Chapter 3 Chapter Two: Mao Zedong Leads Troops to Jinggang
Mao Zedong's thought of "going up the mountain" has a long history. After the failure of the Great Revolution in 1927, the Chinese revolution was at a critical juncture.The proletarian revolutionary force in China is very weak, and it is obviously unwise and impossible to contend with the powerful Kuomintang reactionaries in the central cities of the country.Countless Chinese Communists are thinking and looking for a new way out.At this time, outstanding elements represented by Mao Zedong combined the universal truth of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete practice of the Chinese revolution, absorbed the experience of Chinese peasant leaders and "kings of the mountains", and put forward the idea of "going up the mountain" to serve China. The strategic shift of the revolution finds a foothold and a new starting point.
The idea of "going up the mountain" of the Chinese Communists can be traced back to the first ten days of May 1927 according to the existing historical data.According to the memories of Yang Muzhi, who worked beside Qu Qiubai during the Great Revolution: "The second night after the fifth meeting, I went upstairs to see Qiubai. I felt that he had lost a lot of weight. I comforted him and said, 'It's time to rest.'" He A faint smile said: "The situation is urgent! Wang Jingwei and Chiang Kai-shek secretly colluded, and it has gradually turned to the open. We are very likely to be forced to go to Liangshan. My comrades must actively prepare ideologically, strengthen party spirit, strictly abide by party discipline, and obey everything. The party’s decision.” He smiled and said, “When I went abroad to the Soviet Union, when I went abroad to the Soviet Union, when I went south from Beijing to Jinan to say goodbye to my father, I wanted to see Yuncheng, Yanggu, and Liangshanpo. Unfortunately, there is no time." "In late May 1927, in Borodin's room, a meeting was held to discuss the May Instructions of the Comintern. Borodin, Qu Qiubai, Zhang Tailei, etc. attended the meeting. Some people cited Liang Shanbo as an example. , to recruit troops and deal with counter-revolutionaries.”
The "Big Five" ended on May 9, and the day after the end should be May 11.At this time, Qu Qiubai said that he would "go to Liangshan", which shows that the central high-level decision-making group has realized the seriousness of the situation and has begun to brew this idea.However, this is still a personal opinion, and has not yet formed a central decision, and this kind of thinking is only a budding state, still in a hazy state.
It was Mao Zedong who first and clearly put forward the concept of "going up the mountain". In June 1927, Mao Zedong convened a meeting of comrades who came out of Hunan during the "Ma-Day Incident" in Wuhan, and called on everyone to return to their original posts. .
"Going up the mountain can form the basis of military power." On July 4, 1927, the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee held an enlarged meeting.At this meeting, Mao Zedong put forward the idea of "going up the mountain" more clearly, believing that "going up the mountain can form the basis of military power."The enlarged meeting of the Standing Committee of the Politburo mainly discussed how the Hunan Provincial Farmers' Association and the peasants' self-defense forces should deal with the enemy's raids and massacres.Chen Duxiu proposed at the meeting that members of the peasant association and their own armed forces could be recruited when the Kuomintang armies recruited troops.Mao Zedong put forward the idea of "going up the mountain", believing that "going up the mountain can form the basis of military power." "If we don't preserve our force, we will have nothing to do when something happens in the future." This thought of Mao Zedong was the result of his long-term involvement in the peasant movement and his deep understanding of the long-term and complexity of China's revolutionary struggle.Only by "going up the mountain" can we "preserve our strength" and have a way and hope.This thought of going up the mountain to "preserve force" and create a "foundation" enabled Mao Zedong to remain invincible in a dangerous environment, and was continuously deepened and sublimated in actual struggles.
"Even if you fail, you should not go to Guangdong but go up the mountain."Mao Zedong's "Shangshan" thought was further developed after the "July 15th" counter-revolutionary coup. On July 20, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (codenamed An Zhongyuan) and the Peasant Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (codenamed Zong Rongming) presided over by Mao Zedong issued the document "Central Announcement on Agriculture No. At present, there is no possibility for peasant armed forces to exist openly under the name of 'peasant self-defense army' and 'peasant army'. They can only exist in the following three forms: a. Exist in a legal name, such as 'door-to-door regiment' and 'guard regiment' ''Lianzhuanghui' and the like; b. Disperse at ordinary times, train secretly, and concentrate at any time in case of war; c. When both forms are impossible, you can 'go up the mountain'."
At the Party's August 7th Conference, Mao Zedong's thought of "going up the mountain" was further deepened, and he put forward the famous thesis that "it is necessary to know that power is obtained from the barrel of a gun", linking "going up the mountain" with seizing power.
On August 9, the Political Bureau of the Provisional Central Committee of the Communist Party of China held its first meeting under the chairmanship of Qu Qiubai.The meeting discussed the Hunan issue, and decided to reorganize the Hunan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China. Mao Zedong, Peng Gongda and the Hunan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China will discuss the list of new provincial committees and report to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.The meeting criticized the Hunan Provincial Party Committee (Xia Xi as the secretary) for not advocating that Hunan organize a division of troops to follow the Nanchang Uprising army southward to Guangdong, but should form a broad base in Hunan and expand the revolutionary forces to the whole province.Among the criticisms, Mao Zedong pointed out: "Everyone should not only see one Guangdong, Hunan is also very important. The mass organizations in Hunan are larger than those in Guangdong, and what is lacking is armed forces. Now it is a period of riots, and armed forces are even more needed. Not long ago we Drafted a plan approved by the Standing Committee to form an armed division in southern Hunan, occupy five or six counties, form a political foundation, and develop the agrarian revolution in the whole province. Even if it fails, it should not go to Guangdong but go to the mountains." "About Jianguo" Annotated Edition of Resolutions on Several Historical Issues of the Party since then.
Mao Zedong's speech further reflected the firmness of his "going up the mountain" thought. "Even if you fail, you should not go to Guangdong but go up the mountain." Under the guidance of this firm idea of "going up the mountain", Mao Zedong immediately drafted the "Outline of the Southern Shonen Movement".He put forward a concept in the outline: "Take Rucheng County as the center, and from this center, four or five counties such as Guidong, Yizhang, and Chenzhou will be occupied to form a political situation, organize a revolutionary command organization that looks like a government, and implement the agrarian revolution. "
In this regard, Li Weihan once recalled: "Mao Zedong once proposed a riot plan in southern Hunan. He (Mao Zedong) believed that even if the armed uprising failed, he should not go to Guangdong but go to the mountains."
Mao Zedong's idea at the time was to create a separatist regime centered on Rucheng in southern Hunan, and use a division of troops to overthrow and seize the Hunan provincial government ruled by the enemy.Under the circumstances at that time, only Mao Zedong possessed such boldness and courage.Later, due to changes in circumstances, his idea could not be implemented.Before and after the Autumn Harvest Uprising on the border of Hunan and Jiangxi, his thought of "going up the mountain" became more clear, firm and conscious.
