Chapter 10    Chiang Regime

Relocation of Kuomintang Regime to Taiwan

       On April 22, 1947, the Kuomintang Central in Nanking dismissed the Administrative Director Chen Yi, and at the same time, abolished the Administrative Director's Office.  "Taiwan Provincial Government" was established, and Wei Dao-min, a professional diplomat favored by the United States, was appointed as the Taiwan Provincial Governor.  Upon assuming his office on May 16, Wei Dao-min proclaimed suspending martial law and arrest of people involved in "Feb.28 incident".  However, contrary to this statement, Kuomintang kept on the arrests and executions.  As a conciliatory measure, Wei Dao-min appointed seven Taiwanese to seat in the Provincial Government committee.  He also appointed Taiwanese for high posts in the Provincial Government.  However, it was similar to the "Inside Guidance" of Manchuguo.  Just like the Japanese, who worked under the Manchurians, held real power, the Chinese Mainlanders, who worked under the Taiwanese high officials, were holding the real power.

       Obviously, the outlook of civil war in China became more and more unfavorable to Kuomintang, who began actively preparing to relocate to Taiwan.  For this reason, Wei Dao-min was removed from his position on Dec.29, 1948.  In replacement, Chiang Kai-shek assigned his confidant General Chen Cheng as the new Taiwan Governor, and at the same time, appointed his eldest son, Chiang Ching-kuo (1910-1988), as the chief executive of the Kuomintang's Taiwan Provincial Committee.  Chiang Wei-kuo, Chiang Kai-shek's second son and Commander of Armored Division, also moved his picked troops to Taiwan.  Governor Chen Cheng was appointed concurrently as the chief of Garrison Command in January 1949, and in February, he ordered blockade of all harbors and river mouths, and strict control of the coastal lines.  To stop the flow of refugees from China, soldier, government official, or businessman who did not have entry permit were strictly prohibited to enter into Taiwan.  Furthermore, starting from zero hour, May 1, 1949, a sweeping family registry investigation was enforced, and martial law was enforced on May 20.  Until July 15,1987 before it was dismantled, this martial law has been in effect for forty years, and is the world's longest ever.

        Meantime, in Chinese Mainland, disregarding opposition from the Chinese Communists and neutral power, the Kuomintang regime promulgated the "Constitution of the Republic of China" in January 1947.  Based on this Constitution, 2961 Representatives (National Assembly), 760 Legislators (Legislative Yuan), and 180 Inspectors (Inspection Yuan) were elected.  In March 1948, the first National Assembly elected Chiang Kai-shek as the President, Li Tsung-jen as the Vice-President.  Through a series of "electoral procedures" since then, the Kuomintang regime under the leadership of Chiang Kai-shek, became the self-proclaimed “Legitimate government of China".  However, as the tide of war in China turned worse, under mounting request for his resignation, Chiang Kai-shek resigned the Presidency for the time being in January 1949, and recommended Li Tsung-jen as "Acting President”, but remained as the president of Kuomintang Party.

       After resigning his office, Chiang Kai-shek came to Taiwan, set up the “Kuomintang Party President’s Office” in Grass Mountain of Taipei.  From there, he directed and gave orders to the “Party”, “Administration”, “military”, and “Intelligence” organizations in Southern China as President of Kuomintang Party.  Meantime on Aug. 5, 1949, the United States Government, disappointed with the Kuomintang regime, published “China White Paper”, pointing out that Kuomintang's corruption and incompetence caused failure on the Chinese Mainland.  The U.S. considered Kuomintang as a regime “untrustworthy”, and was prepared to abandon it.  On October 1, 1949, the Chinese Communists declared the establishment of People's Republic of China, and the defeat of Kuomintang regime came to a decisive stage.  Li Tsung-jen, the Acting President, fled to America, and Kuomintang regime announced the relocating of its government to Taiwan.  Incidentally, after moving to Taiwan, Kuomintang regime consistently refused to recognize Chinese Communist's People's Republic of China, and resolutely held fast that Republic of China (in Taiwan) was "the One and Only China", and Kuomintang regime was the "Legitimate Government of China".  This is the origin of so-called "Two Chinas" or "One China, One Taiwan".  Since then, Taiwan’s position in the international community had fallen into difficulties.

