Zhang's "suicide" in the battle was recognized and publicized by the Kuomintang. The news that the reorganization of the 74th Division was completely annihilated, and that Zhang, the division commander, was sacrificed, reached Nanjing, which gave the Kuomintang government a great shock. On May 19, 2009, Chiang Kai-shek made a speech at the second officer training regiment he held, lamenting the failure of the 74th Division in Meng Lianggu, claiming that it was "the saddest and most regrettable thing". On the same day, he flew to Xuzhou in person to discuss with the army commander Gu about the Shandong military and decided to train and exercise troops in an all-round way. Subsequently, the Kuomintang newspapers reported the news of Zhang's "collective death" one after another. On the 29th, Chiang Kai-shek issued a motto to inform the officers and men of the national army to commemorate Zhang Zhi's "death", among which Zhang and others were called "finally unyielding and committed suicide" and Zhang and others "collectively committed suicide", which was later recorded in the annals of the Kuomintang army.

In order to boost morale, the Kuomintang used this incident for propaganda. First, a memorial service was held for Zhang in Chuxian County, Anhui Province, and then a monument was erected in Xuanwu Lake, Nanjing. In order to prove the fact of "suicide", they also told the story of "heroic sacrifice" of officers and men of the 74th Division, such as Zhang, who escaped. According to the Kuomintang Army's Detailed Report of the First Corps on the Battle in Southeast Mengyin, according to the returning officers and soldiers, "Zhang, the division commander, Cai, the deputy division commander, etc. After shooting the gangsters, they all generously took out the last bullet. " Imagine: can people who can witness this scene escape from there?

As evidence of suicide, there are two suicide notes. According to the later memories of being sent to participate in the post-war investigation, Zhang wrote two letters in the bomb shelter after communication was interrupted and ammunition was exhausted, one for Chiang Kai-shek and the other for his wife. And arrange for the staff to escape from their posts, and those who stay in the command post are ready to commit suicide. Some people also heard that the letter to Chiang Kai-shek was sent by telegram. Before he was about to be annihilated, Zhang might have made a suicide plan, but it didn't happen after all.