Military Academy of Sciences, Institute of Military Political Work: Drawing Lessons from History and Dedicating Ourselves to National Rejuvenation [1]
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. From May 7 to 10, President Xi Jinping conducted a state visit to Russia at their invitation and attended the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union. He published a signed article in Rossiyskaya Gazeta titled "Taking History as a Mirror to Create the Future Together." The article pointed out: "We must take history as a mirror, drawing wisdom and strength from the profound lessons of the Second World War and the great victory of the Anti-Fascist War, resolutely opposing all forms of hegemonism and power politics, and jointly creating a better future for humanity."
The Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, which took place in the 1930s and 40s, was a decisive battle between justice and evil, light and darkness, and progress and reaction. The barbaric and cruel iron heel of fascism failed to destroy the Chinese civilization that has been passed down like a continuous flame; instead, it stimulated an unprecedented awakening and drive within this ancient nation. The fourteen years of the arduous War of Resistance, the immense sacrifices made, and the surging Great Spirit of Resistance [1] have been washed by the passage of time yet remain radiant and soul-stirring. In today's China, the sun of peace shines upon the land, and the dawn of national rejuvenation is in sight. Lessons written in blood must not be forgotten; we must earnestly draw experience and lessons from history to ensure that the great ship of the Chinese-path modernization moves steadily and reaches far.
A Dark Page: The Japanese War of Aggression Brought Unprecedented Calamity to the Chinese Nation
Since 1840, "almost all the imperialist countries of the world, large, medium, and small, have invaded our country." Unscrupulously, they launched one war of aggression after another, infringing upon our sovereignty, ceding our territory, seizing our wealth, slaughtering our people, and destroying our culture. This caused modern China to suffer shame upon shame and disaster upon disaster, repeatedly interrupting the process of modernization.
Among these, the Japanese war of aggression brought the heaviest calamity, the greatest losses, and the deepest suffering to the Chinese nation. During the 14 years from the September 18th Incident [2] to Japan's surrender, the aggressors' claws ravaged half of China's territory, their iron heels trampled over 930 cities, and the mountains and rivers of the Chinese land were shattered.
Japanese militarism perpetrated appalling fascist atrocities against the Chinese people. The aggressors frantically bombed cities and villages, wantonly slaughtered civilians, violated women, brutalized children, and enslaved laborers. They perpetrated the horrific Nanjing Massacre and countless village massacres, and conducted revolting biological warfare, chemical warfare, and human experimentation. During the 14 years of the War of Resistance, Chinese military and civilian casualties exceeded 35 million, accounting for one-third of the total casualties of all countries during World War II. The number of bloodbaths in which aggressors murdered civilians reached tens of thousands—more than 200 of which were large-scale massacres involving more than 1,000 victims each. A bloodthirsty nature became the hallmark of the barbarism and darkness of Japanese militarism.
The Japanese aggressors carried out frantic plundering and destruction of China's resources and wealth. Shanghai was the city with the highest concentration of Chinese industry; before the war, there were about 3,000 factories and enterprises of various types. After the Battle of Shanghai, over 2,200 were destroyed, and about half of the industrial equipment in the Nanjing-Shanghai-Hangzhou triangle was ruined. Whenever the aggressors occupied an area, they immediately seized airports, railways, and mines, controlled enterprises, and plundered property, taking vast amounts of wealth from the occupied areas as their own. This caused direct economic losses of 100 billion USD and indirect economic losses of 500 billion USD to China. The aggressors implemented the "Three Alls" policy [3] (burn all, kill all, loot all) in our anti-Japanese base areas, frantically seizing the people's grain and livestock. This pushed the material difficulties of the anti-Japanese military and civilians to an extreme degree; for example, the Eighth Route Army in southern Shandong had to "carry out operations while cadres and soldiers spent half a year eating tree leaves, sweet potato vines, and peanut shells mixed with a tiny bit of grain."
Wherever the Japanese aggressors went, they wantonly destroyed Chinese culture. They bombed schools, expelled students, and persecuted teachers; many universities and middle schools in North, Central, and South China were forced to move inland. According to incomplete post-war statistics, educational institutions suffered property losses of over 2.37 billion USD, and over 2.253 million volumes of public library collections were lost. The aggressors also used despicable means to plunder cultural relics and destroy historical sites, causing enormous damage and irreparable losses.