Korean War and the U. S. Aids       

       On January 5, 1950, President Harry Truman announced "the United States will not involve in the dispute of Taiwan Strait", which meant America will not intervene if the Chinese Communists were to attack Taiwan.  At this critical moment, Chiang Kai-shek proclaimed to "Restore the Presidency", and appointed Chen Cheng as the head of Administrative Yuan.  Incidentally, from that time until today, the colonial Governor's Office has been used as the Presidential Palace.  

         Early in the morning of June 25, 1950, Korean War broke out.  To the Kuomintang regime, which had been abandoned by the United States, Korean War was a "life saver".  President Truman reacted immediately by declaring "neutralization of the Straits of Formosa" on June 27, and sent the Seventh Fleet to the Straits with an order to prevent any attack on Taiwan Island by Chinese forces, and also prevent the Kuomintang forces to attack on China.  From that point on, Taiwan was placed under the U.S. military protection and became a part of the western camp in the Cold War structure.  Korean War was indeed a great event that altered the fates of Kuomintang regime and Taiwanese people.

       In January 1951, the U.S. Government resumes military aids to Kuomintang regime.  On February 10, "Sino-American Mutual Defense and Assistance Agreement" was signed, and Military Aid and Assistant Group (M.A.A.G.) was dispatched to Taiwan and began operation in May.  In addition, a "Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty" was also concluded in December 1954.  Later, due to changes in the international situation, after the normalization of the U.S. and Chinese relations in January 1979, Taiwan's diplomatic relation with the United States was severed, but the "Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty" has been replaced with a U.S domestic law "Taiwan Relation Act".  Since then, the United States recognizes Taiwan as a "political entity", maintains essential relations, and continues to supply onerous weapons necessary for Taiwan’s defense.  In response to China's assertions "Taiwan is a part of China", "Taiwan problem is an internal affair", etc., the U.S. Government and Congress repeatedly issued warning statements: "Taiwan problems must be resolved with peaceful means".  In short, under the U.S. protection, the Kuomintang regime was able to survive, and devote in restructuring in Taiwan.

State of Emergency

       In the newly installed National Assembly, when Chiang Kai-shek was elected as the President, he demanded that in order to suppress the "Communist rebellion", either the Constitution be amended to give the President an emergency "disposition right", or enact a law that supersedes the Constitution.  His demand was accepted whereas "Temporary Provisions effective during the period of communist rebellion" was enacted and put into effect for two years from May 10, 1948.  The so-called "period of communist rebellion" meant the period before the "Rebel" Chinese Communist regime (People's Republic of China) was suppressed.  Therefore, "Temporary Provisions" was a legislation with time limit; only good for two years; it was estimated that “rebellion” would be suppressed by the end of this period.

       "Temporary Provisions" was also applied to Taiwan where there was no Chinese Communist rebellion.  After the Kuomintang regime moved to Taiwan, although the "Temporary Provisions" expired in May 1950, extension was made with the excuse that the "rebellion" had not yet been suppressed, and before it was finally dismantled in May 1991, "Temporary Provisions" was enforced for 43 years.  In short, the Kuomintang regime had put the U.S. protected Taiwan in a state of emergency and ruled with "Temporary Provisions".  "Temporary Provisions" was further reinforced by Martial Law and some 160 other laws and regulations under the heading of "During the period of Communist rebellion".  In other words, the Kuomintang regime used Chinese Communist rebellion as an excuse to justify its oppressive rule in Taiwan, trying to bring about stability and strengthen its ruling structure.

