Stillwell Residence + Flying Tigers Museum

Well, we went out this morning planning to head off to the Zoo to see the Pandas. (I'm sure Melissa will Blog about that part of the trip later.) Once we got on the bus, there was a little surprise in store for us.

Before the Zoo, we took a side trip to the Residence of General Stillwell, Commander of US forces in China during WWII and the museum of the Flying Tigers. Months ago, when I was researching Chongqing, I found out that these spots were in Chongqing, and being the History Channel Junkie that I am, I asked the travel group if they wanted to go. Apparently, lots of other people remembered the mention of that, because when I asked our Guide XiXi if it would be possible to take a Taxi there, she said several other families had asked about a trip there.

The Flying Tigers were a group of US Pilots in the Army Air Corps who voluntarily gave up their commission in the US Military to go to China and fight against The Japanese, prior to Pearl Harbor and the US's formal declaration of war against the Axis Powers.

General Stillwell was in charge of all US forces in China during the war, after the US officially declared war, including the forces previously known as the Flying Tigers.

Although there may be some animosity between our governments and their official political positions, lots of average Chinese people remember that Americans came of their on free will to support China in their time of need, and in few places is that memory as strong as in Chongqing, where the headquarters of the US troops were based.

I would put some more links to information about them, but because access to Google is spotty at best, and the "Great Firewall of China" blocks out a lot of websites such as Wikipedia, It's tough to do until I get home.

I bought a nice book about the history of the flying tigers, as well as a T-Shirt with a reproduction of one of the Flying Tigers' "Blood Chits". Basically, the Blood Chit was a large Silk patch sewn inside the clothing of the Members of the Flying tigers that read something along the lines of "This foreign person has come to China to help in the war effort. Soldiers and civilians, one and all, should rescue, protect, and provide him medical care".

I'd love to get into a lot more detail, but I know that most of you reading care more about our Adoption than about WWII History. But I did think it was an interesting Historical tidbit, that I will probably never get another chance to visit.