Yuan Wencai - Early Communist Years

Early Communist Years

From the summer of 1925, Yuan Wencai began to have contact with representatives of the Communist Party of China via the Ninggang (宁冈) communist You Chaoqing (尤超清). In September, 1925, Yuan's force was reorganized as the Ninggang (宁冈) Security Regiment with Yuan as the regimental commander, and this is the first armed force in China that was under the control of Communist Party of China. In October 1926, during the Northern Expedition, he organized an attack on Ninggang county, deposed the local county chief Shen Qingyuan (沈清源) of the Beiyang clique of warlords, while seizing weapons and securing the area for the Communists. In November of that year, he became a member of the Communist Party, and his men were reorganized as a peasant self-defence force. After the appointment of a new county chief by the newly-established Republican government at Nanjing.

After April 12 Incident, Yuan Wencai, like Wang Zuo, decided to stay with communist side, and became the only two surviving communist forces locally, each had around sixty rifles respectively. Both Yuan and Wang adopted new strategies when they resumed their banditry activities for survival in that they had only targeted the richest landlords and merchants who were mostly hated by the general population. In doing so, they had managed not only to win the support of lower and lower-middle classes, but also that of many members of the middle class such as small business owners. Consequently, this successful practice also became the source of their crimes they were accused of in their subsequent downfall, when their future comrades accused them for being "Not carrying out the revolution completely" and "Being rightist". Due to the popular support from those with better economic status, the communists were able to secure a steady supply of provisions needed via trade, and helped with properties confiscated from the richest local strongmen, the communists became bolder and concentrated on guerrilla warfare against local governmental forces which were incapable of exterminating Yuan's and Wang's forces due to the strong popular support the communists enjoyed. In July, 1927, under the order of communists, Yuan's men and Wang's men raided Yongxin (永新) county, freeing over 80 Communist Party agents held in the local jail converted from a gaol. Although the town was briefly occupied, it was obvious that it was impossible for the token communist force to hold the town and thus they soon withdrew to the mountains to continue their guerrilla warfare.