China's War of Resistance Changed the Course of the World Anti-Fascist War

The 14-year-long Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression[1]1 The Chinese official historiography defines the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression as lasting 14 years (from the September 18th Incident in 1931 to Japan’s surrender in 1945), in contrast to the common Western periodization of 8 years (from 1937 to 1945). was an important part of the World Anti-Fascist War. In this great war that concerned the life and death of the Chinese nation and the future of mankind, the Chinese people were the first to raise the banner of resistance against fascist aggression. With indomitable national will and heroic tenacity, they not only fundamentally changed the historical destiny of the Chinese nation but also changed the course of the World Anti-Fascist War, making an immeasurable contribution to the final victory of the World Anti-Fascist War.

长达14年的中国人民抗日战争，是世界反法西斯战争的重要组成部分。在这场关系中华民族生死存亡和人类前途命运的伟大战争中，中国人民率先举起反抗法西斯侵略的旗帜，以坚韧不拔的民族意志和英勇顽强的抵抗精神，不仅彻底改变了中华民族的历史命运，而且改变了世界反法西斯战争的走向，为世界反法西斯战争的最终胜利作出了不可估量的贡献。

First to Raise the Anti-Fascist Banner and the Longest Duration

最早举起反法西斯大旗且持续时间最长

On September 18, 1931, Japan flagrantly launched the September 18th Incident[2]2 The September 18th Incident: on September 18, 1931, the Japanese Kwantung Army staged a false-flag explosion on a railway near Shenyang, which they used as a pretext to invade and occupy Northeast China, marking the beginning of Japan’s full-scale invasion of China and the start of the World Anti-Fascist War in Asia. and began its criminal war of external aggression and expansion. At that time, the vast majority of other countries in the world lacked sufficient vigilance against the threat of fascism and attempted to buy temporary peace through a policy of appeasement characterized by compromise and concession. The Chinese people resolutely threw themselves into the national liberation war of resisting Japanese aggression, firing the first shot against fascist aggression and becoming the earliest country to start the World Anti-Fascist War. By the time the anti-fascist war broke out in Europe in September 1939, the Chinese people had already fought independently for eight years. By the time the Pacific War broke out in December 1941, the Chinese people had been fighting independently for more than ten years.

1931年9月18日，日本悍然发动九一八事变，开始了对外侵略扩张的罪恶战争。此时，世界上其他绝大多数国家对法西斯的威胁缺乏足够的警惕，企图通过妥协退让的绥靖政策换取一时的和平。中国人民毅然决然投入抵抗日本侵略的民族解放战争中，打响了反抗法西斯侵略的第一枪，成为世界反法西斯战争开始时间最早的国家。至1939年9月反法西斯战争在欧洲爆发时，中国人民已独立进行了8年的抗战；至1941年12月太平洋战争爆发时，中国人民独立抗战已经持续了10余年。

After the Lugou Bridge Incident[3]3 The Lugou Bridge (Marco Polo Bridge) Incident: on July 7, 1937, a clash between Japanese and Chinese troops near the Lugou Bridge southwest of Beijing escalated into full-scale war between China and Japan. on July 7, 1937, the nationwide war of resistance waged by the Chinese people made the Chinese theater the main battlefield against Japanese fascist aggression and the eastern main battlefield of the World Anti-Fascist War. Even after the outbreak of the Soviet-German War and the Pacific War, China remained the main battlefield against Japanese fascism. During the full-scale War of Resistance, there were more than 200 major battles between China and Japan, nearly 200,000 engagements of various sizes, annihilating more than 1.5 million Japanese troops and more than 1.18 million puppet troops[4]4 Puppet troops: armed forces raised by Japanese-sponsored puppet regimes in occupied China, such as the Wang Jingwei regime, to assist Japanese military operations., pinning down and containing more than two-thirds of Japan’s army and most of its naval and air forces. The Chinese military and civilians paid an enormous price in this process, with a total of more than 21 million casualties (including more than 3.8 million military casualties), accounting for two-fifths of the total casualties of all belligerent countries in World War II. Property losses and war consumption amounted to over 100 billion U.S. dollars. In contrast, the United States suffered only about 400,000 casualties in its war against Japan, and the Soviet army suffered more than 36,000 casualties.

