In 1941, Chen Mingren repeatedly asked to lead his troops to resist Japan, and Chiang Kai-shek ordered him to lead his troops to Yunnan.
Chen Mingren ruled the army very strictly, and during the march, Qiu did not commit any crimes. Compared with other troops entering Yunnan, his troops were simply outstanding. After entering the vicinity of Kunming, he was praised by the Kuomintang Central Staff Committee and the Yunnan Xingyuan. Chiang Kai-shek also personally sent a telegram commending Chen Mingren's department: "Strict discipline is the crown of the troops entering Yunnan." However, when Chiang Kai-shek held a military conference in Kunming, he saw that all the generals were neatly dressed, their military uniforms were straight, and their shoes were polished, but Chen Mingren was wearing the soldiers' torn cotton clothes. As a result, Chiang Kai-shek was extremely dissatisfied with this and reprimanded Chen Mingren for hurting the military and the country.
Coincidentally, shortly after Chiang Kai-shek's military conference, he drove with his wife to Xishan for a tour, where Chen Mingren's troops were repairing national defense fortifications. Chen Mingren once stipulated that when the troops were constructing, they should put away the better clothes and wear all the old clothes. In this way, the soldiers under construction give people the impression of a military appearance and tattered clothes, looking at it from a distance, looking like a team of beggars, in stark contrast to the bright scenery of the Western Mountains. Chiang Kai-shek was greatly displeased when he saw this, and as soon as he returned to Kunming, he ordered Song Xilian to bring Chen Mingren to him.
Because Chen Mingren was at this time peaceful thirty miles away from Kunming, Song Xilian did not inform him. Chiang Kai-shek thought that Chen Mingren deliberately did not come, and in a fit of rage, he removed Chen Mingren from his post as commander of the 2nd Division and replaced him with deputy commander of the 71st Army, and ordered Chen Mingren to hand over within two days. In the Nationalist army, the deputy post has no power, not to mention that Chen Mingren's pre-2nd Division actually has the strength of an army, and transferring him to deputy commander for no reason is tantamount to removing him from his post. This made the monk Chen Mingren and the second monk confused, not knowing which royal law he had violated, and his heart was indignant.
A few days later, Chiang Kai-shek returned to Kunming from Burma, and as soon as he got off the plane, he sent a car to Anning to pick up Chen Mingren and ask him to come to see him. Chen Mingren, who was angry, arrived in Kunming and came to Chiang Kai-shek's residence, the "Jinbi Villa.". According to the custom, it is necessary to report first, through the attendant room to the conference hall, in order to meet Chiang Kai-shek. But Chen Mingren, who was furious, took out the momentum of charging on the battlefield, got out of the car, and went straight to the conference room.
Chiang Kai-shek came down from the upper floor and saw that the student had an angry face, and his heart naturally understood. So as the principal and leader, he kindly comforted Chen Mingren. In this way, the anger in Chen Mingren's heart was not good, and he had to suffocate in his heart. Chiang Kai-shek saw that Chen Mingren had been listening silently, and then said: "You are not a good division commander, and I hope to make more efforts in the future." ”
At this moment, it was poking at Chen Mingren's sore spot. Chen Mingren stood up and asked Chiang Kai-shek loudly, "Where did I not do a good job?" Is it poor combat, or is it poor training? On combat, every time I get a reward, you give it; on training, every proofreading is the first; on discipline, not long ago you sent a telegram to commend our department: strict discipline, the crown of the troops entering Yunnan. Why is it not good today? ”
This series of questions refuted Chiang Kai-shek very embarrassed and speechless, and the harmonious atmosphere just now suddenly became tense. After a period of silence, Chiang Kai-shek said: "Your troops are not well dressed, and they are called Huazi on the outside, and they hurt the military and the country." ”
After listening, Chen Mingren unceremoniously pushed back: "My troops are dressed in rags, they can't blame me, they can only blame you, the clothes were sent to us by you, the quality is not good, and they will be torn within a few months." Last year's clothes, only 40% are new, 60% are old..."
