This article is about historical/cultural Tibet. ... The Hui (回) ethnic group is unrelated to the Hui (å¾½) dialects. ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar). ... Baoan (宝安, Wade-Giles: Pao An) was the former name for Zhidan County, a county in Shaanxi Province (Postal System Pinyin: Shensi), China, in the countrys rural north central-western region. ... is the 295th day of the year (296th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

All along the way, the Communist Army confiscated property and weapons from local warlords and landlords, while recruiting peasants and the poor. Nevertheless, only some 8,000 troops under Mao's command, the First Front Army, ultimately made it to the final destination of Yan'an in 1935. Of these, less than 7,000 were among the original 100,000 soldiers who had started the march. A variety of factors contributed to the losses including fatigue, hunger & cold, sickness, desertion, and military casualties. During the retreat, membership in the party fell from 300,000 to around 40,000.^[18] A warlord is a person with power who has de facto military control of a subnational area due to armed forces loyal to the warlord and not to a central authority. ... Yanan (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Yen-an), is a city in the Shanbei region of Shaanxi province, China. ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar). ... The word fatigue is used in everyday living to describe a range of afflictions, varying from a general state of lethargy to a specific work induced burning sensation within muscle. ...

Aftermath

A Communist leader addressing Long March survivors.

While costly, the Long March gave the Communist Party of China (CPC) the isolation it needed, allowing its army to recuperate and rebuild in the north of China. It also was vital in helping the CPC to gain a positive reputation among the peasants due to the determination and dedication of the surviving participants of the Long March. Mao wrote in 1935: A Communist cadre leader addressing survivors. ... A Communist cadre leader addressing survivors. ... The Communist Party of China (CPC) (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ), also known as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is the ruling political party of the Peoples Republic of China and also the worlds largest political party. ...

The Long March is a manifesto. It has proclaimed to the world that the Red Army is an army of heroes, while the imperialists and their running dogs, Chiang Kai-shek and his like, are impotent. It has proclaimed their utter failure to encircle, pursue, obstruct and intercept us. The Long March is also a propaganda force. It has announced to some 200 million people in eleven provinces that the road of the Red Army is their only road to liberation.^[19]

In addition, policies ordered by Mao for all soldiers to follow, the Eight Points of Attention, instructed the army to avoid harm to or disrespect for the peasants, in spite of the desperate need for food and supplies. This policy won support for the Communists among the rural peasants.^[12] The Three Rules of Discipline and Eight Points for Attention is a military doctrine that was issued in 1928 by Mao Zedong and his associates for the Chinese Red Army, who were then fighting against the Kuomintang. ...

Hostilities ceased while the Nationalists and Chinese Communists formed a nominal alliance during the Second Sino-Japanese War from 1937 until 1945. During these years, the Chinese Communist Party persevered and strengthened its influence. The Red Army fought a disciplined and organized guerilla campaign^[20] against superior Japanese forces, allowing it to gain experience. Following the end of World War II, the resurgent Communist Eighth Route Army, later called the People's Liberation Army, returned to drive the Kuomintang out of Mainland China to the island of Taiwan. Since the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the Long March has been glorified as an example of the Communist Party's strength and resilience. The Long March solidified Mao's status as the undisputed leader of the CCP. Other participants in the March also went on to become prominent party leaders, including Zhu De, Lin Biao, Liu Shaoqi, Dong Biwu, Ye Jianying, Li Xiannian, Yang Shangkun, Zhou Enlai and Deng Xiaoping. Combatants China  United States1 Soviet Union2  Empire of Japan Collaborationist Chinese Army3 Commanders Chiang Kai-shek, Chen Cheng, Yan Xishan, Feng Yuxiang, Li Zongren, Xue Yue, Bai Chongxi, Peng Dehuai, Joseph Stilwell, Claire Chennault, Aleksandr Vasilevsky Hirohito, Fumimaro Konoe, Hideki Tojo, Kotohito Kanin, Matsui Iwane, Hajime Sugiyama, Shunroku Hata... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... The Eighth Route Army (八路軍 Pinyin: bālù-jūn) was one of the main military forces of the Communist Party of China, active during the Chinese Civil War and Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945). ... Peoples Liberation Army redirects here. ... ... Zhu De ZhÅ« Dé (朱德, Wade-Giles: Chu Teh, zi: YùjiÄ“ 玉阶) (December 1, 1886 – July 6, 1976) was a Chinese Communist military leader and statesman. ... An artistic rendition of Mao Zedong and Lin Biao as his heir apparent in the style of socialist realism in the prime of the Cultural Revolution. ... An anti-Liu Shaoqi poster, 1968. ... Dong Biwu (Chinese: 董必武, Wade-Giles: Tung Pi-wu) (1886 - April 2, 1975) was a Chinese communist political leader during the regime of Mao Zedong. ... Bo Gu, Ye Jianying and Zhou Enlai in Xian Ye Jianying (simplified Chinese: 叶剑英) (Wade-Giles:Yeh Chien-ying) (April 28, 1897-October 22, 1986) was a Chinese Communist general and the chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress from 1978 to 1983. ... Lǐ Xiānniàn (1902–June 21, 1992) was President of the Peoples Republic of China between 1983 and 1988 and then president of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference until his death. ... Yáng ShàngkÅ«n (May 25, 1907–September 14, 1998) was President of the Peoples Republic of China from 1988 to 1993, and was permanent Vice-chair of the Central Military Commission. ... Zhou Enlai (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Chou En-lai) (March 5, 1898 – January 8, 1976), a prominent Communist Party of China leader, was Premier of the Peoples Republic of China from 1949 until his death in January 1976, and Chinas foreign minister from 1949... Deng Xiaoping   (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Teng Hsiao-ping; August 22, 1904 – February 19, 1997) was a prominent Chinese politician and reformer, and the late leader of the Communist Party of China (CCP). ...

