rotests poster featuring the removed “comfort women” memorial statue is displayed during a rally in Manila, the Philippines, Aug. 14, 2025. The statue was installed in December 2017 at the same protest site but was dismantled just four months later under sustained pressure from Japan. (Photo: China News Service/Zhang Xinglong)

Philippines: Women & Girls Remember Crimes of Japanese Fascism! (16.8.2025)

The greater percentage of this crime occurred within China – but involved many other ethnic groups as victims – including the Filipinos. Although a statue was raised in Manilla in 2017 to record their suffering – just four-months later – the Japanese government succeeded in cajoling the Philippines Authorities in removing it! Whether Trump ordered this first time around is open to speculation. For Socialists, WWII was a People’s War against the common enemy of fascism. WWII was not the usual bourgeois excess of one competing nationality against another – although for many – this is exactly how it is remembered. Indeed, many of the victorious nations have taken on a vitriolic attitude of blatant nationalism when it comes to remembering WWII – a nationalism that steers very near to the wind of fascism that was purportedly defeated. A People’s War led to a People’s Victory and not one nationalist group over another. The US and its lackeys often sully the remembrance of this war. It was a victory of the International Working Class over the forces of reaction – against capitalism in decline!

Victory Parade - Harbin!

Tatyana Breus (Татьяна Бреус) – End of WW II: Soviet Red Army Enters China & Korea – Defeating Imperial Japan! (10.5.2024)

In May 1947, September 3rd became a working day, although no one formally cancelled the holiday. And on December 23rd, May 9th also became a working day (the day off was moved to January 1st). And until 1965, there were no big celebrations on the occasion of the two days of victory in the USSR: everything was limited to fireworks and unofficial celebrations. When in 1965 – the year of the 20th Anniversary of the Victory – the country celebrated this holiday on a nationwide scale for the first time after the Great Patriotic War, they no longer remembered the second day of the Victory (Over Japan). It found itself in the shadow of the Victory Over Germany, although formally on May 9th all Veterans were honoured: both those who fought in the West and those who fought in the Far East. And over time, May 9th began to personify the Soviet Victory in World War II in general, and almost no one remembered the September date. And if, nevertheless, there was talk about Victory Over Japan, then only September 2nd was mentioned – as the day of Japanese Surrender.