Red Iron Stream - Complete Record of the Red Army's Long March (Volumes 1 and 2)

Author: None
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
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4. The Decision and Preparation for the Long March
Starting from May 1934, the leadership of the Party and the Red Army began to contemplate the strategic transfer and reported it to the Communist International. Meanwhile, a "Three-Person Group" composed of Bo Gu, Otto Braun, and Zhou Enlai was formed to plan the strategic transfer, but they remained indecisive. By early September, after it became completely hopeless to break through the fifth encirclement campaign launched by the Nationalist forces, preparations for the strategic transfer began.
The preparations for the Long March were conducted in secret among a small number of central leaders, without explanation or mobilization within the Party or the army. Senior Red Army commanders and local leaders were kept in the dark, and even the Central Political Committee had not held a meeting to discuss it. Before the Central Red Army embarked on the Long March, although some preparations were made in terms of strengthening senior command bodies, manpower and material resources, determining the direction of advance, and deciding who would stay or go, these were very hasty and insufficient. The vast majority of Red Army personnel did not understand the purpose of the strategic transfer, which failed to boost their enthusiasm and initiative. They also carried many cumbersome supplies, which was highly unfavorable for long-distance marching and combat.
On October 7, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Central Military Committee ordered the 24th Red Army Division and local armed forces to take over the defense of the Central Red Army's main force. The main force concentrated in Ruijin and Yu'an to prepare for new tasks. On the 9th, the Political Department of the Red Army Headquarters issued the "Political Directive on Preparing for Long Marches and Battles," requiring "strengthening the political and military training of the troops, boosting their offensive spirit, preparing to break through the enemy's encirclement lines, and conducting long-distance marches and battles."
The initial plan for the strategic transfer was to break through the encirclement by the Nationalist forces and join the 2nd and 6th Red Armies in the Xiang-E West region to establish a new base. Therefore, the strategic transfer was initially referred to as the "Western Expedition," and the expeditionary forces were called the "Field Army," with the highest command body being the "Field Headquarters." To facilitate movement with the army, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Central Soviet Government, the Central Military Committee, and their affiliated units were organized into two field corps.
The First Field Corps, also known as the "Red Star Corps," was composed of the Red Army Headquarters and the Cadre Brigade. Ye Jianying served as the corps commander and political commissar, Zhong Weijian as the chief of staff, and Wang Shoudao as the political director. Bo Gu, Otto Braun, Zhou Enlai, Zhu De, and others accompanied this corps. The Second Field Corps, also known as the "Red Banner Corps," was composed of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Central Soviet Government, logistics units, medical departments, the Trade Union, the Youth League, and others. Li Weihan served as the corps commander and political commissar, Deng Fa as the deputy corps commander and deputy political commissar, Zhang Zongxun as the chief of staff, and Shao Shiping as the political director. Mao Zedong, Zhang Wentian, Wang Jiaxiang, and others accompanied this corps.
The above two field corps, along with the main force of the Red Army and the Third, Fifth, Eighth, and Ninth Corps, totaling 86,000 people, formed the field army for the strategic transfer.
The Third Corps, with Lin Biao as the corps commander and Nie Rongzhen as the political commissar, Zuo Quan as the chief of staff, and Zhu Rui as the political director, was composed of the , the Second, and the Fifteenth Divisions. The Fifth Corps, with Dong Z???? as the corps commander and Li Zhuoran as the political commissar, Liu Bocheng as the chief of staff, and Zeng Risi as the political director, was composed of the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Divisions. The