Although his reputation during the anti-Japanese period was very poor, it is undeniable that his ability to fight little Japan was really strong, and he won almost all victories in the battle against the Japanese, so he was called the number one enemy by the Japanese. However, the reason why Tang Enbo was regarded as a serious problem by the Japanese army, in addition to his own courage and careful use of troops, also stemmed from his good knowledge, and he had many famous generals, including Zhang Xuezhong, a graduate of the Huangpu Phase I, who was regarded as Tang Enbo's concubine general.
But what is interesting is that Zhang Xuezhong was deeply respected by Tang Enbo, but he was scolded by Chiang Kai-shek: "No courage and ignorance, it should have been retired long ago." "Why did Chiang Kai-shek say this, let's start with Zhang Xuezhong's life.
Zhang Xuezhong became a student of the first phase of the Whampoa Military Academy in 1924 and began his military career. Although Zhang Xuezhong's grades in the military academy were mediocre, he worked very hard and was promoted to platoon commander and company commander in the Eastern Expedition, and his immediate commanders at that time included regimental commander Liu Zhi and division commander He Yingqin, all of whom were big figures in the later Kuomintang.
During the Eastern Expedition, Zhang Xuezhong followed Chiang Kai-shek in launching the Siege of Huizhou, eliminating the remnants of Chen Jiongming and stabilizing the rear of the revolutionary base area.
During the Battle of the Central Plains, Zhang Xuezhong had been promoted to the commander of the Second Division, belonging to Chiang Kai-shek's elite troops.
In 1936, Zhang Xuezhong was promoted to brigade commander of major generals for meritorious service, and after the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, he followed Tang Enbo to participate in the Battle of Nankou, mainly against itmassaki Seishiro's Japanese Fifth Division. Although the equipment of Tang Enbo's troops at that time was already the best in the national army, there was still a big gap compared with the Japanese army, but Zhang Xuezhong and Tang Enbo commanded properly, were not afraid of sacrifice, and successfully blocked the Japanese army at the south entrance for a month. Although the south pass was eventually lost, the effect our army wanted had been achieved, and the morale of the enemy was also greatly damaged.
The famous Battle of Taierzhuang also has the figure of Zhang Xuezhong, who was the commander of the 89th Division at that time, and together with Wang Zhonglian was ordered to rush to the aid of Taierzhuang, in a bloody battle with the Japanese army between Lincheng and Yixian County, Zhang Xuezhong made great contributions, and after the war, he was promoted to the commander of the 13th Army, leading the rank of lieutenant general.
Later, Zhang Xuezhong also participated in large-scale battles such as the Battle of Wuhan, the Battle of Suizao, the Battle of Zaoyi, and the Battle of Henan, and in recognition of his contributions to the War of Resistance Against Japan, Chiang Kai-shek also rewarded him with a Medal of Blue Sky and White Sun.
As for why Chiang Kai-shek said that Zhang Xuezhong was "fearless and ignorant and should have retired long ago," it was because Zhang Xuezhong, who was the commander of the Huaihai Appeasement Zone in 1947, returned home in a battle with the East China Field Army, which caused Chiang Kai-shek to scold him bitterly. However, Zhang Xuezhong's ending was not bad, he was neither captured nor killed in battle, but died of illness in 1995, and died at the age of 96.