During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Communist Party of China, representing the fundamental interests of the Chinese people, upheld national righteousness, shouldered heavy historical responsibilities, and fought at the very front line of the war, playing the role of the mainstay [4] in the national resistance. The photo shows Eighth Route Army soldiers cheering for victory on a beacon tower of the Inner Great Wall after capturing the Japanese stronghold of Dongtuanbao in Laiyuan County during the Hundred Regiments Offensive in 1940 (Archival photo). Provided by Xinhua News Agency.
The war of aggression launched by Japanese militarism committed monstrous crimes against humanity, conscience, and civilization, bringing the "Chinese nation to its most dangerous moment" [5]. This painful period of history is something the Chinese people have not forgotten, dare not forget, and absolutely must not forget.
An Immortal Monument: The Victory of the War of Resistance Opened Bright Prospects for the Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation
At the moment of national peril, the Communist Party of China always regarded calling upon, leading, and uniting the people of the whole country in the common resistance as its noble mission. By giving full play to its vanguard and exemplary role, it powerfully moved and inspired the enthusiasm and fighting spirit of the people across the nation, winning their trust and support. Under the banner of the anti-Japanese national united front initiated by the CPC and based on KMT-CPC cooperation, the children of China fought for the survival of the country, the rejuvenation of the nation, and the justice of humanity. They ultimately achieved the great victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. This was the first complete victory for China against foreign invasion in modern times, greatly advancing the progress of the Chinese revolution and erecting a glorious historical monument on the journey toward the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
—The War of Resistance tempered and matured our Party, forging a strong leadership force for the realization of national rejuvenation. During the War of Resistance, our Party established the guiding position of Mao Zedong Thought for the whole Party, formed a central collective leadership with Comrade Mao Zedong at its core, and established the Marxist ideological, political, and organizational lines. This achieved unprecedented ideological, political, and organizational solidarity and unity within the whole Party, playing the role of the mainstay in eventually winning the victory.
In this struggle against aggression, no matter how arduous the conditions, how perilous the situation, or how cruel the war, our Party always persisted in resistance and opposed surrender, persisted in unity and opposed a split, and persisted in progress and opposed regression. Through its own political propositions, struggles, and sense of responsibility, the Party firmly guided the correct direction of the resistance and won the trust and support of the broad masses. Through the Yan'an Rectification Movement [6], our Party strengthened Party building, allowing the Party to be tempered into steel while leading national liberation and strengthening its own self-revolution. It became a Party that was more mature after being refined by blood and fire, allowing the Chinese nation to grasp the destiny of rejuvenation in its own hands.
—The War of Resistance brought about a great awakening of all Chinese people, concentrating a majestic force for national rejuvenation. "The degree to which this war has promoted the awakening and unity of the Chinese people is unmatched by any of the great struggles of the Chinese people in the past hundred years." Facing national peril, the patriotic passion of the Chinese people erupted like a volcano. Soldiers on the front lines fought bloody battles and killed the enemy heroically; workers and peasants joined the army and the war to support the front and carried out various forms of anti-Japanese national salvation struggles; intellectuals and patriotic youth stood bravely at the forefront of the times, using pens as rifles or abandoning the pen to join the military; students across the country took to the streets to denounce the crimes of the Japanese invaders; people from all walks of life participated in the resistance in different ways. "Workers, peasants, soldiers, students, and merchants—unite to save the nation from ruin." It was precisely this great awakening of the entire nation that condensed into a powerful force capable of drowning the enemy.
During the resistance, social mobilization was so extensive, national unity so close, and mass enthusiasm so high that the progress of the Chinese people in terms of spirit and organization was unprecedented. On July 7, 1939, the writer Zhu Ziqing wrote passionately: "What was once a vast piece of fertile soil, a dead China of scattered sand [7], is now a living China of flesh and blood... A New China has grown amidst blood and fire."
—The War of Resistance honed a heroic people's army, providing a solid strategic support for national rejuvenation. "Returning only after the Loulan to the dust is ground, though in golden armor my body is bound by battles profound." [8] Our Party led the Eighth Route Army, the New Fourth Army, and other anti-Japanese armed forces, elevating guerrilla warfare to a strategic status. We extensively carried out ambushes, sabotage operations, landmine warfare, tunnel warfare, and "sparrow" guerrilla tactics [9] behind enemy lines. With the heroic spirit of "overwhelming all enemies and never being subjugated by them," we fought a life-and-death battle with the brutal invaders, becoming the unyielding backbone of a suffering China.
