Chiang Kai-Shek and the Chinese-Taiwanese Conflict

The first thing I noticed about the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall was  how much it looked like the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Carol told us later that President Lincoln was a favorite of Chiang. The second things I noticed were the inscriptions along the walls in Chinese characters. I asked Carol what they meant. The first were the words Ethics, Democracy, and Science. Chiang used these principles to fight against the communist party and work to unify China. He was a member of the nationalist party (Kuomintang or KMT) in China, but was also urged by the western countries (specifically the United States) to democratize. The second inscriptions instruct readers to continuously improve the life of humanity and to sustain life in the universe. The third inscription is Chiang’s will, challenging readers to continue his legacy and always look back in to history as they continue in to the future.

As we began to explore the ground level of the Hall and go through the museum, Andy explained to us some of the history and dynamics of the Chinese-Taiwanese conflict and how Japan fit in to the mix. What he found most interesting was that if Japan hadn’t invaded China, there may never have been communism in China because Chiang and his troops would have been able to fight strongly and successfully against Mao. But this was not the case. Japan invaded and Chiang retreated to Taiwan, hoping Mao would tire out his troops against Japan and allow Chiang to sweep through and take control. Instead, Mao became battle hungry and the plan backfired.

We also discussed the White Terror, a movement by many different governments in their respective countries to eliminate communism. In China and Taiwan, the White terror was led by Chiang Kai-Shek. There was a huge massacre in Shanghai following the push through all of China. On Taiwan, any people even thought to oppose KMT would disappear. This included communists, liberals for the democratization of Taiwan, Chinese mainlanders who had escaped to Taiwan, and many of Taiwan’s social and intellectual elite. It was this act that left many Taiwanese bitter towards the Chinese mainland, communism, and Chiang Kai-Shek.

It is curious to me that two of the words inscribed on the walls of the upper level of the hall are Ethics and Democracy. It was not until Chiang’s son, Chiang Ching-kuo and later Lee Teng-hui came in to power that democracy was really instated in Taiwan. Additionally, it seems hardly possible that ethics was something considered by Chiang Kai-Shek as he moved through the Chinese mainland, brutally purging it of communists and later doing the same (or worse) on the island of Taiwan. Perhaps it was Chiang’s view that anti-communism was ethical (a very ends-justify-the-means, utilitarian approach to ethically removing communism, though it may be), but once it came to destroying all opposition to KMT I feel the ethics of the matter were entirely lost.

It seems strange to me, then, that these two phrases would be elected to be inscribed on a memorial hall for Chiang Kai-shek. He did a lot to develop Taiwan and create success for the country, but a brutal history trails behind him. This thought also makes it curious that the inscription of his will would instruct readers to always remember the past as they move forward. It seemed like subtle way of cherishing how far Taiwan had come while also reminding visitors of the terror that came with this progress despite how little the real history is discussed in actuality (we discussed also how many Taiwanese will not discuss the Chinese-Taiwanese conflict and the White Terror beyond an academic setting—it won’t simply come up in conversation on the streets).

We also discussed that there would never be a public reconciliation for what had happened beyond the public apology from Lee Teng-hui in 1995. This just seems to continue to speak to the reality of how little the conflict is discussed. The hope is that it will simply fade in to history as Taiwan moves forward and becomes more successful. This, again, seemed so contradictory to the inscription in the Memorial Hall. To take it further, as we exited the bus to enter Taipei 101, we crossed paths with a group of protestors holding pamphlets and signs displaying the horrible injuries that were inflicted during the White Terror. Andy told a few of us that they would set up near the tower so that they could catch the mainland tourists as they exited their busses. There would be no way for the mainlanders to avoid the information. This if nothing else seemed like a cry for reconciliation, an act of remembrance, and a case of the people taking the issue to the streets—beyond academic discussion.

The unrest of the issue seemed clear to me. It makes me worried—or hopeful—for what might happen in the future. The conflict can’t possibly stay repressed forever. But then again, with the culture of saving face and staying quiet, it might.