Zhang Gan

Zhang Gan (17 September 1897 – 21 February 1959) was a Chinese military general in the National Revolutionary Army of the Republic of China (ROC). Zhang Gan fought in major battles of the Second Sino-Japanese War and later commanded the 3rd Corps during the Chinese Civil War. Captured by the People's Liberation Army in 1949, he died in prison in 1959.

Early life Of Hui ethnicity, Zhang was born on 17 September 1897 in Guilin. He studied in the second cohort of the Guangxi Army Accelerated Military School and was a contemporary of Li Zongren. After graduating, he served as an aide-de-camp in the forces of Lu Rongting of the Old Guangxi Clique. In May 1917, Zhang was assigned as an assistant company officer in the Army Model Battalion established in Nanning and among those who served with him was Bai Chongxi, who was also of Hui ethnicity, and Huang Shaohong. He later served in turn as a platoon leader and in the winter of 1918, the Model Battalion was reorganised into a Model Regiment, and Zhang was promoted to captain and appointed company commander.

Military career In 1924, he was promoted to battalion commander of the Guangxi Anti-Bandit Army and participated in the campaigns through which the New Guangxi Clique unified Guangxi. In October 1926, during the Northern Expedition, Zhang was appointed aide-de-camp at the headquarters of the National Revolutionary Army’s Seventh Army. In 1927, he was promoted to chief aide-de-camp of the Seventh Army.

In November 1933, Zhang Gan was admitted to the 12th regular class of the Army University in Nanjing, graduating in December 1936. He later also studied at the 21st Party–Government Class of the Central Training Corps. After graduation, he was appointed Chief of Staff of the 48th Army. During this period, he supported cooperation between the Nationalists and Communists, and established a political and military training program in the Hubei–Anhui border region. In October 1938, Japanese forces attacked his headquarters in Luotian and as a result, he ordered defensive operations to cover the evacuation of military hospitals and wounded soldiers. The 7th Army subsequently remained stationed in the area, engaging Japanese forces in eastern Hubei.

In spring 1939, he participated in the Battle of Suixian–Zaoyang. In July 1943, he was promoted to Deputy Commander of the 21st Army Group and participated in the Battle of South Henan.

Chinese civil war In July 1946, Zhang was appointed Deputy Commander of the 8th Pacification Zone. In April 1949, Zhang Gan became Deputy Director of the Central China Military and Political Office.

In August 1949, his forces fought in the Qingshuping area in Hunan and temporarily repelled advancing Communist troops. However, by October, Nationalist forces were in retreat and Zhang withdrew toward Guangxi. Zhang was captured and subsequently announced the surrender of his remaining forces. By 1 December 1949, the 3rd Corps had been completely destroyed.