The real Guo Songling, who cannot be seen in "The Young Marshal", is very different from that in the TV series

It can be said that the description of Guo Songling in "The Young Marshal" is quite painstaking, and many details and plots can also be matched with historical facts. For example, in terms of personality, although there are names of "great righteousness" and "morality", Guo Songling's narrow rigidity in personality is still very clearly expressed.

In reality, according to the memories of the old people of the Northeast Army, Guo Songling is indeed like this. Staff officer Zhao Yi recalled: "Guo Shi was self-conscious, his style was arbitrary, he was not valued by Zhang Zuolin, and he relied on Zhang Xueliang to speak well to his father, and finally enabled Guo to carry out his will." Zhang Xueliang's confidant Liu Mingjiu also said that when Guo Songling gave Zhang Xueliang as chief of staff, he initially treated Zhang Xueliang with "obedience and deference", but as Zhang Xueliang's trust increased, Guo Songling became increasingly arrogant, and Liu Mingjiu also recalled that Guo Songling was extreme and narrow in his treatment of others.

Guo Songling's narrow-minded and rigid personality makes Guo Songling's interpersonal relationship in the upper echelons of the Fengjun Army bad, and he seems to be "good" with Zhang Xueliang alone. This point is clearly reflected in the play, and the process of Guo Songling and Zhang Xueliang's contradictions gradually rising to the surface is also handled very clearly in the play.

However, there are some problems, the TV series is limited to the length and the setting of the characters, or it is not reflected.

Did Guo Songling follow Sun Yat-sen and be deeply influenced by him?

The TV series emphasizes that Guo Songling followed Sun Yat-sen in his early years, so he accepted the influence of Sun Yat-sen's revolutionary ideas and tried to influence the teenager Zhang Xueliang with these ideas.

But historically, it is not true to say that Guo Songling followed Sun Yat-sen. In 1905, Guo Songling was admitted to the Fengtian Army Elementary School, and the following year he entered the Army's Accelerated General Ben School, and after graduation, he was assigned to the guard of Zhao Erxun, the governor of the three eastern provinces, as a sentry commander (platoon leader). He was appreciated by Zhu Qinglan, the commander of the guards, and relied on him as a confidant. Zhao Erxun was transferred to the governor of Sichuan, and Zhu Qinglan and Guo Songling followed him. After the Xinhai Revolution, he was also expelled from Sichuan with Zhu Qinglan. After returning to the northeast, Guo Songling followed the revolutions of Lan Tianwei and Wu Luzhen and was arrested and almost killed. After the abdication of the Qing Emperor, Guo Songling entered the Army University to study. In 1916, Guo Songling, a graduate of the Army University, went south to Guangdong, and these days were the only period he could be called "following Sun Yat-sen.".

But he did not go south to Guangdong to follow Sun Yat-sen. In 1916, Guo Songling's old superior, Zhu Qinglan, who had the grace of knowing and encountering, became the governor of Guangdong Province, and Guo Songling went south, and it was to defect to the old superior. Under zhu Qinglan's care, Guo Songling successively served as a staff officer of the Guangdong, Gansu, and Hunan Border Defense Governors' Offices, and as a battalion commander of the Guangdong Provincial Guard Battalion. It was not until July 1917, during the French Protector War, that Sun Yat-sen came to Guangdong and was supported by Zhu Qinglan to establish a French protector military government in Guangzhou. During this period, Sun Yat-sen did not see any "heavy use" of Guo Songling, and only arranged for him to go to Shaoguan Tonwu Hall as an instructor. In the same year, Duan Qirui transferred Zhu Qinglan away from Guangdong, and Guo Songling, who had lost his patron, also left Guangdong to return to Fengtian.

In fact, Guo Songling did not have a high political evaluation of Sun Yat-sen and his Kuomintang. Guo Songling's friend Qi Shiying recorded that he had personally heard Guo Songling's evaluation of him: "Even Guangdong is not good, it cannot be unified, what else to talk about?" ”

In fact, as played in the TV series, Guo Songling is inclined to defend the localities and protect the border and the people, and opposes Zhang Zuolin's war to unify China by force. On this issue, Sun Yat-sen, like the Guangdong Nationalist Government, also advocated the reunification of force, which was naturally incompatible with Guo Songling's position. On the contrary, Chen Jiongming's idea of joint provincial autonomy, which was expelled and eliminated by Sun Yat-sen, was similar to Guo Songling's.

