In-Depth Research on the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression Must Adhere to a Correct View of History

General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “In-depth research on the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression must adhere to a correct view of history, strengthen planning and resource integration, strengthen the collection and collation of historical materials, strengthen public opinion propaganda work, let history speak, and let historical facts speak.” 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. The great victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression thoroughly washed away the national humiliation of the Chinese people’s repeated defeats in resisting foreign aggression since modern times, re-established China’s status as a major power in the world, won the respect of peace-loving people around the world, and opened up bright prospects for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

习近平总书记强调：“深入开展中国人民抗日战争研究，必须坚持正确历史观、加强规划和力量整合、加强史料收集和整理、加强舆论宣传工作，让历史说话，用史实发言”。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。中国人民抗日战争的伟大胜利，彻底洗刷了近代以来中国人民抗击外来侵略屡战屡败的民族耻辱，重新确立了中国在世界上的大国地位，赢得了世界各国爱好和平人民的尊重，为中华民族伟大复兴开辟了光明前景。

It is noteworthy that today, there still exist some erroneous words and deeds that distort the history of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. Internationally, Japanese right-wing elements and certain politicians distort the history of aggression, deny war responsibility, and beautify the war of aggression; Western academic circles ignore, belittle, or deny China’s strategic position and major contributions in the War of Resistance. Domestically, historical nihilism that attempts to erase the historical status and important role of the Chinese Communist Party in leading the War of Resistance also appears from time to time. Recently, individual erroneous arguments surrounding the topic of the War of Resistance confuse public understanding, hinder the transmission of correct historical memory, affect the public’s understanding of the history of the War of Resistance, and interfere with the inheritance and promotion of the great spirit of the War of Resistance.

值得注意的是，当今，仍存在一些歪曲抗日战争历史的错误言行。在国际上，日本右翼分子和某些政客歪曲侵略历史、否认战争责任、美化侵略战争，西方学界漠视、贬低或否认中国抗战的战略地位与重大贡献；在国内，妄图抹杀中国共产党领导抗战的历史地位与重要作用的历史虚无主义也时有出现。近期，个别围绕抗战话题的错误论调混淆视听，妨碍正确的历史记忆传递，影响民众的抗战历史认识，干扰伟大抗战精神的传承与弘扬。

Forgetting history means betrayal, and denying guilt may lead to repeating the same mistakes. Only by taking history as a mirror can we create the future. We must adhere to a correct view of history, conduct in-depth research on the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, resolutely resist and thoroughly refute erroneous words and deeds that distort the history of the War of Resistance, eliminate the turbid and make the clear, radically reform and set things right, consolidate the foundation and cultivate the essence, steadfastly act as guardians of historical memory, inherit and promote the great spirit of the War of Resistance, take patriotism as the core, and gather the surging combined force of Chinese sons and daughters at home and abroad to actively devote themselves to the great cause of building a strong country and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

忘记历史就意味着背叛，否认罪责就可能重蹈覆辙。只有以史为鉴，方能开创未来。我们必须坚持正确历史观，深入开展中国人民抗日战争研究，坚决抵制和彻底批驳歪曲抗战历史的错误言行，激浊扬清、正本清源、固本培元，坚定做历史记忆的守护者，传承与弘扬伟大抗战精神，以爱国主义为核心，凝聚起海内外中华儿女积极投身强国建设、民族复兴伟业的磅礴合力。

Adhere to a Correct View of History, Continuously Deepen the Understanding of the Laws of Research on the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression

坚持正确历史观，不断深化中国人民抗日战争研究的规律性认识

A view of history refers to people’s fundamental views and overall perspectives on the development of social history. Historical materialism, as the “only scientific view of history,” holds that social being determines social consciousness, that the basic contradictions of society are the driving force of all social development, that productive forces are the primary source of social development, that the masses are the creators of history, and that history must be analyzed and studied from a developmental, comprehensive, and interconnected perspective.

