Western misinterpretations of WWII history -- especially the marginalization of China's and the Soviet Union's roles -- undermine global unity and shared responsibility to preserve peace and the postwar international order.

by Xin Ping

This month marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War. Many European countries are holding events to commemorate this both dark and glorious episode of history.

Britain held military parades and a Royal Air Force flypast. Germany educated the younger generation about the dangers of hate speech through the testimonies of concentration camp survivors, and Russia held nationwide celebrations on the Victory Day of the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War.

Yet regrettably, on the occasion meant to commemorate this collective human memory, divisions persist.

The EU warned European leaders not to attend Victory Day events in Moscow; Latvia and Lithuania barred Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic from flying through their airspace en route to Russia; Ukraine claimed that it cannot guarantee the safety of foreign leaders attending events in Moscow on May 9; and the United States asserted that it contributed far more to WWII victory than any other nation.

These actions stem from four fundamental misinterpretations of the WWII history in the Western capitals.

First, denying the anti-fascist nature of WWII. The United States has long equated the Soviet Union with the Nazis since the height of the Cold War, propagating the falsehood of a joint German-Soviet invasion of Poland. Japan, meanwhile, spreads its victimhood narrative, whitewashing its wartime atrocities and aggression across Asia and portraying itself as being "unjustly punished" by atomic bombs, in order to rebrand itself as a "normal nation" and garner international sympathy.

Second, exaggerating Western contributions while downplaying non-Western roles. The United States persistently overstates the significance of its Lend-Lease Act and glorifies Anglo-American efforts. However, historical data tell a different story: While the United States provided 31.4 billion U.S. dollars to Britain and 11.3 billion dollars to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease program, China received mere 1.6 billion dollars. The Soviet Union's cumulative GDP from 1941-1945 reached 996.7 billion dollars, demonstrating that its war effort relied overwhelmingly on domestic resources. The Lend-Lease's impact on both the Eastern Front and China was far less decisive than claimed.

Third, a Eurocentric framing of the war. Western narratives fixate on the 1939 German invasion of Poland as WWII's start, ignoring earlier conflicts. In reality, Asia's anti-fascist struggle began with China's resistance following Japanese provocations on Sept. 18, 1931, while the United States only entered the war after Pearl Harbor 10 years later. WWII comprised diverse global theaters, each shaped by unique geography, resources and industrial levels. Judging them through a Western lens distorts true historical events.

Fourth, erasing China's sacrifices. Contrary to ignorant portrayals of China as a passive participant:

-- China resisted Japanese aggression over the decade from 1931 to 1941 with minimal Western support.

-- Chinese forces killed and injured 1.33 million Japanese invaders, at a cost of 35 million killed and injured, critically delaying Japan's southward and westward aggression, making China the linchpin of the Asian theater.

-- China twice deployed expeditionary forces to northern Myanmar from 1942 to 1945, directly supporting British and U.S. operations in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

Yet flawed Western narratives have fractured the world's moral unity and undermined the postwar international order.

Today the world stands at a crossroads: Upholding multilateralism or letting unilateralism prevail? Following international law or reverting to the law of the jungle?

China's answer remains clear: Learn from history and forge a shared future.

As an architect and defender of the postwar order, China champions progress. Through the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative, it offers pathways beyond zero-sum rivalry, safeguarding peace with wisdom and action.

Eighty years on, WWII's lessons still echo: The might-makes-right logic cannot govern humanity. Obsessions with supremacy, zero-sum games, and "my nation first" policies lead only to ruin.

Editor's note: Xin Ping is a commentator on international affairs, writing regularly for Xinhua News Agency, Global Times, China Daily, CGTN, etc. He can be reached at [email protected].

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of Xinhua News Agency.