Joseph Warren Stilwell
March 19, 1883 - October 12, 1946
Gen. Joseph Warren Stilwell, U.S.A.
Nickname	"Vinegar Joe," "Uncle Joe," "Old Two Shirts."
Place of birth	Palatka, Florida
Place of death	San Francisco, California
Allegiance	U.S. Army
Years of service	1904-1946
Rank	General
Commands	7th Infantry Division China Burma India Theater Northern Combat Area Command (NCAC) Army Ground Forces U.S. Tenth Army U.S. Sixth Army Western Defense Command
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Distinguished Service Cross Distinguished Service Medal (2) Legion of Merit
Other work	Chief of Staff to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek

Joseph Warren Stilwell (March 19, 1883 – October 12, 1946) was a United States Army four-star general best-known for his service in China. He was nicknamed "Uncle Joe" and "Vinegar Joe" for his concern for the average soldier and forthright manner. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Location in the State of Florida Coordinates: County Putnam County Incorporated January 8, 1853 Government  - Mayor-Commissioner Karl N. Flagg Area  - City 19. ... Nickname: Location of the City and County of San Francisco, California Coordinates: , Country United States of America State California City-County San Francisco Government  - Mayor Gavin Newsom Area  - City  47 sq mi (122 km²)  - Land  46. ... The United States Army is the largest branch of the armed forces of the United States. ... The 7th Infantry Division (Light), nicknamed Lightfighters and sometimes referred to as the The Bayonet Division is a reserve combat division of the United States Army currently made up of National Guard units. ... China Burma India Theater (CBI) was the name used by the United States Army for its forces in China, Burma, India during World War II. Well_known US units in this theater included the Flying Tigers, transport and bomber units flying the Hump, the engineers who built Ledo Road, and Merrill... The Northern Combat Area Command or NCAC was a mainly Sino-American formation that held the northern end of the Allied front in Burma during World War II. For much of its existence it was commanded by the acerbic General Joseph Stilwell. ... The Army Ground Forces was one of the three autonomous components of the Army of the United States during World War II, the others being the United States Army Air Forces and Army Service Forces. ... Image:US Tenth Army. ... Shoulder sleeve insignia of the U.S. Sixth Army. ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is the second highest military decoration of the United States Army, awarded for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. ... The Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the United States Army which is presented to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the United States military, has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great responsibility. ... The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. ... A generalissimo is a commissioned officer of the highest rank; the word is often translated as Supreme Commander or Commander in Chief. It is an Italian superlative substantive, which grammatically would actually be disallowed in Italian (superlatives can be made with adjectives only). ... Chiang Kai-shek (October 31, 1887 – April 5, 1975) was the Chinese military and political leader who assumed the leadership of the Kuomintang (KMT) after the 1925 death of Sun Yat-sen. ... March 19 is the 78th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (79th in leap years). ... 1883 (MDCCCLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... is the 285th day of the year (286th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The United States Army is the largest branch of the armed forces of the United States. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Early life

Stilwell was born on March 19th, 1883 in Palatka, Florida of patrician Yankee stock.^[1] His parents were Doctor Benjamin Stilwell and Mary A. Peene. Stilwell was an eighth generation descendant of an English colonist who arrived in America in 1638, whose descendants remained in New York up through the birth of Stilwell's father.^[2] Named for a family friend, as well as the doctor who delivered him, Joseph Stilwell, known as Warren by his family, grew up in New York, under a strict regimen from his father that included an emphasis on religion. Stilwell later admitted to his daughter that he picked up criminal instincts due to,"...being forced to go to Church and Sunday School, and seeing how little real good religion does anybody, I advise passing them all up and using common sense instead."^[3] Location in the State of Florida Coordinates: County Putnam County Incorporated January 8, 1853 Government  - Mayor-Commissioner Karl N. Flagg Area  - City 19. ... This article is about the social and political class in ancient Rome. ... NY redirects here. ...

