Stilwell and the American Experience in China, 1911-45

  “Not with you, you dirty bastard”: Yank, 6 Oct 44.

  Wingate’s Order of the Day: Sykes, 522–23; Evans, 151n.

  Chiang’s order of March 6: R&S**, 176.

  Mountbatten’s concern for publicity: Ralph Arnold, 153.

  To “keep my campaign going for a week”: Eldridge, 229. Mountbatten’s visit was recorded by Signal Corps Film 18 CS 1083.

  “A god-damn duck-hunter” and “poor old man”: Eldridge, 216; Time, 21 Oct 46.

  “Fire in his belly” and disruptive to Allied causes: Mountbatten, interview with author.

  “A grand old warrior”: qtd. R&S**, 170.

  Upset by the smell of corpses: Stilwell to Win, 10 Mar 44, Carmel B-14.

  “Busted the Limey in the eye”: Eldridge, 202.

  General Sultan’s question: R&S**, 174.

  Mountbatten, “great urgency”: ibid., 177; Mountbatten, 51.

  Chiang’s reply to Roosevelt: 27 Mar 44, full text in R&S**, 308.

  Stilwell’s birthday: Signal Corps Film 1762; text of telegrams in Carmel A-23.

  “If the Japs are behind us”: CBI History, Master Narrative.

  The meeting at Jorhat: Slim, 236; S-Diary, 3 Apr 44.

  Wingate to Slim: Evans, 164–65, n.; Slim, 234.

  Opinion of Colonel Demetriadi: interview with author.

  “Put us all on the same beam”: April 1944, Hoover, File 124, Sec. 1.

  Unfavorable comment in Chungking: Gauss to State, 17 and 24 Apr, USFRC 44.

  Roosevelt to Chiang, April 3: R&S**, 310.

  Threat to cut off Lend-Lease: ibid., 312–14; CBI History, Master Narrative; Stilwell to Marshall, 11 Apr 44, Hoover, File 124, Sec. 1.

  Dorn’s letters: 28 and 29 Apr 44, Hoover, File 35.

  Stilwell’s radio: 27 Apr 44, Hoover, File 124, Sec. 1.

  “Danger—above everything”: Ogburn, 5.

  “Our own battalion commander”: Stone, ed., Report of Captain Henry Stelling, MC, 370.

  “If necessary at the expense”: Ogburn, 226.

  Mountbatten replied “impossible” and “unsound”: R&S**, 200.

  Admiral King quoted: King, 541.

  Mountbatten’s Order of the Day: NYT, 20 May 44; Churchill’s query: V, 569.

  March to Myitkyina: Peers, 166.

  “Pitiful but still splendid”: qtd. R&S**, 230.

  “Smell their way to the field”: Seagrave685, 137.

  “I had him in my rifle sights”: Ogburn, 279.

  “Terrified of the Japs”: 15 Jun 44, from NCAC correspondence in Gen. Boatner’s possession.

  Order to return GALAHAD convalescents to duty: Stone, ed., Report of Colonel Tracy S. Voorhees, JAGD, 383–86.

  “Red flag to a bull”: Ogburn, 279.

  “GI’s favorite”: Yank, 6 Oct 44.

  Cancels rule against pets: Tillman Durdin, NYT, 30 Apr 44.

  Chiang summons Stilwell “immediately”: Ferris to Stilwell, 3 Jun 44, Hoover, File 131.

  Noel Coward episode: Hoover, Files 130–31; Wheeler’s letter in Carmel A-23.

  Dorn’s reports on Y-force: 11 May and 8 Jun 44, Carmel A-23.

  18. “THE FUTURE OF ALL ASIA IS AT STAKE,” JUNE–SEPTEMBER 1944

  Young Generals’ Plot: Gauss to State (24 Jan and 3 Feb), Service (3 and 10 Feb), USFRC 44, 312, 319–26, 334–36.

  American foreign service reports: Gauss (28 Jan and 1 Feb), Sprouse (28 Jan), A. S. Chase (30 May), Langdon (14 Jul), Service (20 Mar), USFRC 44, 11, 38–39, 318ff., 331–34, 439–41, 476–77; also White, Thunder, 71; Peck, 417, 476, 553–54.

