In the spring of 1935, the Central Red Army found itself trapped deep in the mountains of southwestern China. Surrounded by hundreds of thousands of enemy troops, they faced the possibility of total annihilation. To survive, they needed to break out. The decision was made to cross the Jinsha River, the upper stretch of the mighty Yangtze River.

On the evening of May 3, the Red Army's Chief of Staff, Liu Bocheng, led a force of experienced officers and fighters on a forced day‑and‑night march. They then launched a surprise attack, capturing the ferry at Jiaopingdu and seizing only six small wooden boats. With the help of 37 local boatmen, they ferried over 30,000 soldiers across the river, working day and night without rest. By May 9, the entire force had crossed.

Once on the far bank, they destroyed the six boats, leaving the pursuing enemy stranded. Their enemy had hoped to wipe them out in the border region of Sichuan, Guizhou, and Yunnan. This decisive victory was a turning point in the Long March, one which made the rest of the journey and their final victory possible.