Stilwell's rebellious attitude led him to a record of unruly behavior once he reached a post-graduate level at Yonkers High School. Prior to this last year, Stilwell had performed meticulously in his classes, and had participated actively in such sports as Football (as quarterback) and Track.^[4] Under the discretion of his father, Stilwell was placed into a post-graduate course following graduation, and immediately formed a group of friends who participated in such things as card playing to stealing the desserts from the senior dance in 1900. This last event, in which an administrator was punched, lead to the expulsions and suspensions for Stilwell's friends. Stilwell, meanwhile, having already graduated, was once again by his father's guidance, sent to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point, rather than to proceed to Yale University as originally planed.^[5] United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ... Navy quarterback Aaron Polanco sets up to throw. ... The word track can mean more than one thing. ... “Yale” redirects here. ...

Despite missing the deadline to apply for Congressional appointment to the military academy, Stilwell gained entry through the use of family connections who knew President William McKinley. In his first year, Stilwell underwent hazing as a plebe that he referred to as "hell."^[6] While at West Point, Stilwell showed an aptitude for languages, such as French, in which he ranked first in his class during his second year. In the field of sports, Stilwell is credited for introducing Basketball to the Academy, and participated in Cross-country running (as Captain), as well as played on the Varsity football team. However, the rebellious nature that marked his last year of high school appeared at West Point in the form of demerits, two in fact for laughing during drill. Ultimately, Stilwell graduated from the academy ranked 32nd in class that consisted of 124 cadets.^[7] For the mountain, see Mount McKinley. ... Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by throwing a ball through a 10-foot high hoop (the basket) under organized rules. ... US Armed Forces cross country meet Cross-country running is a sport in which teams of runners compete to complete a course over open or rough terrain before other teams. ... The word varsity can refer to several things. ...

Military career

Stilwell later taught at West Point, and attended the Infantry Advanced Course and the Command and General Staff College. During World War I, he was the U.S. Fourth Corps intelligence officer and helped plan the St. Mihiel offensive. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his service in France. The Command and General Staff College (C&GSC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas is a United States Army facility that functions as a graduate school for U.S. military leaders. ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... Combatants United States German Empire Commanders John J. Pershing Georg von der Marwitz Strength American Expeditionary Force German Fifth Army Casualties 7,000 2000 dead and 5500 wounded The Battle of Saint-Mihiel was a World War I battle fought between September 12 - 15, 1918, involving the American Expeditionary Force... The Distinguished Service Medal is a high level military and civilian decoration of the United States of America which is issued for meritorious service to the government of the United States in either a senior government service position or as a senior officer of the United States armed forces. ...

Stilwell is often remembered by his sobriquet, "Vinegar Joe", which he acquired while a commander at Fort Benning, GA. Stilwell often gave harsh critiques of performance in field exercises, and a subordinate - stung by Joe's acidity - drew a caricature of Stilwell rising out of a vinegar bottle. After discovering the caricature, Stilwell pinned it to a board and had the drawing photographed and distrubuted to friends. ^[8]

Between the wars, Stilwell served three tours in China, where he became fluent in Chinese, and was the military attaché at the United States Embassy from 1935 to 1939. In 1939 and 1940 he served in the 2nd Infantry Division and from 1940 to 1941 organized and trained the 7th Infantry Division at Fort Ord, California. It was there that his leadership style - which emphasized concern for the average soldier and minimized ceremonies and officious discipline - earned him the nickname of “Uncle Joe.” The 2nd Infantry Division (Heavy) is a formation of the United States Army. ... The 7th Infantry Division (Light), nicknamed Lightfighters and sometimes referred to as the The Bayonet Division is a reserve combat division of the United States Army currently made up of National Guard units. ... Fort Ord Fort Ord Fort Ord was a U.S. Army post on Monterey Bay in California. ...

