Stilwell and the American Experience in China, 1911-45

By: Barbara W. Tuchman

Narrated by: Pam Ward

In this Pulitzer Prize - winning biography, Barbara Tuchman explores American relations with China through the experiences of one of our men on the ground. In the cantankerous but level-headed "Vinegar Joe", Tuchman found a subject who allowed her to perform, in the words of the National Review, "one of the historian's most envied magic acts: conjoining a fine biography of a man with a fascinating epic story."

Joseph Stilwell was the military attaché to China from 1935 to 1939, commander of United States forces, and allied chief of staff to Chiang Kai-shek from 1942 to 1944. His story unfolds against the background of China's history, from the revolution of 1911 to the turmoil of World War II, when China's Nationalist government faced attack from Japanese invaders and Communist insurgents.

©1971 Barbara W. Tuchman (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"The most interesting and informative book on U.S.-China relations...a brilliant, lucid and authentic account." ( The Nation)
"Barbara Tuchman's best book...so large in scope, so crammed with information, so clear in exposition, so assured in tone that one is tempted to say it is not a book but an education." ( The New Yorker)

A period that directly affected our world today

I have always been interested in China and find Barbara Tuchman's books on historic moments excellent. This one did not disappoint. She painted a fair portrait of Stilwell. Clearly she liked him, but she did not cover up his flaws - particularly those that impacted his work in China. The most fascinating part of the story covers the WWII period, but the earlier time periods cast useful illumination on the events. Chiang Kai Shek does not come off very well, but the Americans, including Stilwell, did not truly understand him or the Chinese viewpoint with regard to many things. Mme. Chiang, whose Western outlook was better understood, was mostly responsible for the level of backing the Americans gave to the Kuomintang.

I found this book well worth the time. For those who are interested in how fairly recent history has shaped our modern world, this book is strongly recommended.

What a tremendous story! I had no idea how intertwined the United States was with China, and how the Nationalists used America

This is an incredibly fascinating story of the little remembered role of how American missionaries sent to China evolved into a national political lobby that ended up supporting a fascist leader masquerading as a democracy; but refused to fight for freedom from Japanese oppression for the entirety of the Second World War

Story better served by different narrator

I know it was written by Barbara Tuchman but I feel a male narrator would have better served the story as seemingly half the book is told in Stilwell’s clipped no nonsense quotations.

Worth the read.

Extraordinary insight into a little-known chapter of WW2 and into American foreign policy in that region and time.
Pam Ward does a solid job as reader.

Extraordinary account of a remarkable man

The rich and varied life of Joe Stilwell is well worth the time of a patient listener. Regrettably, the appalling narration by Me. Ward has to be endured, since there appears to be no other version of Tuchman's fine work spoken by another narrator. Not only is Ward's voice unpleasant and grating, but gets even more annoying when she attempts to deliver comments as if from Vinegar Joe himself. What a pity that a good match between story and storyteller had not been found.

David Evan Glasser, Datca, Turkey

Good Information

Interesting content about an interesting person and valuable Insight in Chinese History during the first half of the 20th Century

Great narration

Pam does an excellent job narrating this book.

Essential Background for Understanding Today

Fascinating and frustrating to trudge through the struggles of Stilwell in China. Much of this book was unknown to me and it is poignant for our current reality with China. Very informative and compelling.

Required Historical Perspective

Tuchman keeps to an American perspective as the title implies. Building on a biography of Stillwell as a framework, the Sino-Japanese War is seen as a front in the worldwide American allocation of World War 2 resources. Keeping to the American perspective, it is not a full history of the Chinese efforts in the war. That said, Tuchman paints a vivid picture of Chaing Kai-Shek thought Stillwell's eyes, brash, direct American eyes. This work shows Stillwell did not have Eisenhower's diplomatic skills, but neither was Chaing Kai-Shek like Churchill. Tuchman's narrative lays out an incredible culture clash and clash of strategic goals that prefigure American confusion and disappointment in the ensuing Chinese Civil War.

Pam Ward's narration is excellent, very clear with inflection, not theatrical.

Excruciating but good

B. Tuchman is such a good writer and presenter of Stilwell's good and bad parts and mostly the bad parts of the U.S. - China policy. My stomach began to twist whenever Stilwell had to deal with Chiang Kai Shek et al. It's no wonder Stillwell died of stomach/liver cancer soon after the war. The reason I read the book was that my father was in that theater of war, U.S. Army.