The hard-fought victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (and the World Anti-Fascist War) has not been forgotten, nor has the friendship forged between the Chinese and citizens of the United States during those years.
The Flying Tigers, General Claire Chennault and the rescue of the Doolittle Raiders returned to the spotlight at a commemorative event in Shanghai on June 23 marking the 80th anniversary of the victory.
Titled "History Illuminates the Present, Cooperation Lights the Future", the event was organized by the Shanghai Public Relations Association, the Shanghai Institute of American Studies and partner organizations to deepen the Sino-U.S. friendship forged during the anti-fascist struggle.
Bringing together historical witnesses, scholars and civil diplomacy advocates from both nations, the event explored the shared history of mutual support and shoulder-to-shoulder combat during the war.
Formally known as the American Volunteer Group, the Flying Tigers were a legendary unit of U.S. volunteer pilots formed in 1941 under Chennault's command. He first arrived in China in 1937 to survey the Chinese Air Force but decided to stay after witnessing the atrocities committed by Japanese forces against civilians.
During their time in China, the Flying Tigers contributed to the fight against Japanese forces through direct air combat and by flying supplies into blockaded areas over the Himalayas. They also trained Chinese pilots, opened aviation schools and helped civilians operate early warning systems.
Their defense of China's airspace and support for civilians are widely recognized as symbols of courage and cross-cultural friendship.
"It is my fondest hope that the sign of the Flying Tigers will remain aloft just as long as it is needed, and that it will always be remembered on both shores of the Pacific to show two great peoples working toward a common goal in war and peace," Chennault wrote in his 1949 memoir.
Among the Flying Tigers was Zhang Fengqi, believed to be the only woman to join the group and later lived in Shanghai, working as an English typist. Her son, Lu Weijun, said Zhang cherished her bond with the unit, believing their friendship forged "in blood and fire "would remain etched in history.
The wartime support was mutual. In April 1942, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. launched the Doolittle Raid on Japan. Dozens of crew members from 16 U.S. bombers later parachuted into several Chinese provinces, where they were rescued by civilians and soldiers.
"They got 64 of them safe and sound back to the Americans. The Japanese killed about 250,000 Chinese people in the next three months. They were enraged and even used chemical weapons in some cities," Jeffrey Greene, chairman of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation, said in a video address.
The foundation has worked to share these stories to promote lasting friendship between the two peoples.
Melinda Liu, daughter of Tung-Sheng Liu, the only Chinese person to be named an honorary Doolittle Raider for his role in rescuing the airmen, said at the event that the story was about "war and peace, strangers from different cultures helping each other survive and the common humanity that bound them together".
On the same day the commemoration event was held, a themed exhibition opened at Shanghai Library East, telling personal stories that illuminate broader history. Running through Oct 12, it highlights international cooperation and the friendship forged "in blood and fire" between Chinese and people from the U.S. — a bond organizers said can be passed down through generations.
"The stories told in the exhibition are witnesses to history, symbols of friendship and models of cooperation, conveying the power of peace and justice," said Sha Hailin, president of the Shanghai Public Relations Association and director of the Academic Committee of the Shanghai Institute of American Studies.
"Commemorating the victory is not to perpetuate hatred but to safeguard peace. Remembering history is not to dwell on the past but to illuminate the future," Sha said, calling on both nations to learn from history, strengthen civil friendship and jointly address global challenges.
Nell Calloway, Chennault's granddaughter and president of the Chennault Aviation and Military Museum in Louisiana, said in a video address that while the nations face new "enemies" of prejudice and misunderstanding today, she hopes the spirit of the Flying Tigers will guide a new chapter in Sino-U.S. relations "defined by friendship, trust and shared prosperity".
Highland Martin, a 20-year-old student from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill studying at Fudan University's International Summer Session, said the event broadened her perspective on the global impact of the war.
"The people's stories really touched me and showed me how grateful I am to live in peacetime," she said. "China and the U.S. are now more intertwined than ever, and I think both sides need to cooperate from a global perspective, remember where we started and see where history leads us for a global solution."
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