View source for Chinese Red Army

{{Short description|Armed forces of the Chinese Communist Party from 1928 to 1937}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{More citations needed|date=January 2019}}
{{Expand Chinese|topic=mil|中国工农红军|date=April 2023}}
}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name                     = Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army
| native_name                   = {{langn|zh-hant|中國工農紅軍}}
| image                         = Second War Flag of Chinese Soviet Republic.svg{{!}}border
| image_size                    = 200
| alt                           = red army flag with Hammer and sickle on a white star over a red background
| caption                       = Flag of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army
| dates                         = 1928–1937
| disbanded                     = 1937
| country                       = {{flagcountry|Republic of China (1912–1949)|name=China}}
| countries                     =
| allegiance                    = {{Flagicon image|Flag of the Chinese Communist Party (Pre-1996).svg|size=23px}} [[Chinese Communist Party]]
| branch                        = [[Central Military Commission (China)|Central Military Commission]]
| type                          = [[Army]]
| role                          = [[Land warfare]]
| size                          =
| command_structure             =
| garrison                      = [[Jinggang Mountains]] (1928-1929)<br>[[Ruijin]], [[Jiangxi Soviet]] (1929-1934)<br>Yan'an, [[Yan'an Soviet]] (1935-1937)
| garrison_label                = Headquarters
| nickname                      =
| battles                       = [[Chinese Civil War]]
| notable_commanders            = [[Mao Zedong]], [[Peng Dehuai]], [[Zhu De]]
}}
{{Infobox Chinese
| title = Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army
| collapse = yes
| t = 中國工農紅軍
| s = 中国工农红军
| p = Zhōngguó Gōngnóng Hóngjūn
| gr = Jonggwo Gongnong Horngjiun
| tp = Jhongguó Gong-nóng Hóng-jyun
| w = {{tone superscript|Chung1-kuo2 Kung1-nung2 Hung2-chün1}}
| y = Jūnggwok Gūngnùhng Hùhnggwān
| j = zung1 gwok3 gung1 nung4 hung4 gwan1
| bpmf = ㄓㄨㄥ ㄍㄨㄛˊ ㄍㄨㄥ ㄋㄨㄥˊ ㄏㄨㄥˊ ㄐㄩㄣ
| poj = Tiong-kok Kong-lâng Âng-kun
| h = Tiong-kok Kûng-nùng Fùng-kiûn
| altname = Chinese People's Red Army
| t2 = 中國人民紅軍
| s2 = 中国人民红军
| p2 = Zhōngguó Rénmín Hóngjūn
| gr2 = Jonggwo Renmin Horngjiun
| tp2 = Jhongguó Rén-mín Hóng-jyun
| w2 = {{tone superscript|Chung1-kuo2 Jen2-min2 Hung2-chün1}}
| y2 = Jūnggwok Yàhnmàhn Hùhnggwān
| j2 = zung1 gwok3 jan4 man4 hung4 gwan1
| bpmf2 = ㄓㄨㄥ ㄍㄨㄛˊ ㄖㄣˊ ㄇㄧㄣˊ ㄏㄨㄥˊ ㄐㄩㄣ
| poj2 = Tiong-kok Ngìn-mìn Âng-kun
| h2 = Tiong-kok Jîn-bîn Fùng-kiûn
| altname3 = Abbreviation: Red Army
| t3 = 紅軍
| s3 = 红军
| p3 = Hóngjūn
| gr3 = Horngjiun
| tp3 = Hóng-jyun
| w3 = {{tone superscript|Hung2-chün1}}
| y3 = Hùhnggwān
| j3 = hung4 gwan1
| bpm3 = ㄏㄨㄥˊ ㄐㄩㄣ
| poj3 = Âng-kun
| h3 = Fùng-kiûn
| mi = {{IPAc-cmn|zh|ong|1|.|g|uo|2|-|g|ong|1|.|n|ong|2|-|h|ong|2|.|jun|1}}
| ci = {{IPAc-yue|z|ung|1|-|gw|ok|3|-|g|ung|1|-|n|ung|4|-|h|ung|4|-|gw|an|1}}
| mi2 = {{IPAc-cmn|zh|ong|1|.|g|uo|2|-|r|en|2|.|m|in|2|-|h|ong|2|.|jun|1}}
| mi3 = {{IPAc-cmn|h|ong|2|.|jun|1}}
| ci2 = {{IPAc-yue|z|ung|1|-|gw|ok|3|-|j|an|4|-|m|an|4|-|h|ung|4|-|gw|an|1}}
| ci3 = {{IPAc-yue|h|ung|4|-|gw|an|1}}
}}
{{Chinese Communist Revolution sidebar}}
The '''Chinese Red Army''', formally the '''Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army'''{{efn|Alternatively, the '''Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army'''}} or just the '''Red Army''', was the military wing of the [[Chinese Communist Party]] from 1928 to 1937. It was formed when Communist elements of the [[National Revolutionary Army]] splintered and mutinied in the [[Nanchang Uprising]]. The Red Army was reincorporated into the [[National Revolutionary Army]] as part of the [[Second United Front]] with the [[Kuomintang]] to fight against the [[Empire of Japan|Japanese]] during the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]] of 1937–1945. In the later stages of the [[Chinese Civil War]] the Red Army splintered off once again and was renamed the [[People's Liberation Army]].
== History ==
{{See also|Warlord Era|National Revolutionary Army}}
=== Formation (late 1920s) ===
[[File:中國工農紅軍軍旗.svg|thumb|200x200px|Flag of Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army before January 1934.]]
