General Joseph W. Stilwell Museum

Located at No. 63 Jialing New Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, the General Joseph W. Stilwell Museum was the former residence of General Stilwell from 1942 to 1944. The museum opened to the public in 1991. It covered only 500 square meters (598 square yards) but receives more than 30,000 American visitors every year. After renovation in 2002, the museum re-opened in 2003.

The museum takes up an area of 7.2 mu (about 1.2 acres), and is comprised of Stilwell’s bedroom and office, his aide’s office, assembly rooms, dining room and basement. More than 100 items belonging to the general are exhibited in the museum including his radio, telephone, scripts and uniform. All the furniture is placed the way it was when the general occupied the house. In the basement, over 200 old photos tell the story of Stilwell and his life in China. A stone stele is engraved with the Chinese people’s deep love of the general: “With the guns silent and smoke faded it is the historical friendship and our memory that will last forever”. 

General Stilwell was born in Florida, USA in 1883. He enrolled at West Point Academy in 1900 and became one of the youngest students there. His first tour to China was in 1911, when he visited Shanghai, Xiamen, Guangzhou, Wuzhou and Hong Kong. Eight years later, he was appointed the first language officer in China by the USA government and learned Chinese at the University of California, Berkeley. He took up his post in China the next year. From 1921 to 1922, he worked as chief engineer helping build roads in Shanxi and Shaanxi Provinces. During the following year, Stilwell, as an officer of the Military Attache Office of the American Embassy in China, made several inspection visits to northeast China, Mongolia, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan, Siberia, Korea and Japan. He went back to America to study in the United States Army Infantry School (Fort Benning) in 1923. 

During the following 19 years, he went to China for work and inspection visiting in 1926 and 1935, and directed the Chinese expeditionary force in the battle of Burma in 1942. In 1943, he founded the training center in Kunming, Yunnan and carried out a program of training and consolidating 30 Chinese army divisions. He also attended the Cairo Conference held in November, 1943. In December, Stilwell directed the Chinese army in India to counterattack the Japanese troops in the north of Burma and won the battle in August, 1944. The general went back to the USA in October, 1944 and continued his military work in his country. General Stilwell died of cancer on October 12, 1946. He was awarded the Infantry Combat Souvenir Badge according his last will. 

 Tips for Visiting General Joseph W Stilwell Museum: 
 Entrance Fee: CNY 15 
 Opening Hours: 09:00 - 17:00 (the museum is closed in January and February for renovation)
 Transportation: 
A. Take Bus No. 215, 219, 265, 318, 802 or 808 and get off at Liziba Light Rail Station stop. Walk westward along the Liziba Street for about 400 meters. Or, take bus No. 210, 215, 219, 262, 265, 501, 503, 802 or 808 and get off at the Liziba stop and walk eastward for about 400 meters.
B. Take Light Rail Line 2 and get off at Fotuguan station. Exit from Exit A. 
 More Tourist Attractions in Chongqing:
 Ciqikou      Chine Three Gorges Museum       People's Assembly Hall        Dazu Rock Carvings