What a coincidence, eh?

THE EDITOR, Madam:

The world’s media reported the massive show of military force displayed in Beijing on September 3 marking the end of World War II. China was invaded by Japan entering Manchuria in 1931; the staggering loss of life in bloody battles and massacres are well-documented.

1932’s Battle of Shanghai set the deadly tone with an estimated 500,000 casualties in three months, immediately followed by the Massacre of Nanjing that lasted only six weeks, and recorded as one of history’s most infamous atrocities, with deaths exceeding 300,000.

Unrelenting Japanese onslaught continued, with a three-month Battle of Xuzhou in early 1938 bringing 220,000 more Chinese casualties. That led to the Battle of Wuhan, the largest and longest conflict in the Second Sino-Japanese War, where five months of fighting resulted in a half-million casualties.

By this time Japanese resources were drained, and their large-scale advances were somewhat curtailed. However, fighting continued until World War II ended in 1945, with an estimated 20 million Chinese victims during the 14 years, mostly civilians.

Fast forward 80 years to China’s Victory Day parade hosted by a proud President Xi Jinping, welcoming presidents and prime ministers from Russia, North Korea, Iran, Myanmar, Pakistan, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Vietnam, Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, Zimbabwe, Indonesia, Slovakia and Serbia.

These politicians were joined by 50,000 spectators in Tiananmen Square, to view column after column of precision marching by over 12,000 troops representing China’s 650,000 active personnel and over two million reservists; the military hardware of every description was really eye-boggling.

Remembering that US President Donald Trump has frequently remarked how much he loves a parade, just imagine how fascinating this was for him. Especially in light of his highly touted military parade in Washington on June 14 — coincidentally his 79th birthday — to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States Army. That turned out to be something of a damp squib, according to media reports. Believe it or not, just a couple of days after China’s stunning Victory Parade, President Trump changed the name of his Department of Defence to the Department of War. What a coincidence, eh?

BERNIE SMITH

Parksville, BC

Canada