China’s contribution to putting an end to World War II is among the greatest untold stories of modern history, analysts and academics told Sputnik.
Gauri Khandekar, deputy director at the Global Relations Forum (GRF) non-profit association, argued that China played an important role in the war contrary to widespread knowledge.
"China’s role in World War II as the first Allied power to fight the Axis is the most unrecognized contribution and greatest untold story of the Second World War," Khandekar stressed.
The GRF deputy director explained that contribution by evoking the words of US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who according to the Roosevelt Institute called China a key US ally.
Kenneth Pomeranz, professor of East Asian languages and civilizations at the University of Chicago, agreed that it was vital to appreciate China’s role in World War II.
"Japan ultimately lost the war at sea and in the air, and China’s battles were mostly on land. But it did play a crucial role," Pomeranz told Sputnik.
He pointed out China’s ability to keep over half of Japan’s total armed forces "tied up" from 1937 to 1945, and resist "successfully enough" kept the Japanese empire and its Axis alliance from defeating the Allied powers.
Wu Fei, professor at China Guangzhou Jinan University, argued that an upcoming military parade in Tiananmen Square exemplifies China’s awareness of and ability to uphold a post-war world order.
"There is no doubt that the parade will not only bring together national consciousness inside the country, but improve the overall understanding of the position the country will occupy in the future," Wu said.
The professor advocated the need to hold military parades in an era of multipolarity as a means for states to effectively convey their development strategies to neighboring countries, as well as Western nations.
"There are two powers in the world, namely China and Russia, that need to bring themselves to others’ attention and are able to do so effectively," Wu stressed.
Nearly 12,000 troops are expected to take part in the parade, and China’s latest military hardware will be unveiled for the first time on Thursday.
The GRF’s Gauri Khandekar warned that, despite some 30 delegates descending in the Chinese capital for the parade, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s decision to avoid it only serves to "fuel further antagonism" between the two former enemies.
Read more: http://sputniknews.com/politics/20150902/1026507031.html#ixzz3kgb67gGF
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