[South Korea] Kim Jin-hwan: Strengthening the Research on the History of the War of Resistance Is of Great Significance
2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. The Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was a crucial component of the World Anti-Fascist War and holds great significance throughout the entire history of the Chinese Revolution. In terms of modern Chinese history, the War of Resistance was the first time the Chinese people achieved a complete victory in resisting foreign aggression, which also greatly inspired the liberation struggles of peoples in colonies and semi-colonies. [1]
The victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression carries a threefold significance. From the Chinese perspective, through a War of Resistance involving the entire nation, the Chinese people achieved a complete victory, igniting the hope for independence and self-reliance. From the Asian perspective, the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression provided enormous spiritual encouragement to the peoples of Asia and reduced the sacrifices on other Asian battlefields. From the world perspective, China formed a World Anti-Fascist Alliance with countries such as the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union; the victory of the Chinese theater made a gargantuan contribution to the final victory of the World Anti-Fascist War. China’s War of Resistance was not only a matter for China or the East, but also a matter for the world.
The Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War achieved ultimate victory at the cost of immense sacrifices by the Chinese people. With the Lugou Bridge Incident [2] on July 7, 1937, Japan began its full-scale invasion of China, and the Chinese people rose up in resistance, throwing themselves into the anti-fascist war in successive waves. [3] The great victory of the War of Resistance enabled China to reclaim extraterritoriality and abolish unequal treaties. [4]
By pinning down the Japanese aggressors in the Chinese theater, the Chinese military and civilians prevented their expansion into other regions such as the Soviet Union and Southeast Asia, thereby safeguarding countless lives and peace. By virtue of its contribution to the World Anti-Fascist War, China played an active role in the restructuring of the post-war world order. The Chinese people, undaunted by sacrifice, tied down Japan's main military forces in the Chinese theater, saving millions of lives and defending regional security and peace. Without the immense sacrifice of the Chinese people, there would have been no victory in the World Anti-Fascist War. The Chinese people stepped forward at the risk of their lives, fought bloody battles, and paid a huge price to achieve the final victory in the War of Resistance, demonstrating a profound longing for peace.
Currently, the most important task is to undertake an in-depth understanding of past history and to look reality squarely in the face. In order to let the people of all countries in the world more widely understand the great significance of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, we should devote more effort to the study of past history. As is well known, issues related to Imperial Japanese aggression—such as the "comfort women" issue, the Nanjing Massacre, and Unit 731 [5]—have yet to be fully resolved. Of particular concern is the distortion of the history of World War II by certain right-wing forces in Japan. Japanese history textbooks that downplay Japanese war crimes and distort historical facts are still on sale, which causes great harm to Japanese youth, fundamentally obstructing them from correctly understanding and recognizing historical truth and seriously threatening the peace and stability of the East Asian region.
At present, many materials left behind by Japan in the past in various archives across China have not yet been made public. In order to better reveal the crimes of the Japanese aggressors and the great significance of the victory of the War of Resistance, we must make full use of archival materials and actively carry out research into the history of the War of Resistance. Chinese scholars began this work very early on and have published related books. 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; researching these historical materials is of great significance.
(The author is a professor at the China Academy of Incheon National University, South Korea) Source: Chinese Social Sciences Net - Chinese Social Sciences Today, July 7, 2025 Web Editor: Tongxin