Chiang Kai-shek interrupted him and waved his hands repeatedly: "It is impossible, there is no such thing, I have seen so many troops, and none of them are dressed in such rags as yours." ”
Chen Mingren slowed down and said, "Principal, I am your student, you should understand me, I don't want to learn from others to punch the swollen face and be fat." Before you came to Kunming, Song Xilian called and told me not to let the soldiers in torn clothes go out, and the soldiers who went out on duty should get dressed. I was right to argue that he was wrong. I am from the position of a student, I want you to know the real situation of the troops, and I don't want to cheat. ”
Chiang Kai-shek never admits his mistakes in front of his subordinates, and Chen Mingren's words full of teacher-student friendship did not make Chiang Kai-shek change his mind, and he continued to ask: "Then, why did the 71st Army not wear tattered clothes?" ”
Chen Mingren replied: "The 71st Army was originally stationed in Chongqing, preparing to participate in the autumn exercise to show foreigners, all the equipment is new, because of the tight war in Yunnan, it was only transferred to Kunming, so there are no tattered clothes." ”
There was another moment of silence. Chiang Kai-shek thought about it and said, "Or you can't do it, why don't you want to do it?" ”
Chen Mingren did not back down: "It is difficult for a woman to cook without rice, I have no money in my hands, you have issued ready-made clothes, do I still have to steal and grab it?"
This sentence infuriated Chiang Kai-shek, who said in a loud voice: "Always you can't do it, always you can't do it..."
Chen Mingren was also angry, tit-for-tat: "I don't admit that I can't do it, I think I can do anything." ”
The conversation turned into an argument, the sound went outdoors, and the attendants ran in. Chiang Kai-shek felt very disgraced in his face, believing that Chen Mingren's attitude was an insult to the leader, and pretended to order his attendants to call the gendarmes immediately and send Chen Mingren to Chongqing for legal action. But he quickly eased his tone and said, "You go back first, and the next time you do this, I will punish you." ”
Who knows, Chen Mingren did not appreciate it, and said loudly: "If it is really a violation of the national law, it should be punished, then do it this time, there is no need to wait for the next time." Chiang Kai-shek was furious and called in the commander of the gendarmerie battalion.
Unexpectedly, Chen Mingren seemed to have eaten leopard bile, and suddenly tore off the lieutenant general's epaulettes and threw them in front of Chiang Kai-shek, saying: "What kind of country is this lieutenant general division commander?" You can do whatever you want, I don't want this official now, you can do whatever you like. After saying this, he pulled up the commander of the gendarmerie battalion and demanded that he be escorted to Chongqing immediately.
At this moment, Chiang Kai-shek was so angry that he said one after another: "What a system!" What a system! ”
The commander of the gendarmerie battalion knew that Chen Mingren was a student and a beloved general of Chiang Kai-shek, so he just pulled Chen Mingren out of the reception room, gently persuaded him, and said that he would have to eat before leaving. After Chen Mingren had a big quarrel, he also felt hungry in his stomach, and after being persuaded by others, he was much more rational, so they arranged for them to eat and rest.
After a while, Long Yun, chairman of Yunnan Province, came to see Chiang Kai-shek. Chiang Kai-shek was still angry and told him what had just happened, saying that Chen Mingren had insulted the leader and must be punished. Long Yun listened and said to Chiang Kai-shek: "It is not good for Chen Mingren to confront the leader, but this person is more realistic. When he first came to see me, he was wearing a tattered cotton coat. At first, I thought he was a service soldier, but later I learned that he was the commander of the Pre-2nd Division. He asked him, 'When will the troops arrive?' He said: 'The troops have been through Kunming for three days and have passed through at night.' Ask him, 'Why do you want to pass at night?' He replied: "First, the troops have been fighting on the front line for many years, and they do not want soldiers to see the bustling city, for fear of affecting morale; second, they are dressed in rags, afraid of ridicule, so as to hurt the army and the country; third, passing at night will not hinder transportation." From this point of view, Chen Mingren is still good. ”
Long Yun's words made Chiang Kai-shek's anger dissipate for the most part. Then, Guan Linzheng went to see Chiang Kai-shek. Chiang Kai-shek told him about Chen Mingren again. Guan Linzheng said that chen Mingren was above other generals except for his temper.
Chiang Kai-shek saw that both of them praised Chen Mingren, and felt that in extraordinary times, a thousand armies were easy to obtain, and it would be difficult to find a general. So he returned to normalcy and told the attendant, "Tell Chen Mingren to go back by himself." At this time, Chen Mingren also calmed down, and returned to the camp with this step.
Chen Mingren's confrontation with Chiang Kai-shek caused a great sensation in the Kuomintang. Although Chiang Kai-shek did not pursue the matter further, Chen Mingren was uneasy.
It is precisely because of Chiang Kai-shek's personality that Chen Mingren led an uprising in the War of Liberation.