Beyond Lend-Lease: The American Military Mission to China, 1941-1945

China’s War with Japan began in 1937 with the Marco Polo Bridge Incident near Beijing.  While diplomatic and economic means were used to support the Chinese for several years, it was not until the 10th of October 1941 that an American military mission to support Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek (Jiang Jieshi) was established.  Brigadier General John M. Magruder, an officer with significant experience in China, led a small team of U.S. Army specialists in coordinating the delivery, onward movement, and utilization of military supplies and equipment provided under the Lend Lease program.  This effort preceded the official declaration of war against Japan by the United States. This vital mission was a precursor to General Joseph S. Stilwell’s assignment as chief of staff to Chiang, commander of all US forces, and the establishment of the China-Burma-India Theater.

Dr. Geoff Babb was commissioned from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine in 1973 as a US Army Military Intelligence Officer. After serving in the Defense Intelligence Agency as a ground forces analyst, he was assigned to Monterey, California, Hong Kong, and Beijing for language and area studies. He was then assigned to Joint and Army Headquarters in Hawaii. In 1991, he joined the Command and General Staff College faculty at Fort Leavenworth. After retiring from the military, he earned a Masters in East Asian Languages and Cultures, and a Doctorate in History from the University of Kansas. He has published numerous book chapters and articles on China and Asia. He currently serves as a professor in the Department of Military History.

The Ft. Leavenworth Series is an annual roster of lectures focusing on significant historical events, usually with an emphasis on military history. Each lecture is presented by faculty from the United States Army Command and General Staff College in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. Established by General William Tecumseh Sherman in 1881, the CGSC is the graduate college for U.S. Army and sister service officers. The esteemed faculty and guests of the CGSC provide unique and captivating insights into the history of military conflict from the ancient to the modern ages at the Dole Institute of Politics.

The opinions expressed herein are those of the individual and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency.