CBI VICTORY! The 80th Anniversary Retrospective (1945-2025) of the WWII China-Burma-India Theater

We are celebrating the 80th Anniversary of the WWII victory with an exhibition to remember the China-Burma-India (CBI) Theater, a theater of battle to which many Chinese and Chinese-Americans contributed. This exhibition has works of art by Chinese artist Liu Rong, depicting important battles and people. It includes many historical photos, medals, and memorabilia. 

Visitors will learn the overview of the 2nd Sino-Japanese war, which started in 1937, and more events about the China-Burma-India Theater from 1941 to 1945. We also include the rarely told stories about the contribution of the Chinese Americans and the WWII impact on them. Accompanying these stories are the artifacts in five large display cases that have been collected by Montgomery Hom, and most of them are shown in the public for the first time.

The exhibition retells stories about the Flying Tigers, Merrill's Marauders, "Flying the Hump," ground support, and the Ledo road construction. Many generals are considered for their roles in the CBI Theater, including Joseph Warren Stilwell, Claire Lee Chennault, Wei Lihuang, and Sun Liren.

The exhibition opened on April 5, 2025.  It will run until January 2026.

    History has always been a powerful reminder of our connection with others.  Our permanent exhibition showcases a prominent timeline on a central wall to bridge our displayed items with their respective histories.  One side of the wall depicts a timeline of Chinese history from the Shang to the Qing dynasty, while the other side depicts the Chinese American immigration story with a focus on the community in San Diego. The history of our organization is displayed on a segment at the end of the long wall, which honors the individuals who were key players in establishing the museum that we know today. 

The permanent exhibition in our Mission building is story-based and presented in several sections.  For example, we have a corner dedicated to Traditional Chinese Medicine. This area includes a herbal cabinet grinding tools, herb samples and other artifacts that you would find in a typical herb shop.  Other sections include Religion and Philosophy, Chinese Folk Art, Chinese Laundries, and much more! 

Images of the permanent exhibition are available @https://photos.app.goo.gl/WaX5k41ayHcEi4Z29