1937年7月7日卢沟桥事变后，中国人民进行的全民族抗战，使中国战场成为抗击日本法西斯侵略的主战场和世界反法西斯战争的东方主战场。即使在苏德战争、太平洋战争爆发后，中国仍然是抗击日本法西斯的主战场。在全面抗战期间，中日之间进行的重要战役有200余次，大小战斗近20万次，歼灭日军150余万人、伪军118万余人，抗击和牵制了日本三分之二以上的陆军兵力和大部分海空军事力量。中国军民在此过程中付出了极大的代价，共伤亡2100多万人（其中军队伤亡380多万人），占第二次世界大战各参战国伤亡总数的五分之二；财产损失和战争消耗折合1000亿美元以上。而美国在对日作战中仅伤亡约40万人，苏军伤亡3.6万余人。

The unyielding will to resist demonstrated by the Chinese military and civilians vividly interpreted the firm conviction and powerful strength of the Chinese nation in defending its national independence and sovereignty. In the process of resisting fascist aggression, many small and weak countries suffered severe setbacks. Although China was a semi-colonial and semi-feudal country, it did not succumb to the enemy’s intimidation; instead, it put up resolute resistance with a strong will and ultimately achieved victory. This provided valuable experience for the anti-fascist struggle of oppressed nations and peoples, greatly inspiring their confidence and determination to resist aggression, strengthening the forces of the anti-fascist camp, and promoting the development of the World Anti-Fascist movement.

中国军民在抗战中表现出来的坚贞不屈的抗战意志，生动诠释了中华民族捍卫国家独立主权的坚定信念与强大力量。在抵抗法西斯侵略的过程中，很多弱小国家都遭遇了严重的挫折。中国虽然是一个半殖民地半封建的国家，但没有屈服于敌人的淫威，而是以坚强的意志进行了坚决的抵抗，并最终取得了胜利。这为被压迫民族和人民的反法西斯斗争提供了宝贵的经验，极大地鼓舞了它们反抗侵略的信心与决心，壮大了反法西斯阵营的力量，推动了世界反法西斯运动的发展。

Actively Advocating and Promoting the Establishment of the World Anti-Fascist Alliance

积极倡导和推动建立世界反法西斯联盟

China was the first country to suffer from fascist aggression in the world and was also an active advocate and powerful promoter of the international anti-fascist alliance.

中国是世界上最早遭受法西斯侵略的国家，也是国际反法西斯联盟的积极倡导者和有力推动者。

As early as 1933, the Communist Party of China (CPC), with foresight and strategic vision, took the lead in proposing a united front idea of being prepared to conclude an anti-Japanese agreement with any armed force, including the Kuomintang (Nationalist) army. Subsequently, it actively responded to the call of the Seventh Congress of the Communist International[5]5 The Seventh Congress of the Communist International (Comintern): held in Moscow from July to August 1935, it adopted the policy of a broad anti-fascist united front and called on communist parties worldwide to cooperate with other anti-fascist forces. to establish an anti-fascist united front and continuously promoted the establishment of the National United Front of Resistance Against Japan[6]6 The National United Front of Resistance Against Japan: the alliance formed in 1937 between the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) and the Kuomintang (Chinese Nationalist Party), along with other patriotic groups, to unite all Chinese forces against Japanese aggression.. After the outbreak of the full-scale War of Resistance, the CPC put aside past grievances, pushed for cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, and ultimately facilitated the establishment of the domestic National United Front of Resistance Against Japan, achieving a historic turning point in the national war of resistance. During the development of the united front, the CPC adhered to the principle of independence and self-reliance, upholding the strategic policy of both uniting and struggling, which continuously consolidated and expanded the National United Front of Resistance Against Japan, persisting until the victory of the War of Resistance, and also providing valuable experience for the establishment of the World Anti-Fascist United Front.

早在1933年，中国共产党便以前瞻性的战略眼光，率先提出准备与包括国民党军队在内的任何武装力量订立抗日协定的统一战线思想。随后，它积极响应共产国际第七次代表大会关于建立反法西斯统一战线的主张，持续推动抗日民族统一战线的建立。全面抗战爆发后，中国共产党摒弃前嫌，力促国共两党合作，最终促成了国内抗日民族统一战线的建立，实现了全民族抗战的历史性转折。在统一战线的发展过程中，中国共产党秉持独立自主原则，坚持既联合又斗争的策略方针，使抗日民族统一战线不断巩固和扩大，一直坚持到抗战胜利，也为世界反法西斯统一战线的建立提供了宝贵经验。

With a broad international perspective, the CPC actively promoted the establishment of the World Anti-Fascist United Front. In July 1936, Mao Zedong pointed out in a conversation with Edgar Snow[7]7 Edgar Snow (1905–1972): an American journalist who visited the Communist-controlled areas in 1936 and authored “Red Star Over China” (1937), which introduced the Chinese Communist Party and its leaders to the Western world. that if China was to win the War of Resistance at the smallest cost in the shortest possible time, it must first realize a domestic united front, and at the same time extend this united front to include all countries with interests in peace in the Pacific region.