       Repeated revisions of the "temporary provisions" made it possible for the President and the sitting members of various organizations to remain in their seats for life, and gave the president "power of emergency disposal". The Constitution of the Republic of China is a “Constitution of Five Functions”, bestows powers to the National Assembly for electing the President, revising the Constitution, and setting up five institutions under the President, namely: Legislative Yuan (for making, revising, and abolishing laws), Judicial Yuan (for interpreting the Constitution and controlling courts of various levels), Executive Yuan (equivalent to a Cabinet), Examination Yuan (equivalent to National Personnel Authority), and Control Yuan (for political investigation and impeaching government officials).   In spite of the fact that the Constitution was shelved by the "Temporary Provisions" scheme, Kuomintang regime not only claimed to be the "Legitimate Government of China" and pretended that it still rule over the entire territories of China, so as to cover up its dictatorial policies, it also retained the government structure before moving to Taiwan.  Furthermore, with President's "Emergency Disposal Power", the Kuomintang regime established various "Organizations for suppressing rebellion" such as National Security Council for handling emergencies. By this way, a one-party authoritarian state system under Chiang Kai-shek and later Chiang Ching-kuo at the top was made possible, and it became a fact of life.

       However, since Kuomintang regime claimed to be the "Legitimate Government of China", it had incurred various contradictions.  The best example is the "Mongol and Tibet Committee", a Department under Administrative Yuan.  Tibet aside, it is a common knowledge that Mongol has already become an independent country known as People's Republic of Mongol in 1924.  Mongol has joined the United Nations, and has officially been recognized by the international community as an independent country.  Obviously, it was fictitious for the Kuomintang regime not only to claim Mongol's sovereignty, but also to setup its competent authority.  This explains the assertion "Republic of China is the One and Only China" and Kuomintang regime was "the Legitimate Government of China" are also nothing but fictions.  In order to maintain these fictions, both Kuomintang regime and Taiwan residents, including the Chinese Mainlanders, have been compelled to make great sacrifices.

Dictatorial Rule of Chiang Family       

       Aiming to achieve "Lenin-style" political party, Kuomintang Party had tried for a long time to establish a "One-party rule" system.  Kuomintang was just a coalition of many factions in the past, but the party had been rebuilt before moving to Taiwan and Chiang Kai-shek’s close associates had secured the center of the Party.  A centralized ruling structure was established later in Taiwan, and the object of "Party rules the country" was materialized.

       On August 5, 1949, not long after Chiang Kai-shek set up the Kuomintang president's office in Yang Ming Shan, he abolished the Central Standing Committee and established a new "Central Reform Committee", consisting sixteen committee members including Chiang Ching-kuo.  The so-called “Reform” was nothing but power-control by Chiang Kai-shek’s close associates, and in reality, party reorganizing.  Upon relocating to Taiwan, to recall the dispersed party members, Kuomintang announced in September 1950, the "Regulations for the returning party members" which had lashing effects on the party members.  In the 7th General Meeting of Party Representatives in October 1952, Kuomintang declared that the tasks of the Central Reform Committee were completed, and resumed the original Central Standing Committee.  Through this party reform, Chiang Kai-shek made his own position as steadfast as the rock and his authority unchallenged.  At the same time, the deification, and worship of Chiang Kai-shek, so-called "God-making Movement" went on, whereas bronze statues of Chiang Kai-shek were erected in various places of Taiwan.

       While exerting themselves to obtain power on one hand, Chiang Kai-shek and his son also proceeded with succession planning.  Chiang Ching-kuo, a student in Soviet Union, with a background of Soviet Communist member, was a great help in bringing "Lenin-syle party" to realization.  The characteristics of Kuomintang and Communist Party were nearly identical, and to both of them, revolution equals to achievement.  In short, Kuomintang was a "Revolutionary Party" resolved to continue to "revolt" until the "Three Principles of the People" was materialized all over China.  Absolute power was concentrated in the party boss (in Chiang Kai-shek's days, the party boss was called "President", but renamed to "Chairman" later).  Kuomintang's party boss, equivalent to the chairman of Central Standing Committee of Soviet Communist Polit Bureau, presided the Central Committee meeting every Wednesday, made the nation’s fundamental policies practically according to his own idea.  This was no different to the "Concentrated Democratic System" of the Communist Party.

