Family history helps later generations understand sacrifices behind peace

Filmmaker George Retelas' interest in preserving wartime memories began with the journals and photographs of his namesake grandfather, who served in the Pacific during World War II.

In 1942, the United States launched the Doolittle Raid on Japan. Retelas' grandfather was serving as a US Navy mechanic aboard the aircraft carrier USS Hornet at the time.

Learning about his grandfather's wartime experiences and the men he served with who never returned helped Retelas understand the sacrifices behind the peace he had grown up enjoying.

After his grandfather died, Retelas tracked down veterans who had served alongside him and recorded their memories to preserve their experiences. Later, he came to China to document the stories of Chinese civilians who rescued US airmen following the raid.

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After the raid, 75 US airmen were forced to crash-land or bail out because of fuel shortages.

Chinese villagers, evading Japanese searches and reprisal attacks, risked their lives to rescue 64 of the downed airmen.

Retelas hopes to share those rescue stories with audiences in both countries as a reminder of the cooperation and compassion that connected people during the war.

For him, recollection of those acts of kindness captures the human bonds that were forged during wartime. "As a filmmaker, it's very important for me to capture those oral histories for the next generation," he said.

At a recent tea chat in Hanchuan, Hubei province, Retelas shared those stories with Chinese and foreign participants commemorating the International Day of Peace.

Organized by the Chinese People's Association for Peace and Disarmament, the event brought together senior diplomats from the consulates general of the United Kingdom, Russia, the US and the Republic of Korea in Wuhan, as well as descendants of wartime figures, including a Flying Tigers nurse and a British Army officer.

"Being here and seeing descendants come together from different countries to remember a time when our nations cooperated to fight for freedom is very important," Retelas said.

The lessons of World War II remain relevant today, he said, adding that he wants young people who have lived in peace for most of their lives to understand the cost of war and the value of peace.

The connection between family memories and international friendship also resonated with Dominic McAllister, the British consul general in Wuhan.

When he was young, McAllister helped his grandfather record his experiences during World War II and the postwar rebuilding.

Rediscovering his grandfather's diary reminded him of the continued relevance of those experiences. His grandfather's visit to Hankou in 1933 also gives McAllister's posting to Wuhan a personal historical connection, he said.

It is important to remember history and the sacrifices of previous generations while creating new partnerships and building bridges, McAllister said.

He described the British Consulate-General in Wuhan as playing a role in building bridges between the UK and China through trade, investment, education, culture and people-to-people ties.

McAllister cited a visit to China this year by a group of 86 British students studying Chinese, saying it was important for them to experience China firsthand.

Describing the UK-China relationship as "a very strong, pragmatic relationship based on mutual respect", McAllister underscored the value of connections between the two countries.

"It is important for us to be partners," he said.

For Russian Consul General in Wuhan Dmitry Zavorin, whose father took part in World War II, sharing wartime stories on important commemorative occasions, such as Victory Day on May 9, is a family tradition.

Zavorin tells his daughter about his father's wartime experiences, stressing the importance of preserving family history.

He also highlighted the Chinese people's contribution to victory in World War II, saying that without their resistance to the Japanese invaders, there is no telling how the war would have ended.

The invasion of a sovereign state was an act of aggression that could not be justified, Zavorin said, stressing that the nature of the aggression should not be reinterpreted. Learning the right lessons from history is essential to preventing such tragedies from recurring.

Lasting peace cannot be taken for granted, Zavorin said.

He also called for vigilance against attempts to rewrite history or resort to military force, saying such attempts should be stopped at the root.

Contact the writers at zhoujin@chinadaily.com.cn