By Xu Haiyun
World War II holds a uniquely significant place in the history of warfare. It is the first global conflict explicitly defined as an Anti-Fascist War in human history. More than just a military confrontation, it served as a profound awakening of human consciousness， because it not only led to the complete rejection of extremism and racism but also brought about fundamental changes in the existing political, economic, and social order.
The international order established in the aftermath of WWII, rooted in the victory over fascism and underpinned by institutions such as the United Nations (UN) and the World Trade Organization (WTO), has provided the institutional foundation for over seven decades of global peace and development. To this day, most countries and regions around the world continue to benefit from this postwar system. Therefore, the significance and historical status of WWII are beyond question.
In recent years, however, some Western countries, motivated by ideological bias or political interests, have deliberately sought to downplay the pivotal roles played by the Soviet Union and China during the WWII. This tendency obviously goes against historical facts. The Soviet Union alone lost an estimated 27 million lives in the war.
China's role in the World Anti-Fascist War has long been overlooked by certain Western scholars. This is a serious misjudgment, as it disregards both China's unique wartime conditions and its critical strategic value. China's prolonged resistance against Japanese aggression was in itself a major contribution to the World Anti-Fascist War. It is undeniable and must not be overlooked that the Chinese military and civilians made tremendous sacrifices and outstanding contributions to the defeat of fascism.
Despite extreme shortages of supplies, the Chinese people, through sheer resilience and adaptable strategies, resisted Japanese aggression for 14 years. This prolonged resistance significantly pinned down the main Japanese forces, prevented them from coordinating with Germany across the Eurasian front, and thus greatly eased the pressure on other battlefronts. It demonstrates the strategic importance of the Chinese theatre and China's vital contribution to the World Anti-Fascist War. Statistics show that the Chinese battlefield ultimately eliminated 440,000 Japanese troops and accepted the surrender of 1.27 million more. These achievements clearly demonstrate the pivotal role of China's resistance in the World Anti-Fascist War. This contribution stands as an undeniable fact of history.
The painful lessons of WWII serve as a warning that prejudice, discrimination, hatred and war can only cause disaster and suffering while mutual respect, equality, peaceful development and common prosperity represent the right path to take. It is regrettable that, 80 years later, some have developed a form of historical amnesia. Certain countries, in pursuit of hegemonic interests, distort and manipulate the outcomes of WWII. From disregarding China's pivotal role in the war to downplaying the Soviet Union's historical contributions, and even reinforcing Japan's so-called "victim" narrative, these flawed historical perspectives aim to distort people's historical memory, undermine the post-war international order, and weaken the central role of the United Nations.
History, if not forgotten, can serve as a guide for the future. Although 80 years have passed, we must safeguard the outcomes of WWII and promote an accurate view of its history to use history as a mirror, prevent similar tragedies from repeating, and pave the way for a better future.
Editor's Note: Originally published on china.com.cn, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.
