Whampoa Military Academy

Author: Li Ming
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-04-01
Features: "The tide surges with fury, the party flag waves high, this is the revolutionary Whampoa! The doctrine must be upheld, discipline must not be relaxed, prepare to be the vanguard of the struggle! Break a bloody path, guide the oppressed masses. Hand in hand, move forward; the road is not far, do not be frightened. Cherish each other, remain forever loyal, uphold the spirit of our school, uphold the spirit of our school." This is the school song of the Whampoa Military Academy in the 1920s. The Whampoa Military Academy was a new-style military officer training school founded by Sun Yat-sen during the low tide of the revolution, with the help of the Communist Party of China and the Soviet Union. Here, a group of passionate young people from all over the country gathered for a common revolutionary ideal and studied in the military academy with the of "creating a revolutionary army to save China from peril." They upheld Sun Yat-sen's motto of "Cherish each other, remain forever loyal" and fought bravely in battles such as suppressing the Commercial Club, the two Eastern Expeditions, and the Northern Expedition, making significant contributions to unifying the Guangdong revolutionary base. Many of the military and political talents trained by the Whampoa Military Academy became elite and renowned commanders of both the Kuomintang and the Communist Party of China, earning it the reputation of the "cradle of Chinese military leaders." Over the 24 years from the Northern Expedition in 1926 to the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the Whampoa sons either worked together in unity and fought side by side or split into factions and engaged in conflicts. A history of the Whampoa Military Academy encapsulates the face and process of modern Chinese history. Her name has moved the hearts of countless Chinese people for decades; her history is full of twists and legends; her spirit has become a precious treasure of the Chinese nation.