TamaraLM

·  The long march was a response to the four unsuccessful attacks lead by Chiang Kaishek and his GMD party. ·  However, Autumn of 1933, with the guidance and advice from the German General Hans Von Seeckt, Chiang Kaishek ordered 500 000 GMD troops to surround the south-east province of Jiangxi and Fujian in attempt to surround and strangulate the communist party. ·  The strategy which the GMD adapted was to **__slowly__** advance, building trenches and blockhouses as they moved in, as this would give the troops a place of protection. The GMD wanted a war of attrition, with minimal contact with the communists; the aim of General Seeckt was to starve them without too much contract. ·  The communist then had to modify their tactics, against the advice of Mao Zedong the communist used full- scale attacks against the GMD; this was lead by the Russian Agent Otto Braun. However as a result of this frontal attack it cost the lives of many peasants, unfortunately the Red Army was unable to help or defend them. ·  This strategy was costly, not only were the lives of peasants and troops lost but also all the equipment, due to the blockhouses of the GMD, supplies were blocked and the war of attrition was beginning. ·  Due to this new strategy introduced by Braun, the central committee expelled Mao from the Central committee, the GMD now moved to Hunan to retreat to the Chinese Communist’s Second Army, and this retreat was known as the Long March. ·  This commenced on October of 1934, from 87 000 soldiers started, carrying as much as they could, furniture, typewrites, guns and ammunition cartridges. ·  However it took the Red Army, 40 days to break through the blockhouses, once they done so, they were attacked by the GMD government, loosing 45 000 men from the Red Army, which as result was 50% of their fighting force. ·  The strategy which Braun adopted was also to ensure that the Red Army walked in a straight line, this gave an instant advantage to the GMD, they were able to know where the Red Army would be and could easily attack. Unfortunately the possessions of the Red Army, also had an impact slowing down the movement, which allowed the GMD army to catch up. ·  The flaws in Braun’s plan were evident, and in January 1935 the control of the Red Army was handed over to Mao. ·  Mao supported the work of Zhu De, and new tactics were implemented, the Red Army moving in an unpredictable way, twisting movement patters, splitting in smaller groups and moving in all different spaces of China. This occurred to ensure that the GMD wouldn’t be able to find the troops as they were smaller and more spread out. ·  The red army had a new target, Shaanxi province which was towards the north of China. The journey itself was demanding and tough, another factor which contributed to the difficulty of this journey was the continuous attacks from the GMD and the warlords. The north of China was contended by the warlords and they did not welcome the Red Army. ·  October 1935, from the original 87 000 troops there was a remaining amount of 10 000. The march itself was difficult and strenuous; it took them 368 days of marching and continuous battles and attacks. However troops from Yunan and the remaining 10 000 troops combined into a communist party and together formed a formidable fighting force against the GMD
 * __ The Long March  __**