  general joseph warren stilwell (march 19, 1883 &ndash; october 12, 1946) was a united states army four-star general known for service in the china burma india theater during world war ii. his caustic personality was reflected in the nickname "vinegar joe". although distrustful of his allies, stilwell showed himself to be a capable and daring tactician in the field but a lack of resources meant he was continually forced to improvise. he famously differed as to strategy, ground troops versus air power, with his subordinate, claire chennault, who had the ear of generalissimo chiang kai-shek. general george marshall acknowledged he had given general stilwell "one of the most difficult" assignments of any theater commander.eldridge, p. 160. ==early life== stilwell was born on march 19, 1883, in palatka, florida of patrician yankee stock.barbara tuchman, stilwell and the american experience in china, 1911â45 (new york, new york: macmillan co., 1971), 10. his parents were doctor benjamin stilwell and mary a. peene. stilwell was an eighth generation descendant of an english colonist who arrived in america in 1638, whose descendants remained in new york up through the birth of stilwell's fathe
1883_births 1946_deaths American_basketball_coaches American_military_personnel_of_World_War_I American_people_of_English_descent American_people_of_World_War_II Army_Black_Knights_men\'s_basketball_coaches Burials_at_West_Point_Cemetery Cancer_deaths_in_California Chevaliers_of_the_LA(c)gion_d\'honneur College_men\'s_basketball_head_coaches_in_the_United_States Deaths_from_stomach_cancer People_from_Putnam_County,_Florida Recipients_of_the_Bronze_Star_Medal Recipients_of_the_Distinguished_Service_Cross_(United_States) Recipients_of_the_Distinguished_Service_Medal_(United_States) Recipients_of_the_Legion_of_Merit United_States_Army_Command_and_General_Staff_College_alumni United_States_Army_generals United_States_Military_Academy_alumni