Introduction
For many countries, the Second World War presented a turning point in their development, which supported further re-evaluation of national values and priorities. In modern China, the memories of World War II have become more prominent in the last few decades, playing an essential role in developing national identity and supporting Chinese nationalism ideas. In the book China’s Good War: How World War II Is Shaping a New Nationalism, written by Rana Mitter, the author examines China’s participation in war and international conflicts. Furthermore, the author defines that memories and interpretations of war shape the political culture of nationalism in modern China.
The Role of the War in East Asia
Firstly, the author starts the discussion of perspectives on China’s participation in the Second World War by developing the historical background and exploring allies’ opinions on the nationalist military. Thus, the author emphasizes how, in comparison with its allies, China initially had no motivation to protect the values of “freedom, liberty, and democracy” (Mitter 2020, 28). War in East Asia was different from the war in Europe, as it presented a clash of two prominent ideologies – Japanese imperialism and Chinese nationalism.
The author explains that the conflict over influence in East Asia between China and Japan started long before the war. Still, it became “increasingly fractious” after the events of September 18, 1931, when the Guandong Army occupied the region of Manchuria (Mitter 2020, 29). The confrontation between the ideologies became more complex when the nationalist leader Wang Jingwei accused the head of the national government, Chiang Kai-shek, of betraying the Nationalist cause by collaborating with Communists. The analysis of Sino-Japanese relationships also provides background to the rise of Mao Zedong from the commander of the communist army to the leader of the Chinese communist party.
Chinese Nationalism History
Next, the following chapters of the book explore the reinterpretation of war history and its role in supporting the ideas of Chinese nationalism in modern China. Firstly, historians such as Hu Qiaomu and Liu Danian helped redefine the social memory of war by using a more inclusive attitude about Nationalists’ participation in war and their collaboration with the Communist Party (Mitter 2020). One of the examples of policies promoting the studies of Chinese Communist Party origins was the 1981 “Resolution on certain questions in the history of our party since the founding of the People’s Republic of China” (Mitter 2020, 57).
Next, the new interpretation of the Asian conflict in World War II positioned China as a “prominent part of global anti-fascist alliance” and protector of “today’s international order” (Mitter 2020, 98). The 1971 book by Barbara Tuchman explained that Chinese participation in World War II was obstructed by the corruption and incompetence of Chiang’s government. Thus, the rhetoric of China’s wartime relationships with the US changed from victimization of China to cooperation (Mitter 2020, 213). The rhetoric suggested that Pearl Harbor was the US’s failure, which could have been avoided using Chinese advice.
Military Violence and Massacre Victims
Furthermore, the study of experiences of mass violence in the West emphasizes the level of the country’s involvement in military operations. Thus, to make China’s participation in the War more relevant, the Nanjing Massacre of 1937–1938, where the Japanese army killed thousands of Chinese civilians, was redefined as a war crime with an importance close to the Holocaust (Mitter 2020, 121). Therefore, the reinterpretation of the war against Japan as the ‘good war’ in literature and media made it possible to strengthen the reputation of Chinese nationalism among postwar generations.
Conclusion
The book provides valuable insight into the factors that influence Chinese politics and the life of the modern Chinese population. It is essential to point out that Mitter’s intel is well-informed and reliable as the author spent nearly twenty years observing the changes in China’s relationships with its wartime history (Mitter 2020, 3). The book’s main strength is that in addition to examining the changes in Chinese perception of wartime history, the author provides examples of changes reflected in literature, media, and even war memorials. Therefore, the book provides readers with a comprehensive image of the critical role of wartime history in developing modern Chinese nationalism.
Reference
Mitter, Rana. 2020. China’s Good War: How World War II Is Shaping a New Nationalism. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.