Posters, pictures, books and various documentary materials have attracted the attention of publishers, distributors and readers at the national book trade fair in Tianjin this month -- just because they share the same theme: World War II.

Tang Zhiqiang, whose publishing house launched a series of hard-covered books on the European battlefields of World War II, said they have collected nearly 1,000 old photographs, 80 percent of which are first introduced to Chinese readers, including detailed materials of the troops, battle maps, and munitions.

Tang and his colleagues have spent nearly one year collecting all the materials, most of which were from foreign museums. Sales justified their efforts, the order forms they received were 30 percent more than their expectation.

The 22-volume book series "Documentary series on the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression," put out by the publishing house of the People's Liberation Army, describes exactly what took place during the war.

Wu Bao'an, vice president of east China's Qingdao Publishing House, was happy to find more than 10,000 books by their publishing house were sold out at the opening day of the trade fair.

Professor Song Zhiyong with Nankai University of Tianjin, said that 61 countries and 80 percent of the world population were involved in the Second World War. He said that hot sales of these books reflects readers' respect for those fought for justice and peace.
 
(Xinhua News Agency May 25, 2005)