       The organization of Kuomintang was also similar to that of the Communist Party.  Under the "Central Party" headquarters, there were "Regional Parties" which, parallel to Regional Administrative Organizations, giving "guidance" to the administrators.  Each Regional Party had its own "People Service Station" providing service to citizens in Kuomintang's name, and at the same time, guiding their thoughts and watching their movements.  However, expenses of this citizen service were largely borne by Regional Administrative Organizations, as if the "National Treasury is connected to Party Treasury".  There were also horizontal party organizations, such as "Special Party Units" inside the military and public industries.  There were party organizations even in the military regiments, and "Political Combat Officers" or "Political Instructors" were responsible for carrying out party policies and guiding thoughts.  Each industry has its own individual party organization, such as the "Railway Party Unit" in the Railway Bureau.  Among the special party units, there was the most functional "Huang Fu-shing Party Unit" of the ex-service men.  The organizational activities of the Kuomintang were not limited to this, the privileged "Party-owned Industries" controlled by the Kuomintang Central Treasury Committee had entered into every sphere of commercial enterprises, and was the largest conglomerate in Taiwan.  Chiang Ching-kuo played a great part in building such vigorous Kuomintang Party rganization etwork, which linked to his control of power later.

       Under the aegis of his father, Chiang Ching-kuo was appointed the virtual leader of the "Political Action Committee" (Later renamed "National Defense Council"), which was essentially Kuomintang’s highest power machine.  In April 1950, he also became the head of "Political Dept. of the National Defense Ministry", which managed political officers and controlled soldier's thoughts.  Through this military reorganization, the troops were turned into Kuomintang "troops", and absolute loyalty to Chiang Kai-shek and later to Chiang Ching-kuo was cultivated.  Furthermore, in November 1951, the "Military Political Officers Training School" was established to train political officers, and Chiang Ching-kuo appointed himself as the headmaster.  In October 1952, following the examples of the "Communist Youth Corps" and the "Three People's Principles Youth Corps" of the early-day Kuomintang, the "Chinese Youth Corps for Anti-Communism and Saving the Country" was established, with Chiang Ching-kuo as the head of the Corps.  Intended mainly for students of high school or higher, the purpose of C.Y.C.A.S. was to train students and youths to be faithful to Kuomintang by guiding their thoughts and lives.  When students enrolled into school, they were admitted to the Corps automatically, and youths in general could join the Corps in various regions according to their wishes.  In this way, Chiang Ching-kuo tried to gain control of Taiwanese younger generation.

       In March 1965, two months after Chiang Ching-kuo became Defense Minister, Vice-president Chen Cheng, a confidant of Chiang Kai-shek, died.  The father-and-son succession structure of Chiang Kai-shek and Chiang Ching-kuo was now set up in substance.  In May 1966, Chiang Kai-shek became the fourth term President, and Yen Chia-kan, known as a "Yes-man", was appointed Vice President and Premier concurrently.  In June 1969, Chiang Ching-kuo was appointed as Vice-Premier under Yen Chia-kan.  By that time, Chiang Kai-shek was infirm with age, and due to Yen's personal character and position in the party, Chiang Ching-kuo was the supreme authority de facto.  In May 1972, Chiang Kai-shek and Yen Chia-kan were elected as the Fifth President and Vice-President respectively, and Chiang Ching-kuo was elevated to the position of Premier.  In April 1975, when Chiang Kai-shek died, Yen Chia-kan assumed the office of President, but Chiang Ching-kuo became the head of Kuomintang Party.  It was "hereditary" party leadership from Chiang Kai-shek to Chiang Ching-kuo, and since then, the party leader was renamed as "Chairman", and President, the chief of the nation, had been separated from the Chairman of Kuomintang Party.  However, three years later, when Party Chairman Chiang Ching-kuo became the Sixth President in May 1978, he held both positions of Party Chairman and President again, and so-called "Chiang Family Kingdom" was realized. 

"House on House" Duplication of  Administration Structure

       Claiming the "Legitimate Government of China", and to demonstrate domestically and internationally that Republic of China was the “the One and Only China”, Kuomintang regime not only set up Administrative, Legislative, Judicial, Control and Examination Yuan under Central Government, but also eight departments and two committees under Administrative Yuan, in spite of the fact that actual controlled area was limited to Taiwan and the two small islands of Kimoy and Matsu,.  These were Departments of Interior, Foreign Relation, Finance, Economy, Transportation, National Defense, Education, Justice, and Committees of Oversea Chinese, Mongol, and Tibet Affairs.  Maintaining this structure was to pretend that it still rules over entire China.

