Residence of General Joseph W. Stilwell

The residence is now a memorial hall to commemorate General Joseph W. Stilwell, a friend of Chinese people during the Second World War. General Joseph Warren Stilwell (1883-1946) was chief commander of US forces in the China-Burma-India Theatre during World War II. In 1942, ranked as a major general, he was dispatched to CBI and was regarded as the best field commander in the entire United States Army. All the efforts he made in Chongqing were the witness of the friendship between China and U.S.

In early 1942, he led the Chinese troops fighting strenuously against the Japanese invaders in Burma. After the Allies' defeat, the general organized the retreat of the Chinese, American and British forces to India. There he helped training the Chinese troops. Between March and June of 1944, the general commanded the Sino-US Army to fight against the Japanese in the north of Burma and they won the battle. Afterwards, Stilwell was promoted to a four-star general. While preparing the counteroffensive into Burma, he directed the project of road construction via Ledo, India, Burma to Yunnan. The road was open to traffic in 1945 and it was named after Stilwell when staying in China, Stilwell kept in contact with Zhou Enlai through the political advisor Davis. He detested the corrupt government of the Nationalist Party led by Chiang-Kai-shek, for whose passive resistance against the Japanese and active fighting with the communists. All this resulted in a serious disagreement between Mr. Chiang and the general. US President Roosevelt recalled him in 1944. In refusal of the award conferred by Chiang-Kai-shek on Oct. 20, General Stilwell decided to leave Chongqing. Before his leave, he paid a farewell call to Mrs. Song Qingling, the wife of Dr. Sun Yat-sen and sent a farewell telegram to Zhou Enlai.

Right into the entrance, there is a statue of General Joseph W. Stilwell and the memorial hall contains the well-preserved bedroom, offices and meeting rooms, which were used during the wartime. A collection of scripts, uniforms and daily items used by the General were also on exhibition.