  Laborers at airfields: Peck, 450.

  “I’d like to get a year’s leave”: Peck, 514.

  Foreign correspondents’ protest: Tong, 242, 247–50.

  Crisis surfacing in Chungking: Gauss, 8 Jan, 16 Feb, 22 Sep, USFRC 44, 160–62, 341–42, 451.

  Fourteenth Air Force report on Honan: R&S**, 327.

  Embassy observer in Sian: Rice, 11 Nov, USFRC 44, 193–94.

  Service’s summarizing report: mem to Asst. C/S G-2, 2 Jun 44, Hoover, File 125.

  “Hopelessly inadequate”: qtd. R&S**, 366.

  Chiang demands, Marshall refuses diversion of tonnage from B-29s: all quotations from R&S**, 364–70, except “bleeding us white” from a later entry in Stimson Diary, 3 Oct 44.

  Lack of air transport in Europe: Marshall interview with R&S, 6 Jul 49.

  Collect a force of 250,000: Merrill interview with R&S, 20 Apr 48; R&S***, 57.

  “Prolonged kiss of death”: Peck, 498.

  Gauss, “I confess”: 15 Jun, USFRC 44, 100.

  Gauss instructed on June 15: USFRC 44, 102–105; Feis, 143.

  “Not committed to support”: mem by Edmund Clubb, Division of Chinese Affairs, 19 May, USFRC 44, 792; Feis, 142.

  Stalin assured Harriman: Feis, 140–41.

  Communists might win: White Paper, 64–65.

  Chiang reported preparing to attack: CBI History, Master Narrative.

  Mission to Yenan: Davies, 24 Jun 43 and 15 Jan 44, R&S**, 302–303; Timberman to author; Gauss (27 Jan and 11 Feb), FDR to CKS (9 Feb), CKS “facilitates” (22 Feb), USFRC 44, 313–14, 329–30, 348–49.

  Hsiao I-shu on Communists: Dorn to author.

  Dixie Mission: Barrett, “Dixie Mission,” 19; FDR to CKS, 5 Apr, USFRC 44, 394.

  Wallace mission: Roosevelt’s motives, Rosenman, 438–39; purpose, Stettinius, 21 and 24 May, USFRC 44, 224, 230; CBI HQ requests pressure, Ferris to Stilwell, 17 Jun 44, Hoover, File 119; conversations with CKS, full texts in White Paper, 549–59.

  Wallace not in sympathy: John Carter Vincent, who accompanied Wallace, to author: Wallace “didn’t mix at all with CKS. He had no use for him or for the regime which he believed was rotten.”

  “Deeply moved”: Wallace report, 28 Jun, USFRC 44, 225.

  Chennault and Alsop on hand: Chennault, 231.

  Stilwell invites Wallace: Stilwell to Davies (16 Jun 44), to Jones (22 Jun 44), Hoover, File 119.

  Wallace recommended: report of 28 Jun 44 cited above.

  Composed by Alsop: Alsop, Atlantic Monthly, April 1952.

  “Usual poison”: qtd. Stimson Diary, 2 Aug 44.

  Wallace’s second report: 10 Jul, USFRC 44, 244.

  Langdon’s report: 1 Aug, USFRC 44, 493–97.

  “Stuck with a regime”: 81st Congress, Loyalty Hearings, John K. Fairbank testimony, 2412.

  Service’s brief for Wallace: “The Situation in China and Suggestions Regarding American Policy,” 20 Jun, USFRC 44.

  Fear of Japanese continuing to fight in China: Marshall, Third Biennial Report, 209. For the same view held by Nimitz see Samuel Lubell, “Vinegar Joe and the Reluctant Dragon,” Sat. Eve. Post, 24 Feb 45.

  Brooke wants Stilwell relieved: Marshall interview with R&S, 6 Jul 49; Bryant**, 162.

  Proposal to enlarge Stilwell’s command: All official messages in the command crisis are in R&S**, 378–86, 413–22. Stilwell’s undated notes and drafts of his messages to Marshall are in Carmel A-23–24.

  Footnote, Alexander’s remark: Gen. Boatner to author.

