The Long March was a strategic operation undertaken by China's Red Army when being pursued by hordes of Kuomintang (KMT) troops between 1934-1936.
The 12,500-kilometer march began with over 80,000 soldiers in Ruijin and Gucheng in Jiangxi Province, and ended in Yan’an in Shaanxi Province.
It’s estimated that the soldiers’ footprints covered 14 provinces, 24 rivers and 18 mountain ranges during the Long March. /CGTN Photo
During the journey, they climbed towering mountains as high as 5,000 meters, traversed human-sucking bogs and forded frothy rivers without boats.
It’s estimated that the soldiers’ footprints covered 14 provinces, 24 rivers and 18 mountain ranges.
The intense hardship the soldiers underwent in their journey was not limited to the unforgiving wilderness and harsh natural conditions, but was also dotted with frequent exchanges with the Nationalist enemy, harassment from local warlords, chronic shortages of food and difficulties dealing with diseases.
The 12,500-kilometer march started in 1934 and ended in 1936. /CGTN Photo
The Long March is an epic story of self-sacrifice, patriotism and defying the odds. It has become the spiritual symbol for CPC members and the people’s army.
In recent years, a slew of cities along the route of the Long March signed a framework agreement on tourism cooperation and present the public with Long March-themed tours.
Thanks to the tours, the tourists can visit the iconic locations on the route of the Long March in chronological order of the Chinese Red Army's arrival.