Just prior to World War II, Stilwell was recognized as the top corps commander in the Army and was initially selected to plan and command the Allied invasion of North Africa. ^[9] However, when it became necessary to send a senior officer to China to keep that country in the War, Stilwell was selected, over his personal objections, by President Franklin Roosevelt and his old friend, Army Chief of Staff George C. Marshall. He became the Chief of Staff to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek, served as the commander of the China Burma India Theater responsible for all Lend-Lease supplies going to China, and later was Deputy Commander of the South East Asia Command. Unfortunately, despite his status and position in China, he soon became a pawn in the political game of U.S. Lend-Lease aid and Chinese politics. Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882–April 12, 1945), often referred to as FDR, was the 32nd (1933–1945) President of the United States. ... George C. Marshall George Catlett Marshall (December 31, 1880–October 16, 1959), an American military leader and statesman, was born into a middle-class family in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. ... A generalissimo is a commissioned officer of the highest rank; the word is often translated as Supreme Commander or Commander in Chief. It is an Italian superlative substantive, which grammatically would actually be disallowed in Italian (superlatives can be made with adjectives only). ... Chiang Kai-shek (October 31, 1887 – April 5, 1975) was the Chinese military and political leader who assumed the leadership of the Kuomintang (KMT) after the 1925 death of Sun Yat-sen. ... China Burma India Theater (CBI) was the name used by the United States Army for its forces in China, Burma, India during World War II. Well_known US units in this theater included the Flying Tigers, transport and bomber units flying the Hump, the engineers who built Ledo Road, and Merrill... The Lend-Lease program was a program of the United States during World War II that allowed the United States to provide the Allied Powers with war material without becoming directly involved in the war. ... South East Asia Command (SEAC) was the body set up to be in overall charge of Allied operations in the South-East Asian Theatre during World War II. The initial supreme commander of the theatre was General Sir Archibald Wavell, initially as head of the American-British-Dutch-Australian Command...

Burma

Stilwell with Gen. Frank Merrill in Burma

Stilwell's post in the China-Burma-India Theater, while a geographical command on the same level as the commands of Dwight D. Eisenhower and Douglas MacArthur, was a more complicated one due to the lower priority of the Theater for supplies and personnel and the greater need to balance political and military activities. The British and the Chinese were ill-equipped and more often than not on the receiving end of Japanese offensives. Chiang in particular was interested in hoarding Lend-Lease supplies for later use during the inevitable civil war, which put him directly at odds with Stilwell who wanted to use the supplies to prosecute the war. Chiang's reluctance was reinforced after watching two of his best armies crippled in Burma under foreign control. Furthermore, after fighting and resisting the Japanese for five years, many in the Nationalist government felt that it was time for the Allies to assume a greater burden in fighting the war. ^[10] However, the first step to fighting the war for Stilwell was the reformation of the Chinese Army.^[11] Contrastingly, such a maneuver would have upset the delicate balance of political and military alliances, which kept Chiang in power. Reforming the army meant removing men who maintained Chiang's position on top.^[12] While he outwardly gave Stilwell command of some Chinese troops, Chiang preferred that the war in China be fought in the air by General Chennault's air force, something Chennault assured the Generalissimo was feasible. This, in turn, pushed Chennault and Stilwell into competition for the valuable Lend-Lease supplies arriving over the Hump.^[13] George Marshall acknowledged he had given Stilwell the toughest assignment of any theater commander.^{[citation needed]} Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Major General Frank Merrill (1903 – 1955) He is best rembered for his command of Merrills Marauders, officially 5307th Composite Unit (provisional), in the Burma Campaign of World War II. Merrills Marauders came under General Joseph Stilwells Northern Combat Area Command. ... Dwight David Ike Eisenhower, born David Dwight Eisenhower (October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American General and politician, who served as the thirty-fourth President of the United States (1953–1961). ... General of the Army Douglas MacArthur KCB (January 26, 1880 – April 5, 1964), was an American general and Field Marshal of the Philippines Army. ... For other persons named George Marshall, see George Marshall (disambiguation). ...

Arriving in Burma just in time to experience the collapse of the Allied defense of that country, which cut China off from all land and sea supply routes, Stilwell personally led the American forces out of Burma on foot. This courageous walkout from Burma and his bluntly honest assessment of the disaster captured the imagination of the American public, badly in need of candor and an American hero at that stage of the war.