  “What I am trying to find out”: Morgenthau, “Presidential Diary,” 28 Jun 44, Morgenthau Estate (unpub.).

  Delivery by senior officer in Chungking: Marshall to Stilwell, 7 May 44, Hoover, File 131.

  “Today a fateful decision”: typewritten copy of a telegram, no date or letterhead, Hopkins Papers, Chinese Affairs; also qtd. by Sherwood, 804.

  Soong to Gauss: Gauss, 12 Jul, USFRC 44, 125.

  What Stilwell hoped for from enlarged command: Hearn interview with R&S, 26 Nov 48; Timberman interview with author.

  Pai Ch’ung-hsi, “real command”: CBI History, Master Narrative.

  Dispute with Chennault over arms for ground forces: All communications in this episode are quoted from R&S**, 371–72, 402–403, 412.

  “Let them stew”: to Hearn, 21 Aug 44, R&S**, 412. Hearn’s paraphrase of this message in relaying it to Chennault became the basis of a cause célèbre. In the cou
rse of transmission or of coding and decoding, the key word in the sentence “He [Stilwell] is working on a proposition which might give this spot a real face-lifting” came through as “face-lossing” (sic). On the head of this pin Chennault and Alsop strenuously erected a monument to the villainy of Stilwell. OCMH has since verified the original wording of the radio message.

  Emotions in Kandy: Eldridge, 289.

  “Get me a jeep”: S. Dillon Ripley to author.

  Brooke, “It is clear”: Bryant**, 185.

  “Sleek, smart and prosperous”: Ralph Arnold, 130.

  Stimson wrote: 22 Aug 44, Carmel A-23.

  Comparison with Iliad: SP, 312.

  Li Chi-shen’s proposed secession: R&S**, 408–409, 411–12; USFRC 44, 150–51, 467, 505–506, 510, 512–15.

  Journalists’ reports from Yenan: qtd. by State to Gauss, 19 and 23 Jul, USFRC 44, 479–80; NYT, 1 Jul, 6, 14, 23 Aug, 25 Sep, 6 Oct 44.

  DIXIE Mission reports: Service, 28 Jul, 23 and 31 Aug, forwarded by Gauss to State, 1 Sep, USFRC 44, 517–23, 527–32, 536–43, 610–12.

  Mao on American landings: 23 Aug, USFRC 44, 612.

  “Better men physically”: 81st Congress, Loyalty Hearings, Dorn testimony, 2166.

  Marshall proposes Hurley: Marshall interview with R&S, 6 Jul 49.

  Hurley asks to be made Ambassador: Stettinius to Hull, 3 Aug and mem of 9 Aug, USFRC 44, 247–48.

  Stimson comments: Stimson Diary, 3 Aug 44.

  Roosevelt, “I know my men”: Morgenthau, “Presidential Diary,” 3 Oct 39, Morgenthau Estate (unpub.).

  FDR asks for Nelson: Marshall interview with R&S, 6 Jul 49.

  “You get three years in Washington”: M-Diary, 1265.

  Hopkins talk with Davies: mem by Davies, 4 Sep 44, Carmel A-24.

  “Trusting no one but himself”: Gauss, 31 Jul, USFRC 44, 493.

  Reported arrangements with Japanese: R&S***, 8.

  Chiang not anxious for American landings: Service for Wallace, 20 Jun, USFRC 44.

  Hurley and Nelson explain intentions: Stilwell, undated notes, Carmel A-23.

  19. THE LIMITS OF “CAN DO,” SEPTEMBER–NOVEMBER 1944

  Hurley opened negotiations: All official communications in the command crisis—except as supplemented below—are quoted from R&S**, 422–72, which contains the most complete published documentation of the developments, and gives the full text of most of the documents. Originals of Roosevelt’s messages to Chiang Kai-shek of 6 Jul, 23 Aug, 16 Sep, 5 and 18 Oct 44 are in FDRL, Map Room Papers. Stilwell’s record from day to day is in SP, 325–49, except for his unpublished notes, for which references are given below.

  Sir Horace Seymour: Woodward, 426.

  Chiang and conscripts: Linebarger mem for Col. Dickey, 8 Sep 44, Hoover, File 158.

  138 dead in Kunming: Langdon, 13 Oct, USFRC 44, 173.

