President Ma Ying-jeou, accompanied by Vice President Wu Den-yih, on September 2 attended a commemoration held by the Ministry of National Defense to mark the 70th anniversary of the Republic of China's (ROC) victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan and 2015 Armed Forces Day. The president spoke about the significance of the government's commemoration of the ROC's victory and Taiwan's retrocession from a global perspective, an ROC perspective, and the Taiwan perspective. He also reiterated that the ROC's current series of activities to commemorate the war is based on the firm belief that while expansionist aggression is a mistake that may be forgiven, the truths of history cannot be forgotten, and that these events are not meant to stir up hatred, but to condemn aggression; not to flaunt the fact that we won the war, but to pursue peace.
After arriving at the venue the president viewed a film commemorating the ROC's victory in the War of Resistance, after which he presented commemorative medals marking the victory to veterans of that war. He also presented awards to recognize outstanding military personnel and those who have distinguished themselves in promoting national defense education.
Following is a translation of highlights from the president's remarks:
The year 2015 marks the 70th anniversary of the ROC's victory in the War of Resistance. On this day 70 years ago, a representative of the Japanese government signed the Instrument of Surrender aboard the battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, and proclaimed his nation's unconditional surrender to the Allied Forces, which formally brought an end to World War II. I just presented commemorative medals to eight veterans who fought in the war against Japan. In July of this year we began presenting commemorative medals marking the ROC's victory in the war to express our gratitude to domestic and foreign veterans who fought in that conflict. To date, a total of 6,653 medals have been awarded, and of the 705 people from mainland China who applied, 402 medals have already been distributed.
On behalf of the government and people of the ROC, I want to take this opportunity to express our highest regard and deepest appreciation to those who fought in the War of Resistance. The Republic of China will never forget your sacrifices and dedication, which ensured the survival of the nation and upheld the dignity of the Chinese people. And you will never be forgotten by peace-loving people around the world.
Now I would like to say something about the significance of commemorating the ROC's victory in the War of Resistance and Taiwan's retrocession from a global perspective, an ROC perspective, and the Taiwan perspective.
First, the eight-year War of Resistance not only saved the ROC and resulted in Taiwan's retrocession, but also helped the Allied Forces win World War II.
The ROC's eight-year War of Resistance was the most extensive, protracted, and far-reaching war against foreign aggression in Chinese history. ROC forces, with outdated weapons and equipment, engaged sophisticated, well-trained Japanese troops in a war that included 22 major battles, over 1,100 large-scale campaigns, and over 38,000 smaller engagements. About 3.22 million ROC troops, including 268 commanding officers, lost their lives, along with more than 20 million civilians. However, ROC forces fought to the bitter end, unwilling to surrender or compromise, and ultimately won the war.
After the Pearl Harbor attack in December of 1941, the ROC formed an alliance with the UK and the US in the war against Japan, and also sent troops to participate in the war abroad. The most celebrated incident occurred in April of 1942 in Burma when Regiment Commander Liu Fang-wu (劉放吾) led the 800 members from the 113th Regiment of the New 38th Division to defeat a Japanese force several times its size, rescuing British troops, journalists and missionaries in a battle known domestically and internationally as the Victory at Yenangyaung. That was the first time ROC forces had ever won a victory outside its own borders. Former British Army captain Gerald Fitzpatrick, who participated in the battle, is also on hand today. He has written about the war in three books, highlighting the fact that although ROC forces were involved in a bloody and bitter struggle during that period, they still managed to help the Allied cause and defeat a formidable enemy.
The US president during our War of Resistance, Theodore Roosevelt, provided the ROC with significant military and diplomatic assistance. He said that one key to the Allied victory in World War II was China's staunch war against Japanese aggression, which prevented Japan and Germany from joining forces and linking the Asian and European theaters. In the Prologue to his 2014 book titled Forgotten Ally: China's World War II, 1937-1945, Professor Rana Mitter of Oxford University adds that "China's war is also a story of heroic resistance against massive odds, of a regime and a people who managed, despite everything, to pull off victory against the enemy in a 'war of resistance to the end', proving wrong the journalists and diplomats who predicted, over and over again, that China could not possibly survive…During this time a poor and underdeveloped country held down some 800,000 troops from one of the most highly militarized and technologically advanced societies in the world…the success of the Allies in fighting on two fronts at once, in Europe and Asia, was posited in significant part on making sure that China stayed in the war." These words are all testament to the ROC's wartime tribulations and outstanding contributions to the Allied victory in World War II.
