China News Service, Chongqing, February 25th: Why does China build a museum for this four-star U.S. Army general?
——Exclusive interview with Zhou Yong, vice president of the Chinese Anti-Japanese War Historical Society and honorary president of the Chongqing History Research Society
Author Liang Qinqing
On the hillside beside the Jialing River in Liziba, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, a red door is hidden among the lush vegetation. Here is the Stilwell Museum, the only museum in China named after a foreign general.
From 1911 to 1944, the four-star U.S. Army General Stilwell visited China five times.
Especially after the outbreak of the Pacific War in 1941, Stilwell came to Chongqing to work and live.
He supported the Chinese people's cause of resistance against Japan and made important contributions to the final victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japan and the World Anti-Fascist War.
Why is the Stillwell Museum located in Chongqing?
What kind of deep friendship does the Stilwell family have with China?
Professor Zhou Yong, vice president of the Chinese Anti-Japanese War Historical Society and honorary president of the Chongqing History Research Society, recently accepted an exclusive interview with China News Service's "East-West Question" to explain this.
Video: [East-West Question] Zhou Yong: Why does China want to build a museum for this four-star U.S. Army general?
Source: China News Network
The interview transcript is summarized as follows:
China News Service reporter: What is the connection between General Stilwell and China?
Zhou Yong:
In 1911, Stilwell, who was only 28 years old, set foot in China for the first time.
He was attracted by the long-standing Chinese culture and lifestyle that was very different from the West, as well as the violent shock caused by the Revolution of 1911, which became the starting point for his connection with China.
From 1920 to 1923, Stilwell and his family lived in Beijing as a staff member of the U.S. Embassy in China.
During this period, he worked as a railway engineer in Shanxi and Shaanxi. Not only did he learn Chinese, he became increasingly fascinated by China's landscape, history and culture.
After returning to China after completing his term, Stilwell learned that there was a vacancy for a battalion commander in the U.S. Fifteenth Corps stationed in Tianjin. He took the initiative to apply to go to China again, and set foot on Chinese soil again in August 1926.
Because of his outstanding performance, Stilwell received more and more attention from the U.S. military.
In 1935, he was appointed as the military attaché of the U.S. Embassy in China and came to China with his family for the fourth time.
He had extensive contacts with high-level Chinese officials and became a "China expert" in the U.S. military community.
After the Pacific War broke out in December 1941, China and the United States joined forces to fight Japanese fascism.
At this time, Stilwell, who had been promoted to lieutenant general, was sent to Chongqing by then US President Roosevelt to serve as the chief of staff of the Allied China Theater Command and the supreme commander of the US forces in the China-Burma-India Theater.
Here, in order to win the anti-fascist war, he twice led his troops into Burma to fight to the death with the Japanese army. He also worked hard to open up a major international strategic channel, the China-Burma-India Highway, which broke the Japanese army's land-based international control over the Chinese anti-Japanese battlefield. blockade.
During this period, Stilwell established good relations with the Chinese Communist Party.
Under his promotion, the first batch of personnel of the US military observation group stationed in Yan'an in July 1944.
This contact became a milestone in the history of relations between the Chinese Communist Party and the United States.
When he died in the United States in October 1946, he hoped that his children would represent him and visit China again.
He misses China very much.
In 2003, the Chongqing Stilwell Museum reopened after renovations, and a statue of General Stilwell was unveiled.
Photo by Lei Ming
Reporter from China News Service: The Stilwell Museum is located in Chongqing. What’s so special about it?
Zhou Yong:
The Stilwell Museum is located at No. 63 Jialing New Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing. It is built on the mountain and has more than 10 houses in total.
This is the official residence of General Stilwell when he served as the Chief of Staff of the Allied Powers' China Theater Command and the Supreme Commander of the U.S. Forces in the China-Burma-India Theater. It is a historical testimony that the Chinese people will not forget the American people's support for China's war of resistance. It is left to the Chinese and American people today. important heritage.