"Go up the mountain to make friends in the green forest".Comrade Tan Zhenlin recalled: "At the August 7th Conference, Comrade Mao Zedong criticized Chen Duxiu's erroneous line and advocated that the party independently lead the Chinese revolution, promote the agrarian revolution with armed struggle, and seize power. He pointed out that mass movements cannot work without guns, It must be known that the political power comes out of the barrel of a gun. At that time, Qu Qiubai asked him to work in the Shanghai Party Central Committee. He replied: I don’t want to live in high-rise buildings with you, I want to go to the mountains to make friends in the green forest.”
Zhong Qiguang also recalled: In mid-August 1927, "In a hut at the junction of the Yang family and Pingjiang Golden Cave, Chairman Mao talked to a dozen of us. Chairman Mao said that we don't have many people, but We must count one as ten, ten as a hundred, and hundreds as a thousand. People are the most precious, they must be tempered and trained, and they must be able to walk, and there is an allusion about going up the mountain and becoming a king."
At the beginning of September, Mao Zedong listened with great interest to Wang Xingya, the head of the Peasant Self-Defense Army in Anfu County, at the military meeting held in Zhangjiawan, Anyuan, about the situation of Yuan Wencai and Wang Zuo, two "green forest veterans" in Ninggang and Suichuan in western Jiangxi. .
From the above materials, it can be seen that during the preparation stage of the Autumn Harvest Uprising, Mao Zedong had considered the issue of the retreat of the Autumn Harvest Uprising.The success of the uprising is solid, but if it fails, you should go up the mountain to make friends with the green forest and engage in armed separatism. After Mao Zedong led his troops to Jinggangshan in October 1927, he immediately made "friends" with two local "green forest leaders"-Yuan Wencai and Wang Zuo. This is definitely not accidental.Subsequent facts also showed that it was with the help of these two "green forest friends" that they successfully established a foothold in the middle of the Luoxiao Mountains and established the Jinggangshan Revolutionary Base.Of course, after the defeat of the Autumn Harvest Uprising, this idea of "going up the mountain to make friends in the green forest" was also the result of the enemy's persecution, which is the so-called "forced to go to Liangshan".
Go up the mountain to be the "revolutionary king of the mountain".Mao Zedong's idea of "going up the mountain" began to take a qualitative leap when the Autumn Harvest Uprising troops suffered serious setbacks.That is to say, from the thinking of "going up the mountain to make friends in the green forest" and relying on strength after "going up the mountain", to going up the mountain to do something and use the "revolutionary king of the mountain" to resist the reactionary rule of the Kuomintang reactionaries.
In this regard, He Changgong once wrote an article recalling: After the failure of the Autumn Harvest Uprising, Mao Zedong advocated "go up the mountain and be the king of the mountain".At that time, some people disagreed with Comrade Mao Zedong's opinion, thinking that the revolutionary revolution had gone to the mountains to become the king, and this was called a revolution.Comrade Mao Zedong patiently persuaded everyone.He said: "Our King of the Mountain is a special king of the mountain. He is led by the Communist Party. He has ideas, policies, and methods. He is an armed force of workers and peasants representing the interests of the people. China's politics is not unified, the economy is unbalanced, and there are many contradictions. , we are looking for places where the enemy’s ruling power is weak.” After arriving in Jinggang Mountains, we encountered a problem, “There are two armed peasants in this area, Wang Zuo and Yuan Wencai... At that time, many people advocated using force to destroy them. Comrade Mao Zedong did not Agree, he said, easier said than done, you are too narrow-minded, too small. There are still many friends in the three mountains and five mountains. Who in history wiped out the "bandits" of the three mountains and five mountains! We must unite and reform them, and make the three mountains and five mountains If we unite into one big team, the ruling class will have nothing to do with us."
It can be seen that Mao Zedong's idea of "being the revolutionary king of the mountain" by going up the mountain is not what ordinary people call going up the mountain to be a "green forest" or "thief horse", let alone "falling grass" or "hiding".Mao Zedong summed up his revolutionary experience on the basis of his familiarity with the peasant uprisings of the past dynasties in China "occupying mountains as nests".The result of the continuous development of this "up the mountain" thought has formed a unique road of the Chinese revolution.
The idea of going up the mountain "to be the revolutionary king of the mountain" is actually the idea of establishing a revolutionary base.Zhu Liangcai, who went up the mountain with Mao Zedong and became a senior general of our army after liberation, recalled Mao Zedong’s talk about the relationship between the armed separatists in the mountain and the revolutionary base areas: “Chairman Mao made a popular and interesting metaphor, saying that the revolution must have a base, just like people It's like having a butt. Because if a person doesn't have a butt, he can't sit down. If he keeps walking or standing, it won't last long. If his feet are sore, if he stands weak, he will fall down. The revolution is here. Only in the base area can there be a place to rest, recover strength, replenish strength, continue to fight, expand development, and move towards victory." Zhu Liangcai: "This Mountain, Its Revolution", People's Publishing House, 1980 edition, "Revolutionary Memoirs", first episode .
It is precisely by relying on Mao Zedong, the "revolutionary king of the mountain", that the Chinese revolution has achieved victory step by step.
The Essence and Significance of "Shangshan" Thought. "Going up the mountain" is an important thought put forward and formed by Mao Zedong in the three months before and after the failure of the Great Revolution. The essence of the idea of "going up the mountain" is to shift the focus of revolutionary work from cities where the enemy's ruling power is stronger to rural mountainous areas where the enemy's ruling power is weaker.
Judging from Mao Zedong's previous speeches and speeches after the "Ma-ri Incident" and before the Autumn Harvest Uprising, his idea of "going up the mountain" contains three problems that the revolutionary struggle at that time urgently needed to solve: one is to focus on military struggle and organize the revolutionary army; Launch the agrarian revolution and establish a red regime; the third is to go up the mountain to make friends with green forests and form a military base, that is, a revolutionary base.The thinking of these three basic issues constitutes the scientific connotation of Mao Zedong's "Shangshan" thought.
The idea of "Shangshan" has great theoretical and practical significance for the revival and development of the Chinese revolution.
First, going up the mountain provided an effective way for the Communist Party of China to preserve the revolutionary armed forces and accumulate revolutionary forces after the failure of the Great Revolution.
After the failure of the Autumn Harvest Uprising, if the Revolutionary Army of Workers and Peasants continued to attack Changsha, it would definitely hit a stone with a pebble and cause the entire army to be wiped out.The vast mountainous area in southern China is located in a remote corner, with traffic congestion. "The mountain is high and the emperor is far away", and the enemy is beyond reach. It is a surefire strategy to accumulate revolutionary forces, recuperate, develop slowly, and then regain power and seize power by chance.The establishment and development of the Jinggangshan Revolutionary Base later fully proved this point.
