The Long March: Myths and Realities

The Long March was a significant journey in Chinese history, where the Communist Party (CCP) strategically retreated from Nationalist forces, overcoming immense hardship.

The CCP used the Long March to promote its ideals and create martyrs to inspire people to support their cause.

Mao's leadership was solidified during the Long March, solidifying his position as a leading figure in the Chinese Communist Party.

The CCP eventually established a new base in Yan'an after the Long March, which served as their operational center for the next 12 years.

The Long March was often portrayed as a heroic tale of survival, masking its true origins as a desperate retreat.

The Long March suffered from a severe lack of food, resources, and planning, which contributed significantly to the high death toll.

Out of 80,000 initiating marchers, only around 10,000 survived, highlighting the extreme hardship of the journey.

Nationalist forces, recognized by the West and Soviet Union, made it difficult for the CCP to operate during their retreat.

The Long March took place under awful circumstances where food and supplies were insufficient, battle plans were absent, and proper maps were missing.

During the Long March, the strategist Li Teh, in charge of escaping the Kuomintang, had limited strategic understanding, using a direct approach despite a lack of maps, resulting in many casualties.