Since the TV drama “Young Marshal” was broadcasted, many people who are not familiar with Zhang Xueliang have gradually become familiar with it. When we think of Zhang Xueliang’s life, we all have this question: Is Zhang Xueliang a lifelong criminal? How to objectively evaluate Zhang Xueliang? Zhang Xueliang’s self-evaluation in his later years: If it weren’t for patriotism, would our Zhang family father and son have such a fate?
In fact, if we evaluate Zhang Xueliang, we can actually refer to three basic principles:
Firstly, should we prioritize the interests of the Chinese nation, or should we prioritize the interests of the country and the Communist Party? Secondly, did the promotion of Chiang Kai shek’s participation in the War of Resistance Against Japan elevate his position in history or diminish his position in history? Thirdly, can only Zhang and Yang play such a role in the “Xi’an Military Advice”, or can someone else play such a role? Is the “Xi’an Military Advice” an individual or minority behavior, or does it represent the will of the entire nation?
Based on the above three principles, it is easy for those who speak about history to make judgments about Zhang Xueliang’s merits and demerits as long as they are not blind and negative. Academic discussions can be divided, but figures like Zhang Hanqing have their own judgments in the history of the ages. No one is perfect, and no gold is infallible. We should consider issues from the perspective of national righteousness, and prioritize national righteousness in everything.
Zhang Xueliang’s main deeds include the change of leadership in the Northeast, the Xi’an Incident, and so on. Now there is a lot of controversy about his evaluation, especially the mainstream evaluation says that he is “a national hero and a hero through the ages”; Of course, we will also hear negative voices, saying that he is an eternal criminal minister, a leader who has wronged the government, a country that has wronged the Chinese nation, and does not resist Japanese aggression.
From different perspectives, both evaluations make sense, and personal positions are only different. However, those who change the course of history will ultimately receive an objective and fair evaluation. Facing history is the basis for our evaluation of history. Although the historical knowledge we come into contact with may be somewhat one-sided, as long as we uphold the concept of eliminating falsehood, purity, objectivity, and fairness, and study history, I believe that the truth of history will eventually be revealed to the world.
The change of policy in Northeast China led to the reunification of the Republic of China. Although this reunification was only a formality, let alone the separatist rule of warlords in China at that time, and there were not many places directly under the central government’s jurisdiction, the Republic of China was able to achieve preliminary reunification in the form of internal and external threats at that time, which was also a major progress in modern Chinese history. After all, it was also the first major reunification since China became a semi colonial society, as everyone knows, Only by building a unified country can we strengthen ourselves, become independent, and defeat foreign invaders.
The Xi’an Incident was a turning point in Zhang Xueliang’s life, where he instantly fell from a position of one person below ten thousand people to a prisoner, and his troops were immediately reorganized, leading to the collapse of the Northeast Army; For the national conditions at that time, the incident prompted Chiang Kai shek to unite with the Communist Party to resist Japan, advance the formation of the anti Japanese united front, and at the same time, enable the Communist Party of Shaanxi to establish a foothold and rapidly grow during the Anti Japanese War.
These seemed to be progressive at that time, but Zhang did not expect the real consequences of the Xi’an Incident. Japan unconditional surrender after eight years of the War of Resistance against Japan, especially the recovery of Retrocession Day after 50 years of Japanese occupation. The Chinese nation celebrated!
It is not worth discussing who led China due to the subsequent civil war between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party caused by the Xi’an Incident, and the color change of the mainland. As long as we start with a respectful attitude towards history and draw conclusions from various constructions after the founding of the People’s Republic of China, let’s seek common ground while reserving differences!
The Northeast changed its position and Zhang Xueliang was meritorious in achieving the formal unity of the Republic of China. However, China is now divided, which is also the result of the Xi’an Incident. Zhang Xueliang was the mastermind behind the Xi’an Incident, and it is also Zhang Xueliang who caused the division.
I think it can only be a balance of merits and demerits, or even greater. The current situation and the difficulty of China’s reunification are estimated to be much more difficult than at that time, and this alone can determine Zhang’s position in history.