A Young Marshal who change the banner to support Chiang Kai-shek and force Chiang Kai-shek to resist Japan
Overview
Chinese Name: 张学良
English Name: Chang Hsueh-Liang
Other Names: Zhang Xueliang 张学良, Zhang Hanqing 张汉卿, Shuang Xi 双喜
Born: June 3, 1901
Died: October 14, 2001
Achievements:
Xi’an incident 西安事变
Zhang Xueliangs’ Allegiance to the Kuomintang 东北易帜
The Central Plains War 中原大战
Brief Biography of Chang Hsueh-Liang
Chang Hsueh-Liang 张学良, a general of the National Revolutionary Army, was the eldest son of Zhang Zuolin 张作霖, the leader of Fengtian clique 奉系军阀, and a famous patriotic general in modern China.
Chang Hsueh-Liang, courtesy name 字 Hanqing 汉卿, art names 号 Yian 毅庵, Han nationality, was born in Zhangjiawopu village 张家窝堡, Ejia village 鄂家村, Huandong Town 桓洞镇, Tai’an County 台安县, Anshan City 鞍山市, Liaoning Province 辽宁省.
He served in the army of his father Zhang Zuolin in 1917. From 1919 to 1920, he studied at the army lecture hall of the three northeastern provinces 东三省陆军讲武堂.
In 1920, after graduation, Chang Hsueh-liang served as the head of the second regiment of the third mixed brigade of the Northeast Army, was responsible for protecting Zhang Zuolin’s personal safety and maintaining public order.
On June 4, 1928, Zhang Zuolin was killed by the Japanese Kwantung Army 关东军 in Huanggutun 皇姑屯. Chang Hsueh-Liang became the chief security officer of the three eastern provinces and began to rule the northeast. Chang Hsueh-Liang refused to be courted by the Japanese. With the decisive action of “Zhang Xueliangs’ Allegiance to the Kuomintang 东北易帜”, he declared his obedience to the Nanjing National Government, making contributions to the reunification of the motherland and national unity.
In March of 1930, in order to compete for the central authority, Wang Jingwei 汪精卫 united with the local power groups to launch a civil war to challenge Chiang Kai Shek 蒋介石‘s Nanjing central government and the Kuomintang 国民党 Central Committee. In May, Chiang Kai Shek announced “pacification”, which was called the Central Plains War 中原大战 in history.
On September 18, 1930, Chang Hsueh-Liang sent a “smart telegram” to support the Central Committee and call for peace and sent troops to North China. In more than 10 days, the Northeast Army completed its occupation of the Pingjin 平津 area. On October 15, Yan Xishan 阎锡山, Feng Yuxiang 冯玉祥 and Wang Jingwei telephoned Chang Hsueh-Liang to express their acceptance of a peaceful settlement.
On December 12, 1936, Chang Hsueh-Liang and Yang Hucheng 杨虎城 admonished Chiang Kai Shek and jointly forced Chiang Kai Shek to unite with the Communist Party to resist Japan, resulting in the “Xi’an Incident 西安事变” that shocked China and the world.
Since November 1938, Chang Hsueh-Liang and Yang Hucheng have been imprisoned in Yangming cave 阳明洞, Xiuwen County 修文县, Guizhou Province 贵州省. Later, he was under house arrest for a long time by Chiang Kai Shek and his son in Guiyang 贵阳, Chongqing 重庆 and Taiwan 台湾.
On January 13, 1988, Chiang Ching-Kuo 蒋经国 died. After Lee Teng Hui 李登辉 came to power, Chang Hsueh-Liang fully restored his personal freedom in 1990, and then visited the United States.
In April 1993, Chang Hsueh-Liang was appointed honorary president of Northeastern University 东北大学. In May, he was appointed honorary president of Harbin Institute of technology 哈尔滨工业大学. He left Taiwan in 1995 and lived in Hawaii 夏威夷, USA. He lived there for a long time until his death.
At 14:50 on October 14, 2001, Chang Hsueh-Liang died of illness in Honolulu 檀香山, the capital of Hawaii, at the age of 101.
