Zhang Zizhong

Not to be confused with fellow general Zhang Zhizhong..

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	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
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 and Tianjin.

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 Charhar 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]

↑ 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.
↑ 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."

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