Stilwell was recalled to China. What happened?

On May 1 1, a vanguard of the Expeditionary Force crossed the Nujiang River, which opened the prelude to the counterattack in western Yunnan. The next day, the main force of the expeditionary force launched an all-out attack on the 56th Japanese Division in Longling and Tengchong in two ways.

Although Stilwell did not take part in the command of the expeditionary force, he devoted great efforts to the training and dressing of this force and to promoting it to fight against Japan as soon as possible. When he saw that this China army finally rushed to the Japanese position with unprecedented ferocity, he showed a satisfied smile on his face.

However, for a long time, Stilwell and Chiang Kai-shek disagreed in many aspects, which led Chiang Kai-shek to call President Roosevelt many times to ask for the recall of Stilwell. Roosevelt wrote back to Jiang Fa on October 5th, 65438/KLOC-0 for the benefit of the United States in China. This telegram is the product of mutual compromise between him and Marshall. Although Marshall's tough words are used in the article, they actually show Roosevelt's concession to Chiang Kai-shek. The telegram expressed "surprise and regret" to Chiang Kai-shek's cancellation of the agreement granting Stilwell command, and solemnly announced that due to the serious deterioration of the battlefield situation in China, the US government would no longer assume the responsibility of appointing an American officer to command China's army; At the same time, the telegram agreed to remove Stilwell from the post of Chief of Staff of China Theater and the responsibility of managing the leased materials. The telegram only made a request that Stilwell continue to command the China army in Yunnan and Myanmar.

Stilwell pointedly pointed out: "This is a weak conditional surrender."

Although Stilwell was in a very difficult situation and the prospect was very confused, he still paid attention to the anti-Japanese battlefield with high enthusiasm and tenacious perseverance.

He left a very polite letter to Chennault, a US Air Force officer who helped China, and was proud of his outstanding achievements and the admiration of the people of China. He never regarded Chennault as an opponent, but thought he was a bit whimsical, unruly and an unruly subordinate.

He bid farewell to Ambassador Gauss and learned that he had decided to resign. Because Hurley clung to Chiang Kai-shek, Ambassador Gauss had little to do. After Gauss left Chongqing, Hurley became the ambassador to China as he wished.

Chiang Kai-shek sent a junior officer of the Central Military Commission to Stilwell and gave him a top blue sky and white ribbon. Stilwell sent an American officer of the same rank to refuse. Chiang Kai-shek made a polite appointment with Stilwell. "Chiang Kai-shek said that he felt very sorry for all this; I have done many things for China, training troops-leading troops, and so on. It was only because we were incompatible that he asked me to be dismissed. " Stilwell finally said to Chiang Kai-shek: "No matter what you think of me, please remember that my only purpose is only for the benefit of China." Chiang Kai-shek even sent him to the gate.

On the afternoon of June 265438+1October 2 1, Stilwell left Chongqing by plane.

On the way to India, he stopped in Kunming, Baoshan, Myitkyina and Ramga, visited the troops and officers who had fought together, and looked at the mountains, dense forests, roads and rivers that left his footprints. But he can't formally say goodbye to them. Washington ordered him to keep secrets from his troops and officers.

101On October 27th, Stilwell left Karachi, the westernmost point of the China-Burma-India war zone. "Leave the airport at dawn. At 8 o'clock, I finally took a look at the China-Myanmar-India war zone. " He wrote with emotion: "A person's experience has become so insignificant in the vast world and the torrent of war." Although he is a famous four-star general, the President of the United States needs China more. In Roosevelt's eyes, Chiang Kai-shek was China. Compared with Chiang Kai-shek's China, he would rather sacrifice an "insignificant" general.

1945 65438+1On October 23rd, he was appointed as the commander of the ground forces of the US Army, responsible for the training of domestic forces.

Two days later, news came from China that the China-India Highway he worked hard for was officially opened to traffic on1October 25th, 65438. The first batch of 105 trucks started from Lido, India, loaded with weapons, ammunition and oil, and dragged heavy guns, mountain guns and anti-aircraft guns into Yunnan, China. The next day, Wanding, the gateway of Yunnan, held a grand opening ceremony. On February 4th, the motorcade arrived in Kunming, and more than 654.38+ten thousand people flocked to the roadside, waving slogans and flags to welcome them.

