Two lieutenant generals who died unnaturally, why did Chiang Kai-shek have to take pictures of the bodies for the record?
In 1944, the seventh year of the All-out War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Japanese army launched the "No. 1 Operation" (known on the Chinese side as the Battle of Yuxianggui) that ran through the mainland communication line in order to destroy the southwest china inland air base. Although the Nationalist army desperately resisted in Xuchang, Luoyang, Hengyang, Guilin and other places, it was ultimately defeated by the Japanese army and finally went crazy, and the battle lost more than half a million people. During the Great War, Chiang Kai-shek tried to save the battlefield by killing one hundred people, and successively executed Zhang Deneng, commander of the Fourth Army, who had lost Changsha in Hunan and Quanzhou in Guangxi, and Chen Munong, commander of the Ninety-third Army.
It was rumored that Zhang Deneng was Zhang Fakui's nephew, and that the shooting of Chen Munong was Zhang Fakui's venting of his private anger, "Chairman Jiang killed me a Zhang Deneng, and I also killed him a Chen Mu Nong, which can cancel each other out." Is that really the case? Through combing and interpreting the original archives, the author found that this statement was completely out of nowhere.
The Nationalist army in the Battle of Yuxianggui was wounded officers and soldiers
Changsha fell and shot Zhang Deneng, the commander of the Fourth Army
On May 14, 1944, Chiang Kai-shek sent a telegram to Xue Yue, commander of the Ninth Theater: "After the enemy opens the Pinghan Road, it will continue to attack the Yuehan Road in an attempt to open up north-south communication in order to enhance its strategic superiority." The period of its launch should not be far away, and it is imperative to actively prepare not to be taken advantage of by the enemy and to crush its attempts. ”
Based on the japanese army's previous three setbacks in northern Hunan Province, Xue Yue disagreed: "Since the Third Battle of Changsha, the enemy has not dared to attack Changsha again. Zhao Zili, chief of staff, gently exhorted: "Seeing that the enemy is catching everywhere, the water and land transportation is busy, the situation is obviously different from before, and the troops are very large..." Xue Yue was willing to listen, insisting on following the old routine and fighting a decisive battle with the Japanese army on the outskirts of Changsha unchanged.
Xue Yue
After more than two years of silence, the northern part of Xiangbei was once again filled with smoke, and the Fourth Army was ordered to hold Changsha and Yuelu Mountain. The Fourth Army had three divisions under its command, of which the Fifty-ninth and Ninetieth Divisions belonged to the Guangdong army and were closely related to Xue Yue. When the military commander Zhang Deneng was young, he studied in the Yunnan Daowu Hall, and was promoted from platoon commander to division commander step by step, but he did not lose his true character as a soldier. However, after becoming a military commander, Zhang Deneng began to indulge in painting, calligraphy and poetry, and even married a "war lady".
During the Northern Expedition, the Fourth Army was known as the "Iron Army," but it was no longer what it used to be; according to the investigation of the spy staff, the chief officers at all levels of the army were usually busy with business and socializing, and their daily training was perfunctory; when Changsha was evacuated, the deputy officers and deputies seized merchant ships and extorted money to enrich themselves; when the battle broke out, some officers and men were still gathering in the cover department to gamble money.
Zhang Deneng
When Xue Yue left Changsha, he signaled Zhao Zili to stay behind to assist in taking care of it, according to Zhao's meaning, "as long as you hold Yuelu Mountain, you are holding Changsha", and disapprove of the main force of the Fourth Army being placed in the urban area on the east bank of the Xiang River. Zhang Deneng believed that the chief of staff had no right to command, and insisted on two divisions in Changsha and one division in Yuelu Mountain.
