When Zhang Xueliang was young, he had a lot of personality and temper. Whenever it was something that made him unhappy, no matter who the other party was, Zhang Xueliang would give him a good look. Even Chiang Kai shek was detained by Zhang Xueliang, which led to the “Xi’an Incident”. So why did Zhang Xueliang launch the Xi’an Incident? Why did he have to detain Chiang Kai shek?
Zhang Xueliang formed an alliance with Chiang Kai shek because of the “Northeast Change of Banner”. Chiang Kai shek was very polite to Zhang Xueliang and gave him great power. The entire Northeast and some parts of North China belonged to Zhang Xueliang’s management. During the Central Plains War, Zhang Xueliang led troops to help Chiang Kai shek, and Chiang Kai shek was even more polite to Zhang Xueliang, allowing him to serve as the Deputy Commander in Chief of the Three Armies, with a nominal position only second to himself.
However, as Japan gradually expanded its aggressive ambitions, the people were moved and dissatisfied with Chiang Kai shek’s negative anti Japanese behavior. However, Chiang Kai shek did not take it seriously. He seemed to have a plan in mind and put forward the slogan of “peace before peace”. He used most of his troops to encircle and suppress the Red Army, making the Japanese army even more rampant. At that time, Zhang Xueliang had already lost the three eastern provinces and had been criticized by the Chinese people. Seeing Chiang Kai shek continue to focus on the civil war, he was also very uncomfortable in his heart.
In 1936, Chiang Kai shek ordered Zhang Xueliang to concentrate his troops to encircle and suppress the Red Army again. Zhang Xueliang was unwilling in his heart, so Chiang Kai shek personally flew to Xi’an to supervise the war. He did not expect Zhang Xueliang to detain him. In Chiang Kai shek’s eyes, Zhang Xueliang dared not do so. He believed in himself very much, but Zhang Xueliang did indeed do so, which was the temper of the young commander. There have been various opinions on the reasons why Zhang Xueliang launched the Xi’an Incident, but Zhang Xueliang, who regained his freedom in his later years, personally gave the answer.
At the age of 90, Zhang Xueliang once answered this question while dictating history. He said that his biggest conflict with Chiang Kai shek was “he wants to pacify both the inside and outside, I want to pacify both the outside and the inside”. From these two sentences by Zhang Xueliang, it can be seen that Chiang Kai shek focused on the encirclement and suppression of the Red Army in Annei. And Zhang Xueliang wanted to put aside the resistance against Japan.
Zhang Xueliang believes that China has reached a very dangerous moment. If we continue to encircle and suppress the Red Army, it would be to hand over our territory and let the Japanese gradually encroach on it. This is no different from surrendering, and even more shameful than surrendering. Zhang Xueliang’s words completely angered Chiang Kai shek, who cursed Zhang Xueliang and also angered him. In the end, Zhang Xueliang launched the Xi’an Incident and detained Chiang Kai shek.
The Xi’an Incident had a huge impact on China, as it led to the resumption of cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, laying the most solid foundation for the victory of the Anti Japanese War.