Asian Studies: The Long March and Communist Cause

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Introduction

Long march occurred between 1934 -35. It is one of the historical expeditions in present-day China. It was made up of more than 6000 miles that the communist army had to flee the city of Jiangxi, in southern China. Enclosed by the state army of Chiang Kai- Shek, more than 80,000 Red Army soldiers became a fugitive and moved northward. Fewer armies survived the walk which resulted in a new communist base at Yan’an.

The Essay discusses the long march. It points out how the long march improved the communism cause by resulting in Mao has a communist leader, influencing Japan’s dominion and strengthening communism military competence. However, the essay also discusses how the long march contributed to the weakness of communism cause such as territorial weakening and empowering the KMT troops. In conclusion, the Long March simplified the rise of Mao, strengthened communism military skill and helped streamline communism cause in China.

The Long March

Long March was credited in saving Mao Zedong and the Communist Party from an outside attack on Guomindag. The number of participants in the march is unknown because members used diverse routes to reach their destination¹. The journey was characterized by endurance and conviction hence allowing more than 25,000 soldiers and other survivors to arrive at Songpan under the Mao leadership. Long March influenced the communists to move escape attack waged by Guomingdang which was ordered by Chiang Kai Shek, KMT leader².

Chiang Kai Shek had a strained association with the communist. This prompted him to launch a big attack on them. The communist had occupied the Fujian and Jiangxi bases in Southeast China. Guomindag advisers comprised of Germans and among them was Hans von Seeckt, a German general. Communism had close working ties with Guomindag in the early 1920 -1³.Long March was supreme in improving the communism cause in China. And it successfully led to more positive causes in enhancing the communism influence across the land.

The Rise of Mao

The Long March contributed to the rise of Mao as the leader of communism. Mao was among the pioneers of the communism party. He had a communism ideas and clear doctrine of uniting the poor and peasants of China into a terrifying vigor which contributed to toppling of the National Army and the Japanese invaders thereby helping to uphold the Chinese government⁴.

Mao pioneering ideas towards; communism, capacity in unifying people and military competence provided a concise leverage to guarantee peaceful and stable “Red China”. His intellectual planning and inventive policies are credited to communism success during the Long March⁵. His wider reaching reforms and unsullied ideas compelled him to receive aid in dubious places. For example, he helped sanction guerrilla army to be respectful to the peasant population.

The strategy helped to win support from the populous peasants. Besides, he dictated the affable measures and deeds among his troops towards Muslims in order to convince them to join his cause. Historically, people had viewed Chinese soldiers as brutal and oppressors, they didn’t respect the common person⁶.

He defied this myth and challenged the authenticity of Russian supported leadership mainly the “Returned students”. The “returned students” had propagated communism such as inaccurate policies adopted at Kiangsi in favor of Nationalist party. Overall, Mao had to assume political command which had two important effects.

First, the influence of Russia in communism dealings was shaken. This was because Mao had taken the communism leadership without Stalin approval; the progress of Communism was now sovereign of foreign intrusion⁷. Secondly, the new leadership of communism gave communism a new idea and aim. The aim stipulated that they should “Go north” to battle the Japanese.

The idea brought about patriotism and won many people to communism in solidarity support of their country. Mao and his supporters challenged the dignity that Mao displayed to the peasants through the actions of his army gave him respect and therefore it contributed to deliver communism cause⁸.

Transforming Military Retreat to Victory

The Long March influenced the actions of the Communist army on a positive note. It helped to transform the military leadership to victory. The Kuomintang had enclosed Jiangxi base which was communism territory in 1834⁹. The CCP had to be forced out by the KMT troops. However the Zunyi conference helped Mao, a communist, to effectively command the red army. It helped the Red army to have a clear strategy and move forward to show communism cause in resulting stages.

Moreover, the Long March helped to strengthen the command of Mao. In 1945 the communism forces assembled for a meeting of politburo, which was a topmost meeting of the Communism Party¹⁰. The meeting granted on Mao the responsibilities of overall control of the Communist Party and the Red Army. His determined leadership provided an effective morale of building a good repute of indestructibility of communism army¹¹. Besides, his leadership heightened support from the poor peasants therefore furthering communism cause.

Countering Japan Dominion

After the World War II, Japan had risen to power. Mao forged a coalition with divergent Chinese nationalists to free china from Japan control. The scheme was successful because it compelled Japan to withdraw¹². The communist part later successfully defeated the Nationalist forces compelling them to exile in Taiwan. Japan was combating the allied and had seized Shandong province, which Germany had declared an interest.

