The Communist Party of China Leads in Promoting the Great Spirit of the War of Resistance

During the great Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Communist Party of China, facing national peril, took it as its mission to save the nation from subjugation and ensure its survival, bravely fighting on the front lines of the War of Resistance, and served as the mainstay of the entire nation’s resistance. The great spirit of the War of Resistance nurtured by the Chinese people in this great war is a precious spiritual treasure for all Chinese sons and daughters. In the face of Japanese imperialist aggression, the CPC, as the vanguard and core force of the nationwide War of Resistance, used its political propositions, firm will, and exemplary actions not only to make significant contributions to the victory of the War of Resistance but also to historically propel the spiritual awakening of the Chinese nation, leading in forging the great spirit of the War of Resistance.

在伟大的中国人民抗日战争中，中国共产党面对民族危亡，以救亡图存为己任，勇敢战斗在抗战最前线，是全民族抗战的中流砥柱。中国人民在伟大抗日战争中孕育出的伟大抗战精神，是全体中华儿女弥足珍贵的精神财富。面对日本帝国主义的侵略，中国共产党作为全民族抗战的开路先锋和中坚力量，以自己的政治主张、坚定意志、模范行动，不仅为抗战胜利作出了重大贡献，也历史性地推动了中华民族精神上的奋起，引领铸就了伟大抗战精神。

The CPC was the first to raise the banner of resisting Japan and saving the nation, sublimating the patriotic sentiment that “every individual is responsible for the rise or fall of the nation.” [1]1 “Every individual is responsible for the rise or fall of the nation” (天下兴亡，匹夫有责) is a classical Chinese idiom attributed to the Ming-Qing scholar Gu Yanwu, expressing the idea that national affairs concern everyone. After the September 18th Incident [2]2 The September 18th Incident (1931) was a staged event used by the Japanese Kwantung Army as a pretext to invade and occupy Northeast China. broke out, the CPC immediately issued a declaration, taking the lead in issuing the call to “unite and arm ourselves,” holding high the banner of resistance, and becoming the spiritual beacon for the Chinese nation to resist aggression and yield not an inch of territory. Amid the tense situation of the counter-“encirclement and suppression” campaigns, the CPC resolutely threw itself into the movement to resist Japan and save the nation, and directly led armed struggles in many localities. The Northeast United Resistance Army, led by the CPC, waged a prolonged struggle against the Japanese aggressors amidst the white mountains and black waters, greatly inspiring the resistance spirit of the people across the country. Facing the deepening national crisis, the CPC was the first to propose establishing a united front, calling for united resistance against Japan. On August 1, 1935, the CPC delegation to the Communist International drafted the “August First Declaration,” [3]3 The August First Declaration (1935) was a CPC appeal for a united front against Japan, issued during the Long March. later published overseas, calling for “concentrating all national strength (manpower, material resources, financial resources, military force, etc.) to strive for the sacred cause of resisting Japan and saving the nation.” The CPC led the patriotic young students of Beiping in launching the “December 9th Movement,” [4]4 The December 9th Movement (1935) was a large-scale student protest in Beiping (Beijing) led by the CPC, demanding that the Nationalist government resist Japanese aggression. widely propagating the Party’s anti-Japanese propositions, marking the arrival of a new upsurge in the Chinese people’s movement to resist Japan and save the nation. The CPC Central Committee facilitated the peaceful resolution of the Xi’an Incident, [5]5 The Xi’an Incident (1936) was the kidnapping of Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek by generals Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng, who forced him to agree to a united front with the CPC against Japan. demonstrating great sincerity, which elicited strong repercussions both domestically and internationally, inspiring and uniting patriotic figures from all walks of life, and ultimately promoting the realization of the second KMT-CPC cooperation, unprecedentedly strengthening the forces of resistance. Before the full-scale outbreak of the War of Resistance, the CPC had long been subjected to “joint suppression,” “encirclement and suppression,” and “pursuit and suppression,” suffering brutal attacks and paying enormous sacrifices. Yet, facing the unprecedented crisis of national survival, the CPC prioritized the greater good of the nation, actively setting aside past partisan grievances, transcending the divides of ideology, political parties, and class, becoming the main driving force for the entire nation’s united resistance against Japan, achieving an unprecedented degree of unity for the Chinese nation. The CPC’s value orientation, taking national and state interests as the highest priority, used practice to sublimate the Chinese nation’s patriotic tradition that “every individual is responsible for the rise or fall of the nation” into a common will to resist foreign aggression and save the nation from extinction, inspiring all Chinese sons and daughters to unite as one and share the nation’s hardships.