In the summer of 1926, the CCP took over the two divisions of the [[Chinese Nationalist Party]] forces and led a military mutiny. Nationalist forces General [[He Long]] commanded the 20th Corps to join them. They had a total of 20,000 soldiers and planned to occupy [[Guangzhou]]. However, they were defeated before they reached Guangzhou with only a few thousand men surviving the battle. [[Zhu De]] led a column of survivors to [[Hunan]] to fight in the [[Autumn Harvest Uprising]] where they were defeated again.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/pla-history.htm |title=PLA History |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230407072044/https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/pla-history.htm |archive-date=7 April 2023}}</ref> After the revolt, [[Mao Zedong]] organized the rebels into a guerilla army, establishing a [[revolutionary base area]] in the [[Jinggang Mountains]].<ref name=":02">{{Cite book |last=Li |first=David Daokui |title=China's World View: Demystifying China to Prevent Global Conflict |date=2024 |publisher=[[W. W. Norton & Company]] |isbn=978-0393292398 |location=New York, NY |author-link=David Daokui Li}}</ref>{{Rp|page=40}} The two armies joined forces in the following year. In the winter of 1927, the CCP planned to conquer Guangzhou; however, the uprising failed and thousands of insurgents were killed by the Nationalist forces of General [[Li Jishen]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Rhoads |first1=Edward J. M. |title=The Chinese Red Army, 1927–1963: An Annotated Bibliography |last2=Friedman |first2=Edward |last3=Joffe |first3=Ellis |last4=Powell |first4=Ralph L. |date=1964 |publisher=Harvard University Asia Center |isbn=978-0-674-12500-1 |edition=1 |volume=16 |doi=10.2307/j.ctt1tg5nnd |jstor=j.ctt1tg5nnd}}</ref>
Between 1928 and 1929, the CCP launched multiple uprisings. [[Mao Zedong]] and [[Zhu De]] led the organization and training of the Communist military,<ref name=":Duan" />{{Rp|page=283}} including the Fourth Army, which totaled about 6,000 men in the summer of 1928 and fought in [[Jiangxi]]. Also in the summer of 1928, [[Peng Dehuai]], the Nationalist forces Regimental Commander, led a military mutiny. A [[Nanchang uprising]] survivor, He Long, also created an army in his hometown, with former government soldiers as the main fighting force.
In the late 1920s, the Communist forces lacked resources and relied on guerilla tactics such as hit-and-run operations to compensate for their material limitations.<ref name=":Duan" />{{Rp|page=283}}
=== Early success (early 1930s) ===
In early 1930, more red armies were created and the number of red soldiers grew rapidly. By the summer of 1930, the Chinese Red Army had grown to more than 100,000 soldiers and had several base areas, such as in southern and northern Jiangxi, western [[Hubei]], and eastern Hunan, among others. Peng Dehuai's Fifth Army attacked and occupied [[Changsha]], the capital of Hunan. After the attack, Jiangxi became the largest base area of the Chinese Red Army. In the autumn of 1930, [[Deng Xiaoping]]'s Seventh Army left its base area in [[Guangxi]].
In 1931, the Chinese Red Army defeated the Nationalist forces three times with a large-scale attack, causing the Nationalist forces to lose nearly 100,000 soldiers. Several smaller red armies came together and formed a group army. In the summer of 1931, General [[Zhang Guotao]] arrived at the Fourth Red Army's base area and took over the army. Most of the Fourth Red Army's senior officers were killed by him, including [[Xu Jishen]], [[Zhou Weijiong]], and Xiaofang. Similar movements also occurred in western Hubei; in the spring of 1931, [[Xia Xi]] took over He Long's army and killed most of his senior officers including [[Duan Dechang]].
In the fall of 1932, the Nationalist forces gathered 300,000 soldiers to attack the Fourth Red Army. Most of the Nationalist forces' future generals participated in this battle such as [[Huang Wei]], [[Du Yuming]], [[Sun Li-jen]], and others. Having lost more than half of its soldiers, the Fourth Red Army was defeated and had to retreat from its base area. He Long's Third Army also sustained significant loses, with more than 10,000 soldiers losing their lives after leaving western Hubei. During this time, there were also several battles between the Nationalist forces and Jiangxi's First Red Army.
In the spring of 1933, the First Red Army defeated the Nationalist forces' fourth large-scale attack and eliminated two and a half of its elite divisions. Several of the Nationalist forces' generals were also captured. In 1933, the Fourth Red Army arrived at [[Sichuan]] and recruited more than 80,000 soldiers. This caused Sichuan's warlord [[Liu Xiang (warlord)|Liu Xiang]] to gather 200,000 troops to attack the Fourth Red Army in autumn.
=== Defeats (mid 1930s) ===
In 1934, the Nationalist forces purchased new German weapons and launched a fifth large-scale attack on the Red Army's base area in Jiangxi. The First Red Army lost more than 50,000 soldiers in this battle and had to leave Jiangxi to establish a new base. This was the beginning of the [[Long March]]. About 30,000 soldiers were left to defend the base areas in southern China. During the same time, the Fourth Red Army defeated [[Liu Xiang (warlord)|Liu Xiang]]'s attacks, who lost more than 80,000 soldiers in battle. Before the First Red Army began the Long March, [[Xiao Ke]]'s Sixth Legion arrived at eastern Guizhou and joined forces with [[He Long]]'s Third Army. After this, the Third Army changed its designation to Second Legion.
In the autumn of 1935, the First Red Army arrived in northern [[Shaanxi]] with only 6,000 soldiers after losing more than 80,000 along the way. During this same time, the Fourth Red Army moved to northern [[Sichuan]] and planned to attack [[Chengdu]]. By the end of 1935, they had lost more than 40,000 soldiers and were defeated. Therefore, they were forced to move to southern [[Gansu]] and wait for [[He Long]]'s Second Legion and Sixth Legion to arrive.
=== Formation of a new Army (late 1930s) ===
In the summer of 1936, the Second Legion, the Sixth Legion and the Thirty-Second Army formed a new group army. It was named the Second Red Army and He Long was tasked with being its commander. The Second Red Army and Fourth Red Army arrived in north [[Shaanxi]] in the autumn of 1936. Around the same time, roughly 21,000 soldiers from the Fourth Red Army attacked Gansu, wanting to find a way to the [[Soviet Union]]. By the end of 1936, they were defeated by the Nationalist forces' General [[Ma Bufang]], with more than 6,000 soldiers being captured. Only [[Xu Xiangqian]] and other senior officers survived. Because of this great failure, the Fourth Red Army's Commander in Chief [[Zhang Guotao]] was stripped of his military power.