历史观是指人们对于社会历史发展的根本观点、总的看法。历史唯物主义作为“唯一科学的历史观”，认为社会存在决定社会意识，社会基本矛盾是一切社会发展的动力，生产力是社会发展的最初源泉，人民群众是历史的创造者，必须坚持用发展、全面、联系的观点分析和研究历史。

Adhere to historical materialism, and understand and grasp history from the Marxist stance, viewpoint, and method. One basic principle of historical materialism is that the contradictory movement between productive forces and relations of production, and between the economic base and the superstructure, governs the historical process of human social development. On September 18, 1931, the Japanese aggressors brazenly launched the September 18th Incident. This was an inevitable result of the long-term implementation of the policy of aggression and expansion against China by Japanese militarists, and also an act of aggression by them to escape the Great Depression of the capitalist economy. Thereafter, the contradiction between China and Japan gradually surpassed the domestic class contradiction and rose to become the principal contradiction. After 14 years of arduous and bloody struggle, the Chinese people defeated the Japanese aggressors and achieved the great victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. The great victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression established a historical turning point for the Chinese nation from the deep crisis of modern times towards the great rejuvenation. The Chinese people, tempered by the War of Resistance, clearly recognized that only by establishing a new China where the people are the masters of the country could national rejuvenation and people’s happiness be truly realized. On the basis of the great victory of the War of Resistance, the Chinese Communist Party united and led the people of all ethnic groups across the country to continue the struggle, establishing the People’s Republic of China in October 1949, opening a new journey in Chinese history.

坚持唯物史观，以马克思主义的立场、观点、方法认识和把握历史。唯物史观的一条基本原理，就是生产力与生产关系、经济基础与上层建筑的矛盾运动，支配着人类社会发展历史进程。1931年9月18日，日本侵略者悍然发动九一八事变。这是日本军国主义者长期推行对华侵略扩张政策的必然结果，也是其为摆脱资本主义经济大危机的侵略行动。此后，中日民族矛盾逐渐超越国内阶级矛盾上升为主要矛盾。中国人民经过14年艰苦卓绝的浴血奋战，打败了日本侵略者，取得了中国人民抗日战争的伟大胜利。中国人民抗日战争的伟大胜利，为中华民族由近代以来陷入深重危机走向伟大复兴确立了历史转折点。经历抗日战争锤炼的中国人民清楚地认识到：只有建立人民当家作主的新中国，才能真正实现民族振兴、人民幸福。在抗日战争伟大胜利的基础上，中国共产党团结带领全国各族人民继续奋斗，在1949年10月建立了中华人民共和国，开启了中国历史新的征程。

Adhere to the correct direction, grasp the correct orientation, and study and evaluate history by seeking truth from facts. After the September 18th Incident, the Chinese Communist Party clearly recognized the change in the principal contradiction in Chinese society, was the first to raise the banner of resistance against Japan, always stood at the forefront of the anti-Japanese struggle, and became the vanguard of the Chinese nation in the War of Resistance. At the critical historical juncture concerning the survival of the nation and the existence of the state, the Chinese Communist Party set aside past grievances, vigorously promoted the peaceful resolution of the Xi’an Incident, and became the pivot for the transformation of the situation. After the outbreak of the full-scale War of Resistance, the Anti-Japanese National United Front was formally formed. The Chinese Communist Party scientifically and accurately grasped the changes in the national conditions of China and Japan and the situation of the War of Resistance, outlined the basic strategy for the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, adhered to the line of total resistance against Japan, implemented the general policy of protracted war, opened up extensive enemy rear areas, established 19 anti-Japanese base areas, put forward the political proposition of “persisting in resistance, opposing capitulation; persisting in unity, opposing splits; persisting in progress, opposing retrogression,” sought unity through struggle, actively cooperated with and supported the frontal battlefield, always led the correct direction of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and became the mainstay of the full-scale War of Resistance. History proves that adhering to the comprehensive leadership of the Chinese Communist Party is the fundamental reason for the state and nation to overcome difficulties, achieve victory, and flourish. The Chinese people will never agree to any erroneous words and deeds that attempt to distort the history of the War of Resistance and the history of the Chinese Communist Party, or to vilify the nature and purpose of the Chinese Communist Party!

坚持正确方向，把握正确导向，实事求是地研究与评判历史。九一八事变后，中国共产党清醒地认识到中国社会主要矛盾的变化，率先擎起抗日大旗，始终站在抗日斗争最前线，成为中华民族的抗日先锋队。在关系国家危亡、民族存续的重大历史关头，中国共产党捐弃前嫌，力促和平解决西安事变，成为时局转换的枢纽。全民族抗战爆发后，抗日民族统一战线正式形成。中国共产党科学准确地把握中日两国国情对比和抗日战争形势的变化，擘画了中国人民抗日战争的基本方略，坚持全面抗战路线，实施持久战战略总方针，开辟广阔的敌后战场，创建了19块抗日根据地，提出“坚持抗战、反对投降，坚持团结、反对分裂，坚持进步、反对倒退”政治主张，以斗争求团结，积极配合和支持正面战场，始终引领中国人民抗日战争的正确方向，成为全民族抗战的中流砥柱。历史证明，坚持中国共产党的全面领导，是国家和民族克服困难、取得胜利、兴旺发达的根本所在。任何企图歪曲抗战史和中共党史、丑化中国共产党的性质和宗旨的错误言行，中国人民都绝不答应！

