Learning from History to Advance National Rejuvenation

This year marks the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World War Against Fascism. Fought in the 1930s and 1940s, these two wars were a decisive confrontation between justice and evil, light and darkness, and progress and reaction. Not only did the brutal fascist war machine fail to destroy the enduring Chinese civilization, but it awakened in our ancient nation an unprecedented level of consciousness and determination to forge ahead. China’s grueling and remarkable 14-year-long resistance, the immense sacrifices that were made, and the great spirit of resistance forged in this struggle have all endured the test of time. They continue to inspire our people. Today’s China enjoys peace, while the prospect of national rejuvenation is clearly visible on the horizon. Nevertheless, the lessons paid for with bloodshed and sacrifice must never be forgotten. We must earnestly draw on the experience and lessons of history to ensure that the great ship of national rejuvenation sails steadily toward a bright future.

A dark chapter: an unprecedented catastrophe inflicted upon the Chinese nation

After 1840, imperialist powers brazenly launched wave after wave of aggressive wars against China. Forced to endure one humiliation and disaster after another, the nation saw its modernization drive repeatedly derailed.

Of these wars, however, the Japanese war of aggression was undoubtedly the gravest catastrophe inflicted upon China, causing the greatest losses and the most intense suffering. Over a period of 14 years from the September 18th Incident of 1931 to Japan’s surrender in 1945, the Japanese aggressors ravaged half of China’s territory, overrunning more than 930 cities and reducing the country to ruins. 

During the conflict, the Chinese people were subjected to horrific, fascist atrocities under Japanese militarism. The aggressors bombed cities and villages, massacred civilians, brutalized women, tortured children, and enslaved laborers. They perpetrated the heinous Nanjing Massacre along with countless village slaughters, and engaged in abhorrent biological warfare, chemical warfare, and live human experimentation. Over these 14 years of resistance, Chinese military and civilian casualties exceeded 35 million, accounting for one-third of all casualties suffered by all nations during World War II (WWII). There were over 10,000 cases of Japanese forces massacring civilians, and over 200 cases of large-scale slaughter in which over 1,000 people were killed. This bloodlust was a defining feature of the brutality of Japanese militarism.

Eighth Route Army soldiers cheer from a beacon tower on the Great Wall after capturing Dongtuanbu, a Japanese stronghold in Hebei’s Laiyuan County, during the Hundred-Regiment Campaign in 1940. During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the CPC represented the fundamental interests of the Chinese people. Working for the greater national good, it shouldered its historic responsibility and fought ceaselessly on the frontlines, becoming the backbone of the nationwide resistance. (File photo) XINHUA

Japanese forces also engaged in the wanton plunder and destruction of China’s resources and wealth. As China’s most industrialized city, Shanghai was home to approximately 3,000 factories and enterprises before the war. By the end of the Battle of Shanghai in 1937, over 2,200 of these businesses had been ruined, and roughly half of the industrial equipment in the Nanjing-Shanghai-Hangzhou area had been destroyed. When they occupied an area, invading forces immediately seized airports, railways, and mines, took control of businesses, and plundered property, appropriating vast wealth for themselves. Direct economic losses of US$100 billion were inflicted on China, along with indirect economic losses of US$500 billion. Based on a policy of “kill all, burn all, and loot all” in resistance base areas, Japanese forces engaged in the unbridled looting of grain and livestock, inflicting extreme material hardship on resistance forces and civilians. 

In addition, Japanese forces carried out brazen cultural destruction wherever they went. They bombed schools, expelled students, and persecuted teachers, forcing a great many universities and secondary schools in northern, central, and southern China to relocate inland. Incomplete postwar statistics show that property losses of over US$2.37 billion were inflicted on educational institutions during the war, with over 2.25 million publicly held books destroyed. Despicable methods were used to plunder cultural artifacts and destroy historical sites, causing enormous devastation and irreparable losses.

The war of aggression waged by Japanese militarists involved monstrous crimes against humanity, human dignity, and civilization and marked the most perilous moment in the Chinese nation’s history. This painful chapter is one the Chinese people have not forgotten; it is one they dare not forget and must never forget. 

A great milestone: victory opens bright prospects for national rejuvenation

During this time of national peril, the Communist Party of China (CPC) rallied, led, and united the nation in joint resistance against Japanese aggression and regarded this as its highest mission. Playing a pioneering and exemplary role, the CPC inspired and galvanized the Chinese people’s determination and fighting spirit during the war, thereby earning their trust and support. Under the united front against Japanese aggression, established at the initiative of the CPC based on cooperation between itself and the Kuomintang (KMT), the sons and daughters of China fought for the survival of their country, for national rejuvenation, and for human justice, ultimately achieving a great victory in their war against Japanese aggression. As the first complete victory in China’s history of resisting foreign aggression in modern times, this accomplishment greatly advanced the course of the Chinese revolution and marked a glorious historical milestone on our country’s path toward national rejuvenation.

Tempering the CPC through trials and hardships and maturing it into a strong leadership force for national rejuvenation

During the war, the CPC made Mao Zedong Thought its guidance. It formed a central collective leadership with Mao Zedong at its core and used Marxism to guide its thinking and all of its political and organizational activities. All this allowed it to achieve unprecedented unity in thinking, politics, and organization, and become the backbone for ultimately securing victory in the war.

Throughout this struggle, no matter how harsh the conditions, how perilous the situation, or how brutal the warfare, the CPC never wavered in its commitment to resistance over surrender, unity over division, and progress over regression. With its political stance and its strong sense of responsibility, it firmly led the resistance in the right direction, earning the trust and support of the Chinese people. In leading the struggle for national liberation and pursuing its own revolutionary transformation, the CPC was tempered through countless trials. Emerging as a battle-hardened party matured through years of conflict and sacrifice, it ensured that the Chinese nation could seize control of its own rejuvenation. 

Awakening the entire nation and forging tremendous collective strength for national rejuvenation

With the very survival of the nation at stake, the patriotic passion of the Chinese people erupted to the surface. Soldiers on the front lines fought in fierce battles against the enemy. Workers and farmers enlisted to support the front and launched various forms of resistance activities. Intellectuals and patriotic youths boldly stood at the forefront of their generation, either using their pens as weapons or giving up their classroom studies to join the army. Students from universities and schools across the country poured into the streets to denounce Japanese war crimes. Across every sector, patriots participated in the fight against Japanese aggression in their own way. This great national awakening created an overwhelming force capable of delivering a crushing blow to the enemy.

Such was the level of social mobilization, national unity, and popular motivation during the War of Resistance that the Chinese people reached unprecedented heights in morale and organization.

Student representatives attend a ceremony marking the 87th anniversary of the beginning of China’s nationwide resistance against Japan’s invasion at the Museum of the War of the Chinese People’s Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Beijing, July 7, 2024. When Japanese invading troops brazenly staged the Lugou Bridge Incident on the night of July 7, 1937, local Chinese troops rose up against the attack. Their stand marked the beginning of national resistance against Japanese aggression. PHOTO BY XINHUA REPORTER LI XIANG

Forging a heroic people’s army and providing solid strategic support for national rejuvenation

The CPC led the Eighth Route Army, the New Fourth Army, and other resistance military forces to elevate guerrilla warfare to a position of strategic importance. Behind enemy lines, these forces conducted ambush attacks, sabotage raids, as well as mine, tunnel, and “sparrow” warfare. Relying on their heroic mettle to “crash all enemies and never yield,” they fought life-and-death battles against the brutal Japanese forces. They became the unbreakable backbone of a China experiencing great suffering.

By rooting themselves among the people, the CPC-led resistance military forces became invincible. Wherever the Eighth Route Army and New Fourth Army went, they engaged with the people, mobilizing, organizing, and arming the local population. As guerrilla units mushroomed, a remarkable spectacle unfolded with every village and person ready to fight for themselves at all times and in all places. This laid the foundation for victory in the War of Resistance. After victory was secured, the Chinese people, relying on a battle-hardened people’s army, succeeded in overthrowing Chiang Kai-shek and liberating all of China in a single stroke. They also defeated the heavily armed American imperialists to achieve a great victory in the fight to resist US aggression, aid Korea, and protect our homeland.

History has proven and will continue to prove that for the Chinese nation to emerge from suffering and the Chinese people to achieve liberation, they needed a heroic people’s army. Likewise, for the Chinese nation to achieve rejuvenation and the Chinese people to create an even better life, they must also depend on a heroic people’s army.

Nurturing a great spirit of resistance and providing powerful inspiration for national rejuvenation

The War of Resistance was more than just recovering territory. It was about reshaping our national spirit. There were many outstanding representatives of the millions of fighters who took part in the resistance. To name a few, these include commanders such as Yang Jingyu, Zhao Shangzhi, Zuo Quan, Peng Xuefeng, Tong Linge, Zhao Dengyu, Zhang Zizhong, and Dai Anlan who laid down their lives on the battlefield, numerous heroic groups such as the Eighth Route Army’s “Five Heroes of Langya Mountain,” the New Fourth Army’s “Liulaozhuang Company,” the eight female fighters of the Northeast United Resistance Army, and the “Eight Hundred Heroes” of the KMT Army. Casting off their century-long spirit of demoralization, the Chinese people advanced through enemy fire and fought for national dignity. They showed the world a sense of patriotic responsibility for the fate of the nation, a sense of national integrity that empowered people to never yield even in the face of death, a heroic fortitude that instilled in people the courage to fight to the very end, and an unyielding, indomitable belief in victory. These elements combined to form the great spirit of resistance that reforged the lifeblood and soul of the nation. It was this spirit that burst forth at the critical moment, ensuring that though the Japanese aggressors had breached the Great Wall, they would never break the Chinese people's wall of resistance, nor their determination to fight to the very end. 

Establishing China’s position as a major country on the world stage and creating favorable external conditions for national rejuvenation

From the Opium War of 1840–1842 to the eve of the War of Resistance, China, on the world stage, was little more than a country subject to the bullying of foreign powers. Far from playing an important role in international affairs, China did not even qualify to enter into dialogue with foreign countries on an equal footing, much less win the respect of the world.

