“A Great Friend – Photo Exhibition on General Stilwell’s Life” General Stilwell in Chongqing Through the Lens

“A Great Friend – Photo Exhibition on General Stilwell’s Life”

General Stilwell in Chongqing Through the Lens

“伟大的朋友——史迪威将军生平图片展”

光影中回望史迪威将军的重庆岁月

By Liu Dingrui and Tang Anbing/The World and Chongqing

2023年8月8日，“伟大的朋友——史迪威将军生平图片展”在重庆史迪威博物馆揭幕。

On August 8, “A Great Friend – Photo Exhibition on General Stilwell’s Life” commenced at the Chongqing Stilwell Museum as part of the events commemorating the 140th birth anniversary of General Stilwell.

General Stilwell’s Grandson Helping Prepare the Photo Exhibition

The 192 photos and more than 60 items on display vividly show General Stilwell’s life and military career, especially his love for traditional Chinese culture and the Chinese people during his stay in China.

Earlier, John Easterbrook, grandson of General Stilwell, donated some of the precious photos of General Stilwell’s work and life to the Chongqing Stilwell Museum, as well as a copy of the letter written by the U.S. Department of Defense to Mrs. Stilwell after he passed away. This year, the Chongqing Stilwell Museum, with the assistance of John Easterbrook, curated and launched this photo exhibition.

In addition to the preface, the exhibition is divided into three parts. The first part talks about Stilwell’s young years and his first four visits to China. The second part presents the stories of Stilwell, who came to China during World War II as the Chief of Staff to the Allied China Theater and assisted in commanding the operations in the China-Burma-India Theater. The third part reviews Stilwell’s experience after his return to the United States and the commemorating activities held by the Chinese and American people after he passed away.

图片展揭幕式前，史迪威将军后代和朱德同志后代共同在重庆史迪威博物馆种下一棵桂花树。

No. 63 Jialing New Road, a Witness to General Stilwell’s Stories in Chongqing

Shortly after the Pearl Harbor Incident, the World Anti-Fascist Alliance was formed, and the Command of Allied Forces, China Theater was established in Chongqing. In March 1942, Stilwell was appointed Chief of Staff of the Allied China Theater, Supreme Commander of U.S. Forces in the China-Burma-India Theater, and U.S. Representative to the Allied War Committee in the China-Burma-India Theater.

Upon his arrival in Chongqing, Stilwell lived and worked at what is now No. 63 Jialing New Road until October 1944. Many of the photos in this exhibition record Stilwell’s years of fighting side by side with the Chinese people in Chongqing.

Time magazine once described General Stilwell as a staunch admirer of China and a learner of Chinese culture, a true “China Expert”. On the evening of March 9, 1942, Chiang Kai-shek and Soong Mei-ling hosted a banquet at the Huangshan Residence in honor of Stilwell. At the reception, Stilwell answered the toast in Chinese and conveyed President Roosevelt’s message again.

At the first press conference announcing his appointment, he said that trusting “my troops,” the Chinese army, “the happiest day of our lives will be the day when the Chinese and American troops enter Tokyo together.”

In October 1943, Stilwell led the China-U.S. Allied Forces in a counteroffensive in northern Burma. As the Chief of Staff to the Theater and Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. military, Stilwell often flew to and from Chongqing, India and Burma to deal with theater affairs. His private plane, a C-47, was known as “Uncle Joe’s chariot.” Chatting with fellow passengers on the plane also became rare leisure time for Stilwell.

 

左 1943年，史迪威与盟军东南亚最高司令路易斯·蒙巴顿勋爵在其重庆司令部门口交谈。

右 1943年，史迪威与布里恩·萨默维尔将军在其重庆司令部阶梯上合影。

史迪威在重庆司令部室外与士兵们在一起。

在重庆期间，史迪威对宋庆龄创建的保盟提供了有力帮助，他们成为了好朋友。

 “I would like to see the places described in Red Star Over China.”

During his stay in China, General Stilwell also helped China build highways and promoted close cooperation between the U.S. military and the Communist Party of China. Significant contributions were made to the final victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Visitors can also relate to those years from this photo exhibition.

