On September 3rd, which marked the 79th anniversary of the victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan, Wang Li, a devoted caregiver of Chinese veterans who participated in the war, organized a photo exhibition named “The Truth of China’s National Revolutionary Army’s Anti-Japanese War” in front of the Flushing Library in New York. The exhibition, presented in both Chinese and English, aimed to educate passersby on the role of the National Revolutionary Army as the main force in the resistance against Japan, contrary to the narrative propagated by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) that they were the “mainstay” of the resistance. Additionally, the exhibition highlighted the significant support provided by the United States to the Chinese people during the war.
Wang Li, who has long been advocating for the well-being of war veterans in China, shared that through her interactions with these veterans, she has learned countless real stories of the resistance against Japan. She particularly emphasized interviewing veterans from the Flying Tigers and the Expeditionary Forces, hearing firsthand accounts of the hardships faced by the Expeditionary Forces and the immense support extended by the United States to China.
However, Wang Li pointed out that the CCP has distorted history by claiming leadership in the resistance against Japan and spreading anti-American sentiments to instigate hatred towards the U.S. among the Chinese people. This led to discrimination and oppression of war veterans, with many Nationalist soldiers being imprisoned, subjected to forced labor, and reformation post-1949.
“Wang Li criticized the CCP’s deceptive propaganda for tricking the Chinese people into believing that they were the central pillar of the resistance against Japan. She debunked the CCP’s narrative that Chiang Kai-shek represented the Republic of China as a ‘peach picker,’ suggesting that after the CCP led the victory against Japan, Chiang ‘descended from the mountains to pick peaches.’ In reality, the facts were entirely the opposite.”
“Nationalist forces fought in 22 major battles during the anti-Japanese war, how many battles did the CCP engage in? Over 200 generals from the National Revolutionary Army sacrificed their lives in the war, how many CCP members did the same? 90% of graduates from Whampoa Military Academy sacrificed, how many CCP members were among them?” Wang Li questioned.
As a prominent figure in the community of Chinese immigrants in Flushing, Wang Li acknowledged the influence of CCP propaganda on some individuals and stressed the importance of revealing the truth about history to a wider audience. She believed that her duty, as someone who has interviewed numerous war veterans and strived to uncover historical truths, is to enlighten more people about the reality of the resistance against Japan.
Some individuals, misled by CCP propaganda, confronted Wang Li, accusing her of being a traitor for speaking out against China. Defending her stance, Wang Li emphatically stated, “Your perspective is fundamentally wrong. I am not attacking China, nor am I unpatriotic. Patriotism, to me, means loving every inch of our motherland, its mountains, rivers, and lands. I was born and raised here, and I cherish it dearly, but I do not support the Chinese Communist Party.”
Moreover, Wang Li recounted the numerous disasters brought upon China by the CCP through various political movements since 1949. She highlighted the continuous political campaigns that disregarded the lives of ordinary citizens, such as the devastating three-year famine caused by human error rather than a natural disaster, resulting in millions of deaths. The CCP’s indifference towards its people’s suffering was glaring, she noted.
Witnessing the photo exhibition, some Taiwanese immigrants were deeply moved and expressed gratitude for Wang Li’s efforts in unveiling the truth. Encouraged by their support, Wang Li promised to enhance the content of the anti-Japanese truth exhibition and continue to set up displays regularly every Saturday in front of the Flushing Library.