Mainstay of the All-out Resistance against Japanese Aggression and Strong Leading Core for National Rejuvenation

In his speech at the conference marking the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that under the banner of the Anti-Japanese National United Front initiated by the Communist Party of China, the Chinese people fought powerful enemies with iron will and built a Great Wall with their flesh and blood, achieving the first complete victory in resisting foreign aggression since modern times. General Secretary Xi has repeatedly emphasized that the Communist Party of China was the mainstay of the all-out resistance against Japanese aggression[1]1 The phrase rendered as “mainstay” is a Chinese four-character idiom (中流砥柱), literally meaning a pillar in the middle of a torrent, figuratively denoting a force that holds firm in difficult circumstances.. On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, fully recognizing the great contributions of the Communist Party of China to the Anti-Japanese National United Front is of great significance for us to carry forward the great spirit of resistance against Japanese aggression and forge ahead on the new journey of the New Era.

习近平总书记在纪念中国人民抗日战争暨世界反法西斯战争胜利80周年大会上的讲话中指出，在中国共产党倡导建立的抗日民族统一战线旗帜下，中国人民以铮铮铁骨战强敌、以血肉之躯筑长城，取得近代以来反抗外敌入侵的第一次完全胜利。习近平总书记多次强调，中国共产党是全民族抗战的中流砥柱。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，充分认识中国共产党对抗日民族统一战线的重大贡献，对于我们弘扬伟大抗战精神，奋进新时代新征程具有重要意义。

The Anti-Japanese National United Front was first called for and initiated by the Communist Party of China. At a time of national crisis, the Communist Party of China, upholding the righteousness of the nation, shouldered the historical responsibility of national salvation and called for the establishment of an anti-Japanese national united front based on cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party to resist Japanese aggression and drive the Japanese invaders out of China. Because the Kuomintang implemented the policy of "resisting foreign aggression only after internal pacification,"[2]2 The Kuomintang policy of “resisting foreign aggression only after internal pacification” meant that the Nationalist government prioritized eliminating the Communist Party before fighting Japan. the establishment of an anti-Japanese national united front based on Kuomintang-Communist cooperation went through a difficult process. In January 1933, the Communist Party of China issued a declaration calling for the establishment and expansion of an anti-imperialist national united front. Our Party deeply understood that resisting Japanese aggression required the unity of all forces, and this was the earliest call for the establishment of an anti-Japanese national united front. With the intensification of Japanese aggression, the Chinese Communists further realized that "the scope of the united front should be expanded" and that a "policy of an all-people anti-Japanese national united front" should be established. This policy was clearly reflected in the "Letter to All Compatriots on Resisting Japan and Saving the Nation," i.e., the "August First Declaration."[3]3 The “August First Declaration” was issued by the CPC on August 1, 1935, calling for an end to the civil war and joint resistance against Japan. The Anti-Japanese National United Front became the only way to unite all political and military forces in China and save the Chinese nation from crisis.

抗日民族统一战线是由中国共产党率先呼吁和倡导的。在民族危难之际，中国共产党秉持民族大义，担负起民族救亡的历史重任，呼吁建立以国共合作为基础的抗日民族统一战线，以抵抗日寇侵略、驱逐日寇出中国。由于国民党执行“攘外必先安内”的政策，以国共合作为基础的抗日民族统一战线的建立经历了一个艰难的过程。1933年1月，中国共产党即发表宣言，号召建立和扩大反帝的民族统一战线。我们党深刻认识到抵抗日本侵略需要各种力量联合起来，这是对建立抗日民族统一战线的最早呼吁。随着日本侵略的加剧，中国共产党人进一步认识到，“统一战线的范围应该扩大”“建立全民的抗日民族统一战线政策”。这一政策鲜明地体现在《为抗日救国告全体同胞书》即“八一宣言”之中。抗日民族统一战线成为团结全国各种政治军事力量和挽救中华民族危机的必由之路。