中国共产党率先举起抗日救亡的旗帜，升华了“天下兴亡，匹夫有责”的爱国情怀。九一八事变爆发后，中国共产党即发表宣言，率先发出“一致动员武装起来”的号召，高举抗战旗帜，成为中华民族反抗侵略、寸土不让的精神灯塔。中国共产党在反“围剿”的紧张情势下，毅然投身抗日救亡运动，并直接领导了许多地方的武装斗争。中国共产党领导的东北抗日联军在白山黑水间同日本侵略者进行了长时间的斗争，极大地鼓舞了全国人民的反抗斗志。面对不断加深的民族危机，中国共产党率先提出建立统一战线，呼吁团结抗日。1935年8月1日，中国共产党驻共产国际代表团草拟了《八一宣言》，后在海外公开发表，呼吁“集中一切国力（人力、物力、财力、武力等）去为抗日救国的神圣事业而奋斗”。中国共产党领导北平爱国青年学生发动了“一二·九运动”，广泛宣传了党的抗日主张，标志着中国人民抗日救亡运动新高潮的到来。中共中央促成西安事变的和平解决，释放了极大诚意，在国内外引发强烈反响，鼓舞和团结了各界爱国人士，最终推动实现了第二次国共合作，空前壮大了抗战力量。在全民族抗战爆发前，中国共产党长期处于被“会剿”“围剿”“追剿”的状态，受到了残酷打击，付出了巨大牺牲。但面对民族生死存亡的空前危机，中国共产党以家国大义为重，主动放下党派宿怨，超越主义、政党、阶级的隔阂，成为全民族一致抗日的主要推动者，实现了中华民族史无前例的高度团结。中国共产党以民族国家利益为最高依归的价值取向，用实践将“天下兴亡，匹夫有责”的中华民族爱国传统升华为抵御外侮、救亡图存的共同意志，鼓舞了全体中华儿女众志成城、共赴国难。

The CPC propelled the formation of a nationwide torrent of resistance, tempering the national integrity of facing death unflinchingly and preferring death to surrender. During the great War of Resistance, the CPC proposed the line of total resistance and the policy of protracted war, insisting on mobilizing and relying on the people, driving the formation of a historical torrent of nationwide resistance. The CPC called for “promoting the popular morale of the War of Resistance,” put forward the anti-Japanese and national salvation program of “total national mobilization,” and mobilized the broad masses of the people to rely on their own strength to survive and strive for liberation, becoming the cohesive core for the entire nation to unite as one and jointly resist foreign aggression. At the very beginning of the full-scale War of Resistance, the CPC used various channels to politically mobilize the masses. Intellectuals and literary and art workers led by the CPC used various methods to propagate to the masses the significance of the War of Resistance and the CPC’s anti-Japanese propositions, igniting the patriotic fervor and resistance spirit of the broad masses. The CPC insisted on boldly mobilizing the masses, educating and mobilizing them, leading the national spirit of patriotism and national salvation. Under the leadership of the CPC, all Chinese sons and daughters shared a common hatred for the enemy, fighting the strong enemy with iron bones, building the Great Wall with their flesh and blood, and facing national calamity one after another, achieving broad social mobilization and profound national awakening, forging the spiritual backbone of the Chinese nation’s resistance to the end. In this process, CPC members, with their noble spiritual qualities and great moral strength, became exemplars for the entire nation’s resistance, producing outstanding sons and daughters such as Yang Jingyu, Zhao Shangzhi, Zuo Quan, and Peng Xuefeng, [6]6 Yang Jingyu, Zhao Shangzhi, Zuo Quan, and Peng Xuefeng were senior CPC military commanders killed in action during the War of Resistance. who remained unyielding and sacrificed themselves for the country in times of difficulty and crisis, building with their blood a historical monument to the unyielding integrity of the Chinese nation, becoming typical images of the Chinese national spirit.