After the walkout, China was cut off completely from Allied aid and material except through the hazardous route of flying cargo aircraft over the Himalayas from India, known as flying "The Hump". Early on, the Combined Chiefs of Staff had determined that Allied ground forces would not be sent to China; they realized that there was an inability to support them adequately. Conceptually, the Allies' strategy was that China would supply the ground forces to fight the Japanese, and the Americans would provide logistical and air support. Himalaya, see Himalaya (film). ... The Hump was the name given by Allied pilots to the eastern end of the Himalayan Mountains over which they flew from India to China to resupply the Flying Tigers and the Chinese Government of Chiang Kai-shek. ... The Combined Chiefs of Staff (CCS) was the supreme military command for the western Allies during World War II. It was a body constituted from the British Chiefs of Staff Committee and the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff. ...

Convinced that the Chinese soldier was the equal of any given the proper care and leadership, Stilwell established a training center for two divisions of Chinese troops in India. Stilwell's primary goals were the opening of a land route to China from northern Burma and India, so that greater supplies could be transported to China, and to organize a competent Chinese army that would fight the Japanese. Strategically, this was the only area at that time where the possibility existed for the Allies of engaging large numbers of troops against their common enemy, Japan.

Disagreements with Chiang

Stilwell was constantly embroiled in disagreements with Chiang - whom Stilwell labeled "Peanut" in his official reports - about engaging Chinese forces against the Japanese. Stilwell would press Chiang to fight, while Chiang, with some legitimacy, preferred to preserve a defensive posture for political and military reasons. Chiang was concerned that his troops lacked training and supplies, and he also wanted to keep Chinese Nationalist forces ready to fight the Communists, under Mao Tse-tung after the end of the war with the Japanese. Infuriated by what he regarded as Chiang's corruption, incompetence and timidity, Stilwell constantly filed reports to Washington complaining of Chiang's inaction. Eventually, Stilwell’s belief that Chiang and his generals were incompetent and corrupt reached such proportions that Stilwell sought to cut off Lend-Lease aid to China. In his diary, which he faithfully kept, Stilwell began to note the corruption and the amount of money ($380,584,000 in 1944 dollars) being wasted upon the procrastinating Chiang and his government. The Kuomintang (KMT) or Nationalist Party of China (Traditional Chinese: 中國國民黨; Simplified Chinese: 中国国民党; pinyin: Zhōngguó Guómíndǎng; Wade-Giles: Chung-kuo Kuo-min-tang; Tongyong Pinyin: Jhongguo Guomindang; literally the National Peoples Party of China... This article is about communism as a form of society, as an ideology advocating that form of society, and as a popular movement. ... Mao Zedong (December 26, 1893—September 9, 1976) was the chairman of the Communist Party of China from 1935 until his death. ...

For his part, Chiang would actually countermand orders to Chinese units issued by Stilwell in his capacity as Chief of Staff. Chiang demanded impossibly large amounts of supplies before he would agree to take offensive action. Since the amount of supplies that could be transported to China by air were inadequate, Stilwell constantly fought not only Chiang but also the American air forces in China under General Claire Lee Chennault, which demanded large percentages of the supplies for their own operations. Claire Lee Chennault Lt. ...

Stilwell with Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek and Madame Chiang Kai-shek.

Stilwell was hampered in large part by the rampant corruption of the Chiang regime; the Cambridge History of China, for instance, estimates that some 60-70% of Chiang's Kuomintang conscripts did not make it through their basic training, with some 40% deserting and the remaining 20% dying before full induction into the military. Similarly, as the war began to wind down much evidence was uncovered to lend credence to Stilwell's accusations; upon completion of the infamous "White Paper" (c. 1948) on the Chiang regime President Harry Truman reportedly declared "They're all a bunch of damn thieves!" and pulled all economic and military support for the regime, thus leading directly to the KMT downfall and retreat to the island of Formosa. Image File history File links Chiang_Kai_Shek_and_wife_with_Lieutenant_General_Stilwell. ... Image File history File links Chiang_Kai_Shek_and_wife_with_Lieutenant_General_Stilwell. ... Chiang Kai-shek (October 31, 1887 – April 5, 1975) was the Chinese military and political leader who assumed the leadership of the Kuomintang (KMT) after the 1925 death of Sun Yat-sen. ... Generalissimo and Madame Chiang Kai-shek with General Stilwell in Burma (1942). ...