Personal Life and Major Contributions
Zhang Xueliangs’ Allegiance to the Kuomintang 东北易帜
On June 4, 1928, Zhang Zuolin was killed by the Japanese Kwantung Army in Huanggutun 皇姑屯. Chang Hsueh-liang became the chief security officer of the three eastern provinces and began to rule the northeast. A week after Zhang Zuolin was killed in the bombing, Chang Hsueh-liang announced his obedience to the Nanjing National Government with the decisive action of “Zhang Xueliangs’ Allegiance to the Kuomintang 东北易帜”.
On July 1,1928, Chang Hsueh-liang sent the “never hinder reunification telegram” to the national government, prompting China to move towards reunification formally.
Later, he was appointed by the national government as deputy commander of the land, sea and air force and commander of the northeast border defense.
The Central Plains War 中原大战
During the Central Plains war, Chang Hsueh-liang, commander of the northeast border defense army, became the target of the warring sides.
On April 1, the anti-Chiang faction appointed Zhang as deputy commander of the land, sea and air force. After the establishment of the Peiping national government in September, they appointed Zhang as a member of the government (a total of 7 people). When the war was not good, they promised to transfer the Tianjin area to the Northeast Army.
On June 21, 1930, Chiang Kai Shek also appointed Chang Hsueh-liang as deputy commander of the army, navy and air force. He promised that the military, political and financial rights in the Pingjin area would be under the control of Chang Hsueh-liang, and that the areas north of the Yellow River 黄河 would be under the control of Zhang. He also appointed Yu Xuezhong 于学忠, the subordinate of Chang Hsueh-liang, as the commander of the Pingjin garrison, Wang Shuchang 王树常 as the president of Hebei Province 河北省, and Wang Jiazhen王家桢 as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of foreign affairs. At Chiang Kai Shek’s request, British and French envoys in China also came out to exert pressure on Zhang.
With the expansion of the war in the Central Plains, both belligerents tried their best to win over Chang Hsueh-liang. On July 2,1930, Chang Hsueh-liang took shelter in Huludao 葫芦岛 for more than a month on the grounds of recuperation.
In the middle of August 1930, Chiang Kai Shek’s army captured Jinan 济南, and the anti-Chiang coalition army suffered an irreparable defeat. Chang Hsueh-liang felt that the time had come to send troops. On September 18, 1930, Chang Hsueh-liang issued a “smart telegram” to support the Central Committee and call for peace. He sent troops to North China. In more than 10 days, the Northeast Army completed its occupation of the Pingjin region.
Xi’an incident 西安事变
In February 1934, Chang Hsueh-liang was appointed deputy commander in chief of the Henan 河南/豫 Hubei 湖北/鄂 Anhui 安徽/皖 campaign.
In March 1935, he served as the director of Wuchang camp. In October, he also served as the deputy commander in chief of the northwest suppression and acted as the commander in chief. At that time, the Japanese invasion of China was becoming more and more urgent, the national government made repeated compromises and the voice of stopping the civil war and carrying out Anti-Japanese war was growing.
On December 4, 1936, Chiang Kai Shek came to Xi’an to supervise the war. Chang Hsueh-liang and Yang Hucheng, director of Xi’an pacification office and commander in chief of the 17th Route Army, jointly remonstrated to Chiang, but Chiang refused. Chiang Kai Shek ordered Zhang and Yang to attack the Northern Shanxi 陕西 Red Army immediately, or their subordinates would be transferred to Fujian 福建 and Anhui respectively.
On December 9, 1936, the Communist Party of China organized a large-scale mass demonstration to commemorate the first anniversary of the “January 29” movement. A student was shot and wounded by the military and police special agents, and the people were indignant. Chiang Kai Shek ordered Chang Hsueh-liang to stop the student movement and shoot at the students if necessary. After receiving the order, Chang Hsueh-liang tried his best to persuade the students to go back and promised to respond to the students’ requirements with practical actions within a week.
On December 12, 1936, Chang Hsueh-liang and Yang Hucheng admonished Chiang Kai Shek and jointly forced Chiang Kai Shek to unite with the Communist Party to resist Japan, resulting in the “Xi’an Incident” that shocked China and the world.
