As we commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of the Chinese Peoples War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Chinas enduring 14-year stand emerges as a cornerstone of the global fight against fascism.
Beginning with the September 18th Incident in 1931eight years before Europe plunged into war and a decade before Pearl Harborthe Chinese military and civilians waged large-scale battles and guerrilla campaigns. Their sacrifices were immense: more than 35 million lives lost, and over 1.5 million Japanese forces neutralized, accounting for 70% of Japans total losses in WWII.
A strategic Eastern theatre
By holding firm on the Eastern front, China tied down the bulk of Japanese troops. Key battles like Songhu in 1937 delayed Japans advance by three months, while the 19401941 Hundred-Regiment Campaign disrupted vital supply lines, forcing Tokyo to rethink its Strike South strategy.
Chinas protracted resistance reshaped the global conflict. It bolstered the Soviets defense at Stalingrad by preventing a two-front war, and enabled the 1942 Doolittle Raid from Chinese airbases, lifting Allied morale after Pearl Harbor.
These efforts also fostered international solidarity. Canadian surgeon Norman Bethune established frontline hospitals before sacrificing his life in China, and the American Volunteer Group, famously known as the Flying Tigers, fought side by side with Chinese forces.
Without Chinas steadfast Eastern front, the collapse of fascism might have been delayedor even derailed. Today, global leaders continue to honor the nations indelible contributions to the Allied victory and the post-war world order.
Reference(s):
China's indelible contributions to the World Anti-Fascist War
cgtn.com
