China's Good War: How World War II Is Shaping a New Nationalism

China's Good War examines how modern China has reframed its role in World War II to build national identity and international influence. Through government initiatives, media, museums, and education, China presents a narrative of unified resistance against Japan and positions itself as a key Allied power. The book traces this historical reimagining from Mao's era through to Xi Jinping's China, showing how the war's memory has evolved to serve different political needs. Mitter analyzes physical sites of commemoration, propaganda campaigns, and diplomatic messaging that establish China's preferred version of its wartime experience. Using archives and contemporary sources, the work documents how China's government deploys World War II history in both domestic and international contexts. The narrative connects China's military contribution against Japan to its current status as a global power and shapes citizens' understanding of their nation's path. This scholarly examination reveals how nations can reconstruct historical memory to serve present-day objectives of nationalism and legitimacy. The work raises questions about the relationship between history, power, and national identity in contemporary international relations.

Readers appreciate Mitter's detailed research and analysis of how China's World War II experience shapes current nationalism and international relations. Many note the book fills gaps in Western understanding of China's wartime role. Positives from reviews: - Clear connections between historical events and modern Chinese politics - Strong archival research and primary sources - Balanced perspective on complex historical narratives Criticisms: - Academic writing style can be dense for general readers - Some readers wanted more detail on specific battles/military strategy - A few note repetitive points across chapters Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (103 ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (54 ratings) Review quotes: "Explains China's current assertiveness through the lens of WWII memory" - Goodreads reviewer "Too much focus on museums and memorials rather than wartime events" - Amazon reviewer "Important context for understanding modern China-Japan relations" - Library Journal reader review

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🔹 While Communist China's role in WWII was downplayed for decades, more than 14 million Chinese died during the conflict - a death toll second only to the Soviet Union. 🔹 Author Rana Mitter is a professor of Chinese history at Oxford University and was named one of the world's top 50 thinkers by Prospect magazine in 2019. 🔹 The book reveals how modern China has reframed its WWII narrative, shifting from emphasizing victimhood to highlighting its role as one of the "Big Four" Allied powers alongside Britain, the US, and USSR. 🔹 China's wartime capital of Chongqing endured more than three years of Japanese bombing raids, with some of the heaviest civilian bombing campaigns in history before the atomic bombs. 🔹 The book explains how China's current assertive foreign policy and national identity are deeply connected to its revised understanding of its WWII contributions and sacrifices.