中文
By Miao Lyu
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, as well as the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. Eight decades have passed, and while the smoke of war has long dispersed, the shadow of World War II (WWII) has never truly vanished. The traumatic memories etched into the fabric of human civilization, the historical truths torn apart by distorted narratives, and the re-emergence of extremist ideologies all serve as constant reminders: Remembering and defending the history of WWII is not a matter of the past; it is an ongoing imperative for the future of humanity.
As the largest and deadliest global conflict in human history, WWII was essentially a brutal trampling of the bottom line of human civilization by fascism and militarism. Over 90 million lives were lost, countless cities were reduced to rubble and heinous crimes against humanity such as genocide, biological warfare and indiscriminate bombing became permanent scars in the collective memory of mankind.
In response, the global anti-fascist alliance, including countries such as China, the Soviet Union, the United States and the United Kingdom, along with many oppressed nations, resisted and fought back against the aggression of fascist powers like Germany, Italy and Japan. Their actions were not merely national defense, but a just war to safeguard sovereignty, independence and the fundamental values of humanity. This is the historical definition of WWII.
Yet over the past 80 years, distorted historical perspectives have never truly faded: Japanese right-wing forces continue to deny the Nanjing Massacre, whitewash their foreign invasions and portray aggressive wars as "liberation" of Asia.
Some countries deliberately downplay their appeasement policies or colonial plunder during WWII, even rebranding colonial history as a form of "civilization outreach" or "joint anti-fascist cooperation," thus obscuring their oppression and exploitation of colonized peoples. Others frame the European theater as the sole determinant of WWII's outcome or promote the narrative that "the U.S. is the sole decisive force in the Allies' victory," thereby diminishing China's prolonged and arduous resistance as well as the immense sacrifices made by the Soviet Union and other Eastern nations.
Still worse, "historical nihilism" is employed to fragment history, fabricate details and deny authoritative records, ultimately questioning the justice of the Allied victory and the legitimacy of the anti-fascist alliance.
At their core, these actions betray historical truth and dishonor the victims. They risk severing the thread of historical memory, confusing the younger generation's understanding of guilt and justice and laying ideological groundwork for new forms of extremism and hegemonism.
From China's perspective, the 14-year-long War of Resistance was an integral part of the global anti-fascist war. China made significant contributions and endured enormous sacrifices; yet its role in the victory has been seriously underestimated.
The dominant Eurocentric narrative often defines WWII as spanning from Germany's 1939 invasion of Poland to the Axis surrender in 1945. This overlooks the global nature of the anti-fascist struggle and ignores the earlier conflicts outside Europe, such as Japan's 1931 invasion of Northeast China and Italy's 1935 invasion of Ethiopia.
Between 1931 and 1941, China almost singlehandedly resisted Japanese aggression. With remarkable strategic resilience, China slowed Japan's northern and southern advances, laying a critical foundation for the overall Allied victory.
At its peak, over 76 percent of Japan's ground forces were tied down on the Chinese front. Chinese forces inflicted about 1.3 million casualties on Japanese troops, dragging Japan into a "quagmire of war." Military spending skyrocketed from 450 million yen in 1931 to 5 billion yen in 1941, accounting for 76 percent of the national budget. As Japan's domestic resources neared exhaustion, it resorted to "war feeding war" policies of plunder, which in turn fueled resistance in occupied areas and accelerated the collapse of its war machine.
From 1942 to 1945, in addition to continuing the fight on its own soil, China dispatched expeditionary forces to northern Myanmar twice to directly support British and American operations in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
Over the course of the entire war, China suffered over 35 million military and civilian casualties, more than one-third of global WWII losses, making it one of the nations that paid the highest price in the anti-fascist struggle. This is backed by overwhelming historical evidence that indisputably proves China was the main battlefield in the East and a vital contributor to the Allied victory.
People visit an exhibition themed "For National Liberation and World Peace" at the Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in Beijing, capital of China, July 8, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
The history of WWII, as one of the most painful "collective memories" of human civilization, directly shapes contemporary values around justice, responsibility, and moral clarity. Eighty years ago, in the wake of tragedy, the founding of the United Nations marked a crucial step from the "law of the jungle" toward a world governed by rules.
The post-war international order, centered on the UN and underpinned by the principles of the UN Charter, represented a global framework for collective security and peaceful development. It was fundamentally a rejection of fascism and imperial aggression, a disruption of the old logic of "might makes right," and a common aspiration toward a new civilization based on equality, justice and cooperation.
However, today, eight decades later, peace is still under threat. Regional conflicts persist, hegemonism and unilateralism are on the rise and some even seek to marginalize the role of UN and dismantle the international order established after WWII.
When people question the legitimacy of the Tokyo Trials as mere "victor's justice," when they deny the Cairo Declaration's affirmation of China's territorial sovereignty and when military interventions are launched bypassing the UN Security Council, these actions in essence undermine the historical legitimacy of the postwar peace framework. They attempt to repackage the old "might is right" logic as "world order," paving the way for a resurgence of the law of the jungle. Clearly, the shadow of war has not fully lifted, and defending the hard-won fruits of WWII victory remains a critical task.
All history comes from contemporary history. The past is the reality of yesterday; today is the history of tomorrow. Distorting WWII history is not an isolated academic debate or a harmless narrative difference; it is a battle to defend the moral baseline of human civilization, the foundation of peace and the direction of our future. The outcome will determine not only whether the legacy of WWII is properly remembered, but whether humanity can continue its journey along the path of justice and peace.
As a founding member and staunch defender of the postwar international order, China will continue to draw lessons from history, steer by the compass of justice and resolutely safeguard the legacy of the WWII victory. Amidst global upheavals, China will promote the development of a more just and reasonable international order and contribute Chinese wisdom and strength to the cause of peace and development for all humankind.
Miao Lyu, a special commentator for CGTN, is co-founder and secretary-general of the Center for China and Globalization (CCG).