Second, Shangshan found a foothold for the strategic shift of the Chinese revolution.
After the failure of the Great Revolution, especially after the Autumn Harvest Uprising suffered severe setbacks, whether to continue rioting in the central cities or to go to the vast rural areas and mountainous areas was a major decision related to the future and destiny of the Chinese revolution. "Going up the mountain" is the beginning of this strategic turning point. It is to march into the countryside, find a foothold in the rural mountainous areas, and combine the advance and retreat.The revolutionary army took the initiative to retreat to the mountainous areas in order to further carry out a long-term armed struggle in the vast rural areas and mountainous areas.One step back is for two steps forward.
Third, Shangshan took the first step for the Chinese Communists to establish a rural base and explore the road of Chinese revolution.
Going up the mountain is certainly an act of being forced out by a powerful enemy, but at the same time it is also a successful move that the Chinese Communists have explored by drawing on historical experience.If there is no "going up the mountain", there will be no establishment of rural revolutionary bases, and there will be no theory and practice of "surrounding the city with the countryside".It is precisely because the revolutionary armed forces were led up the mountain that the idea of establishing a rural revolutionary base was put into practice, and in the process of long-term revolutionary struggle practice, the successful path of the Chinese revolution was explored.
With the development of the situation, not only the revolutionary armed forces led by Mao Zedong went up the mountain, but also the main force and local armed forces led by Zhu De and Peng Dehuai.The mountainous areas on the border of Hunan and Jiangxi preserved and gathered groups of armed forces and revolutionary elites, which contained the fire of the Chinese revolution.Mao Zedong and the Chinese Communists' "up the mountain" move found a successful path for the Chinese revolution.
It was no accident that Mao Zedong and the Chinese Communists established China's first rural revolutionary base in Jinggangshan in the late 1920s.It is not that history is only fond of Jinggang Mountains, but that the border between Hunan and Jiangxi has a solid objective foundation for establishing a revolutionary base.Mao Zedong has always paid great attention to the conditions of armed separatism while paying attention to the military.The Jinggangshan area, located on the border of Hunan and Jiangxi, has the conditions for a long-term armed separatist struggle.As Mao Zedong said in "Why Can China's Red Regime Exist?" "The article expounded: "In a country, surrounded by white regimes, there are small or several small areas of red regimes that have existed for a long time, which has never happened in any country in the world. There are unique reasons for its occurrence, and there must be certain conditions for its existence and development.”
The superior terrain and rich products on the border of Hunan and Jiangxi.The Jinggangshan Revolutionary Base, centered on Ninggang, is located in the middle of the Luoxiao Mountains on the border of Jiangxi and Hunan provinces.It includes six counties of Ninggang, Yongxin, Lianhua, and Suichuan in western Jiangxi, and Chaling and Lingxian in eastern Hunan, with an area of more than 7,200 square kilometers and a population of more than 500,000.The majestic Luoxiao Mountains stretch from Tongcheng, Chongyang, and Tongshan in Hubei in the north to Nanxiong and Shixing in Guangdong in the south, and stretch for hundreds of kilometers from north to south along the junction of Hunan and Jiangxi.Generally speaking, the northern section is not as good as the middle section in terms of access and defense, and is too close to large political cities; the southern section has better terrain than the northern section, but its mass base is not as good as that in the middle section, and its political influence on Hunan and Jiangxi provinces is also smaller.After inspecting the middle section of the Luoxiao Mountains, Mao Zedong concluded: "We have traveled the entire Luoxiao Mountains; comparing all parts, the middle section of the Luoxiao Mountains with Ninggang as the center is the most conducive to our military separation."
Located in the middle of the Luoxiao Mountains on the border of Hunan and Jiangxi, the territory is full of mountains and mountains.The area of high mountains and hills accounts for more than 85% of the total area of the whole territory, of which Suichuan, Ninggang and Lianhua account for more than 90%.The meandering mountains form majestic mountains with their unique trends.For example, Wanyang Mountain in Ninggang, Tianlong Mountain and Wannian Mountain in Yongxin, Wugong Mountain in Lianhua, and Jiangxi Ao in Suichuan are generally between 1,000 meters and 1,500 meters above sea level, and they are located at the junction of Ling County, Hunan Province and Jiangxi Province. The Ling peak is as high as 2115 meters.
The border between Hunan and Jiangxi is not only dangerous, but also rich in products.Among the continuous mountains, there are many hills and semi-hilly basins, where the land is fertile and rich in grain and oil.The spring water flowing from the mountains merges into countless streams and rivers, forming a rich water system.For example, the Heshui in Yongxin, the Qinshui in Lianhua, the Longjiang River in Ninggang, the Quanjiang River in Suichuan, the Minjiang River in Lingxian County and Chaling, etc., form a beautiful and colorful picture.The Hunan-Jiangxi border is located in a humid subtropical climate with mild climate, abundant rainfall, sufficient sunlight, short frost period and long frost-free period, which provide favorable conditions for the growth of crops.Among them, Ninggang is the most important, and it is recorded in the ancient county annals that "one year of farming and three years of food".In the vast mountains, there are dense forests.There are more than 3,800 species of plants, pines and cypresses are evergreen all year round, and lush forests and bamboos are everywhere.In addition to grain, tea oil, bamboo and wood, other crops such as peanuts, soybeans, and tobacco leaves are also produced here.Medicinal materials are everywhere in the mountains, and the fruits of the mountains are continuous in all seasons. There are also various kinds of underground minerals with high reserves.
The rich products provided the necessary economic support for the Red Army of Workers and Peasants to separate the Hunan and Jiangxi borders.
However, due to its remote location and traffic congestion, the agricultural economy is relatively backward.The productivity is low, and the plow is manually pulled in farming technology, and some places are still in the "pestle and mortar era".There is no modern industry, only some small workshops such as oil extraction.The people in the territory slash-and-burn farming, loose fire oil lamps, and live a self-sufficient small-scale peasant life.In addition, the local tyrants and evil gentry were rampant, and the land was highly concentrated, which caused certain difficulties for the armed separatism of workers and peasants.
A solid foundation for the party and the masses.Although the border of Hunan and Jiangxi is located in a remote corner, the vigorous wave of the Great Revolution also washed every piece of land here.After the baptism of revolution, the border has produced the organization of the Communist Party and the revolutionary mass movement, and it has a very good foundation.