For this reason, Zhao Zili quarreled with Xue Yue on the phone: "Since I can't command, why should I stay here?" Xue said, "No! You are there to contact. On June 17, some positions in Changsha were lost, and the defenders of Yuelu Mountain were in a hurry. According to Zhao Zili's recollection, Zhang Deneng was very depressed: "The enemy is strong, Changsha is difficult to defend, I want to defend Yuelu Mountain with the main force according to your will." Zhao said, "Can you come over?" It's late! You know, you are not under my command, but if you must transfer, I still agree and remain responsible for the advice. Zhang Guotai, chief of staff of the Fifty-ninth Division, said differently: "On the morning of the same day, Zhao Zili called the commander of the army, and the defenders of Yuelu Mountain could only hold out until dusk, and Yuelu Mountain was not protected, and Changsha was difficult to hold. The commander consulted with the division commanders and said that they could not see death and not save it. ”
In his later years, Zhao Zili recalled the loss of Changsha
In any case, Zhang Deneng finally decided to leave two regiments to continue to defend Changsha, and the rest of the overnight reinforcements were made to Yuelu Mountain on the west bank of the Xiang River. However, the temporary change of position was too hasty, and the military department did not formulate a careful plan for crossing the river, nor did it designate special personnel to maintain the order of crossing the river, but instead accelerated the loss of Yuelu Mountain and Changsha.
The Fourth Army summed up the lessons learned after the war, believing that "the position of the headquarters should never be moved when the battle was fierce, so as not to scatter morale and shake the morale of the army." As a last resort, the commander must first arrive at the new command post and then move the troops one by one. The transfer of troops under the enemy's fire is a major mistake in the use of troops, especially in backwater warfare."
On the evening of June 19, Chiang Kai-shek confirmed that "the Fourth Army abandoned Changsha without authorization", and wrote in his diary: "The most distressing person, for the latest heavy artillery and mountain artillery, are all arranged in Yuelu Mountain, and completely lost, the Fourth Army has no real name, more than ten years of false reputation, its weaknesses have been exposed to this point, and Yu Zhi did not check, the behavior of a subordinate, for Changsha's important town, sending it to die is also a crime for Yu." However, the commander must be severely punished. ”
In September, the Third Session of the Third Session of the National Committee for Participation in the Political Consultative Conference was held, and Chiang Kai-shek explained the reason for shooting Zhang Deneng:
In recent years, Changsha's fortifications have been repeatedly strengthened, and the elite weapons south of the Yangtze River have almost all been concentrated in the suburbs of Changsha and the important strongholds of Yuelu Mountain. The Fourth Army guarding Changsha was the most historic unit in our revolutionary army, and the command was convinced that it would have the determination to coexist and die with the city. Who knew that within a week of the battle, the command had lost communication with them, and at that time they thought that there was a radio obstacle, and they did not expect that Changsha had fallen. According to the provisions of the Company Sitting Law, the commander of the army who does not follow the order to retreat without authorization will shoot his commander. Immediately ordered the Ninth Theater Commander's Department to escort him to Chongqing, and the military law was engaged in, and he was already shot. Since I fought in Guangdong, all the merits, spirits, and discipline of the Fourth Army have been extremely good, and now the results are so, so I have to endure the pain of sacrifice and shoot its commander. ”
Jeonju fell and executed Chen Munong, commander of the Ninety-third Army
In early July 1944, the Ninety-third Army was ordered to reinforce the Fourth Theater. The military command formulated a battle plan: (A) occupy the position of huangsha river with one unit, and hold the whole state with the main force. The case did work, but at great cost. (b) In the areas of the Huangsha River, Jeonju, Yanguankou, and Darong River, resist one after another for a long time, and then participate in the decisive battle of Guilin according to the situation. The sacrifice of this case is small, but it is not easy to implement. Considering that Jeonju was the gateway to Hunan in northern Guangxi, Chiang Kai-shek ruled that "it should be implemented in accordance with the A case."
The Ninety-third Army, which administers the Tenth Division and the newly organized Eighth Division, performed well in the Shanxi Battlefield in the early stage of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and actively cooperated with the Eighth Route Army's "Hundred Regiments Battle". In the autumn of 1942, the Ninety-third Army was transferred to the command of the Chongqing Garrison Command, the rear area was comfortable, and Chen Munong, the commander of the first phase of the Whampoa Military Academy, gradually became corrupt and slowly lived a rotten life of paper drunk and gold fans. From Sichuan to Guangxi, the 93rd Army's discipline was shattered, and along the way, some officers even used military vehicles to carry supplies to Chongqing to do business, and even almost caught fire with the local garrison in Guiyang.
