The Long March (English)

The 8,000-mile trek across harsh terrain by the Red Army, in retreat from the forces of the Kuomintang in 1934-1935, became a central part of the Chinese national narrative under Chairman Mao Zhedong. Historian Sun Shuyun made the long journey across China herself to interview those who were there and survived; she provides their oral histories along with well-researched historical context. Her account dispels many myths as she tells of great loss of lives, and how, as the army moved across China causing havoc and destruction to local communities, it forced the citizens to join in. Sun Shuyun's compelling historical account is both a scathing indictment of Mao and a testament to the rigor and fortitude of the Chinese people. minimize