On the eve of the Great Revolution, a large number of young students studying in Nanchang, Ji'an, Changsha, and Beijing came out of the border, such as Ouyang Luo, Wang Huai, Liu Zhen, and Liu Zuoshu from Yongxin; Long Chaoqing, Liu Huixiao, and Liu Zuoshu from Ninggang. Keyou; Zhu Yiyue, Zhu Shengwu, and Chen Jingjin from Lianhua; Chen Zhengren from Suichuan; Liu Yinsheng, He Guoan, Zhou Li from Lingxian; Yang Kongwan, Li Bingrong, Tan Minjue from Chaling, etc.During the May 4th Movement and the wave of the Great Revolution, they successively accepted Marxism and joined the Communist Party and Youth League organizations.They used the opportunity of returning to their hometown during the winter and summer vacations to actively spread Marxism, organize various forms of research conferences, and ignite the revolutionary fire on the border of Hunan and Jiangxi.Before and after the Northern Expeditionary Army marched into Jiangxi and Hunan, they were dispatched by the Party to return to their hometowns to establish Party organizations and peasant associations to engage in revolutionary activities.Under their leadership, the peasant movement in the border counties flourished, and trade union, student, and women's movements also generally emerged.The counties have also established peasant armed forces with 970 guns.When the climax of the Great Revolution came, under the leadership of the revolutionaries, the six border counties successively overthrew the rule of the noble gentry in the county and took control of the county's political power.Ninggang, Yongxin, and Lianhua also established revolutionary regimes at the county level.In Ninggang County, the revolutionaries of Tu and Hakka united to overthrow the reactionary regime in 1926, and took power in the county for a year.These revolutionary activities laid a solid foundation for Mao Zedong to lead the workers' and peasants' revolutionary army.
During the period of the Great Revolution, under the leadership of the Chinese Communists, six border counties set off a mass revolutionary upsurge.In Yongxin, Ouyang Luo and other leaders established more than 10 peasant night schools and trained a large number of backbones of the peasant movement. After the establishment of the Yongxin Branch of the Communist Party of China in July 1926, the Yongxin County Farmers' Association was established and the Yongxin County Farmers' Self-Defense Force was formed.In Ninggang, Communist Party members Long Chaoqing and Liu Huixiao founded the progressive group "Civilization Society" to oppose the reactionary "Xinmin Society" and unite and cultivate a group of revolutionaries.In the name of "Zhao'an", Yuan Wencai's green forest "Saber Squad" was won down, and then Yuan Wencai was promoted to join the party, making the "Saber Squad" an important armed force under the control of our party. In October 1926, when the Kuomintang and the Communist Party won the Northern Expedition, Long Chaoqing and Yuan Wencai led the people of the county to stage an armed riot, overthrew the county regime of the Beiyang warlords, and established the Ninggang County People's Committee and the Peasant Self-Defense Army.
When the Northern Expeditionary Army entered Hunan and Jiangxi, the mass movement in the six border counties became even more intense. In July 1926, the Northern Expedition Army conquered Ling County and Chaling.The Party organization of Chaling County established a peasant association in the Xiaoche area, and mobilized the masses to liquidate the public property and warehouses under the control of the big gentry; in August, a special branch of the CCP was established in Chaling, directly under the leadership of the Hunan District Committee of the CCP; in October, the Chaling Ling County Farmers Association.In Ling County, Liu Yinsheng and Zhu Zihe, a member of the Communist Party sent by the Hunan Agricultural Association, took the opportunity of the Northern Expedition to conquer Ling County and led the establishment of the County Farmers Association and Peasant Armed Forces.In Lianhua, after the Northern Expedition conquered Lianhua in September, they established the Lianhua County Peasant Association and Peasant Self-Defense Army, disbanded the Lianhua County Administrative Committee controlled by the local tyrants and evil gentry, and established the Lianhua County Government, a revolutionary government cooperating with the Kuomintang and the Communist Party.When the Northern Expeditionary Army entered Yongxin from Lianhua, the Yongxin Peasant Self-Defense Force cooperated with the Northern Expeditionary Army to capture Yongxin City. In October, the Yongxin County Administrative Committee and the Farmers' Association cooperating with the KMT and the Communist Party were established.In Suichuan, when the Northern Expeditionary Army conquered Suichuan from Guangdong via Shangyou and Nankang, under the leadership of the Suichuan Special Branch of the Communist Party of China, the mass movement of workers and peasants in the county suddenly reached a climax.Farmers' associations have been established in all districts and townships, with 20,000 farmers joining the associations. In the spring of 1927, the Suichuan revolutionary peasants also destroyed the lair of the reactionary local tyrant Xiao Jiabi, and liquidated the crimes of the reactionary officials Luo Puquan, Xie Jike, Li Yingce, and Zhang Wanan, known as the "Four Diamonds" in Suichuan, and the people of Suichuan were one of them. vibration.
From the very beginning, the struggle of the vast number of revolutionary peasants in the Hunan and Jiangxi borders focused on overthrowing the rule of the landlord and gentry class and establishing their own workers' and peasants' regime and armed forces, showing great courage.This not only shakes the foundation of the "three big mountains" ruling the border, but also shows the great strength of the peasant masses organized under the leadership of the Communist Party of China.
After the "Ma Ri Incident", the Kuomintang reactionaries carried out a bloody suppression of the revolution.For a while, the border was bloody and stormy, and mourners were everywhere.Most of the party organizations in the border counties collapsed, the peasant associations were destroyed, and the guns were confiscated by the enemy.However, the border people did not give in. They took up arms, went underground, and persisted in the struggle, and preserved 60 guns each from Ninggang Yuan Wencai and Suichuan Wangzuo, 6 guns from Suichuan, and 1 gun from Lianhua. In July 1927, armed riots were held in Yongxin, Lianhua, Suichuanchuan and other counties, and the arrested peasant association cadres and revolutionary masses were successively rescued.The Peasant Self-Defense Forces in Anfu, Ninggang, Suichuan, Lianhua and other counties, led by Wang Xingya, Yuan Wencai, Wang Zuo, etc., captured Yongxin City on July 20 and rescued more than 80 party members, including He Minxue and Hu Bo, who were detained. cadre.Subsequently, the Jiangxi Peasant Self-Defense Army was formed, with Wang Xingya as the commander-in-chief and Yuan Wencai and Wang Zuo as the deputy commanders.Later, due to the attack of a strong enemy, the peasant self-defense army voluntarily withdrew and dispersed their actions. Some of them followed Wang Xingya to Anfu and Pingxiang, and later participated in the autumn harvest riots.The Party organization in Yongxin County retreated to the Maoping area of Ninggang to persist in the struggle.
Yuan Wencai and Wang Zuo's Green Forest Armed Forces and Its Evolution.Yuan Wencai and Wang Zuo were the leaders of two green forest teams active in Maoping in Ninggang and Ciping in Suichuan respectively.They were green forests, not "bandits", and they belonged to the local peasant armed forces of the people of Ningkang and Suichuan who resisted the oppression of the landlords and tyrants during the Great Revolution.