In December 1935, at the Wayaobao Conference[4]4 The Wayaobao Conference (December 1935) was a CPC Politburo meeting that formally decided on the strategy of forming the Anti-Japanese National United Front., the Communist Party of China formally established the strategic policy of forming the Anti-Japanese National United Front. Mao Zedong pointed out, "The Communist Party and the Red Army not only now serve as the initiators of the Anti-Japanese National United Front, but will inevitably become its strong mainstays in the future anti-Japanese government and anti-Japanese army." This particularly illustrates the relationship between initiating the Anti-Japanese National United Front and playing the role of mainstay. Thereafter, in response to changes in the domestic political situation, our Party continuously adjusted the scope of the Anti-Japanese National United Front, undergoing a shift from "forcing Jiang to resist Japan" to "allying with Jiang to resist Japan."[5]5 This refers to the shift in CPC tactics from “forcing Jiang Jieshi (Chiang Kai-shek) to resist Japan” to “allying with Jiang Jieshi to resist Japan.” Inspired by our Party's united front policy, on December 12, 1936, Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng launched the Xi'an Incident[6]6 The Xi’an Incident (December 12, 1936) was the arrest of Chiang Kai-shek by generals Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng, which was peacefully resolved and led to the formation of the united front., forcing Chiang Kai-shek to "ally with the Communists to resist Japan." In a position to play a dominant role, the Central Committee of the CPC made the decision to resolve the Xi'an Incident peacefully, which reflected both the magnanimity of the Communist Party of China in putting the world before self and the nation above all, and its confidence in striving for leadership over the war of resistance among all classes across the country. After the Marco Polo Bridge Incident[7]7 The Marco Polo Bridge Incident (July 7, 1937) was a clash near Beijing that triggered the full-scale outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War., the Central News Agency of the Kuomintang published the "Declaration of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on the Publication of the Cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party." On September 23, 1937, Chiang Kai-shek delivered a speech in Lushan[8]8 Chiang Kai-shek’s Lushan speech (September 23, 1937) effectively recognized the CPC’s legal status, formalizing the second Kuomintang-Communist cooperation., in which he actually recognized the legal status of the Communist Party of China. "The united front of the two parties is proclaimed to be established," and this "will play a decisive role in defeating Japanese imperialism." The Anti-Japanese National United Front based on Kuomintang-Communist cooperation was formally established, and the curtain of the all-out resistance against Japanese aggression was fully raised.

1935年12月，中国共产党在瓦窑堡会议上正式确立了建立抗日民族统一战线的策略方针。毛泽东指出，“共产党和红军不但在现在充当着抗日民族统一战线的发起人，而且在将来的抗日政府和抗日军队中必然要成为坚强的台柱子”。这特别能说明倡导抗日民族统一战线与发挥中流砥柱作用的关系。之后，我们党根据国内政治形势的变化，不断调整抗日民族统一战线的范围，历经“逼蒋抗日”到“联蒋抗日”的转变。受我们党统一战线政策的感召，1936年12月12日，张学良、杨虎城发动西安事变，逼迫蒋介石“联共抗日”。在具有主导作用的情况下，中共中央做出了和平解决西安事变的决策，这既反映了中国共产党天下为公、民族为大的气度，又反映了面向全国各阶级争取抗战领导权的自信。卢沟桥事变后，国民党中央通讯社发表了《中共中央为公布国共合作宣言》。1937年9月23日，蒋介石在庐山发表谈话，实际上承认了中国共产党的合法地位。“两党的统一战线是宣告成立了”，这“将对于打倒日本帝国主义发生决定的作用”。以国共合作为基础的抗日民族统一战线正式建立，全民族抗战的大幕幡然展开。

Throughout the all-out resistance against Japanese aggression, the Communist Party of China consistently upheld and defended the Anti-Japanese National United Front. After the successive fall of major cities in North China, the Communist Party of China persisted in independent guerrilla warfare behind enemy lines, and its anti-Japanese armed forces continued to grow and strengthen. This aroused jealousy and hatred from Chiang Kai-shek and the Kuomintang. Faced with constant provocations from the Kuomintang, our Party always adhered to the correct direction of the war of resistance. On the one hand, it "helped the Kuomintang to make progress in order to develop the united front"; on the other hand, it "played an exemplary role for the Party in the war of resistance." As General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out, the Communist Party of China held high the banner of the Anti-Japanese National United Front, resolutely defended, consolidated, and developed the united front, persisted in independence and initiative and united resistance, and maintained the overall situation of united resistance. Even after suffering heavy losses in the Southern Anhui Incident[9]9 The Southern Anhui Incident (January 1941) was a Kuomintang attack on the CPC’s New Fourth Army, causing heavy casualties and a serious crisis in the united front., the Communist Party of China did not take further military action against the Kuomintang, and unswervingly promoted the all-out resistance of the entire nation.

