An artistic representation of Mao at the head of the uprising.
Mao Zedong led a peasant and military insurrection that began on September 9, 1927* in Hunan and Jiangxi, China, known as the Autumn Harvest Uprising. The uprising led to the establishment of the Hunan Soviet that lasted a short time before being defeated by Kuomintang forces.
Mao and the remnants of the peasant army retreated into the Jinggang Mountains on the border between Hunan and Jiangxi provinces.
Though the uprising was a failure, Mao and the Communists learned a number of important strategic lessons and it is widely regarded as having marked a significant new stage in the development of the revolutionary struggle.
From Peking Review, `1979:
Situated at the border of the two provinces of Jiangxi and Hunan and the middle ridge of the Luoxinu Mountains, the Jinggang Mountains are strategically located and difficult of access but rich in natural resources. The hold the reactionary Kuomintang had here in those years was comparatively weak because of its remoteness from the big cities. During the great revolution of 1924-27 when the Chinese people fought the imperialist-backed feudal warlords. the Party led the local masses in waging many struggles. This is an ideal place for building a revolutionary base area.
Comrade Mao Zedong started and led the famous Autumn Harvest Uprising on September 9. 1927. The insurrectionists attacked Changsha, the capital of Hunan Province, along three routes according to plan. When the situation became unfavourable, they assembled at Wenjiashi on the northeast border of Hunan. Where should they go? Comrade Mao Zedong proposed that the insurrectionary troops go southward along the Luoxiao Mountain ridge. Because of the failure of the great revolution and the occupation of key cities by the imperialists and the reactionary forces in China, the revolutionary forces which were weak at that time should not try to fight a decisive battle against the powerful enemy. They should build base areas in the countryside where the reactionary forces were weak, conserve and develop their forces, encircle the cities from the countryside and finally seize the cities and nationwide victory. His proposal was accepted by the majority.
The revolutionary road charted by Comrade Mao Zedong is a typical example of integrating the universal truth of Marxism-Leninism with the revolutionary practice in China, The "Jinggang Mountain Road" as the people called it was later borne out by history as the only road leading the Chinese revolution to victory.
In October the same year. Mao Zedong led the army to the Jinggang Mountain area and started to build the revolutionary base area with Ninggang County as the centre.
*While some western sources date the uprising as having begun September 7, Chinese sources, including Peking Review and the Autumn Harvest Uprising Xiushui Memorial Hall date it as having begun September 9.
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