Strengthening 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 an important part of the World Anti-Fascist War and is of great significance in the entire history of the Chinese revolution. From the perspective of modern Chinese history, the War of Resistance was the first complete victory won by the Chinese people against foreign aggression, and it greatly inspired the liberation struggles of the peoples in the colonies and semi-colonies.

2025年是中国人民抗日战争暨世界反法西斯战争胜利80周年。中国人民抗日战争是世界反法西斯战争的重要组成部分，在整个中国革命史上具有重大意义。从中国近代史来说，抗日战争是中国人民取得反抗外来侵略的第一次完全胜利，这也极大鼓舞了殖民地半殖民地人民的解放斗争。

The victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression has three important meanings. From China's perspective, the Chinese people achieved a complete victory through an all-people's war of resistance and ignited the hope of independence and self-reliance. From the Asian level, the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression gave a great spiritual encouragement to the peoples of Asia and reduced the sacrifices on other battlefields in Asia. From the world level, China formed a world anti-fascist alliance with the United States, Britain, the Soviet Union and other countries, and the victory on the Chinese battlefield made a huge contribution to the ultimate victory of the World Anti-Fascist War. China's War of Resistance was not only China's affair or the East's affair, but also the world's affair.

中国人民抗日战争的胜利有三重重要含义。从中国角度看，中国人民通过全民族抗战，取得完全胜利，点燃了独立自主的希望。从亚洲层面看，中国人民抗日战争的胜利给亚洲人民以巨大精神鼓舞，减少了亚洲其他战场的牺牲。从世界层面看，中国与美国、英国、苏联等国家结成世界反法西斯联盟，中国战场的胜利为世界反法西斯战争的最终胜利作出巨大贡献。中国抗战不但是中国的事、东方的事，也是世界的事。

The Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War were ultimately won at the cost of enormous sacrifices by the Chinese people. On July 7, 1937, with the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, Japan began its full-scale invasion of China. The Chinese people rose up in resistance, one after another throwing themselves into the anti-fascist war. The great victory of the War of Resistance enabled China to recover consular jurisdiction and abolish unequal treaties.

中国人民抗日战争暨世界反法西斯战争，以中国人民巨大的牺牲为代价，最终取得了战争的胜利。1937年7月7日卢沟桥事变，日本开始全面侵华，中国人民奋起抵抗，前仆后继投入反法西斯战争。抗日战争的伟大胜利使中国收回领事裁判权、废除不平等条约。

By tying down the Japanese invaders on the Chinese battlefield, the Chinese military and civilians prevented them from spreading to the Soviet Union, Southeast Asia and other regions, thereby protecting countless lives and peace. By virtue of its contribution to the World Anti-Fascist War, China played an active role in the process of restructuring the post-war world order. The Chinese people, undaunted by sacrifice, pinned down the main Japanese military forces on the Chinese battlefield, saved millions of lives, and safeguarded regional security and peace. Without the enormous sacrifices of the Chinese people, there would have been no victory in the World Anti-Fascist War. The Chinese people risked their lives to step forward, fought bloody battles, paid a huge price to achieve the final victory of the War of Resistance, and demonstrated a strong desire for peace.

中国军民通过将日本侵略者牵制在中国战场，阻止了其向苏联、东南亚等其他地区扩散，从而守护了无数生命与和平。凭借着对世界反法西斯战争的贡献，中国在战后世界秩序的重组过程中发挥了积极作用。中国人民不畏牺牲，将日本主要军力牵制在中国战场，挽救了数百万人的生命，捍卫了地区安全与和平。如果没有中国人民的巨大牺牲，就没有世界反法西斯战争的胜利。中国人民冒着生命危险挺身而出，浴血奋战，付出巨大代价取得了抗日战争的最后胜利，表现出对和平的强烈渴望。

At present, the most important thing is to gain a deep understanding of past history and face reality squarely. In order to let people around 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 efforts to the study of past history. As is well known, the issues related to Japanese imperialist aggression, such as the "comfort women" issue, the Nanjing Massacre, and Unit 731, have still not been fully resolved. It is particularly noteworthy that some right-wing forces in Japan are distorting the history of World War II. Japanese history textbooks that downplay Japan's war crimes and distort historical facts are still on sale, which does great harm to Japanese youth, fundamentally hinders their correct understanding and knowledge of the historical truth, and seriously threatens peace and stability in East Asia.

目前，最重要的是要深入了解过去的历史，直视现实。为了让世界各国人民更广泛地了解中国人民抗日战争暨世界反法西斯战争胜利的重大意义，我们应对过去历史的研究倾注更多努力。众所周知，慰安妇问题、南京大屠杀、731部队等与日本帝国主义侵略有关的问题仍未完全解决，尤其值得关注的是，日本一些右翼势力对二战历史进行歪曲。淡化日本战争罪行、歪曲史实的日本历史教科书仍在出售，这给日本青少年带来很大危害，从根本上阻碍了他们正确了解和认识历史真相，严重威胁了东亚地区的和平与稳定。

At present, many documents left by Japan in the past have not yet been publicly released in various archives in China. In order to better expose the crimes of the Japanese invaders 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 on the history of the War of Resistance. Chinese scholars have long since begun such work and have published relevant 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, and researching these historical materials is of great significance.

目前，在中国各档案馆里，过去日本存留的很多资料还未被公开。为了更好地揭示日本侵略者的罪行和抗日战争胜利的重大意义，我们要充分利用档案资料，积极开展抗战历史研究。中国的学者很早就开始着手，并出版了相关书籍。今年是中国人民抗日战争暨世界反法西斯战争胜利80周年，研究这些史料意义重大。

(The author is a professor at the Chinese Academic College of Incheon National University, Republic of Korea)

（作者系韩国仁川大学中国学术院教授）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心