Uphold the people’s standpoint, be people-centered, and insist that the people are the creators of history. The masses are the deepest source of strength for the victory of the War of Resistance. After the September 18th Incident, under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, the armed forces of the Northeast people fought against Japan among the white mountains and black waters, appeared in deep mountains and dense forests, and galloped across the Northeast anti-Japanese battlefield, dealing a heavy blow to the Japanese puppet colonial rule and supporting the anti-Japanese struggle of the people inside the Shanhaiguan Pass. After the outbreak of the full-scale War of Resistance, under the guidance of the banner of the Anti-Japanese National United Front, established on the basis of cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Chinese Communist Party as advocated by the Chinese Communist Party, all Chinese sons and daughters were of one heart and one mind, united as one, shared a common hatred against the enemy, faced national calamity together, were unyielding and unafraid of death, and unhesitatingly threw themselves into the torrent of resistance against the Japanese aggressors, gathering the surging power to resist foreign aggression and save the nation from extinction, and composing a heroic song that moved heaven and earth and was magnificent. The Chinese people fought side by side with peace-loving people around the world, supported each other, and made significant contributions to the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. This is the victory of the people, the victory of unity, and the victory of justice.

秉持人民立场，以人民为中心，坚持人民是历史的创造者。人民群众是抗战胜利最深厚的伟力。九一八事变后，在中国共产党的领导下，东北人民抗日武装奋战于白山黑水之间，出没于深山密林之中，驰骋于东北抗日战场，沉重打击了日伪殖民统治，支持了关内人民的抗日斗争。全民族抗战爆发后，在中国共产党倡导建立的以国共合作为基础的抗日民族统一战线旗帜引领下，全体中华儿女万众一心、众志成城，同仇敌忾、共赴国难，铁骨铮铮、视死如归，义无反顾投身到反抗日本侵略者的洪流之中，凝聚起抵御外侮、救亡图存的磅礴力量，奏响了感天动地、气壮山河的英雄凯歌。中国人民与世界各国爱好和平的人民并肩战斗，相互支持，为中国人民抗日战争暨世界反法西斯战争胜利作出重大贡献。这是人民的胜利、团结的胜利、正义的胜利。

Adhere to analyzing the mechanisms of evolution and exploring historical laws from the long river of history, the tide of the times, and global trends; grasp the general trend of history, recognize the historical position, master historical initiative, and promote historical development. The Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was not only an important part of the anti-colonial struggle of the peoples of Asia, Africa, and Latin America in modern times but also the main Eastern battlefield of the World Anti-Fascist War; thus, from the very beginning, it had the great significance of saving human civilization and defending world peace. In the later period of the World Anti-Fascist War, China participated in the creation of the United Nations and the construction of the post-war international order. Since the founding of New China, the Chinese government has firmly upheld the international system centered on the United Nations, firmly upheld the international order based on international law, and firmly upheld the central role of the United Nations in international affairs. However, 80 years after the victory of the War of Resistance, protectionism, unilateralism, and hegemonism are on the rise, and humanity once again stands at a crossroads between unity or division, dialogue or confrontation, win-win or zero-sum. We must take history as a mirror, face the future, resolutely oppose all forms of hegemonism and power politics, firmly defend international fairness and justice, and jointly promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. The world wants justice, not hegemony; we believe that the people of all countries in the world will stand on the correct side of history, the side of fairness and justice.

坚持从历史长河、时代大潮、全球风云中分析演变机理、探究历史规律，把握历史大势、认清历史方位、掌握历史主动、推动历史发展。中国人民抗日战争既是近代以来亚非拉人民反殖民侵略斗争的重要组成部分，也是世界反法西斯战争的东方主战场，因而从一开始就具有拯救人类文明、保卫世界和平的重大意义。世界反法西斯战争后期，中国就参与创建联合国和建设战后国际秩序。新中国成立以来，中国政府坚定维护以联合国为核心的国际体系，坚定维护以国际法为基础的国际秩序，坚定维护联合国在国际事务中的核心作用。然而，抗日战争胜利80年后的今天，保护主义、单边主义和霸权主义抬头，人类又一次站在了团结还是分裂、对话还是对抗、共赢还是零和的十字路口。我们要以史为鉴，面向未来，坚决反对一切形式的霸权主义和强权政治，坚定捍卫国际公平正义，共同推动构建人类命运共同体。世界要公道，不要霸道，相信世界各国人民一定会站在历史正确的一边、公平正义的一边。

