It is often forgotten by those in the western world that World War II bore a tremendous toll on the people of China. From July 7 1937 to September 9 1945 the Chinese nation was under siege by the invading Japanese who left upwards of 17 million dead civilians in their wake.

As a foreigner living and working in China, I have been forced to confront the gaps and missteps in my understanding of these tragic historical events. In the process I have gained a new appreciation of the intense and desperate struggle of the Chinese nation to restore freedom to its people at that time.

Rescues like the “Duck Mission” became commonplace towards the end of the war as China and Allied nations began to overcome their struggle against the invading forces. Stories like Mary Taylor Previte’s and Wang Chenghan’s serve as a timely reminder to all that humanity’s overwhelming desire for righteousness, justice, freedom and good, will always overcome evil in the end.