Other Conflicts

Stilwell also continually clashed with Field Marshal Archibald Wavell, and apparently came to believe that the British in India were more concerned with protecting their colonial possessions there than helping the Chinese fight the Japanese. In August 1943, as a result of the feuding and conflicting goals of the British, Americans and Chinese and the lack of coherence of a strategic vision for the China Burma India theater, the Combined Chiefs of Staff split the CBI command into a Chinese theater and a Southeast Asia theater. Field Marshal Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell, GCB, GCSI, GCIE, CMG, MC, PC (May 5, 1883 – May 24, 1950) was a British field marshal and the commander of British Army forces in the Middle East during World War II. He led British forces to victory over the Italians, only...

With the establishment of the new South East Asia Command in August 1943, Stilwell was appointed Deputy Supreme Allied Commander under Vice Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten. He built up the Chinese forces for an offensive in northern Burma and on 21 December he assumed direct control of operations to capture the Burmese city of Myitkyina. The city did not fall until August 1944. Among other reasons, Stilwell blamed the British Chindits for not obeying his orders promptly enough. When General William Slim, commander of British and Commonwealth forces in Burma, said the men were exhausted and should be withdrawn, Stilwell would not agree until the men had undergone a medical examination. Vice Admiral is a naval rank of three star level, equivalent to Lieutenant General in seniority. ... Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma (June 25, 1900 – August 27, 1979) was a British admiral and statesman and an uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. ... December 21 is the 355th day of the year (356th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Myitkyina is a city, and the capital of Kachin State in Myanmar, located 919miles from Yangon, or 487 miles from Mandalay. ... The Chindits (Officially in 1942 77th Indian Infantry Brigade and in 1943 Indian 3rd Infantry Division) were a British Indian Army Special Force that served in Burma and India from 1942 until 1945 during the Burma Campaign in World War II. They were formed into long range penetration groups trained... Field Marshal Sir William Joseph Slim, 1st Viscount Slim, KG, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, GBE, DSO, MC (6 August 1891 – 14 December 1970) was a British military commander and the 13th Governor-General of Australia. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

One of the most significant conflicts to emerge during the war was between General Stilwell and Claire Chennault, the commander of the famed "Flying Tigers". Chennault commanded the Chinese air force and was very close to the Chiang family, using this personal influence to push his vision of a strictly limited air offensive against the Japanese. Stilwell insisted that the idea was untenable, and that any air campaign should not start until fully fortified air bases supported by large infantry reserves had first been established. Chiang refused, instead following Chennault's advice, thus allowing him to once again hoard supplies and personnel. Consequently, in 1944 the Japanese launched the counter-offensive, Operation Ichi-Go, quickly overrunning the air bases and proving Stilwell correct. Ironically, however, Chiang manipulated the opportunity to blame Stilwell for the Japanese successes, demanding that the Americans recall him. This article needs to be wikified. ...

Despite these considerable difficulties, Stilwell did manage to lead the Chinese troops and British Imperial troops under his command to shorten the air supply route and finish the Ledo Road, which linked to the northern end of the Burma Road as the primary land supply route to China. The Ledo Road was later renamed the Stilwell Road in acknowledgment of Stilwell's efforts. The Ledo Road was built during World War II so that the Western Allies could continue to supply the Chinese after the Japanese cut the Burma Road. ... Burma Road The Burma Road is a road linking Burma (also called Myanmar) with China. ... The Ledo Road was built during World War II so that the Western Allies could continue to supply the Chinese after the Japanese cut the Burma Road. ...

