Great Wall

Continued victories by the Kuomintang army under Chiang Kai-Shek, compelled the forces under Mao Tse-Tung's control to retreat in order to regroup. They undertook what has become known as "The Long March". The march covered 6,000 miles and ended in Yenan. One hundred- thousand set off on the march, but only one third survived, arriving at Yenan.

The Long March has its roots in the political and military struggles between the CCP and the ruling Nationalist Party, or Kuomintang (KMT), led by Chiang Kai-shek. By the early 1930s, the Red Army, under the leadership of the CCP, had established several soviet areas in rural China. The KMT viewed the CCP as a serious threat to its rule and, as a result, launched a series of encirclement campaigns aimed at annihilating the communist forces.

In October 1934, following the fifth and most successful encirclement campaign by the KMT, the Red Army faced the prospect of total annihilation. In response, the communists decided to embark on a strategic retreat from their base in Jiangxi province to evade the encircling Nationalist forces. This marked the beginning of the Long March.

The Long March was a harrowing journey for the communist forces, which consisted of approximately 86,000 soldiers and civilians at the outset. Throughout the march, the Red Army had to traverse treacherous terrain, including mountains, swamps, and deserts, while enduring harsh weather conditions such as freezing temperatures, heavy snowfall, and torrential rain. The marchers also had to confront the constant threat of attacks from KMT forces, hostile warlords, and local tribes.

During the Long March, the Red Army traversed through 11 provinces and crossed 18 mountain ranges, facing tremendous odds and suffering heavy casualties. By the time the march ended in October 1935, only around 8,000 to 9,000 of the original marchers had survived. It is estimated that nearly 90% of the marchers perished due to starvation, illness, exhaustion, or combat-related deaths.

Despite the immense suffering and loss of life, the Long March had several important consequences for the CCP and Mao Zedong. Firstly, the march allowed the Red Army to evade the encircling Nationalist forces, thus ensuring the survival of the CCP. The strategic retreat enabled the communists to regroup, rebuild their forces, and continue their struggle against the KMT.

Secondly, the Long March marked a turning point in the power dynamics within the CCP. During the early stages of the march, Mao Zedong emerged as the preeminent leader of the party, displacing other leaders such as Bo Gu and Otto Braun. Mao's leadership, military strategies, and political vision were crucial in guiding the Red Army through the arduous journey and ensuring its eventual success.

The Long March solidified Mao's political philosophy of "guerrilla warfare" and "protracted people's war." Mao believed that the key to victory lay in mobilizing the support of the rural peasantry, which constituted the majority of the Chinese population. The Red Army adopted this strategy during the march, establishing bases in rural areas and working to win the support of local peasants by addressing their grievances and implementing land reforms.