College students pay tribute to the fallen heroes of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression at Shanggao Martyrs' Cemetery in Yichun, Jiangxi Province, on July 16, 2025. Photo: VCG

Editor's Note:

2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Eight decades have passed, yet the world once again finds itself at a crossroads. The rise of unilateralism, ongoing geopolitical turbulence and the distortion of historical truths remind us of the enduring relevance of remembering the past and safeguarding peace. Against this backdrop, the Global Times launches the column "Revisiting WWII, Defending Peace," inviting renowned scholars and peace advocates from around the world to revisit the history of WWII through contemporary lenses. Through diverse perspectives, the series seeks to uphold historical memory, promote shared development and defend fairness and justice. Only by confronting history with honesty and clarity can humanity find the wisdom to shape a more peaceful and sustainable future. This is the fifth installment of this series.


The current world order was established and has developed based on the anti-fascist alliance defeating the fascist blocs and winning World War II (WWII). It is an international system with the UN at its core and an order based on international law. This framework has enabled countries to resolve disputes through peaceful and diplomatic means within multilateral mechanisms.

Defending correct view of WWII 

After WWII, Europe chose to maintain peace through economic integration. Former arch-rivals Germany and France achieved reconciliation, becoming allies and driving European integration. 

Germany's thorough reflection on the war is manifested in its political, legal and moral acknowledgment of guilt, strictly punishing any words or deeds that glorify or deny war crimes. This has fostered a belief among the public that war is a crime and that it should "never again" occur. Germany has incorporated education on Nazi war crimes into textbooks and classrooms, and has embedded "stumbling stones" on roadsides at memorial sites across the country. 

To this day, many Germans believe that reflecting on WWII remains relevant, fearing the resurgence of extremism and war. Economically, Germany has provided substantial reparations for the crimes committed during WWII, seeking forgiveness from victimized countries and peoples.

After WWII, Germany transitioned from acknowledging defeat to confessing and understanding its guilt, evolving from a vanquished nation into a major promoter and leader of EU integration. It has gained understanding from other European countries, becoming an important force in promoting the principles of multilateral international relations.

Importantly, the former victorious and vanquished nations have reached a clear consensus on the moral judgment of the war. Based on this shared historical view of WWII, they have achieved reconciliation and become joint participants in further developing the international order. This has formed the foundation for maintaining basic peace in the two major theaters of war in Europe and the Asia-Pacific after WWII.

However, voices seeking to distort or even deny WWII history have continued to emerge. The US Secretary of Defense Peter Hegseth recently whitewashed Japanese invading troops as "heroes" and "warriors," confusing the cruelty of the perpetrators with the bravery of the defenders. This has exposed Washington's utilitarianism in altering moral standards at will. 

Distorting the historical view of WWII is a betrayal of peace. A grand commemoration of the 80th anniversary of WWII victory is crucial to upholding the correct historical view and safeguarding the multilateral international order established after the war.

Learning lessons from deadly war

The commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the victory aims to honor the just struggle of people around the world in the Anti-Fascist War, cherish the hard-won peace and, more importantly, learn from the profound lessons of WWII.

The first lesson is to stay alert to fascism and extreme ideas. WWII primarily originated from the prevalence of fascism, extreme nationalism and racism, which became the hotbed and spiritual force for expansion and aggression. As a perpetrator country in Asia during WWII, Japan has always been evasive in its reflection on the war and has not yet been fully forgiven by the victim countries. As a result, the reconciliation process in Asia has not proceeded as smoothly as in Europe.

The second lesson is that safeguarding world peace requires international cooperation. Before WWII, the international community failed to effectively contain the expansion of fascism due to a lack of unity. In particular, countries like the UK and France adopted a policy of appeasement toward the aggressive acts of Germany, Italy, and Japan, in an attempt to deflect conflicts outward through compromise and concession. The result was that they connived at the imperial ambitions of fascists, accelerating the outbreak of the world war. 

Thirdly, it is important to strengthen economic ties to solidify the foundation for peace. In recent years, trends such as "decoupling" and "de-risking" have impacted the international economic order. These risks are causing economic depression and social instability, endangering world peace. The fourth lesson is to enhance cultural exchanges and education. The lack of knowledge and communication between different countries gives rise to misunderstandings and prejudices, which can, in return, trigger conflicts. Enhancing cultural exchanges can promote mutual understanding and respect. Meanwhile, education should focus on peace awareness and historical truths.  

Contributing to stability and peace

The commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the victory is essentially aimed at shaping a world of peace and development. China has contributed to global peace and common development through its own growth.

China advocates a "community with a shared future for mankind." This concept emphasizes the common interests and values of humanity, and proposes that all countries should take into account the reasonable concerns of other nations while pursuing their own interests. It offers a Chinese solution to global governance challenges. 

China does not achieve national development and interests through military expansion or hegemonic means. It promotes common development through its own growth and cooperation with others. China's peaceful development provides a development model different from the traditional rise of powers. 

China upholds a correct view of justice and interests in international relations, emphasizing that in international cooperation, it is necessary to focus not only on interests but also on morality. This political concept of balancing justice and interests reflects China's sense of responsibility and value pursuit in international affairs, providing a new value dimension for the development of international political theory.

China is committed to building a new type of international relations characterized by mutual respect, fairness, justice, and win-win cooperation. This concept emphasizes that all countries should respect each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity. It provides new ideas for the norms of international relations and the model of state-to-state interaction. 

The commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the victory of WWII is a solemn commitment to peace. The history of WWII and the post-war era warns us that only by upholding multilateralism and the correct historical view of WWII, and by deepening international cooperation, can we resist extremism and achieve human reconciliation and peace. 

The author is a research professor at the Shanghai International Studies University and president of the Shanghai Association of Regional and Country Studies. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn