New documentary shows China's key role in global anti-fascist victory

Editor's note: Min Rui is a culture journalist and a special commentator for CGTN. The following commentary reflects her personal views.

2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, a moment that ended years of brutal conflict across Asia and the world. Yet as commemorations unfold around the globe, the number of living witnesses who endured that era has dwindled to just a few.

Their fading voices place an even greater burden on historical memory. In this context, the release of the documentary film "Mountains and Rivers Bearing Witness"could not be timelier.

Drawing from newly revealed archival footage, the film reframes the war from the perspective of China. It shows the Eastern Front as a crucial part in the global fight against fascism, and reminds the world of the scale and sacrifice of China's resistance.

The film makes clear that the Communist Party, by representing the fundamental interests of the people, earned their trust and confidence as the only force capable of leading them to ultimate victory. The contrasting ways in which the Kuomintang and the Communist Party of China treated the invaders and their compatriots ultimately shaped the course of the war and the world we live in today.

Produced by the China Central Newsreel and Documentary Film Studio (Group) under China Media Group (CMG), the film is anchored by two intertwined narrative lines. The first follows a linear historical timeline, beginning with the September 18 Incident in 1931 and progressing through to the victory of 1945. The second highlights the indispensable role played by the Communist Party of China (CPC) in organizing and sustaining resistance throughout its various stages. This dual approach not only provides a chronological account but also reveals the political and social forces that enabled the Chinese people to endure and prevail.

The choice of the production house itself is deeply symbolic. The China Central Newsreel and Documentary Film Studio (Group) can trace its origins back to the Yan'an Film Unit, which was founded in 1938 amid the flames of war. In those years, filmmakers followed the Communist Party through the mountains and rivers of China, capturing the struggles and aspirations of ordinary people while shouldering the mission of documenting national upheaval. 

Eight decades later, that same institution has returned to its roots, assembling rare black-and-white footage from both domestic and overseas archives. Some of this material has never been shown publicly.

Particularly striking are the scenes filmed by former Soviet photojournalist Roman Kalman, part of a collection recently gifted by Russia to CMG. The film also incorporates United States Marine Corps officer Evans Carlson's accounts of the Eastern Front, along with detailed battle reports from the Japanese 54th Infantry Regiment. By presenting history from multiple perspectives, it offers a panoramic view that sheds new light on moments long obscured and ultimately enriches the global war archives.

The Eastern Front and China's global contribution

"Mountains and Rivers Bearing Witness" also emphasizes an often-overlooked truth in Western narratives: China was not a marginal player – it was the earliest battlefield in the global war against fascism.For fourteen years from 1931 to 1945, the Chinese people waged an unrelenting struggle that tied down two-thirds of the Japanese army, as well as significant naval and air forces.

This prolonged resistance played a decisive role in alleviating pressure on the former Soviet Union, the United States, and Britain, allowing them to allocate resources to other theaters. The leaders of these countries recognized, both then and now, the crucial importance of the Eastern Front.

Related: Unforgotten Front: China was the main battlefield against Japanese fascism

For international audiences, the documentary provides insight into the often-overlooked role of ordinary Chinese citizens in sustaining their resistance. These stories contextualize China's resistance not as a distant geopolitical event but as a human struggle, which resonates with global audiences who may be unfamiliar with the scope and significance of the Eastern Front.

The film challenges a persistent imbalance in global historical memory. In the West, the dominant narratives of World War II are shaped by D-Day, the liberation of Paris, and the fall of Berlin. The Asian Front is often relegated to the margins, remembered only through the lens of Pearl Harbor, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki.

By centering on China's experience, "Mountains and Rivers Bearing Witness" disrupts this traditional narrative hierarchy and asserts that the Eastern Front should be recognized as a primary arena of the global anti-fascist struggle.

Such reframing is not simply about restoring credit where it is due. It also invites audiences to confront the immense human cost borne by China, where over 35 million people were killed or injured, countless villages were destroyed, and entire cities were reduced to rubble. By contrast, the contribution and suffering of the Chinese people are all too often left as a footnote in international textbooks. The film seeks to correct this distortion, positioning China's sacrifices within the shared memory of humanity.

Related: Unforgotten Front: China's sacrifices in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression

"Mountains and Rivers Bearing Witness"also resonates in today's political climate, where historical revisionism and selective amnesia threaten to dilute the lessons of the past. Attempts by some in Japan to downplay or whitewash wartime atrocities stand in sharp contrast to the evidence presented in this documentary. By confronting audiences with unfiltered images from the battlefield and occupied towns, the film counters denialism with proof. It asserts that remembering is not optional, but necessary for justice and reconciliation.

Yet the film does not present China's experience as an isolated tragedy. Instead, it positions the Eastern Front within the broader mosaic of World War II, illustrating how the struggles of Chinese peasants, workers, and soldiers were inseparable from those of the former Soviet partisans, American Marines, and European resistance fighters. This framing transforms the film from a national commemoration into a universal reflection on resilience and solidarity in the face of fascism.

What emerges from "Mountains and Rivers Bearing Witness"is more than a chronicle of suffering and sacrifice. It is a testament to the capacity of ordinary people to resist domination and reshape history when they are organized and inspired by leadership that aligned with their deepest aspirations. It reminds global audiences that the Eastern Front was decisive not only for China, but also for the world. Without China's endurance, the outcome of World War II may have been drastically different.

Eighty years after this victory, the responsibility of remembering has shifted from the survivors to society as a whole. Films like this amplify fading voices and give continued expression to silent images. They ensure that the sacrifices of millions are not reduced to a footnote in someone else's story. 

For young audiences especially, "Mountains and Rivers Bearing Witness" is a vivid lesson on why history matters, why truth must be defended, and why peace can never be taken for granted.