Why did Guo Songling oppose it

Since it doesn't make sense to follow Sun Yat-sen and be inspired by him, why is Guo Songling's rebellion?

The TV series more objectively reproduces Guo Songling's situation in the struggle of the Fengjun faction and his resentment against Zhang Zuolin's high merits, which are in line with historical facts. But is he really as played in the TV series to support Zhang Xueliang's seizure of power and reform the maladministration of the northeast?

Of course not. On the 9th day after the rebellion, in Guo Songling's letter to Zhang Xueliang, Guo painfully and happily vented his long-term dissatisfaction and anger against Zhang Xueliang, and he wrote:

"My father (Zhang Xueliang) is suspicious and murderous... Gong Ming knew that Ling (referring to Guo) and Han (Han Linchun) could not be compatible, and this time the troops sent, yi (referring to Han) was reunited with Ling, and Yu Zhen was appointed as the deputy commander of the army, so that Ling was subject to his control. Gong (Zhang Xueliang) is the will of the commander -- (referring to Zhang Zuolin), I don't know it beforehand, who believes in this statement? ...... And the distrust of the subordinates sponsored by the Ling Institute, the disapproval of the political views stated by the Ling Institute, and the rest of the matter, this should be asked to reflect on the public Yi Ye also ... In the bloody battle with Li Jinglin Yuguan, my father and son must maintain their position, as for today. What is the credit of my father and son to Li Jinglin and Song Ling? This should be asked to reflect on the two also. ...... When there was a shortage of bullets at the Battle of Yuguan last year, I wanted to go back and stop after being gently persuaded. Gong Nai Ziyun 'could not bear to abandon his soldiers', testifying to the past, and Ling Shi did not dare to believe it. I wish my public introspection three also. ”

Turning his face in the face has reached this point, do you believe that he wants to support Zhang Xueliang's seizure of power?

The real purpose, Guo Songling himself said frankly. This was before the Battle of the Mighty River, when Guo Jun was breaking through the bamboo, facing the Japanese doctor Morita who came to deliver a letter to Zhang Xueliang (that is, Dr. Morita, who played Guo Songling's treatment in the TV series), Guo told Morita his true thoughts: "This military rally was carefully considered, and now it can no longer be stopped. I'm 42 years old, and I may not be able to live long. If General Zhang Shang (Zhang Zuolin) changes his past and steps down, he asks Xue Liangjun to study in Japan for three or four years, during which time, after a part of his economic ambitions have been realized, he is willing to give up his position to Xue Liangjun, go down to the wilderness, and spend the rest of his quiet life in the idle clouds and wild cranes, which is not a false intention, but a true feeling. ”

Guo Kai's conditions are very clear, Zhang Zuolin went to the wilderness, Zhang Xueliang went out of the ocean, and he himself exerted his ambitions in the northeast - to turn the northeast of the old Zhang family into the old Guo family. As for giving way to Zhang Xueliang after three or four years, it belongs to the scene of children's belief.

This can also be seen from the anti-Feng secret treaty that Guo Songling secretly signed with Feng Yuxiang and Li Jinglin, in which it was stipulated that after the success of the anti-Feng, Guo Songling would get the territory in the northeast, and Li Jinglin would get the territory of Zhili and Rehe. It is a clear and unambiguous division of territory by naked warlords.

In other words, Guo Songling's purpose of anti-worship is clear and unambiguous — to replace Zhang Zuolin. The TV series undoubtedly glorified Guo Songling's motives.

Has Guo Songling always rejected Japan's coercion and inducements when he rebelled?

In the TV series, we see that when Guo Songling was fighting against Feng, the Japanese Kwantung Army constantly sent people to coerce and induce Guo Songling, and Guo Songling always did not give up and even refuted the Japanese Kwantung Army's force requirements, creating a tall image of Guo Songling's patriotic general.

