Zuolin Zhang Military and political figure in China. Date of Birth: 19.03.1875 Country: China

1. Biography of Zhang Zuolin
2. Transition to Government Side
3. Commander and General-Governor
4. Titles and Defeat
5. Involvement of Russian White Emigrants and Assassination

Biography of Zhang Zuolin

Zhang Zuolin was a military and political figure in China. He was born into a peasant family in the city of Haichen, in the Fengtian province (now Liaoning). In his childhood, he attended a private school and later studied to become a veterinarian. However, in his youth, he became a bandit.

Transition to Government Side

In 1902, Zhang Zuolin switched sides and joined the government, commanding a cavalry unit. After the Uchansky Uprising, he remained loyal to the Qing dynasty and became the deputy chief of the military department of the "Fengtian Society for the Protection of the State and the People." He dealt a blow to revolutionary forces.

Commander and General-Governor

Yuan Shikai appointed Zhang Zuolin as the commander of the 27th Division, and he suppressed the forces of the Kuomintang that opposed Yuan's rule. After Yuan Shikai's death, the new Beijing government appointed Zhang Zuolin as the Fengtian General-Governor and the administrator, as well as the inspector of the Three Northeastern Provinces. With the support of Japan, Zhang Zuolin gained control over all three provinces (Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang).

Titles and Defeat

In 1926, Zhang Zuolin was appointed the Commander-in-Chief of the Army of National Pacification. Later that same year, he became the Generalissimo of the Chinese Republic, effectively the country's president. However, in June 1928, his forces were defeated by the troops of Chiang Kai-shek, and Zhang Zuolin retreated from Beijing to Shenyang.

Involvement of Russian White Emigrants and Assassination

Zhang Zuolin's army included a large detachment of Russian white emigrants under the command of General Nechaev. On June 4, 1928, the train carrying Zhang Zuolin was bombed in the Huanggutun incident. For a long time, the explosion was attributed to the actions of Japanese intelligence. However, in 2001, materials were published revealing that the operation to eliminate Zhang Zuolin was carried out by Soviet intelligence. The main organizer was N.I. Eitingon, together with the resident of the Red Army intelligence in Shanghai, H. Salnyn. After Zhang Zuolin's death, his son Zhang Xueliang inherited command of his forces and the power over Manchuria.