Chen Mu Nong
In early September, Chiang Kai-shek sent a telegram to Chen Mu Nong: "Under the intermittent attack of the enemy, I can hold the whole state for more than three months." Zhang Fakui, commander of the Fourth Theater, inspected the state's fortifications and kindly reminded Chen Munong: "Your biggest mistake is to boast to the chairman of the committee, it is impossible to hold out for three months, and I expect you to hold on for two weeks." I will report to the Chairman and ease your burden. ”
Zhang Fakui did what he said, and immediately called Chiang Kai-shek, because in view of the shortage of troops and the fragility of the fortifications, it was impossible to defend jeonju for three months. Chiang Kai-shek asked how long it could hold, and Zhang Fakui suggested that the Ninety-third Army should resist between Jeonju and Lingchuan, but not to the south of Lingchuan, and it would take at least two weeks to rush to transport supplies.
After listening to Zhang Fakui's opinion, Chiang Kai-shek no longer insisted on sticking to Jeonju. The Fourth Theater issued a supplementary order stipulating that the Ninety-third Army, when it had no choice, "should move into the preparatory positions of Xing'an and The Great and Small Rongjiang River one after another, but from the date of the beginning of the Battle of HuangshaHe, it must stay with the enemy for at least half a month, and at each time the time of retreat, it must wait for the order of the commander's department."
Chiang Kai-shek in the late period of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression
WanWan did not expect that the Ninety-third Army was useless at all, and it could not be overwhelmed after only a few days of contact with the Japanese army. Late on the night of September 12, the jeonju commissioner called Zhang Fakui to report: "The city of Jeonju is in flames, the explosion is very loud, the telephone has been interrupted, Xing'an found a small number of defeated soldiers, and the situation seems to have changed." ”
Zhang Fakui was very anxious and urgently ordered Senior Staff Officer Li Hanchong to drive to understand the situation at night. At dawn the next day, Chen Munong, who had retreated to Xing'an County, explained to Li Hanchong: "Last night the high ground on the west side of the county was attacked by the enemy, and the liaison lines between the left side and the rear were already threatened, and for the sake of retreat safety and subsequent fighting, they had to abandon the whole county. ”
Zhang Fakui on the cover of "Good Friend" magazine
In fact, the battle was not fierce, and the Japanese army was puzzled by the 93rd Army's abandonment of Jeonju: "The positions on the other side of the Huangsha River and on the highlands south of The Great Knot are extremely strong, and they are positions up to four kilometers deep around the cave bunkers. In addition, on the high ground line south of Saiqianling, Jiangjia Village and Wuli Village, there are still positions that have not yet been completed and are three kilometers deep. It is difficult to understand what the Chongqing Army's intention was to abandon such a solid position and retreat. ”
Chiang Kai-shek was horrified, and his diary showed: "If there is such a thing, Chen Munong should be shot on the spot to show his command." This unforeseen shame and the naivety and lack of courage of the officers in charge of the unit have almost made themselves feel self-indulgent. Zhang Fakui did not want to be an evil person and proposed to transfer it to the Chongqing Military Tribunal for trial. Chiang Kai-shek's determination had been made, and on September 19, he ordered that "the body of Chen Munong after his execution should be photographed and submitted for verification." ”
On September 14, Chiang Kai-shek strictly ordered Zhang Fakui to shoot Chen Munong (Archives of the National History Museum in Taipei)
Zhang Fakui had no choice but to show a telegram, but Chen Munong was not convinced and demanded to speak directly to Chiang Kai-shek. Zhang Fakui called Lin Wei, director of the attendant room, and Lin said: "The chairman of the committee has rested, there is no need to report, the order has been issued, please ask the chief to implement it immediately." Chen Munong was extremely desperate, and sat down at the desk to write a desperate letter to his wife, who was teaching in Jiangjin, Sichuan: "I missed the military plane, I am ashamed of the people of the country, and I hope that after my death, you will raise orphans, be kind to yourself, and scatter my bones to avoid polluting the land." ”
It can be seen from this that the shooting of Chen Munong was entirely Chiang Kai-shek's intention, the so-called Zhang Deneng was Zhang Fakui's nephew, and the shooting of Chen Munong was Zhang Fakui's venting of his private anger, "Chairman Jiang killed me a Zhang Deneng, and I also killed him a Chen Mu Nong, which can cancel each other out." A little research is pure nonsense, Zhang Deneng is a Guangdong Kaiping person, Zhang Fakui is a Guangdong Sixing person, He Lai uncle-nephew relationship. In fact, as long as you are willing to spend effort to verify it, you will find that many statements are unreliable.