中国共产党推动形成全民族抗战洪流，砥砺了视死如归、宁死不屈的民族气节。在伟大抗日战争中，中国共产党提出了全面抗战路线和持久抗战方针，坚持动员人民、依靠人民，推动形成了全民族抗战的历史洪流。中国共产党呼吁“发扬抗战的民气”，提出“全国人民总动员”的抗日救国纲领，发动广大人民群众依靠自己的力量求生存、争解放，成为全民族团结一心、共御外侮的凝聚核心。在全民族抗战爆发之初，中国共产党就利用各种渠道对人民群众进行政治动员，中国共产党领导的知识分子和文艺工作者通过各种方式向人民群众宣传抗战意义和中国共产党的抗日主张，激发了广大人民的爱国热情和抗争精神。中国共产党坚持放手发动群众、教育动员群众，引领了爱国救亡的民族精神。在中国共产党的领导下，全体中华儿女同仇敌忾，以铮铮铁骨战强敌、以血肉之躯筑长城、以前仆后继赴国难，实现了广泛的社会动员、深刻的民族觉醒，锻造了中华民族抗争到底的精神脊梁。在这一过程中，中国共产党人以高尚精神特质和伟大人格力量成为全民族抗战的表率，涌现出杨靖宇、赵尚志、左权、彭雪枫等优秀儿女，在艰难危急的时刻坚贞不屈、牺牲报国，以鲜血铸就了中华民族铮铮气节的历史丰碑，成为中华民族精神的典型形象。

The CPC always fought on the front lines of the War of Resistance, inspiring the heroic spirit of defying brutal force and fighting to the bitter end. The resolution adopted by the CPC Central Committee at the Luochuan Conference [7]7 The Luochuan Conference (August 1937) was a key CPC Central Committee meeting that adopted the line of total resistance and independent guerrilla warfare in the enemy rear. stated, “Communist Party members and the masses and armed forces they lead should most actively stand on the foremost front of the struggle and should make themselves the core of the nationwide War of Resistance.” Facing a powerful enemy, the CPC was determined and fought bravely, playing a decisive role in securing the final victory of the War of Resistance. The CPC opened up vast enemy rear areas, demonstrating a fighting spirit of fighting to the bitter end, writing a heroic epic of defeating the strong with the weak. The Eighth Route Army led by the CPC achieved the first major victory in combat against the Japanese — the Pingxingguan Victory, [8]8 The Pingxingguan Victory (September 1937) was the first major Chinese victory over Japanese forces in the full-scale war, achieved by the CPC-led Eighth Route Army. shattering the myth of Japanese “invincibility.” Based on its own combat advantages, the CPC proposed and implemented the strategic policy of “independent and self-reliant mountain guerrilla warfare,” opening up vast enemy rear areas in North, Central, and South China, coordinating with the frontal battlefield, plunging the Japanese forces into the vast ocean of people’s war, effectively striking and depleting the effective strength of the Japanese aggressors. After the Battle of Wuhan, [9]9 The Battle of Wuhan (1938) was a major campaign in which Chinese forces defended the city of Wuhan; after its fall, the CPC-led enemy rear areas became the main battlefield. the enemy rear areas led by the CPC gradually became the main battlefield of the War of Resistance. In 1940, when the War of Resistance faced unprecedented difficulties, the CPC decisively launched the “Hundred Regiments Offensive,” [10]10 The Hundred Regiments Offensive (August-December 1940) was a large-scale CPC military campaign against Japanese forces in North China. dealing a heavy blow to the arrogance of the Japanese forces. By the later stages of the war, the anti-Japanese armed forces led by the CPC were resisting approximately 60% of the Japanese invading forces and 95% of the puppet troops, becoming the backbone of the nationwide War of Resistance, and the anti-Japanese base areas in the enemy rear also became the forward positions for the Chinese military and civilians to launch a general counteroffensive and secure the final victory of the War of Resistance. Compared to the Japanese aggressors who were “armed to the teeth,” the people’s armed forces led by the CPC were at an absolute disadvantage in both equipment and training, yet they remained undaunted by difficulties and unyielding, repeatedly creating miracles in the history of warfare. The CPC’s heroic resistance spanned the entire fourteen years of the War of Resistance, displaying a spirit of heroism that shook heaven and earth, inspiring the entire nation’s will to resist, and the Eighth Route Army, New Fourth Army, and South China Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Forces it led also became spiritual symbols of the Chinese nation’s resistance to the bitter end and fighting to the death.

