A historic, two-year journey, helping to create the China we know today. The country is now marking 80 years since the end of its “Long March.”

CCTV America’s Roee Ruttenberg explains.

Despite its name, the Long March wasn’t actually a single march, but rather a series of marches, that spanned over two years, from 1934 to 1936.

The march started with some 200,000 soldiers from the Chinese Red Army, led by the Communists, retreating north and west, in the hope of breaking a siege by the nationalist Kuomintang forces.

They started in October of 1934, in the southeastern city of Ruijin.

Red Army troops split up along different routes. The longest journey reached some 10-thousand kilometers. That’s like marching from New York to Los Angeles, and back.

The first batch of soldiers joined with others in the northern city of Wuqi in October 1935. And finally, all of the Red Army troops joined forces in nearby Huining one year later.

The reunion marked the end of a daunting expedition, in which soldiers crossed raging rivers, climbed towering mountains and fought hundreds of battles. Along the way, they faced harassment, disease and chronic food shortages.

Many didn’t survive. By the fall of 1936, only 30,000 were still alive.

But their success, their spirit and their stories would be forever engrained in the history of modern China. And from the Long March emerged a generation of new leaders. Among them, Mao Zedong. The march marked his ascent to power, and would solidify his support from Communist leaders for the coming decades.

Reflecting on most important “Long March” battles

That military maneuver has been called “daring” and “brave.” There were some major battles over the course of those two years. And victory was key to the success of the Red Army. 

During the daring military maneuver that is the Long March, some major battles turned out to be of vital importance to the success of the Red Army. The soldiers feared no sacrifice, and stood firmly in their beliefs. And even after 8 decades, the Long March still retains a powerful legacy in China. Here are some of the battles which impressed people the most.

CCTV’s Xu ZhaoQun shows us some of the most memorable.

Dr. Chi Wang on the “Long March” 80th anniversary

For more about Long March 80th anniversary, CCTV America’s Asieh Namdar interviewed U.S.- China Policy Foundation President, Dr. Chi Wang.