When the [[Second Sino-Japanese War|anti-Japanese war]] broke out on 7 July 1937, the communist military forces were nominally integrated into the [[National Revolutionary Army]] of the [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|Republic of China]], forming the [[Eighth Route Army]] and the [[New Fourth Army]] units. The First Red Army was integrated into the 115th Division of the Nationalist forces. The Second Red Army was integrated into the 120th Division of the Nationalist forces. The Fourth Red Army was integrated into the 129th Division of the Nationalist forces. These three divisions had 45,000 soldiers in all. 10,000 soldiers were left to defend the base areas in northern [[Shaanxi]]. In southern China, the [[New Fourth Army]]'s 10,000 soldiers acted as a guerrilla force. At the time of the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]], these two armies contained one million armed men. The Red Army grew rapidly during the war, including through mass mobilization campaigns operating behind enemy lines.<ref name=":Duan" />{{Rp|page=283}} At the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Red Army had 2 million militia members and 900,000 regular troops.<ref name=":Duan" />{{Rp|page=283}}
=== Re-organization into People's Liberation Army ===
In 1947, the Red Army was reorganized into the People's Liberation Army.<ref name=":Duan" />{{Rp|page=283}} It continued to operate as a guerilla army reliant on the support of the peasantry.<ref name=":Duan" />{{Rp|page=283}} By the time the People's Republic of China was established on 1 October 1949, the PLA had 5.5 million personnel, primarily light infantry.<ref name=":Duan" />{{Rp|page=283}}
After the Communist Party assumed power in 1949, veterans of the Red Army were venerated in [[Mainland China|mainland Chinese]] culture and are distinguished from those who joined to fight with the Communist Party after the integration with the Nationalists, or during the second civil war.
In 1954, the relationship between the Party and the military was further institutionalized by the establishment of the [[Central Military Commission (China)|Central Military Commission]].<ref name=":Duan" />{{Rp|page=283}}
=== Major events ===
* 1 August 1927: [[Nanchang Uprising]]
* 1927: [[Autumn Harvest Uprising]]
* 1927: [[Guangzhou Uprising]]
* 1930 to 1931: [[First Encirclement Campaign against Jiangxi Soviet|First Encirclement Campaign]]<ref name="fish " >{{cite book |author=李涛 |script-title=zh:《湘江血泪:中央红军长征突破四道封锁线纪实》 |date=1 November 2012 |publisher=长征出版社 |isbn=9787802047488 |language=zh}}</ref>
* 1931: [[Second Encirclement Campaign against Jiangxi Soviet|Second Encirclement Campaign]]<ref name="fish " />
* July 1931: [[Third Encirclement Campaign against Jiangxi Soviet|Third Encirclement Campaign]]<ref name="fish " />
* 1932 to 1933: [[Fourth Encirclement Campaign against Jiangxi Soviet|Fourth Encirclement Campaign]]<ref name="fish " />
* 1933 to 1934: [[Fifth Encirclement Campaign against Jiangxi Soviet|Fifth Encirclement Campaign]]<ref name="fish " />
* 1934 to 1936: [[Long March]]<ref name="fish " /><ref>《中國國民黨史》：“赤匪自稱這次流竄為長征。這次長征開始於民國二十三年十月，到二十四年一月，紅軍主力已到達貴州的遵義。”</ref>
== Political and ideological roles ==
In the view of the Communist Party, participation of the masses in the Red Army was significant beyond the direct concerns of manpower and material support.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last1=Cai |first1=Xiang |url= |title=Revolution and its narratives : China's socialist literary and cultural imaginaries (1949-1966) |last2=蔡翔 |date=2016 |publisher=[[Duke University Press]] |others=Rebecca E. Karl, Xueping Zhong, 钟雪萍 |isbn=978-0-8223-7461-9 |location=Durham |pages= |oclc=932368688}}</ref>{{Rp|page=88}} It was also viewed as a political process through which the masses would evolve into "masters of the state."<ref name=":0" />{{Rp|page=88}} According to Mao, "[T]he Red Army is not an entity for fighting only. Its major task (or function) is to mobilize the masses. Fighting is only a means."<ref name=":0" />{{Rp|page=88}} This process involved the Red Army's significant responsibility for educating, organizing, and mobilizing the masses, functioning like the mobile embodiment of the Communist Party in addition to its military roles.<ref name=":0" />{{Rp|page=365}} Academic Cai Xiang writes that the Red Army's ability to function in this way helps explain why despite the weak industrial base in revolutionary China, a [[proletarian]] party nonetheless successfully developed.<ref name=":0" />{{Rp|page=355}}
These ideas developed at the 1929 [[Gutian Congress]]<ref name=":Duan">{{Cite book |last=Duan |first=Lei |title=China under Xi Jinping: A New Assessment |publisher=[[Leiden University Press]] |year=2024 |isbn=9789087284411 |editor-last=Fang |editor-first=Qiang |pages= |chapter=Towards a More Joint Strategy: Assessing Chinese Military Reforms and Militia Reconstruction |editor-last2=Li |editor-first2=Xiaobing}}</ref>{{Rp|page=280}} The June 1930 Program for the Red Fourth Army at All Levels and the winter 1930 Provisional Regulations on the Political Work of the Chinese Workers and Peasants Army (Draft), which formally established Party leadership of the military.<ref name=":022">{{Cite book |last=Huang |first=Yibing |url= |title=An Ideological History of the Communist Party of China |date=2020 |publisher=Royal Collins |others=Qian Zheng, Guoyou Wu, Xuemei Ding, Li Sun, Shelly Bryant |isbn=978-1-4878-0425-1 |edition= |volume=1 |location=Montreal, Quebec |pages= |oclc=1165409653}}</ref>{{Rp|page=307}}
In the article ''The Democratic Movement within the Army''<u>,</u> written during the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]], Mao Zedong discussed the Red Army's political work and stated, "Through the [[Democracy in China|democratic]] movement under centralized leadership, we were able to achieve a high degree of political unity, improve lives, and improve military technology and tactics, which are our three main purposes."<ref name=":022" />{{Rp|page=322}} This view of democracy in the military emphasized [[democratic centralism]] and avoiding what the Party deemed "extreme democracy[,] or [[anarchism]]."<ref name=":022" />{{Rp|page=322}}
==Main leadership==
=== Main leadership of the Red Army headquarters ===
In May 1933, the Chinese Red Army began to build a military regularization system. They established the Red Army headquarters on the front line to command operations.
