Daily Study | This reply vividly reflects the friendship between the Chinese and American people that has spanned a century

Learning keeps us energized forever

Every day, at No. 63 Jialing New Road, Liziba, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, there is a red gate hidden among the lush vegetation. Here is the only museum in China named after a foreign general - the Stilwell Museum.

What is the inexplicable bond between the Stilwell family and China? The story also starts with this general.

On August 8, 2023, viewers visited the Stilwell General Life Picture Exhibition.

Joseph Stilwell, born in Florida, USA in 1883, was a four-star general in the US Army. During his 42 year professional military career, General Stilwell visited China five times and worked and lived in Chongqing for a long time, living in China for a total of 12 years. Due to his profound understanding of Chinese culture and society, General Stilwell also became a famous "China expert" in the US military at that time.

After the Japanese army launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, the Allied China Burma India Theater of War was established during World War II. Due to his understanding of China, General Stilwell was sent to China.

After arriving in China, Joseph Stilwell served as the Chief of Staff of the Allied Chinese Theater Command and the Supreme Commander of the US Forces in the China Burma India Theater Command. In the arduous battle of northern Burma and western Yunnan, he, along with Chinese generals such as Du Yuming, commanded the Chinese army to engage in a desperate battle against the Japanese army and ultimately defeated them.

He also assisted the CPC in successfully transporting a batch of medical equipment "more precious than gold" to Yan'an. Afterwards, he continued to provide assistance to the liberated areas.

General Stilwell abandoned the political prejudice of most Americans towards the CPC at that time, and fairly and objectively evaluated the irreplaceable position of the CPC in the Anti Japanese War. In 1943, under his efforts, President Roosevelt explicitly stated in a "very tough telegram" that the Communist Party should be included in the scope of US government aid to China.

General Stilwell made important contributions to the ultimate victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti Fascist War. On September 2, 2015, Stilwell was awarded the commemorative medal for the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japan.

On August 8, 2023, at the Stilwell Museum in Chongqing, descendants of General Stilwell and Comrade Zhu De jointly planted a tree of friendship.

During his time in China, General Stilwell formed a deep friendship with Comrade Zhu De. In 1946, when Stilwell passed away due to stomach cancer, Comrade Zhu De once said, "General Stilwell's death not only caused the United States to lose a great general, but also caused the Chinese people to lose a great friend." For decades thereafter, the descendants of the two maintained close contact.

This year marks the 140th anniversary of General Stilwell's birth. On August 8, 2023, the Stilwell Museum in Chongqing held a commemorative event to commemorate the 140th anniversary of the birth of General Joseph Stilwell. At the opening ceremony of the seminar commemorating the 140th anniversary of General Stilwell's birth, John Eastbrook, an 82 year old retired US Army colonel and grandson of General Stilwell, passionately said in a video speech, "General Stilwell has a deep friendship with the Chinese people. The Chinese people place great importance on friendship and will not forget their friends. Both sides should always remember and continue their friendship."

John also has close ties with China. After retiring, he devoted more energy to studying Stilwell and the Sino Burmese Indian battlefield. Chinese scholars once went to the United States in the hope of searching for the descendants of American soldiers who died in action on the China Burma India battlefield. After multiple unsuccessful inquiries, they finally obtained a precious list with the help of John.

John's mother is Nancy Stilwell, the eldest daughter of General Stilwell. Nancy has a Chinese name, Shi Wensi. She lived in China when she was young and can speak fluent Chinese. Due to being the oldest child in the family, Nancy has always served as General Stilwell's "family secretary" and was responsible for taking care of his affairs.

General Stilwell's third daughter, Stevenson, also has great feelings for China. She was born at Peking Union Medical College Hospital and studied Chinese calligraphy as a teacher since childhood. At the age of 18, she held an art exhibition at Beijing Academy of Fine Arts, and after returning to the United States, she taught courses related to Chinese culture.

In the 1970s, China US relations moved towards normalization. Stevens and Stevenson sisters visited China and returned home. John said, "After going back, my mother and aunt really wanted to do something they could for China US relations, so they founded a Stilwell Scholarship. Every spring and autumn, they would go out regularly to raise funds and ask people to donate to the Stilwell Scholarship."

So far, each year during the Chinese Spring Festival, the sisters of Stevens and Stevens have organized a family dinner to have a "New Year meal".

On August 8, 2023, General Stilwell's great granddaughters Susan Cole and Nancy Milward visited the Stilwell Life Picture Exhibition.

At the 140th anniversary celebration of General Stilwell's birth, his great granddaughters Susan Cole and Nancy Millward also came to Chongqing, bringing with them the fifth generation of the Stilwell family.

Nancy Milward said, "The key to cultural exchange lies with the people. This time, taking our children to China is to show them a different world. Although we may have differences, we still need unity, friendship, and inclusiveness, which is also the spiritual wealth left by Stilwell to us."