在全民族抗战中，中国共产党始终坚持巩固和维护抗日民族统一战线。华北大城市相继沦陷后，中国共产党坚持独立自主的敌后游击战争，抗日武装不断发展壮大。这引起蒋介石和国民党的忌恨。面对国民党的不断挑衅，我们党始终坚持抗战的正确方向，一方面“帮助国民党，使之进步，以发展统一战线”；另一方面“发挥党在抗战中的模范作用”。正如习近平总书记所指出的，中国共产党高举抗日民族统一战线的旗帜，坚决维护、巩固、发展统一战线，坚持独立自主、团结抗战，维护了团结抗战大局。即便是在皖南事变中遭到重大损失后，中国共产党也没有在军事上对国民党采取进一步行动，坚定不移推动全民族坚持抗战。

The victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression was a victory achieved under the banner of the Anti-Japanese National United Front. Under the banner of the Anti-Japanese National United Front initiated by the Communist Party of China, Chinese people at home and abroad, with strong patriotic feelings for their family and country, united as never before and vied with each other to join the great struggle to defend their homes and the country, forming a vast ocean of people's war. From north to south of the great rivers, and inside and outside the Great Wall, all Chinese sons and daughters braved the enemy's gunfire to share the national crisis. On both the frontal battlefield and the guerrilla battlefield behind enemy lines, tens of thousands of patriotic officers and soldiers fought bloody battles and faced death unflinchingly; people from all walks of life were united as one and shared a common hatred against the enemy, playing a heroic symphony that shook the mountains and rivers in the fight against Japanese aggression, and composing with their lives and blood a magnificent epic of resistance against foreign aggression that moved heaven and earth.

中国人民抗日战争胜利是在抗日民族统一战线旗帜下取得的胜利。在中国共产党倡导建立的抗日民族统一战线旗帜下，海内外中华儿女以强烈的家国情怀，空前团结起来，争先投入保家卫国的伟大斗争中，形成了人民战争的汪洋大海。大江南北，长城内外，全体中华儿女冒着敌人的炮火共赴国难，无论是正面战场，还是敌后战场，千千万万爱国将士浴血奋战、视死如归，各界民众万众一心、同仇敌忾，奏响了一曲气壮山河的抗击日本侵略的英雄凯歌，用生命和鲜血谱写了一首感天动地的反抗外来侵略的壮丽史诗。

The Communist Party of China was the initiator, promoter, and staunch defender of the Anti-Japanese National United Front, always walking ahead of the front and continuously and proactively expanding its scope. It can be said that without the Communist Party of China, there would have been no all-people anti-Japanese united front, and without the Anti-Japanese National United Front, there would have been no all-out resistance against Japanese aggression. "The all-out resistance against Japanese aggression was an important magic weapon for the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression." From the perspective of initiating, upholding, and defending the united front, the Communist Party of China fully deserves to be called the mainstay of the all-out resistance against Japanese aggression.

中国共产党是抗日民族统一战线的首倡者、推动者和坚定维护者，始终走在抗日民族统一战线的前面，不断地主动扩大统一战线的范围。可以说，没有中国共产党就没有全民族的抗日统一战线，没有抗日民族统一战线就没有全民族抗战，“全民族抗战是中国人民抗日战争胜利的重要法宝”。从倡导、坚持和维护统一战线这一点来说，中国共产党亦不愧为全民族抗战的中流砥柱。

History tells us that public support is the greatest politics, and the united front is a powerful magic weapon for gathering people's hearts and pooling strength. On the new journey of the New Era, we must, under the strong leadership of the Party, consolidate and develop the broadest possible patriotic united front. We should improve the framework of grand united front work, adhere to great unity and great solidarity, closely unite the people of all ethnic groups in the country and Chinese sons and daughters at home and abroad, maximize the pooling of strength for common struggle, and comprehensively advance the building of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese-path modernization.

历史启示我们，人心是最大的政治，统一战线是凝聚人心、汇聚力量的强大法宝。新时代新征程，我们要在党的坚强领导下，巩固和发展最广泛的爱国统一战线。完善大统战工作格局，坚持大团结大联合，把全国各族人民、海内外中华儿女紧密团结起来，最大限度凝聚起共同奋斗的力量，以中国式现代化全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业。

(Author: Zhang Taiyuan, Director and Professor of the Department of Party History Teaching and Research, Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC [National Academy of Governance])

（作者：张太原，系中央党校〔国家行政学院〕中共党史教研部主任、教授）

Online Editor: Tongxin

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