The Global Significance of the Eastern Main Battlefield

In 2025, the world marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War. This milestone not only offers us an opportunity to remember history, but also prompts us to reconsider the key role played by the Eastern Main Battlefield in the Anti-Fascist War. In the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, the Chinese people's tenacious resistance, sacrifice and strategic contribution were crucial to defeating fascist aggression and safeguarding world peace.

2025年，世界迎来了反法西斯战争胜利80周年。这个里程碑时刻不仅为我们提供了一个缅怀历史的机会，也让我们重新思考东方主战场在反法西斯战争中发挥的关键作用。在中国人民抗日战争暨世界反法西斯战争中，中国人民顽强抵抗、牺牲和战略贡献，对于打败法西斯侵略和维护世界和平至关重要。

The Eastern Battlefield: The Decisive Front of World War II

东方战场：第二次世界大战的决定性前线

Although the historical focus of World War II has mainly been on the European theater, the Eastern Battlefield centered on China was a key factor in the Allied victory. The Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression officially began after the September 18 Incident in 1931 [1]1 The September 18 Incident (1931) refers to a staged railway explosion near Shenyang by the Japanese Kwantung Army, used as a pretext to invade and occupy Northeast China., and the Chinese battlefield became the longest-lasting and largest battlefield in Asia during World War II. Before the outbreak of the Pacific War in 1941, the Chinese military and civilians fought almost alone against the Japanese aggressors.

尽管历史上关于第二次世界大战的注意力主要集中在欧洲战场，但以中国为中心的东方战场却是同盟军取得胜利的关键因素。中国人民抗日战争于1931年9月18日九一八事变后正式拉开帷幕，中国战场也成为了二战亚洲地区持续时间最长、规模最大的战场。在1941年太平洋战争爆发前，中国军民几乎孤军奋战，抵抗日本侵略者。

The Chinese People's War of Resistance was not only a national struggle; it also played a decisive role in curbing Japan's ambition to invade China, dominate Asia and the world. The Japanese forces were bogged down in China, deploying more than half of their troops and consuming resources originally planned for other parts of the Asia-Pacific region. It was precisely the tenacious resistance of the Chinese military and civilians that tied down the bulk of Japanese forces, buying precious time for the Allies to deploy strategically, re-equip, and eventually launch counteroffensives and achieve victory in the Anti-Fascist War.

中国人民抗日战争不仅是一场民族斗争，它在遏制日本侵略中国、称霸亚洲和世界野心方面也发挥了决定性作用。日军在中国陷入困境，投入了超过一半的兵力，耗费了原本计划部署在亚太其他地区的资源。正是中国军民的顽强抵抗，拖住了日军大部分兵力，为同盟军战略部署、重新装备和最终发动反攻以及取得反法西斯战争胜利争取了宝贵时间。

The Global Impact of the Chinese People's War of Resistance

中国人民抗日战争的全球影响

The global significance of the Eastern Main Battlefield can be assessed through two key perspectives: first, it created a long-term buffer against fascism in Asia. The Chinese People's War of Resistance prevented Japan from fully preparing and planning its rapid annexation of all China, followed by the conquest of Asia and world hegemony, forcing Japan into a war of attrition that weakened its military strength. Second, it acted as a catalyst for Allied cooperation. The Chinese people's tenacious resistance to Japanese aggression became an early touchstone for the international community to unite against fascism. It laid the foundation for the alliance among China, the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union. As one of the four major powers in the world anti-fascist camp, China participated in the founding of the United Nations, becoming a founding member and a permanent member of the UN Security Council. U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and others recognized China's importance, stating that China was not only an ally on the battlefield but also a core pillar of the post-war world order.

东方主战场的全球意义可以通过两个关键视角来评估：一是在亚洲形成抵御法西斯主义的长期缓冲。中国人民抗日战争阻止了日本充分准备和谋划的快速吞并整个中国，继而征服亚洲、争霸世界的野心， 迫使日本陷入了一场消耗战，削弱了日本的军事实力。二是同盟军合作的催化剂。中国人民顽强抵抗日本侵略，成为国际社会团结起来反对法西斯主义的早期试金石。它为中美英苏等同盟的建立奠定了基础，中国作为世界反法西斯阵营中的四大国之一，参与创建联合国，成为联合国创始会员国和安理会常任理事国之一。美国总统罗斯福等人也认识到中国的重要性，曾说中国不仅是战场的盟友，更是战后世界秩序的核心支柱。

Remembering History, Safeguarding World Peace

铭记历史 维护世界和平

The 80th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War is a historic moment; it also reminds us of the cost of war, the value of international cooperation, and the necessity of opposing all forms of hegemonic aggression. In an increasingly multipolar world facing new geopolitical uncertainties, the lessons of the Eastern Battlefield remain relevant. The unity, resilience, and strategic patience of the Chinese people during the War of Resistance provided a model of the weak overcoming the strong for the anti-fascist nations of the world.

世界反法西斯战争胜利80周年是一个重要的历史性时刻，它也提醒我们战争的代价、国际合作的价值以及反对一切霸权形式侵略的必要性。在一个日益多极化、面临新的地缘政治不确定的世界，东方战场的教训仍然具有现实意义。中国人民在抗日战争期间的团结、韧性和战略耐心，为世界反法西斯国家提供了以弱制强的典范。

This commemorative occasion calls on the international community to respect historical truth. Any attempt to distort or belittle the contributions of China and other non-Western countries to the victory of World War II is to erode collective memory and undermine global solidarity. It is essential to uphold historical justice and recognize China's key role in World War II.

以此纪念活动呼吁国际社会尊重历史真相。试图歪曲或贬低中国及其他非西方国家对二战胜利作出的贡献就是侵蚀集体记忆，破坏全球团结。维护历史正义，承认中国在二战中发挥的关键作用至关重要。

As we commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, we must recognize that the Eastern Main Battlefield was the decisive front of the World Anti-Fascist War. The Chinese People's War of Resistance changed the trajectory of world history and prevented larger-scale atrocities by Japan. China played an important role in promoting the establishment of the international anti-fascist united front, the founding of the United Nations, and the construction of a new post-war international order. Only by remembering history can we better safeguard world peace, mutual respect, and multilateral cooperation in the future.

在纪念中国人民抗日战争暨世界反法西斯战争胜利80周年之际，我们必须认识到东方主战场是世界反法西斯战争的决定性前线。中国人民抗日战争改变了世界历史的轨迹，阻止了日本更大规模的侵略暴行。中国在推动建立国际反法西斯统一战线、创建联合国及构建战后国际新秩序等方面都发挥了重要作用。只有铭记历史，我们才能在未来更好地维护世界和平、相互尊重和建立多边合作平台。

(The author is Director of the China-Africa Institute at Ernest Bai Koroma University of Science and Technology in Sierra Leone.)

（作者系塞拉利昂马可尼大学中国—非洲研究所所长）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心