In the long river of history, the Long March was a great turning point in the history of the Communist Party of China and the Red Army. It is not only a great strategic shift, but also a great test of will and conviction. As the saying goes: "The Red Army is not afraid of expeditions and difficulties, and thousands of rivers and mountains are just waiting for leisure." What kind of story is hidden behind this sentence? In those arduous days, how did the Red Army soldiers turn hardships into a driving force for progress with firm conviction and an optimistic attitude? If we could travel back in time and space and go back to that era of flames, and ask those Red Army soldiers who had experienced a hundred battles, how would they answer our questions? On the Long March, would they really not feel bitter?
The Long March: The Beginning of a Legend
In 1934, on the land of China, a magnificent historical journey was kicking off. This was a great strategic shift initiated by the main forces of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, which was called the "Long March" by the world. The Long March was not only a military operation, but also a profound social movement, and its significance went far beyond military victories and defeats.
At the starting point of the Long March, in Jinggangshan in Jiangxi, the Red Army soldiers faced an unprecedented predicament. The encirclement and suppression forces of the Kuomintang came like a tidal wave, and the living space of the Red Army was compressed little by little. Under such circumstances, the Central Red Army made a historic decision to break through the encirclement and march into the unknown distance. This decision was not only a strategic deception of the enemy, but also a test of the indomitable will of the Red Army itself.
The Long March was a difficult journey, with Red Army soldiers crossing mountains and rivers, covering most of China's map. During this long journey, the Red Army soldiers had to face not only the harsh tests of nature, but also always be vigilant for enemy pursuits and ambushes. However, it was precisely such difficulties and obstacles that forged the iron will of the Red Army and gave birth to the spirit of the Long March, which was praised by later generations.
On the road of the Long March, the Red Army soldiers showed extraordinary courage and wisdom. In the battle of crossing the Chishui River four times, they skillfully got rid of the enemy's encirclement and interception, and broke through the enemy's defense line again and again in fierce battles. In the battle to capture the Luding Bridge, the Red Army soldiers seized the bridge to freedom with their flesh and blood. Each of these battles was an extreme challenge to the will of the Red Army, and each time was a firm oath of revolutionary faith.
During the Long March, the life of the Red Army soldiers was extremely difficult. Their clothing was tattered, their food was scarce, and they often had to feed themselves on wild herbs and tree bark. But even under such conditions, the Red Army fighters maintained a high fighting spirit. They support each other, overcome difficulties together, and use songs and laughter to dispel cold and hunger. In such an environment, the Red Army fighters were not only not defeated, but on the contrary became more united and stronger.
On the road of the Long March, there are countless touching and profound stories. Some fighters were frostbitten in the bitter cold, and their comrades would use their own body heat to warm them, and some soldiers were wounded in battle, and their comrades would carry them on their backs. These stories have become the best interpretation of the spirit of the Red Army and the most valuable wealth in the history of the Chinese revolution.
The Long March, this great historical journey, finally came to a successful end in Wuqi Town in northern Shaanxi. The soldiers of the Red Army covered a distance of 25,000 miles in one year, creating a miracle in the history of mankind. The success of the Long March not only won the Chinese revolution a valuable space for survival and development, but also wrote a glorious page in the history of the world revolution. The beginning of this saga still inspires countless people to fight for their beliefs and ideals.
Hardship: The Survival Challenge of the Red Army
One of the biggest challenges facing the Red Army during the long march was how to survive the extremely harsh natural environment and constant pursuit by enemy forces. This period of history not only tested the combat effectiveness of the Red Army, but also tested its wisdom for survival.
During the Long March, the Red Army traversed a variety of extreme terrain, including rushing rivers, steep snow-capped mountains, and endless meadows. Each terrain presented different existential challenges, and how the Red Army responded to them became the key to whether they could move forward.