On September 13, 1944, Stilwell received two representatives of the CPC in Chongqing. They conveyed to Stilwell the message from Commander-in-Chief Zhu De, “If we can get the necessary equipment, the CPC army is willing to shoulder important tasks in cooperation with the Allies.”Stilwell happily wrote down Zhu De’s words on a piece of paper, saying, “We are currently working in this direction.” They also said that General Stilwell was welcome to Yan’an, to which Stilwell replied, “I would like to see the places described by my friend Edgar Snow in Red Star Over China. This time I return from Guilin, I must go to Yan’an. I am the Commander-in-Chief of the Vanguard. How can I perform without going to the front line?”

Stilwell was instrumental in the founding of Soong Ching-ling’s China Defense League and transported a large number of medical supplies to Yan’an by U.S. military aircraft. Soong Ching-ling and Stilwell forged a deep friendship. In October 1944, Stilwell received an order of recall to return to the U.S., and before leaving Chongqing, Stilwell rushed to Soong Ching-Ling’s Mansion to bid farewell. Soong Ching-ling and Stilwell sat silently in the living room for a long time. Before leaving, Soong picked up a pot of blooming white roses in the corridor and handed it to Stilwell. “Take it. This is my gift to your wife: a pot of Chinese white roses. It can also grow in the United States.” Stilwell died of stomach cancer in San Francisco on October 12, 1946.

The “A Great Friend – Photo Exhibition on General Stilwell’s Life” is a permanent exhibition open to the public at the Chongqing Stilwell Museum.

参观“伟大的朋友——史迪威将军生平图片展”。

文/本刊记者 刘丁睿  图/本刊记者 唐安冰

8月8日，作为约瑟夫·史迪威将军诞辰140周年纪念活动的重要部分，“伟大的朋友——史迪威将军生平图片展”在重庆史迪威博物馆揭幕。

史迪威将军外孙协助推出纪念图片展

此次共展出192张历史照片和60余件实物，生动呈现史迪威将军主要生平事迹和军旅生涯，重点展示史迪威将军在华期间对中华传统文化和中国人民的热爱。

此前，史迪威将军外孙约翰·伊斯特布鲁克向重庆史迪威博物馆捐赠了部分史迪威将军工作、生活的珍贵照片，并赠送了美国国防部在史迪威去世后写给史迪威夫人的信函复印件。今年重庆史迪威博物馆在伊斯特布鲁克的协助下，策划并推出了此次图片展。

除序厅外，展览分三个部分，第一部分讲述史迪威早期成长历程及前四次来华经历；第二部分讲述史迪威在二战时期来华担任中国战区参谋长并协助指挥中国战区及印缅战场作战的事迹；第三部分讲述史迪威返回美国后的经历以及去世后中美人民的纪念活动。

嘉陵新路63号见证史迪威将军的重庆故事

珍珠港事件爆发后不久，世界反法西斯同盟正式形成，当时的中国战区统帅部在重庆成立。1942年3月，史迪威出任同盟国中国战区参谋长、中缅印战区美国部队最高司令官、中缅印战区盟军战争委员会美方代表等职。

抵达重庆后，史迪威将军就在如今的嘉陵新路63号居住和工作，直至1944年10月。此次图片展的不少照片，记录了史迪威将军在重庆与中国人民并肩作战的岁月。

《时代》期刊曾这样介绍史迪威将军：他是中国坚定的崇拜者和中国文化的学习者，是一位真正的“老中国通”。1942年3月9日晚，蒋介石和宋美龄在黄山官邸举行宴会招待史迪威，在招待会上，面对祝酒，史迪威用中文作答，并再次转达了罗斯福的口信。

在宣布他任职的第一次记者招待会上，他表示，信赖“我的部队”即中国军队，“我们生命中最快乐的日子将是中国、美国军队一起进入东京的那一天”。

1943年10月，史迪威率领中美盟军展开缅北反攻战。作为战区参谋长和美军总司令，指挥作战的同时史迪威还要常常往返于重庆、印度和缅甸处理战区事务，他经常乘坐的专机C—47也被人们称作“乔大叔的战车”。在飞机上与同行人员的聊天，也成为了史迪威难得的休闲时光。