In 2003, controversy arose about the distance covered by Mao's First Front Army in the Long March.^[21] The figure of 25,000 li (12,500 kilometres or about 8,000 miles^[1]) was Mao's estimate, quoted by his biographer Edgar Snow in Red Star Over China, published not long after the end of the Long March in 1935. In 2003, two British researchers, Ed Jocelyn and Andrew McEwen,^[12] retraced the route in 384 days,^[14] and in their 2006 book "The Long March" estimated the March actually covered about 6,000 km (3,700 miles). Jocelyn and McEwen conclude in their book that "Mao and his followers twisted the tale of the Long March for their own ends. Mao's role was mythologized to the point where ... it seemed he had single-handedly saved the Red Army and defeated Chiang Kai-shek". Mao exaggerated, perhaps even doubled, the length of the march, they believe.^[22] Their report has been disputed by the Chinese media.^[23] Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The li (里 lǐ) is a Chinese unit of distance, until recently usually considered to be about 576 metres, but is now standardised at a half a kilometre or 500 metres (547 yards). ... Edgar Snow (left) with Zhou Enlai and his wife Deng Yingchao approx. ... Mao Zedong in 1931. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Footnotes

is the 226th day of the year (227th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 48th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 329th day of the year (330th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 327th day of the year (328th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 343rd day of the year (344th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 48th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 75th day of the year (76th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 74th day of the year (75th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 74th day of the year (75th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 295th day of the year (296th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 327th day of the year (328th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 327th day of the year (328th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 327th day of the year (328th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 327th day of the year (328th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 74th day of the year (75th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 327th day of the year (328th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 329th day of the year (330th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 309th day of the year (310th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 329th day of the year (330th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 93rd day of the year (94th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 327th day of the year (328th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Further reading

• Chang, Jung & Halliday, Jon (2005). Mao: the unknown story (in English). Alfred A. Knopf, 814 pages. ISBN 0-679-42271-4. 
• Griffith, Samuel B. (translator) (2005). Yu Chi Chan (On Guerrilla Warfare) by Mao Tse-tung (1937) (in English). Dover Books on History, 128 pages. ISBN 0-48644-376-0. 
• Jocelyn, Ed & McEwen, Andrew (March 2006). The Long March (in English). Constable and Robinson, 320 pages. ISBN 1-84529-255-3. 
• Kampen, Thomas (2000). Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai and the Evolution of the Chinese Communist Leadership (in English). Nordic Institute of Asian Studies, pp. 66-83. ISBN 87-87062-76-3. 
• Salisbury, Harrison Evans (1985). The Long March : The Untold Story (in English). Harper & Row, New York, 419 pages. ISBN 0-06-039044-1. 
• Shuyun, Sun (2006). The Long March. Harper Collins. ISBN 0-007-19479-X. 
• Snow, Edgar (1968 Revised Edition). Red Star Over China (in English). Grove Press, 534 pages. ISBN 0-8021-5093-4. 
• Whitson, William W. (1973). The Chinese High Command : A History of Communist Military Politics 1927-71 (in English). Praeger. ISBN 0333150538. 
• Yang, Benjamin (1990). From Revolution to Politics: Chinese Communists on the Long March (in English). Westview Press, 240 pages. ISBN 0-8133-7672-6. 
• Wilson, Dick (1971). The Long March 1935: The Epic of Chinese Communism's Survival (in English). Penguin Press, 283 pages. ISBN 0-1400-6113-4. 