So is the real Guo Songling in history like this?

It can be clearly said that the relevant plots in the TV series are based on some basis.

But this does not mean that the image of Guo Songling created in the TV series is real. Because, there are still important historical facts that have not been mentioned.

Guo Songling did have a tough attitude toward the Japanese Kwantung Army, Mantetsu, and the Japanese Consular Office in Northeast China during the anti-Feng War, but behind this toughness was his early success in colluding with the Japanese high-level. In fact, without the approval of the Japanese high-level Guo Songling, he did not dare to launch an anti-Bong war.

In the autumn of 1925, Guo Songling went to Japan as a military attaché to observe the Japanese army's autumn exercises. During this period, Guo sent a contact person, Tokuzo Komai, to the Japanese high level: "It has been decided to let Zhang Zuolin retire in order to establish an independent regime in the northeast, and forty million yuan has been raised for this." However, there were Japanese interests in Manchuria, so it could not proceed without the understanding of the Japanese government. Therefore, could you refer me to the relevant authorities of the Government? Komai specifically asked, "Once the independent regime is established, will the outstanding case with Japan be resolved?" Guo immediately replied: "We must solve the problem in one fell swoop." Komai then introduced Kuo to Kuniaki Koiso (later a Class-A war criminal of World War II), the first chief of the Japanese General Staff. Koiso Kuniaki said: "The Japanese Army will never interfere. After Guo Songling returned to China, Komai thought that the assurance of just a section chief was not enough to rely on, so he went to Lu Xiang Ugaki Ichisei and made a promise of "strict neutrality". As soon as Komai informed Guo of the success of his speech against Ugaki, Guo immediately launched an anti-Bong war.

It was precisely because of the guarantee of the Japanese Minister of Land to "strictly observe neutrality" that Guo Songling dared to speak harshly against the Kwantung Army in the anti-Feng war. Behind it is a kind of fearless mentality: I have passed through the gas with your upper echelons, and I will not let you interfere, so I am less in this way.

This mentality was evident until after the Kwantung Army intervened, when Guo Songling sent Yin Rugeng to negotiate.

Guo Songling sent Yin Rugeng, a diplomatic representative of the Northeast Army, to the headquarters of the Dalian Kwantung Army to explain the "misunderstanding" caused by the Japanese side toward Guo Jun and to win the "understanding" of the Kwantung Army. According to reporter Wang Ziheng, Yin made the following conversation with the representative of the Kwantung Army: "The Japanese side asks: Does respecting the treaty mean fully recognizing all of Japan's vested rights and interests?" Yin A: If the Chinese government approves it, Commander Guo will certainly have no problem in the future. The Japanese side said: We believe that no matter what attitude the Chinese Government and people adopt toward the Twenty-One Articles, the Northeast regime has the responsibility, obligation, and strength to practice this treaty. Zhang Zuolin has not denied this, will Commander Guo still deny it? If not denied, what guarantees can be made now? Yin said: This must be answered after asking Commander Guo. However, I personally believe that if Commander Guo takes Tohoku, sooner or later he may realize Japan's hopes. ”

Yin Rugeng dared to make such a guarantee, in fact, he was also hinting at the other side: Guo and the Japanese side already had a tacit understanding, but you Kwantung Army did not know it.

In fact, Guo Songling was not stupid, and zhang Zuolin, an agent who wanted to overthrow Japan's support in an environment where The Japanese forces in the northeast had penetrated deeply at that time, could not succeed without Japan's approval.

However, the Upper Echelons of Japan have long known in advance of the occurrence of the "Guo Songling Anti-Feng Incident" and believe that this is a good opportunity to expand the rights and interests of the northeast and solve the long-outstanding case in one fell swoop. Because before that, the Japanese decision-making level was already very dissatisfied with Zhang Zuolin.