“《西行漫记》中描写的那些地方，我很想去看看”

史迪威将军在华期间，还帮助中国修筑公路、推动美军与中国共产党紧密合作等，为中国人民抗日战争暨世界反法西斯战争的最终胜利作出了重要贡献。观众也可以从此次图片展中感受那段岁月。

1944年9月13日，史迪威在重庆接见了两名中国共产党代表，他们向史迪威转达了朱德总司令的意见：“如果能得到必需的装备，中共军队愿意在与同盟国的合作中肩负重要任务。”史迪威很高兴地在一张纸片上记下了朱德的话，一边说：“我们目前正在朝着这个方向努力。”他们还表示，欢迎史迪威将军到延安去，史迪威回答，“我的朋友斯诺在《西行漫记》中描写的那些地方，我是很想去看看的。这次我从桂林回来以后，一定要去延安，我是前敌总司令，不到前线去怎么能行呢？”

史迪威对宋庆龄创建的保盟提供了有力帮助，曾通过美国军用飞机将大量医疗物品运往延安。宋庆龄和史迪威结下了深厚的友谊。1944年10月，史迪威收到回国调令，离开重庆前，史迪威赶往宋庆龄公馆道别。宋庆龄和史迪威在会客厅里默默地坐了好一阵。临行时，宋庆龄端起放在走廊上的一盆盛开的白玫瑰花，递给史迪威：“带上它，这是我给你夫人的赠礼，一盆中国的白玫瑰，它也能在美国生长下去。” 1946年10月12日，史迪威因患胃癌在旧金山逝世。

据介绍，“伟大的朋友——史迪威将军生平图片展”为常设展，市民可前往重庆史迪威博物馆观展。

与会嘉宾：留下了深刻的重庆印象、中国印象

展览看起来非常棒。此行对史迪威将军第五代子孙了解他们的外高祖父，以及亲身感受中国人民的热情友好起到了很好的教育作用。
 ——史迪威将军外孙、美国陆军退役上校约翰·伊斯特布鲁克

此次访渝将使我们终身难忘，你们所做的一切让我们印象深刻。我相信今后无论是我们这一代还是下一代，都会继续保持这种情谊，我们也愿意为美中友好继续作出努力。
 ——史迪威将军外曾孙女苏珊·科尔

重庆市政府对史迪威博物馆的建设和举行此次活动的投入，充分表明重庆对美中友谊的高度重视。史迪威的展览资料收集全面，图片主题鲜明、陈列有序、制作精致，使人仿佛回到从前。
——美军太平洋司令部前副司令丹尼尔·立夫

重庆无疑是我最爱的中国城市，没有之一。借此次活动，既见到了老朋友，也认识了新朋友。感谢重庆方面的盛情接待，也感谢在国际环境风云变幻的当今，总有这样一批人在努力牵线，搭起沟通、友善的桥梁。我愿意尽自己所能，在民间交流等层面发挥自己的作用。
——美中贸易全国委员会前会长罗伯特·柯白

这次来重庆主要是为我正在编著的关于斯诺家族的新书搜集更多的素材，史迪威博物馆的照片为我提供了很好的历史依据。应该让更多的人，尤其是年轻人了解这段历史，这对重塑多年来由西方主导的历史叙事具有推动性的深远意义。
——美国友人海伦·福斯特·斯诺侄子埃里克·福斯特

作为重庆西南大学的美籍教师，我希望自己能够成为在美中关系之间传递友谊的使者。我相信教育能够建立起人与人之间相互理解和信任的纽带。我也希望通过自己的言行，帮助两国的学生和朋友们更好地了解和尊重彼此国家的优势和差异，兼容并包、求同存异。
——西南大学美籍教师福兰课

这次来渝参加活动很有收获，既感受到重庆市政府外办、史迪威研究中心利用历史资源做好做足中美民间外交工作的成功成果，又感受到山城重庆改革开放、争优创先的特别干劲。
——中国国际战略学会杜农一