Chiang Kai-shek ordered '228 Massacre' to crush uprising against Chinese rule of Taiwan

February 26, 12:01 PMBoston Progressive ExaminerMichael Richardson

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Chiang Kai-shek's handwritten order sending troops to Formosa

Chiang Kai-shek, leader of the Nationalist 'KMT' troops during China's civil war following World War II, ordered troops sent to the island of Formosa to quell a local uprising. The United States had Nationalist soldiers accept the surrender of the Japanese on the island at the close of World War II and allowed the Chinese to remain and provide local rule in an effort to reduce U.S. troop commitments.

On February 27, 1947, agents of the Taiwan Tobacco and Wine Monopoly Bureau beat a female street vendor and shot an innocent bystander in an incident at Round Park. The next day several thousand protestors marched in Taipei against the brutality but were met with bullets. A spontaneous uprising occurred against Chinese rule throughout the island.

On March 5th Chiang ordered mainland troops under his control to be sent to the island to put down the insurrection. Martial law was declared and even though things had settled down by the time the Nationalist soldiers arrived the massacre began almost immediately.

Taiwan president Ma Ying-jeou has admitted Chiang's role in the atrocities but has sent conflicting messages to the Taiwanese people. The Taipei Times reports that Ma spoke with Chien Ming-jen about the execution of his father, Chien Chi, during the 'White Terror' that followed the 228 Massacre.

Ma, who is head of the KMT party, told members of the Taiwan 228 Association that, "Of course [Chiang] was responsible….He was the national leader, and he should bear responsibility for what happened. I've never denied that."

However, Ma doesn't want to judge Chiang by a single event as he seems to view the '228 Massacre' and following decades of martial law abuses. Ma has reopened Chiang's mausoleum at Tzuhu, restored the honor guard there, and wants to rename the National Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall back to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall.

Ma served for years as translator to Chiang's son, Chiang Ching-kuo, under his dictatorial rule of Taiwan. Under Ching-kuo's rule, martial law was imposed and the 228 Massacre was a forbidden topic.

Ceremonies throughout Taiwan are planned to commemorate the victims of the massacre. Also, a memorial service is planned in Washington D.C. to honor the martyred victims. Mayor Tain-Tsai Hsu of Tainan City will be speaking at the Taiwanese Presbyterian Church of Washington. The mayor will then speak at the Wheaton Community Church in Wheaton, Maryland at a Justice and Peace Memorial Service.

All 228 Massacre commemorations are free and open to the public.

While the 228 Massacre is remembered, three federal judges of the District of Columbia U.S. Court of Appeals are grappling with the 'Taiwan question' and interpretation of the San Francisco Peace Treaty between the United States and Japan. In the treaty, Japan renounced all claims to Formosa leaving the future of the island to be determined. A lawsuit, Roger C.S. Lin, et al vs. United States seeks to resolve the island status with a judicial declaration that residents are non-citizen U.S. nationals much like the residents of American Samoa. No date for a decision has been announced.