MelissaLM

 In autumn 1933, Chiang Kaishek’s ‘blockhouse strategy’ was deemed a success. Created by General Hans von Seeckt, the blockhouse strategy aimed to “starve the Communists of food, fuel, weapons and ammunition.” This was attained through a military encirclement of the Jiangxi Soviet, with over 500 000 troops that would advance slowly, assembling blockhouses, creating trenches and barbed-wire fences as they moved. This strategy proved triumphant, meaning that by October 1934 the Communists were diminishing, losing over 50% of their territory and 60 000 soldiers.
 * The Long March **

With this fifth attack by the GMD, the Communists planned to modify their tactics. Otto Braun, a Russian agent, insisted that Mao Zedong’s current tactics of retreating were “politically wrong”, as a number of peasants were being captured and killed when the Red Army retreated during a GMD offensive. Instead, he vowed that it was best to fight the GMD “head on” around the borders of the Jiangxi Soviet, implementing the element of ‘surprise’. With this tactic in mind, Otto Braun commenced leadership of the Red Army. However, his strategy proved to be ineffective in April 1934 at the Battle of Guanchang. 8000 men were lost, and as a result of the blockhouse strategy and encirclement, the idea of replacing these men and their weapons was deemed unfeasible.

By late 1934, the Red Army were still immobile and trapped within the Jiangxi Soviet. Mao Zedong’s proposal that they attempt to break the blockade and attack from the rear was discarded. Instead, Otto Braun and 24 Russian trained leaders planned a retreat in which the Red Army would “break through the blockhouse lines and head for the Communist base on the Hunan-Hubei border”. Situated here was their Second Army Group.

The long march began on the 16th October 1934. Some 87 000 soldiers journeyed in the midst of 33 000 guns, 1 800 000 cartridges, 76 000 grenades, 38 mortars and 25 000 mortar shells. It took them approximately six weeks to obstruct the blockhouse rings; however a major battle was then fought on the Xiang River from November 25th to December 3rd. The Red Army once again began to diminish, losing over 45 000 men, leaving with almost half the number of men they arrived with. This great loss was ultimately blamed on Otto Braun. The defeat however was also a result of the large amount of equipment carried, as it meant that they were moved slowly and therefore the GMD had an opportunity to plan their attacks. Furthermore, Otto Braun unwisely directed the army in a straight line, making their movements obvious and predictable.

On the 9th January 1935, the Red Army retreated in the town of Zunyi. A ‘Zunyi conference’ commenced, in which the Communist Party began to discuss how they would improve their strategies and tactics. As a result, military control and power was given back to Mao Zedong and Zhu De.