On August 24, 2025, the Wuzhou Hongmen Zhigong Grand Hall and the China Democratic Education Foundation jointly held the “80th Anniversary Commemorative Lecture on the Victory of the War of Resistance Against Japan” at the Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in San Francisco. Renowned historian Professor Xin Haonian delivered the keynote speech at the event.
President of the Wuzhou Hongmen Zhigong Grand Hall, Zhao Bingxian, delivered the opening remarks at the commemorative event, emphasizing the tremendous sacrifices made by the Nationalist military officers, soldiers, and countless civilians behind the victory of the war 80 years ago. He stated, “271 Nationalist military officers, over 3.2 million soldiers, and countless compatriots sacrificed their lives for the victory of the war of resistance. Today, we are not only here to commemorate but also to face the truth and let future generations understand who the true pillars of the nation were.”
In his lengthy two-and-a-half-hour speech, Professor Xin Haonian analyzed a substantial amount of declassified archives from Russia, the United States, and Japan. He particularly cited the memoirs of Zhang Kexia, an underground Communist Party member, revealing that the first shot fired in the Marco Polo Bridge Incident in 1937 was not by the Japanese but by Zhang Kexia under the orders of Liu Shaoqi. He emphasized that the incident sparked the full-scale war, with Mao Zedong jubilantly saying, “Chiang Kai-shek’s troubles can finally only be directed at the Japanese!”
Professor Xin bluntly stated, “The individuals who instigated the comprehensive invasion of China by Japan, if it was an individual, would be a traitor; if it was a political party and group, it would be a traitorous regime. The Communist government in Yan’an was a traitorous regime!”
He also revealed documents from “Selected Works of Mao Zedong” and the 1937 Communist Luochuan Conference, unveiling the three phrases of the Communist Party’s war strategy: “instigate conflict between Japan and Chiang, expand guerrilla warfare, do not be afraid to become national traitors.” He argued that despite claiming to resist Japan, the Communist Party’s actual aim was to strengthen its own power and seize control.
Recounting historical events, Professor Xin highlighted instances where the Communist Party surrendered positions won from the Japanese back to them and engaged in unreasonable actions. He pointed out high-level Communist negotiators who signed non-aggression pacts with the Wang Jingwei regime and Japanese forces for their own gains, questioning if this was not blatant treason.
Acknowledging sporadic efforts by the Communists in the early stages of the war, such as the Battle of Yangmingbao and the Hundred Regiments Offensive, he noted that their achievements had been grossly exaggerated. Citing Japanese Yasukuni Shrine archives, Professor Xin revealed that the Communists only killed 850 Japanese soldiers throughout the war, a far cry from the tens of thousands claimed officially.
He criticized the Communist Party for fabricating “myths of the war” to deceive the people and future generations, stating that these narratives were exaggerated and aimed at manipulating national memory.
President of the China Democratic Education Foundation, Feng Congde, highlighted the continuous historical revisionism by the Communist Party. He questioned the legitimacy of the upcoming “Victory Day of the War of Resistance Against Japan” military parade on September 3, asserting that Mao Zedong even received monthly subsidies from the Japanese through Pan Hannian, proving the Communist Party’s betrayal of the nation.
Last Sunday’s commemorative event attracted nearly a hundred members of the local Chinese community. Several scholars and activists expressed that only by confronting the truth could history be restored and prevent the Communist Party from further manipulating national memory.