In 1936, China's political situation was turbulent, and domestic and foreign difficulties were intertwined. The Japanese invading forces in the north were pressing forward step by step, while the country was divided by the confrontation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party. At this time, China urgently needed to unify the front line to resist foreign aggression. Zhang Xueliang, who was once a warlord in the Northeast, lost his home due to the "918 Incident", his heart was always full of thoughts and self-blame for the Northeast.
One day in 1936, outside Xi'an, the wind and sand on the Loess Plateau were mixed with severe cold, but this did not affect Zhang Xueliang's determination in the slightest. He and Yang Hucheng secretly met in an abandoned temple, and both of them had deep feelings of concern for the country and the people engraved on their faces.
"Hucheng, you and I both know that the domestic strife has reached a time when it must end." Zhang Xueliang said in a deep voice, his eyes firm.
Yang Hucheng nodded, a hint of resoluteness flashed in his eyes, "Young Marshal, I agree with you. We can no longer watch the Japanese behave recklessly while we ourselves are fighting among ourselves. ”
"It's time to act." Zhang Xueliang stood up and walked to the window, the wind outside was stronger, "We need to force Chiang Kai-shek to change his strategy, cooperate with the Communist Party, and jointly resist Japan." ”
Yang Hucheng also stood up, and the eyes of the two met in the cold wind, full of firmness and determination for future actions.
Soon after, Chiang Kai-shek arrived in Xi'an, and Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng's plans quickly unfolded. In December 1936, while Chiang Kai-shek was resting in his villa in Huaqingchi, the Northeast Army under the command of Zhang Xueliang and the Northwest Army under Yang Hucheng moved quickly, blocking all roads to Huaqingchi and successfully taking Chiang Kai-shek under control.
In the tense negotiations, Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng put forward the conditions for cooperation in resisting Japan. In the face of this sudden change, Chiang Kai-shek initially resisted, but under the insistence of Zhang and Yang and domestic and foreign pressure, Chiang Kai-shek finally reluctantly agreed to their demands.
"Our country needs to be united, it needs to be strong, doesn't it?" At the moment of signing the agreement, Zhang Xueliang whispered to Yang Hucheng.
The consequences of the Xi'an incident were complex. Although Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng achieved their goal, their fate also changed. Zhang Xueliang was placed under house arrest, while Yang Hucheng was sent abroad with a bad fate.
A few years later, with the end of the Anti-Japanese War, Yang Hucheng secretly returned to China in an attempt to rejoin the anti-Japanese fight. However, his whereabouts were soon learned by Chiang Kai-shek. Chiang Kai-shek's anger did not subside, and he sent spies to secretly execute Yang Hucheng's family, and although this history was sealed in the dust, it was revealed in Zhang Xueliang's later years. When Zhang Xueliang was released from prison in 1990, he tearfully revealed this bleak past, which made the truth about Yang Hucheng come to light again.
The Xi'an Incident, a turning point in history, was not only a confrontation of political decisions, but also a manifestation of the deep patriotic feelings of the two generals. Although the choice of Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng cost them a heavy personal price, their actions opened up new possibilities for China's fate. By their pledge to the country, they proved that the course of history is often driven by those who are willing to fight for the future of the country. The details of this historical scene are not only a review of the past, but also a revelation for the future: the real heroes are often those who can stand up at critical moments and make sacrifices for the good of the country and the nation.