Beijing War of Resistance against Japan Chronicle

Author: Beijing Municipal Committee of the Party History and Research Office of the Communist Party of China
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-08-01
Features: This year marks the 60th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World War II against Fascism. The Chinese War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression was an important part of the World War II against Fascism. From the September 18th Incident in 1931 to the surrender of Japan on August 15, 1945, China's resistance war lasted for 15 years. The Chinese people, through their persistent resistance and great sacrifices, exhausted and ultimately destroyed Japan's frenzied machine, making an indelible contribution to the victory of the World War II against Fascism. The Chinese War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression was a war of the entire nation against foreign aggression. It was the first complete victory in modern Chinese history against foreign invasion, and also a great turning point for the Chinese nation to move from centuries of suffering to national rejuvenation. The victory in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression was a magnificent achievement of the Chinese nation. At the critical moment of the Chinese nation, only by "building a solid Great Wall of national united front" could the national crisis be saved. Today, as we advance in the process of modernization, we must still promote the spirit of unity and solidarity. The world today has made great progress compared to 60 years ago, with peace and development becoming the mainstream. However, the forces of discrimination, monopoly, greed, and plunder still exist, and the roots of war remain. Kind people, we must remain vigilant! As one "jiayu" (60-year cycle) passes, the historical scenes gradually recede. The photographs left behind will yellow and fade, but history cannot be forgotten. To preserve this unforgettable history, we compiled this "Beijing War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression: An Illustrated History." This book features nearly 500 photographs, many of which are newly discovered and used for the first time. Numerous captions explain that the heroic deeds of the Beijing people in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression not only live in people's hearts but also the brutal atrocities of Japanese imperialist aggression are etched in people's minds, just as they are preserved in these valuable historical lenses. The geographical scope of Beijing referred to in this book follows the current administrative boundaries, including parts of Hebei and Chahar provinces from that time. To align with historical context, the overview and other descriptive texts in the book refer to "Beijing" as "Beiping," except for the names of Japanese puppet institutions, which are preceded by the prefix "puppet" to distinguish them. To clarify the threads of Beijing's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and introduce more knowledge to readers, we have divided the book into four parts and 21 sections. Each section begins with brief text summarizing its main theme, and we have organized an "Selected Chronicle of Major Events" accompanied by "Historical Links" to help readers understand history through images and vice versa.