中国共产党始终战斗在抗日的第一线，激扬了不畏强暴、血战到底的英雄气概。中共中央在洛川会议通过的决定中指出，“共产党员及其所领导的民众和武装力量，应该最积极地站在斗争的最前线，应该使自己成为全国抗战的核心”。面对强敌，中国共产党抱定决心、奋勇抗战，为夺取抗日战争的最终胜利起到了决定性作用。中国共产党开辟了广阔敌后战场，展现出血战到底的战斗精神，书写了以弱胜强的英雄史诗。中国共产党领导的八路军取得了对日作战的第一个重大胜利——平型关大捷，打破了日军“不可战胜”的神话。中国共产党立足自身作战优势，提出和贯彻了“独立自主的山地游击战”的战略方针，在华北、华中、华南开辟了广阔的敌后战场，与正面战场相互配合，使日军陷入人民战争的汪洋大海之中，有力打击和消耗了日本侵略者的有生力量。武汉会战结束后，中国共产党领导的敌后战场逐渐成为抗战主战场。1940年，在抗战面临空前困难之际，中国共产党果断发动“百团大战”，沉重打击了日军的嚣张气焰。到战争后期，中国共产党领导的抗日武装抗击着约60%的侵华日军和95%的伪军，成为全民族抗战的中坚力量，敌后抗日根据地也成为抗战后期中国军民发动全面反攻、夺取抗战最后胜利的前沿阵地。相比“武装到牙齿”的日本侵略者，中国共产党领导的人民武装无论在装备还是训练上都处于绝对的劣势，但依然不畏艰难、威武不屈，一次次创造出战争史上的奇迹。中国共产党的英勇抗战贯穿十四年抗战的全过程，展现出气壮山河的英雄气概，鼓舞了全民族抗战意志，其领导的八路军、新四军和华南抗日游击队也成为中华民族抗战到底、血战到底的精神象征。

The CPC adhered to independence and self-reliance and united resistance, strengthening the indomitable and unyielding belief in certain victory. The Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was the longest-lasting, largest-scale, and most costly national liberation struggle waged by the Chinese people against foreign invasion in modern times, and China was also the main battlefield in the World Anti-Fascist War that began earliest and lasted the longest. During the fourteen arduous years of resistance, the CPC consistently adhered to the principle of independence and self-reliance, sustaining the hope of the entire nation for survival with its tenacious will. During the stalemate phase of the War of Resistance, the Japanese forces launched unprecedentedly brutal and destructive “mopping-up” and “clearing” campaigns against the various anti-Japanese base areas, implementing the barbaric “Three Alls” policy of “burn all, kill all, loot all.” The military and civilians in the anti-Japanese base areas in the enemy rear, led by the CPC, united as one, using tactical methods such as ambushes, sabotage operations, landmine warfare, tunnel warfare, and sparrow warfare, not only holding firm in the enemy rear areas but also pinning down and eliminating large numbers of enemy troops.

