Forced to flee to the southwestern city of Chongqing by the Japanese advance, Chiang spent the next seven and a half years of the war ineffectively resisting the Japanese and worrying about the communists. Chiang received military aid from the British and Americans, and even had an American Chief of Staff, General “Vinegar Joe” Stilwell. Stilwell became increasingly frustrated with Chiang’s reluctance to commit troops to battle against the Chinese, suspecting that he was withholding his strength in order to be ready to resume fighting with the communists after an Allied victory.

Joseph Stilwell kept meticulous diaries throughout the war, which are transcribed and available online.

Chiang Kai-shek, Song Meiling and Joseph Stilwell