http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/tf958006qb Online items available Register of the Joseph Warren Stilwell papers Finding aid prepared by Aparna Mukherjee, revised by Lyalya Kharitonova Hoover Institution Library and Archives © 2003, 2014, 2015, 2017 434 Galvez Mall Stanford University Stanford, CA 94305-6003 [email protected] URL: http://www.hoover.org/library-and-archives Register of the Joseph Warren 51001 1 Stilwell papers Title: Joseph Warren Stilwell papers Date (inclusive): 1889-2010 Collection Number: 51001 Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives Language of Material: English Physical Description: 93 manuscript boxes, 16 oversize boxes, 1 cubic foot box, 4 album boxes, 4 boxes of slides, 7 envelopes, 1 oversize folder, 3 sound cassettes, sound discs, maps and charts, memorabilia(57.4 Linear Feet) Abstract: Diaries, correspondence, radiograms, memoranda, reports, military orders, writings, annotated maps, clippings, printed matter, sound recordings, and photographs relating to the political development of China, the Sino-Japanese War of 1937-1945, and the China-Burma-India Theater during World War II. Includes some subsequent Stilwell family papers. World War II diaries also available on microfilm (3 reels). Transcribed copies of the diaries are available at https://digitalcollections.hoover.org Creator: Stilwell, Joseph Warren, 1883-1946 Hoover Institution Library & Archives Access Boxes 36-38 and 40 may only be used one folder at a time. Box 39 closed; microfilm use copy available. Boxes 67, 72-73, 113, and 117 restricted; use copies available in Box 116. The remainder of the collection is open for research; materials must be requested at least two business days in advance of intended use. Publication Rights For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives. Acquisition Information Materials were acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in 1951, with an increment received later. Preferred Citation [Identification of item], Joseph Warren Stilwell papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives. Alternative Forms of Material Available Microfilm copies of 1941-1944 diaries (in Box 39) also available. Transcribed copies of the diaries are available at https://digitalcollections.hoover.org List of Decorations of Joseph Warren Stilwell Prepared by John Easterbrook United States. Army decorations Combat Infantryman's Badge Distinguished Service Cross Distinguished Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster Legion of Merit, Degree of Chief Commander Bronze Star (posthumously) Air Medal (posthumously) Philippine Campaign Medal World War I Victory Medal with clasps for St. Mihiel and Defensive Sector American Defense Service Medal American Campaign Medal Army of Occupation of Germany Medal Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one silver star in lieu of five bronze stars World War II Victory Medal Foreign decorations Légion d'Honneur, Chevalier, France La Solidaridad, Panama Order of Leopold with Palm, Degree of Grand Officer, Belgian (posthumously) Croix de Guerre with Palm, Belgian (posthumously) Mentioned in Despatch for Distinguished Service, British Register of the Joseph Warren 51001 2 Stilwell papers Scope and Content of Collection The papers of Joseph W. Stilwell in the Hoover Institution Library & Archives constitute an extremely valuable resource for scholars and researchers interested in military history in general and in the history of World War II in the China-Burma-India Theater in particular. The historian Barbara W. Tuchman, an authority on the subject of Joseph W. Stilwell's life and career, used these primary source materials extensively for her book, Stilwell and the American Experience in China, 1911-45. These materials contain not only military information, such as plans of troop deployment, determination of war strategy, and handling of supplies, but they also bring to life General Stilwell's personality and character. He was proficient in many languages, traveled widely in connection with his tour of duty, and the papers reflect his interest in and admiration for different cultures. Handwritten Original Diaries with illustrations constitute the most interesting and significant segment of the collection. Therein Joseph W. Stilwell recorded details of his daily life, his thoughts on various subjects, his trips, his personal life, and important information received from radio messages or via telephone calls. His thoughts, as reflected in these diaries, often developed into plans of military action. General Stilwell never intended that his diaries would be seen by anyone else and he frequently used them to vent the frustrations he faced. The language is often blunt, and while they may not reflect his daily behavior, they do provide insights to his character and strengths. Transcripts of Diaries are also available. The American Expeditionary Forces, IV Army Corps File contains information relating to the time Joseph W. Stilwell spent at the Army General School in Langres, France, for training, his service with the French army at Verdun, and his work as the Corps' Chief Intelligence Officer. The China-Burma-India Command File provides significant documentation on the situation in the Pacific and in the China-Burma-India sector, Stilwell's performance as a commander, his grasp of strategic issues, and his persistence in upholding the course of action he believed to be viable. This series also traces the history of his disagreements with Chiang Kai-shek, which led to his recall. The Career File and the Personal and Family File taken together paint a picture of Joseph W. Stilwell as a man totally dedicated to his family and his country. Various school and family records provide an interesting insight into his family affairs and his performance at school. The Literary File reflects his writing skills, as shown by the articles, essays, musical lyrics, poems, and speeches therein. The Memorabilia series, consisting of Joseph W. Stilwell's personal effects, gifts, and souvenirs from the army, provides a rare and interesting opportunity to learn about life in the army with all its paraphernalia. The Oversize Materials include cartoons, various documents and drafts, maps (including some annotated by Stilwell), and posters, and form an important segment of the collection. The Scrapbooks, a collection of clippings, messages, photographs, and souvenirs, contain a wealth of information relating to Stilwell's life. The Lantern Slides, depicting scenes of life and people in China, are exquisite and unique features of this collection. And among the Sound Recordings, the recorded messages from Burma and a speech given in San Francisco, California, reveal Stilwell's skills as a speaker and his sense of humor. The Incremental Materials, while complementing the original collection acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in 1951 from Mrs. Joseph W. Stilwell, include some new information about Joseph W. Stilwell's personal life and his career in the army. His writings in general, and his letters to his wife in particular, are a significant component of the incremental materials. The issuance of the Stilwell postal stamp, as well as the process leading to this event, represents the nation's tribute to a remarkable man and general. Finally the Photographs, including a number of postcards, depict beautiful scenes and people from China, Japan, the Philippines, and many cities of the United States. They also reveal a very personal side of Stilwell at his residence in Carmel, California, and in his army life as a West Point cadet, as a soldier during his early assignments in Europe, and as a commander of the China-Burma-India sector, in the Philippines, and in the Pacific. This register is an expanded and more detailed version of an earlier version created after the collection was received. Folder numbers and documents not previously mentioned have been added, but the order of the series has been retained, with one exception –- the American Expeditionary Forces series now appears at the beginning. However, new series have been added, the largest one consisting of the incremental material received since the completion of the initial register and listed at the end of the register. Separate series have also been created for the recently created diary transcripts, as well as for the scrapbooks, memorabilia, oversize materials, glass slides, photographs, and sound recordings (sound cassettes), which previously were to be found in the miscellany series. Related Collection(s) W. B. Pettus Collection, Claremont Graduate University (Claremont, California). Pettus was president of the College of Chinese Studies in Beijing, which Stilwell attended as the army's first Chinese-language student. Pettus and Stilwell maintained a friendship through World War II, and correspondence between them is in the collection. Topics include the honorary PhD awarded to Stilwell, Chinese language instruction for the US military during World War II, and Pettus's Register of the Joseph Warren 51001 3 Stilwell papers assistance to Stilwell's daughter Alison, a painter in the Chinese style, in arranging exhibits for her across the United States. The United States Military Academy (West Point, New York) has a collection of twenty-five items (letters, photographs, and clippings) concerning General Stilwell. These items were a gift from William R. Wigley in 1964. William R. Gruber papers, Hoover Insititution Archives. The William Rudolph