Adhere to a Correct View of History, Guide the Correct Political Direction, Academic Orientation, and Value Orientation of Research on the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression

坚持正确历史观，引领中国人民抗日战争研究正确的政治方向、学术导向、价值取向

Whether a view of history is correct or not concerns not only the authenticity of historical materials, the accuracy of historical facts, the correctness of historical understanding, and the progress of historical scholarship, but also the will of the people, the rise and fall of the nation, and the survival of the state. “To destroy a state, one must first erase its history.” [6]6 historical nihilism: A term used in Chinese political discourse to refer to the denial or distortion of officially recognized historical narratives, particularly those concerning the CPC’s revolutionary history and the founding of the PRC. It is considered a political and ideological error. The view of history is “a matter of great importance” and cannot be ignored. Only by adhering to a correct view of history and deepening research on the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression can we fully recognize the great significance of this war, fully recognize the important position of this war in the World Anti-Fascist War, and fully recognize that the key to victory in this war lay in the Chinese Communist Party’s role as the mainstay. Only thus can we consistently guide the correct political direction, academic orientation, and value orientation of research on the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, thereby strengthening historical confidence and resolutely safeguarding the fruits of victory in the War of Resistance and the postwar international order.

历史观的正确与否，不仅事关史料真假、史实对错、史识正误、史学进退，而且关乎民心向背、民族盛衰、国家存亡。“灭人之国，必先去其史”，历史观“兹事体大”，不可不察。只有坚持正确历史观，深入开展中国人民抗日战争研究，才能充分认识中国人民抗日战争的重大意义，充分认识中国人民抗日战争在世界反法西斯战争中的重要地位，充分认识中国人民抗日战争胜利的关键在于中国共产党的中流砥柱作用，始终引领中国人民抗日战争研究正确的政治方向、学术导向、价值取向，从而坚定历史自信，坚决维护抗战胜利成果和战后国际秩序。

We must clarify vague understandings, one-sided interpretations, and erroneous views in the field of the history of the War of Resistance, and take a clear-cut stand against historical nihilism. After the September 18th Incident, [7]7 The September 18 Incident (1931) is the date when Japan invaded Northeast China; the July 7 Incident (1937) marks the start of full-scale war between China and Japan. the Kuomintang reactionaries spread rumors that Japan was providing funds and arms to the Red Army, that the Chinese Communist Party was “negotiating” with Japan, and that it was “sabotaging” the rear areas of the War of Resistance. In fact, on April 15, 1932, the Provisional Central Government of the Chinese Soviet Republic issued a “Declaration of War Against Japan,” stating that it would “use a national revolutionary war to drive Japanese imperialism out of China.” On January 17, 1933, the Provisional Central Government of the Chinese Soviet Republic and the Revolutionary Military Committee of the Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army solemnly declared their willingness to sign a joint agreement to fight Japan with any armed forces on three conditions: cessation of attacks on the Soviet areas, guarantee of the people’s democratic rights, and arming the people. These facts directly refuted the rumors of the Kuomintang reactionaries. After the outbreak of the full-scale War of Resistance, the die-hard Kuomintang faction slandered the Chinese Communist Party for “roving but not fighting,” “70 percent development, 20 percent coping, and 10 percent resistance against Japan.” In reality, after the war entered the stage of strategic stalemate, the armed forces led by the Chinese Communist Party—including the Eighth Route Army, the New Fourth Army, and the South China People’s Anti-Japanese Guerrillas—were resisting 58% to 75% of the invading Japanese troops within the passes and nearly all the puppet troops. In August 1940, the Eighth Route Army launched the Hundred Regiments Offensive, [8]8 The Lytton Commission was a League of Nations mission sent to investigate the 1931 Japanese invasion of Manchuria. conducting 1,824 battles of various sizes in just three and a half months, killing or wounding over 25,000 Japanese and puppet troops, capturing 281 Japanese soldiers and over 18,000 puppet troops, dealing a heavy blow to the Japanese “cage policy,” and boosting the confidence of the entire nation in the inevitable victory of the War of Resistance. Even today, some people still trust unofficial histories over official ones, deliberately erase the Chinese Communist Party’s position and contributions in the War of Resistance, and attempt thereby to smear the Party’s history and attack its leadership. This is no longer an academic issue but a war without gunpowder in the ideological sphere. We must adhere to a correct view of history and resolutely counter this.

