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On the Stilwell Incident and the Contradiction Between the United States and Jiang Jieshi by Zhang Qifu and Gu Yinghui Translated by Ellen Welsh Granter The incident on October 19, 1944, when President Roosevelt recalled the American Mi 1i tary Representative to China, China Theatre Chief of Staff,_~oseph Warren Stilwell, is know as the Stilwell Incident. The occurrence ,of the Stilwell Incident was not accidental ; it was a product ofJthe contradictions between the United States policy and Nationalist policy during the Pacific War period. From Stilwell's appointment to Stilwell's recall, the relationship between Stilwell and Jiang Jieshi had, on several occasions, experienced crises. Superficially, it appeared to be conflict between the personalities of Stilwell and Jiang. :in reality, it wa~ conflict between the goals of the United States and Jiang's war strategy. This article is a brief inquiry into the contradictions between the United States and Jiang Jieshi, and the Stilwell Incident during the Pacific War period. Part I During the Pacific War, serious differences existed between the United States and Jiang Jieshi, not only on the main goals of military strategy, but on political goals as weli. After the outbreak of the Pacific War, the United States' military strategy emphasized "Europe first and Asia next." On December 22, 1944, during the Acadia Conference, United States representatives General Marshall and Admiral Stark brought out the basic United States-British war strategy. This was: Germany is the principal member of the Axis, thus the Atlantic Ocean and the European battlefield are the decisive battlefields. "In spite of Japanese participation in the war, our viewpoint still considers Germany to be the key to victory. We only need to defeat Germany, then the collapse of Italy and Japan must follow on its heels."[1] On July 7, 1942, in his orders to Hopkins, Marshall and others, Roosevelt reiterated: "I am opposed to an American all-out effort in the Pacific against Japan with the view to her defeat as quickly as possible . It is of the utmost in importance that we appreciate that defeat of Japan does not defeat Germany and that American concentration against Japan this year or in 1943 increases the chance of complete German domination of Europe and Africa. On the other hand, it is obvious that defeat of Germany, or the holding of Germany in 1942 21 and 1943 means probable, eventual defeat of Germany in the European and African theatres and in the Near East. Defeat of Germany means the defeat of Japan probably without firing a shot or losing a life."[2] Very clearly the United States' basic war strategy was to protect defenses in the Pacific zone. Thus, their military goals in China were "Chinese military self-sufficiency" to allow the Chinese troops to "move to the offensive and cause enough diversion to deter the Japanese from other adventures," [3] then "China can be made a base of operations from which Japan can be greatly damaged."[4] In accordance with this objective, United States support for China was mainly to offer China weaponry, to guarantee to "keep that 1ine to China open," [5] to send military advisors to help reorganize and train Chinese troops, and to obtain "effective united operations ."[6] Therefore, the United States put "China's interest in number two position essentially"[7] as for military and economic aid to China, of course, it too was placed after aid to England and the Soviet Union. However, Jiang Jieshi, as head of the Nationalist Government, formulated military objectives which were the total opposite of the American goals. The outbreak 'of the Pacific War brought to a conclusion the four and half year phase of China singlehandedly resisting Japan. Therefore, "members of the Nationalist Government were running around congratulating each other as if they had just won a great victory."[6) December 8, Jiang Jieshi summoned the ambassadors of ~he Soviet Union, Great Britain, and the United States. He urged that China, Great Britain, the United States, Australia, the Netherlands, Canada and New Zealand join in a military alliance and agree by treaty not to seek a separate peace with the enemy. He a.lso urged the Soviet, Union to declare...

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