Nepalese made significant contributions to the victory in the global anti-fascist war
The 80th anniversary of Victory over Japan Day (known as VJ Day) was observed in Nepal and other parts of the world, along with different commemorative events. VJ Day marks a special celebration as the anniversary of 15th August 1945, when Japan announced its surrender to the Allied forces, ending the Second World War. This is important, as VJ Day is a time to remember the sacrifices and bravery of all who served in the Far East, including the British Gurkhas, who played a significant role in the war against Japan. The Nepali youths being recruited in the British Force took part in the Burma Campaign, which was a major part of the war involving fierce fighting and difficult terrain. An incredible nine Victoria Crosses were awarded to Gurkha Regiments for acts of valor in Burma, with seven going to Nepali soldiers.
- The history
During World War II, the United States, China, the USSR, the United Kingdom, and several other European countries began fighting against Germany, Japan, and Italy. The main enemies of the war were Adolf Hitler, the Nazi ruler of Germany; Emperor Hirohito of Japan; and Benito Mussolini, the fascist ruler of Italy.
On October 25, 1936, the Nazi government of Germany and the fascist government of Italy signed a treaty to support each other. A month later, on November 25, 1936, Germany signed an anti-communist treaty with the Japanese government. A year later, Italy also joined the Anti-Comintern Pact against communism. After this, a series of invasions, attacks, and conspiracies began. Japan was the first to invade China. After Germany invaded Poland, the Second World War officially began in Europe. On the other side, attacks against Japan by American and British forces also started. By 1945, Germany, Japan, and Italy had gradually weakened.
During the war, the Gurkhas demonstrated their Gurkha spirit with their unyielding spirit and heroic performance.
Italy, surrounded by attacks from all sides, was also experiencing internal uprisings. Due to the domestic communist movement, Italy’s fascist rulers began to worry about their survival. Two days after Mussolini was shot, Germany’s Nazi ruler, Adolf Hitler, in a state of panic, committed suicide with his partner, Eva Braun. This marked the end of two of Europe’s cruelest rulers, bringing an end to World War II in Europe. Meanwhile in Japan, about three months later, the U.S. Air Force dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, prompting Japan to surrender, leading to the complete end of the Second World War.
- Gurkhas against Japanese fascists
During the war, the Gurkhas demonstrated their Gurkha spirit with their unyielding spirit and heroic performance. Some Gurkhas joined the British Army in North Africa against Rommel's forces, while others fought against the Japanese in Malaya. Gurkhas later served in Italy, Iraq, Persia, and many other sites. During World War II, all 52 Gurkha battalions (each with 700 men) saw action, with the majority fighting in Burma.
As per the historic records, the British launched the Arakan Peninsula Campaign with the 5th and 7th Indian Divisions in November 1943. In early 1944, the Japanese deployed a large force, determined to cut off and annihilate the Indian forces, but the Gurkhas of the 7th Division engaged in numerous fierce combats against the Japanese. Despite Japanese attacks, the Gurkha soldiers fought back fiercely. The Gurkhas even raise their Gurkha Kukuri against the Japanese. In February 1944, the Japanese had failed to completely annihilate a single British unit, inflicting heavy casualties and suffering significant losses. This was the first time the British had completely defeated the Japanese in positional warfare in Burma, a feat achieved inlarge part due to the Gurkhas who charged the front lines.
The interesting fact is that the number of Nepali youths taking part in the British Gurkhas was higher than the total size of army men in Nepal. From Nepal alone, a total of 16,000 youths were sent to the British Gurkhas to fight for the British allies in World War II, meaning this was against the Japanese fascism. Nepali youths sent to Burma and Northeast India to fight against Japan also received VC. The three regiments of Gurkhas fought against Japanese forces in India's Assam and prevented the Japanese force from coming to the Northeast part of India.As stated in the book "The Biography of Rana PMs," Winston Churchill himself wrote a letter to Nepal's Rana Prime Minister Juddha Shumsher Rana and stated that no Briton would ever forget the contributions made by Gurkha warriors for the defeat of Germany and Japan.
For the recognition of such bravery, Nepali youths recruited in the British Gurkhas received the Victoria Cross too.
While talking about Japanese fascists, China remained the center stage for the resistance against Japanese fascists. The Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression marked the outbreak of the World Anti-Fascist War and opened the first large-scale anti-fascist battlefield in the East. Starting the earliest and lasting the longest in the World Anti-Fascist War, China's resistance suffered more than 35 million casualties in the fight for the nation's survival. As the main battlefield in Asia, China made an immense historic contribution to the global victory over fascism. China’s resistance greatly weakened Japan's capacity to expand into the Asia-Pacific, disrupted its attempts at strategic coordination with Nazi Germany, and bought precious time for other anti-fascist nations. This played an important role in ensuring coordination among the allies' fronts and the smooth implementation of the overall strategy. The Chinese side weakened the Japanese military might and contributed to preventing the decisive Japanese victory in the Pacific. The Communist Party of China stood firm and united to fight against Japanese aggression. China's resistance against fascism matters since China initiated the start of the World Anti-Fascist War and was decisive in the global victory.This resistance, which endured the longest and caused significant casualties, demonstrates China's immense contribution to the global peace and the establishment of the post-war international order, serving as a historical foundation for its contemporary role in global affairs and its emphasis on international fairness and justice.
In conclusion, Nepal directly and indirectly fought against Japanese fascism and prevented its further expansion in the Indian subcontinent. The Gurkhas fought for the British force with great bravery and defeated the Japanese fascist forces too. For the recognition of such bravery, Nepali youths recruited in the British Gurkhas received the Victoria Cross too. Largely, China played a key role in the fight against Japanese fascism, and the People’s War of the Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was at center stage. But the government of Nepal, Nepali citizens, and the youth recruited in the British force contributed in different ways in the fight against Japanese fascism. With the defeat of Japanese fascism, the new world order was created after World War II; otherwise, the world would have suffered immensely, pushing the situation to further disaster and destruction.
(Sharma is Chairman of the Nepal-China Friendship Forum/General Secretary of the Friends of the Silk Road Club Nepal)