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible autocollapse"
|-
! Military Posts
! First Term
! Second Term
! Third Term
|-
| Chairman of the Military Commission
| [[Zhu De]] (May 1933 to December 1936)
| [[Mao Zedong]] (December 1936 to July 1937)
|
|-
| Commander in Chief
| Zhu De (May 1933 to July 1937)
|
|
|-
| Chief Political Commissar
| [[Zhou Enlai]] (1933.5 - 1935.6)
| [[Zhang Guotao]] (1935.6 to July 1937)
|
|-
| Chief of the General Staff
| [[Liu Bocheng]] (1933.5 to July 1937)
|
|
|-
| Deputy Chief of the General Staff
| [[Zhang Yunyi]] (1933.5 - 1934.10)
| [[Ye Jianying]] (1934.10 to July 1937)
|
|-
| Director of the General Political Department
| [[Wang Jiaxiang]] (1933.5 - 1935.6)
| [[Cheng Changhao]] (1935.6 - 1936.12)
| Wang Jiaxiang (1936.12 to July 1937)
|-
| Deputy Director of the General Political Department
| {{ill|He Chang|zh|贺昌}} (1933.5 - 1934.10)
| [[Yuan Guoping]] (1934.10 - 1936.12)
| [[Yang Shangkun]] (1936.12 to July 1937)
|-
| Director of Security
| [[Li Kenong]] (1933.5 - 1935.12)
| [[Luo Ruiqing]] (1935.12 to July 1937)
|
|-
| Minister of Supply
| [[Ye Jizhuang]] (1933.5 to July 1937)
|
|
|-
| Minister of Public Health
| Peng Longbo (彭龙伯, 1933.5 - 1933.12)
| He Cheng (1933.12 to July 1937)
|
|-
| Minister of Military Station
| {{ill|Yang Lisan|zh|杨立三}} (1933.5 to July 1937)
|
|
|}
=== Commanders of group armies ===
The Chinese Red Army often claimed they had three group armies, although, by 1931, the Second Red Army was much smaller than the other two.
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible autocollapse"
|-
! Army
! Military Posts
! First Term
! Second Term
! Third Term
|-
|rowspan="4"|[[First Red Army]]
| Commander
| [[Zhu De]] (1930.8 - 1935.10)
| [[Peng Dehuai]] (1935.10 - 1937.8)
|
|-
| [[Political Commissar]]
| [[Mao Zedong]] (1930.8 - 1933.5)
| [[Zhou Enlai]] (1933.5 - 1935.10)
| Mao Zedong (1935.10 - 1937.8)
|-
| Chief of Staff
| {{ill|Zhu Yunqing|zh|朱云卿}} (1930.8 - 1931.6)
| [[Ye Jianying]] (1931.6 - 1937.8)
|
|-
| Director of Political Department
| {{ill|Yang Yuebin|zh|杨岳彬}} (1930.8 - 1932.6)
| [[Yang Shangkun]] (1932.6- 1935.10)
| [[Wang Jiaxiang]] (1935.10 - 1937.8)
|-
|rowspan="4"|[[Second Red Army]]
| Commander
| [[He Long]] (1936.7 - 1937.8)
|
|
|-
| [[Political Commissar]]
| [[Ren Bishi]] (1936.7 - 1936.10)
| [[Guan Xiangying]] (1936.10 - 1937.8)
|
|-
| Chief of Staff
| [[Li Da (general)|Li Da]] (1936.7 - 1936.10)
| [[Zhou Shidi]] (1936.10 - 1937.8)
|
|-
| Director of Political Department
| [[Gan Siqi]] (1936.7 - 1936.10)
| [[Zhu Rui]] (1936.10 - 1937.8)
|
|-
|rowspan="4"|[[Fourth Red Army]]
| Commander
| [[Xu Xiangqian]] (1931.11 - 1937.8)
|
|
|-
| [[Political Commissar]]
| [[Cheng Changhao]] (1931.11 - 1937.8)
|
|
|-
| Chief of Staff
| {{ill|Zeng Zhongsheng|zh|曾中生}} (1931.11 - 1933.10)
| [[Ni Zhiliang]] (1933.10 - 1936.4)
| Li Te (李特, 1936.4 - 1937.8)
|-
| Director of Political Department
| Liu Shiqi (刘士奇, 1931.11 - 1932.11)
| Cheng Changhao (1932.11 - 1936.4)
| [[Li Zhuoran]] (1936.4 - 1937.8)
|}
=== Main leadership of base areas ===
In 1930, the Chinese Red Army had established several base areas. Though the designations of the Red Army changed frequently, the main leadership of base areas did not change significantly.