Return to US

In October 1944 Stilwell was relieved of his commands by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He returned unceremoniously to the United States only to be met by two Army generals at the airport, who told him that he was not to answer any media questions about China whatsoever. A presidential election was coming up and Roosevelt did not want to take any unnecessary risks. FDR redirects here. ...

In her book Stilwell and the American Experience in China, Barbara Tuchman wrote that Stilwell was sacrificed as a political expedient due to his inability to get along with his allies in the theater. Stilwell's removal was certainly a result of substantial political pressure by Chiang through diplomatic means and using influential American friends who supported Chiang's government. One such group, called the "China Lobby," included Time publisher Henry Luce and his wife Clare Boothe Luce as well as J. Edgar Hoover, head of the FBI. Barbara Wertheim Tuchman (January 30, 1912 – February 6, 1989) was an American historian and author. ... In United States Chinese government to influence Sino-American relations. ... Time (whose trademark is capitalized TIME) is a weekly American newsmagazine, similar to Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report. ... Henry Robinson Luce (April 3, 1898 - February 28, 1967) was an influential American publisher. ... Clare Boothe Luce photo taken by Carl Van Vechten, 1933. ...

Some historians have theorized that Roosevelt was concerned that Chiang would sign a separate peace with Japan, which would free many Japanese divisions to fight elsewhere, and that Roosevelt wanted to placate Chiang. The power struggle over the China Theater that emerged between Stilwell, Chennault, and Chiang reflected the American political divisions of the time.

A highly different interpretation of events was that Stilwell, pressing for a more full engagement of Chinese forces, had made diplomatic inroads with the Chinese Communist Red Army commanded by Mao Zedong. He had gotten them to agree to follow an American commander. Because of the displeasure of Chiang Kai-Shek of being bypassed by the American general, he had Stilwell recalled to the United States. New York Times reporter Brooks Atkinson wrote at the time: "The decision to relieve General Stilwell represents the political triumph of a moribund, anti-democratic regime that is more concerned with maintaining its political supremacy than in driving the Japanese out of China. America is now committed... to support a regime that has become increasingly unpopular and distrusted in China, that maintains three secret police services and concentration camps for political prisoners, that stifles free speech and resists democratic forces... The Chinese Communists... have good armies that are now fighting guerrilla warfare against the Japanese in North China... The Generalissimo regards these armies as the chief threat to his supremacy... has made no sincere attempt to arrange at least a truce with them for the duration of the war... No diplomatic genius could have overcome the Generalissimo's basic unwillingness to risk his armies in battle with the Japanese..."^[14] “Mao” redirects here. ... Brooks Atkinson (November 28, 1894-January 14, 1984) was the theater critic for The New York Times from 1925 to 1960. ... Chiang Kai-shek (October 31, 1887 – April 5, 1975) was the Chinese military and political leader who assumed the leadership of the Kuomintang (KMT) after the 1925 death of Sun Yat-sen. ...

Reassignment

Despite prompting by the news media, he never complained about his treatment by Washington or by Chiang. He later served as Commander of Army Ground Forces, U.S. Tenth Army Commander in the closing battle for Okinawa in 1945, and as U.S. Sixth Army Commander. The Army Ground Forces was one of the three autonomous components of the Army of the United States during World War II, the others being the United States Army Air Forces and Army Service Forces. ... Image:US Tenth Army. ... This article is about the prefecture. ... Shoulder sleeve insignia of the U.S. Sixth Army. ...

In November, he was appointed to lead a "War Department Equipment Board" in an investigation of the Army's modernization in light of its recent experience. Among his recommendations was the establishment of a combined arms force to conduct extended service tests of new weapons and equipment and then formulate doctrine for its use, and the abolition of specialized anti-tank units. His most notable recommendation was for a vast improvement of the Army's defenses against all airborne threats, including ballistic missiles. In particular, he called for "guided interceptor missiles, dispatched in accordance with electronically computed data obtained from radar detection stations."