       Repeated rezoning of administrative sphere resulted in: Taipei and Kaohsiung metropolitan cities and Fukien Province (Kimoy and Matsu Islands only) are under the control of Administrative Yuan.  Taiwan Provincial Government controls sixteen prefectures (hsiens), namely Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Taichung, Changhua, Nantou, Yunglin, Chiayi, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pintung, Taitung, Hualien, Yilan, and Penghu.  There were also five cities under the direct control of Provincial Government namely Keelung, Hsinchu, Taichung, Chiayi, and Tainan.  Under the sixteen Hsien Governments, there were as many as 300 plus Hsien-controlled minor cities, Tsengs (towns) and Hsiangs (villages), all of which had their own public offices.  In other words, with Administrative Yuan at the top, there were provincial and central controlled City Governments, under Provincial Government there are Hsien and Provincial-controlled City Governments, and under Hsien Governments there are Hsien-controlled Citiy, Tseng, (towns) and Hsiang (villages) offices.

        The governors of Taiwan and Fukien Province were appointed while the mayors of Taipei and Kaohsiung cities were popularly elected, except for Fukien Province and parliament representatives.  In addition, prefecture governors, provincial and regional city mayors, town and village administrators, and representatives of respective councils were popularly elected.  However, local self-government was only superficial; in reality, the state of local self-government in Taiwan was estimated at 10%, compared to 30% in Japan.  In the case Taiwan, the head of local self-government neither had personnel administering right, except for hiring temporary employees, nor had own source of revenue.  As to civil servants, regardless of national or local, examination and appointment were controlled by Central Government.  Central and local taxation systems were separated; however, nearly all tax revenues were pumped up by Central Government.  The actual situation was that the finance of cities, towns, and villages depended upon subsidies from Prefectures, Prefectures in turn depended upon subsidies from Province, and Province depended upon subsidies from the Central Government.  Therefore, the government of Taiwan was nothing but a centralized administration.

       Within Taiwan Provincial Government, there were "Agencies" and "Departments" similar to those of Administrative Yuan, except for National Defense, Justice, and Foreign Affairs Departments.  Within Prefecture (Hsien) and City Governments, town and village public offices, there were "Bureaus", "Sections", and "Sub-sections", similar to those of Provincial Government.  Administrative and Public Offices at Hsien, City, Town, and Village levels may have been necessary, but the Central and Provincial Governments are obviously repetitious both structurally and functionally.  The "House on House" structure was not only corpulent and complex, but also inefficient.  The phenomenon of multi-layered government offices and huge number of government officials had been ridiculed as "Placing a gigantic Buddha in a tiny temple" or "Placing too many Buddhas in a small temple”.  It was a situation that “If someone throws a stone would most certainly hit a government official".  One extreme example was "National Security Council" established in February 1967, with the President as the head of the Council.  Since Administrative Yuan carried out decisions made by the Council, it was, so to speak, an "Administrative Yuan on top of Administrative Yuan".  In addition to this, Administrative Yuan also follow the instructions of Kuomintang Central Committee.  Moreover, all members of National Security Council being Kuomintang Central Committee members, who made important decisions for the country, the system was extremely repetitious and complex.  Simply put, it was a scheme of dictatorial government, with President Chiang Kai-shek as the head of National Security Council and his son, National Defense Minister Chiang Ching-kuo, as the Secretary of the Council. those who make important decisions of the country, it was extremely repetitious and complex.

