"General Chennault and Me": The most beautiful love is never old

On December 21, 1947, the 54-year-old General Chennault married the 22-year-old Chen Xiangmei. The next day, newspapers from both China and the United States invariably published the news of the marriage of the two, such a cross-border love affair with an age difference of more than 30 years, which became the most sensational news of Christmas that year.

Chennault and Chen Xiangmei have such a huge age difference, and they come from two different countries, which is not an easy task to come together in those years, what is their love? Let's read this memoir written by Ms. Chen Xiangmei, "General Chennault and Me."

In the book, she affectionately refers to her husband Chennault as "her grandson." My "grandson" and I have a promise to make our marriage like a series of honeymoons, and we sometimes disagree, but we immediately ask each other, are we worth arguing over this trivial matter? It was a very effective method, we did not have any disputes about it, he was a very easy person to get along with, whenever he saw me lose his temper, he always said that you are Chinese, Chinese is known for being patient, and I had to laugh. I say that my bad temper is something you condone bad, so your sin is yours.

General Chen's love for children can be said to be endless, and I have never had children who have traveled wherever he goes, and sometimes he has to take the opportunity to run several places in a day, and I will not tire of hard work and be with him. I told him we couldn't live the same day, but we wanted to die the same day. Later, after the birth of his first child, there were many places where he would not allow me to go with him, and he said that if anything happened, who would take care of our poor child?

During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, General Chennault led the Flying Tigers to make great achievements, so he was loved and respected in both China and the United States. In this book, Chen Xiangmei recalls such a scene, at an air force conference of more than 3,000 people, when General Chennault came to the stage, the whole audience stood up and saluted, the applause was thunderous, the scene was very touching, it was such a general who had made great achievements in battle, when his political future and the safety of his wife clashed, how would he choose?

The book reads: I saw a letter from you to a friend in the south today, I looked at it, while shedding tears, this matter you have not mentioned to me, I did not know anything, at that time I knew that many people supported you running for governor, by your gentle resignation, you did not tell me the reason for your polite resignation, I did not want to ask you, until today I know, the original is for me, you said in that letter that the reason why you are not willing to participate in the election, in order to fear that your political enemies will speak out to hurt me, because I am Chinese, You are afraid that your political enemies will make me feel bad with the cold arrows of racial differences, and you say that you yourself are not afraid of any slander, but you do not want me to be hurt in the slightest because of you.

After reading this letter, I turned to your friend and said, why are you hiding from me at that time. He said that General Chennault wanted all of us not to mention this matter again, and he wanted us to keep it an absolute secret from you, and his love for you was unparalleled.

Chennault and Chen Xiangmei unfortunately suffered from lung cancer in the 8th year after their marriage, which was simply bad news for Chen Xiangmei. She wrote in the book: I remember last September, when you were in the reception of the Us Military Hospital in Washington, the doctor told me the unfortunate news, the sunny day changed tragically, the sun and the moon were dark, and I was simply frightened by the bad news. I went to see you in the hospital that night, trying to find something to comfort you, but you lay in bed and read a book, I sat on your bedside, and you asked me if it was cold outside? I don't know how to answer, but sorrow came from you and wept bitterly in your arms, and I went to comfort you, but I wanted your comfort.

In the evening I went back to my room at the hostel, and I kept praying to God that you would not take him away, that you would let him live a few more days, that you had been ill for two years, and during those two years you were painfully supportive, and I was exhausted.

I know that you have thought hard about arranging my future, and I, I am only looking forward to the miracle, praying for your harsh improvement, but ignoring your contradictory mood.

Every time your friend came to visit you, you entrusted me and my children to them, and you even arranged for me to be a person who promised to take care of me for the rest of my life, asking me to transfer my love for you to the living. When I protested to you for this, you kissed me on the forehead and said, I love you too deeply, I want someone to take care of you for me, to love you, to make you happy. You don't want to do it, it's adding to my pain... I argued. But you don't seem to hear my argument, you arrange it according to your will, but I know how many contradictions there are in your heart, and who wants to share their lover with others? You said that I knew that my illness would not get better, and that I was not afraid of death, but that being separated from you was the saddest thing in my heart.

If I say goodbye to you forever, I hope you will not be too sad, and that you will raise two children well, and that I will always be with you spiritually

You went, as early as we expected, but for the sake of your infatuation and love, I have always hoped for a miracle, I have been comforting you with the belief that you will get better, and deceive yourself to rejoice, and you do not know that you are terminally ill, but you never admit defeat, until the morning of danger, you still sit on the bed, lean on the pillow, and talk with your peers about the grand plan to develop the aviation industry. No wonder the doctor says you are an outstanding, unparalleled patient.

Although General Chennault arranged a future life for Chen Xiangmei and hoped that someone would take care of their mother and daughter, after the death of the general, Chen Xiangmei did not accept the love of others, he has been single and actively engaged in his work, becoming a famous overseas Chinese leader and social activist.

In 2015, at the age of 90, Chen Xiangmei returned to the motherland again to participate in the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, and he accepted the Commemorative Medal of heroes of the War of Resistance as the widow of General Chennault.

Ms. Chen Xiangmei passed away in 2018, and in her book about this love of hers, she wrote that life is only a short few 10 years, my happiness came too early, and it went too fast, and life was fleeting, but I should thank God: I am blessed more than many people, because I have loved. It turns out that the most beautiful love is never old!