Chiang Kai-shek said in a speech: "We have broken the blockade of China. In order to commemorate the outstanding contribution of General joseph stilwell and the great role played by the allied forces and the China army under his leadership in the Myanmar campaign and the construction of this road, I named this road' Stilwell Road'. " The US military in the China-Burma-India theater has been divided into two, with Wei Demai as the commander of the US military in the China theater and General soltan as the commander of the US military in the Burma-India theater. According to Chiang Kai-shek's decision, soltan officially issued an order, announcing the name "Stilwell Road". In his letter to Stilwell, he said that it was "your unconquerable will" that opened the way. According to statistics, from February to August of 1945, * * * 386 motorcade transported more than 80,000 tons of materials to China along stilwell road.

Stilwell was invited to speak on the military program on the radio. He looked at the microphone as if he were facing soldiers and laborers fighting and building roads in the jungle. He praised their great contribution and paid tribute to them. But he didn't mention himself, as if he had never been there. 10 In February, in recognition of Stilwell's achievements, the US government awarded him the Legion of Honor and the Medal of Excellent Service.

The war is still raging. 1945 65438+ 10, in October, under the command of General MacArthur, American troops in the Southwest Pacific Theater attacked Luzon Island and then marched on Manila. In February, the Central Pacific Theater troops led by Admiral Nimitz landed on Iwo Jima. Stilwell keeps a close eye on the changes in the battlefield situation and still looks forward to one day being able to command the US military to fight against Japan. According to the decision of the second Quebec Conference, the Allies have taken the Pacific Ocean as the main battlefield of the war against Japan and prepared to land on the coast of China to wipe out the Japanese army on the mainland. After commenting on this plan, an article published by the Associated Press on February 7th analyzed the candidates who could command the coastal landing operations in China, and the ranking order was Stilwell, MacArthur and Nimitz.

In April, the US military adjusted its command system in the Pacific Ocean. MacArthur was appointed commander-in-chief of the US military in the Pacific, and Nimitz commanded all naval fleets in the Pacific. In the same month, Roosevelt died and Vice President Truman succeeded him. In May, Marshall arranged for Stilwell to visit MacArthur's Pacific front and see if there was a suitable command position there.

Stilwell and MacArthur are classmates of West Point Military Academy who are only one term away, and they are very familiar with each other. MacArthur warmly received him, introduced him to the front situation, and arranged inspection activities for him. The US military is advancing rapidly in the Pacific Ocean. The war in the Philippines basically ended and Iwo Jima was occupied. The battle between Okinawa and Saipan is fierce. /kloc-in June of 0/8, Stilwell was ready to return to China, and MacArthur had a cordial conversation with him again. He asked Stilwell if he would be his chief of staff. Stilwell shook his head and said to him, "I think I am suitable for the current line commander." MacArthur asked him again, as a four-star general, whether he could be the commander of the group army. Stilwell replied, "As long as I lead the troops to fight, even if I command a division." However, there was really no room for arrangement at that time. The next day, Stilwell had to leave the front and go home. When he arrived in Honolulu, Hawaii, he suddenly received a telegram from MacArthur: "Return to Guam immediately and command 10 Army." It turned out that General buckner, commander of the group army, was killed by shrapnel when he was directing operations in Okinawa, and Stilwell was lucky enough to get the command position.

On June 23rd, Stilwell officially took office as commander of 10 Army. But on the same day, the US military has basically occupied Okinawa. After that, the course of the war turned sharply, and Stilwell finally failed to command the US military to carry out large-scale battles.

On August 6 and 9, the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan.

On August 8, the Soviet Far East Army launched a large-scale attack on the Japanese Kwantung Army.

14 In August, Japan announced its unconditional surrender.

"The war ended like this." Stilwell wrote this sentence in his diary with mixed feelings.

On September 2, Stilwell attended the signing ceremony of the Japanese surrender on the battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay. On the 7th, he personally presided over the Japanese surrender ceremony in Ryukyu Islands.

1On September 28th, 946, Stilwell, who was always struggling with various difficulties, was finally knocked down by the disease and admitted to Lederman Army Hospital in San Francisco.

10 year10.3, the best surgeon in the hospital gave him a surgical examination and found that the cancer of the stomach had reached the advanced stage and had spread to the liver. Obviously, he has been ill for a long time. People recall that he often had a stomachache when he counterattacked northern Myanmar on 1944. After returning to Chongqing, he didn't check it.

Stilwell was dying, and he offered to get a combat infantry medal. This is a very common medal, which can be won by soldiers who have fought in the front. As a four-star general who has fought all his life, Stilwell has won high honors, including a legion of honor, a cross medal for excellent service and two medals for excellent service, but he is eager to win the honor of being a firefighter. On June 65438+1October 1 1 day, the war department met the last hope of the old soldiers.

The next day, 1946 65438+ 10/2, General Stilwell passed away in a coma and completed his 63-year life journey.