The 228 Incident -also spurred by selling illegal cigarettes

[Bonobo]

In an interesting coincidence, the recent murder of Eric Garner for selling illegal cigarettes was mirrored in the 228 Incident, a massacre of the Taiwanese people by the Chinese puppet government of Chiang Kai Shek. Not surprisingly China doesn't speak much of this but it is a painful open wound for Taiwanese to this day and very few Americans seem to have even heard of it.

After Japan's defeat in the war, the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP) from the Chinese mainland had given the Taiwanese people hope for the building of new Taiwan. However, rule under the CNP was even worse than that under the Japanese. There was an inexplicable amount of corruption among government officials, rice and sugar being sold on the black market on the mainland, and lack of public spirit, and the Taiwanese people described it as like "dogs being replaced by pigs." This was used in the sense that the Japanese were nuisances but like a guard dog. However, the CNP only devoured greedily and weren't useful for anything.

The 228 incident occurred amidst this widespread discontent. On February 27, 1947, a Taiwanese woman selling illegal tobacco in Taipei was attacked by a Monopoly Bureau officer. The officer fired on the people who were causing a commotion and one youth died. In protest of this, a demonstration was held at the city hall the following day on February 28. Because the military police fired upon this protest, the conflict soon spread throughout Taiwan. The civilians temporarily grasped power in many regions, but the CNP government brought in reinforcements from the mainland, and oppressed the uprising with military force. According to the Executive Yuan 228 Incident Report, casualties were estimated to be 18,000 - 28,000 (other reports state these figures to be between 800 and 100,000).[\blockquote]

[brush]

1. Wow! This certainly wasn't in the history books

Thanks for the info.

How did Chiang Kai-shek figure with the CNP?

[Bonobo]

2. When the Communists took over China...

He fled to Taiwan and took power. He ruled thre for like 30 years after two decades of rule in China.

China took over Taiwan in precisely the same manner as any invaders do, by brutalizing the indigenous population. And thanks to their influence, Taiwan is not even recognized as an official nation to this day.

[brush]

4. Was he in charge during the 228 incident? nt

[Bonobo]

5. He was not IN Taiwan at the time perhaps

But most of the blame for it happening belongs to him and the high-handed way the Chinese acted when they claimed Taiwan as part of China following the defeat of the Japanese in WW2. The Japanese had been excellent custodians for 50 years and had modernized Taiwan. When they left, the Taiwanese say "the dogs left and the pigs took over."

[brush]

6. Just trying to understand

Are you saying that the indigenous people of Taiwan are not Chinese but a different ethnic group?

[Bonobo]

7. Yes. There is a large indigenous population

Of many tribes that are NOT Chinese and spoke a different language.

[brush]

8. Okay, I get it now

Most people today don't know that. Many think that Taiwan, being so close to mainland China, was largely populated by ethnic Chinese people even before Chiang Kai-shek.

[Jesus Malverde]

3. Not what I expected...

Thanks!