Chang Hsüeh-liang

Chang Hsüeh-liang or Zhang Xueliang (jängˈ shüĕˈ-lyängˈ), 1898–2001, Chinese warlord, son of Chang Tso-lin. On the death (1928) of his father, he succeeded as military governor of Manchuria. He was then known as Chang Hsiao-liang but later changed his name. Chang supported Chiang Kai-shek against a rebellious northern army in 1929–30 and was made vice commander in chief of all Chinese forces and a member of the central political council. Ousted (1931) by the Japanese from Manchuria, he suffered a loss of prestige. In 1936, with the help of Chinese Communists, he had Chiang kidnapped at Xi'an, to compel cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communists and to force a declaration of war against Japan. Chiang Kai-shek was released unconditionally a few weeks later. Chang, who then surrendered to Chiang, was tried and sentenced for his part in the affair; he was pardoned but kept in custody until 1962. He was taken to Taiwan when the Nationalist regime fled there in 1949.

The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

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.