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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 17 February 2009
August 1, 1927, is one of the big days in the history of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). It marked the opening of a military phase which was to last more than twenty years and was to leave a deep mark on the Party and the present régime both in their outlook and their structure. Symbolically, it is the birthday of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), the Chinese Red Army, and it is as such that it is celebrated every year. It would perhaps be worthwhile after thirty-five years to make an accurate assessment of this event and first to place it in the political context of the time.
1 It is known that in the terms of the KMT-CCP agreements the Communists could in their personal capacity belong to the two parties simultaneously.
2 Chi-yun, Chang, Tang Shih K'ai-yao (Abridged History of the Party [Kuomintang]), Vol. II (Taipeh: Chung-yang Kai-tsao Wei-yuan-hui Wen-wa Kung-ying-she, 1960).Google Scholar
3 The troops of Chang Fa-kwei constituted the 4th Army at the beginning of the Northern Expedition. Subsequently they took the name of 2nd Front Army or sometimes 4th Army Group.
4 The 11th Division was at Ma Huri Ling to the North of Tehan. The 10th Division under the command of Ts'ai T'ing-k'ai was either at Nanchang or in the immediate surroundings.
5 According to some authors, General Ho Lung was in command of the 15th Independent Division. At the time, the national troops swollen in numbers by the rallying of their opponents were in full reorganisation. There is reason to think that the 15th Independent Division had taken the naine of 20th Army just as the 24th Division of Yeh T'ing was the ex-independent regiment of the 4th Army.
6 A Chinese regiment (t'uan) consists generally of three battalions (ying), each battalion consisting of three or four companies (lien). Battalion strength stands probably between 500 and 700 men.
7 See Nanchang Ta Shih Chi (Notes on the Great Nanchang events) in the review Chin-tai Shih Tzu-liao (Materials for Modern History), No. 4, 1957.Google Scholar
8 Ch'u, Kung, Wo yü Hung Chün (The Red Army and I) (Hong Kong: Nan-feng Ch'u-pan-she, 1954).Google Scholar
9 “Ts'ung Nanchang tao Shant'ou (“From Nanchang to Swatow”) Kuang-ming Daily, 05 26, 1961.Google Scholar
10 This is a controversial point. Some confusion appears to arise between the leaden of the “coup” itself and that of the military organisation created the following day of which Liu Po-ch'eng was Chief of Staff.
11 Accounts of the 2nd civil revolutionary war, Ti Erh-ts'u Kuo-nei Ko-min Chan-cheng Shih-ch'i Shih-shih Lun-ts'ung (Accounts of 2nd Revolutionary Civil War), Shih-hsueh Shuang-chou-k'an (Peking: Sheng-huo, Tu Shu, Hsin Chih, San Lien Shu-tien Ch'u-pan, 1956).Google Scholar
12 The 10th Division under the command of Ts'ai Ting-k'ai appears to have revolted after the Nanchang episode and to have rejoined the nationalist ranks.
13 According to Kung Ch'u, Chang Fa-kwei met Wang Ching-wei at Kiukiang on July 30 and the latter informed him of the state of relations with the Communists. According to certain Communist sources, Wang Ching-wei and Sun Fo had called Chu P'ei-teh and various generals to Lushan near Kiukiang on July 29 to prepare to liquidate the Communists and to bring back to Kiukiang the troops of Ho Lung and Yeh Ting. This precautionary measure seems likely in view of the atmosphere created by the break of July 15.
14 Trotsky, Leon, Problems of the Chinese Revolution (New York: Pioneer Publishers, 1932), p. 421et seq.Google Scholar
