Descendants of int'l war heroes call for correct view of wartime history

Descendants of international war heroes who attended the grand V-Day ceremony in Beijing on Wednesday have called on promoting the correct view of history, emphasizing humanity's duty to pass on the lessons especially to younger generations to foster a peaceful world.

On Wednesday, China held a grand event commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. It included a grand military parade, which was attended by some international friends who made contributions to China's victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, or their family representatives.

Among the guests at the commemoration was Yokichi Kobayashi, the son of Kiyoshi Kobayashi, a Japanese veteran of the Eighth Route Army. In an interview with China Media Group (CMG), he lamented a persistent lack of honest confrontation with history among many in Japan.

"Most Japanese soldiers who invaded China chose not to speak of their brutal and painful wartime experiences upon returning home. They didn't want to share these memories with the next generation. Young people in Japan are selectively educated about the war. Everyone knows how many people were killed in the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, [but few are taught that Japan was also a perpetrator of aggression]," said Yokichi Kobayashi, who serves as vice president of the Japan Association of the Eighth Route Army and New Fourth Army Veterans.

"The Japanese society, including its media and government, should be held accountable for portraying itself as a victim while forgetting its role as an aggressor. National introspection is far more important than another nation's forgiveness. Only a country that dares to reflect on its past can truly earn respect from the world," said Kobayashi.

Jean-Louis Bussiere, son of Dr. Jean Jerome Augustin Bussiere, a French physician who supported China's resistance during WWII, emphasized the intergenerational responsibility of remembrance.

"The responsibility to remember requires us to pass on to our children and to young people in all countries the courage and self-sacrifice of the resistant fighters and to deliver a message of peace, especially for the young generations," said Jean-Louis Bussiere.

During the World Anti-Fascist War, China tied down and fought the bulk of Japan's forces, eliminating more than 1.5 million enemy troops and preventing Japan from allocating more troops to the Pacific theater. China suffered a total of 35 million military and civilian casualties during 14 years of war.

Descendants of int'l war heroes call for correct view of wartime history

Efforts are underway in Gaza City to salvage what remains of the territory's cultural heritage after nearly two years of war.

At the ruins of the Great Omari Mosque, Gaza's oldest and largest mosque, Palestinian workers have been clearing and sorting stones dating back more than 1,200 years using basic tools.

"The Great Omari Mosque represents the heart and soul of Gaza City, and Palestine as a whole. The value of these stones is not in their size, but in their deep and layered historical significance," said Husni Al-Mazloom, manager of the Great Omari Mosque restoration project.

Only fragments of the mosque's minarets and a few of its external walls remain standing.

"During the war, it was not only people, trees, and buildings that were targeted, but also thousands of years of human history. Most historical sites in Gaza City were struck and destroyed in an attempt to erase the historical identity of Gaza's people," said Palestinian historian Ayman Al-Balbisi.

Progress on the restoration project has been extremely slow, as Israel continues to restrict the entry of construction materials, even after nearly eight weeks of ceasefire.

On a positive note, however, the project provides locals with more income.

"Before working here, we were unemployed. When this opportunity became available for me and 20 other workers, it allowed us to provide for our families and cover basic needs. During the war, there was no work available for us at all," said worker Ali Al-Qaloushi.

Palestinians have accused Israel of deliberately targeting heritage sites. But Israel denied, saying its strikes followed international law and targeted Hamas tools near or beneath these locations.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has verified damage to 145 religious, cultural and historical sites in Gaza since October 2023, raising fears of irreversible loss in a territory whose history spans more than 5,000 years and carries the imprint of numerous civilizations.

Gazans race to preserve cultural heritage after two years of war