On the evening of August 15th last week, more than ten democratic activists in the San Francisco Bay Area gathered at the Chiang Kai-shek Statue Pavilion in the San Jose Chinese Cultural Park to hold a rally commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory of the war of resistance. Participants called for facing history squarely, spreading the truth, exposing the lies of the Chinese Communist Party about the wartime resistance, and jointly safeguarding freedom and democracy.
2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the war of resistance, with the Chinese Communist Party scheduled to hold a grand military parade on September 3rd. Party leader Xi Jinping will deliver a speech, emphasizing the so-called “war of resistance led by the CCP”.
On that day, the participants collectively bowed in front of the Chiang Kai-shek statue and took turns to speak, reiterating the historical truth, urging the global free society to recognize the dangers posed by the CCP, and supporting the Chinese people’s pursuit of democracy and freedom. Feng Zheng, Chairman of the San Francisco branch of the China Democratic Party, pointed out that were it not for the perseverance and sacrifices of the Republic of China, the world might have fallen into fascism, with Chiang Kai-shek’s contributions being indispensable.
He criticized the CCP for not genuinely engaging in the war of resistance, even colluding with the Japanese army, but now using commemorative events to rewrite history and long-term tarnish Chiang Kai-shek. Feng emphasized that August 15, 1945, the day of Japan’s surrender, was the day the Chinese nation truly stood up, while October 1, 1949, when the CCP established its rule, marked the beginning of the Chinese people kneeling down.
Dr. Feng Zongde, President of the China Democratic Education Foundation, pointed out in his speech that Chiang Kai-shek had been preparing for the war of resistance since 1934, with the strategic core being to exhaust Japan. The CCP’s so-called “passive resistance of the Nationalist government” is just united front propaganda that completely distorts history. He stressed that the eight years of resistance shaped the modern consciousness of the “Chinese nation,” and the constitutional tradition left by the 1946 Constitution remains a viable option for China’s democratic transformation to this day. The concept of “Great Harmony Under Heaven” in Chinese culture can also provide solutions to global conflicts.
Dr. Feng criticized the CCP’s military parade on September 3rd as a new version of “violence and lies” and a continuation of the “war of memories.” He emphasized that the Japanese army surrendered to the National Revolutionary Army, not the Communist army. The CCP not only did not resist the Japanese invasion at the time but also attacked the Nationalist Army, betrayed intelligence, eventually seized power with Soviet support, continued to enslave the Chinese people, and spread trouble worldwide. “Now is the time for the free world to quickly eradicate this global cancer of the century.”
Several human rights activists also criticized the CCP for manipulating national emotions through the military parade. Guan Yongjie said that the CCP’s grand military parade is a joke in the international community but still effective for audiences who have long been brainwashed and can divert attention from economic downturns and social conflicts.
Liu Jingtao bluntly stated that the CCP’s holding of the so-called “victory in the war of resistance” military parade is aimed at creating legitimacy for the regime with lies. “We must expose the CCP’s lies and pass on the true history.” Hu Pizheng pointed out that the CCP aims to brainwash the people and use them as cannon fodder.
Yuan Qiang pointed out that the victory in the war of resistance belongs to the whole nation, not any single political party; however, the CCP, through the military parade and propaganda, seeks to bind legitimacy to the regime and become the biggest beneficiary.
Zhang Long emphasized that commemorating history is not about perpetuating hatred; what we should truly be wary of is militarism and dictatorship. Luo Yanli called for continued resistance against tyranny and passing on the spirit of pursuing freedom to future generations.