Past Brought Back to Life

By Peter Harmsen
22 November, 2013
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This blog has previously introduced a small, but growing number of re-enactors that specialize in the Chinese side of the Second Sino-Japanese War. Their expanding numbers are testimony to the strengthening awareness in the west of the burden shouldered by China in challenging Japanese imperialism years before Pearl Harbor.

It’s a hobby, but it’s also a passion for many, and the goal is to recreate the past as faithfully as possible. Everything has to be authentic, right down to the haircuts, or the way the helmets are strapped under the chins. Re-enactors often spend long hours on research in primary sources, including old photos, to make sure they commit no faux pas – and the attention to detail shows.

Below are a series of photos from recent re-enactment events showing how close you can actually get to the bloody reality of seven decades ago.