When Yan Xishan and Chang Kaishen met in Peking, Zhang Xueliang was also invited to attend. Some people jokingly called this meeting the "Meeting of the Three Giants."
Zhang Xueliang watched the whole show and had no intention of getting involved. He just hoped that everyone would not really start fighting.
After the meeting, Zhang Xueliang was preparing to return to Shenyang when he suddenly received an urgent call from his wife Yu Fengzhi that their youngest son had died of illness.
Those who are prepared do not die from illness, but from being cheated.
After Mr. Zhang became seriously ill, a Western doctor performed an X-ray examination on him. Suddenly the machine exploded and he was stabbed in the vital part by glass and died.
Among the three sons born to Yu Fengzhi, this one looks most like Zhang Xueliang. He is only ten years old, smart and intelligent, and is loved by everyone in the Zhang family.
Zhang Xueliang doted on this young son so much that when he suddenly heard the bad news, he became in a daze.
On the train back to Shenyang, the adjutant Hu Ruoyu (not the warlord Hu Ruoyu), Zhu Guangmu and others discussed that it was not appropriate for Zhang Xueliang to go home at this time to avoid being hurt by the situation, so it was better to go to Beidaihe to recuperate for a while.
Zhang Xueliang agreed to this arrangement. He got off the train in Tianjin and went to the concession's mansion (Young Marshal's Mansion) for a short rest. At the same time, he ordered his adjutant Zhu Haibei to go ahead and rush to Beidaihe to prepare the food and accommodation for the brigade.
"Commander," Adjutant Hu Ruoyu hurried into the bedroom and said to Zhang Xueliang, who was sleeping on the bed, "a call came from Shenyang. The cause of the explosion of the
When Zhang Xueliang heard about the situation, he helplessly raised his head and said, "Let everyone go. It's God's will. The machine won't explode sooner or later, but it happened to explode when my son was being examined. What can I do about it?"
Hu Ruoyu accepted the order but did not leave, and stopped talking.
"Is there anything else?" Zhang Xueliang asked.
Hu Ruoyu took out a letter and said: "This is a letter from Lu Ronghuan, the supervisor of the Middle East Road. It was written a few days ago and sent to Peiping. From there, it was forwarded to Tianjin."
"Give it to me." Zhang Xueliang said.
"Yes!" Hu Ruoyu handed over the letter, saluted and left.
Zhang Xueliang opened the letter and read it carefully, but it was to encourage him to take back the Middle East Road. The Soviet Union was said to be strong on the outside and cadre on the inside. The country was extremely chaotic and difficult, and it was absolutely impossible to fight. The Northeast sent troops to take back the Middle East Road at this time. It was a great opportunity given by God, and it could still
It is supported by capitalist countries such as Britain and the United States.
Before Zhang Xueliang finished reading the letter, there was a sudden knock on the door outside. Adjutant Zhu Guangmu said: "Commander, Mr. Zhou wants to see you."
"Invite him to the living room, I'll be there soon." Zhang Xueliang got up, put on his leather shoes, and walked toward the living room weakly.
Zhou Hexuan had already learned from the adjutant about the death of Zhang Xueliang's youngest son. When he met, he said: "Sixth Commander, please forgive me."
"Sit down," Zhang Xueliang waved his hand and said with force, "I heard that Ming Cheng is happy to have a daughter, but I haven't had time to congratulate you yet."
Zhou Hexuan said: "The Sixth Commander is worried."
Zhang Xueliang said: "Mr. Toynbee came to visit last time and said he wanted to visit you. Have you met?"
"I've met him before, and I went to Shanghai with him." Zhou Hexuan said.
"Mr. Toynbee said that you are an expert on political issues. What do you think of the current situation?" Zhang Xueliang asked.
"The war is inevitable," Zhou Hexuan said with a serious expression. "The urgent issue now is that the Northeast Army must not use force against the Soviet Union. I heard that two months ago, the Sixth Commander sent people to search the Soviet Consulate General in Harbin and also
39 Soviet citizens were arrested. This incident must not be expanded, otherwise it will be difficult to deal with."
Zhang Xueliang frowned and said: "Taking back the Middle East Road is a great thing for us to safeguard China's sovereignty. Do you, Mingcheng, want to speak for the Soviet Union?"
Zhou Hexuan said: "When the Northeastern issue is complicated, the Soviet Union and Japan are wary of each other, and it is difficult for each other to act rashly. Once the Northeastern Army attacks the Soviet Union, a war will inevitably break out, and it will be a joke to the Japanese."
"I quickly took back the Middle East Road, just in time to strengthen the critically ill Northeastern Army and prevent the Japanese from messing around. This is a strategy that kills two birds with one stone." Zhang Xueliang comforted him and said, "Mingcheng, you don't need to worry too much, I have been doing this for several months."
Intelligence work, they know the situation in the Soviet Union very well. The Soviet Union is now in political chaos, its people are poor and weak, and its finances are extremely difficult. They dare not use troops and can only sit back and watch me take back the Middle East Road."
Zhou Hexuan was so angry that he yelled: "The people who gave you this information are all a bunch of bastards! The Soviet Union began to implement the First Five-Year Plan last year. Although there was a little chaos, Stalin has taken control of power and the national strength has rapidly recovered and developed. The Northeast Army and the Soviet Union
If we start a war, there is no chance of winning."