Yuan Wencai, ranked Xianquan, also known as Xuansan. Born in 1898 in a Hakka peasant family in Mayuankeng Village, Maoping, Ninggang County.When I was a teenager, I went to private schools for several years.As an adult, because his new wife was forcibly occupied by a local tyrant, he forged a deep hatred with the gentry ever since. In 1922, he was angrily admitted to Yongxin Hechuan Middle School, hoping that one day he would become famous and avenge his hatred.In Yongxin Hechuan Middle School, he got acquainted with local progressive youths Liu Zhen, He Minxue, Wang Huai, etc., and first realized that "the world is as black as crows", and then actively participated in the New Culture Movement.Unexpectedly, before finishing his studies, his father died suddenly, so he had to drop out of school and go home to work in agriculture.
After Yuan Wencai returned to his hometown, he became even more hostile to the cruel exploitation of the local tyrants and evil gentry, so he often invited Maoping youths to fight against him, which aroused great dissatisfaction among the tyrants.At that time, a green forest "Saber Squad" headed by Hu Yachun was active in Bangang Mountain, Maoping.Because Hu was uneducated, he had to ask someone to write "orders" when "hanging sheep". Knowing that Yuan Wencai had a rebellious spirit and had an enmity with the noble gentry, he persuaded Yuan to go up the mountain to join him.Yuan Wencai only agreed to communicate with them secretly.Soon, the news leaked out, and Xie Guannan, a local tyrant, learned that he asked the government to send troops to arrest Yuan Wencai.Yuan Wencai hid in the mountains after hearing the news.The reactionary army rushed to the sky, became angry from shame, ransacked Yuan's house, burned down the house, and shot Yuan's mother.When Yuan Wencai came back and saw this, he was furious, so he resolutely defected to the "Saber Squad" with the hatred of taking his wife and killing his mother, and fell into the middle of the grass.
Because Yuan Wen was educated and resourceful, he showed his intelligence as soon as he joined the "Saber Team".He suggested to Hu Yachun that he should save money economically and keep the water flowing; politically, he should "rob the rich and help the poor" to protect the interests of the common people; ".Yuan Wencai's move was appreciated by Hu Yachun, and soon he was promoted from secretary to chief of staff.Since then, the "Saber Squad" has become even more powerful, constantly attacking the armed forces of the gentry and landlords, and the team has gradually expanded. In 1924, Yuan Wencai led his troops to capture Xincheng, the capital of Ninggang County, and burned down the county government office. The governor of Ninggang County, Zuo Shuxuan, was afraid of his reputation, so he abandoned the city and fled to Yongxin.
The "Saber Squad" seriously threatened the landlord class.They were in a hurry and asked to send troops to "suppress". In the spring of 1925, the Jiangxi provincial government sent Liu Hantao's first battalion of the Niu Wentian Regiment, the Eighth Division of the Third Army, to "advance and suppress".Relying on their familiarity with the terrain, Yuan Wencai and others cleverly dealt with the "advance and suppression" army, exhausting the enemy and gaining nothing. The "Saber Team" has since become famous.
At the same time as Yuan Wencai, Wang Zuo led a green forest team to be active in the Ciping area of Suichuan County.
Wang Zuo, also known as Yunhui, was nicknamed Nandou. Born in 1898 in a poor peasant family in Xiaqi Village, Suichuan County.Since both his biological father and adoptive father passed away one after another, Wang Zuo started working as a part-time worker since he was a child, and transferred to tailoring at the age of 13.After studying as a teacher for three years, in addition to learning a craft, he also practiced martial arts.Because of his high skill and boldness, when he sewed clothes for Zhu Kongyang (Zhu Deafzi), the leader of Jinggang Green Forest, he was hired by Zhu Deafzi as a "water guest" and a purchaser. In 1924, Wang Zuo broke away from Zhu Kongyang, bought a Mauser himself, and recruited a dozen peasant brothers to set up his own family and own a leader. Under the banner of "robbing the rich and helping the poor", he started a green forest career.Afterwards, the team gradually expanded and grew to 50 people.Wang Zuo's forestry armed forces naturally aroused the dissatisfaction of the gentry class, and the gentry of Suichuan also moved officers and soldiers to "suppress", but Wang Zuo could not be wiped out no matter what.Therefore, the enemy resorted to "soft" tactics to appease Wang Zuo down the mountain, and named him the deputy head of the "Xin Sui Frontier Defense Regiment" (Luo Dongsheng was the head).Wang Zuo was born upright and upright, and soon he went his own way and resumed his old career. In 1926, internal strife broke out among his subordinates, and Wang Zuo was almost killed.He fled to Yuan Wencai in Maoping and asked Yuan Wencai for help.Yuan and Wang were born in the same age, with similar struggle goals and life experiences, so they married Jinlan and worshiped as "Lao Geng" (that is, brothers of the same year).Later, Yuan Wencai helped him eradicate the internal strife elements, and Wang Zuo returned to the throne, so he developed to 60 guns.
Since then, Yuan Wencai was in Maoping at the foot of Jinggang Mountain, and Wang Zuo was in Ciping on Jinggang Mountain. They became horns of each other and echoed each other from a distance.
In the summer of 1925, Long Chaoqing, the head of the Ninggang County Party Organization of the Communist Party of China, realized the importance of armed forces during the struggle, and decided to use his status as the son of the chairman of the Jiangxi Provincial Assembly to persuade the county governor Shen Qingyuan to "recruit security" for Yuan Wencai , and then fight for him to stand on the side of the Communist Party.Shen Qingyuan, the county magistrate, had failed in years of efforts to "suppress" Yuan Wencai's "Saber Squad", so he immediately acted according to the plan.Therefore, Long Chaoqing, Communist Party member Liu Huixiao and others went to the "Saber Squad" station to negotiate with Hu Yachun and Yuan Wencai.Long Chaoqing and Liu Huixiao expressed righteousness and expressed their willingness to be hostages. Yuan Wencai was finally persuaded, but Hu Yachun, the leader of the "Saber Squad", refused to go down the mountain.Therefore, a group of 15 people including Yuan Wencai, Li Xiaofu, and Xie Guibiao, carrying 6 guns, went down the mountain to Xincheng to accept the "recruitment" and were organized into the Ninggang County Security Regiment, with Yuan Wencai as the head of the regiment.Three months later, the county government organized a green forest "Zhao'an" in Xiashuiwan in Yuan's department, expanding it into a squadron, and the number of gunmen increased greatly.