中国共产党以宏阔的国际视野，积极推动世界反法西斯统一战线的建立。1936年7月，毛泽东与斯诺谈话时指出，中国要在尽可能短的时间内以最小的代价赢得抗战胜利，必须首先实现国内的统一战线，同时要把这条统一战线推广到包括所有与太平洋地区和平有利害关系的国家。

After the outbreak of the full-scale War of Resistance, while facilitating the establishment of the domestic National United Front of Resistance Against Japan, the CPC also issued an open appeal to the world, expressing its willingness to “unite with countries of the peace front, unite with all nations and countries sympathetic to the resistance against Japan, and unite with Britain, the United States, France and the Soviet Union, especially the resolute democratic forces within Britain, the United States and France.” After Germany attacked Poland [1939], the CPC became more active in promoting the establishment of an international anti-Japanese and anti-fascist united front. After the outbreak of the Soviet-German War [1941], Mao Zedong drafted “On the International United Front Against Fascism,” further proposing willingness to “unite with the people of Britain, the United States and all other countries who oppose the fascist rulers of Germany, Italy and Japan, and oppose the common enemy.” After the outbreak of the Pacific War [1941], the CPC Central Committee quickly issued the “Declaration of the Communist Party of China on the Pacific War,” once again calling for willingness to “conclude military alliances with Britain, the United States and other friendly nations fighting against Japan, carry out coordinated operations, and at the same time establish a united front of all anti-Japanese nations in the Pacific.” On January 1, 1942, 26 countries including Britain, the United States, the Soviet Union and China held a meeting in Washington, D.C., and signed the “Declaration by United Nations”[8]8 The “Declaration by United Nations”: signed on January 1, 1942, by 26 Allied nations (including the U.S., UK, USSR, and China), it affirmed their commitment to continue fighting the Axis powers and not to make a separate peace; this document laid the foundation for the later United Nations., marking the formal formation of the World Anti-Fascist Alliance. This completely changed the balance of power between fascism and anti-fascism, laying an unshakable foundation for the complete victory of the anti-fascist war.

全面抗战爆发后，中国共产党在促成建立国内抗日民族统一战线的同时，也向全世界发出公开呼吁，表示愿意“联合和平阵线的国家，联合世界上一切同情抗日的民族与国家，联合英美法苏，特别需要紧密的联合英美法等国内部坚决的民主力量”。德国进攻波兰后，中国共产党更加积极推动建立国际反日反法西斯统一战线。苏德战争爆发后，毛泽东草拟了《关于反法西斯的国际统一战线》，进一步提出愿“同英美及其他国家一切反对德意日法西斯统治者的人们联合起来，反对共同的敌人”。太平洋战争爆发后，中共中央迅速发出《中国共产党为太平洋战争的宣言》，再次呼吁愿“与英美及其他抗日诸友邦缔结军事同盟，实行配合作战，同时建立太平洋一切抗日民族的统一战线”。1942年1月1日，英美苏中等26个国家在华盛顿举行会议，签署了《联合国家宣言》，标志着世界反法西斯联盟正式形成。这彻底改变了法西斯与反法西斯间的力量对比，为反法西斯战争的彻底胜利奠定了坚不可摧的基础。

Providing Strong Support to the Soviet-German Theater and the Pacific Theater

为苏德战场与太平洋战场提供有力支援

In order to realize its ambition of world domination, while aggressively invading China, Japan adopted the “Northward Advance”[9]9 The “Northward Advance” and “Southward Advance” were Japan’s strategic policies during World War II: the Northward Advance aimed at expanding into the Soviet Far East; the Southward Advance aimed at occupying Southeast Asia and the Pacific islands to secure oil, rubber, and other resources. (expansion into the Soviet Far East) and “Southward Advance”[9]9 The “Northward Advance” and “Southward Advance” were Japan’s strategic policies during World War II: the Northward Advance aimed at expanding into the Soviet Far East; the Southward Advance aimed at occupying Southeast Asia and the Pacific islands to secure oil, rubber, and other resources. (expansion into the South Seas) as its national policy of external expansion. However, whether “Northward” or “Southward,” it first had to occupy China. Therefore, the situation in the Chinese theater played a decisive role in the formulation and implementation of Japan’s “Northward” and “Southward” policies.

日本为了实现称霸世界的野心，在对中国进行疯狂侵略的同时，把“北进”（即向苏联远东地区扩张）和“南进”（即向南洋一带扩张）作为对外扩张的国策。但是，无论“北进”还是“南进”，都首先要占领中国。因此，中国战场状况如何，对日本“北进”“南进”政策的制定和实施起着举足轻重的作用。

Facing the arrogant Japanese imperialist slogan of “conquering China in three months”[10]10 “Conquering China in three months”: the slogan of Japanese militarists at the start of the full-scale invasion of China in 1937, reflecting their expectation of a quick victory., the Chinese military and civilians built a Great Wall of steel with their flesh and blood, dragging Japan into the quagmire of a protracted war of attrition. This sustained military pressure greatly drained Japan’s military resources and strategic mobility, making it difficult for Japan to withdraw from China, preventing it from either “Northward” encroaching on Siberia to form an effective threat to the Soviet Union, or “Southward” seizing the resources of Southeast Asia. It was not until the situation in the Chinese theater stabilized relatively in 1941 that Japan risked launching the Pacific War.

