Lest we forget. The February 28 Incident marked the beginning of the White Terror and forever scarred the Taiwanese people.

Terror in Formosa, an article from The Daily News of Perth, Australia. Published in March 1947:

A reign of terror, probably unequaled in the history of the [Chinese Nationalist] Government was perpetrated in Formosa [Taiwan].

So said John W. Powell, the only American correspondent who has been able to visit Formosa since uprisings began in February.

Mr. Powell was writing in the China Weekly, a paper of which he is editor.

He said that Chinese government troops committed some of the most unimaginable atrocities to suppress demonstrations.

The Formosans had rioted against oppression far worse than that suffered at the hands of the Japanese.

After rioting began the government sent out flying squads of troops who fired dumdum machine-gun bullets into every group they met.

Deaths were conservatively estimated at 5,000.

General Chen Yi, the Chinese Governor, then promised to accept reforms but used the truce period to reinforce his troops who then subjected Taihoku [Taipei] to a five-day blood bath.

The Daily News (Perth, Australia) – Monday, March 31, 1947
Terror in Formosa

In the final count—in February and March of 1947—upwards of 28,000 Taiwanese civilians were killed by Chinese soldiers.

The violence was perpetrated in broad daylight—by those the Taiwanese had embraced as “brothers” at WWII’s end.

After suffering 50 years of Japanese Imperialism, thousands of Taiwanese perished in five days under Chinese Nationalism.

The victims from that day—and the four-decade-long Terror that followed—included countless Taiwanese intellectuals, democrats, artists, business leaders as well as ordinary folks.

To this day, Taiwan continues to struggle with memories of the senseless bloodletting that began on February 28, 1947.

Lest we forget.

228 Incident (The Terrible Inspection): Woodcut print by Huang Rong-zan
228 Incident (The Terrible Inspection): Woodcut print by Huang Rong-zan (1916–1952).
The 36-year-old Taiwanese artist was executed by Chinese Nationalists during the 1947–1987 Terror.
He was one among thousands.
Posted by:Island Folklore

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