In July 1926, Long Chaoqing was sent by the Jiangxi Provincial Party Organization of the Communist Party of China to return to the county to engage in the peasant movement and carry out revolutionary work.In their work, Long Chaoqing, Liu Huixiao and others paid special attention to caring for and winning over Yuan Wencai's armed forces, helping him recruit and expand his team, and often talked to him to publicize the purpose and goals of the Communist Party, and inspired him to take the revolutionary road.With the inspiration and help of Long Chaoqing, Liu Huixiao and others, Yuan Wencai finally expressed his willingness to obey the orders of the party organization. In October 1926, Yuan Wencai led the county security regiment to revolt. Long Chaoqing and others launched a worker-peasant riot to cooperate closely. They captured Xincheng County, destroyed the County Qingxiang Bureau, surrendered 14 guns, expelled the county governor, and established Ninggang County People's Committee (Long Chaoqing served as chairman).The county defense regiment was reorganized into the county peasant self-defense army, with Yuan Wencai as the commander-in-chief.
Since then, Yuan Wencai and his "Saber Team" have been reborn. In November 1926, Yuan Wencai joined the Communist Party of China.Under the leadership of the Communist Party, Yuan Wencai gave full play to the role of the barrel of a gun. In 1927, he killed and drove away three reactionary county magistrates who came to Ninggang to take power, so that the regime in Ninggang was always in the hands of the Communist Party.
After the party organization of Ninggang County captured Yuan Wencai's department and organized it as a peasant self-defense army, the party organization of Suichuan County also started work against Wang Zuo.Under the influence of Yuan Wencai, Wang Zuo also led his troops down the mountain in January 1927 and organized it into the Suichuan County Peasant Self-Defense Army, with Wang Zuo serving as the commander-in-chief.
After the "Ma-Day Incident", the border party organizations and peasants' armed forces suffered heavy losses, and all the peasants' armed forces in all counties were confiscated by the enemy. Only Suichuan kept 6 guns and Lianhua kept 1 gun.Only Yuan Wencai and Wang Zuo still kept 60 guns each, and became two powerful peasant local armed forces on the border.
Weak link of enemy domination.In the "Report of the Jinggangshan Front Committee to the Central Committee", Mao Zedong once called the border of Hunan and Jiangxi "the border of favorable location and harmonious people".This sentence makes sense.Because there are Luoxiao Mountains as a barrier, the mountains are so high that it is easy to hide soldiers, and they can advance or retreat; and the products are abundant, and the party and the masses have a solid foundation.In addition, due to its remote location, which is the "junction" of Hunan and Jiangxi provinces, the enemy's ruling power is extremely weak, and the enemy's garrisons in the six counties of Yongxin, Ningkang, Lianhua, Suichuan, Chaling, and Lingxian on the border are very few. It's the local security forces. From 1926 to October 1927, Yongxin had only Chen Xiujue's department, which was later driven away by Zhu Yaohua's department of the Northern Expedition Army. The reactionary force with combat effectiveness in Chaling and Lingxian County was Luoding's Xiangdong Security Regiment. "Yuan Wencai's department once invited the 24th Regiment and 23rd Regiment of the Eighth Division to Wang Bingqing's battalion, but they returned immediately due to no success. Suichuan also only relied on Liu Shiyi's Seventh Independent Division in Ganzhou to watch from afar.
After Mao Zedong led the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army up the mountain, although the enemy's attention was attracted, the enemy's deployment of troops on the border between Hunan and Jiangxi provinces was still extremely uneven. The enemy in Hunan was relatively strong, while the enemy in Jiangxi was relatively weak.According to the statistics of the Hunan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China in July 1928, the enemy army in Hunan Province had a total of 7 armies, namely the second, sixth, seventh, eighth, thirteenth, fourteenth, and thirty-fifth armies, totaling 20 armies. The division has two teaching groups.However, in terms of the distribution of troops, the regions are extremely uneven.There are only two divisions of the Eighth Army in Chaling, Lingxian, and Youxian on the border of Hunan and Jiangxi, while in southern Hunan, five divisions of the Seventh and Thirteenth Armies and the Independent Third Division are concentrated.Therefore, the border between Hunan and Jiangxi is still a weak link in the Hunan enemy's rule in Hunan.
Jiangxi, under the rule of the Yunnan warlord Zhu Peide, had far weaker military power than Hunan. On April 25, 1928, the "Letter from the Jiangxi Provincial Party Committee to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China" recorded: "The reactionary forces are extremely fragile. Only the 27th Division and the 7th Division are stationed in the 40 or 50 counties in the southwest, and their combat effectiveness is very weak. Especially the recent vacillation of the soldiers has been fatal to them. The 27th Division currently has the 79th Regiment guarding Yongxin, the 81st Regiment guarding Suichuan, and the 80th Regiment guarding Taihe. Wan'an and Ji'an are only directly under the division headquarters. There are five or six hundred people in the army."
Jiangxi's enemies are not only small in number, but also distributed along a long front, which is far behind Hunan's military strength.It is precisely because of the weakness of the enemy's ruling power on the border of Hunan and Jiangxi that it provides favorable conditions and opportunities for the armed separatism of Jinggangshan.It is precisely because of the different strengths of the enemy forces in Hunan and Jiangxi provinces that the armed separatist regimes of workers and peasants on the border of Hunan and Jiangxi could adopt different strategies and defeat them one by one, so that the expansion of the base areas moved forward in waves.
Furthermore, due to the contradictions and conflicts within the enemy camp, the power of reactionary border rule has been further weakened.湘赣两省军阀各据一方，拥兵自重，互相猜忌，钩心斗角，完全是为着自己的地盘和实力，以巩固其统治。湘系军阀虽然力量较强，但因割据区域六县中湘省只有两县，对其威胁不大，因此对“会剿”往往不感兴趣而消极保全。由于井冈山割据区域主要在江西，江西敌人虽企图“努力进剿”，但力量薄弱，难以取胜。这样，两省敌人虽多次高唱“会剿”，结果往往出现“会”而不“剿”或“剿”而难“会”的局面。
同时，湘赣两省军阀与边界的豪绅地主之间也充满了矛盾，边界各县豪绅之间亦有矛盾。随着反动统治阶级内部矛盾和冲突的激化，便演变为白色政权之间的分裂和战争。所以，毛泽东根据这些现象，深刻指出：“因为有了白色政权间的长期的分裂和战争，便给了一种条件，使一小块或若干小块的共产党领导的红色区域，能够在四周白色政权包围的中间发生和坚持下来。湘赣边界的割据，就是这许多小块中间的一块。”
在分析了井冈山武装割据的客观基础后，我们再来看看毛泽东是如何率领秋收起义部队“引兵井冈”的。
1927年9月25日，工农革命军在芦溪冲破敌人的伏击后，进入了莲花县境。中午时分，部队到达高滩村，并收集了被打散的部分队伍。毛泽东即时向部队作了简要的讲话，号召指战员们要经得起失败的考验，不要被眼前的困难所吓倒。尔后，部队进抵高滩村宿营。中共莲花县党组织负责人甘明山、贺国庆等闻讯，立即赶到高滩村。晚上，毛泽东不顾鞍马劳顿，召开调查会听取甘明山、贺国庆等关于莲花、永新一带敌情及地势的汇报。
莲花，地处赣西，属罗霄山脉中段的山地丘陵区，东南与江西永新、宁冈接壤，西南与湖南茶陵、攸县相连。早在大革命时期的1926年，莲花就有了党的组织，党的负责人是朱绳武、朱亦岳、陈竞进。当时，莲花的工农运动迅猛发展。各地都成立了工会、农会，并建立了莲花农民自卫军，有枪60支。大革命失败以后，反动派到处抓捕共产党员和革命群众，血雨腥风遍布城乡。为保存实力，农民自卫军被逼退入上西区“打埋伏”。1927年7月，朱绳武被敌人杀害。随后，莲花大土豪李成荫用金钱收买永新等地的地方武装，又到上西来追杀农民自卫军。9月18日，农民自卫军得知县城反动武装已撤离，当即由陈竞进、贺国庆率领自卫军和群众800余人攻打县城。未料入城后，农民群众不懂军纪，高声呼叫，被敌人发现，遭到路过的两连敌正规部队袭击。农民自卫军牺牲70余人，被捕90余人。“九一八”扑城失利后，反动派变本加厉，到处追剿革命同志，逼缴枪支。结果，枪支损失59支，仅贺国庆保存了一支枪。
毛泽东听了汇报，义愤填膺。为了营救革命同志，毛泽东决定攻打莲花县城，并立即召集军中干部进行具体部署。
26日清晨，工农革命军在甘家村召开军民大会，枪决了几个从萍乡抓来的豪绅，鼓舞了群众的斗志。随后，军民冒雨向莲花县城发起进攻。当时，城内没有国民党正规军，只有李成荫的保安队。不到半小时即攻克莲花县城。这是毛泽东率领的秋收起义部队从文家市退兵后夺下的第一个县城。随即，捣毁了国民党县党部和伪县长公署，活捉国民党县党部书记官，砸开了监狱，解救了被捕的共产党员和革命群众，并打开粮仓，将粮食分给贫苦农民。莲花县的革命群众欢欣鼓舞，奔走相告：“莲花来了革命军！”
在莲花，工农革命军与中共江西省委取得了联系。秋收起义爆发前，中共江西省委就非常注意工农革命军这支武装的情况，派出了一个交通员，来到秋收起义部队第三团驻地铜鼓进行联络。三团党组织也派出了当时在团部秘书处任文书的宋任穷，与江西省委交通员“去江西省委请示下一步的行动”。当宋任穷他们走后不久，秋收起义就爆发了。
据宋任穷1974年10月在井冈山革命博物馆谈话时回忆：“我走了以后，毛委员来到了铜鼓，领导部队举行秋收起义。因此，文家市会师我未能参加。江西省委派来的那个交通员，年纪比我大一些，有20多岁。南昌暴动后，敌人的白色恐怖很严重，他是搞秘密工作的，我不便问他的名字。我们一起到了南昌市，省委机关设在市内一个小巷子里面。在那里我见到了省委书记汪泽楷、刘士奇（湖南人，光头，后在赣西当了特委书记，还到了鄂豫皖）。汪泽楷看了我带去的信，他回了一封信，是用药水写的，不知写的什么内容。他只口头对我讲：'你们在莲花县一带行动。宁冈县有我们党的武装，有几十支枪，其他的事，信上都写了。'”
宋任穷在莲花的陈家坊追上了向南转移的秋收起义部队。当晚，把信交给了毛泽东。此时，正是芦溪遭敌伏击、冲破敌人的尾追之后。
江西省委带给毛泽东的这封信，是一个十分重要、可靠的信息。这封信对秋收起义部队的走向起了很大的导向性、决策性作用。这是因为：
第一，信中再次提到了宁冈，指出：“宁冈有我们党的武装，有几十支枪。”宁冈的情况，毛泽东在安源张家湾军事会议上曾听王兴亚讲过，已有初步的了解。如今，江西省委进一步明确提出，“宁冈有我们党的武装”，这对毛泽东引兵井冈和工农革命军后来在宁冈茅坪安家，建立以宁冈为中心的工农武装割据局面，无疑是有重大影响的。
第二，毛泽东在高滩听取甘明山、贺国庆的汇报时，根据江西省委的信函内容，又一次对宁冈、永新一带地形和有关情况作了调查，对于部队的行动方向心中有底了。
第三，9月26日，工农革命军打下莲花县城后，毛泽东在县城的宾兴馆召开了莲花县党组织负责人会议。会上听取了朱亦岳等人的汇报，根据江西省委信中的嘱咐，再一次询问了永新、宁冈等地的情况，并和莲花县的同志一起研究了部队的行军路线，随即作出了“引兵井冈”的决策。
由此可见，在安源张家湾军事会议时，毛泽东对湘赣边井冈山地势和袁、王的情况，有了一定的了解；秋收起义的失利，造成了退兵“上山”的必然趋势；至此，中共江西省委的信嘱，开始坚定了毛泽东引兵井冈的决心和信心。
1927年9月27日，工农革命军离开莲花，经过桥头，直插九陇山区。尔后，途经永新的九陂村等，于9月29日到达永新境内的三湾村。
三湾，坐落在湘赣边界的九陇山区，是永新与茶陵、莲花、宁冈交界处的一个小山村。
在这里，毛泽东对部队进行了著名的“三湾改编”。为什么要进行改编？这是由部队当时的实际状况和复杂的斗争形势所决定的。
首先，从工农革命军的状况来看，部队的编制和人员从秋收起义时的5000余人，到文家市集中时锐减为2000余人，经芦溪战斗后已不足1000人了，出现了官多兵少、枪多人少的现象。
其次，起义部队中的军官大多是从旧军队过来的，残存的旧军阀主义习气较为严重，随意打骂士兵，官兵待遇很不平等，直接影响了官兵之间的团结和部队的战斗力。