While working in Chongqing, Stilwell took the lead and commanded the Chinese and American troops and people to fight side by side. He made an indelible contribution to the victory of China's Anti-Japanese War and the World Anti-Fascist War, and also forged a deep friendship with the Chinese people.
At that time, he often flew between Chongqing, India and Myanmar on a C-47 special plane. His special plane was called "Uncle Joe's chariot."
Stilwell always had sincere friendship for the Chinese people and the Communist Party of China.
He focused on the military strategy of the United States and insisted on supporting the Kuomintang and the Communist Party in a balanced way to resist Japan. As a result, he had many contradictions and even serious conflicts with Chiang Kai-shek until he was transferred back to China.
Tourists visit the Chongqing Stillwell Museum.
Photo by Zhou Yi
Reporter from China News Service: What objects exist in the Stillwell Museum, and what are the stories behind them?
Zhou Yong:
The Stilwell Museum preserves more than 100 items of objects, manuscripts, and military uniforms used by Stilwell in the past, as well as Chinese books he collected and annotated.
Stilwell's daughter Nancy Stilwell and her family spared no effort to collect Stilwell's relics and World War II artifacts and donated them to the Chongqing Stilwell Museum.
Recently, Stilwell's grandson John Easterbrook donated nearly 200 pictures.
Tourists visit the Chongqing Stillwell Museum.
Photo by Zhou Yi
There are two osmanthus trees in the courtyard of the Stilwell Museum, which bear witness to the deep friendship between the Stilwell family and the Chinese people.
In 2014, Stilwell's grandson and granddaughter planted an osmanthus tree in the courtyard to symbolize friendship, and now it has flourishing branches.
In early August 2023, the descendants of General Stilwell planted a new osmanthus tree in the museum courtyard.
The fragrance of sweet-scented osmanthus carries the legacy of friendship.
General Stilwell formed a deep friendship with Comrade Zhu De during his stay in China.
On August 8, 2023, the descendants of the two people jointly planted an osmanthus tree at the Chongqing Stillwell Museum. They hope that the friendship between the two parties will last for a long time and that the friendship between the people of China and the United States will last forever.
Photo by Zhou Yi
There was also a story about "gifting a car from thousands of miles away" here.
On June 16, 2007, 74-year-old Chinese-American Tan Yongzhao donated four World War II U.S. military vehicles to the Stilwell Museum.
Tam Wing-chiu was born in Hong Kong and was a civil engineer. His father-in-law was Stilwell's liaison officer.
He has been fascinated by General Stilwell since his youth and loves to collect World War II items. These four military vehicles all participated in the battle to aid China commanded by Stilwell.
Today, these military vehicles still wear local commemorative license plates in the United States. In addition to their simple appearance, they perform well and can even drive.
On June 16, 2007, 74-year-old Chinese-American Tan Yongzhao donated four World War II U.S. military vehicles to the Stilwell Museum.
The picture shows the US military vehicle donated by Tan Yongzhao.
Photo by Zhou Yi
On September 8, 1996, I accompanied former US Secretary of State Kissinger to visit the Stilwell Museum.
After the visit, Kissinger wrote an inscription on the guestbook: "The noble and epic cooperation between the United States and China during the anti-fascist war is the foundation for even more brilliant cooperation between the two sides in the future."
China News Service reporter: In the past 30 years, what role has the Stillwell Museum played as a bridge connecting people-to-people friendship between China and the United States?
Zhou Yong:
Stilwell has always been an important figure and research object in the history of modern China and the history of China’s Anti-Japanese War. Research on him really reached its climax after the 1990s.
The Stilwell Museum is an important platform for researching and displaying Stilwell's life and history, and constitutes the common memory of Chinese and American people.
In 1991, the 45th anniversary of Stilwell's death, the Chongqing Municipal People's Government took back the former residence of General Stilwell that had been used as a factory, established the "Stilwell Research Center" and the "Stilwell Museum", and held the "Stilwell Museum". Exhibition of Pictures of the General’s Life”.
