China's Communist Party and Japan: A Forgotten History

May 27, 2014 Topic: History Region: Asia

China's Communist Party and Japan: A Forgotten History

The history between the two is more complex than you might realize. 

In short, Japan’s interactions with China time and again served to bolster the CCP at crucial moments in its history. This in no way excuses the horrible atrocities Japan committed during its occupation of China, but it does provide interesting context on the CCP’s use of anti-Japan sentiments to bolster support for its domestic and foreign policies.

Zachary Keck is Associate Editor of The Diplomat where he authors The Pacific Realist blog. You can find him on Twitter: @ZacharyKeck.