Zhang Zizhong

Zhang Zizhong
Zhang Zizhong
Native name 張自忠
Born (1891-08-11)August 11, 1891
Linqing, Shandong
Died May 16, 1940(1940-05-16) (aged 48)
Hubei
Allegiance Republic of China
Service/branch National Revolutionary Army
Years of service 1914–1940
Rank Full General
Unit
  • 25 Division
  • 38 Division
  • 59 Division
Commands held Third Division
Battles/wars Battle of Taierzhuang, Battle of Wuhan, Battle of Yichang †
Awards Order of Blue Sky and White Sun

Zhang Zizhong (simplified Chinese: 张自忠; traditional Chinese: 張自忠; pinyin: Zhāng Zìzhōng; Wade–Giles: Chang Tzu-chung; August 11, 1891 – May 16, 1940) was a general of the Chinese National Revolutionary Army (NRA) during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Born in Linqing, Shandong, he was the highest-ranked officer and the only Army group commander of the NRA to die in the war. He showed great valor in the battlefields and was regarded as one of the most valiant and respectable Chinese generals by the Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Because of his posthumous promotion, he was also one of the highest-ranked Allied officers that was killed in action in World War II.[1] His mausoleum is situated in Beibei District, Chongqing. There are roads named after him in Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin and Wuhan.

Career timeline

  • 1911: Studied law in Tianjin
  • 1914: Assigned to the 20th Army Division near Fengtian (present day Shenyang) as platoon leader
  • 1935–1936: Chairman of the Government of Chahar Province
  • 1937: Mayor of Tianjin
  • 1937: General Officer Commanding 38th Division
  • 1937–1940: General Officer Commanding LIX Corps
  • 1938: General Officer commanding the 27th Army
  • 1939: Commander in Chief Right Flank Army 5th War Area
  • 1939–1940 : Commander in Chief 33rd Army Group
  • 1940: Killed in Action at Mount Chang near Yichang, Hubei
  • 1940: Posthumous promotion to Full General[2]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Along with Lt. Gen. Lesley J. McNair, who was killed by friendly fire in France on July 25, 1944, and Lt. Gen. Frank Maxwell Andrews, killed in an air crash in Iceland on May 3, 1943.
  2. ↑ 1940年國民政府頒佈了褒恤令和追晉張自忠將軍為陸軍上將令「故陸軍上將銜陸軍中將張自忠追晉為陸軍上將。此令。中華民國二十九年七月七日。」 Executive Order issued by the Republic of China on July 7th, 1940 - "Post Posthumous promotion of Lieutenant General Zhang Zizhong to Full General, effects immediately. Date."

Further reading

  • Arthur Waldron. "China's New Remembering of World War II: The Case of Zhang Zizhong". Modern Asian Studies 30, 4 (1996): 945-978.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.