"The army and the people are the foundation of victory." The anti-Japanese armed forces led by our Party were deeply rooted among the masses, making them invincible. Wherever the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army went, mass work was carried out; wherever they went, the masses were mobilized, organized, and armed. Guerrilla units sprang up like bamboo shoots after a rain, creating the military wonder of "villages fighting for themselves, individuals fighting for themselves, fighting everywhere, and fighting all the time." This transformed the "chessboard" of the war and laid a solid foundation for victory. After the victory of the resistance, our Party and people relied on this battle-hardened people's army to "topple Chiang Kai-shek and liberate all of China" in one stroke, as well as to defeat the American imperialists armed to the teeth, achieving the great victory of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea [10] to protect our homes and defend our country. History has proven—and will continue to prove—that the Chinese nation's emergence from suffering and the Chinese people's liberation depended on a heroic people's army; the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the creation of a better life for the Chinese people likewise cannot be separated from a heroic people's army.
—The War of Resistance gave birth to the Great Spirit of Resistance, injecting a powerful spiritual impetus for national rejuvenation. The War of Resistance was not only the recovery of mountains and rivers but also the reshaping of the national spirit. A group of anti-Japanese generals such as Yang Jingyu, Zhao Shangzhi, Zuo Quan, Peng Xuefeng, Tong Linge, Zhao Dengyu, Zhang Zizhong, and Dai Anlan, along with many heroic groups such as the "Five Heroes of Mount Langya" of the Eighth Route Army, the "Liu Lao Zhuang Company" of the New Fourth Army, the "Eight Female Martyrs" of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army, and the "800 Heroes" of the Kuomintang Army, were outstanding representatives of the millions of anti-Japanese soldiers. The children of China swept away a century of stagnation, marching forward through the enemy's fire to fight for national dignity. They showed the world a patriotic sentiment where "everyone is responsible for the rise and fall of the nation," a national integrity of "viewing death as going home and preferring death to surrender," a heroic spirit of "being fearless of brute force and fighting to the end," and a conviction for victory characterized by "indomitability and perseverance." This formed the Great Spirit of Resistance and reforged the blood and soul of the Chinese nation. It was precisely this spirit that "suddenly flared up" in a time of crisis. Although the Japanese aggressors' iron heels crossed the Great Wall, they could not cross the "Spiritual Great Wall" of the Chinese people who were determined to face death to find life and fight the resistance to the end.
On July 7, 1937, the Japanese invading army brazenly launched the Lugou Bridge Incident (July 7th Incident), and the local Chinese garrison rose in resistance, thus breaking out the national War of Resistance. The photo shows student representatives from the capital participating in a ceremony on July 7, 2024, at the Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in Beijing, marking the 87th anniversary of the outbreak of the national War of Resistance. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Xiang.
The Great Spirit of Resistance is the most precious spiritual wealth left to us by the War of Resistance, and it is a powerful force for the Chinese nation as it moves toward the future and rejuvenation. Regarding this war, if one does not see the growth of the national spirit, one cannot clearly see its great significance and value. Today, we are carrying out a great struggle with many new historical features [11]. The risks and challenges we face are rare in the world and rare in history; we similarly need heroes and cannot do without a robust spirit.
—The victory of the War of Resistance established China's status as a major world power, creating positive external conditions for national rejuvenation. From the Opium War until the period before the War of Resistance, China suffered persecution by the world's great powers. China not only could not play an important role in international affairs but lacked even the most basic qualification for equal dialogue and could not receive respect.
This situation changed fundamentally with the victory of the War of Resistance. China's resistance made a huge contribution to the World Anti-Fascist War; China gained the respect of the international community, and its international status rose accordingly. China initially abolished the various privileges obtained by various countries under unequal treaties. As one of the "Big Four," China participated directly in the drafting of the Charter of the United Nations and made a great contribution to establishing the international order based on the UN, naturally becoming a major founding member and a permanent member of the Security Council. The victory of the War of Resistance re-established China's status as a major power in the world, providing indispensable external conditions for the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Taking History as a Mirror for Today: Unswervingly Striving for the Cause of Building a Strong Country and Rejuvenating the Nation
President Xi has profoundly pointed out that history is a mirror; it illuminates reality and the future. Remembering history is not for the sake of continuing hatred, but to cherish peace and open the future. We should draw wisdom and strength for moving forward from history, working with one heart and mind, overcoming difficulties, and continually advancing toward the glorious shore of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
The leadership of the Party and Party building must be comprehensively strengthened. During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Party paid particular attention to its own construction, promoting it as a "Great Project." This allowed the Party to further mature politically, play a vanguard role in the torrent of this national war of resistance, sustain the hope of national salvation and survival, and become the mainstay [12] in persevering through a protracted war and seizing victory.