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible autocollapse"
|-
! Base Area
! Duration
! Main Leadership
! Remarks
|-
|rowspan="4"|[[Jiangxi]]
|rowspan="4"|1929 - 1934
| [[Mao Zedong]]
|
|-
| [[Zhu De]]
|
|-
| [[Bo Gu]]
|
|-
| [[Zhou Enlai]]
|
|-
|rowspan="3"|Northern [[Jiangxi]]
|rowspan="3"|1929 - 1934
| {{ill|Kong Hechong|zh|孔荷宠}}
| Betrayed in 1934
|-
| [[Fu Qiutao]]
|
|-
| Fang Buzhou ({{zh|labels=no|c=方步舟}})
| Betrayed in 1937
|-
|rowspan="3"|Eastern [[Jiangxi]]
|rowspan="3"|1929 - 1935
| [[Fang Zhimin]]
| Died in 1935
|-
| {{ill|Zhou Jianping (general)|lt=Zhou Jianping|zh|周建屏}}
|
|-
| [[Shao Shiping]]
|
|-
|rowspan="3"|Northern [[Fujian]]
|rowspan="3"|1929 - 1934
| [[Huang Dao]]
|
|-
| Huang Ligui ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=黄立贵}})
| Died in 1937
|-
| Wu Xianxi ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=吴先喜}})
| Died in 1937
|-
|rowspan="4"|Western [[Jiangxi]] and Eastern [[Hunan]]
|rowspan="4"|1930 - 1934
| [[Ren Bishi]]
|
|-
| [[Wang Zhen (general)|Wang Zhen]]
|
|-
| [[Xiao Ke]]
|
|-
| {{ill|Cai Huiwen|zh|蔡会文}}
| Died in 1936
|-
|rowspan="5"|Western [[Anhui]], Eastern [[Hubei]], and Southern [[Henan]]
|rowspan="5"|1930 - 1932
| [[Zhang Guotao]]
|
|-
| [[Xu Jishen]]
| Died in 1931
|-
| [[Xu Xiangqian]]
|
|-
| [[Chen Changhao]]
|
|-
| [[Shen Zemin]]
| Died in 1933
|-
|rowspan="4"|Western [[Hubei]]
|rowspan="4"|1930 - 1932
| [[He Long]]
|
|-
| [[Zhou Yiqun]]
| Died in 1931
|-
| {{ill|Guan Xiangying|zh|关向应}}
|
|-
| [[Xia Xi]]
| Died in 1936
|-
|rowspan="4"| Northern [[Sichuan]]
|rowspan="4"|1933 - 1935
| Zhang Guotao
|
|-
| Xu Xiangqian
|
|-
| Chen Changhao
|
|-
| {{ill|Wang Weizhou|zh|王维舟}}
|
|-
|rowspan="3"| Northern [[Shaanxi]]
|rowspan="3"|1932 - 1937
| [[Liu Zhidan]]
| Died in 1936
|-
| [[Xie Zichang]]
| Died in 1935
|-
| [[Xi Zhongxun]]
|
|-
|rowspan="1"| Eastern [[Guangdong]]
|rowspan="1"|1930 - 1931
| {{ill|Gu Dacun|zh|古大存}}
|
|-
|rowspan="5"| [[Baise Uprising|Guangxi]]<ref name="Han">{{Cite book |last=Han |first=Xiaorong |title=Red God: Wei Baqun and His Peasant Revolution in Southern China |date=2014 |publisher=State University of New York Press |location=Albany, New York |isbn=978-1-4384-5385-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aNg3BQAAQBAJ |pages=147–149}}</ref>
|rowspan="5"|1930 - 1932
| [[Deng Xiaoping]]
|
|-
| [[Zhang Yunyi]]
|
|-
| {{ill|Li Mingrui (general)|lt=Li Mingrui|zh|李明瑞}}
| Died in 1931
|-
| {{ill|Yu Zuoyu|zh|俞作豫}}
| Died in 1930
|-
| {{ill|Wei Baqun|zh|韦拔群}}
| Died in 1932
|-
|rowspan="2"| [[Hainan]]
|rowspan="2"|1930 - 1932
| Wang Wenming ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=王文明}})
| Died in 1930
|-
| [[Feng Baiju]]
|
|}
== Personnel ==
=== Military rebellion ===
In the early phases of its establishment, most of the Chinese Red Army's military officers were made up of former officers of the Nationalist forces, with most of them joining the Red Army secretly between 1925 and 1928. Many of these officers were killed in the first years of the war. The largest rebellion was the [[Ningdu Uprising]] which occurred in the winter of 1931. General {{ill|Dong Zhentang|zh|董振堂}}, head of the 26th Route Army of the [[National Revolutionary Army]] and his 17,000 soldiers were the first to join the First Red Army. After the uprising, the [[Nationalist Party (1912)|Nationalist Party]] strengthened its control over the army, making launching a military rebellion more difficult. Despite this, General [[Zhang Guotao]], who regarded the former officers of the Nationalist forces with disdain, lead an attack in the summer of 1931 which killed more than 2,500 of the Fourth Red Army's middle and senior officers who originated from the Nationalist forces.
=== Ranks and titles ===
The Chinese Red Army had no ranks. Officers and soldiers were considered equal. Early on, the officers were elected by the soldiers; however, during the later parts of the war this system was eliminated. From regiment to army, the command system at each level had four commanders: commander, political commissar, chief of staff, and director of political department, with the political commissar holding the most power.
=== Recruitment ===
Red Army recruitment efforts often involved mass meetings and competitions between different villages, counties, or mass organizations on the basis of which could supply the most recruits.<ref name=":42">{{Cite book |last=Opper |first=Marc |title=People's Wars in China, Malaya, and Vietnam |date=2020 |publisher=[[University of Michigan Press]] |isbn=978-0-472-90125-8 |location=Ann Arbor |pages= |doi=10.3998/mpub.11413902 |jstor=10.3998/mpub.11413902 |url=http://www.oapen.org/search?identifier=1006313}}</ref>{{Rp|page=158}} Women's Organizations were mobilized to provided support to the dependents of Red Army soldiers and to prevent women from "pulling on [their menfolk's] tails" to forestall their enlistment.<ref name=":42" />{{Rp|pages=157–158}}
Coerced recruiting was explicitly forbidden.<ref name=":42" />{{Rp|page=158}}
=== Military education ===
As the number of former officers of the Nationalist forces that made up the Red Army decreased throughout the war, the Red Army began to develop military education for the new officers who were formerly farmers. Each base area established its own military academies, usually using captured enemy officers as teachers. The enterprise was very successful, and by 1936 most of the Red Army's military officers were former farmers.
=== Purges ===
In 1931, commanders determined that there were a number of spies in the Red Army. This issue became particularly prevalent when the First Red Army's Chief of Staff Zhu Yunqing was assassinated by a spy in a hospital. After this, each Red Army began to judge and execute the officers and soldiers who were suspected. In 1931, the First Red Army executed about 4,000 men. The Fourth Red Army and Third Red Army also executed thousands of officers, especially senior officers.
=== Militia ===
Typically a Red Army's base area was surrounded by enemy forces. To protect the base area from enemy attack, the Red Army recruited red guards. The red guards were commanded by officers of the local [[Soviet (council)|soviet]]. When large-scale war broke out, the red guards were responsible for the logistical support of the Red Army and supplied new soldiers for the Red Army. For example, in the winter of 1932, [[Xiao Ke]]'s Eighth Army had 2,200 red soldiers and 10,000 red guards. The red guards' officers were not always loyal. In the spring of 1933, one of the red guards' officers killed 29th Army's commander Chen Qianlun and surrendered to the Nationalist forces.
==Organization==
Usually each Chinese Red Army's army or legion had three or two infantry divisions. Each division has three infantry regiments and one mortar company. In different time the number of one division's soldiers is different. In the beginning every division had about 1000 or 2000 men. From 1933 to 1936, one [[Division (military)|division]] usually had about 5000 or 6000 men.
===1928===
After several uprisings, the Chinese Red Army had several armies in the summer of 1928.
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible autocollapse"
|-
! Province
! Order of battle
! Commander
! Troop strength
|-
|rowspan="1"|[[Jiangxi]]
| 4th Army
| [[Zhu De]]
| 6000
|-
| rowspan="1"|[[Hunan]]
| 5th Army
| [[Peng Dehuai]]
| 2000
|-
| rowspan="1"|[[Hubei]]
| 2nd Army
| [[He Long]]
| 1500
|-
| rowspan="1"|[[Anhui]]
| 11th Army
| {{ill|Wu Guanghao|zh|吴光浩}}
| 300
|}
===1930===
The Chinese Red Army became stronger than before and during the summer of 1930.
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible autocollapse"
|-
! Province
! Order of battle
! Commander
! Troop strength
|-
|rowspan="5"|[[Jiangxi]]
| 4th Army
| [[Lin Biao]]
| 5000
|-
| 6th Army
| {{ill|Huang Gonglue|zh|黄公略}}
| 5000
|-
| 10th Army
| [[Fang Zhimin]]
| 2000
|-
| 12th Army
| Deng Yigang ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=邓毅刚}})
| 3000
|-
| 20th Army
| Hu Shaohai ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=胡少海}})
| 1500
|-
| rowspan="3"|[[Hunan]]
| 5th Army
| [[Peng Dehuai]]
| 4000
|-
| 8th Army
| [[He Changgong]]
| 5000
|-
| 16th Army
| Hu Yiming ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=胡一鸣}})
| 2000
|-
| rowspan="2"|[[Hubei]]
| 4th Army
| [[He Long]]
| 2000
|-
| 6th Army
| [[Duan Dechang]]
| 8000
|-
| rowspan="1"|[[Anhui]]
| 1st Army
| [[Xu Jishen]]
| 2100
|-
| rowspan="1"|[[Zhejiang]]
| 13th Army
| {{ill|Hu Gongmian|zh|胡公冕}}
| 3000
|-
| rowspan="1"|[[Jiangsu]]
| 14th Army
| {{ill|He Kun|zh|何昆}}
| 700
|-
| rowspan="2"|[[Guangxi]]<ref name="Han"/>
| 7th Army
| [[Zhang Yunyi]]
| 6000
|-
| 8th Army
| {{ill|Yu Zuoyu|zh|俞作豫}}
| 1000
|}
===1932===
In the summer of 1932, the Chinese Red Army had formed three main forces before the Fourth Encirclement Campaign.
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible autocollapse"
|-
! Province
! Order of battle
! Commander
! Troop strength
|-
|rowspan="5"|[[Jiangxi]]
| 1st Legion
| [[Lin Biao]]
| 20000
|-
| 3rd Legion
| [[Peng Dehuai]]
| 18000
|-
| 5th Legion
| {{ill|Dong Zhentang|zh|董振堂}}
| 17000
|-
| 12th Army
| {{ill|Luo Binghui|zh|罗炳辉}}
| 7400
|-
| 22nd Army
| [[Xiao Ke]]
| 2000
|-
| rowspan="1"|Northern [[Jiangxi]]
| 16th Army
| [[Kong Hechong]]
| 17000
|-
| rowspan="2"|Eastern [[Hunan]]
| 8th Army
| [[Wang Zhen (general)|Wang Zhen]]
| 2200
|-
| 12th Division
| {{ill|Ye Changgeng|zh|叶长庚}}
| 1200
|-
| rowspan="1"|Eastern [[Jiangxi]]
| 10th Army
| Zhou Jianping
| 4000
|-
| rowspan="1"|Western [[Hubei]]
| 3rd Army
| [[He Long]]
| 14000
|-
| rowspan="3"|Western [[Anhui]] and Eastern [[Hubei]]
| 4th Army
| [[Xu Xiangqian]]
| 30000
|-
| 25th Army
| {{ill|Kuang Jixun|zh|旷继勋}}
| 12000
|-
| 1st Division
| {{ill|Zeng Zhongsheng|zh|曾中生}}
| 3000
|-
| rowspan="1"|Northern [[Shaanxi]]
| 42nd Division
| [[Liu Zhidan]]
| 200
|-
| rowspan="1"|[[Guangxi]]
| 21st Division
| {{ill|Wei Baqun|zh|韦拔群}}
| 1000
|}
===1934===
The Chinese Red Army had nearly 200,000 men in the winter of 1934.