After the 1920s, Zhang Zuolin established effective rule over the northeast with the support of Japan, and he was no longer willing to be a "king of the northeast", but ambitiously set a new goal, that is, to control the whole of China from the geographical, economic, and military bases and springboards of the northeast, and strive to use the northeast as a base and springboard to expand within The Guannei, unify the armed forces, and win the central government, thus creating a fundamental contradiction with Japan's anti-Zhang policy.

On May 17, 1921, the Japanese government formulated the "Document on Attitude Toward Zhang Zuolin". The document emphasizes: "There is almost no doubt that Zhang Zuolin's desire to maintain and secure real power in Manchuria and thus to assert his power to the central political circles is almost indisputable." Recently, Zhang told the civil and military officials that weapons and other material assistance are needed, and the attitude of the Empire in the future activities of this person needs to be most carefully considered. Generally speaking, the Empire should give direct or indirect assistance to Zhang Zuolin in Manchuria to reorganize and enrich its internal affairs and armaments, and to establish his strong power in the local area, but when he asked the Empire for help in order to realize his ambitions in the central political circles, it was appropriate not to take further help as an appropriate countermeasure. ”

The Japanese Government adopted this attitude because Zhang Zuolin's struggle for power abroad was bound to be detrimental to the stability of the northeast and would not conform to Japan's interests; moreover, Zhang's behavior would also lead to suppression of Japan's rights and interests in China by the US and British powers. Therefore, there was a sharp contradiction between Japan's desire for Zhang Zuolin to keep to the northeast and Zhang Zuolin's plan to unify China by force.

In contrast, Guo Songling's long-stressed proposition of protecting the border and the people, strictly guarding the northeast, and not participating in the pursuit of deer in the Central Plains is too much for the Japanese to appetite. This is also the reason why Guo Songling immediately approved of the anti-Japanese high-level and guaranteed neutrality.

At the beginning of Guo Songling's rebellion, the Japanese government immediately issued a policy of non-interference in internal affairs, "adopting a natural attitude toward the collapse of Zhang Zuolin's regime." ”

On December 4, 1925, the Japanese government held a cabinet meeting to discuss how to deal with the Guo Songling Incident. Foreign Minister Yuan proposed to proceed from "Feng Yuxiang and the Kuomintang will influence the general situation of the central political situation, 'if we only see the situation in Manchuria, and regardless of the situation in Beijing and the Yangtze River, it is not the best policy to decide the attitude of the empire', advocating 'indeed strict adherence to non-interventionism', and warned Guo of his words and deeds against Japan's rights and interests in Manchuria." Lu Xiang Ugaki, who has always been tough on China, naturally became a bamboo in his chest because he had received Guo Songling's belt in advance, and not only opposed the action, but also vigorously defended guo Songling for non-interference, saying that Japan is powerful in the northeast, even if Guo Songling replaced Zhang Zuolin to rule the northeast, Guo did not dare to ignore the japanese demands, but Zhang Zuolin's building would fall, and if he supported it at this time, the risk would be too great. Prime Minister Kato's attitude is very clear: "Whether Zhang Zuolin loses or Guo Songling wins, it has nothing to do with Japan." The government will wait and see what happens with absolute non-interference, and will only take appropriate measures if the results threaten Japan's special interests. ”

However, the Kwantung Army was a unit that was accustomed to "going alone", had always disobeyed its superiors, and allowed the hot-blooded young officers to fool around. In their view, the overthrow of Zhang Zuolin, who shouted revolutionary slogans, would undoubtedly cause heavy losses to Japan's interests, so even if the high-level ordered strict neutrality, the Kwantung Army still went its own way to fully support Zhang Zuolin. As a result, Guo Songling, who took the upper route, was tragic.

From this point of view, if Guo Songling succeeds in opposing The Feng, it will be very problematic whether he can do a better job than Zhang Zuolin in resisting the infiltration and occupation of northeast China by Japanese forces.

In general, Li Xuejian's Zhang Zuolin in "The Young Marshal" entered the wood for three points, and Zhang Xueliang in the article also came alive. The shaping of Guo Songling's image is also very successful, but this Guo Songling is an artistic image in the TV series, and there is still a considerable distance from the real Guo Songling in history.