CPC101: The Long March

In October 1934, in order to break the siege by the reactionaries of the Kuomintang (KMT), the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army made a strategic transfer from the Central Revolutionary Base in southeastern China to the northwest.

In the course of the transfer, Mao Zedong gave full play to his military talent, and left numerous classic examples of warfare such as the “masterpiece” of his military career – Crossing the Chishui River Four Times.

In early 1935, Mao Zedong led the Red Army to shuttle across the Chishui River at the border of Guizhou, Sichuan and Yunnan in more than three months, and after more than 40 battles of various sizes, the Red Army broke the siege by 400,000 enemy troops with flexible tactics, creating a miracle of the weak defeating the strong. Other great battles such as the Battle of Xiang River, Crossing the Dadu River, and Capturing the Luding Bridge are also known for their fierceness and thrill.

In October 1936, the Red Army arrived at the town of Wuqi in northern Shaanxi, and crushed the attempt of the Kuomingtang reactionaries to strangle the Chinese revolution.

In more than two years, the longest march among all Red Army troops exceeded 12,500 kilometers, hence this strategic transfer was also known as the “Long March of Ten Thousand Miles”.