In 1994, the "General Stilwell and Americans in China During the Capital Period Exhibition" was held at the Stilwell Museum and was open to the public.
Since then, Chongqing has held many seminars to expand the scope of research on Stilwell from history to the fields of economics and diplomacy. The focus of research has also been extended from history to the present, and the degree of research has gradually deepened.
The Stilwell Museum is also a cultural platform for dialogue between China and the United States and one of the links for Chongqing’s opening up to the outside world.
For more than 30 years, with the Stilwell Museum as a platform, Stilwell's Sino-US friendship has been passed down by the people of China and the United States, especially the academic community and the Stilwell family, and has contributed to the promotion of cultural exchanges between China and the United States. Contributed private power.
While Stilwell was working in China, his son and two sons-in-law also assisted him in his work in China.
This experience developed into a deep bond and lasting friendship between five generations of the Stilwell family and the Chinese people.
As early as the 1980s, Nancy Stilwell, the eldest daughter of General Stilwell, led 15 people from three generations of her family to visit China.
Until her seventies, she still frequently traveled between China and the United States to promote friendly people-to-people exchanges.
Nancy and her sister Allison also established a branch of the U.S.-China People's Friendship Association in their hometown in the United States and regularly organized activities to promote friendship between the two peoples.
On August 8, 2023, members of the Stilwell family and guests visited the "Great Friend - Picture Exhibition of the Life of General Stilwell" at the Chongqing Stilwell Museum.
Photo by China News Service reporter Zhou Yi
After Nancy's death, her son John Easterbrook took on the task of collecting Stilwell cultural relics and communicating with the academic circles and people of China and the United States.
He went to Chongqing many times, sometimes even bringing his wife and two daughters with him to participate in Sino-US exchange activities with the theme of Stilwell.
On August 8, 2023, members of the Stilwell family and guests visited the "Great Friend - Picture Exhibition of the Life of General Stilwell" at the Chongqing Stilwell Museum.
Photo by Zhou Yi
During the commemoration of the 140th anniversary of the birth of General Stilwell in Chongqing in 2023, John Easterbrook delivered a video speech.
His daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren were also present in person, allowing the Sino-US friendship pioneered by Stilwell to be passed down to the fifth generation of their family.
I deeply feel that the foundation of Sino-US relations lies in the people, hope lies in the people, the future lies in the youth, and the vitality lies in the localities.
The history of China and the United States fighting side by side for world peace is a huge contribution to the cause of human justice and peace.
Today, studying the history of Sino-US cooperation in the wartime war is an important area of non-governmental and cultural exchanges between China and the United States.
Such exchanges can help deepen understanding of shared history, enhance understanding and expand cooperation.
(over)
Interviewee profile:
Professor Zhou Yong.
Photo by Zhou Yi
Zhou Yong is a professor and doctoral supervisor at Southwest University and Southwest University of Political Science and Law.
Since 1993, he has enjoyed special allowances from the State Council. He is a national leader in party history, an expert in the review of the National Social Science Fund and Publishing Fund, an academic and technical leader in modern Chinese history in Chongqing, and one of the first batch of experts in the Chongqing Special Support Program for Leading Talents in Philosophy and Social Sciences, Chongqing. Senior experts directly contacted by the Municipal Party Committee.
He is currently a director of the Chinese Historical Society, vice president of the Chinese Society for the History of the Anti-Japanese War, vice president of the Chinese Urban History Research Society, director of the Collaborative Innovation Center for Chinese Anti-Japanese War Rear Area Research, and honorary president of the Chongqing History Research Society.
He participated in the Stilwell research project in the early 1990s. In 1994, he led the creation of the basic exhibition of the Stilwell Museum. In 1995, he went to the United States as a visiting scholar, visited Stilwell relics and ruins, and established friendly relations with the Stilwell family.
In 2015, he edited and published the picture album "Stilwell and the Chinese Theater Command" (two volumes).