The Long March Diary of an Elder Red Army Veteran

Author: Lin Wei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: July 4th (Clear)
Our army corps, after retreating from the Guangchang battle to the southeastern area of Toubei for a period of rest and recuperation, has now been ordered to move to the southern area of Baishui to prepare for defensive tasks on the eastern line of Shicheng. This is the only old area in the northeastern corner of the Central Soviet Region. Located at the border of Fujian and Jiangxi provinces, it is only sixty li away. This area is the most prosperous part of Shicheng, with tall houses similar to those in Guangchang. Our quarters are in a plain with a network of waterways, and to the east are the continuous mountains of the southern section of the Wuyi Mountains. We have had a few days of rest and training here.
July 6th (Clear)
The main force of the Red Seventh Corps moved south from the southwest of Jianning, along the Ma Xi and Gao Tian to our east. In the evening, the people of the eastern district of Shicheng came to the army to offer support, delivering 6,000 pairs of cloth shoes to our troops. The county Soviet and other mountain groups also performed many programs at the headquarters of the corps.
The enemy forces led by Zhou Hunyuan, who invaded our Guangchang and Shicheng, are currently preparing to attack our Shicheng Soviet region.
July 8th (Clear)
The corps held a meeting for officers above the platoon level, mobilizing for the new task of moving to the eastern front. Everyone cleared their belongings and prepared three pairs of straw shoes. The corps' temporary headquarters was moved to the west of Ninghua, and the Sixteenth Field Hospital was also preparing to move south.
A part of the Third Corps moved from the western front to the east, taking over the defense line of Baishui, Yiqian, and Xin'an from our corps and rushing to build support points.
The entire Soviet region is currently mobilizing to prepare for direct combat against Japanese imperialism.
July 9th (Clear)
The main force moved to the line of Xiaosong and Caofang in the morning to conduct a full-corps mobilization and explain the significance of this action. The sick and wounded continued to move south to the supply line, and the corps' headquarters also moved to Caofang in the afternoon.
July 10th (Clear)
Today, our corps left here and began moving south, camping in the southern suburban area of Shicheng, covering a distance of thirty-five li. The Military Commission transported a large number of Fujian 1:100,000 military maps to our corps via the supply line. Comrades from the General Staff distributed one copy to each camp overnight.
July 11th (Clear)
Departed in the afternoon and camped near Dalun, covering a distance of forty li.
The Red Seventh Corps has begun moving eastward from the northwestern area of Ninghua and has been named the Northern Expeditionary Force of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army for the War of Resistance Against Japan. The Military Commission ordered the Ninth Corps to escort the Seventh Corps, and they also moved eastward.