Zhou Hexuan is right, the person who helped Zhang Xueliang pass on information is a real bastard!
The young men of the Fengjun Army wanted to make meritorious deeds in the war, and Lu Ronghuan and others in the railway system wanted to receive dividends based on their shares after taking back the Middle East Road. So they listened to various anti-Soviet remarks from the West and China, regarded these distorted reports as true intelligence, and conspired all day long.
He badmouthed the Soviet Union in front of Zhang Xueliang, saying that the Soviet Union could not fight a war at all.
Zhang Xueliang has been brainwashed by these "intelligences" and is convinced that the Soviet Union is powerful outside and internally responsible. Coupled with the bad mood after the death of his son, he has no normal sense to judge the truth and falsehood. When Zhou Hexuan said this, he immediately said displeased: "Mingcheng,
You are trying to build up other people's ambitions and destroy your own prestige. Why should we fear the Soviet Union with the hundreds of thousands of soldiers in our Northeastern Army? Since the victory of the Northern Expedition, the Nanjing government has successively taken back its tariff autonomy, concessions, and consular jurisdiction, which has greatly boosted the morale of the Chinese people.
The national power is growing day by day. Now that I am taking back the Middle East Route, it is also for the benefit of the country and in line with the general trend of China's rise."
Zhou Hexuan tried hard to persuade: "Those things taken back by the Nanjing government were either given by foreigners on their own initiative, or they were taken from small countries like Belgium and Denmark. Have the consular jurisdiction of countries such as Britain, the United States, France, and Japan ever really been taken back? And they would rather offend them.
Britain, the United States and France must not provoke the Soviet Union, because the Soviet Union is right next to us, and it is much easier for it to send troops than Britain and the United States!"
Zhang Xueliang had a soft temper. He didn't want to argue with Zhou Hexuan, so he just said: "Okay, don't talk anymore. I will seriously consider your suggestion."
Zhou Hexuan did not stop, and continued to persuade: "Once the Northeast's force takes back the Middle Road, it will inevitably trigger a war between the two countries. The Northeast Army will inevitably be defeated, and the Soviet Union will follow suit. On the contrary, it will completely help the Japanese invade the Northeast and wipe out the
The obstacle of the Soviet Union. Commander Six, the Japanese lease in the Northeast will expire in five years. The Japanese will definitely send troops to occupy the Northeast within these five years. You should think twice!"
"I know," Zhang Xueliang said with a headache, "I'm a little tired, please go back."
Adjutant Zhu Guangmu came over and said, "Mr. Zhou, please."
"Alas!" Zhou Hexuan sighed and left helplessly, knowing that he could not be persuaded anymore.
Zhang Xueliang was not only encouraged to take back the Middle Road by force, but he himself was also inclined to send troops.
Sitting in the three northeastern provinces at a young age, Zhang Xueliang can be said to be a young man. In Zhang Xueliang's own words later, after receiving this "flying right", "I did not overestimate my capabilities and wanted to use them for a while." His ambitions include
There are two aspects: first, to suppress the old faction internally, enhance the status of the young faction, and stabilize the situation in the Northeast; second, to use force externally to increase its prestige.
Using troops externally is a good way to deflect internal conflicts.
Zhang Xueliang also wanted to use it, but he was interfered by wrong intelligence and regarded the Soviet Union as a soft persimmon to establish his power.
In addition, after recovering the Middle East Road, it can increase the income by more than 10 million gold rubles every year, which is quite tempting for the financially strapped Northeast.
Moreover, both the European and American capitalist countries, the Nanjing National Government, and even the Japanese government all supported the Northeast to launch troops against the Soviet Union. Zhang Xueliang believed that he had the support of all parties, which made him emboldened. Only Zhou Hexuan could persuade him to do so.
No matter how awesome Zhou Hexuan is, it is impossible for Zhang Xueliang to only believe in him and suspect that all his subordinates are conspiring to deceive him.
In the following days, the educational circles, railway circles, young soldiers, and patriots in the Northeast sent telegrams urging Zhang Xueliang to send troops. Even Chang Kaishen pushed hard and promised that if China and the Soviet Union went to war, the central government could send 100,000 troops.
Allocate millions in military spending.
Can Chang Kaishen be at ease?
People are really trying to kill two birds with one stone.
In provoking Zhang Xueliang to go to war with the Soviet Union, Chang Kaishen could, firstly, oppose Russia, secondly, please Britain and the United States, thirdly, enhance his own prestige, and fourthly, tie Zhang Xueliang to the central government.
How could Zhang Xueliang see this? He is usually indecisive and rash and impulsive at critical times. The various benefits of taking back the Middle Road tempted him, and the encouragement from all parties also made his heart beat. In addition, his son died in infancy and he wanted to find a punch bag.
So my brain got hot and I ordered the troops to be sent out!
This war lasted for more than four months, and the Northeast Army was completely defeated. The Soviet army therefore occupied our country's Heixiazi Island, which became the most difficult issue to resolve in the future Sino-Russian territorial disputes.
Zhang Xueliang was also beaten to the point of losing confidence. From being young and energetic when facing the Soviet Union, to being timid and retreating when facing the Japanese Kwantung Army, there was a subtle psychological transformation process.