In 1925, Sun Yat-sen died and Chiang Kai-Shek became the new Commander-in-chief.  Popular uprisings in Shanghai and Canton had repercussions across the country. (Schram 1963)  The Hunanese peasantry became really militant and Mao began to organize peasant unions.  Mao was in charge of the Peasant Movement Training Institute.  Mao fled to Canton after the government's attempted arrest on him.  Mao cares a lot for the peasants and for the well being of the peasants.  Growing up in a peasant family and communicating with so many peasants gave him the heart and compassion tot fight to give peasant more rights and freedom.  Mao always believed and said "  Whoever wins the peasant will win China.  Whoever solves the land problems will win the peasants."  (Schram 1963)

                source:  Del Rio 1980

        In withdrawing from active politics into his convalescence, Mao observed at first hand, the Peasant Movement in Hunan.  This in conjunction with Lenin's works and the Comintern's resolutions and directives on the peasants, revealed to Mao a source of revolutionary force that perhaps more robust, certainly more numerous, than that of the Chinese proletariat. (Schram 1963)  He never looked back from this discovery.  In 1927, Mao published an article he wrote called "Report on the Investigation of the Peasant Movement in Hunan."  This article became famous and known.  In this article, he spoke of the peasants having had a crude understanding of the Three Principles of the People invented by Sun Yat-sen and of anti-imperialism.  Obviously, peasants would not know and be conscious of these political principles.  More likely, to even care for it.

    Later in the year, after the split of the K.M.T-CCP alliance (Kuomingtang and the Central Committee of the Party) Mao was sent back to Hunan and Kingsi to organize the Autumn Harvest uprising.  Mao had planned to confiscate the lands so that he can set up soviets.  Although at that time, his proposal was opposed by the Comintern.  Being rebellious, Mao went ahead with his plan and became an outlaw.  He organized defenses and set up a government.  The Autumn Harvest Uprising began on September 9 with four "regiments" comprising coal miners, peasants and soldiers who had defected from he Kuomingtang. (Rice 1972)  Mao decided to retreat for a while in the Chingkang Mountains, where he was faced with a whole set of new problems.

    During his stay  in the Chiangkang mountains, Mao was captured by the Kuomingtang and was taken to their headquarters to be shot.   He offered a bribe which they refused.  Fortunately, Mao managed to break away and hide in some rough grass.  A thorough search could not discover Mao.  Mao made his way safely back to the mountains. The uprising began with some success, but then problems and disagreement led to fighting between the regiments.  The operation was called off and the Politburo put the blame on Mao.  As a result of the consequence, Mao was dismissed form his position as Alternate Member.  Mao also had learned of the tragic of his wife's death.  Kaihui Yang had been left behind in Changsha.  The Kuomingtang had capture Kuihui and gave her a public execution.  Although, Mao eventually found a young girl named He Zizhen to live with and later they married.  She was eighteen and Mao was thirty-five.

    In May,  a militant man named Zhu De and his force came into Hunan and joined up with Mao.  With Zhu De's force, Mao's army was more stronger.  The Politburo had given Mao and Zhu De orders, but Mao most often chose to ignore these instructions.  Zhu De was more willing to obey the Politburo's orders.  Mao seem to have imposed his leadership winning over Zhu and even Zhu's political commissar.  Mao and Zhu's army encountered problems and struggles in the Jinggang Mountains where they were stationed.  Illness, disease, hunger and food were becoming a burden.  Mao sent a plea to the Central Committee Party asking for help with doctors and medicine.  Mao claimed that the army could triumph over its hardships because of the practice of democracy.  Mao stated that "The newly captured soldiers in particular feel that our army and the Kuomingtang army are world apart."  (Rice 1972)  Mao's army was again fortunate to also add on another force led by Peng Dehuai.  These three forces combined together to be known as the Red Army.