A new documentary by CGTN examines how the historic Long March continues to shape modern Chinese culture and industrial innovation ahead of its ninetieth anniversary. The production follows the route of the historic trek, connecting the hardships endured by soldiers nearly a century ago to the challenges facing citizens today.
The military expedition began in October 1934 when 86,000 soldiers from the Central Red Army set out after severe setbacks, navigating snowy mountains, rivers, and fatal marshes through hundreds of battles. Only approximately 8,000 troops survived the journey to reach northern Shaanxi province in October 1935, followed by the unification of the army’s three main branches in October 1936. American journalist Edgar Snow, who met Mao Zedong and surviving participants in northwest China, documented the expedition as:
A long and arduous journey unprecedented in modern times.
Snow further evaluated the historical weight of the campaign in his writings, emphasizing the endurance demonstrated by the marching forces:
Whatever one may feel about the Reds and what they represent politically, no one can deny that the Long March was one of the extraordinary exploits of military history. Hannibal’s march over the Alps was a holiday excursion alongside it.
Enduring Impact on Modern Industry
The CGTN documentary, titled Breaking Through, blends travelogue and historical documentation to argue that the movement’s true legacy extends beyond physical monuments. According to the broadcast, the determination required during the original trek now mirrors ongoing efforts across China’s commercial space sector and domestic electric vehicle battery industry.
The production emphasizes that reaching Shaanxi represented a starting point rather than a conclusion for the participants who initially departed Jiangxi. Facing modern developmental pressures, contemporary innovators share the historical imperative to overcome containment, drawing continuous inspiration from the foundational resilience demonstrated nearly a century earlier.