Choosing Revolution: Chinese Women Soldiers on the Long March

Chronology

Chronology 1930 First Front Army is founded in the Jiangxi Soviet Base Area 1931 Fourth Front Army is founded in the Hubei-Henan-Anhui Soviet Base Area 1932 Fourth Front Army leaves the Soviet base, moving west to Sichuan; Lin Yueqin believes the Long March begins for her at this time 1933 PoliticalBureauof theChineseCommunistpartymovestotheJiangxi Soviet Base Area Fourth Front Army establishes Sichuan-Shaanxi Base Area 1934 August SixthArmy Group leaves Hunan-Jiangxi BaseArea to join forces with troops in the Eastern Guizhou Base Area; Chen Zongying marks this as the beginning of the Long March for her October Sixth and Second Army Groups establish Hunan-Hubei-SichuanGuizhou Soviet Base Area First Front Army leaves the Jiangxi Soviet on the Long March November/December First Front fights their way across Jiangxi and Hunan and into Guizhou 1935 January First Front Army reaches Zunyi, Guizhou, holds meeting of the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee; past military decisions are criticized, opening the way for adoption of Mao Zedong’s military strategies and his political leadership 1935 February First FrontArmy tries to move north into Sichuan from the GuizhouSichuan -Yunnan border with severe fighting Li Guiying is reassigned to stay behind and work locally with Sichuan guerrillas March/April First Front Army moves south and west into Yunnan province Liao Siguang’s baby is born Fourth Front Army moves to the Sichuan-Sikang border Xie Xiaomei is assigned to stay behind and work underground in Guizhou May First Front Army crosses the Jinsha River (upper Yangzi River) and the Dadu River at Luding Bridge June/July First and Fourth Front Armies converge,climb the snow mountains, rest, and regroup while leaders meet Kang Keqing and Wang Quanyuan are transferred to the Fourth Front Army August Chinese Communist Party officially advocates a United Front with the Nationalists to fight the Japanese First and Fourth Front Armies cross the grasslands September First and Fourth Front Army leaders are unable to agree on strategy ; First Front Army goes north to Shaanbei, Fourth turns south October First Front Army reaches the Base Area at Wuqizhen in northern Shaanxi province, ending their Long March November Second and Sixth Army Groups leave the Hunan-Hubei-SichuanGuizhou Revolutionary Base Area to begin their Long March December Mao Zedong first uses the term “25,000 li Long March” in a speech 1936 January Second and Sixth Army Groups reach Guizhou February Fourth Front Army settles in Ganzi on the Sikang-Tibet border March Second and Sixth Army Groups reach Guizhou-Yunnan border xvi Chronology April Second and Sixth Army Groups cross the Jinsha River in northwest Yunnan province May Second and Sixth Army Groups move north on separate routes into Sikang June Second and Sixth Army Groups meet Fourth Front Army July Second and Sixth Army Groups reorganize into the Second Front Army Fourth Front Army agrees to march north to Shaanbei with Second Front Army August/September Second and Fourth Front Armies cross the grasslands; Chen Zongying and Jian Xianfo deliver their babies Second and Fourth Front Armies take separate routes,fighting their way toward Shaanbei October First and Fourth Front Armies meet in Huining, Gansu province First and Second Front Armies meet in Gansu province two weeks later First, Second, and Fourth Front Armies converge and the Long March ends November Western Route Army is formed Wang Quanyuan commands a regiment of women inWestern Route Army Jian Xianfo decides to leave the Western Route Army and take her baby to Shaanbei December Chiang Kai-shek is captured by warlord troops and agrees to form a United Front between Nationalists and the Communists to fight against the Japanese Chronology xvii Choosing Revolution China, 1934–36: Routes of the First, Second, and Fourth Front Red Armies, showing Chinese Soviet Base Areas. (Compiled by the author; drafted by Bill Nelson) First Front Army (1934–35) Fourth Front Army (1935–36) Sixth Front Army* (1934–36) Second Front Army* (1935–36) *United to become Second Front Army in Sichuan, 1936 TIBET SZECHWAN YUNNAN KWANGSI KWANGTUNG KWEICHOW HUNAN KIANGSI FUKIEN CHEKIANG KIANGSU ANHWEI HUPEH HONAN SHENSI SHANSI SIKANG TSINGHAI SINKIANG KANSU NINGSIA SUIYNAN HOPEH SHANTUNG JEHOL CHAHAR MONGOLIA MANCHURIA HAINAN 1 2 3 4 5 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Jiangxi-Central Base Area (First Front Army) Hunan-Jiangxi Base Area (Sixth Army Group) Hunan-Hubei-Sichuan-Guizhou...