The victorious allied countries from World War 2 recently celebrated the 75th anniversary of the conclusion of fighting in Europe when Germany surrendered. The Asian phase of the war was to continue for a further three months until the United States nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (using two different types of nuclear bombs for real life practice purposes, the Japanese having offered to surrender months before) forced Japan’s unconditional surrender.
The commemoration of the end of the European phase of the war was notable for one outstanding feature. In his speech marking the occasion on 9 May 2020, US President Donald Trump referred to the “great US and British victory” over Germany.
He studiously ignored Russia in his marking of the occasion. While it is tempting to attribute Trump’s speech to his notorious lack of knowledge of, and interest in, history beyond the US’s borders and involvement, the more likely reason is that it was a studious insult to Russia.
Part of the tragedy of modern America is that the majority of its people according to local polls, saw nothing wrong with Trump’s speech. All United States adults have been brought up on a steady diet of Hollywood’s version of history. In that version the bulk of the fighting was carried out by US the military. Other countries rarely rate a mention, and then only in support roles. On this 75th anniversary it is worth recalling some salient facts.
Approximately 80 percent of the European phase of the war was fought between Russia and Germany. The Russian losses at the battle of Stalingrad (as it then was) occurred over a roughly eight months period. Russian losses in this battle were greater than the US and UK combined for the whole war (six years in the UK’s case and four- and one-half years for the Americans).
Total Russian losses for the entire war were at least 25 million, civilians and soldiers. The only other country to suffer double digit millions of fatalities was China, mention of whom is almost entirely missing from the anniversary celebrations. More on China below. It was not always the case that US Presidents ignored Russia’s sacrifices and contribution. Eisenhower, as a war time General, was acutely aware of the reality. Kennedy made significant efforts to improve US-Soviet relations, one of the major factors in prompting his assassination. This is brilliantly explored in James Douglass’ book “JFK and the Unspeakable” (2010). Even Nixon saw the wisdom of better US-USSR relations and it was he who started the process of the US recognising the PRC as the legitimate government of China.
The Obama and Trump administrations have seen a steady deterioration in the relationship. Trump’s rewriting of history is just a glaring manifestation of that trend. If anything, the treatment of China’s war history by the western power is even worse. Japan invaded China in 1937, although its aggression actually began in 1931 with the invasion of Manchuria in September of that year.
An early example of the relentless atrocity that was a feature of the entire Japanese war effort was a phase known as “the rape of Nanjing” which at the time was the location of China’s Nationalist government under the dictator Chiang Kai Shek.
What happened in Nanking in December 1937 became a benchmark for atrocities perpetrated against a civilian population. The reign of terror perpetrated by the Japanese occupying forces included the killing of at least 150,000 war prisoners; the murder of a further 50,000 males; and the rape and murder of tens of thousands of women of all ages. Those not murdered were used as slaves with further sexual abuse a daily experience. (Iris Chang “The Rape of Nanking” (1997).
The Japanese General in charge of Nanking, General Matsui, was executed after the war for war crimes. A token gesture given the scale of the atrocities. Nanking was far from the only location of atrocities. The Japanese also operated what was known as Unit 731 in China’s northeast. It was a biological and chemical warfare testing facility, using Chinese prisoners for live experiments. The Japanese also bombed the cities of Ningbo and Changde with fleas, causing an outbreak of bubonic plague.
Total Chinese casualties from the war with Japan between 1938 and 1945 are impossible to calculate precisely. Some writers have calculated that between 15 and 20 million Chinese died fighting the Japanese, either as soldiers or civilian victims. (Rana Mitter Forgotten Ally, 2013).
Only Russia suffered greater losses. Had China continued with its repressed and exploited role in the post-world war 2 era it is doubtful that more than 400 US military bases would be on or near China’s borders, with the “containment” and military repression of China a major objective. It is equally doubtful that China would be subject to a non-stop propaganda barrage from the West such as it is currently undergoing. The ostensible cause of this negative publicity is China’s alleged role as the source of the current corona virus outbreak. It is also subject to a barrage of negative publicity about seeking hegemony over other countries near and far from its borders.
Contrary to this negative western propaganda, China is showing through a range of international projects, not the least of which is the massive Belt and Road Initiative, now with more than 150 countries and international organisations signed up, that there is a different range of achieving international cooperation and progress. It does not need hundreds of foreign military bases, illegal sanctions against countries unwilling to be subject to American hegemony in order to create a different mode of international cooperation.
China is already the world’s largest economy measured by parity purchasing power rather than the misleading gross domestic product criterion, by a significant margin and has been for a number of years. The model that Russia and China are presenting to the world is historically unique. Western bluster, propaganda and hybrid warfare may slow and disrupt the process, but it will not thwart it.
The American inability to acknowledge that the world has changed since 1945 and that it will no longer prevail by threats or force poses perhaps the greatest threat to our continued existence as a species. Certainly Trump, nor any of his likely successors, give the least sign of acknowledging that the world has changed and is changing, and with it the respective roles of the major powers.
For all our sakes one must work to avoid what would otherwise be a catastrophic clash between the great powers. On this 75th anniversary one cannot be optimistic that this desirable goal will actually be achieved. Were the worst to happen and a nuclear war break out, World War 2 will seem minor by comparison.
James O’Neill, an Australian-based Barrister at Law, exclusively for the online magazine “New Eastern Outlook”.
