WW2 Chinese Workers & Peasants Red Army Flag 115th Division 8th Route Army

The Chinese Characters on the white bunting, 八路軍一一五師, translate to Eighth Route Army 115th Division.

The 115th Division had about 15,000 men. In August 1937, Lin Bao, who was Mao’s closest ally’s, was named commander-in-chief of the 115th Division of the Communist 8th Route Army.  He  was ordered to aid Yan Xishan‘s forces in repelling the Japanese invasion of Shanxi. In this capacity, Lin orchestrated the ambush at Pingxingguan in September 1937, which was one of the few battlefield successes for the Chinese in the early period of the Second Sino-Japanese War(known in China as the “War of Resistance Against Japan”).

This action shattered the myth of Japanese invincibility, boosted Chinese morale, and enhanced the CCP’s image. The success highlighted effective guerrilla tactics inspired by Mao’s “people’s war” concept. 

Ethnic Koreans fought in the Eighth Route Army amd later joined the Korean People’s Army.

The Chinese characters are hand painted on the bunting.

As you can see, this flag was sewn together from various pieces of colored cotton. Separate pieces form the bunting, the field, the star and the hammer & sickle.

This flag shows its’ age as it should for an object made around 80 years ago.

The Chinese Workers & Peasants Red Army

The Chinese Workers & Peasants Red Army was the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) military branch. It was officially formed on August 1, 1928.

From 1927 to 1937, for nearly ten years, The Chinese Workers & Peasants Red Army fought the Chinese Nationalists (KMT).

Then, in 1937, following the Japanese invasion of  China, the CCP & the KMT agreed to a ceasefire so they could fight the Japanese, instead of each other.

During the anti-Japanese War, The Chinese Workers & Peasants Red Army fought the Japanese. They also clashed occasionally with the KMT.  By 1941, the ceasefire was off such that the Chinese Workers & Peasants Red Army was now fighting both the Japanese & the KMT.

After the war against Japan, following failed peace talks between the CCP & KMT, the Chinese Workers & Peasants Red Army was renamed the People’s Liberation Army in October 1947.

We acquired several of these Chinese Workers & Peasants Red Army flags from a militaria dealer in Asia. They are all hand made and unique.  Because the design and construction are similar enough, these appear to have been made to commemorate the many units of the Chinese Workers & Peasants Red Army who fought the KMT & the Japanese. Our assumption is these were made for a parade during WW2 or perhaps when WW2 ended.  However, these could have been made as late as October 1947 when the Chinese Workers & Peasants Red Army was renamed the People’s Liberation Army.