Li Chunfeng: Taking History as a Mirror [1] and Adhering to the Correct Outlook on the History of World War II
By Li Chunfeng
From May 7 to 10, 2025, President Xi Jinping conducted a state visit to the Russian Federation at the invitation of the host and attended the celebrations commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union. Upon arriving at Moscow’s Vnukovo International Airport on a special flight, President Xi delivered an important speech, explicitly stating that China and Russia "will join hands to defend the fruits of victory in World War II," "deeply cherish the memory of the martyrs who heroically laid down their lives for the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War, jointly promote a correct view of World War II history, and together sound the strongest clarion call of the times for the maintenance of international fairness and justice." The history of the Second World War is an indelible and unforgettable memory of combat within the history of the world’s anti-fascist nations. In the New Era and on the new journey, upholding a correct view of World War II history and resisting erroneous views helps to criticize historical nihilism [1], take history as a mirror, and draw upon historical wisdom.
Upholding a Macro-Historical View and Drawing Upon Historical Wisdom
The so-called macro-historical view [2] is a historical outlook that employs a historical, international, and intellectual perspective to recognize and master the laws of development of human society and discern its inevitable trends. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "We must firmly establish a macro-historical view, and grasp the pulse and correct direction of world history with a broader vision and a longer-term perspective." To promote a correct view of World War II history, we must adhere to a macro-historical view, reflecting on the destruction of human civilization and the unprecedented disasters brought to humanity by World War II from the dimension of the history of human civilization. By taking history as a mirror for the present, we can avoid repeating the same mistakes.
The Second World War was the most tragic war in human history. To realize their ambitions for world hegemony and external aggression and expansion, the fascist Axis powers of Germany, Italy, and Japan, along with their vassals, launched a barbaric war that swept across the globe and threatened world justice and peace, bringing unprecedented disaster to humanity and human civilization. According to incomplete statistics, total global casualties in World War II exceeded 100 million people, economic losses reached over 4 trillion US dollars, and military expenditures exceeded 1.3 trillion US dollars. In the Great Patriotic War, the Soviet Union paid a massive price: 27 million deaths and 1710 cities destroyed.
As the primary theater of the war in the East, during the 14 years of the arduous Great War of Resistance [3] by the entire nation, "the Chinese people paid a heavy price of 35 million casualties," and "calculated at 1937 prices, this caused direct economic losses of 100 billion US dollars and indirect economic losses of 500 billion US dollars." The tragedy of the Nanjing Massacre resulted in "300,000 compatriots being brutally slaughtered, countless women violated and victimized, countless children dying unnatural deaths, one-third of the city’s buildings destroyed, and a massive amount of property plundered." The Japanese invaders also launched appalling biological and chemical warfare against the Chinese people, conducted inhumane experiments on living human bodies, and wantonly plundered China’s materials, resources, and wealth, causing immense calamity to the Chinese people and the Chinese nation.
Chinese civilization possesses a prominent peaceful nature. Rooted in the New Era, reflecting on the World Anti-Fascist War from a macro-historical view and taking history as a mirror, we should cherish more dearly the hard-won peace and justice. The Chinese people love and value peace. China does not follow the old path of some countries that achieved modernization through war, colonization, and plunder. Instead, China is a resolute advocate and powerful defender of world peace, unswervingly following the path of peaceful development. China regards maintaining world peace and opposing hegemonism and power politics as its sacred duty. Upholding the concept of "all under heaven as one family" [4], promoting a correct view of World War II history, and resisting erroneous views, China works hand-in-hand with the people of all countries on the basis of mutual respect, seeking common ground while reserving differences, and achieving mutual benefit and win-win results. Together, we sound the strongest clarion call of the times for maintaining international fairness and justice, and actively promote the construction of a community with a shared future for humanity.
Upholding Historical Materialism and Grasping the Principal Position of the People
Historical materialism emphasizes that the masses of the people are the creators of history and the subjects of historical activity. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that "the people are the creators of history"; they were the primary force in the World Anti-Fascist War and the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and are "the deepest power for victory in war." The complete victory of the World Anti-Fascist War was inseparable from the solidarity and support of peace-loving people worldwide.
To promote a correct view of World War II history, we must adhere to historical materialism and scientifically recognize and firmly grasp the principal position of the world's people in the history of WWII. Approximately 2 billion people from more than 80 countries and regions were involved in the Second World War. To save human civilization, people across the globe defied sacrifice and rose in resistance, forming the World Anti-Fascist Union to conduct an indomitable struggle against fascist states such as Germany, Italy, and Japan, eventually achieving a complete victory.