Stilwell was never troubled by scandal in his private life. Of his disagreements with Chiang Kai-shek and his recall from China he wrote: "The trouble was largely one of posture. I tried to stand on my feet instead of my knees. I did not think the knee position was a suitable one for Americans." His trademarks were an old campaign hat, GI shoes, and no insignia of rank, portraying himself as a sort of "Soldiers' General."

Stilwell died of stomach cancer on October 12, 1946, at the Presidio of San Francisco, while still on active duty. His ashes were scattered on the Pacific Ocean, and a cenotaph was placed at the West Point Cemetery. Among his military decorations are the Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Legion of Merit degree of Commander, the Bronze Star, and the Combat Infantryman Badge (this last award given to him as he was dying from stomach cancer). Stomach cancer (also called gastric cancer) can develop in any part of the stomach and may spread throughout the stomach and to other organs; particularly the esophagus and the small intestine. ... The Parade Grounds at the Presidio of San Francisco. ... The Cenotaph, London A ceremony at the Cenotaph, London, on Sunday 12th June 2005, remembering Irish war dead Memorial Cenotaph, Hiroshima, Japan A cenotaph is a tomb or a monument erected in honor of a person or group of persons whose remains are elsewhere. ... West Point Cemetery is an historic cemetery on the grounds of the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York. ... The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is the second highest military decoration of the United States Army, awarded for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. ... The Distinguished Service Medal is a high level military and civilian decoration of the United States of America which is issued for meritorious service to the government of the United States in either a senior government service position or as a senior officer of the United States armed forces. ... Bronze and Silver oak leaf clusters An Oak leaf cluster is a common device which is placed on military awards and decorations to denote those who have received more than one bestowal of a particular decoration. ... The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. ... The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration and is the fourth highest award for bravery, heroism or meritorious service. ... The Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) is an award of the United States Army which is presented to those officers, warrant officers and enlisted soldiers, in the grade of Colonel and below, who participate in active ground combat while assigned as a member of an infantry or special forces unit, brigade...

Stilwell’s home, built in 1933-1934 on Carmel Point, Carmel, California, remains a private home with a plaque in front identifying it as the general's home. A number of streets, buildings, and areas across the country have been named for Stilwell over the years, including Joseph Stilwell Middle School in Jacksonville, Florida. The Soldiers’ Club he envisioned in 1940 (a time when there was no such thing as a soldiers’ club in the Army) was completed in 1943 at Fort Ord on the bluffs overlooking Monterey Bay. Many years later the building was renamed “Stilwell Hall” in his honor, but because of the erosion of the bluffs over the decades, the building was taken down in 2003. Carmel-by-the-Sea is a city located in Monterey County, California. ... Nickname: Motto: Where Florida Begins Location in the state of Florida Coordinates: , Country United States State Florida County Duval Government  - Mayor John Peyton (R) Area  - City  885 sq mi (2,264. ... A view of Monterey Bay Monterey Bay is a bay of the Pacific Ocean, on the coast of California, south of San Francisco. ...

On August 24, 2000, the United States Postal Service issued a 10¢ postage stamp honoring Stilwell. The United States Postal Service (USPS) is an independent establishment of the executive branch of the United States government (see 39 U.S.C. Â§ 201) responsible for providing postal service in the U.S. Within the United States, it is colloquially referred to simply as the post office. ...

The Ledo Road was later renamed the Stilwell Road in acknowledgment of Stilwell's efforts. The Ledo Road was built during World War II so that the Western Allies could continue to supply the Chinese after the Japanese cut the Burma Road. ...