       Another extreme example of "House on House" situation was the "Investigation Bureau of the Ministry of Justice", which may be called "Police on top of police".  The police in Taiwan, just as in Japan before the war, was under the unitary command of Police Department, Ministry of Interior.  If a crime is committed in Taipei and the criminal fled to Tainan, the police of Taipei could arrest him in Tainan.  There is a big difference in that an American police cannot arrest any criminal who flees to other state.  Because of this, there is the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), which belongs to the Department of Justice, a federal police force dealing with interstate crimes.  However, in a small country and under unitary police command system, Taiwan also head a Bureau of Investigation equivalent to FBI.  The Bureau of Investigation not only repeats in function with that of the police, but also exceeds far beyond, having the character of a "Secret Police", playing the role of a "Political Police".  Agents dispatched by the Bureau of Investigation penetrated into personnel posts of administrative organizations of various levels, public enterprises as "Section 2" of Personnel Departments (generally called "Personnel 2" Unit), and were responsible for thought control.  Through these "P-2" Units, Kuomintang regime controlled the "State Affairs" of administrative organizations and public enterprises, with one of the Regime’s four pillars of support namely “Party”, “Administrative”, “Military”, and “Secret Police”.

KMT and Chiangs Controlled  Military Power

              In Chinese political culture, there is no conception of "Ballot box produces political power".  "Gun produces political power", as Mao Tse-tung used to say, is the essence of Chinese politics.  In 1924, in order to train and secure military power, Kuomintang established "Huangpu Military Academy" at Huangpu, a suburb of Guangchow, with Chiang Kai-shek as the headmaster.  Almost all graduates of this academy became the leaders in Chiang's Army. 

       Not long after the Korean War, American aids began to pour into Taiwan.  From 1951 to 1965, the U.S. provided $1.5 billion in aids to Taiwan, including $800 million in military aids, based on "Mutual Security Act".  Besides the Military Assistance and Advisory Group (M.A.A.G.), a secret military advisory group by the name of "White Group", headed by an ex-Japanese military officer Naosuke Tomita (Pai Hong-liang in Chinese name), had joined in support for equipping and training the Kuomintang armed forces.  As a result, the Kuomintang forces were modernized, and added with conscription in Taiwan, the fighting capacities had been greatly reinforced.

       Aiming to recapture Mainland China, the Kuomintang regime published a slogan "Prepare for l year, counter-attack in 2 year, clearing the enemy in 3 year, and succeed in 5 year”, and had advertised extensively for a long time.  However, the slogan of "Recapturing the Mainland" disappeared unnoticed and was replaced by "Devote for defense", a national defense order to be prepared for armed invasion from China.  Around half million armed forces were maintained always, and therefore, the burden levied on the Taiwanese was extremely great.  Through 1970s, military spending exceeded 50% of  total budget, resulted in shortfall of social investments such as public facility construction.  Moreover, like the Communists, Kuomintang trained soldiers with thorough "political education", so that they became the "private army" of Chiang Kai-shek and son, and were hostile to the critics of the Kuomintang regime.

       According to the statistics published in April 1993, of 20,400,000 population in Taiwan, total armed forces was 460,000, of which the ratio was Army 4.2 to Navy 1, and Air Force 1.  Based on this ratio, the number of Army were around 312,000, and both Navy and Air Force were around 74,000.  It had also been planned that within ten year hereafter Army personnel will be reduced by about 60,000 to 250,000, and maintains Navy and Air Force at 75,000 each, totaling armed forces of 400,000.  Moreover, equipping missile units in the Army, high-speed missile boats in the Navy and high performance fighters in the Air Force will be emphasized.  Judging from the situation and planning, it is obviously not a strategic arrangement for "Unification of China", but rather a defense system of an independent nation, preparing for the invasion from China.

The Secret Military Agency                                                              That Silences a Crying Child

       Kuomintang regime brought into Taiwan an insidious "Secret Police Politics" which is usually seen in China.  Secret Police and “Informer” are inseparable.  One would not hesitate to inform against his relative for self-protection, even between parent and child, man and wife, brother and sister.  Under Kuomintang's authoritarian politics, fellow Taiwanese suspected each other; this also greatly helped Kuomintang’s control on Taiwan.

