Yan Xishan
He joined in Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek's successful campaign against Yan Xishan and Feng Yuxiang, and led the 5th Army in the 1932 battle at Shanghai against Japan. Later, as the head of the 9th Army Group (), Zhang personally supervised the defense of Shanghai against Japan in 1937. During these years, Zhang was generally regarded as one of Chiang's trusted confidants.