澄清抗战史领域的模糊认识、片面理解和错误观点，旗帜鲜明地反对历史虚无主义。九一八事变后，国民党反动派散布谣言：日本向红军提供经费与军火，中国共产党与日本“谈判”，“捣乱”抗战后方。事实上，1932年4月15日，中华苏维埃共和国临时中央政府就发布《对日战争宣言》，表示“以民族革命战争，驱逐日本帝国主义出中国”。1933年1月17日，中华苏维埃共和国临时中央政府、工农红军革命军事委员会郑重宣布，愿意在停止进攻苏区、保证民众的民主权利、武装民众3个条件下同任何武装部队签订共同对日作战协定。这些事实直接戳破了国民党反动派的谣言。全民族抗战爆发后，国民党顽固派污蔑中共抗战“游而不击”“七分发展，二分应付，一分抗日”。实际上，进入战略相持阶段后，八路军、新四军和华南人民抗日游击队等中国共产党领导的武装力量，抗击着关内58%—75%的侵华日军和几乎全部伪军。1940年8月，八路军发动百团大战，短短3个半月，进行大小战斗1824次，毙伤日、伪军2.5万余人，俘虏日军281人、伪军1.8万余人，沉重打击了日军的“囚笼政策”，振奋了全国人民抗战必胜的信心。现在，仍有人不信正史信野史，故意抹杀中国共产党的抗战地位和贡献，妄图以此抹黑党的历史、攻击党的领导。这已不是学术问题，而是意识形态领域没有硝烟的战争，我们必须坚持正确历史观，对此予以坚决回击。

We must forcefully refute the erroneous views of history held by Japanese right-wing elements and certain politicians. General

有力批驳日本右翼分子和某些政客的错误历史观。习近平总书记指出：“一切罔顾侵略战争历史的态度，一切美化侵略战争性质的言论，不论说了多少遍，不论说得多么冠冕堂皇，都是对人类和平和正义的危害。对这些错误言行，爱好和平与正义的人们必须高度警惕、坚决反对。”战后日本因未彻底清算军国主义，以致所谓“皇国史观”“自虐史观”“自由主义史观”等错误史观横行，出现了形形色色歪曲侵略历史、否认日军暴行、美化侵略战争和殖民统治的奇谈怪论。例如，日本右翼分子和某些政客把日本发动的侵略战争说成是“自存自卫”，甚至美化成对亚洲占领地的“解放”；公然否认南京大屠杀、强征从军“慰安妇”、实施惨无人道的细菌战和化学战等；还以所谓“胜者对败者的审判”妄图否定东京审判。日本一些政治人物频频“失言”，执意参拜所谓“供奉”甲级战犯的靖国神社，反映了他们对待历史问题的错误态度。对日本右翼分子和某些政客的错误历史观，对美化、掩盖侵略历史的错误言行，要予以有力批驳。事实上，日本只有本着对历史、对人民、对未来负责任的态度，同一切美化、掩盖侵略历史的行为彻底切割，才是真正走和平发展道路，才能以实际行动取信于国际社会。

Strive to change the political and academic biases of Western scholars regarding the history of China’s War of Resistance. Shortly after the victory of the War of Resistance, with the onset of the Cold War confrontation, the former anti-fascist war allies turned into tense adversaries. The cooperative relationship of mutual coordination and mutual support between the Chinese theater and other anti-fascist theaters was either denied or belittled by Western scholars, or ignored and deliberately “forgotten” by them. French scholar Henri Michel’s *The Second World War* argues that even if China had ceased fighting, it would not have changed the course of the Second World War. Some foreign scholars even denigrated the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression as a “localized” armed struggle, slandering that throughout the entire war of resistance, “the Chinese army did not conduct a single strategic campaign.” American academic circles often confine the Second World War to the Pacific theater, the North African theater, and the European second front in which the U.S. military participated, regarding the Chinese theater as a “subordinate theater” of the Pacific theater. *The Cambridge History of China: Republican China 1912–1949*, edited by John King Fairbank, argues that with the outbreak of the Pacific War, China’s military role became increasingly smaller. This is clearly seriously inconsistent with the historical facts of the Chinese Expeditionary Force’s two campaigns in Burma and the launch of the great counteroffensive in western Yunnan and northern Burma, as well as the successive counteroffensives in the Chinese theater until the victory of the War of Resistance. In recent years, in the face of the solid historical materials continuously provided by Chinese scholars, more and more Western scholars have begun to abandon academic biases and the shackles of their own national centrism, turning to re-recognize China as this forgotten wartime “ally” and rediscovering China’s strategic position and major contributions in the World Anti-Fascist War.

