The Long March of Mao Zedong and the Salt March by Gandhi have many similarities yet many differences. Both historic marches were similar in that they were started by men who wanted to change their country and went on to have great influence and power in their country. Both marches were similar in that they involved many people and were unconventional ways of seeking power and change. However, the marches were different because one was violent and the other was peaceful. In the early twentieth century, both India and China went through dramatic changes.
While these changes were both motivated by a need for change, they also arose from two different fires (injustice and death). In the 1920s and 1930s Gandhi sought power to create change through unconventional ways such as nonviolent actions against British rule; his actions drew forth great support. Gandhi knew that natural sea salt was available in the ocean, but the British government had the salt monopoly. Gandhi called for a boycott against British goods. The British Government demanded that all Indians buy salt only sold by the monopoly, which Gandhi viewed as a symbol of “British oppression” (505).
If the weight of the taxation has crush the poor from above, the destruction of the central supplementary industry, ie. , hand-spinning, has undermined their capacity for producing wealth… ” The taxes were so overwhelming and high that the most basic business can’t produce or prosper. Gandhi started a protest walk to the sea known as the Salt March. Gandhi was trying to lead his people to peaceful changes. Contrastly, in China, the Communist party was being violently pursued. After the death of Sun Yixian, Jiang Jieshi took the power and leadership of the Nationalist party.
Jiang, who felt threatened by the communists, ordered his troops to slaughter the Communists party members and any of their supporters. Mao Zedong, the leader of the Communist army, survived Jiang’s attack along with his communist troops where they receded towards the North. This became known as the Long March. Mao was a young revolutionary of peasant origins who believed the communists could get support from the peasants. He treated them with respect. For example, he made sure they gave the peasants payment for anything they took and were careful not to destroy their crops.
This created an understanding and trust between the communists and peasants and later on led to support from the peasants. During their marches, both Gandhi and Mao were great men, who were fortunate to have the support of the peasants. At the same time, both leaders fought for in what they believed was unfair, hoping their actions would lead to positive change in their countries. While Gandhi and his men were fleeing forwards and the Communists were fleeing away, they both were chasing justice. There are many different methods to enact change.
Gandhi and Mao both used support from followers they gained as they marched to further their causes. All the while, the Indians were defending their livelihoods while the Chinese were defending their lives. Gandhi’s beliefs and theories were an inspiration to Indians of all different religions. ” He preached the ancient doctrine of ahimsa” (504), also known as nonviolence and deep respect for all life. Gandhi saw that one of the only ways to fight against discrimination was to promote his use of nonviolent resistance.
Henry David Thoreau’s various ideas of civil disobedience were ones that Gandhi admired greatly. Gandhi used these notions when he went against the British Salt monopoly. On April 6, Gandhi went into the ocean, picked up some sea salt as a symbol of fighting back without physical violence. Unfortunately, in China, the Communist party was not afforded these initial attempts at peaceful change. The leader of the nationalist party, Jiang Jeshi believed that the Chinese communist party would influence or lessen his power.
He attempted to kill and crush the Communists, take Beijing and control of the government. Mao Zedong, the leader of the Communist party retreated his troops north to avoid being slaughtered and chased by the Nationalist Party. Throughout the Long March, Jang led the Guomindang in sets of “extermination camps” (509) where they were constantly harassing Mao’s army. Mao’s troops were able to use guerrilla and different hit and run tactics to fight back. While the methods of Gandhi and Mao initially began with the best intentions, it quickly led to violent attacks on them.
The greatest similarity these marches shared was how their methods inspired so many. Both causes started out with few men, but their numbers expanded as the people of their countries saw the noble efforts of the leaders. Their oppressors attempted to use intimidation and violence to crush the bodies of the activists, as well as their spirits. The best intentions can only take a cause so far. Gandhi and Mao began their marches with the intention of bringing change to their countries. They hoped they would achieve this through peaceful methods.
The results of the marches might have led to some changes, but came at a cost. Gandhi was a man who only wanted the best for the Indian people. Throughout the Salt March, Gandhi gained over thousands of followers as a result for what he believed and preached. Soon after, Gandhi was arrested and jailed for all that he had done, including picking of a lump of salt from the ocean. Yet the Indians continued to follow in his footsteps and even coastal villages started collecting salt and salt was sold on city streets.
When Gandhi’s campaign gained more and more strength, thousands of Indians were put in jail. Throughout the world, newspapers were denouncing all of the harsh things Britain was doing to the Indians and their protests. Overtime, Gandhi’s march forced Britain to give some power to the Indians and change some of the policies they had to benefit the Indians. While India benefited from positive worldwide attention, China suffered from it as Japan used their internal battles to attack China. During the Long March, China was faced with a crisis.
Japan invaded Manchuria, hoping to add it to the growing Japanese empire. While the Japanese violence increased, therefore causing the Guomindang to force Jiang to” form a united front with the Communists against Japan” (511). The Japanese soon came again, which became known as the Second-Sino Japanese War. During all this Japanese troops raided eastern China while planes bombed Chinese cities. As a result the United States got involved and fought back against the Japanese. The Soviet Union helped by sending advisors and material.
At the same time the United States, France and Great Britain helped by giving economic aid. The Guomindang and the Communist still fought occasionally,” but the united front stayed intact until the end of the war” (511). As an end result, this war with Japan brought opposing sides together. There were some great similarities as a result of both marches. To begin with, they both led to change. In India, Britain met some of the demands and even gave up some power. In China, the political powers eventually came to work together for peace.
The fighting ended in the countries, but more importantly both causes gained worldwide notice and support. In the end, the journey was long and hard, but both countries created change with their marches. The Salt March and the Long March exhibited many similarities yet many differences. Despite their differences, both proved to have a successful impact on their countries. These two marches exemplify that their are different ways to affect change in the world. Gandhi and Mao Zedong were leaders who stood up for what they believed was right and would benefit the people of their countries.
