Xue Yue (; December 26, 1896 – May 3, 1998) was a Chinese Nationalist military general, nicknamed by Claire Lee Chennault of the Flying Tigers as the "Patton of Asia" and called the "God of War" (戰神) by the Chinese. Early life and career Born to a peasant family in Shaoguan, Guangdong, Xue joined the Tongmenghui in 1909. In the Spring of 1912, he was admitted to the Guangdong Military Primary School. In 1917, he was admitted to the sixth class of the Baoding Military Academy. However, in July 1918, he departed south for Guangzhou and joined an army created by Sun Yat-sen and Chen Jiongming with the rank of captain. Afterwards, he became commander of the first battalion of Sun's bodyguard. When Sun and Chen fell out, Xue escorted Soong Ching-Ling to safety. Xue was one of the most effective nationalist commanders of the Northern Expedition, serving as the commander of the 1st Division of the 1st Army. After the April 12 Incident, he recommended that Chiang Kai-shek be arrested as a counterrevolutionary. Purged from the 1st Army, Xue returned to Guangdong to serve as a divisional commander under Li Jishen. After political turmoil that saw Chiang return to power, Xue joined Zhang Fakui and served in the Guangdong 4th Army. During the Guangzhou Uprising, Xue's troops were called into the city to help suppress the Communists. Due to losses suffered over the course of the latter part of 1927, the 4th Army accepted Chiang's offer to reorganize. However, internal divisions saw newly appointed commander Miao Peinan forced out and Zhang Fakui's return as commander of the Guangdong 4th Army. Xue was promoted to become Zhang's deputy. During the Central Plains War, the Guangdong 4th Army supported the New Guangxi Clique in opposing Chiang. During the combined forces' entry into Hengyang, their line of retreat was cut off by Jiang Guangnai and Cai Tingkai. In the ensuing Battle of Hengyang, the combined Guangdong-Guangxi army suffered a serious defeat. The Guangdong 4th Army was forced to join Chiang, Zhang Fakui was forced to resign, and Xue was promoted to command of the army. During the first stage of the Chinese Civil War, Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek ordered General Xue to lead the Guangdong First Army to attack the Chinese communists during the Fifth Encirclement Campaign against Jiangxi Soviet, forcing them to start the Long March and his forces chased the retreating