  “More real power in China”: SP, 328.

  Gauss, problem of Communists: 28 Sep, USFRC 44, 601.

  Stilwell on use of Communists: R&S**, 429.

  “If CKS and Co”: draft of eyes-alone radio, n.d., Hoover, File 115.

  Chou En-lai to Service: report of 28 Jul, USFRC 44.

  Chennault, “true unification”: 21 Sep 44, FDRL, PSF “War Dept. Chennault.”

  Roosevelt-Carlson letters: FDRL, PSF “China 43–45.”

  Defeat in east China: White, “Disaster in the East,” in Thunder, 179–98.

  OSS unit finds warehouses: ibid., 196.

  “Crazy little bastard”: SP, 330, and notes of 10 Sep 44, Carmel A-24.

  “Plain talk” with Soong: notes of 16 Sep 44, Carmel A-23, and SP, 331.

  Chiangs’ marital rift: NYT, 30 Nov and 11 Dec 44.

  No U.S. units for CBI: Matloff**, 478. OPD Strategy Section recommended on 31 Aug 44 that U.S.-Chinese forces should be withdrawn from Burma after reaching Lashio so that the British could reconquer their own colonial territory without American involvement.

  Stilwell took the message to Huang Shan: According to Hurley’s ex post facto account (82nd Congress, Hearings on Military Situation in Far East, 2865–80), the Generalissimo was just about to place his seal on Stilwell’s commission as commander of the Chinese armies when he was interrupted by Stilwell’s delivery of the message. Since all Chiang’s effort was directed toward not giving Stilwell the command, this version suffers from inherent improbability. Hurley’s several postwar testimonies, given to various Congressional investigations in the highly charged atmosphere following the Communist victory in China, grew and changed over the years, becoming progressively richer the further removed they were in time from the event. His later testimony is infirm ground for the historian.

  Nelson promised Chiang: Stilwell to Marshall, 2 Oct 44, Carmel A-24. Referring to the meeting of the Standing Committee on 2 Oct (see below), Stilwell radioed, “Gauss has learned that at a private meeting CKS told his Council that he would not appoint an American commander and that Nelson had promised him control of Lend-Lease.” Although Gauss did not include this promise in his official report, he did forward a transcript of the conversations between Nelson and Chiang.

  Hurley listened receptively: White, Thunder, 223. Hurley repeated Chiang’s charges against Stilwell to White “as if he believed them.”

  “Anyone who crowds him”: to Marshall, 26 Sep 44, Carmel A-24.

  Chiang’s speech to the Standing Committee: Gauss, 3 Oct, USFRC 44, 265–66.

  Merrill’s report of Quebec: S-Diary, 4 Oct 44; Merrill interview with R&S, 20 Apr 48.

  “Sharp rejoinder”: Stimson Diary, 3 Oct 44.

  Joint Chiefs considered abandoning China: ibid.

  Stimson indignant: ibid.

  Stimson “pretty sure” Chiang would not accept: ibid., 4 Oct 44.

  “If you sustain Stilwell”: Hurley to FDR, 13 Oct 44; full text in 82nd Congress, Hearings on Military Situation in Far East, 2879–81.

  “Losing China’s potential effort”: 10 Oct 44, Carmel A-24.

  “Direct and positive” orders: Leahy, 272

  “Must not indefinitely underwrite”: mem by Davies, 15 Nov, USFRC 44, 690.

  Marshall’s orders for secret departure: Gen. Frank McCarthy (Marshall’s aide) to Pogue, 7 Aug 67.

  “Will I be allowed to make a statement?”: Data Book.

  “They want to fight the Japanese”: 16 Oct 44, Carmel A-24.

  Gauss, “Some of our Army officers”: 24 Oct, USFRC 44, 657.

  Stilwell’s letters to Chennault, Chu Teh, Auchinleck: Hoover, File 135.

  Gauss’ motives for resignation: Service, interview with author.

  Proposed decoration: 201 File.

  “Bitched it up”: Data Book.

  Stilwell’s departure: White, Thunder, 225.

  Dorn to Bergin: 23 Oct 44, Carmel B-14.

  “I foresee an infinite amount of trouble”: Stimson Diary, 23 Oct 44.

