Episodios

  • Mao Tells Zhou Enlai about Guerrilla Warfare
    May 1 2024

    Mao’s April 5, 1929 reply to Zhou Enlai.

    Further reading:
    Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949
    Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930
    David Apter and Tony Saich, Revolutionary Discourse in Mao’s Republic
    Tony Saich, The Rise to Power of the Chinese Communist Party
    Michael Heinrich, Karl Marx and the Birth of Modern Society: The Life of Marx and the Development of His Work

    Some names from this episode:
    Zhou Enlai, head of the Organization Department of the Central Committee
    Xiang Zhongfa, General secretary of the CP
    Guo Fengming, bandit turned Guomindang local despot in Changting
    Liu Shiyi, Guomindang commander
    Ye Ting, Communist military leader
    He Long, Communist military leader

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    24 m
  • The Party Center Attempts to Assert Control over the Red Army and Orders Mao and Zhu to Report to Shanghai
    Apr 4 2024

    A close look at Zhou Enlai’s February 7, 1929, letter to Mao Zedong and Zhu De.

    Further reading:
    Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949
    Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930
    E. H. Carr, Foundations of a Planned Economy, vol. 3
    Tony Saich, The Rise to Power of the Chinese Communist Party

    Some names from this episode:
    Zhou Enlai, head of the Organization Department of the Central Committee
    Xiang Zhongfa, General secretary of the CP
    Li Lisan, Leading Communist

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    22 m
  • Mao’s March 20 Letter to the Central Committee, and the 5th Red Army’s Retreat from the Jinggangshan (January to April 1929)
    Mar 10 2024

    Mao plans to expand guerrilla warfare, and meets up with Peng Dehuai in Ruijin.

    Further reading:
    Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949
    Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930
    Stephen Averill, Revolution in the Highlands: China’s Jinggangshan Base Area
    Peng Dehuai, Memoirs of a Chinese Marshall

    Some names from this episode:
    Yuan Wencai, Bandit leader who joined with Mao Zedong
    Wang Zuo, Bandit leader who joined with Mao Zedong
    He Changgong, secretary of the Ninggang County Party following the departure of the Fourth Red Army
    Long Chaoqing, former secretary of the Ninggang County Committee of the Communist Party
    Peng Dehuai, leader of the Fifth Red Army
    Li Wenlin, Communist guerrilla commander
    Duan Yuequan, Communist guerrilla commander
    Liu Shiyi, Guomindang commander
    Xiao Jiabi, reactionary militia leader

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    25 m
  • On the Experience of the National Bourgeoisie in the New Democratic Revolution
    Feb 4 2024

    Some reflections on the experience of Shanghai capitalists after 1949 prompted by the ‘Notice to Merchants and Intellectuals’ that Mao issued after taking Changting in 1929.

    Further reading:
    Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930
    Yao Wenyuan, “On the Social Basis of the Lin Piao Anti-Party Clique” (for heavenly horses reference)
    David Apter and Tony Saich, Revolutionary Discourse in Mao’s Republic
    Lynn White, Policies of Chaos: The Organizational Causes of Violence in China’s Cultural Revolution
    David Barbosa, “Rong Yiren, a Chinese Billionaire, Dies at 89”

    Some names from this episode:
    Wu Zhongyi, Shanghai capitalist
    Rong Yiren, Shanghai capitalist

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    27 m
  • A New Communist Order in Changting (March 1929)
    Jan 13 2024

    Looking at what Mao and Zhu De did to install a new Communist order after conquering Changting.

    Further reading:
    Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949
    Agnes Smedley, The Great Road: The Life and Times of Chu Teh [Zhu De]
    Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930
    Mao Zedong, “On New Democracy”

    Some names from this episode:
    Guo Fengming, bandit turned Guomindang local despot in Changting
    Feng Yuxiang, warlord close to both the USA and the Soviet Union
    Wang Jingwei, leader of the Guomindang left
    Dai Jitao, Guomindang ideologue
    Yan Xishan, warlord accused by Mao of being a running dog for the Japanese imperialists

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    34 m
  • Leaving Donggu, Taking Changting (February to March 1929)
    Dec 7 2023

    How the Fourth Red Army spent their time in Donggu, and how they took the first city in the new base area in the Jiangxi-Fujian border region.

    Further reading:
    Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949
    Agnes Smedley, The Great Road: The Life and Times of Chu Teh [Zhu De]
    Joseph Fewsmith, Forging Leninism in China: Mao and the Remaking of the Chinese Communist Party, 1927–1934
    Gao Hua, How the Red Sun Rose: The Origins and Development of the Yan’an Rectification Movement, 1930-1945
    Stephen Averill, “The Origins of the Futian Incident”

    Some names from this episode:
    Xiao Ke, an officer in the Fourth Red Army
    Peng Pai, Communist peasant organizer
    Long Chaoqing, important early Communist in Jinggangshan area
    Peng Dehuai, Leader of the 5th Red Army
    Guo Fengming, Bandit turned Guomindang local despot in Changting

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    23 m
  • From Dabodi to Donggu: The Retreat from the Jinggangshan Continues (February 1929)
    Oct 19 2023

    The Mao-Zhu Army raises funds in Ningdu and moves on to the Donggu base area for rest and recovery. Background on Donggu.

    Link to map of Jiangxi province: https://www.chinamaps.org/china/provincemaps/jiangxi-province-map.html

    Further reading:
    Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930
    Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949
    Agnes Smedley, The Great Road: The Life and Times of Chu Teh [Zhu De]
    Joseph Fewsmith, Forging Leninism in China: Mao and the Remaking of the Chinese Communist Party, 1927–1934

    Some names from this episode:
    Wang Chuxi, big landlord in Donggu area who lived in Futian
    Ye Jianying, Communist who led division of the National Revolutionary Army which took Ji’an during the Northern Expedition
    Duan Qifeng, Donggu bandit chief who joined with Communists
    Wang Zuo, Bandit leader who joined with Mao Zedong
    Lai Jingbang, first leader of the Donggu communists
    Wang Liangzhao, younger brother to Wang Chuxi

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    21 m
  • Running for Their Lives: The Retreat from the Jinggangshan (January to February 1929)
    Oct 12 2023

    Mao and the Fourth Red Army break the encirclement of the Jinggangshan and retreat across southern Jiangxi with the Guomindang in hot pursuit.

    Link to map of Jiangxi province: https://www.chinamaps.org/china/provincemaps/jiangxi-province-map.html

    Further reading/watching on the difficulties of finding good maps of China:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restrictions_on_geographic_data_in_China
    https://www.reddit.com/r/Maps/comments/b6qnvc/just_blew_my_mind_every_map_of_china_is/
    https://www.reddit.com/r/China/comments/7pju2c/why_is_google_maps_coverage_of_china_slightly_off/

    Further reading:
    Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930
    Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949
    Agnes Smedley, The Great Road: The Life and Times of Chu Teh [Zhu De]
    Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 4: The Rise and Fall of the Chinese Soviet Republic, 1931-1934

    Some names from this episode:
    Chen Yi, Political commissar for the 28th regiment of the Fourth Red Army
    Lin Biao, Battalion commander in the 28th regiment
    Wu Ruolan, Communist cadre and Zhu De’s wife

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    22 m