面对日本帝国主义“三个月灭亡中国”的嚣张气焰，中国军民以血肉之躯筑起了钢铁长城，将其拖入了旷日持久的消耗战泥潭。这种持续的军事压力极大地消耗了日本的军事资源和战略机动能力，使它难以从中国抽身，既不能“北进”染指西伯利亚，对苏联形成有效威胁，也不能“南进”夺取东南亚的资源。直到1941年中国战场局势相对稳定后，日本才冒险发动了太平洋战争。

After the establishment of the World Anti-Fascist Alliance, China provided strong support to the Soviet-German Theater and the Pacific Theater through its strategic pinning down of Japan. In 1941–1942, when the Soviet-German War was at its most critical moment, Germany demanded that Japan attack the Soviet Far East, attempting to form a pincer movement against the Soviet Union. However, because the main forces of the Japanese army were tied down by the Chinese theater and could not extricate themselves to coordinate strategically with Germany, the Soviet Union was able to transfer its elite Far Eastern forces to the Western Front to fight the German army, thus avoiding the dilemma and danger of fighting on two fronts. Stalin once said: “Only when the hands of the Japanese aggressors are tied can we avoid fighting on two fronts if the German aggressors attack our country.” After the outbreak of the Pacific War, China’s sustained resistance forced Japan to maintain a huge force for a long time, greatly weakening its ability to confront the U.S. military in the Pacific Theater. The U.S. military quickly seized the strategic opportunity; within just one year of the war, it successively won the battles of Midway and Guadalcanal, smoothly completing the strategic turning point in the Pacific Theater and accelerating the pace of victory in the Pacific War. Moreover, the Chinese theater also attracted a large portion of Japanese air power. In 1943, Japan deployed about 800 aircraft in the Chinese theater, accounting for more than one-third of its total air force. This greatly reduced the air pressure on the anti-fascist allied forces in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, sparing them from even greater losses.

世界反法西斯联盟建立后，中国通过对日本的战略钳制，为苏德战场与太平洋战场提供有力支援。1941—1942年，苏德战争陷入最危急时刻，德国要求日本进攻苏联远东地区，企图形成对苏联的夹击之势。但由于日本陆军主力受到中国战场的牵制，无法抽身与德国形成战略上的呼应，从而使苏联能够将远东精锐部队调往西线对抗德军，使苏联避免了东西两线作战的困境和危险。斯大林曾言：“只有当日本侵略者的手脚被捆住的时候，我们才能在德国侵略者一旦进攻我国的时候，避免两线作战。”太平洋战争爆发后，中国战场的持续抵抗使日本不得不长期保留庞大的兵力，极大地削弱了它在太平洋战场对抗美军的能力。美军迅速抓住战略契机，在开战后短短一年，便相继在中途岛、瓜达尔康纳岛战役中取胜，顺利完成了太平洋战场的战略转折，加快了夺取太平洋战争胜利的步伐。不仅如此，中国战场还吸引了大量的日本空军力量。1943年，日本在中国战场部署的飞机约有800架，占其航空兵力的三分之一以上。这在很大程度上减轻了反法西斯同盟军在东南亚和太平洋地区的空中压力，使它们免受更大的损失。

Mao Zedong pointed out: “The great Chinese War of Resistance is not only a matter for China, not only a matter for the East, but also a matter for the world.” This statement accurately interprets the irreplaceable position of China’s War of Resistance in the World Anti-Fascist War. In the protracted War of Resistance, the Chinese people, with their tenacious spirit of resistance and enormous national sacrifice, firmly pinned down the main forces of the Japanese military, not only breaking the strategic schemes of Japanese fascism but also profoundly changing the course of the World Anti-Fascist War, becoming one of the decisive factors driving the World Anti-Fascist War to victory.

毛泽东指出，“伟大的中国抗战，不但是中国的事，东方的事，也是世界的事”。这一论断精准诠释了中国抗战在世界反法西斯战争中不可替代的地位。在旷日持久的抗日战争中，中国人民以顽强的抵抗精神和巨大的民族牺牲，牢牢牵制住日本军事主力，不但打破了日本法西斯的战略图谋，而且深刻改变了世界反法西斯战争的走向，成为推动世界反法西斯战争走向胜利的决定性因素之一。

(The author is a professor at the Department of Literature and History Teaching and Research, Party School of the Shandong Provincial Committee of the CPC.)

（作者系中共山东省委党校文史教研部教授）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心