努力改变西方学者对中国抗战史研究的政治和学术偏见。随着抗战胜利后不久冷战对峙，原本反法西斯战争的盟友转而成了剑拔弩张的对手，中国战场与其他反法西斯战场相互配合、相互支援的合作关系，要么被西方学者否定或贬低，要么被其无视或刻意“遗忘”。法国学者亨利·米歇尔的《第二次世界大战》，认为即使中国停止战斗，也不会改变第二次世界大战进程。有外国学者竟把中国人民抗日战争贬低成“地方性”武装斗争，污蔑在整个抗战期间，“中国军队没有进行过一次战略性的战役”。美国学界往往将二战局限为美军参与的太平洋战场、北非战场、欧洲第二战场，把中国战场视为太平洋战场的“从属战场”。费正清主编的《剑桥中华民国史》，认为随着太平洋战争爆发，中国的军事作用越来越小。这显然与中国远征军两次入缅作战和发起滇西缅北大反攻，以及中国战场陆续开展反攻，直至抗战胜利的史实严重不符。近年来，在中国学者不断提供的确凿史料面前，越来越多的西方学者开始抛弃学术偏见、抛弃本国中心主义的束缚，转向重新认识中国这位被遗忘的战时“盟友”，重新发现中国在世界反法西斯战争中的战略地位和重大贡献。

Adhere to a Correct View of History, Thoroughly Study the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression

坚持正确历史观，深入开展中国人民抗日战争研究

General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “We must adhere to using historical materialism to understand and record history, basing historical conclusions on solid and accurate historical evidence and in-depth, meticulous research and analysis.” This is the scientific methodology for thoroughly studying the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. We must take Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as our guide, deeply study and thoroughly understand General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on the study of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, consciously resist and refute historical nihilism, strengthen historical confidence, grasp historical initiative, and thoroughly study the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

习近平总书记强调：“要坚持用唯物史观来认识和记述历史，把历史结论建立在翔实准确的史料支撑和深入细致的研究分析的基础之上。”这是深入开展中国人民抗日战争研究的科学方法论。我们必须以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导，学深悟透习近平总书记关于中国人民抗日战争研究的重要论述，自觉抵制与批驳历史虚无主义，坚定历史自信，把握历史主动，深入开展中国人民抗日战争研究。

For a long time, the study of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression has achieved many important results. However, compared with the historical status and historical significance of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and compared with the far-reaching impact of this war on the Chinese nation and the world, our research on the War of Resistance is still far from sufficient. For example, the overall study of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression still needs to be deepened, thematic research needs to be refined, the collection and organization of historical materials on the War of Resistance based on a national perspective and facing the world urgently need to be strengthened, there are still not enough systematic and systemic research results and high-level authoritative monographs and popular reading materials, and international exchange and cooperation in War of Resistance research also need to be steadily advanced. Therefore, we must adhere to a correct view of history, continue to conduct in-depth and systematic research on the War of Resistance, continuously produce high-quality works with ideological penetrating power, and promote the flourishing development of War of Resistance historiography in the New Era.

长期以来，中国人民抗日战争研究取得了许多重要成果。但同中国人民抗日战争的历史地位和历史意义相比，同这场战争对中华民族和世界的深远影响相比，我们的抗战研究还远远不够。例如，中国人民抗日战争的总体研究尚待深化、专题研究需要细化，立足全国、面向全球的抗战史料收集与整理工作亟须强化，系统性、体系化的研究成果和高水准的权威专著、通俗读物仍不够多，抗战研究的国际交流与合作也需稳步推进。因此，必须坚持正确历史观，继续进行深入系统的抗战研究，不断推出具有思想穿透力的精品力作，推动新时代抗战史学繁荣发展。