The Japanese had put the warlord government in Beijing famously known as the “21 demands”. Once these demands were approved, China would be under a Japanese territory¹³. The Communism party rejected these demands but accepted Shandong province to continue being managed by Japan which was by now in its control. Besides, the Long March made communists to consolidate power which provided an important support to counter Japan during the 1937-45 war. This promoted the 1946-49 conquest of Chinas mainland during Chinas civil war. The communism had sound policy. They fixed “freed areas land Law” the law played an important role by stripping landowners control overland resources so redistributing it to the landless and peasants¹⁴. It aimed at increasing and preserving the faithfulness of the increasing extent of peasant populace. Introduction of new policies defined the communism cause and communism party in general and allowed it in progressing China towards a socialist path after the long March¹⁵.

Communism Military Prowess and Discipline

The Long March contributed to strengthening the military of the communism party influencing the communism cause. Communism Military brilliance led to communism defeating its opponents¹⁶. It provided a new phase of strategy to focus on national revolution. The red army was well organized with apt strategies. This helped them to counter the KMT troops¹⁷.

Mao, who was an antagonist, provided innovative plans and unique thoughts about the war in succeeding communism influence in China. The communist army had captured a village and “bribed” the Nationalist troops in giving up the town’s protective design¹⁸. Crowned with Kuomintang outfit, the red army battalions infiltrate Zunyi and arrested all protective arrangement at pierce point.

Communism success and authoritarian approach, the use of revolutionary services, made communist to remain relevant during the long march and promoted the defeat of the Nationalist Army. The communism party continued budding new ploy¹⁹. They increased on what they had fashioned making it superior and effectual as occasion continued.

Mao the communist leader was effective in guerrilla application and the nationalist forces requested him to reveal these skills into their forces when they were allied against the Japanese²⁰. Besides, Communisms embraced Sun Tzu’s policy of aggressiveness when enemies could not retreat. Mao intelligently was patient until the communists troops outnumbered the Nationalist and rapidly arrested the distasteful after enough men had abandoned from the Nationalist battalion²¹. This influenced the communist party to have a formidable cause after the long march.

Streamlined and Effective Operations

Long March encompassed streamlined and effective operation by the communist part. This ensured that maximum operation prevailed in order provide effective and successful outcome. For example, the right strategies helped the communism by making them invisible and upholding their security in afterward stages of conflict amid nationalists forces²².

Communism used tactics such as tying a white towel in the neck for easier identification at night, breaking the single dossier of marching into many and approving the army in a zigzag to meet at earmarked places. These precautionary strategies held the Red army together and promoted confusion among the nationalists investigation during the long march²³.

The military decision of avoiding the Vietnam conflict enabled the Communism to empower its red army²⁴. It resulted in charming the civil strife therefore positioning the communism cause in command of future China. This invoked instantaneous success of communism in China’s mainland²⁵.

International Recognition

The Long March provided a platform in which the communism recognition was strengthened in an international setting. Mao employed the use of misinformation to underline the outcome of long March to build a powerful platform for communism and fix his rule in China²⁶. Besides, the Communist were to further their interests about their brave long march version to receive peasants and sympathizers support around the world.

Communist explanation of the long march receive overwhelming support of Chinese and international supporters such as an American Journalist known as Edgar Snow²⁷. His interview with Mao, a communist Leader attracted international attention. This furthered communism cause in China.

Alignment of Peasants with the Communism

Long March was important for the communist party to control the future of china. It gave the communist party to build its reputation among the poor and peasants the survivors of the march²⁸. Also, Mao directed the army to incorporate “eight points of awareness” which included politeness in speaking, not damaging crops and avoiding mistreatment of prisoners among other awareness. The policy promoted support and harmony which made communism to sway rural peasants²⁹.

Besides, incorporating the eight point’s awareness and refusing to accept charity made communism a popular party. Unlike Communism party, Kuomintang party was intolerable to peasants because it treated peasants in bad manner³⁰. Appealing policies and effective human treatment helped to promote the communism cause.

Social and Psychological Effects

The Long March brought about social effects to the communism party therefore controlling a new cause in the leadership of the party. The communism activists spread the doctrines of communisms along the routes. The doctrines aimed at promoting communism movement³¹. They actively recruited new members, held public rallies, redistributed clothes and wealth to the poor and motivated fortified peasant uprisings. Besides, psychologically, the march influenced the communist movement in various ways.

First, the triumphant conclusion of the march helped strengthen Mao faith that strong men and influential radical awareness has an opportunity of conquering material difficulty³². Secondly, the communism members who effectively ended the march felt encouraged and full of hope hence deepening their wisdom of about duty. They believed that they were the only one remaining to bring about revolution because others had died along the way.

