Chang Hsueh-Liang

Chang Hsüeh-Liang 

Born 1898. Chinese military and political figure. Son of the warlord Chang Tso-Lin.

After his father’s murder in 1928, Chang Hsüeh-liang became ruler of the three northeastern provinces that make up Manchuria; in December 1928 he recognized the authority of the Kuomintang government in Nanking. In 1931, on orders from Chiang Kai-shek, his army gave up Manchuria to the Japanese without a fight. Chiang Kai-shek made use of Chang’s army in 1935 and 1936 to combat the Chinese Red Army. In 1936, Chang signed a peace agreement with the Chinese Red Army and helped organize the arrest, on Dec. 12,1936, of Chiang Kai-shek, who had arrived in Sian (seeSIAN INCIDENT). After Chiang Kai-shek was released on Dec. 25, 1936, Chang was arrested and imprisoned. In 1946 the Kuomintang took Chang to Taiwan.