Next, I want to talk about the meaning of the War of Resistance with respect to the Chinese people. In recent years, much attention has been given at home and abroad to the topic of "who led the war." For many years, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has claimed that it led China in the War of Resistance and that the Chinese Communist Army was a "mainstay" in the war. Much to our regret, the CCP ignores the historical facts and the contributions of the Nationalist government, which led the whole country, military and civilian, in the eight-year war against Japan.
Chinese Communist forces did participate in the war against Japan. This is something we have never denied. The Communist forces, however, were not in a position of leadership. They played a supplementary role. This is the historical truth. Following the July 7, 1937 Marco Polo Bridge Incident, Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek (蔣中正) on July 17 issued the Lushan Statement, appealing to military personnel and civilians throughout the nation: "North or south, young or old, no matter who you are, everyone is responsible for defending our homeland in the War of Resistance." On September 22 the Chinese Communists issued a declaration calling for a united front with the Nationalist government to save the nation, responding to the government's call for the communists to join the fight against the Japanese in the War of Resistance. At almost the same time, however, the Chinese Communists settled on their developmental strategy, devoting 70% of their resources to self-expansion, 20% to their compromise with the Nationalists, and 10% to resisting Japan.
Ten years ago when the 60th anniversary of the victory in the War of Resistance was celebrated, the Chinese Communists divided the wartime effort into the "front lines" and "behind enemy lines." In this regard, it recognized the leadership of the Nationalist government on the front lines, but emphasized the contributions of the Chinese Communist forces behind enemy lines. In fact, with the release of large amounts of historical data, it's clear that throughout the War of Resistance, the Nationalist government led on both the front lines and behind enemy lines.
Over the eight-year War of Resistance, 268 high-ranking military officers sacrificed their lives for the nation, of which only Major General Zuo Quan (左權), the deputy chief of staff of the 8th Route Army, was affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party. The other 267 high-ranking military officers were all from the ROC military. Compare the sacrifices of each side, and it's perfectly clear who led the War of Resistance. Furthermore, all of the major campaigns and battles were led by ROC forces. And following the ROC's victory in the War of Resistance, representatives of the ROC military attended the Japanese surrender to the Allied forces in Tokyo Bay. All of the surrender ceremonies held in the Chinese theatre were chaired by the ROC military.
There can only be one historical truth. The Nationalist government's Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek led the nation, military and civilian, through an arduous struggle to victory in the War of Resistance. Without that victory, Taiwan would not have been returned to the ROC. Without the sacrifices and struggles of the nation's military forces, the Republic of China would not have the free, democratic, and prosperous life that we have today. As ROC president, I have the responsibility to provide a clear account of this important period in our nation's history, pass it on to future generations, and not let it be obscured.
Recently, I have repeatedly urged the Japanese government to face the history of World War II with fact-based objectivity and clarity about historical events. Over the past seven years, the two sides of the Taiwan Strait have seen the beginning of a historic era of reconciliation and cooperation based on the 1992 Consensus, whereby each side acknowledges the existence of one China but maintains its own interpretation of what that means. We sincerely hope that, given the unprecedented frequency of exchanges between the two sides, mainland authorities will be able to embrace these same principles in looking at the War of Resistance Against Japan, a war that will forever be etched into Chinese history.
Our forebearers gave their lives to defend the country during the war, which cannot be relegated to the ash heap of history by future generations. People on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are ethnically Chinese, descendants of the Emperors Yan and Huang. So they should be faithful to the history of the War of Resistance, and never forget it. Being clear about the facts of history and showing humane empathy to veterans, as well as publicly stating that the eight-year War of Resistance was led by the Nationalist government with the Chinese Communists in a supplementary role, would bring the mainland authorities in line with historical truths and show real character. That stance would also be lauded by Chinese people both at home and abroad.
Third, I would like to discuss the role of the Taiwanese people against Japanese aggression, and in the War of Resistance. Historically speaking, Taiwanese were involved in resisting Japan and a war of resistance at least 30 years earlier than mainlanders. Let's first start by discussing anti-Japanese activities. The Qing court (1644-1911) was defeated in the First Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895), and signed the Treaty of Shimonoseki in 1895, ceding Taiwan to Japan. That news shocked Taiwan, giving rise to much grief and indignation. The people of Taiwan, however, engaged in armed resistance against the Japanese colonizers for 20 years, beginning in May of 1895 when the Japanese military landed on the shores of Aodi in northern Taiwan until the Tapani Incident (aka Xilai Temple Incident) in Tainan in 1915. Thereafter, Taiwanese engaged in unarmed resistance. In the global history of colonialism, that was a rare example of the will to stand up and fight the oppressors.
