Zhang Zizhong

Zhang Zizhong
Zhang Zizhong
Native name	張自忠
Born	(1891-08-11)August 11, 1891 Linqing, Shandong, Qing dynasty
Died	May 16, 1940(1940-05-16) (aged 48) Yicheng, Hubei
Allegiance	Republic of China
Service/branch	National Revolutionary Army
Years of service	1914–1940
Rank	General
Unit	25 Division 38 Division 59 Division
Commands held	33rd Army Group  † Third Division
Battles/wars	Battle of Taierzhuang, Battle of Wuhan, Battle of Yichang †
Awards	Order of Blue Sky and White Sun

Zhang Zizhong (traditional Chinese: 張自忠; simplified Chinese: 张自忠; pinyin: Zhāng Zìzhōng; Wade–Giles: Chang Tzu-chung; August 11, 1891 – May 16, 1940) was a general of the Chinese National Revolutionary Army (NRA) during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Born in Linqing, Shandong, he was the highest-ranked officer and the only Army group commander of the NRA to die in the war. He was killed-in-action during the Battle of Yichang after refusing to retreat from the front lines. He showed great valor in the field and was regarded as one of the most valiant and respectable Chinese generals by the Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Because he was lieutenant general with the effective rank of full general at the time of his death, and was posthumously promoted to full general, he was also one of the highest-ranked Allied officers killed in action in World War II.^[1] His mausoleum is situated in Beibei District, Chongqing. There are roads named after him in Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin and Wuhan.