Regarding He Jifeng's defeat and loss of the headquarters of the First Group Army, he was called by Chief of Staff Zhang Weifan to investigate, and his grief and indignation were beyond words, so he pulled out his gun and committed suicide. Even Chiang Kai-shek commented on this move: "There is more than enough hard work and not enough resentment." ”
What is puzzling is why Song Zheyuan should only hold He responsible? At that time, it was not a man and a division who lost their positions? Moreover, the direct cause of the loss of the daimyo of the 179th Division was the result of the escape of the two brigade commanders, Chai Jianrui and Tang Chuanmin. Could it really be that Song is looking for a few "scapegoats"?
As a result, some people said that it was Zhang Weifan who wanted to shirk the responsibility of fleeing before the battle, and that he was the highest-ranking commander of the First Army who remained in the Daimyo Command, because he was the chief of staff of the First Army at that time. It seems that there is no such possibility, because the practice of the Kuomintang army is that the chief of staff does not lead troops, and his authority is far less than that of the officers directly under the command of the lower ranks, and He Jifeng is the person in charge of the Daimyo garrison named by the group army, and Zhang Weifan cannot bear this responsibility whether he is fighting or fleeing.
Some people also said that Chai Jianrui was a relative of Song Zheyuan, and not only did he not investigate the responsibility for his escape afterwards, but also promoted him to the commander of the 179th Division. This possibility exists, but it is not too big, and it is impossible for Song Zheyuan to hold a general accountable for no reason because of a small cronie.
So some people said that Chai Jianrui and Tang Chuanmin's Second Brigade were ordered by Song Zheyuan to retreat, and this possibility may not be too great, since he retreated, he should inform He Jifeng of the division commander, how could it be possible to pass the division commander and give orders directly to his subordinates? If that's the case, isn't that a ****? It is impossible for Song Zheyuan to be insidious and do it to such a point.
So some people said that it was because Chai Jianrui and other brigade commanders had mobilized Zhang Weifan, Li Wentian and other senior personnel, and they were dissatisfied with He Jifeng, who was also a brigade commander, being promoted to division commander by acting commander Feng Zhi'an, of course, including Chen Chunrong, Liu Zizhen, Dong Shengtang, Shi Zhengang and other senior staff officers from military academies, so everyone slandered Song Zheyuan, and Song Zheyuan was angry with He Jifeng and others from being angry with Feng Zhi'an, so he made trouble and held him accountable. It's possible.
In addition, there is one thing that must be mentioned: After the 29th Army withdrew from Beiping, Xiao Zhenying, former member of the Jicha Committee, mayor of Tianjin, and general staff member of the 29th Army, went to He Jifeng's department. It is also possible that he would "reject Feng (public order), overthrow Song (Zheyuan), and Pai Zhang (self-loyalty)", which led to suspicion and contradictions between Feng Yuxiang, the commander of the Sixth Theater Self-War Zone, and the commanders of divisions and brigades. History