Study On Stillwell Road’s Construction And Contemporary Value

The Stilwell Road is a military thoroughfare built in World War II, thisinternational road connect China, Burma and India. Because it’s outstandingcontribution to Chinese Anti-Japanese War, the road was called China’s Lifeline. Duringand after World war II, people do a lot of research view from military and history point.But the road itself as the "Greatest project during World War II" has been neglected fora long time. The paper research the Stilwell Road from transit construction and culturepoint.The paper confirm Stilwell Road was composed of Burma Road and Ledo Road inChina, it started at Ledo,India and ended at Kunming,China. Based on this, the papersystematic study on the construction background, road reconnaissance and design,construction process, road specifications, and the traffic volume of Burma Road andLedo Road.Stilwell Road was a military thoroughfare built during war, so it insist theguideline of "first open the road then improve it". The varieties of road structures werethe product based on this guideline. Engineers choose suspension bridge to overcomemajor rivers in west Yunnan, that was the most advanced technology in China duringwar time. Bailey bridge and corrugated pipe culvert were the most advancedengineering technology in the world at that time. What’s more, engineers built thelongest oil pipeline in the world. These road structures show Stilwell road was amilitary road which is badly in need for China.Although built in the toughest time during Chinese Anti-Japanese War, a lot oftransportation human connotation implied in Stilwell Road. Stilwell Road was aninternational road built by engineers from America, China, UK, India, Eastern andWestern culture gathered and clashed here. The road is named after General JosephWarren Stilwell, and road signs and memory signs along the road were full of traffichuman connotation. In addition, there are various of literature, art, news andphotography production about Stilwell Road around the world. Stilwell Road set a goodexample for nowadays traffic culture construction.Finally, the paper analysis Stilwell Road’s practical significance and contemporaryvalue. Stilwell Road is the proof of China participate in WWII, and it’s the bridge for the friendship between China and America. Tourism industry in Yunnan will be benefitfrom rebuild Stilwell Road, and it will help Yunnan become China’s bridgehead openedto southwest. The road can develop economic and trade cooperation between China,Southeast Asia and South Asia. Rebuild Stilwell Road is also very important for China’snational security, it’s the key to solve the problem of the first island chain and MalaccaDilemma.