Politics qualifies party's praise for US and Soviet help

US and Soviet support for China's wartime opposition to the Japanese military proved decisive in the country's final victory 60 years ago and should not be forgotten, Chinese analysts say.

The international contribution has received little attention in the build-up to nationwide celebrations marking the historic anniversary of the end of the second world war. The commemorative activities have been gearing up for months and Chinese authorities have instructed that they must focus on promoting patriotism and the Communist Party's leadership.

As a result, there has been little detailed information available on the mainland regarding the massive foreign political, economic and military aid to China during the war, especially that from the US-led Allied forces.

Jing Shenghong , a war historian with Nanjing Normal University, insists that victory in the Sino-Japanese war would have been greatly delayed without the Soviet and other Allied assistance.

Professor Jing said Chinese people should not overestimate their own ability and overlook crucial support from other countries. 'We may blame the cold war for our past failure to acknowledge the foreign aid we received during the war. But now, it is time to re-establish the truth of history.'

Professor Jing said China's international image, as well as the historical status of the Chinese war against the Japanese invasion, could be overshadowed by Beijing's reluctance to face the wartime past in a fair and open manner.