The Long March of the Red Army was very difficult, often without food or drink, and had to deal with the encirclement and blockade of a large number of enemy troops. The troops who opened the way ahead were even more difficult and needed to seize the enemy's strong positions. Therefore, the task of opening the way is undertaken by the units with particularly strong combat effectiveness, of which the Red 4 Regiment has long been the pioneer of the road.
The 4th Regiment was a unit of the Red Army with outstanding military achievements, and during the Long March, the regimental commander was first Geng Biao (Geng Biao), then Wang Kaixiang, political commissar Yang Chengwu, along the way to fight the Xiang River, forcibly cross the Wu River, and seize the first dangerous Loushan Pass, making great contributions to breaking through the enemy's blockade line.
In May 1935, the Red Army reached the Dadu River, with a roaring river in front and tens of thousands of enemy troops in the back, and the life of the whole army was hanging in the balance. Wang Kaixiang led the Red 4th Regiment to attack 120 kilometers a day and night, crossing several high mountains, crushing several intercepting enemy forces along the way, and successfully capturing the Luding Bridge, turning the Red Army around the corner. After that, the Red 4th Regiment broke through several passes and crossed the snow-capped mountains of nearly 5,000 meters, creating a path for the whole army on the snow-capped mountains. Two months later, the whole regiment entered the vast meadow and made a way for the whole army to step out in the swampy meadow. After that, it conquered the natural danger of Lazikou and opened the passage of the Red Army to the north.
Throughout the Long March, the Red 4th Regiment served as a pioneer for a long time, successfully completing the task every time, and the regimental commander Wang Kaixiang also became a senior general of the Red Army.
Wang Kaixiang was a native of Yiyang County, Jiangxi, but unfortunately, shortly after arriving in northern Shaanxi, Wang Kaixiang suddenly contracted typhoid fever and committed suicide because he could not bear the pain.
Wang Kaixiang's death was a huge loss to the Red Army, and after hearing this bad news, his long-term partner Yang Chengwu was very sad, and he braved the wind and snow to see him for the last time despite his serious illness, and wrote "Mourning Comrade Wang Kaixiang" to commemorate him.
Although Wang Kaixiang died young, the Red 4 Regiment he commanded continued his heroic and good fighting style and made great achievements on the battlefield.