中国共产党坚持独立自主、团结抗战，坚定了百折不挠、坚忍不拔的必胜信念。中国人民抗日战争是近代以来中国人民反抗外敌入侵持续时间最长、规模最大、牺牲最多的民族解放斗争，中国也是世界反法西斯战争中开始时间最早、持续时间最长的主战场。在十四年的艰苦抗战中，中国共产党始终坚持独立自主的原则，以顽强意志支撑起全民族救亡图存的希望。抗战相持阶段，日军对各抗日根据地发动了空前残酷的毁灭性“扫荡”和“清乡”，实行野蛮的烧光、杀光、抢光的“三光”政策。中国共产党领导敌后抗日根据地的军民团结一心，以伏击战、破袭战、地雷战、地道战、麻雀战等战术战法，不仅坚守住了敌后战场，还牵制消灭了大量敌军。

Faced with the splits continuously created by the Kuomintang diehards within the united front, the Communist Party of China persisted in a struggle that was justified, advantageous, and restrained. After the War of Resistance entered the stage of stalemate, under the political inducement of Japanese imperialism, the Kuomintang stirred up a counter-current of anti-communism and capitulation, once pushing the Anti-Japanese National United Front to the brink of collapse. The CPC adopted a strategy of both uniting and struggling, exposing and countering the conspiracies of the Kuomintang diehards, successively repelling three anti-communist upsurges [11]11 The, and firmly safeguarding the Anti-Japanese National United Front. Faced with the blockade by the enemy, puppet forces, and the Kuomintang diehards, the Party led the people in self-reliance and arduous struggle, launching the Great Production Movement [12], achieving basic self-sufficiency in production in the base areas, and overcoming severe material difficulties.

面对国民党顽固派在统一战线内部不断制造的分裂，中国共产党坚持进行有理、有利、有节的斗争。抗战进入相持阶段后，国民党在日本帝国主义的政治诱降下，涌起反共投降的逆流，一度将抗日民族统一战线推到了崩溃的边缘。中国共产党采取既联合又斗争的策略，揭露和反击国民党顽固派的阴谋，先后打退三次反共高潮，坚定维护了抗日民族统一战线。面对敌伪军和国民党顽固派的封锁，党领导人民自力更生、艰苦奋斗，掀起大生产运动，实现了根据地生产的基本自给，克服了严重的物质困难。

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “No matter how difficult the conditions, how perilous the situation, or how brutal the war, the Communist Party of China always insisted on resistance and opposed capitulation, insisted on unity and opposed splits, insisted on progress and opposed retrogression, and together with all patriotic parties, groups, and the broad masses of the people, jointly maintained the overall situation of united resistance.” With its strategic resolve of independence and self-mastery and its firm determination for united resistance, the CPC injected into the entire nation a powerful spiritual force for defeating the Japanese invaders and winning victory, deeply cultivated the unyielding and indomitable conviction of inevitable triumph through concrete actions, and transformed this into a conscious collective action of the whole nation.

习近平总书记指出：“无论条件多么艰苦、形势多么险恶、战争多么残酷，中国共产党始终坚持抗战、反对投降，坚持团结、反对分裂，坚持进步、反对倒退，同各爱国党派团体和广大人民一起，共同维护团结抗战大局。”中国共产党以独立自主的战略定力和团结抗战的坚定决心，为全国人民注入了战胜日寇、夺取胜利的强大精神力量，以实际行动厚植百折不挠、坚忍不拔的必胜信念，并将其转化为全民族共同的行动自觉。

(The authors are a professor at the School of Marxism Studies and the School of Discipline Inspection and Supervision, Renmin University of China; and a doctoral candidate at the School of Marxism Studies, Renmin University of China.)

（作者系中国人民大学马克思主义学院、纪检监察学院教授；中国人民大学马克思主义学院博士研究生）

Online editor: Tongxin

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