China: The Long March

Mao Zedong

-Communist Party of China (CPC) Leader -1893-1976 -emerged as an extraordinary, decisive, unifying and inspiring leader of China.

What was the Long March?

-Nationalists siege the communists. -Communists escape and attempt a flee for salvation, with the Nationalists following about a week behind -during the march, communists passed through villages and recruited the poor/peasants -after several months, communists exhausted. Party leaders meet and choose to give control to Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-Tung) -The Long March has become mythic in the Chinese mind.

Number of communists before and after

-before: about 100,000 men and a few dozen women -after: only about 8,000 troops made it to the final destination

Distance traveled

-spanned about 5,000 miles -final destination: Yan'an in the Shaanxi Province.

The effects of the Long March on the Communist Party

-very costly -The Communists were able to regroup in the north. -gained widespread support among the peasants.

Dates of the Long March

1934-1935