The victory of War of Resistance against Japan, the people of China, is the first great national liberation war in which China people won complete victory against foreign invasion for more than 100 years, and it is also a historical new starting point for the Chinese nation to rejuvenate.
The Communist Party of China (CPC) condensed the strength of the whole nation, and played a mainstay role in the Anti-Japanese War, which was the key to the victory of the Anti-Japanese War.
Appeal: Carry forward the national spirit with patriotism as the core.
From the September 18th Incident in 1931 to Japan’s unconditional surrender in 1945, the Communist Party of China (CPC) carried forward the national spirit with patriotism as the core in the arduous struggle for 14 years, and firmly believed that the final victory must belong to China.
The Communist Party of China (CPC)’s patriotic stance has never wavered in the face of the Japanese invaders’ rampant attack or the anti-communist friction of the Kuomintang die-hards. He insisted on the war of resistance against compromise, unity against separatism, progress against retrogression, and became a banner leading the whole nation in the war of resistance.
The Communist Party of China (CPC) has always fought in the forefront of the struggle for national independence and liberation. After the September 18th Incident broke out, the Communist Party of China (CPC) took the lead in raising the banner of the anti-Japanese struggle and called on the people of the whole country to "overthrow Japanese imperialism and all imperialism with a national revolutionary war" and strive for the independent liberation of the Chinese nation. At the same time, constantly organize the Northeast Anti-Union and other armed forces to invest in War of Resistance against Japan. After the "November 28th Incident" broke out, the Communist Party of China (CPC) put aside the past, issued a declaration, and offered to unite with all political factions and armed forces willing to resist Japan under three conditions.
When the situation in North China became increasingly tense, the Communist Party of China (CPC) issued the "August 1st Declaration", organized and led the "December 9th" anti-Japanese national salvation movement, the Chinese national liberation vanguard and other groups, and mobilized the people to wake up most widely. On the second day after the July 7th Incident broke out, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China issued a declaration, calling on the people of the whole country to fight for saving the nation from peril, saying that communist party people are willing to work with the Kuomintang and compatriots all over the country to shed their last drop of blood to defend their homeland, oppose all vacillation, vacillation, compromise and concession, and carry out a resolute war of resistance. Subsequently, the Communist Party of China (CPC) emphasized in the Ten-Point Program for Resistance Against and National Salvation that "the Communist Party of China (CPC) people must combine patriotism with internationalism" and "fight to defend their motherland against aggressors".
In War of Resistance against Japan, the Communist Party of China (CPC) people have become models in all fronts and work. In the anti-Japanese armed forces led by the Communist Party of China (CPC), Communist party member has the highest sacrifice ratio. Li Gongpu wrote in "Behind the Enemy Lines in North China": "party member accounts for only one third of the children’s corps, but communist party member accounts for six tenths of those who died in the battle." Yang Jingyu, Zhao Shangzhi, Ji Hongchang, Zuo Quan, Peng Xuefeng and other the Communist Party of China (CPC) people wrote magnificent chapters with their blood and lives, which were full of appeal and greatly improved the consciousness of the whole nation in the war of resistance.
Cohesion: Adhering to the All-round Anti-Japanese War Line
The all-round anti-Japanese war line put forward and adhered to by the Communist Party of China (CPC) pointed out the correct way to win the anti-Japanese war, fully rallied the strength of the whole nation and led the whole nation to victory step by step. The Communist Party of China (CPC) emphasized that "only when the whole nation carries out the war of resistance is our way out" and "the deepest source of the great power of war lies among the people". Mobilizing and organizing the people of China to make the war of resistance develop into a comprehensive national war of resistance, which is the key to win the victory of the war of resistance. The Communist Party of China (CPC) is the most conscious leader of this people’s war.
The Communist Party of China (CPC) has always adhered to the all-round anti-Japanese war line. This line combines the resistance of the whole nation with the struggle for people’s democracy and the improvement of people’s lives, unites the opposition to foreign invasion with the promotion of social progress, and combines guerrilla warfare with regular warfare. After the Anti-Japanese War entered an arduous stalemate stage, the all-round anti-Japanese war line showed its significance more and more.
The anti-Japanese base areas behind enemy lines and democratic political power established and led by the Communist Party of China (CPC) implemented the policy of reducing rents and interest rates, which effectively solved the problem of farmers’ democracy and people’s livelihood, made the countryside the main battlefield of War of Resistance against Japan and made farmers the main force of War of Resistance against Japan. Farmers actively participate in peasant associations, national salvation associations, militia and other local armed organizations, and actively join the army to participate in the war.
