In Oct, 1934, the Red Armies began the Long March from
their base of Jiangxi Province. To start with the Red Army
was very poorly equipped. Bamboo spikes were the most common
weapon to start with and guns were extremely rare. In Jan,
1935, a conference at Zunyi took place that would forever
change the face of China. Mao emerged from the conference
as the leader of the Communists Party and overall commander
of the Red Army. Some of the prominent Chinese leaders in
the Long March were Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Deng Xiaoping,
Zhu De, Peng Dehuai, leading the Third Army Group, Lin Biao,
leading the First Army Group, Nie Rongzhen, political commissar
of the First Front Army, Liu Bocheng, Ye Jianying, and Li
Xiannian, who would become the President of the People's Republic
of China. He Long, (also to be named a Marshal) had been sent
ahead leading the Second Army Group and to-be-Marshal Chen
Yi was left behind with the wounded and sick.
At the beginning of Oct, 1935, the Red Armies marched to Liupan
Mountain area. In Oct 5, they arrived at Shanjiaji Village,
where Mao Ze-dong slept in the ahong's quarter for one night.
In Oct 6, the First Army Group passed Xinglong Town, Xindianzi,
Shizilu, Yangjiamo, Huanghewan and arrived at Zhangyi Town
of Guyuan Coutny at night.
In the early morning of Oct 7, the Red Armies walked into
Longde County and began to enter Liupan Mountain area. The
situation was urgent. Red Army intelligence reported that
the KMT had crack troops poised to block such an attempt in
2900m altitude Longde County.
When arriving at the foot of Liupan Mountain, the vanguard
reported to Chairman Mao that the enemy-KMT's cavalry were
resting at Qingshizui and their horses were tied to trees.
Mao immediately commanded three teams of Red Army's soldiers
to attack the enemy surprisingly. As a result, the enemy cavalry
were alarmed and confused. Some were shot while just riding
on the horse; and some were caught before riding on the horse.
At last, 200 enemy cavalries actively surrendered, more than
one hundred horses and many other military objects were captured
by the Red Army. This battle just lasted for half an hour.
After the battle, Chairman Mao distributed these horses to
Linbiao and asked him to form the Red Army's first cavalry
regiment.
In the morning of Oct 7, the Red Armies climbed on one peak
of Liupan Mountain-Niutou Mount, where famous poem titled
"Mount Liupan(Qingpingyue-Liupan Mountain)" written
down by Chairman Mao. At that night, Mao lived in caves dwelling
of Zhang’s after Qingshizui Triumph.
In the morning of Oct 8, the Red Armies divided into two groups
marching to Baiyangcheng. In the noon, the KMT warplanes bombed
when the Red Armies soldiers were ready to have lunch. In
a moment, they ran into mountain area in northeastern direction.
In Oct 9, the Red Armies continued to march towards northeastern
direction. In Mengjiayuan, they captured Liujie Fortress and
seized some cattle and grain.
In Oct 10, the Red Armies arrived at Sancha. In Oct 19, they
reached Wuqi Town and united with Red Armies in Shanxi Province.
The grand joining of forces by the three front armies signaled
the victorious conclusion of the 25,000 li (12,500km) Long
March. It meant the Red Army had advanced to the forefront
of the resistance against Japanese aggression, of the struggle
to national salvation.
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