During the march over the snow-capped mountains, the Red Army faced the first problem of severe cold and lack of sufficient supplies to protect against the cold. During the 1935 snow-capped mountain march, the Red Army soldiers often had to rely on shabby cotton clothes and their own will to resist the biting cold winds. In this situation, the logistics department of the Red Army played an extremely important role, they were not only responsible for collecting and distributing limited supplies, but also ensuring that every fighter received the most basic measures to keep warm. In the face of extreme scarcity, the Red Army also invented the use of chili peppers and liquor to enhance body temperature, which, although only provided temporary warmth, was also invaluable in desperate situations.
The main problem encountered by the Red Army when crossing the meadows was a shortage of food and water. The meadows were vast and inhospitable, and it was often impossible to find enough food to supply the entire team. In this case, the Red Army demonstrated an extremely high level of self-sufficiency. Not only did they survive on the wild vegetables and fruits they had, but they also learned to use the waste left behind by the enemy. In the most extreme cases, the Red Army even had to recover undigested grain from the manure of its fighters, an extreme way of survival that demonstrated the tenacity and creativity of the Red Army in a desperate situation.
During the Long March, the Red Army also faced serious accommodation problems. In the absence of fixed camps, the Red Army often had to camp out in the field, which not only increased the risk of illness among the fighters, but also greatly tested their physical strength and will. The Red Army showed great organizational discipline in this situation, and after each march, they quickly set up temporary camps to provide shelter for the fighters as much as possible. In extremely harsh conditions, the Red Army also creatively used tarpaulins and blankets to make improvised tents, which were rudimentary but provided valuable protection in the wind and snow.
Throughout the Long March, the Red Army's marches were extremely efficient. Despite constant natural and man-made difficulties, the Red Army was able to maintain a rapid march of an average of 35 kilometers per day. This efficient marching capability is not only a great test of the soldiers' physical fitness, but also a manifestation of the efficient operation of the Red Army's command system. During the Long March, the commanders of the Red Army demonstrated extraordinary organizational and scheduling skills, not only to ensure the speed of the march of the troops, but also to keep the ranks concealed and avoid enemy pursuit and ambushes.
Through these arduous efforts, the Red Army not only succeeded in breaking through the enemy's blockade, but also forged an indestructible Red Army spirit on the way. This spirit became an important spiritual pillar for the Red Army to achieve victory in the following War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the War of Liberation.
Iron discipline and fire faith
During the arduous course of the Long March, the Red Army not only demonstrated extraordinary endurance and courage, but more importantly, they demonstrated strict military discipline and firm revolutionary faith. These inner strengths became the key to the Red Army's ability to overcome many difficulties.
Military discipline in the Red Army was notoriously strict. During the Long March, the Red Army maintained a high degree of discipline despite the extreme challenges of survival. This kind of discipline is not only reflected in the strict organization and command in battle, but also in the bits and pieces of daily life. During the march, the Red Army was able to keep its ranks in order and march in unison, whether it was crossing a rushing river or climbing a steep mountain.
In interaction with the population, the military discipline of the Red Army was no less strict. When they move in or leave a village, they interact with the local population to minimize the impact on people's lives. The Red Army would also help the villagers with farm work and build bridges and roads, which greatly improved the relationship between the Red Army and the people, and won the hearts and minds of the people. For example, when the Red Army crossed the border, it often repaired damaged facilities and helped villagers resume production, and these actions deeply touched the people along the way.
The revolutionary faith of the Red Army was their main spiritual pillar. On the way of the Long March, in the face of the double pressure of the natural environment and the enemy, the Red Army soldiers insisted on their faith, believing that as long as they persevered, they could see the victory of the revolution. This belief was constantly strengthened in the Red Army and became a powerful driving force for their advance.
The Red Army also paid special attention to political education during the Long March. They often organize study meetings and seminars to raise the class consciousness and revolutionary theoretical level of the fighters through the study of the basic theories of Marxism-Leninism. This kind of education not only enhanced the ideological understanding of the fighters, but also strengthened their belief in the revolutionary goals.