To continually open new horizons for national rejuvenation, there is an urgent need to forge the Party into a stronger and more forceful entity under new historical conditions. The great cause of rejuvenation is a long road beset with difficulties [13]; it presents a severe test for the Party in terms of comprehensively and strictly governing the Party and resolving the unique challenges facing a large party. It places new requirements on the Party’s creativity, cohesion, and combat effectiveness, and higher demands on the Party’s ability to navigate complex situations and respond to risks and challenges. To advance the new Great Project of Party building in the New Era in depth, we must prioritize the Party’s political construction, fortify the organizational system for long-term governance, and cultivate a high-quality, professional cadre force that is loyal, clean, and responsible, ensuring the Party becomes increasingly pure and powerful. We must maintain the sobriety and resolve of "rushing to the exam" [14] at all times, persisting in improving conduct, enforcing discipline, and fighting corruption, to ensure the Party always stands at the forefront of the times and serves as the strong leadership core for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
We must always persist in the people-centered approach. The victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression fully demonstrated the invincible and majestic power of the Chinese people. It clearly showed that the people are the creators of history and the true heroes; they are the deepest source of power for victory in war and the fundamental force determining the future and destiny of the Party and the state.
The country is the people, and the people are the country [15]. Our Party carries out revolution, construction, and reform all for the purpose of allowing the people to lead a happy life. On the new journey, the people are the greatest support and the ultimate beneficiaries of national rejuvenation. As long as we have the support and participation of the masses, there is no difficulty that cannot be overcome. To practice the people-centered development philosophy, we must first solidify one conviction: we must always believe in the masses, stimulate their infinite creativity, and rely on them to create the great cause of history. The people's aspiration for a better life is our goal. We must forever maintain a "child's heart" [16] toward the people, place their interests in a position of supreme importance, think and work together with them, share weal and woe, "share the salt when there is salt, and endure the blandness when there is none" [17], and continuously turn the people's aspirations for a better life into reality.
We must comprehensively improve our strategic capabilities to defend national sovereignty, security, and development interests. In the modern era, the lessons of the nation's humiliation, the people's suffering, and the tarnishing of our civilization are not far behind us [18]. The historical experience of victory in the war of resistance once again warns us: only by being capable of fighting can one stop a war. For a country to truly emerge from the shadow of war, it must possess the strategic capability to "use martial force to end conflict" [19].
In today’s world, changes unseen in a century are accelerating, the international situation is complex and severe, and the external security environment facing our country is fraught with increasing uncertainties and unpredictable factors. Domestically, reform, development, and stability also face many deep-seated contradictions, all of which pose new challenges to maintaining national security. Military means serve as the ultimate guarantee [20] for realizing the Great Dream; they must be ready to be deployed, capable of reaching the front, and certain of victory whenever the Party and the people require. On the new journey, only by accurately grasping the new characteristics of national security strategic demands in the New Era, consolidating and improving the integrated national strategic system and capabilities, and maintaining a tight and solid grip on preparations for military struggle can national security have a foundation and national rejuvenation have confidence.
We must firmly promote the cause of human peace and justice. War is a mirror that allows people to better recognize the preciousness of peace. Currently, the world once again stands at a crossroads of history. The shadows of Cold War mentality and power politics persist, while unilateralism, hegemonism, and bullying run rampant. The world is not at peace; peace needs guarding and justice needs defending.
Building a world of peace, stability, and security is the strong desire of people of all countries, the common responsibility of every nation, and the correct direction for the development of our times. Taking history as a mirror, all countries should unswervingly follow the path of peaceful development, adhere to a correct historical perspective on World War II, resolutely defend the achievements of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War, and firmly uphold the post-war international order and international equity and justice. We must follow the trend of the times, adhere to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, work together to build a new type of international relations centered on win-win cooperation, and jointly promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity. Thus, we shall pass the torch of peace from generation to generation, ensure the impetus for development flows endlessly, and let the light of civilization shine brilliantly.
Web Editor: Tongxin
Source: Qiushi, Issue No. 10, 2025