Famous Generals of World War II: Joseph W. Stillwell
Joseph W. Stillwell (18831946)
U.S. Army General Lieutenant General “Vinegar Joe” Stillwell was Commander in Chief of the China-Burma-India theater and Chief of Staff to General Issimo Chiang Kai-shek. His assignment was to train the Chinese forces to resist the Japanese expansion. In addition, he was a brilliant General who demanded respect. In 1942, while in the jungles of Burma, Stillwell was forced to retreat 140 miles on foot just ahead of the advancing Japanese. Yet, he turned around his troops and came back to Burma to beat the Japanese two years later in 1944. He was an independent commander with a stubborn streak. Due to his blatant disregard for diplomacy, Stillwell often found himself locking horns with high ranking officials.