Zhang Xueliang was a prominent Chinese military leader and politician born on October 3, 1901. He was the son of Zhang Zuolin, a warlord in northeastern China. After his father's assassination in 1928, Zhang Xueliang took control of the Fengtian Army and became a key figure in the struggle for power during the tumultuous period of the Republic of China. Zhang is best known for his role in the Xi'an Incident of 1936, where he detained Chiang Kai-shek to force a united front against the Japanese invasion. This event significantly impacted Chinese politics and contributed to the eventual cooperation between the Nationalists and the Communists during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Zhang later lived in exile in the United States and passed away on October 14, 2001.