Sun Li-jen

"When facing an enemy of equal or larger strength, take the most indirect, least aware and totally unanticipated approach, instead of frontal confrontation, to launch a surprise attack."

- Sun Li-jen

Sun Li-jen was a Chinese Nationalist (KMT) general, a graduate of Virginia Military Institute, best known for his leadership in the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War. His achievements in World War II, especially in the Burma Campaign, earned him the laudatory nickname "Rommel of the East".

After engaging in the Battle of Shanghai, Sun's New 38th Division was sent by Chiang Kai-shek into Burma to protect the Burma Road as part of the Chinese Expeditionary Force. Sun led one Chinese regiment through difficult terrain to relieve 7,000 British forces trapped by the numerically superior Japanese in the Battle of Yenangyaung. Although unable to stop the Japanese from cutting the Burma Road, Sun gained the respect of General William Slim, the commander of the British 14th Army and successfully retreated his troops into India without being ambushed by Japanese troops.

After the successful retreat into India, Sun's division was incorporated in the New First Army, and became a part of 'X Force', the Chinese force under the command of Joseph Stilwell, the American commander of all American and Chinese troops in the "China Burma India Theater". The battle discipline of Sun's divisions reaffirmed Stilwell's respect for the Chinese soldier. His troops spearheaded the Burma Campaign, Stilwell's 1943 drive to reconquer North Burma and re-establish the land route to China by the Ledo Road. During the entire campaign, Sun's troops achieved a long string of victories, making General Stilwell considered Sun the most capable Chinese field commander in the entire war. In 1945, at the invitation of American General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Sun toured the battlefields of Europe. He returned to China to lead the New First Army to Canton to accept the Japanese surrender.

Later Sun and his troops battled Mao Zedong's forces in Northern China during Chinese Civil War. Though initially successful, Sun was exempted from commanding his troops by Chiang Kai-shek due to speculation of insubordination.

After retreating to Taiwan with the rest of KMT, Sun was put under house arrest because his alleged involvement in a spy case and lived a rather miserable life under surveillance for the rest of his life. His name was gradually cleared in 2001 and a memorial hall was established in Taiwan to honor him.