Book Club with Jeffrey Sachs Season 5 Episode 3: Rana Mitter, Forgotten Ally: China's World War II, 1937-1945
Join Professor Jeffrey Sachs and historian Professor Rana Mitter, for a compelling discussion of his book Forgotten Ally: China’s World War II, 1937–1945. Drawing on extensive archival research and long-overlooked sources, Mitter brings to light China’s central, and often underappreciated, role in the global fight against Imperial Japan during World War II.
Together, they explore how China’s prolonged resistance tied down vast numbers of Japanese troops, shaping the broader trajectory of the war in Asia and beyond. They examine the leadership of Chiang Kai-shek, the fragile alliances between Nationalists and Communists, and the immense human cost borne by Chinese civilians. The conversation also addresses how China’s wartime experience influenced its postwar political order and its place in the emerging international system.
This episode offers listeners a powerful reframing of World War II, challenging Eurocentric narratives and highlighting the global dimensions of the conflict. It is a story of resilience, sacrifice, and strategic complexity, one that continues to shape how we understand China’s role in the world today and the enduring legacy of a “forgotten ally.”
The Book Club with Jeffrey Sachs is brought to you by the SDG Academy, the flagship education initiative of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Learn more and get involved at bookclubwithjeffreysachs.org.
Footnotes:
- Books by Rana Mitter
- China’s Role in World War II
- Second Sino-Japanese War
- Invasion of Manchuria
- Chiang Kai-shek
- Mao Zedong
- Opium Wars in China
- Ezra F. Vogel
- Marco Polo Bridge Incident
- Chongqhing Bombing
- Wang Jingwei
- Joseph Stilwell
- P5 UN Security Council
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