TheBeginningoftheCommunistParty

　　TheChineseCommunistPartyhaditsoriginsin1921.TheshakyalliancewiththeNationalistPartyheadedbyChiangKaishekcametoahaltonthemorningofApril12th,1927withafeastofheads.Thousandsperished.Somewereshot;somebeheaded;somehurledaliveintotheglowingfurnacesofsteamlocomotives.Somanyheadswerechoppedoffthatthewearyarmscouldhardlyraisetheirgreatscimitarsfromtheirsides.Whatfewescaped,includingZhouEnlaifledtothewesttoJiangxiProvince.TheremotenessofJiangxiwassogreatinthe1930sthatthegovernmenthadalmostnocontroloverthisarea.Roadless,aswasmostofChinainthoseyears,itwastraversedonlybymountainfootpathsbypeoplecarryingbundlesontheirbacks,horse-and-mulecaravans,singlefile,toonarrowforevencarts,madeJiangxiahavenforrebellion.Everywhereflourishedilliteracy,disease,poverty,andignorance.ItwasherethatMaoZedongsetuphisnewSovietCommunistzone.