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible autocollapse"
|-
! Province
! Army
! Order of battle
! Commander
! Troop strength
|-
|rowspan="5"|[[Jiangxi]]
|rowspan="5"|First Red Army
| 1st Legion
| [[Lin Biao]]
| 22400
|-
| 3rd Legion
| [[Peng Dehuai]]
| 19800
|-
| 5th Legion
| {{ill|Dong Zhentang|zh|董振堂}}
| 12000
|-
| 8th Legion
| {{ill|Zhou Kun|zh|周昆 (军事人物)}}
| 10900
|-
| 9th Legion
| {{ill|Luo Binghui|zh|罗炳辉}}
| 11500
|-
|rowspan="2"|Eastern [[Guizhou]]
| rowspan="2"|Second Red Army
| 2nd Legion
| [[He Long]]
| 4400
|-
| 6th Legion
| [[Xiao Ke]]
| 3300
|-
| rowspan="5"|[[Sichuan]]
| rowspan="5"|Fourth Red Army
| 4th Army
| [[Wang Hongkun]]
| 20000
|-
| 9th Army
| {{ill|He Wei|zh|何畏 (1900年)}}
| 18000
|-
| 30th Army
| {{ill|Yu Tianyun|zh|余天云}}
| 16000
|-
| 31st Army
| {{ill|Sun Yuqing|zh|孙玉清}}
| 16000
|-
| 33rd Army
| {{ill|Luo Nanhui|zh|罗南辉}}
| 10000
|-
| rowspan="1"|[[Fujian]]
| rowspan="1"|7nd Army
| 7th Legion
| {{ill|Xun Huaizhou|zh|寻淮洲}}
| 6000
|-
| rowspan="1"|Eastern [[Jiangxi]]
| rowspan="1"|New 10th Army
| New 10th Army
| {{ill|Liu Chouxi|zh|刘畴西}}
| 4000
|-
| rowspan="1"|Northern [[Jiangxi]]
| rowspan="1"|16th Division
| 47th regiment
| {{ill|Xu Yangang|zh|徐彦刚}}
| 1500
|-
| rowspan="1"|Eastern [[Hubei]]
| rowspan="1"|25th Army
| 25th Army
| [[Xu Haidong]]
| 3100
|-
| rowspan="1"|Northern [[Shaanxi]]
| rowspan="1"|26th Army
| 78th Division
| [[Liu Zhidan]]
| 2000
|-
| rowspan="1"|Western [[Anhui]]
| rowspan="1"|28th Army
| 82nd Division
| {{ill|Gao Jingting|zh|高敬亭}}
| 1000
|}
===1936===
Most of Chinese Red Army had arrived in northern Shaanxi by autumn 1936. Only a minority of them stayed in southern China.
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible autocollapse"
|-
! Province
! Army
! Order of battle
! Commander
! Troop strength
|-
|rowspan="8"|Northern [[Shaanxi]]
|rowspan="3"|First Red Army
| 1st Legion
| [[Zuo Quan]]
| 10000
|-
| 15th Legion
| [[Xu Haidong]]
| 7000
|-
| 28th Army
| [[Song Shilun]]
| 1500
|-
|rowspan="3"|Second Red Army
| 2nd Legion
| [[He Long]]
| 6000
|-
| 6th Legion
| [[Xiao Ke]]
| 5000
|-
| 32nd Army
| {{ill|Luo Binghui|zh|罗炳辉}}
| 2000
|-
| rowspan="2"|Fourth Red Army
| 4th Army
| [[Chen Zaidao]]
| 9000
|-
| 31st Army
| [[Wang Shusheng]]
| 7000
|-
| rowspan="3"|[[Gansu]]
| rowspan="3"|Western Route Army
| 5th Army
| {{ill|Dong Zhentang|zh|董振堂}}
| 3000
|-
| 9th Army
| {{ill|Sun Yuqing|zh|孙玉清}}
| 6500
|-
| 30th Army
| [[Cheng Shicai]]
| 7000
|-
|rowspan="1"|Southern [[Shaanxi]]
|rowspan="1"|25th Army
| 74th Division
| [[Chen Xianrui]]
| 1400
|-
|rowspan="1"|Western [[Anhui]] and Eastern [[Hubei]]
|rowspan="1"|28th Army
| 82nd Division
| {{ill|Gao Jingting|zh|高敬亭}}
| 2500
|-
|rowspan="1"|Northern [[Jiangxi]]
|rowspan="1"|16th Division
| 47th regiment
| Fang Buzhou ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=方步舟}})
| 1200
|-
|rowspan="1"|Eastern [[Fujian]]
|rowspan="1"|Eastern Fujian Military Command
| Independent Division
| [[Ye Fei]]
| 1000
|-
|rowspan="1"|Northern [[Fujian]]
|rowspan="1"|Northern Fujian Military Command
| Independent Division
| Huang Ligui ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=黄立贵}})
| 3000
|-
|rowspan="1"|Southern [[Zhejiang]]
|rowspan="1"|Southern Zhejiang Military Command
| Independent Division
| [[Su Yu]]
| 1600
|}
== Equipment ==
=== Rifles ===
The Chinese Red Army's weapons were all captured from the enemy army, with the most important and useful weapon being the rifle.<ref>{{cite book |title=Memoirs of a Chinese Marshal: The Autobiographical Notes of Peng Dehuai (1898-1974) |publisher=Foreign Languages Press Beijing |year=1984 |last=Peng |first=Dehuai |translator-last=Zheng |translator-first=Longpu |editor-last=Grimes |editor-first=Sarah |isbn=0-8351-1052-4 |pages=136|chapter=Finding the Communist Party of China (1926-April 1928)|quote=I suggested that the [rifles] be taken out in so many batches as might be decided in a discussion with the County Party Committee, adding that they must be handed over to very reliable persons. Weapons had no class nature in themselves, I said, and they could be used by anybody who possessed them. I stressed the need to ensure secrecy.}}</ref> In the winter of 1934, the First Red Army's twelve divisions had 72,300 soldiers and 25,300 rifles. Compared to the First Red Army, the Fourth Red Army had more rifles which allowed it to recruit many new soldiers in Sichuan. However, the local forces lacked rifles.<ref>{{cite book |last=Jowett |first=Philip S. |title=China's Wars. Rousing the Dragon 1894–1949 |date=2013 |publisher=Schiffer |location=[[Atglen, Pennsylvania]] |isbn=978-1-782-00407-3 |page=167}}</ref> In the summer of 1934, {{ill|Xun Huaizhou|zh|寻淮洲}}'s Seventh Legion had 6,000 soldiers but only 1,200 rifles, which lead to the Seventh Legion's quick defeat when they attempted to attack [[Fuzhou]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=UDIZAAAAMAAJ&q=%E7%A6%8F%E5%B7%9E 寻淮洲将军传 (Biography of General Huaizhou)] 解放军出版社 (People's Liberation Army Publishing House), 1991</ref>
=== Machine guns ===
Every Red Army regiment typically had one machine gun company, with every company having six or more machine guns. The machine gun equipment rate of the Red Army was no less than that of the Nationalist forces' elite troops. This was one of the important reasons why the Red Army was able to defeat the Nationalist forces on many occasions. The most common machine guns were the [[MG08]],<ref>[https://collections.lib.uwm.edu/digital/collection/agsphoto/id/13498/rec/19 Shaanxi, Chinese Red Army soldiers with machine guns]. [[Harrison Forman]]. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee</ref> [[ZB vz. 26]], [[M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle]], and [[Hotchkiss M1914 machine gun]].
