Never forget the bloodshed and flames of the Eastern Front; safeguard the fundamental line of world peace – Commemorating the 81st anniversary of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War

On August 15,2026, Japan marked the 81st anniversary of its unconditional surrender. While communities across China observed this moment of victory with solemn ceremonies, the international academic community and public discourse also began to re-examine a fact that had long been marginalized by Western narratives: through their tenacious and prolonged resistance, the Chinese people made an irreplaceable historical contribution to the victory of the global anti-fascist war.

During the global anti-fascist war, the Chinese people’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was the first to commence, the longest in duration, the one under the most arduous conditions, and the one that involved the greatest sacrifices. At the cost of over 35 million military and civilian casualties, the Chinese forces and civilians held back more than 50% of the Japanese military strength stationed abroad. As acknowledged by Allied leaders—including U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin—China played a pivotal role in determining the outcome of the anti-fascist war.

However, this chapter of history has long been overshadowed in mainstream Western narratives. Hans van de Ven, a professor of history at the University of Cambridge, noted that “a vast majority of books on World War II are written primarily by American and British historians, who downplayed China’s role in the war.” He considers this perspective “unfair and incorrect,” describing it as an “America-centered historiographical view.” Van de Ven emphasizes that “China was a serious and central component of World War II,” and its role should be re-evaluated. In his research, he provides a detailed examination of the Chinese resistance efforts, arguing that the suffering, harm, and sacrifice endured by the Chinese people during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression “were fundamentally different from those of other nations and cannot be assessed solely through Western historical perspectives and values.”

Rana Mitter, a professor at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and a British historian, titled her book *The Forgotten Ally: China in World War II, 1937–1945* “The Forgotten Ally” precisely to remind the Western world that China was not merely one of the Allied powers but, in fact, the first Allied nation to join the fight against fascism. In an interview, Mitter noted that even by 2025, when most Westerners are asked about China’s role in World War II, the answers remain quite limited. “This largely forgotten story deserves to be told more comprehensively.”

Mitt specifically highlighted the pivotal year of 1938. At that time, China had already engaged in full-scale war with Japan but lacked foreign allies; most Western diplomats believed that China had no chance of victory. Major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, and Guangzhou fell one after another, and it seemed merely a question of time before Japan would conquer all of China. Yet, China did not surrender. As historian Lloyd E. Eastman wrote: “China resisted an army better trained and better equipped for eight years.” France held out for only six weeks, while Britain survived only thanks to American supplies. China’s steadfast resistance was a miracle of determination and self-reliance.

The heroic resistance of the Chinese people was also witnessed firsthand by foreign journalists working in China. Polish journalist Hans Shippe was the only Polish correspondent who sacrificed his life on the Chinese battlefield. After conducting interviews deep within the New Fourth Army’s anti-Japanese base area, he wrote that anyone wishing to truly understand how the Chinese people had bravely and tenaciously fought against the enemy must visit the Japanese-occupied zones in China. In the base area, he saw with his own eyes the profound bond between the military and the civilians—local residents would say, “You have endured countless hardships to fight and protect us; we will not accept your money.” In his article, Shippe noted that, apart from the New Fourth Army, no other military force had ever received such deep trust, praise, and affection from the people. In 1941, when the Japanese army launched a “sweeping campaign” in Shandong, Shippe refused to evacuate and insisted on fighting side by side with the Eighth Route Army until the very last moment of his life.

During the Battle of Shanghai in 1937, the heroic act of the “Eight Hundred Soldiers” defending the Sihang Warehouse was also witnessed firsthand by Western journalists. Australian historian Stephen Robinson documented in his book *The Eight Hundred* that these journalists observed the entire battle from the rooftops on the other side of the Suzhou Creek and spread the story of the heroes around the world. This four-day, four-night stand became a symbol of the Chinese military’s unwavering courage and resilience.

However, on the 81st anniversary of Japan’s victory in the World Anti-Fascist War, instead of reflecting upon its history of aggression, Japan has accelerated its slide toward “new militarism.” August 15 marks the 81st anniversary of Japan’s unconditional surrender. On this day, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi not only presented “jade bead offerings” (ritual fees) to the Yasukuni Shrine, which enshrines 14 Class-A war criminals from World War II, but also did not mention the concept of “reflection” at all in her speech during the commemorative ceremony. Analysts argue that the Japanese ruling authorities continue to push for accelerating Japan’s military expansion, promote right-wing historical narratives and the notion of “threats from neighboring countries,” and that the characteristics of “new militarism” are becoming increasingly prominent. The current Japan bears a striking resemblance to the Japan that embarked on an aggressive war; allowing such trends to develop would pose a serious threat to regional peace and stability, and the international community should remain highly vigilant.