In addition, the Red Army also raised morale through literary and artistic activities, such as singing revolutionary songs and performing dramas. These activities provided spiritual solace and strength to the warriors during the arduous life of the march. For example, there was a well-known art troupe in the Red Army, which performed not only in the Red Army, but sometimes also in the villages for the people, spreading the flame of the revolution with songs and theater.
At every step of the Long March, the Red Army was interpreting with its own actions what iron discipline and fire belief are. This strength from the inside out allowed the Red Army to complete this great strategic shift under almost impossible conditions. It was this iron discipline and fire belief that forged the indomitable revolutionary spirit of the Red Army and became a key factor in the success of the Long March.
The spirit of the Long March: the eternal fire
The Long March, the great historical journey of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, is not only a magnificent strategic shift, but also a profound spiritual baptism. As a treasure in the spiritual treasure house of the Chinese nation, the Long March spirit has far exceeded the historical time and space of the Long March itself, and has become a powerful driving force for the Chinese people to keep moving forward.
The core of the spirit of the Long March is firm revolutionary ideals and beliefs, selfless sacrifice, tenacious will to fight, brilliant strategic wisdom and strict discipline. These spiritual wealth were not only fully embodied in the Long March, but also continued to play an irreplaceable role in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the War of Liberation after the end of the Long March.
The spirit of the Long March is, first and foremost, an unwavering belief. During the difficult years of the Long March, the soldiers of the Red Army faced the test of life and death, but they never gave up their faith in the victory of the revolution. This belief has become the spiritual pillar for them to persevere in the face of adversity. The victory of the Long March proved the power of faith and laid a solid spiritual foundation for the later revolutionary war.
The spirit of the Long March is also embodied in its selfless dedication to the revolutionary cause. The soldiers of the Red Army showed a very high spirit of sacrifice during the Long March, and they were willing to give up everything they had, even their lives, for the revolutionary cause. This spirit was fully demonstrated during the Long March, and countless Red Army soldiers bravely sacrificed their lives for the revolutionary cause, and their deeds became an example for future generations to follow.
During the Long March, the Red Army showed a tenacious will to fight. In the face of the dual challenges of the natural environment and the enemy, the soldiers of the Red Army always maintained a high fighting spirit, and they braved difficulties and dangers to forge ahead. This will to fight enabled the Red Army to break through the enemy's blockade again and again during the Long March, and finally won the victory of the Long March.
The strategic wisdom in the spirit of the Long March is embodied in the meticulous planning and flexible maneuvering of the Long March route by the top level of the Red Army. During the Long March, the leadership of the Red Army constantly adjusted its strategy and tactics in light of the actual situation of the war, so that the Red Army was able to effectively evade the enemy's key defenses and break through the enemy's encirclement, pursuit, and interception. This wisdom won valuable time and space for the survival and development of the Red Army.
Finally, the strict discipline in the spirit of the Long March is an important guarantee for the Red Army to successfully complete the Long March. During the Long March, the Red Army always maintained a high degree of organization and discipline, which was not only reflected in the battle, but also in the friendly behavior of the masses. The strict discipline of the Red Army during the Long March won the broad support of the masses along the route and provided valuable help to the Red Army in the Long March.
The spirit of the Long March, as a precious spiritual wealth of the Chinese nation, has always been inherited and carried forward. After the founding of New China, the spirit of the Long March continued to inspire the Chinese people to constantly struggle in socialist construction. In the new era of reform, opening up and modernization, the spirit of the Long March has become a powerful driving force for China's continuous progress. Whether in the face of natural disasters or in economic construction, the spirit of the Long March has inspired the Chinese people to overcome difficulties and forge ahead bravely.
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The spirit of the Long March, this eternal fire, will continue to burn in the hearts of the Chinese nation and inspire generation after generation of Chinese to make unremitting efforts for a better future.