Awards and decorations

• Distinguished Service Cross
• Distinguished Service Medal with Oak leaf cluster
• Legion of Merit
• Philippine Campaign Medal
• World War I Victory Medal
• China Service Medal
• American Defense Service Medal
• Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
• World War II Victory Medal
• Combat Infantryman Badge (to date, Stilwell is the only soldier ever to receive a CIB as a general officer, through an act of Congress)
• Chevalier Légion d'honneur

The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is the second highest military decoration of the United States Army, awarded for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. ... The Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the United States Army which is presented to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the United States military, has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great responsibility. ... Bronze and Silver oak leaf clusters An Oak leaf cluster is a common device which is placed on military awards and decorations to denote those who have received more than one bestowal of a particular decoration. ... The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. ... Army and Navy versions of the Philippine Campaign Medal The Philippine Campaign Medal is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces which was created to denote service of U.S. military members in the Philippine-American War between the years of 1898 and 1913. ... The World War I Victory Medal is a decoration of the United States military which was first created in 1919. ... The China Service Medal was a military medal awarded to U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard personnel. ... The American Defense Service Medal is a decoration of the United States military which was created in 1941 by Executive Order of President Franklin Roosevelt. ... The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal is a service decoration of the Second World War which was awarded to any member of the United States military who served in the Pacific Theater from 1941 to 1945. ... WWII Victory Medal The World War II Victory Medal is a decoration of the United States military which was created by an act of Congress in July 1945. ... The Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) is an award of the United States Army which is presented to those officers, warrant officers and enlisted soldiers, in the grade of Colonel and below, who participate in active ground combat while assigned as a member of an infantry or special forces unit, brigade... Chiang Kai-sheks Légion dhonneur. ...

See also

• History of the Republic of China
• Military of the Republic of China
• Kuomintang
• National Revolutionary Army
• Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945)

The Republic of China (Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ) succeeded the Qing Dynasty in 1912, ending 2,000 years of imperial rule. ... The Republic of China (commonly known as Taiwan) maintains a large military establishment, which accounted for 16. ... The Kuomintang of China (abbreviation KMT) (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Tongyong Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Chung1-kuo2 Kuo2-min2-tang3) [1], also often translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party, is a political party in the Republic of China, now on Taiwan, and is currently the largest political party in... The National Revolutionary Army (NRA) (Chinese: 國民革命軍; pinyin: guo2 min2 ge2 ming4 jun1) was the national army of the Republic of China. ... The Second Sino-Japanese War was a major invasion of eastern China by Japan preceding and during World War II. It ended with the surrender of Japan in 1945. ...

References

• Eric Larrabee, Commander In Chief, New York: Harper & Row, 1987. ISBN 0-06-039050-6
• Jon Latimer, Burma: The Forgotten War, London: John Murray, 2004. ISBN 978-0719565762
• Barbara Tuchman, Sand Against the Wind: Stilwell and the American Experience in China 1911-45, London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 2001. ISBN 978-1842122815

Jon Latimer is a historian and writer based in Wales. ... Barbara Wertheim Tuchman (January 30, 1912 – February 6, 1989) was an American historian and author. ...

Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Joseph Stilwell

• The Stilwell Pages
• Annals of the Flying Tigers
• Find-a-Grave information on Joseph Stilwell

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... The Wikimedia Commons (also called Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ...

Footnotes

1. ^ Barbara Tuchman, Stilwell and the American Experience in China, 1911 - 45 (New York, New York: Macmillan Co., 1971), 10.
2. ^ Tuchman, Stilwell and the American Experience, 9.
3. ^ Tuchman, Stilwell and the American Experience, 11.
4. ^ Tuchman, 11.
5. ^ Tuchman, Stilwell and the American Experience, 12.
6. ^ Tuchman, Stilwell and the American Experience, 12 - 13.
7. ^ Tuchamn, Stilwell and the American Experience, 15.
8. ^ Tuchman, Stilwell and the American Experience in China 1911-45, pg 125
9. ^ Barbara Tuchman, Stilwell and the American Experience in China, 1911 - 45 (New York, New York: Macmillan Co., 1971), p. 231 - 232.
10. ^ Tuchman, Stilwell and the American Experience, p.303.
11. ^ Tuchman, Stilwell and the American Experience in China, p. 304.
12. ^ Tuchman, p. 306.
13. ^ Tuchman, p. 307.
14. ^ "Crisis", Time magazine quoting the New York Times, 1944-11-13. Retrieved on 2007-03-02.