Thirdly, the communism comradeship was developed at the top leadership of the CCP³³. This was an essential reason which contributed to the success of communism in 1949. And lastly, important communist ethics such as tireless struggle, courage, unselfishness and gallant sacrifice emerged as during the march. The Long march brought about gallant stories towards innovative civilization to help spread of communism³⁴.

However, the Long March contributed to the weakening of the communism cause for various reasons. Territorial weakening is one of the precincts of Long March. The Kiangsi territory which was a soviet base was part of communist party. They had held this territory for several years.

They lost it jointly with land reforms, industries which used to produce military warfare to KMT. The communism lost this territory of; the KMT had well organized and elaborate military plan, unpopular land and military plans staged by the communism and collapse of communism to form an alliance with rebel KMT soldiers³⁵. The KMT further shattered the social structures which communist had fixed.

The communist had only to settle down in Northern Shensi and ponder the next rebuilding strategy of communism. Besides, the Chiang leadership introduced tutelage. The nationalists dictated property reforms and modernization of industries³⁶.However, Chiangs efforts were frustrated because the Chinese people did not embrace reforms because large percent were peasants and illiterate. Besides the peasants, the urban dwellers who were mostly middle class embraced Western ethics. They amassed wealth and contributed dismally to the needs of the poor peasants.

Secondly, the Success of KMT troops was another drawback of long March to communism cause. Under the leadership of Chiang kai Shek, they managed to chase the communism and successfully showed command in Szechwan, a province in southwest china³⁷. The territories of KMT were distended too.

Further, the threat poised by the communist had reached the end after the long march. Chiang Kai-shek was involved in restoring China as a new nation. Chiang had renounced that he will form a republican government, but Sun Yat-sen had convinced him that Chinese people demanded a transitional government to help them prepare to usher into a democratic country³⁸.

And lastly the Long March eased the established of class within the communist party. The top leadership of the communism party was from different backgrounds. The revolutionary rivalry was weakened by class struggle and recognition in the party. The quality played a major role in swelling this weakness. Because of different social background influence and attitude, it was hard for communism to establish a common and comprehensive stand about their party objectives and mission which would improve their revolutionary grip³⁹.

Social backgrounds contributed to members taking different directions about the revolutionary movement. During the Long March, Members felt shrink and tired even before the demanding struggle began. Some of the members began to reflect about leaving communism because of outside allurement therefore contradicting their revolutionary ranks⁴⁰. Evolving class within the communist party contributed to the weakening of communism cause because they couldn’t consolidate support within the party leadership.

Conclusion

The Long March influenced the actions and raised communism cause in present-day China. The march is credited to political reawakening which lead to the rise of Mao as a leader of Communism party. The cause also prompted strengthening of communism military hence they would adequately be prepared incase of uncertain invasion. However, the cause also led to Japan dominance in Shandong province which caused friction with communism leadership. However, the March led to weakening of communism territories and strengthened the competence of KMT military in China.

Bibliography

Benton, Gregor. Mountain Fires: The Red Army’s Three-Year War in South China. California: University of California Press, 1992.

Kataoka, Tetsuya. Resistance and Revolution in China: The Communists and the Second United Front. California: University of California Press, 1974.

Lawrence, Alan. China under Communism. New York: Routledge, 1998.

Lansford, Tom. Communism. Singapore: Marshall Cavendish, 2007.

Scobell, Andrew. China’s Use of Military Force beyond the Great Wall and the Long March. London: Cambridge University Press, 2007.

Snow, Edgar. Red Star over China. California: Grove Press, 1968.

Footnotes

Kataoka Tetsuya, Resistance and Revolution in China: The Communists and the Second United Front (California: University of California Press, 1974), 68.
Kataoka, 74.
Kataoka,92.
Lawrence Alan, China under Communism (New York: Routledge, 1998),87.
Lawrence,105.
Lawrence,112.
Lawrence,118.
Lawrence,134.
Lawrence,144.
Lawrence,156.
Lawrence,160.
Lansford Tom, Communism ( Singapore: Marshall Cavendish,2007),123.
Lansford,134.
Lansford,136.
Lansford,148.
Benton Gregor, Mountain Fires: The Red Army’s Three-Year War in South China (California: University of California Press,1992),87.
Benton,93.
Benton,102.
Benton,123.
Benton,126.
Benton,129..
Lansford,54
Scobell Andrew, China’s Use of military force: Beyond the Great Wall and the Long March ( London: Cambridge University Press, 2007),136.
Lansford,79.
Lansford,80.
Snow Edgar, Red Star over China (California: Grove Press,1968),77.
Snow,102.
Snow,112.
Lansford,104.
Lansford,113.
Lansford,59.
Lansford,65.
Lansford,79.
Lansford,98.
Scobell,78.
Scobell,89.
Scobell,97.
Scobell,108.
Scobell,116.
Scobell,135.

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