Descendants of former U.S. General Joseph Stilwell and descendants of members of the Army Observation Group have come to China to remind themselves of the joint efforts and sacrifices made for peace between China and the United States.
Joseph Warren Stilwell, a renowned U.S. Army general in World War II, served in many positions including chief of staff of the allied China theater.
He devoted huge effort to supporting the Chinese people in their resistance against the Japanese invasion, forging a deep and enduring friendship with the Chinese people.
After he died, his descendants have remained committed to enhancing people-to-people exchanges between the United States and China.
Stilwell's former residence in Chongqing in Southwest China has now been turned into a museum to commemorate his great contribution to and friendship with the Chinese people. His descendants admired the photographs of the general, which date back to when he was just a young schoolboy. His old belongings and even his diary are on display at the museum.
The visiting descendants said there is a special bond between their family and the Chinese people, which today promotes a form of communication between the two nations.
"I think we're seeing the exact same things that General Stilwell saw when he lived here. The hospitality, the friendliness, the graciousness. It's our first trip to China and it's been really wonderful to see it firsthand. We have always heard about it now we get to experience it for ourselves," said David Bunce, Stilwell's great-grandson.
"The more we learn about each other, the more time we share with each other, we were able to knock down those perceptions and barriers that we thought we had and learn to get along learn to have fun, and you know enjoy our lives together and build friendships and relationships going forward," said Andrew Bunce, Stilwell's great-grandson.
At Stilwell's suggestion, in 1944, the United States army sent an observation group to Yan'an to investigate, also known as the Dixie Mission. This created conditions for direct exchanges between the United States government and the Communist Party of China (CPC) and made positive contributions toward helping the world comprehensively understand the CPC and its armed struggle against Japanese aggression.
One of the group's members was Paul Domke, whose descendants cherish his bravery and openness.
"It's an incredible example of bravery and trust, and the trust that comes from openness and communicating. And I think that we have a lot to learn from that example of bravery on both sides. As you mentioned, my cultural background is through Hawaiian culture, I look forward to learning about the rich cultural heritage of your people, the Chinese people, and celebrate its richness and find opportunities for connectivity through that as well," said Sarah Sterling, Paul Domke's granddaughter.
Descendants of General Stilwell, Dixie Mission visit China