All this changed with victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. Based on the great contributions of the War of Resistance to the World War Against Fascism, China regained respect from the international community and improved its international standing. China began to do away with many of the privileges that foreign countries had secured through unequal treaties. It also became one of the four major countries to participate in drafting the Charter of the United Nations, thus making a tremendous contribution to establishing the UN-based international order, and naturally also becoming a founding member of the UN and a permanent member of the Security Council. By reestablishing China’s position as a major country on the world stage, the War of Resistance provided the essential external conditions for realizing national rejuvenation.

Learning from history: remaining firmly committed to building a great country and moving toward national rejuvenation

History serves as a mirror that illuminates both the present and the future. We remember history not to perpetuate hatred, but to cherish peace and forge a brighter tomorrow.

Strengthening the CPC’s leadership and all-round Party development

During the War of Resistance, the CPC placed a special emphasis on strengthening itself. This was a great project that enabled it to mature politically and serve as a vanguard during the nationwide resistance. It gave the Chinese people hope that they could save their nation. It played a pivotal role in sustaining the resistance against Japanese aggression and eventually winning the war.

To continue making new advances toward national rejuvenation, it is of pressing importance to build our Party into a stronger force under new historic conditions. The great cause of rejuvenation is a long and formidable journey, one that will bring serious tests for our Party in terms of ensuring strict self-governance and resolving problems unique to large parties. It will require the Party to be even more creative, cohesive, and competent, and it will place increased demands on its capacity to manage complex situations and respond to risks and challenges. To fully advance the great new project of Party development in the current era, we must prioritize our Party’s political development, consolidate the organizational system for long-term governance, and cultivate a contingent of officials that is high-caliber, professional, committed, upright, and responsible, so that the CPC can preserve its wholesome nature and become even stronger. Always maintaining the vigilance and determination of one under examination, we must make unremitting efforts to improve conduct, enforce discipline, and combat corruption, so as to ensure the Party always remains at the forefront of the times and serves as the strong leadership core for national rejuvenation.

Maintaining a people-centered approach

Victory in the War of Resistance fully demonstrated the indomitable power of the Chinese people. It showed that the people are the creators of history and the true heroes. Just as they were the most profound force behind our victory in the war, they are also the fundamental force determining the future of our Party and our country. 

In pursuing revolution, development, and reform, everything the CPC has done has been designed to ensure a better life for the people. On the new journey ahead, the people will be both the greatest support for achieving national rejuvenation and its ultimate beneficiaries. As long as we have the support and participation of the people, there is no difficulty that cannot be overcome. To apply the people-centered philosophy of development, we must first and foremost hold firm to the following conviction: we must always have trust in the people, unleash their boundless creativity, and rely on them to create historic achievements. The people’s aspiration for a better life is the goal we strive for. We must always remain devoted to them, place their interests above all else, and stand with them through both good times and bad, working ceaselessly to turn their aspiration for a better life into reality. 

Enhancing our strategic capacity to safeguard China’s sovereignty, security, and development interests

The lessons of the humiliation our country endured, the pain our people suffered, and the dark periods our civilization experienced in modern times are not distant memories. Our victory in the War of Resistance is yet another reminder that only those who are able to fight can prevent war. For a country to truly emerge from the shadow of war, it must possess the strategic capability to stop war.

As once-in-a-century changes accelerate across the world, the international landscape is becoming more complex and severe, and China is facing an external security environment marked by growing uncertainty and unpredictability. Domestically, we are confronted with many deep-seated issues in reform, development, and stability. These external and internal factors all present new challenges for ensuring national security.

Military means serve as a fundamental guarantee for realizing our great dream. When the Party and the people require these means, we must be ready to deploy them, capable of advancing, and able to win. On the new journey ahead, we must accurately grasp the new features of our strategic needs for national security in the new era, consolidate and enhance the integration of national strategic systems and capabilities, and work quickly to carry out thorough military preparations. Only with this can we have full confidence in our national security and the assurance to advance national rejuvenation.

Firmly advancing the cause of peace and justice 

At present, our world has once again reached a historic crossroads. It is overshadowed by a Cold War mentality and power politics and beset by rampant unilateralism, hegemony, high-handedness, and bullying. In a world that is far from peaceful, peace needs to be defended and justice needs to be upheld. 

Building a more peaceful, stable, and secure world is a strong desire shared by people around the world. It also represents a common responsibility of all nations and the correct direction for development in this era. Drawing on the lessons of history, all nations should take the path of peaceful development, uphold a correct historical perspective on WWII, and resolutely defend the outcomes of victory in the World War Against Fascism. We must firmly uphold the postwar international order and steadfastly safeguard international fairness and justice. Following the trends of our times, we should adhere to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, work together to foster a new type of international relations with mutually beneficial cooperation at its core, and build a community with a shared future for humanity. In doing so, we can generate enduring impetus for development, pass on the torch of peace to future generations, and let the splendor of civilizations shine.

(Originally appeared in Qiushi Journal, Chinese edition, No. 10, 2025)