We must accurately grasp the historical process, mainstream, and essence of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. The Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression began in 1931 and ended victoriously in 1945, undergoing a process from partial resistance to a full-scale national war of resistance. Comrade Mao Zedong published *On Protracted War* in May and June 1938, emphasizing that China’s resistance was a protracted war that would inevitably pass through three stages: strategic defense, strategic stalemate, and strategic counteroffensive. In fact, the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression proceeded exactly according to the roadmap scientifically foreseen by Comrade Mao Zedong. From the July 7 Incident of 1937 to the fall of Guangzhou and Wuhan in October 1938, it was the stage of strategic defense; from then until the second half of 1943, it was the stage of strategic stalemate, with the enemy’s rear battlefield gradually rising to become the main battlefield of China’s resistance; from the second half of 1943, the enemy’s rear battlefield gradually shifted to local counteroffensives, and then to a full-scale counteroffensive in 1945, while the frontal battlefield also launched offensive operations. The two were relatively independent yet coordinated with each other, jointly confronting the enemy and achieving the great victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. The attribute of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression as a national liberation struggle, from beginning to end, defined its just nature and determined the anti-fascist character of the Second World War.

准确把握中国人民抗日战争的历史进程和主流、本质。中国人民抗日战争从1931年开始、到1945年胜利结束，经历了由局部抗战到全民族抗战的过程。毛泽东同志在1938年5、6月间发表了《论持久战》，强调中国抗战是持久抗战，必将经历战略防御、战略相持、战略反攻三个阶段。事实上，中国人民抗日战争正是按照毛泽东同志科学预见的路线图进行的。从1937年七七事变至1938年10月广州、武汉陷落，是战略防御阶段；此后至1943年下半年是战略相持阶段，敌后战场逐步上升为中国抗战主战场；从1943年下半年开始，敌后战场逐渐转入局部反攻，再到1945年全面反攻，正面战场也发起攻势作战，两者既相对独立又相互配合，共同对敌，取得中国人民抗日战争伟大胜利。中国人民抗日战争的民族解放斗争属性，自始至终规定着中国人民抗日战争的正义性质，决定了第二次世界大战的反法西斯特性。

We must correctly understand the major relationships between partial resistance and full-scale national resistance, between the frontal battlefield and the enemy’s rear battlefield, and between the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Regarding the time frame of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Chinese academic circles mainly hold two views: the “eight-year war of resistance theory” and the “fourteen-year war of resistance theory.” The two are not contradictory but dialectically unified. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “We must not only study the history of the eight years of full-scale resistance after the July 7 Incident, but also pay attention to studying the history of the fourteen years of resistance after the September 18 Incident; the fourteen years should be connected and studied as a whole.” [7]7 The September 18 Incident (1931) is the date when Japan invaded Northeast China; the July 7 Incident (1937) marks the start of full-scale war between China and Japan. This is a prudent consideration and scientific judgment on the start and end times of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. The enemy’s rear battlefield and the frontal battlefield cooperated and were indispensable to each other, forming a strategic situation of jointly resisting the Japanese aggressors. Without the unprecedented unity of the Chinese nation, China’s war of resistance could not have achieved final victory. The Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was an important part of the World Anti-Fascist War, opening the main Eastern battlefield of the World Anti-Fascist War. It received broad support from the countries of the World Anti-Fascist Alliance and peace-loving people, and also made significant contributions to the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War. This is a fact that no one can deny.

正确认识局部抗战和全民族抗战、正面战场和敌后战场、中国人民抗日战争和世界反法西斯战争等重大关系。关于中国人民抗日战争的时限，我国学界主要有两种观点，即“8年抗战说”和“14年抗战说”。两者并不矛盾，而是辩证统一的。习近平总书记强调：“我们不仅要研究七七事变后全面抗战8年的历史，而且要注重研究九一八事变后14年抗战的历史，14年要贯通下来统一研究。”这是对中国人民抗日战争起止时间的审慎思考和科学论断。敌后战场和正面战场协力合作、缺一不可，形成了共同抗击日本侵略者的战略局面。若无中华民族的空前团结，中国抗战就无法取得最终胜利。中国人民抗日战争是世界反法西斯战争的重要组成部分，开辟了世界反法西斯战争的东方主战场，既得到世界反法西斯同盟各国及爱好和平人士的广泛支持，又为世界反法西斯战争胜利作出重大贡献。这是谁也否认不了的事实。