[[File:Chinese red army's machine guns in 1936.jpg|thumb|200px|Chinese Red Army's machine guns in 1936.]]
=== Cold weapons ===
Due to the lack of rifles, the Chinese Red Army was forced to use cold weapons such as broadswords, spears, sabres, and other melee implements.<ref>[http://gr.china-embassy.gov.cn/eng/gyzg/  From peasant guerrillas to high-tech troops: 80 years of the PLA ] Chang Ai'ling. China Features. Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Hellenic Republic.{{Webarchive|url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220705234449/http://gr.china-embassy.gov.cn/eng/gyzg/|date= July 5, 2022}}</ref> In particular, most of the soldiers from the Red Army's militia troops were armed with cold weapons at all times. In the autumn of 1930, Zeng Zhongsheng commanded 30,000 red guards who were armed with cold weapons. Despite the overwhelming numbers of red soldiers, 1,000 opposing troops armed with rifles were able to defeat Zeng Zhongsheng's forces.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}}
=== Submachine guns ===
The Chinese Red Army used various types of [[submachine guns]] from [[Thompson SMG|Thompsons]] to [[MP 18]]s.<ref>[https://collections.lib.uwm.edu/digital/collection/agsphoto/id/13507 Shaanxi, Chinese Red Army soldiers holding submachine guns]. [[Harrison Forman]]. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Libraries</ref><ref>[https://collections.lib.uwm.edu/digital/collection/agsphoto/id/13523/rec/39 Print 1723 c1: 1935/1937.  The Long March.  Chinese Red Army troopers with German Bergmann sub-machine guns.  Print 1723 c2: Chinese Reds (note sickle-and-hammer and red star in flag) with German-made Bergmann submachine guns.  Yun Yang, Shensi (Shaanxi)]. [[Harrison Forman]]. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Libraries</ref>  They were captured from the Nationalist forces.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}}
=== Artillery ===
The Chinese Red Army made use of artillery seized from the enemy forces.<ref>[https://collections.lib.uwm.edu/digital/collection/agsphoto/id/13500/rec/21 Shaanxi, Chinese Red Army soldiers in the field with cannon]. [[Harrison Forman]]. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Libraries</ref> Most of the time the Red Armies only had mortars, with typically every army having three to five mortars. During the summer of 1930, [[Peng Dehuai]]'s Fifth Army captured four 75mm [[mountain gun]]s in Yuezhou, but they lacked the required ammunition.<ref>{{cite book |title=Memoirs of a Chinese Marshal: The Autobiographical Notes of Peng Dehuai (1898-1974) |publisher=Foreign Languages Press Beijing |year=1984 |last=Peng |first=Dehuai |translator-last=Zheng |translator-first=Longpu |editor-last=Grimes |editor-first=Sarah |isbn=0-8351-1052-4 |pages=291|chapter=Storming Changsha City (June–September 1930) |quote=There were four 75 mm. field artillery pieces and several howitzers, and the Red Army began to have an artillery unit. After we had taken Yuezhou, British, U.S. and Japanese warships carried out reckless provocations against us as they did at Huangshigang port. They wantonly bombarded the city walls. We mounted our artillery pieces under cover. (Only Wu Ting, a Korean comrade, and I knew how to fire artillery shells then.) When the warships sailed close, we hurled dozens of shells at them. A dozen shells hit home, and they dared not come near the banks. At Huangshigang port we had not been able to shell them because we had no artillery pieces.}}</ref>
=== Aircraft ===
In the spring of 1931, the Fourth Red Army captured a Nationalist forces' reconnaissance aircraft in eastern Hubei. The pilot, Long Wenguang, joined the Red Army and assisted them in attacking the enemy army. Before the Fourth Red Army retreated from its base area, the aircraft was concealed by local farmers and was found again in 1951. The First Red Army also captured two reconnaissance aircraft in 1932.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}}
==See also==
* [[Outline of the Chinese Civil War]]
* [[Outline of the military history of the People's Republic of China]]
==Notes==
{{notelist}}
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Nanchang Uprising|Communist elements of the National Revolutionary Army]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Armed Wing of the Chinese Communist Party
|years=25 May 1928 – 25 August 1937}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Eighth Route Army]]<br/>and [[New Fourth Army]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{Clear}}
{{Chinese Civil War}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1928]]
[[Category:1928 establishments in China]]
[[Category:Military history of China]]
[[Category:History of the Chinese Communist Party]]
[[Category:Military organizations associated with the Chinese Communist Party]]
[[Category:Chinese Communist Revolution]]