Uphold and Promote the Correct View of World War II History

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War, and the World Anti-Fascist War. The fruits of victory of World War II must not be challenged. Upholding the correct view of WWII history[1]1 The "correct view of WWII history" (正确二战史观) refers to the officially endorsed historical perspective in China that emphasizes the criminality of fascism, the key role of China and the Soviet Union, the inviolability of the anti-fascist victory, and the rejection of any revisionism or glorification of aggression. and defending the fruits of victory is the clarion call of the times. At present, the changes unseen in a century are accelerating, and the world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation. In the current interweaving of turmoil and upheaval in the international situation, we must more deeply understand the epochal significance of upholding and promoting the correct view of WWII history and defending historical justice.

今年是中国人民抗日战争、苏联伟大卫国战争暨世界反法西斯战争胜利80周年。二战胜利成果不容挑战，坚持正确二战史观、捍卫胜利果实，是时代之强音。当前，百年变局加速演进，世界进入新的动荡变革期。在国际形势变乱交织的当下，我们更要深刻理解坚持和弘扬正确二战史观、捍卫历史正义的时代意义。

History may gradually recede into the distance, but historical memory cannot be erased. The historical memory of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War belongs not only to the Chinese and Russian peoples, but to all humanity. When historical truth is transformed into consensus in human society, the correct view of WWII history increasingly becomes the consensus of the international community. It is not only a summary of history, but also a guide for the future. The correct view of WWII history is a precious content of human historical memory and a solid guarantee for guiding human civilization toward a bright future.

历史会逐渐久远，但历史记忆不容抹杀，世界反法西斯战争胜利的历史记忆不仅属于中俄人民，更属于全人类。当历史真相转化为人类社会的共识时，正确的二战史观也愈加成为国际社会的共识，它不仅是对历史的总结，更是对未来的指引。正确二战史观是人类历史记忆的宝贵内容，是指引人类文明走向光明未来的切实保证。

First, World War II was a global war of aggression deliberately launched by the fascist states of Germany, Italy, and Japan in the pursuit of extreme nationalism, racism, and expansionism. It was a serious trampling on world peace, justice, and human civilization. The fascist aggressors were the chief culprits of the war. In the face of fascist aggression and expansion, the appeasement policy of compromise and concession pursued by Britain, France and other countries accelerated the outbreak of the war. The World Anti-Fascist War was a just war to defend human dignity and maintain world peace, and a great struggle by peace-loving countries and peoples to save human civilization and resist aggression.

其一，二战是德、意、日法西斯国家推行极端民族主义、种族主义和扩张主义而蓄意发动的全球性侵略战争，是对世界和平、正义与人类文明的严重践踏。法西斯侵略者是战争的罪魁祸首；面对法西斯的侵略扩张，英法等国妥协退让的绥靖政策加速了战争的到来。世界反法西斯战争是一场捍卫人类尊严、维护世界和平的正义之战，是爱好和平的国家和人民拯救人类文明、反抗侵略的伟大斗争。

Second, the victory of World War II was the result of the joint efforts of all countries in the World Anti-Fascist Alliance. When humanity faced a common threat and the common enemy of fascist aggressors, countries with different social systems and ideologies set aside their differences and established a clear and consistent World Anti-Fascist Alliance. The goal was to destroy the fascist regime, stop aggression, and restore world peace. It effectively promoted international cooperation and left profound historical experience and precious historical inspiration for later generations.