We must strengthen the collection, organization, and analysis of historical materials. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “For research on the War of Resistance to be deepened, it must rely more on archives, materials, facts, witness testimonies, and various other human and material evidence to speak.” “We must strengthen the basic work of collecting and organizing materials, comprehensively organize the archives, photos, materials, and physical objects of the War of Resistance from various parts of our country, and at the same time, we must collect audio-visual materials, books, newspapers, diaries, letters, and physical objects from around the world.” Historical materials are the foundation and prerequisite for conducting historical research and restoring the truth of historical facts. There are relatively many achievements in Chinese-language historical materials on the study of the history of the War of Resistance. Chinese scholars have also compiled some achievements in foreign-language historical materials, such as the *Collection of Archival Documents of the Lytton Commission (19 volumes)* and the *Series of Compiled Materials on Japan’s Decision to Invade China (46 volumes)*. [8]8 The Lytton Commission was a League of Nations mission sent to investigate the 1931 Japanese invasion of Manchuria. Many of these foreign-language historical materials are published in facsimile, preserving the authenticity and original appearance of the materials, facilitating scholars to touch the details deep in history and perceive the information between the lines of the materials. The opening of archival materials from the United States, Britain, Japan, and other countries has provided convenience for researchers of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. However, it must be noted that these publicly available foreign-language historical materials have mostly been screened by the relevant countries and carry a certain bias, so it is necessary to strengthen the analysis of historical materials and guidance in historical understanding.

加强史料收集、整理和辨析。习近平总书记强调：“抗战研究要深入，就要更多通过档案、资料、事实、当事人证词等各种人证、物证来说话。”“要加强资料收集和整理这一基础性工作，全面整理我国各地抗战档案、照片、资料、实物等，同时要面向全球征集影像资料、图书报刊、日记信件、实物等。”史料是开展史学研究、还原史实真相的基础和前提。关于抗战史研究的中文史料成果较多。对外文史料成果，中国学者也有所汇编，例如《李顿调查团档案文献集（19册）》《日本侵华决策史料丛编（46册）》等。这些外文史料，不少是影印出版，保持了史料的本真与原貌，便于学者触摸历史深处的细节、感悟史料字里行间的信息。美、英、日等国档案史料的开放，为中国人民抗日战争暨世界反法西斯战争研究者提供了便利。但须注意的是，这些公开的外文史料大多经过相关国家筛选，带有一定的倾向性，必须加强史料辨析和史识引导。

We must strengthen planning and integration of forces to ensure that domestic and international academic exchanges on the history of the War of Resistance always develop along the correct track. Domestic academic exchanges on the history of the War of Resistance are flourishing and have always maintained a relatively high level of activity. Since reform and opening up, academic ties between China and foreign countries have become increasingly close, and academic exchanges between Chinese and foreign scholars on the history of the War of Resistance have increased. Sharing historical materials and co-writing history books has become a trend. For example, the *Modern and Contemporary History of the Three East Asian Countries* and *Transcending National Borders: Modern and Contemporary History of East Asia*, co-authored by scholars from China, Japan, and South Korea, were published in the three countries in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean in 2005 and 2013 respectively, receiving widespread attention and even influencing European and American academic circles. The China-Japan Joint Historical Research lasted three years from the end of 2006 to the end of 2009, basically completing the scheduled research tasks. China published the *China-Japan Joint Historical Research Report* in 2014. Although this report did not resolve all historical issues between China and Japan, the equal academic dialogue between scholars from the two countries accumulated academic consensus and created a favorable atmosphere for resolving historical issues between China and Japan. Adhering to a correct view of history and ensuring that domestic and international academic exchanges on the history of the War of Resistance always develop along the correct track is an important link and an inherent requirement for deepening research on the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

加强规划和力量整合，确保抗战史研究的国内国际学术交流始终沿着正确轨道发展。抗战史研究的国内学术交流蓬勃发展，始终保持着较高的活跃度。改革开放以来中外学术联系日益密切，中外学者围绕抗战史研究的学术交流越来越多，共享史料、共写史书成为一种趋势。例如，中日韩三国学者合著的《东亚三国的近现代史》《超越国境的东亚近现代史》，分别于2005年、2013年以中日韩三种语言在三国出版，受到广泛关注，甚至影响到欧美学界。中日共同历史研究从2006年底到2009年底历时3年，基本完成预定研究任务，中方在2014年出版了《中日共同历史研究报告》。该报告虽未能解决中日之间所有的历史问题，但两国学者开展平等学术对话，为解决中日之间的历史问题积累了学术共识、营造了良好氛围。坚持正确历史观，确保抗战史研究的国内国际学术交流始终沿着正确轨道发展，是深入开展中国人民抗日战争研究的重要环节和题中应有之义。

(The author is a professor at the School of History, University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences)

（作者为中国社会科学院大学历史学院教授）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心