Early martyrs and heroes in the resistance against Japan included Chiu Feng-chia (丘逢甲) and Liu Yung-fu (劉永福), who were instrumental in the founding of the Republic of Formosa. Meanwhile, guerrilla fighters included the trio of Lin Shao-mao (林少貓), Chien Ta-shih (簡大獅), and Ke Tieh (柯鐵). Resistance leaders in the Tapani Incident in Tainan included Yu Ching-fang (余清芳), Luo Chun (羅俊), and Chiang Ting (江定), while Mona Rudao (莫那魯道), a member of an indigenous tribe, led resistance forces in the Wushe Incident. After the Republic of China was established in 1911, individuals returning to Taiwan to participate or assist in the uprising included Luo Fu-hsing (羅福星) and Lin Tsu-mi (林祖密). We will never forget these heroes who resisted the Japanese. Goto Shinpei (後藤新平), who was in charge of civil affairs at the Taiwan Governor's Office between 1898 and 1906, admitted in his 1921 book Japan's Colonial Policy Reflected that from 1898 to 1902 alone, using the Statute for the Punishment of “Bandits” issued by his own office, some 11,950 heroes in the resistance to Japan were lured into the open, and then massacred.
Even after Japan began its colonial rule, anti-Japanese activities in Taiwan continued. In addition to armed resistance, news publications, education, and cultural activities also came into play. Crusaders who encourage unarmed resistance, the pursuit of autonomy and democracy, and the establishment of a representative assembly included Lin Hsien-tang (林獻堂), Chiang Wei-shui (蔣渭水) , Liao Chin-ping (廖進平), Weng Chun-ming (翁俊明), Lien Ya-tang (連雅堂), Tsai Pei-huo (蔡培火), and Chien Chi (簡吉). In the latter years of that period, people like Tsai Chung-shu (蔡忠恕) and Lee Chien-hsing (李建興) were involved in underground movements. So Taiwan's anti-Japanese resistance movement not only endured over time, but proved to be a powerful force throughout the island, which is truly inspiring.
During the War of Resistance Against Japan, General Li Yu-bang (李友邦) organized volunteer Taiwanese partisan fighters to carry out guerilla operations against Japan in the coastal provinces of Fujian and Zhejiang. Weng Chun-ming (翁俊明) led the Taiwan Revolutionary Alliance. Taiwan natives such as Li Wan-chu (李萬居) participated in the Institute of International Studies. Chiu Nien-tai (丘念台) led the Guangdong eastern regional service corps against Japan, and Lin Cheng-heng (林正亨) joined the Chinese Expeditionary Force to Burma. Our forefathers such as Hsieh Tung-min (謝東閔), Huang Chao-chin (黃朝琴), and Lien Chen-tung (連震東) also contributed to Taiwan's retrocession, and they are also a source of inspiration.
Although their approaches were different, our forefathers all sought freedom and democracy. More important, they proved that although Taiwan was a Japanese colony at the time, the motherland to which they pledged their allegiance was definitely not Japan. In resisting Japan, Taiwanese compatriots showed great determination and a strong feeling of Taiwan solidarity
Recently there has been quite a bit of domestic discussion about Taiwanese involvement in anti-Japanese activities and movements, and the role that Taiwanese played in the War of Resistance. So here, I'm going to explain my position on this issue. I fully respect the historical recollections of different ethnic groups. I also understand that in looking back on that era, many people feel frustration and grief when they assess that period of history, and the fate of those who lived through it. But so many Taiwanese before us have taken up the banner for fallen comrades, devoting their efforts—and even their lives—to oppose aggression and colonialism. The facts are there, and selective amnesia is not an option. Even more, we can't allow our children, and our children's children, to be ignorant about this important period in history. When we talk about that period, we speak on behalf of the heroes and martyrs of the past, so that contemporary society can bear witness to that important historical era. Ultimately, this is my duty, and my responsibility.
On August 14, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe delivered remarks to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, and referred to Japan's errors of "aggression" and "colonization," and their "serious violation of the dignity and honor of comfort women." The ROC government is confident that Japan is willing to reflect on and examine its past actions. But even more, we hope that in the future Japan will do more, and do better in addressing its wartime actions.
Here, let me reaffirm that our commemoration of the 70th anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance and Taiwan's retrocession are based on our conviction that while expansionist aggression is a mistake that may be forgiven, the truths of history cannot be forgotten. We do not seek to incite hatred, but to condemn aggression. Nor do we wish to flaunt our victory, but to pursue the path of peace.