其二，二战的胜利是世界反法西斯同盟各国共同奋斗的结果。当人类面临共同威胁，面对法西斯侵略者这一共同敌人时，不同社会制度、不同意识形态的国家摒弃分歧，建立目标明确且一致的世界反法西斯同盟，目标就是摧毁法西斯政权、制止侵略、恢复世界和平。它卓有成效地促进国际合作，为后人留下了深刻的历史经验和宝贵的历史启迪。

Third, China and the Soviet Union, as the main battlefields of World War II in Asia and Europe respectively, were the mainstays[2]2 "Mainstays" (中流砥柱) is a Chinese four-character idiom meaning a pillar that stands firm in the middle of a torrent, used in Party discourse to denote the CPC's central and indispensable role. in the fight against Japanese militarism and German Nazism, and made decisive contributions to the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War. The Soviet Union fought the main force of the German army and achieved key victories such as the Battle of Stalingrad and the capture of Berlin. The Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression began the earliest, lasted the longest, and involved the greatest sacrifices. As a great nation with a civilization history of more than 5,000 years, magnanimous, tolerant, and always pursuing 'Great Harmony under Heaven'[3]3 "Great Harmony under Heaven" (天下大同) is a classical Confucian ideal of a harmonious, egalitarian world order, frequently invoked in Chinese political rhetoric to express aspirations for global peace and unity., the Chinese nation, with enormous national sacrifices, supported the main Eastern battlefield of the World Anti-Fascist War. The Communist Party of China was the first to raise high the banner of resistance against Japan, clearly put forward the proposition of 'recover lost territories, resist Japan and save the nation'[4]4 "Recover lost territories, resist Japan and save the nation" (收复失地、抗日救国) was a wartime slogan adopted by the Communist Party of China in the 1930s to mobilize resistance against Japanese invasion., and promoted the anti-Japanese national salvation movement across urban and rural areas throughout the country, acting as the mainstay in the all-nation war of resistance.

其三，中苏两国分别作为第二次世界大战的亚洲和欧洲战争主战场，是抗击日本军国主义和德国纳粹主义的中流砥柱，为世界反法西斯战争胜利作出决定性贡献。苏联抗击德军主力，取得了斯大林格勒保卫战、攻克柏林等关键胜利。中国人民的抗日战争开始时间最早、持续时间最长、付出牺牲最大。作为一个拥有5000多年文明史，大度、包容、向善、始终追求“天下大同”的伟大民族，中华民族以巨大的民族牺牲，支撑了世界反法西斯战争的东方主战场。中国共产党率先高举抗日旗帜，明确提出“收复失地、抗日救国”的主张，推动抗日救亡运动在全国城乡展开，是全民族抗战的中流砥柱。

Fourth, historical documents such as the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation established the basic norms of post-war international relations, promoted the reshaping of the international order, led to the establishment of the United Nations, and established a post-war peace mechanism. The judgments of the Nuremberg International Military Tribunal and the International Military Tribunal for the Far East were the just liquidation of fascist crimes by the international community after World War II. These trials included 'crimes against humanity' in the scope of international law for the first time, nailing fascist war criminals to the pillar of shame of history forever.

其四，《开罗宣言》《波茨坦公告》等历史文件确立了战后国际关系的基本准则，促进了国际秩序的重塑，成立了联合国，确立了战后和平体制。纽伦堡国际军事法庭、远东国际军事法庭判决是二战后国际社会对法西斯侵略罪行的正义清算。这些审判首次将“反人类罪”纳入国际法范畴，将法西斯战犯永远钉在历史的耻辱柱上。

The correct view of WWII history is a scientific historical cognition based on highlighting facts, guided by upholding truth, and aimed at defending peace. It is also the dialectical unity of history and reality, and an empirical historical basis for understanding reality and looking into the future more soberly. The reason why the 'correct view of WWII history' is 'correct' is that it respects historical facts, respects the laws of history, and respects historical dialectics. It represents the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the people and reflects the irreversible historical trend of the progress of human civilization.

正确二战史观，既是以凸显事实为依据、以坚持真理为导向、以捍卫和平为目标的科学的历史认知，也是历史与现实的辩证统一，是更加清醒地认识现实、远眺未来的实证性历史依据。“正确二战史观”之所以“正确”，是因为它尊重历史事实、尊重历史规律性、尊重历史辩证法；它代表着最广大人民的根本利益，反映了人类文明进步不可逆转的历史大势。

Safeguarding historical truth and promoting the correct view of WWII history is essentially about guarding the bottom line of history and guarding the bottom line of human civilization — to ensure that historical truth is not covered up or forgotten, and to make the concept of 'opposing aggression and defending peace' a trans-temporal and trans-spatial consensus of humanity. These consensuses are formed on the basis of solid historical facts and common human memory, and are forged with the blood and lives of tens of millions of people.

