Blunder or Deception? General Joseph Stilwell s Controversial World War II Leadership
General Joseph Stilwell’s suppression of intelligence reports on Japanese troop strength at Myitkyina led to controversial tactical decisions and strategic outcomes.
Here s What You Need to Know: In a scathing military commentary long after the war, U.S. Army Colonel Scott McMichael wrote, Inexplicably, in a display of gross military incompetence, Stilwell completely failed to take advantage of this coup-de-main.
General Joseph W. “Vinegar Joe” Stilwell and his Sino-American Myitkyina Task Force (MTF), in a coup de main attack, seized the vital Japanese-controlled airfield just west of the town of Myitkyina on the great Irrawaddy River in northern Burma on May 17, 1944.