In 1939, when the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was in full swing, although the Kuomintang and the Communist Party shouldered the common task of resisting the enemy, internal frictions and disputes continued. One night in this year, a superficial banquet was secretly murderous, which was the "Hongmen Banquet" in the mouth of later generations. Kuomintang Major General He Shaonan, a hard-nosed man hostile to the Communists, tried to humiliate the Communists' Commander Chen Qihan with a banquet. But did things really go the way he expected?
In 1939, when the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression entered a phase of stalemate, the Kuomintang and the Communist Party were supposed to join hands to resist Japan, but some diehards in the Kuomintang always harbored deep hostility to the Communist Party. He Shaonan, the Kuomintang Suide commissioner sent by Chiang Kai-shek to northern Shaanxi, is a typical representative of this. He did not arrive to better unite the front, but to begin a series of small actions against the Communist Party.
Soon after the major general took office, he planned a bloody clash that resulted in the wounding of several soldiers of the Eighth Route Army, and even the death of a company commander on the street. Such provocations are clearly not accidental, but premeditated. He Shaonan was not only satisfied with this, he also organized a so-called "bandit group", pretending to be the name of the Eighth Route Army to do evil everywhere, and even assassinated the secretary of the Communist Party county party in Suide.
As the commander of the Yan'an garrison, Chen Qihan naturally could not sit idly by in the face of such a challenge. By collecting evidence and mobilizing the masses, he gradually exposed He Shaonan's conspiracy. Although He Shaonan pretended to be innocent on the surface, his methods have been completely exposed.
He Shaonan did not stop because of this, but became more unscrupulous. At a banquet, he openly provoked Chen Qihan and tried to belittle Chen Qihan's status with the rank of new major general. But he seems to have forgotten that true strength lies not in fame, but in one's actions and influence.
Chen Qihan was not swayed by He Shaonan's provocations, but responded to the other party's provocations with calmness and wisdom. In public, he quietly revealed He Shaonan's true face, making Major General He's little trick extremely ridiculous. Behind the scenes, Chen Qihan commanded Ruoding, smashed the bandit group in one fell swoop, and completely destroyed He Shaonan's anti-communist base.
This battle of wits was not only a military victory, but also a political and moral victory. He Shaonan's various actions, both internally and externally, showed his short-sightedness and selfishness, while Chen Qihan's strategy and mind showed the Communist Party's overall view and farsightedness in the War of Resistance Against Japan. It has also been proven that real power is based on the support of the people and the actions of justice, and not through petty means and trick games.
In this series of competitions, Chen Qihan's performance can be said to be deeply popular. Not only was he vigilant militarily, but he also showed extraordinary political intelligence. In the face of He Shaonan's repeated provocations, Chen Qihan always maintained calmness and restraint, and he knew that at any time, the handling of internal contradictions requires more wisdom and patience than external enemies.
He Shaonan's defeat is also inevitable. Although his actions caused a certain amount of distress and damage in a short period of time, in the end, this self-righteous strategy only allowed him to leave a reputation of being spurned in the torrent of history. His cleverness is so vulnerable to a true strategist that he can only reap the consequences in the end.
This struggle is not only a personal victory, but also a duel between two strategic ideas. One side is a strategy of short-sightedness, isolation, and contentment with small profits, while the other side is a strategy of long-term, united, and pursuit of the general good. In such a duel, victory is always in favor of those who can represent the tide of history and the will of the people.
Through the review of this period of history, it is not difficult for us to find that the real strength comes from the people and justice, whether in the past or in the modern era. He Shaonan and Chen Qihan are not only a personal contest, but also a profound reflection on beliefs and strategies. In any era, those who are on the right side and have the support of the people will eventually prevail over those who are narrow and selfish. We should draw wisdom and courage from this, and no matter how great the difficulties and challenges we face, we should be guided by justice and faith, stick to the right path, and ultimately win victory.