The Communists take the fortified city of Shanghang in southwestern Fujian.

Further reading and watching:
Agnes Smedley, The Great Road: The Life and Times of Chu Teh [Zhu De]
The Battle for Dien Bien Phu
Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949
Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930

Some names from this episode:
Lin Biao, commander of the first column of the Fourth Red Army
Lu Hanmin, Guomindang militarist
Liu Angong, special envoy sent by Party Center to the Fourth Red Army

Episode artwork: Aerial view of modern Shanghang

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The Central Committee turns out to support centralized leadership. Also, the Comintern publishes Mao’s obituary.

Further reading:
Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949
Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930
Joseph Fewsmith, Forging Leninism in China: Mao and the Remaking of the Chinese Communist Party, 1927–1934
Mao Zedong nianpu, 1893-1937 (毛泽东年谱)
Chen Jian, Zhou Enlai: A Life
Zhou Enlai, Selected Works of Zhou Enlai, vol. 1

Some names from this episode:
Chen Yi, replaced Mao as secretary of the Front Committee
Xiang Zhongfa, General secretary of the CP
Zhou Enlai, head of the Organization Department of the Central Committee
Li Lisan, Leading Communist
Liu Angong, special envoy sent by Party Center to the Fourth Red Army

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The line struggle continues and does not go Mao’s way. Plus, comments on the historiography.

Further reading:
Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949
Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930
Joseph Fewsmith, Forging Leninism in China: Mao and the Remaking of the Chinese Communist Party, 1927–1934
Mao Zedong nianpu, 1893-1937 (毛泽东年谱)
Chen Jian, Zhou Enlai: A Life

Some names from this episode:
Liu Angong, special envoy sent by Party Center to the Fourth Red Army
Lin Biao, commander of the first column of the Fourth Red Army
Chen Yi, replaced Mao as secretary of the Front Committee
Zhou Enlai, head of the Organization Department of the Central Committee
Jiang Hua, secretary general of the political department of the Fourth Red Army

Episode artwork: photo of Jiang Hua

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We continue our close reading of Mao’s letter to Lin Biao. In this episode, Mao discusses the roving rebel band mentality and the organizational state of affairs in the army, party, and mass organizations.

Further reading:
Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949
Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930
Agnes Smedley, The Great Road: The Life and Times of Chu Teh [Zhu De]
Mao Zedong, “On Correcting Mistaken Ideas in the Party”

Some names from this episode:
Liu Angong, special envoy sent by Party Center to the Fourth Red Army
Yang Sen, Sichuan warlord
Zhu Yunqing, chief political advisor to the Fourth Red Army

Episode artwork: photo of Zhu Yunqing

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The Party Center’s intervention in the Fourth Red Army combines with a string of military victories to bring a simmering dispute between Mao and Zhu to a head.

Further reading:
Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949
Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930
Joseph Fewsmith, Forging Leninism in China: Mao and the Remaking of the Chinese Communist Party, 1927–1934
Mao Zedong nianpu, 1893-1937 (毛泽东年谱)

Some names from this episode:
Zhou Enlai, head of the Organization Department of the Central Committee
Liu Angong, special envoy sent by Party Center to the Fourth Red Army
Lin Biao, commander of the first column of the Fourth Red Army
Peng Dehuai, commander of the Fifth Red Army

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The conquest of Yudu, Xingguo, Ningdu, Longyan, and Yongding counties by the Fourth Red Army. Zhu De reminisces. Also, poetry.

Further reading:
Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949
Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930
Peng Dehuai, Memoirs of a Chinese Marshall
Agnes Smedley, The Great Road: The Life and Times of Chu Teh [Zhu De]
Joseph Fewsmith, Forging Leninism in China: Mao and the Remaking of the Chinese Communist Party, 1927–1934
Mao Zedong nianpu, 1893-1937 (毛泽东年谱)

Some names from this episode:
Zhou Enlai, head of the Organization Department of the Central Committee
Peng Dehuai, leader of the Fifth Red Army

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Mao’s April 5, 1929 reply to Zhou Enlai.

Further reading:
Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949
Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930
David Apter and Tony Saich, Revolutionary Discourse in Mao’s Republic
Tony Saich, The Rise to Power of the Chinese Communist Party
Michael Heinrich, Karl Marx and the Birth of Modern Society: The Life of Marx and the Development of His Work

Some names from this episode:
Zhou Enlai, head of the Organization Department of the Central Committee
Xiang Zhongfa, General secretary of the CP
Guo Fengming, bandit turned Guomindang local despot in Changting
Liu Shiyi, Guomindang commander
Ye Ting, Communist military leader
He Long, Communist military leader

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A close look at Zhou Enlai’s February 7, 1929, letter to Mao Zedong and Zhu De.

Further reading:
Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949
Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930
E. H. Carr, Foundations of a Planned Economy, vol. 3
Tony Saich, The Rise to Power of the Chinese Communist Party

Some names from this episode:
Zhou Enlai, head of the Organization Department of the Central Committee
Xiang Zhongfa, General secretary of the CP
Li Lisan, Leading Communist

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Mao plans to expand guerrilla warfare, and meets up with Peng Dehuai in Ruijin.

Further reading:
Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949
Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930
Stephen Averill, Revolution in the Highlands: China’s Jinggangshan Base Area
Peng Dehuai, Memoirs of a Chinese Marshall

Some names from this episode:
Yuan Wencai, Bandit leader who joined with Mao Zedong
Wang Zuo, Bandit leader who joined with Mao Zedong
He Changgong, secretary of the Ninggang County Party following the departure of the Fourth Red Army
Long Chaoqing, former secretary of the Ninggang County Committee of the Communist Party
Peng Dehuai, leader of the Fifth Red Army
Li Wenlin, Communist guerrilla commander
Duan Yuequan, Communist guerrilla commander
Liu Shiyi, Guomindang commander
Xiao Jiabi, reactionary militia leader

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Some reflections on the experience of Shanghai capitalists after 1949 prompted by the ‘Notice to Merchants and Intellectuals’ that Mao issued after taking Changting in 1929.

Further reading:
Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930
Yao Wenyuan, “On the Social Basis of the Lin Piao Anti-Party Clique” (for heavenly horses reference)
David Apter and Tony Saich, Revolutionary Discourse in Mao’s Republic
Lynn White, Policies of Chaos: The Organizational Causes of Violence in China’s Cultural Revolution
David Barbosa, “Rong Yiren, a Chinese Billionaire, Dies at 89”

Some names from this episode:
Wu Zhongyi, Shanghai capitalist
Rong Yiren, Shanghai capitalist

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Looking at what Mao and Zhu De did to install a new Communist order after conquering Changting.

Further reading:
Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949
Agnes Smedley, The Great Road: The Life and Times of Chu Teh [Zhu De]
Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930
Mao Zedong, “On New Democracy”

Some names from this episode:
Guo Fengming, bandit turned Guomindang local despot in Changting
Feng Yuxiang, warlord close to both the USA and the Soviet Union
Wang Jingwei, leader of the Guomindang left
Dai Jitao, Guomindang ideologue
Yan Xishan, warlord accused by Mao of being a running dog for the Japanese imperialists

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