There were countless heroes in China’s War of Resistance Against Japan. They made selfless contributions at the time of the survival of the Chinese nation, which is truly admirable. But one of the people who can become news figures again and again is Second-level General Zhang Zizhong. When Ma Ying-jeou visits the mainland in 2023, his itinerary will include a visit to Zhang Zizhong’s cemetery to pay homage, bringing this famous anti-Japanese general who was once mistaken for a “traitor” to attention again.
Zhang Zizhong (August 11, 1891 – May 16, 1940) was a native of Linqing, Shandong Province. He was the commander-in-chief of the Right Wing Corps of the Fifth Theater and the commander-in-chief of the 33rd Group Army. He was a general of the Chinese Kuomintang with the rank of Army Lieutenant General. He was posthumously awarded the second title The title of general. From 1937 to 1940, he successively participated in the Battle of Linyi, the Battle of Xuzhou, the Battle of Wuhan, the Battle of Suizao and the Battle of Zaoyi.
Unfortunately, he died in a battle with the Japanese army in Xiangyang in 1940. After the founding of New China, General Zhang Zizhong was posthumously recognized as a revolutionary martyr, and in 2009 he was named among the “100 Heroic Model Figures Who Made Outstanding Contributions to the Founding of New China.” In September 2014, General Zhang Zizhong was included in the first batch of 300 famous anti-Japanese martyrs and heroes.
The Revolution of 1911 broke out in October 1911, which made Zhang Zizhong determined to devote himself to the revolutionary cause. At the beginning, Zhang Zizhong defected to Feng Yuxiang’s banner and participated in a series of warlord melees, including the Central Plains War between Chiang Kai-shek, Feng Yan and Yan Zhongyuan in May 1930. With the end of the war, Zhang Zizhong was appointed commander of the 38th Division and became a subordinate unit of the 29th Army of the National Revolutionary Army.
On January 10, 1933, the main force of the 29th Army was ordered to march from Yangquan, Shanxi to Tongzhou, Sanhe, Jixian, and Yutian to wait for orders. This was Zhang Zizhong’s first battle with the Japanese army. After the fall of Chengde on March 4, 1933, the 29th Army was ordered to go to Xifengkou to stop the enemy, and Lengkou Defense was handed over to the earthquake department to take over. On March 7, Zhang Zizhong and Feng Zhi’an arrived at Santun Camp in Zunhua and fought fiercely with the Japanese army for seven days.
The Japanese army could not win and shifted their main attack direction to Luowenyu. Zhang Zizhong and Feng Zhian transferred Liu Jingshan’s 219th Regiment of the 37th Division and Qi Guangyuan’s 228th Regiment of the 38th Division to Luowenyu, under the command of Commander Liu Ruming. As a result of the battle, the Japanese army suffered another defeat and retreated in disgrace. This was one of the rare victories of the Chinese army in the early days of the Anti-Japanese War.
However, there was no full-scale war between China and Japan at that time. Chiang Kai-shek focused more on “encircling and suppressing” the Communist Party and the Red Army. The Great Wall defense line was weak. The Japanese army broke through the Shang Zhenbu defense line from Lengkou, broke into the Great Wall, and then occupied In Qian’an, the 29th Army was trapped in a situation where it was surrounded by enemies from both sides and was isolated and helpless.
It was forced to abandon its Xifengkou and Luowenyu positions and retreat to the southwest. The Nationalist Government stepped up its efforts to seek an armistice with the Japanese army, and was eventually forced to sign the Tanggu Agreement with Japan on May 31, 1933.
Before the July 7th Incident broke out in 1937, China was undecided about war with Japan. At that time, social elites believed that there was still a chance for peace talks between the two sides, including my protagonist Zhang Zizhong. In June 1936, Zhang Zizhong was appointed mayor of Tianjin, and the 38th Division also moved to defend Tianjin. In February 1937, the Kuomintang and the Communist Party negotiated peace, and the anti-Japanese national united front was initially formed.
In March of the same year, the Japanese army unexpectedly invited Song Zheyuan to visit Japan. According to an internal report by Taira Tairasuke, the assistant officer of the Japanese military stationed in Peiping City, the secret service in Peking City said, “How to prevent Song Zheyuan from escaping from our control is the task that the Peking secret service should do its best.”
