On July 15, 1954, in the Taipei funeral home, a wooden coffin lay quietly in the center. This is the coffin of Towne, who has passed away at this moment. From the camera, his face looks a little pale, with some puffiness on his face, but his expression is serene, as if he has let go of the distractions of the world.
He is dressed in traditional Chinese costume, and white satin is spread under him, giving him a solemn feeling. He crossed his hands on his abdomen and wore white gloves, as if guarding the last of his dignity.
However, what many people don't know is that Tang Enbo died half a month ago, and he did not die in Taipei, but in Tokyo, Japan. It turned out that just over a month before the incident, Tang Enbo's old stomach problem had flared up again, and with Jiang Zhongzheng's approval, he went to Tokyo to seek treatment. However, no one could have imagined that just a month later, he would die in a foreign land.
At the time of his death, Tang Enbo was not accompanied by his relatives, which was undoubtedly a major regret in his life. Soon, his body was transported back to Taipei. Due to the suddenness of his death, all the preparations for the aftermath seemed hasty. His body was laid to rest in the funeral home, frozen, and awaited follow-up arrangements, until a dozen days later, when the authorities held a memorial service for him.
Tang Enbo, this name is not unfamiliar to those who are familiar with modern Chinese history, as an important general of the Whampoa Department of Chiang's army, he was once deeply appreciated by Chiang Zhongzheng.
However, what many people don't know is that Tang Enbo was also born at the grassroots, and his youth was spent in the Fujian and Zhejiang Military Lecture Hall, which laid a solid foundation for his future military career. There, he underwent rigorous military training to temper his will and physique. After that, he entered the Zhejiang Army as a soldier and began his military career. Chen Yi, who was the commander of the First Division of the Zhejiang Army at the time, attached great importance to Tang Enbo, believing that he had a calm personality and had the potential to become an excellent general.
Under Chen Yi's recommendation, Tang Enbo got the opportunity to study in Japan. However, due to his family's limited financial conditions, he was worried about tuition fees for a while. After learning of Tang Enbo's plight, Chen Yi generously donated money to support him to complete his studies. This experience made Tang Enbo grateful to Chen Yi and regarded him as his mentor and confidant.
During his time in Japan, he not only learned advanced military knowledge, but also broadened his horizons. After returning to China, he was admitted to the Whampoa Military Academy for further study.
In 1930, when the Central Plains War broke out, Tang Enbo rose to prominence for protecting Jiang Zhongzheng's safety and was appreciated by Jiang Zhongzheng. Since then, his career has been smooth sailing, and he has gradually become an important general of the national army.
However, Towne's warlord habits were also very strong. He is happy to enjoy, indulges his subordinates, and is moody, which makes him not have a good reputation in the hearts of the common people. In the War of Liberation, as Jiang Zhongzheng's right-hand man, he led his troops to carry out a key attack on the liberated areas. However, he was soon defeated and his power plummeted.
During this time, Towne's mood has been very low. He had hoped that he would be able to regain his trust and bounce back on his feet. In 1949, his mentor Chen Yi prepared a secret uprising in Zhejiang, thinking that Tang Enbo could also participate, so he told Tang Enbo the uprising plan, who knew that the ungrateful Tang Enbo quickly told Jiang Zhongzheng the news, resulting in the abortion of the uprising plan, Chen Yi was also arrested and killed, this move made Tang Enbo carry a heavy ideological burden on morality.
Although Tang Enbo originally hoped to regain Jiang Zhongzheng's trust through this move, Jiang Zhongzheng did not go as he wished, and Tang Enbo still sat on the "cold bench" and only got a few idle official positions, which made Tang Enbo feel lost and disappointed.
Under the heavy burden of thoughts, Tang Enbo's body gradually collapsed. He got sick, and it was getting worse. In the last years of his life, he lived a life of poverty, with no money for medical treatment and even basic living expenses. In 1954, Towneburgh died in a foreign land, ending a controversial life.