Matthew Ridgway vs Zhang Xueliang

Ridgway was appointed commander of the 82nd Airborne Division in August 1942, transforming it into the first American airborne division. He trained the division for parachute and glider operations, establishing airborne tactics and doctrine that would be used in World War II.

Ridgway led the 82nd Airborne Division in the invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky) in July 1943. The division conducted parachute and glider landings, though the operation suffered from poor coordination and friendly fire incidents. Despite these problems, the division secured key objectives.

Ridgway commanded the 82nd Airborne Division during the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944. Paratroopers landed behind German lines in Normandy, securing key bridges and causeways. The division suffered heavy casualties but successfully disrupted German defenses and supported the beach landings.

Ridgway was appointed commander of the U.S. Eighth Army in Korea in December 1950, replacing General Walton Walker who had died. He took command during a period of retreat after Chinese intervention, and immediately began restoring morale and reorganizing defensive positions.

Ridgway launched a series of offensives in early 1951 that reversed the Chinese advance and recaptured Seoul. His aggressive tactics, including Operation Thunderbolt and Operation Ripper, pushed Chinese forces back across the 38th parallel, restoring the front line and stabilizing the war.

Ridgway was appointed Supreme Commander of Allied Powers in Japan in April 1951, replacing General Douglas MacArthur. He oversaw the occupation of Japan and the transition to the post-occupation period, including the signing of the Treaty of San Francisco in 1951.

Ridgway was appointed Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army in August 1953, serving until 1955. He advocated for a strong conventional military force and opposed the Eisenhower administration's 'New Look' policy that emphasized nuclear weapons over ground forces, arguing it weakened the Army.

Zhang Xueliang inherited command of the Fengtian Army after his father Zhang Zuolin was assassinated by the Japanese. He became the Young Marshal and controlled Manchuria, one of China's most strategic regions.

Zhang Xueliang declared allegiance to the Nationalist government by replacing the Fengtian flag with the Kuomintang flag in Manchuria. This act nominally unified China under Chiang Kai-shek's rule and ended the warlord era in the northeast.

Zhang Xueliang's forces withdrew from Manchuria following the Mukden Incident, allowing Japan to occupy the region. His decision not to resist led to the establishment of Manchukuo and widespread criticism of his leadership.

Zhang Xueliang kidnapped Chiang Kai-shek in Xi'an to force him to form a united front against Japan. The incident ended with Chiang's release and the establishment of the Second United Front between the KMT and CCP.

After the Xi'an Incident, Zhang Xueliang was placed under house arrest by Chiang Kai-shek. He remained in captivity for over 50 years, first in mainland China and later in Taiwan, until his release in 1990.