In order to reduce the pressure on the Japanese side, Song Zheyuan then ordered Zhang Zizhong to lead a delegation to visit Japan. From April 23 to May 29, Zhang Zizhong visited Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe, Nara, Nagoya and other places. However, the Japanese side publicized that “the delegation was warmly received by all parties during the period in Japan and returned with a full load. Everyone was happy.” His face was full of joy, and the creation of a pro-Japanese atmosphere has achieved considerable results.” Although Zhang Zizhong issued a statement saying that he was only inspecting Japanese industry, domestic public opinion did not believe it. From the beginning, Zhang Zizhong was regarded as a pro-Japanese faction or even a “traitor.”
In 1937, the July 7 Marco Polo Bridge Incident broke out. When the incident occurred, Zhang Zizhong came forward to deal with Japan and tried to resolve it peacefully. Therefore, he was misunderstood by public opinion as a “traitor”. On August 6, Zhang Zizhong and his adjutants Liao Baozhen and Zhou Baoheng hid in the German Hospital in Dongjiaominxiang; at the same time, they issued a statement through the “Beiping Morning News” and other media, announcing their resignation from all acting positions.
On the 8th, Peiping fell. On September 3, Zhang Zizhong fled Peiping. In 1938, when He Jifeng, commander of the 179th Division of the 77th Army under General Zhang Zizhong, was stationed at Yangping, he was extremely dissatisfied with Chiang Kai-shek’s passive resistance to the war, which led to the framing and death of many of his generals.
In May 1940, in order to control traffic on the Yangtze River and cut off transportation lines to Chongqing, the Japanese army assembled 300,000 troops to launch the Zaoyi Battle. On the 1st, Zhang Zizhong personally informed all troops and generals to go to war. At dawn on the 7th, Zhang Zizhong crossed the Xianghe River eastward and led his troops to the north. On the 14th, an encounter broke out between the two sides. On the 15th, more than 1,500 people led by Zhang Zizhong were surrounded by nearly 6,000 Japanese invaders in Gouyanli Village, north of the pumpkin shop. The fierce fighting lasted until dawn on the 16th, and Zhang Zizhong’s troops were forced to retreat to the Pumpkin Shop Shili Changshan.
Under the cover of aircraft and artillery, the Japanese army launched nine charges throughout the day and night. Zhang Zizhong’s casualties increased sharply. On May 16, Zhang Zizhong shouted to supervise the battle from morning to noon. At noon, he was shot in his left arm and still insisted on directing the battle.
By 2 p.m., Zhang Zizhong had only a few hundred officers and soldiers left. He transferred all his guards to the front for reinforcements, leaving only eight people including senior staff officer Zhang Jing and adjutant Ma Xiaotang. At 4 o’clock in the afternoon on May 16, Zhang Zizhong’s entire army was wiped out and Zhang Zizhong died in battle.
After Zhang Zizhong’s bones were transported back to the rear, inspection revealed that Zhang Zizhong had eight wounds, including two cannonball wounds, one bayonet wound, and five gunshot wounds. Later, the general’s body was transported to Chongqing, the then wartime capital, for burial. When passing through Yichang, 100,000 soldiers and civilians carried the coffin to the river bank. During this period, Japanese planes flew over Yichang three times, but no one among the mourners evaded or fled.
On the morning of May 28, 1940, when the coffin arrived at Chaotianmen Pier in Chongqing, government military and political officials such as Chiang Kai-shek and Feng Yuxiang, with their arms draped in black veils, stood at the pier to welcome the coffin, and boarded a ship to circle the coffin to pay their respects. Chiang Kai-shek “caressed the coffin and mourned” on the ship, which moved everyone present. Chiang Kai-shek personally supported the coffin and carried the coffin, then climbed up the stairs and escorted the coffin through the entire city of Chongqing. The Nationalist Government issued a state funeral order and issued the “No. 1 Rong Zi” certificate of condolence.
Zhang Zizhong’s tablet was enshrined in the Zhong Martyrs’ Shrine, ranking first. On the afternoon of the 28th, Chiang Kai-shek, military and political dignitaries and people from all walks of life held a grand memorial ceremony for Zhang Zizhong at Chuqi Gate.
From being called a “traitor” to a “national hero”, the story of General Zhang Zizhong tells us that great men in history are also human beings. It is impossible for every decision to be recognized by the public, and sometimes it will cause endless controversy in public opinion. General Zhang Zizhong had entered the war against Japan as early as 1933.
However, before the all-out war of resistance in 1937, Zhang Zizhong still had illusions about Japan’s peace negotiation. Later, he finally recognized the cruel reality and fought bravely in the later war. It is very rare to die for one’s country. But it also established a heroic image for him among the political figures of the Kuomintang and the Communist Party. To this day, politicians on both sides of the Taiwan Strait respect him very much.
Source by bastillepost