In China, the primary eastern theater of the World Anti-Fascist War, the Chinese people, under the firm leadership of the Communist Party of China, with tenacious fighting will and a firm belief in certain victory, stood united with a single heart and mind. They threw themselves without hesitation into the torrent of the War of Resistance, engaging in a dogged struggle against the Japanese invaders with unyielding mettle. The Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army fought the indomitable fight against Japanese imperialism amidst the "white mountains and black waters" [5], engaging in tens of thousands of battles, overcoming myriad hardships and dangers, and successfully pinning down and eliminating large numbers of Japanese and puppet troops. Yang Jingyu circled and fought against the Japanese army alone for several days and nights in the freezing snow; even when his ammunition and food were exhausted, he ultimately met a heroic death. In 1941, five soldiers of the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region—Ma Baoyu, Ge Zhenlin, Song Xueyi, Hu Delin, and Hu Fucai—faced a fierce offensive by Japanese and puppet troops. Unafraid in the face of danger, after their bullets were spent, they looked death in the face and resolutely leapt off a cliff, becoming known as the "Five Heroes of Mount Langya." Guided by the Great Spirit of the War of Resistance, thousands upon thousands of heroes and outstanding representatives emerged among the Chinese people, who feared no brutality and died for their country.
The victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was inseparable from the full support and assistance given by the people of the world. To jointly resist Japanese fascism and ensure the smooth transport of China's strategic materials, China and the United States opened the "Hump Route" in Southwest China. American pilots defied hardships and dangers, flying over the natural barriers of the "Hump" to break the Japanese military’s economic blockade of China, powerfully supporting the Chinese people’s War of Resistance. In 1938, the internationalist fighter Norman Bethune led a medical team from Canada and the United States to travel thousands of miles to China. He saved the dying and healed the wounded at the front lines of the anti-Japanese base areas behind enemy lines, ultimately sacrificing his life on Chinese soil.
Criticizing Historical Nihilism and Defending the Fruits of Victory in China’s War of Resistance
In recent years, historical nihilism has become prevalent, riding the tide of international right-wing forces and trends of thought. Rooted in "Western-centrist" values and utilizing diverse media means, they widely broadcast erroneous views of World War II history. They exert every effort to distort the facts of the World Anti-Fascist War, especially denying the active contributions made by the Chinese People’s War of Resistance and the Soviet Union’s Great Patriotic War, and denying the significant sacrifices made by anti-fascist countries like China and the Soviet Union.
Regarding the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, historical nihilism spreads erroneous views such as the "Japanese as victims" theory. It wantonly tampers with the truth of the history of Japan's invasion of China, conceals historical crimes, evades historical responsibility, and disregards the just nature of the Chinese People's War of Resistance. It tries its utmost to deny the leadership and the role of the "mainstay" (zhongliu dizhu) played by the Communist Party of China in the war, all to achieve the ulterior motive of beautifying the bloody history of Japan's invasion and denying its monstrous crimes. Addressing this erroneous phenomenon, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Any remarks that deny the history of aggression or even beautify aggressive wars and colonial rule cannot but arouse the great indignation, severe condemnation, and high vigilance of the Chinese people and the people of various Asian countries." Furthermore, "The Chinese people will never allow anyone or any force to attempt to distort the history of the Communist Party of China or to vilify the nature and purpose of the Party!"
To uphold a correct view of World War II history, we must criticize historical nihilism, taking a clear-cut stand to eliminate its negative influence in confusing public opinion and eroding historical cognition. We must resolutely resist and break down erroneous viewpoints and tendencies regarding the history of WWII, and resolutely defend the fruits of victory of China's War of Resistance. General Secretary Xi Jinping has highly affirmed the mainstay role of the Communist Party of China in the War of Resistance and its important role in the primary eastern theater of the World Anti-Fascist War. He emphasized that the Communist Party of China was the "national vanguard in seizing victory in the war" and the "key to the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression." During the 14-year course of the war, at the critical moment of the Chinese nation's life or death, the Communist Party of China held high the banner of the anti-Japanese national united front. It unswervingly promoted the resistance of the entire nation, leading the people of all ethnic groups to unite as one, share common hatred for the enemy, face death with equanimity, and follow one after another in sacrifice. The Party shouldered the role of the mainstay in the national resistance, propped up the hope for the Chinese nation's salvation, guided the direction of the war, and ultimately achieved the complete victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.
(The author is a professor at the School of Marxism, Hebei Normal University) Source: China Social Science Net - China Social Sciences Press, June 23, 2025 Web Editor: Tongxin