In the areas behind the enemy lines, the situation of "there is no distinction between the north and the south, and there is no distinction between people, old and young" has really formed, and the situation of bravely defending the land against the Japanese War and being trapped in the sea of Wang Yang in the people’s war has condensed a powerful force for winning the victory of the Anti-Japanese War.
Leadership: Holding High the Banner of Anti-Japanese National United Front
In War of Resistance against Japan, the anti-Japanese national united front based on the cooperation between Kuomintang and Communist Party has become the main way and effective form to unite and expand the anti-Japanese forces of the whole nation, which is the "only policy". In order to expand the anti-Japanese national United front, the Communist Party of China (CPC) determined and adhered to all the principles of obeying the anti-Japanese war, correctly handled the relationship between class contradictions and ethnic contradictions, implemented appropriate policies to adjust the relationship between various classes, safeguarded the foundation and key of the anti-Japanese national United front, and truly United the government, the army, all parties and the people of the whole country.
The Communist Party of China (CPC) is not only the initiator of the anti-Japanese national united front, but also a pillar, and has made various efforts for its establishment, consolidation and development. From the proposal of uniting all domestic forces to jointly resist the enemy under three conditions after the "November 28th Incident", to the establishment of the anti-Japanese national United front strategy at the Wayaobao meeting in 1935, and then to the peaceful settlement of the Xi ‘an Incident, which promoted the second cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party. From the "July 7th Incident" when it broke out, it called for "all the people, government and army in China to unite and build a solid Great Wall of the national united front", and the Red Army was reorganized into the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army to go to the front line of uniting against the enemy.
Under the impetus of the Communist Party of China (CPC), based on the cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, an anti-Japanese national united front composed of people of all ethnic groups, democratic parties, patriotic troops, patriots from all walks of life and overseas Chinese in China was formed and developed. This has opened up a new stage in China’s politics.
Since its establishment, the anti-Japanese national United front has experienced various tests inside and outside the Party and at home and abroad. The Communist Party of China (CPC) overcame the "Left" and right erroneous tendencies on the issue of the inner United front of the Party.
Of course, the most severe test facing the United front is the anti-communist friction from the Kuomintang die-hards. Struggle is the most important way to overcome the danger of surrender, strive for a better situation, consolidate cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, and develop the United front.
The Communist Party of China (CPC) adhered to the struggle strategy of developing progressive forces, winning over the middle forces and isolating the die-hard forces, resolutely maintained, consolidated and developed the United front, persisted in independence and unity in the war of resistance, and adhered to the principle of rational, favorable and restrained struggle against the anti-communist friction of the die-hards, which not only safeguarded the overall situation of unity in the war of resistance, but also won the broad sympathy and support of the people of the whole country and the world.
The Communist Party of China (CPC) played a central leading role in the anti-Japanese national united front, making it a high-flying political banner. More and more people realize that the anti-Japanese national united front is the only way to save China, and it can only be established, consolidated and developed because of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Therefore, they support communist party’s struggle for anti-Japanese and democracy, join the democratic revolutionary united front led by communist party, listen to communist party’s opinions wholeheartedly and accept communist party’s leadership.
Self-confidence: adhere to the thought and strategy of protracted war
Before the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, the Communist Party of China (CPC) had foreseen that in order to defeat the enemy, it was necessary to prepare for a protracted war, and the final outcome would be resolved in a protracted war. At the beginning of the Anti-Japanese War, the Kuomintang invested a lot of troops in the frontal battlefield. After several battles, although it won locally, it generally lost ground and a large area of land fell. The theory of "quick victory" has gone bankrupt, and the theory of "national subjugation" is rampant. Many Chinese people are confused and can’t see hope.
In order to point out the future of War of Resistance against Japan more clearly and boost the confidence and determination of the military and civilians in the war of resistance, in May 1938, Mao Zedong published "On protracted war", which objectively analyzed the characteristics of both China and Japan, and pointed out that both "the theory of national subjugation" and "the theory of quick victory" were wrong, and the final victory must belong to China, but it must be won through a protracted war of resistance. The protracted war includes three stages: strategic defense, strategic stalemate and strategic counterattack. The stalemate stage "will be a very painful period for China", and "guerrilla warfare is the main form of our combat in this stage, supplemented by mobile warfare".