再次，起义部队由于战斗频繁而迭遭失利，生活又极端困苦，得不到休整和休息，一部分人思想情绪发生悲观动摇，对革命前途丧失信心；一部分人又受“左”倾盲动主义影响，产生急躁情绪，主张与敌人硬拼。
对此，罗荣桓曾回忆说：“这支部队中，虽然有不少党员，但没有形成坚强的组织核心，也没有明确的行动纲领。军事指挥员大部分是黄埔军校的学生，他们都是知识分子，没有经过更多实际战争的锻炼，指挥能力较弱，旧的一套带兵方法，妨碍着上下一致、官兵一致。由于上述原因，这支部队的战斗力并不强。”
赖毅回忆说：“芦溪受挫后，部队中弥漫着一股消沉的情绪，许多知识分子和军官出身的人，看到失败似乎已成定局，纷纷不告而别。有些小资产阶级出身的共产党员，也在这时背弃了革命，走向叛变或者消极的道路。这真是一场严重的考验。”“部队中的逃亡现象清楚地说明了：武装必须掌握在坚定的革命者手里；另方面，还必须有一个坚强的组织作为核心，并通过它和广大的战士群众发生密切的联系，这样才能巩固。”赖毅：《毛委员在连队建党》。
张宗逊回忆说：“秋收起义后，部队遭到几次挫折，战斗减员很大，加上长途行军转移，病号很多，特别是当时政治思想工作薄弱，军心涣散。”张宗逊：《我在井冈山斗争中的经历》。
“毛泽东同志恰恰是在这个最紧要关头，通过深入、细致的思想工作，通过研究部队的政治和思想情况，从而察觉了问题的症结，采取了坚定的措施。”赖毅：《毛委员在连队建党》。
这就是三湾改编的历史背景。加之部队已进入山区，摆脱了敌人，原来追剿部队的江西敌人到萍乡后未南下，湖南的敌人已陷入“李唐战争”，客观上给部队提供了休整的时机。于是，在部队到达三湾的当天晚上，毛泽东即在三湾的“泰和祥”杂货铺，主持召开了中共前委扩大会议，决定对部队进行改编。
三湾改编的内容主要有以下三方面：
1.在组织上进行改编，将部队从一个师缩编为一个团。
秋收起义后的工农革命军由于严重减员，名为一个师的建制，实际不到千人。因此，三湾改编时“首先是整顿组织，一个师缩编为一个团，改称工农革命军第一师第一团，实际上只有两个营七个连。”改编时，根据自愿的原则，愿留的则留，不愿留的发给三至五元的路费。同时，根据干部多余的状况，编了一个军官队、一个卫生队、一个辎重队。改编后，共700人左右。人员虽少了，队伍却精干多了，都是大浪淘沙后的精英分子。
三湾改编后的工农革命军第一军第一师第一团，最高领导机关仍是秋收起义时中共湖南省委任命的前敌委员会。其组织系统如下：
中共前敌委员会书记毛泽东
第一团团长：陈皓党代表：何挺颖
副团长：徐庶参谋长：韩庄剑
第一营营长：黄子吉党代表：宛希先
第一连连长：员一民党代表：熊寿祺
第二连连长：刘康党代表：何成匈
第三连连长：×××党代表：×××
第三营营长：张子清党代表：李运启
第七连连长：陈子风党代表：孔繁淑
第八连连长：×××党代表：杨岳彬
第九连连长：曾正平党代表：罗荣桓
特务连连长：曾士峨党代表：朱建胜
军官队队长：吕赤党代表：蔡钟
卫生队队长：曹嵘党代表：何长工
辎重队队长：范树德党代表：×××
2.在部队中建立党的各级组织，确定“支部建在连上”的制度。
早在国共合作的第一次大革命时期时，我党就在自己掌握的军队中建立了党的组织。但是，无论南昌起义军还是秋收起义军，党的组织都是设在团一级，即团为支部单位，而在军队的基层组织连队一级却没有党的组织。这样，就势必削弱基层党支部的战斗堡垒作用，抓不住士兵。三湾改编时，毛泽东总结了这个教训，在部队各级都设立了党的组织。班有小组，连有支部，营团有党委，连以上设立党代表，担任党的支部书记，专门做党的工作，做士兵的政治思想工作，指导士兵开展群众工作。从而，确定了党对军队的绝对领导。
“支部建在连上”，是毛泽东对无产阶级建军原则的一个重要创造。后来，毛泽东曾总结指出：“红军所以艰难奋战而不溃散，'支部建在连上'是一个重要原因。”同时，后来的实践也表明，“哪一个连党代表较好，哪一个连就较健全些”，“党代表制度，经验证明不能废除。”
（三）在军队内部实行民主制度，连以上设立士兵委员会。
反动统治阶级的军队，没有民主制度，存在着尖锐的阶级矛盾，官兵对立是普遍的现象。工农革命军的主体是从国民党军队过来的，自然也带来了一些旧军队不良作风的残余。为了废除旧军队中的旧制度及其影响，三湾改编时建立了新型的官兵关系。正如罗荣桓回忆所言：“为了扫除军队中的一切不良制度和习气，毛泽东同志果断地采取了许多革命的措施。例如，士兵委员会就是这时候产生的。为了反对旧军队的一套带兵方法，这就需要进行民主改革。士兵委员会就是实现民主的一个组织形式。那时，士兵委员会有很大的权力，军官要受士兵委员会的监督。做错了事，要受士兵委员会的批评，甚至制裁。表面看来，这样似乎是会鼓励极端民主化和平均主义的思想，但当时的主要问题是必须坚决反掉旧军队的一套带兵方法，奠定新型的官兵关系——阶级的团结。部队的实际情况是民主不够，而不是什么极端民主化和平均主义的问题。因此，只有这样做，才能更彻底更有效地肃清军阀残余。有了民主，才能提高群众觉悟，才能建立巩固的集中。”
士兵委员会的组成及其作用，陈毅在1929年9月1日所写的《关于朱毛军的历史及其状况的报告》中作了具体的叙述：“在全军团营连均设士兵委员会，官长同时为士兵委员会。全连士兵大会选举5人至7人或9人为连士委执委，推主席1人。以全营人数按每5人举一代表组成全营士兵代表会，推举11人至13人组织营士执委，推举1人为主席。按全团人数每10人举代表一人组织全团代表会，推举17人至19人组织团士执委，推举1人任主席。全军按30人至50人举一代表组织全军代表会，推举19人至21人或23人组织军士执委，选1人为主席，军士执委选5人至7人为常委。连无常委机关，军团常委均设机关于政治部内日常办公，营常委不设机关。各级士委的任务规定如下：（1）参加军队管理。（2）维持红军纪律。（3）监督军队的经济。（4）作群众运动。（5）作士兵政治教育。此外士委与军事机关的关系，士委只能对某个问题建议或质问，而不能直接去干涉和处理，士委开会须由党代表参加，等于一个政治顾问的性质。在非常时期党代表可以解散士委，或不准其开会，另诉诸士委代表会。”
工农革命军实行的民主主义制度，对军队内部实现政治上的团结，对军事技术与战术的提高，对干部的改造与锻炼，都产生了积极的影响。正如毛泽东在《井冈山的斗争》一文所说：“红军的物质生活如此菲薄，战斗如此频繁，仍能维持不敝，除党的作用外，就是靠实行军队的民主主义。”
三湾改编，初步解决了以农民及旧军人为主要成分的革命军队，如何建设成为一支无产阶级的新型人民军队的问题，这是三湾改编的核心。它为我党如何建设自己的军队进行了最早的也是一次较成功的探索与实践，标志着毛泽东建设人民军队的思想开始