Chennault and Stilwell, two foreigners, had a profound impact on the history of China's War of Resistance.
Stilwell, a senior U.S. general, served as commander-in-chief of the Chinese theater and chief of staff of Chiang Kai-shek, who served in Chongqing in March 1942 and also served as commander of the Sino-Burmese-Indian U.S. theater. During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, his most important task was to ensure the smooth flow of roads, command the Chinese army, improve the combat effectiveness of the Chinese army, improve the role of the United States in assisting China, and persist in letting the war continue.
Chennault, no more than a retired American Air Force officer, was hired as an adviser by the Nationalist government in 1937, and after the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japan, he asked Chiang Kai-shek to be willing to serve China in any way. With his help, the Chinese Air Force's U.S. Volunteer Air Force was formed, also known as the Flying Tigers, and during the entire War of Resistance Against Japan, 300 aircraft were shot down and achieved brilliant victories.
But the two men, as Chiang Kai-shek's foreign advisers, had very different views on how China could effectively resist Japanese aggression. Chennault and Chiang Kai-shek agreed that as long as the planes, tanks, and rifles were in place, the final victory could be won.
But Stilwell believed that the only way out to win the war was to completely reorganize the ground forces.
In 1942, Chennault submitted a report to Stilwell that by giving him 100 new aircraft for medium- and long-range bombing, it would interfere with and organize Japanese transportation at sea and Chinese mainland rivers and crush the morale of the Japanese Air Force.
But Stilwell disagreed, he thought that Chennault's neglect of the problem of logistical support, the current main view of the Air Force, is to ensure the Himalayan air transport line, otherwise it will idle the supply of air and ground combat materials.
It can be seen from here that Stilwell's overall view is better, he believes that air combat and ground combat are effective means to defeat Japan, the two are not contradictory, but there is a priority. Only by ensuring the smooth flow of transportation lines can we continuously send materials to the front line of the Sino-Japanese battlefield.
But Stilwell ignored one character— Chiang Kai-shek.
Chiang Kai-shek was the central figure in the Sino-Japanese battlefield, and Chennault's air strategy was right in the middle of chiang's passive war of resistance. Therefore, Chiang Kai-shek vigorously admired Chennault's air strategy as a way to whitewash his passive resistance. Although he was also willing to open up the Burmese transport line and get more aid, he was reluctant to train the Chinese army as Stilwell had asked for and throw himself into the Burmese battle.
Chiang Kai-shek was bent on using the army to maintain his rule at home.
In addition, Stilwell was very dissatisfied with Chiang Kai-shek's placement of 200,000 troops in the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region.
During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Stilwell once suggested to Chiang Kai-shek to mobilize the Kuomintang troops that blockaded northern Shaanxi and go south with the Communist forces to resist the Japanese counter-offensive in southern China. This suggestion deeply stung Chiang Kai-shek, and in the end Chiang Kai-shek did not allow Stilwell to reduce the supply of the Shaanxi army even in the distribution of leased materials.
That is to say, some of Stilwell's policies were contrary to Chiang Kai-shek's passive resistance, which eventually led to contradictions between the two men
On October 19, 1949, at chiang kai-shek's request, Stilwell was recalled. Instead, wei Demai, who had a good relationship with Chiang Kai-shek, it is clear that the only criterion for Chiang Kai-shek to use foreign advisers is to safeguard his interests, and any foreign adviser who contradicts him will be spurned by Chiang Kai-shek, and Stilwell is a good example.
For my use, nature admires, Chennault is; not for my use, disgust is the final outcome, Stilwell is also proof.