Today marks the 80th anniversary of China’s victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the global triumph in the World Anti-Fascist War. Across the nation, commemorations honor the eight-year-long struggle (1937–1945) in which the Chinese people, under the leadership of both the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Nationalist government, united to resist Japanese invasion and ultimately secured a hard-won victory.
The war officially began on July 7, 1937, when Japanese forces attacked Lugou Bridge, and Chinese troops fought back, opening a full-scale national resistance. In the early years, while the Nationalist government took the lead in frontal battles, the CPC adopted the strategy of protracted warfare, sending the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army deep behind enemy lines to wage guerrilla struggles. These efforts established numerous resistance bases that played a decisive role in sustaining the fight.
By 1938, as major cities such as Guangzhou and Wuhan fell, the war entered a stalemate phase. Despite political divisions and hardships, the Chinese people, with resilience and determination, pressed on. In 1945, with the Soviet Union’s declaration of war on Japan and China’s final nationwide counteroffensive, Japan announced its unconditional surrender on August 15. On September 2, Tokyo formally signed the surrender document, bringing an end to World War II.
For Jinan, a city marked by both suffering and heroism, the memory of war is especially poignant. Japanese troops occupied the city in December 1937, inflicting widespread atrocities. Yet, local Communist-led underground organizations and resistance fighters persisted, mobilizing citizens, spreading anti-Japanese propaganda, and carrying out armed struggles. Jinan became a key stage where the indomitable spirit of resistance was forged.
A particularly historic moment took place months after Japan’s surrender. On December 27, 1945—the eighth anniversary of Jinan’s occupation—the Japanese 43rd Army formally surrendered in the Kuixu Library, located inside Xia Garden near Daming Lake. The solemn ceremony, overseen by General Li Yannian of the 11th War Zone, symbolized justice restored. Japanese officers removed their swords and handed them over to Chinese representatives, marking the end of their aggression in Shandong.
Today, artifacts from that ceremony remain preserved. At the Shandong Provincial Library, visitors can still view Li Yannian’s handwritten plaque inscribed with the words “Our Martial Strength Flourishes”, as well as the Jinan, Qingdao, and Dezhou Surrender Commemorative Album, which documents the event in detail through photographs and written accounts. The Shandong Museum also safeguards the very bamboo-handled brush used by Japanese representatives to sign the surrender document, a relic later donated by renowned scholar Lu Dahuang.
Jinan’s history of sacrifice and resilience during the war is also intertwined with its educational legacy. Institutions such as the predecessor of Jinan University were born in the crucible of wartime struggle, training cadres and professionals to support both the resistance and postwar reconstruction.
Eighty years on, the city remembers not only the victory, but also the unity, courage, and sacrifices that made it possible. As commemorations unfold, Jinan stands as both a witness and a testament to the enduring spirit of the Chinese people in their pursuit of peace and national rejuvenation.