"On protracted war" became the guiding principle for the final victory of the Anti-Japanese War. It not only affected the anti-Japanese forces under the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the anti-Japanese base areas behind enemy lines, but also affected the Kuomintang troops and the Kuomintang-controlled areas, including Chiang Kai-shek, Bai Chongxi, Fu Zuoyi and Wei Lihuang. The strategic thought of protracted war has greatly enhanced the confidence and determination of the people of China to win the war of resistance against Japan.
Combat effectiveness: adhere to the strategic policy of guerrilla warfare against Japan.
In War of Resistance against Japan, the Kuomintang is mainly engaged in direct regular warfare, while communist party is mainly engaged in guerrilla warfare behind enemy lines, which needs, cooperates and assists each other. At the beginning of the Anti-Japanese War, the Communist Party of China (CPC) made it clear that guerrilla warfare was the basic thing in War of Resistance against Japan, but mobile warfare under favorable conditions was not relaxed, thus forming a strategic policy of "guerrilla warfare is the main thing, supplemented by mobile warfare", launching independent mountain guerrilla warfare behind enemy lines and establishing anti-Japanese base areas. The scale of this guerrilla war, in terms of its extensiveness and protracted nature, is unprecedented not only in the East, but also in the whole human history.
The development and persistence of guerrilla warfare is only possible under the leadership of communist party. At the beginning of the Anti-Japanese War, the Communist Party of China (CPC) raised guerrilla warfare to a strategic height, organized anti-Japanese armed forces, mobilized the masses to participate in the war of resistance, armed the people in guerrilla warfare, organized mass organizations, and established a number of base areas behind enemy lines on this basis, providing a rear strategic base for guerrilla warfare to survive and develop. Relying on the base areas behind enemy lines, the Communist Party of China (CPC) led the people and extensively carried out ambush warfare, sabotage warfare, mine warfare, tunnel warfare and sparrow warfare, which plunged the Japanese invaders into the sea of Wang Yang in the people’s war.
历史雄辩地证明，游击战争是抗日战争时期克敌制胜的重要法宝。中国共产党在游击战争中显示出超凡的战斗力，既打击了敌人，又壮大了自己。据统计，中国共产党领导抗日军民对敌作战12.5万次，消灭日伪军171.4万人；中国共产党空前发展，党员发展到120多万人，抗日民主根据地面积达近100万平方公里，人口近1亿人。
向心力：支撑起全民族救亡图存的希望
习近平总书记指出：在抗日战争中，“中国共产党人以自己的政治主张、坚定意志、模范行动，支撑起全民族救亡图存的希望，引领着夺取战争胜利的正确方向，成为夺取战争胜利的民族先锋”。
经过抗日战争，中国共产党在全国人民心中的威信得到极大提高。中国共产党领导下的敌后抗日根据地，建立起民主共和国的雏形，向世人展现了一个战胜日本帝国主义、建设新中国的光明前途。
Therefore, more and more people place their hopes on the Communist Party of China (CPC) to completely change the destiny of the Chinese nation. The senior officials of the Kuomintang also realized that "only communist party has the highest level, the greatest strength to resist foreign enemies and the sincerity to strive for democracy, and can best represent the hope of the nation".
Chen Jiageng, the leader of overseas Chinese in Nanyang, said with emotion when he visited Yan ‘an: He heard and witnessed all the facts, and saw that he was hardworking, honest, loyal and loyal to the public. He should take the benefit of the people and the country as the premise, and implement democratization, which will be popularized and implemented in the villages in the recovered areas, and work hard with the people to share the same enemy and lay the foundation for victory and reform. He thus asserted: "China has a savior, victory is guaranteed, and China’s hope lies in Yan ‘an!" After the Anti-Japanese War, this centripetal force became an important weight to determine the future and destiny of the Chinese nation.
Remembering history is to show the present and create the future. Why can the Communist Party of China (CPC), after more than 90 years of wind and rain, usher in the bright future of realizing the Chinese dream of great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation? There is only one answer: it can unite the strength of the whole nation.
This article comes from Beijing Daily on August 24th, 2015, and its original title is "China’s Hope is in Yan ‘an"-the Communist Party of China (CPC)’s Role as a Pillar from the Source of Strength.
Source: Beijing Daily Theory Weekly
Author: Wang Yuqiang (The author is a researcher at the Central Party History and Literature Research Institute)
Editor: Fan Xuan
Process Editor: Sun Yujie
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