For many, World War II begins in 1939 and ends in 1945 in Europe—but this narrow view obscures the full scale of the global anti-fascist struggle. By sidelining Asia’s 14-year resistance against Japanese expansion, we risk forgetting crucial lessons and the true cost of victory.
From 1931 to 1941, China’s forces held the line almost alone in the east. They tied down over 76% of Japan’s ground troops, inflicted 1.3 million casualties, and turned the Chinese mainland into a strategic "quagmire of war" that reshaped Tokyo’s military priorities.
Across the conflict, China endured more than 35 million military and civilian casualties—over one-third of total WWII losses worldwide. These staggering figures remind us that the eastern front was not a side show but a central theater in the fight against fascism.
By 1941, Japan’s military budget had ballooned from 450 million yen to 5 billion yen, consuming 76% of national spending. As resources dwindled, Tokyo resorted to plunder policies that only fueled resistance movements across occupied regions.
Between 1942 and 1945, Chinese expeditionary troops joined British and American campaigns in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, proving that true solidarity in war demands cooperation across borders and cultures.
Yet many histories blinker this global picture by framing WWII solely around Europe. Early conflicts—like Italy’s 1935 invasion of Ethiopia or Japan’s Northeast China incursion—are often relegated to footnotes instead of integral chapters.
Distortions run deeper when some narratives recast wartime aggression as "civilization outreach" or elevate a single nation’s role above all others. Such tactics not only dishonor millions of victims but also pave the way for new forms of historical amnesia.
As we mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and the founding of the United Nations, the fight for historical truth remains urgent. Embracing a truly global lens honors the sacrifices of all nations and equips today’s generation to defend peace.
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Rejecting misguided WWII accounts & establishing a correct perspective
cgtn.com