See also

This article contains Chinese text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Chinese characters.

• List of Battles of Chinese Civil War
• History of China
• History of the Republic of China
• History of the People's Republic of China
• National Revolutionary Army
• People's Liberation Army
• Whampoa Military Academy
• Military of the Republic of China
• Military of the People's Republic of China
• Warlord era

Image File history File links Zhongwen. ... The UTF-8-encoded Japanese Wikipedia article for mojibake, as displayed in ISO-8859-1 encoding. ... Japanese name Kanji: Hiragana: Korean name Hangul: Hanja: Vietnamese name Quốc ngữ: Hán tá»±: A Chinese character or Han character (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ) is a logogram used in writing Chinese, Japanese, rarely Korean, and formerly Vietnamese. ... The following is a list of Chinese wars and battles, organized by date. ... The History of China is told in traditional historical records that refer as far back as the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors about 5,000 years ago, supplemented by archaeological records dating to the 16th century BC. China is one of the worlds oldest continuous civilizations. ... ‹ The template below (History of China - BC) is being considered for deletion. ... The history of the Peoples Republic of China details the history of mainland China since October 1, 1949, when, after a near complete victory by the Communist Party of China (CPC) in the Chinese Civil War, Mao Zedong proclaimed the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) from atop Tiananmen... The National Revolutionary Army (NRA) (traditional Chinese: ; simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: , sometimes shortened to 國軍 or National Army) was the party army of the Kuomintang (KMT) from 1925 until 1947, as well as the national army of the Republic of China during the KMTs period of party rule beginning in 1928. ... Peoples Liberation Army redirects here. ... The Whampoa Military Academy emblem includes its motto, which was first proclaimed by Sun Yat-sen at the Whampoa Academys opening in 1924. ... The Republic of China (commonly known as Taiwan) maintains a large military establishment, which accounted for 16. ... Since the establishment of the Peoples Republic of China in 1949, the Military of the Peoples Republic of China has grown to include the active and reserve forces of the Peoples Liberation Army, the Peoples Liberation Army Navy, the Peoples Armed Police and the Militia... The Warlord era represents the period in the history of the Republic of China from 1916 to the mid-1930s when the country was divided by various military cliques, and this division continued until the fall of the nationalist government in mainland China in many regions, such as in Sichuan...

External links

General Information

• Key events of the Long March - Account of the Long March by the China Daily
• Retracing Mao's Long March - Report on the modern expeditions by Jocelyn & McEwen along the Long March routes

Illustrations, Maps & Posters

• Map of primary route - Locations of the First Front Army route with dates
• Long March routes of the Communist armies - Routes of the First, Second and Fourth Front Armies
• Site of the Zunyi Conference - Photo and description of the building in which the landmark 1935 politburo meeting was held
• Luding Bridge - Chinese propaganda posters depicting the battle for Luding Bridge

Commemorations

• The Long March: 70 Years On - Official Chinese website marking the 70th Anniversary of Long March
• "Marking the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Red Army's Long March" - PLA Daily (Peoples Liberation Army newspaper) web portal
• Art on a Long March - A contemporary art exhibition presented for the public at sites along the route of Mao's Long March.

Image File history File links White_sun,_blue_sky. ... The Kuomintang of China (abbreviation KMT) [1], also often translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party, is a political party in the Republic of China (ROC), now on Taiwan, and is currently the largest political party in terms of seats in the Legislative Yuan, and the oldest political party in the... Image File history File links Danghui. ... The Communist Party of China (CPC) (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ), also known as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is the ruling political party of the Peoples Republic of China and also the worlds largest political party. ...