捍卫历史真相，弘扬正确二战史观，本质是守护历史的底线、守护人类文明的底线——要让历史真相不被掩盖、不被遗忘，更要让“反对侵略、捍卫和平”的理念成为跨越时空的人类共识。这些共识是基于确凿的历史事实和人类共同记忆形成的，是数以千万计的人们用鲜血和生命铸就的。

The aggressive crimes of fascism cannot be denied, tampered with, or glorified. Any advocacy of historical revisionism and historical nihilism, any form of neo-Nazi clamor or militarist restoration, any attempt to downplay or whitewash fascist crimes, blur the responsibility for war, reverse the verdict on aggressive acts, or exonerate the aggressors, is a betrayal of historical justice. Any distortion of historical truth or challenge to human conscience will be rejected by history and the people.

法西斯的侵略罪行不容否认、篡改或美化，任何鼓吹历史修正主义、历史虚无主义，任何形式的新纳粹主义鼓噪、军国主义复辟，任何试图淡化、美化法西斯罪行，将战争责任模糊化，为侵略行为翻案或为侵略者开脱的言论和行为，都是对历史正义的背叛。任何对历史真相的歪曲、对人类良知的挑战，必将被历史和人民所唾弃。

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: 'History is history, facts are facts, and no one can change history and facts. The Chinese people, who have made tremendous sacrifices, will unswervingly defend the history written with blood and lives.' Today, on the 80th anniversary of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, humanity stands at a crossroads of confrontation or dialogue, win-win or zero-sum. Looking back on the 80-year post-war world historical process, we must always be vigilant, pay close attention to the severe challenges facing the world today, and soberly realize that sharing weal and woe, cooperation and win-win can lead to a bright future. 'Peace not war, cooperation not confrontation, win-win not zero-sum — this is the eternal theme of peace, progress, and development of human society.'

习近平总书记指出：“历史就是历史，事实就是事实，任何人都不可能改变历史和事实。付出了巨大牺牲的中国人民，将坚定不移捍卫用鲜血和生命写下的历史。”在中国人民抗日战争暨世界反法西斯战争胜利80周年的今天，人类站在对抗还是对话、共赢还是零和的十字路口。回溯战后80年的世界历史进程，我们要时刻警醒、密切关注当今世界面临的严峻挑战，清醒地认识到命运与共、合作共赢才能走向光明的未来。“和平而不是战争，合作而不是对抗，共赢而不是零和，才是人类社会和平、进步、发展的永恒主题。”

The people of all countries in the world should join hands, draw wisdom and strength from the correct view of WWII history, let the concept of peace take root in people's hearts, and jointly maintain a fair and just world multipolar order. We must strive for lasting world peace and common prosperity, and make new contributions to building a community with a shared future for mankind and promoting the progress of human civilization.

世界各国人民要携起手来，从正确二战史观中汲取智慧和力量，让和平理念深入人心，共同维护公平公正的世界多极化秩序。我们要努力争取世界持久和平、共同繁荣，为推动构建人类命运共同体、促进人类文明进步作出新的贡献。

(Author: Yu Pei, Principal Investigator of the National Social Science Fund major project 'Historiography and Historians in the 20th Century'[5]5 The National Social Science Fund (国家社科基金) is the primary state-level research funding body in China; "major project" (重大项目) denotes a high-priority, large-scale research initiative., Researcher at the Institute of World History, Chinese Academy of History)

（作者：于沛，系国家社科基金重大项目“20世纪的历史学和历史学家”首席专家、中国历史研究院世界历史研究所研究员）

Online editor: Tongxin[6]6 "Tongxin" (同心) is the pseudonym of the online editor; the name literally means "united hearts" but functions as a byline.

网络编辑：同心