       The Secret Police in Taiwan was usually called "Secret Military Agency" or "Secret Peace-keeping Intelligence Agency".  As the name indicates, problem lies in "Peace-keeping" and "Intelligence" were lumped together; Intelligent Agency did the functions of Peace-keeping agency, and vice versa.  The original Secret Military Agency that fled to Taiwan was extremely complicated; on the whole it was divided into two major organizational systems namely: "Bureau of Military Investigation and Statistics" (M.I.S.) and "Central Party Investigation and Statistics" (C.I.S.).  M.I.S. and C.I.S. were always hostile to each other, secretly informed against each other, and desperately competed with each other in "producing criminals".

       In February 1967, "National Security Council" was established, and an executive agency "National Security Bureau" was set up, putting Police and re-organized Secret Peacekeeping Intelligence Agencies under its control.  Organizations under National Security Bureau’s command were: (1) Police Administration Office, Bureau of Exit and Entry Control, and Investigation Bureau of Justice Department; (2) Taiwan Garrison Command Headquarters, General Political Combat Unit, Military Intelligence Bureau, and Military Police Headquarters; (3) Social Work Committee, (Chinese) Mainland Maneuvers Committee, and Overseas Maneuvers Committee.  Of these organizations, directly affecting the daily life of the Taiwanese were Police Administration Office, Bureau of Investigation, Garrison Command, Military Police, and Social Works Committee.  One can also see the adhesion of the Party and State, a phenomenon of "Indiscrimination of Party and State" in Taiwan.

       The people fear National Security Bureau so much that the mere mention of its name would "silence a crying child", just like fearing the police in Japanese Era.  Because NSB Headquarters is located at 110 Yang-teh Boulevard of Yang Ming Mountain, it is called the "Mystical 110".  No visitor or reporter is admitted except taking pictures from outside the gate.  All successive bureau chiefs were exclusively military officers in the rank of a general, and the bureau was nicknamed "Taiwan KGB" or "TKGB".  In order to check the "security level" of each individual toward the Kuomintang regime, so-called "Security Data" was maintained here.  The "Security Data" were drawn up by:  (1) Political Instructors in the military; (2) "Section 2" of Personnel Departments in government offices and public industries; (3) the Police; (4) Kuomintang's “Social Service Stations" in various locations; (5) Security officers in embassies or overseas representative's offices.  In addition, National Security Bureau collectively managed these "security data".  Like a dragnet cast over all Taiwanese, domestic or abroad, NSB kept a close watch on their thoughts and political activities in the name of national security.  Critics of the Kuomintang regime were prosecuted and often convicted without trial. 　

Resistance and Suppression

       After "Feb.28 incident", Kuomintang regime cast a dragnet of strict watch and prosecution over Taiwan, and mercilessly suppressed those who dared to demand for reform, criticize, or oppose the authoritarian rule.  With charges of "Collaborating with Chinese Communists", "Hiding Communist spies" and "Plotting to overthrow the Government", a great number of people had been arrested.  Moreover, many innocent people were prosecuted with fabricated crimes.  Let us review some of the primary examples in chronicle order.

May 1953, "Wu Guo-jen seeks refuse in America Incident".  Wu Guo-jen (a Chinese Mainlander), who enjoyed the confidence of the Americans, was appointed as the Governor of Taiwan in December 1949.  However, he could not get along with Chiang Ching-kuo, and perceiving the danger of being assassinated, he resigned in March 1953 and fled to America.  Living in exile, he sternly criticized the dictatorial Kuomintang Government, especially the Secret Police controlled by Chiang Ching-kuo.

August 1955, "Sun Li-jen incident".  Sun Li-jen (a Chinese Mainlander), an army general, who also enjoyed American confidence, rendered distinguished services fighting the Japanese forces in Burmese front during World War II.  After the war, he was appointed the commander of re-organizing and training army, the Taiwan Defense commander, and Chief Commander of the Army successively.  Nevertheless, being disliked by Chiang Ching-kuo, he was entangled in a Communist spy incident by his subordinate and was dismissed while serving as the Chief of Staff of the President.  He was put under house arrest with a false charge, and was freed in March 1988 after thirty-three years.

