Discover the historical event of the Long March, a grueling journey of 80,000 soldiers of the Chinese Red Army breaking out of a siege and facing challenges like warlords and the Japanese invasion. Explore the division within the Chinese Communist Party leadership, the role of warlords during the Long March, and the enduring impact of this event in Chinese history. Delve into Mao Zedong's leadership and the creation of Maoism through the rectification movement.
Read more
AI Summary
AI Chapters
Episode notes
auto_awesome
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
The Long March symbolized resilience and sacrifice, becoming a foundation story for communist China.
The Long March was marked by extreme conditions, internal struggles, and different leadership approaches within the Chinese Communist Party.
Deep dives
The Long March was a strategic retreat by the Chinese Red Army in 1934-1935.
In October 1934, around 80,000 soldiers of the Chinese Red Army broke out of a siege in southeast China and embarked on the Long March to the west and north, covering thousands of miles through harsh and hostile territory. Pursued by forces led by the ruling KMT party, the Red Army faced challenges such as warlords, Japanese invasion threats, and internal struggles within the Communist Party. The Long March became a foundation story for communist China and demonstrated resilience and perseverance.
Conditions and challenges faced during the Long March.
The Long March was marked by extreme conditions, including crossing snowy peaks, harsh rivers, marshes, grasslands, and hostile warlord territories. The forces endured hunger, fatigue, and constant danger. The Communist-controlled area in Yangxi faced intense military campaigns by the KMT, leading to difficulties in recruitment and survival. Internal purges and violence further complicated the journey, with dissenting voices and factions within the Communist Party.
Leadership dynamics and strategies evolved during the Long March.
Leadership within the Chinese Communist Party during the Long March was marked by power struggles and different military and strategic approaches. Mao Zedong, although initially sidelined, emerged as a prominent leader in 1935 after criticizing the defensive strategy and advocating guerrilla mobile warfare. Different factions and figures, including urban intellectuals and Moscow-trained leaders, influenced the party's direction. Mao's tactical guile and successes, such as the Battle of Luding Bridge, helped consolidate his military reputation and contribute to his rise in power.
Legacy and significance of the Long March.
The Long March remains a central part of China's communist history and is celebrated as a symbol of resilience and sacrifice. It inspired propaganda, novels, plays, films, and the notion of 'if you think life is hard, think of the Long March'. The Long March also had a significant impact internationally, influencing revolutionaries in Asia, Africa, and Europe. The enduring legend and myth of the Long March played a role in Mao's later propaganda and the legitimacy of the Communist Party.
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss a foundation story for China as it was reshaped under Mao Zedong. In October 1934, around ninety thousand soldiers of the Red Army broke out of a siege in Jiangxi in the south east of the country, hoping to find a place to regroup and rebuild. They were joined by other armies, and this turned into a very long march to the west and then north, covering thousands of miles of harsh and hostile territory, marshes and mountains, pursued by forces of the ruling Kuomintang for a year. Mao Zedong was among the marchers and emerged at the head of them, and he ensured the officially approved history of the Long March would be an inspiration and education for decades to come.
With
Rana Mitter
Professor of the History and Politics of Modern China and Fellow of St Cross College, University of Oxford
Sun Shuyun
Historian, writer of 'The Long March' and film maker
And
Julia Lovell
Professor in Modern Chinese History and Literature at Birkbeck, University of London
Producer: Simon Tillotson
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode