For the first time in the history of our army, the oath of the Red Army was issued.

For the first time in the history of our army, the oath of the Red Army was issued.

The Memorial Hall of the Ruijin Central Revolutionary Base displays a copy of the "Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army Oath" issued by the Central Revolutionary Military Commission (referred to as the "Central Revolutionary Military Commission") in 1933. It is a vertical lead printing plate, 21.8cm long and 19.5cm wide, with rough edges. Paper, taupe.
In 1954, the preparatory office of Ruijin Revolutionary Memorial Hall collected it from the local people. In 2020, the Jiangxi Provincial Revolutionary Cultural Relics Tour Appraisal Team identified it as a first-class cultural relic. This oath is an important historical witness to the birth of the August 1st Army Day and the development and growth of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army. It is the first revolutionary soldier oath officially promulgated in the history of the People's Army.
On June 30, 1933, the Central Revolutionary Military Commission decided to take August 1 of the Nanchang Uprising as the anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army. The Provisional Central Government of the Chinese Soviet Republic approved the decision on July 11.
In accordance with the instructions and decisions of the Provisional Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Provisional Central Government of the Chinese Soviet Republic, and the Central Revolutionary Military Commission, all units of the Red Army, governments at all levels in the Soviet area, and the general public are actively preparing to carry out activities for the anniversary of the founding of the August 1st Army. In order to adapt to the development of the revolutionary situation and strengthen the national military command and military construction, the Central Revolutionary Military Commission moved from the front to Ruijin and carefully organized various activities to prepare for the anniversary.
At this time, the Kuomintang army was stepping up its planning for the fifth "encirclement and suppression" of the Central Soviet Area ". In order to boost the morale of the Red Army and strengthen the confidence and determination to break the enemy's "encirclement and suppression", the Central Revolutionary Military Commission arranged an oath ceremony during the memorial day and began to compile the oath.
On July 27, the Central Revolutionary Military Commission issued the oath of the Chinese workers' and peasants' Red Army. On the 28th, the Central Revolutionary Military Commission issued an instruction stating, "This committee formulates the oath of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army in preparation for the oath of the newly established Red Army units on the anniversary of August 1st and in the near future. Commanders at all levels must first be responsible for explaining in detail so that every Red Army soldier can thoroughly understand and abide by it." At the same time, the Central Revolutionary Military Commission also printed a large number of vows to be distributed to the soldiers and civilians in the Soviet area for extensive publicity.
On August 1, the Central Revolutionary Military Commission held a grand "August 1" military parade in Zhumagang, Yeping, followed by an oath ceremony. All the officers and soldiers followed Commander-in-Chief Zhu De and solemnly swore in unison: "(I) we are the sons of the workers and peasants, we volunteered to be the Red Army, complete the glorious tasks given to us by the Soviets, and fight to the end for the liberation of the workers and peasants. (II) we are red soldiers, we must ensure that we and our comrades absolutely abide by and obey all the laws and regulations of the Soviet Union, and use our own thoughts and actions as models, work hard to learn politics and military affairs, and take care of the interests of workers and peasants and their own weapons so that they will not be damaged. And steal. (III) we are the pillars of the Soviets, vowing to use our blood and flesh to develop the national revolutionary war, carry out the agrarian revolution, overthrow the Kuomintang, protect the Soviets, overthrow imperialism, strive for the liberation of China, defend the Soviets with arms, complete the revolution, and struggle for the future of socialism. (IV) now that the enemy is attacking on a large scale, we must unite as one, fight to the death with our bayonets and guns, and exchange our heads and blood for the new Soviet China. (V), we abide by revolutionary discipline for the sake of class interests and obey the orders of our superiors. If we violate or are unfaithful, we are willing to be punished by revolutionary discipline and are willing to listen to our comrades. I swear." Subsequently, there were medals, flag-awarding ceremonies and separate ceremonies.
The Oath of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army fully embodies the nature and purpose of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army and the basic requirements of the party, the Soviet government and the people of the Soviet area for soldiers. It shows the political attitude and class position of the Red Army, its voluntary mission and organizational discipline, its revolutionary spirit of loyalty to its duties and its heroic and unyielding revolutionary integrity.

Source: Learning Times