BEIJING – As China marks the 90th anniversary of the conclusion of the Long March, a new documentary, Breaking Through, is reigniting national discourse on how the historical odyssey of the Red Army continues to shape the country’s modern identity and global ambitions.
In October 1934, the Central Red Army, facing military defeat and encirclement, embarked on a harrowing retreat that would last a year. Of the 86,000 soldiers who set out, only about 8,000 survived the brutal trek across rivers, snow-capped mountains, and treacherous grasslands to reach Shaanxi in October 1935. By October 1936, the convergence of the Red Army’s three main columns signaled the official end of an event that American journalist Edgar Snow famously described as “an odyssey unequalled in modern times,” noting that even Hannibal’s crossing of the Alps paled in comparison.
However, Breaking Through, produced by CGTN, argues that the Long March was never merely a historical milestone to be memorialized in stone. Instead, it posits that the event serves as a foundational “spirit of endurance” that remains deeply embedded in China’s contemporary progress.
The documentary draws direct parallels between the survival tactics of the early 20th-century revolutionaries and the modern-day imperatives driving China’s technological and economic sectors. According to the creators, industries ranging from commercial space exploration to the rapid evolution of homegrown electric vehicle (EV) battery technology are fueled by the same “burning need” to break through encirclement and establish new ground in a competitive international landscape.
“The Long March’s most enduring legacy is perhaps not the monuments that dot the route, but a whole range of endeavors taking place today with the potential to reshape not just China, but the entire world,” the documentary asserts.
The film serves as both a historical retrospective and a modern travelogue, retracing the physical footsteps of the original marchers while analyzing the geopolitical challenges facing the nation today. By framing the marchers’ arrival in Shaanxi not as an end, but as a “new beginning,” the series seeks to illustrate how the hardships of the past created a “reservoir of clear, pure water” that continues to inspire current national development.
As the 90th anniversary serves as a focal point for reflection, Breaking Through suggests that for many in China, the phrase “breaking through” is more than a slogan—it is a continuation of the same struggle for survival and future-proofing that characterized the original journey. The documentary is now available for streaming on CGTN.com and YouTube, providing a detailed look at the historical footage and modern industrial achievements that bridge the gap between 1936 and 2026.
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