Abstract China’s War of Resistance Against Japan, which began with the September 18 Incident in 1931, was an integral part of World War II. The first six years constituted a phase of localized resistance. As Japan’s invasion expanded, the Kuomintang and the Communist Party of China ended their civil war and forged a united front to fight the aggressors. Following the Lugou Bridge Incident in 1937, the conflict escalated into a full-scale war. The Chinese theater exhibited two prominent characteristics: first, a significant disparity in strength, with China relatively weak and Japan strong; second, the strategic importance of both the conventional main front led by the Kuomintang and the front behind enemy lines led by the Communist Party. This article examines the war guidance principles and military strategies of the two parties, elucidating the respective roles of the two fronts in the War of Resistance, China’s contributions to the global anti-fascist war, and the long-term impact of World War II on China’s development.
Zhang Baijia (Sun,) studied this question.