  “Dirtiest in history”: qtd. Rosenman, 504; also on campaign, Gunther, 351; Sherwood, 828–30

  Atkinson’s return: 81st Congress, Loyalty Hearings, Atkinson testimony, 2420, and interview with author.

  Gauss’ resignation: Grew to Gauss, 31 Oct, USFRC 44, 856.

  Press comment: Harsch, 31 Oct 44; Wiant, NYT, 1 Nov 44; Judd, Time, 13 Nov 44.

  Roosevelt’s press conference: full text, FDRL, Press Conferences, vol. 24; NYT editorial, 14 Nov 44.

  Stilwell’s return: McCarthy to Pogue, 7 Aug 67; Stimson Diary, 3 Nov 44.

  “The most difficult task”: Stimson-Bundy, 530.

  “The less you say”: Surles to Stilwell, 10 Nov 44, Carmel A-24.

  Pan Yu-kan, Pick, Cooper, Tseng: all in Carmel B-14.

  “Doing a job for Uncle Joe”: Maj. E. T. Hancock, 3 Nov 44, ibid.

  “Too weak to rule”: a Chinese friend to Judd, mem by Vincent, 17 Oct, USFRC 44, 174.

  Hsuing quoted: Hsuing, xv.

  20. “WE OUGHT TO GET OUT—NOW,” 1945–46

  Judge Vinson: S-Diary, 21 Mar 45.

  Opening of the Road: Signal Corps Film 1
11 CR3 (Combat Report No. 3), “The Stilwell Road” (from the building of the Burma Road in 1937 to the opening at Kunming in 1945); NYT, 21 Jan 45.

  G–mo’s proclamation: qtd. Feis, 275.

  U.S. Headquarters India-Burma, official order: 3 Mar 45, Circular 22.

  Letter from Sultan: 30 Jan 45, Carmel A-27.

  “Curtain was down”: Mrs. Simon B. Buckner to author.

  “Nothing can be done in China”: Stimson Diary, 13 Dec 44.

  “Unless we stand clear”: notes of January 1945, Carmel A-27.

  “A letter for General Handy”: biographical résumé by Jim Shepley, 12 Oct 46, Time files.

  History of the CBI Theater: The copies at Hoover and OCMH do not entirely conform in organization and arrangement, but the basic scheme is the same. Section One consists of the Master Narrative (still classified as of 1967) of 215 pages divided into seventeen chapters in more or less chronological form. Section Two (Two and Three in OCMH copy) consists of 31 topical chapters dealing with the Road, Pipelines, Y-Force, Z-Force, Ramgarh, the several Air Forces, Lend-Lease, GALAHAD, the two Burma campaigns, political reports, China Exchange, Administrative and Staff reports, Historical and Political Setting (the last four mentioned remain classified) and other subjects.

  “There was no American”: Steele, 30

  Atcheson telegram: full text in White Paper, 87–92; Feis, 268–71; 82nd Congress, Hearings on Military Situation in Far East, Hurley testimony, 2905–2906.

  “Organize, lead and command”: Gen. McClure, Wedemeyer’s C/S, to Gen. Ch’en Ch’eng, new Minister of War, MemCon, 14 Dec, USFRC 44, 741–43.

  Hurley on Communist party: qtd. Feis, 265.

  Stettinius advised President: mem, 4 Jan 45, Feis, 219–20.

  Ho Ying-chin’s “ridiculous” estimates: mem by Augustus Chase, 22 Sep, USFRC 44, 583.

  Invasion of Japan necessary: Leahy, 158; Matloff**, 501, 512.

  “Set up a new Japanese state”: Deane, 225.

  As Stalin frankly said: Feis, 243.

  Legion of Merit: WD General Orders No. 12, 24 Feb 45; NYT, 11 Feb 45.

  To his aide, a grudging approval: Richard Young to author.

  Wedemeyer “making a case”: S-Diary, 23 Jan 45.

  Recall of Ramgarh division: R&S***, 62.

  Wedemeyer’s reports: ibid., 52, 165.

  “It will boil down to me”: S-Diary, 4 Apr 45. The speaker was Gen. Gruber, a veteran of the first Burma campaign.