September 1960, "Ray Cheng incident".    Ray Cheng (a Chinese Mainlander), a Kuomintang Party member and had a high official background.  He bitingly criticized the Kuomintang regime and had advocated, "Counter-attacking on the Mainland is hopeless".  When he summoned Taiwanese intellectuals and politicians and actively involved in forming "Chinese Democratic Party", Ray was arrested on the suspicion of patronizing a Chinese Communist spy, and was sentenced for ten years of imprisonment.

September 1961, "Soo Tung-chi incident".  So Tong-keh was a councilman from Yunglin Prefecture.  Because of his sharp criticism on Kuomintang regime, he was accused of leading a Taiwan independence scheme, and was arrested together with more than 200 supporters.  So was imprisoned for 15 years.

January 1962, "Liao Bun-geh Taiwan Independence Incident".  On suspicion of supporting Liao Bun-geh's Taiwan independence movement in Tokyo, Shek Shih-shung, Que Kok-ki, Yang Kim-hoh, Li Goan-tsan, and more than two hundred others were arrested.

September 1964, "Taiwanese Self-saving Declaration Incident" or “Peng Min-bing Incident”.  Professor Peng Min-bing and his students, Hsia Ch'ong-bing, Gui Teng-tiao, deemed it a grim reality that "One China and One Taiwan" exists in the international community.  Upon printing "Taiwanese Self-saving Declaration ", they were secretly arrested.  After searches and close inquiries, American scholar friends made the arrest of Peng Min-bing and his students known, and Kuomintang regime officially announced their arrest in October.  All three were sentenced to imprisonment for definite terms, however, owing to international pressure, Peng Min-bing was pardoned in November 1965, and the sentences of Hsieh and Wei were reduced in half.  It is interesting to note that the Declaration has become the Principle of “One Taiwan, One China Theory” today.

August 1969, "Lin Sui-chuan Incident".  Lin Sui-chuan, a member of Taipei Municipal Council, known for his fiery anti-Kuomintang speech.  In an effort to promote Taiwan independence, he organized the "National Association for United Youths", but was arrested together with some 270 comrades in August 1968.  At the end of a trial, which lasted two years, among the 15 convicted, Lin Sui-chuan, Lu Kuo-ming, Gan Yi-bo were sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment.

December 1971, "Statement on National Affairs Incident".  When President Nixon decided to visit China, Taiwan Presbyterian Church (Rev. Kao Chun-ming, General Secretary of Church Association) issued a "Statement on National Affairs" demanding that: (1) The future of Taiwan must be entrusted to self-determination by the Taiwanese people; (2) Democratization must be propelled in Taiwan.  The same church also announced "Declaration on Human Right" in August 1977, asserting, "Now that China attempts to annex Taiwan, we believe Taiwanese residents should decide on their own future, based on United Nations’ Human Rights Declaration”.  The Declaration further requested the U.S., all nations, and churches of the whole world to take necessary steps in helping Taiwan become "a new and independent nation".  These declarations issued by the Presbyterian Church irritated the Kuomintang regime, resulted in suppression and arrests of the Christians later.

October 1975, "Pai Ya-ch'an Incident".  At legislators’ election in 1975,  Pai Ya-ch'an, running for the legislator, prepared a written twenty-nine-item inquiry to Chiang Ching-kuo, and was arrested for treason.  Without open trial, he was imprisoned for about 13 years until April 1988.  In addition, Chou Pin-wen, a businessman, who printed the inquiry, was sentenced for 5 years imprisonment for "helping the traitor".

November 1977, "Chungli incident".  At the election of Taoyuan Prefecture Governor, because Kuomintang schemed falsified votes in order to fail candidate Hsu Shin-liang, a disturbance where angry citizens burned down the police station had happened.  Soldiers were mobilized to suppress the riot, but when the citizens accused them of "beating fellow Taiwanese", the soldiers pulled back.  Since then, police and military police were used instead of soldiers for suppressing the citizens.  It is noteworthy that by 1970’s, of all the soldiers in Taiwan, 90 percent were Taiwanese youths.

December 1979, "Ilha Formosa Incident" also called "the Kaohsiung Incident".  On December 10, 1979, a rally commemorating the international human right day was restricted by the police for not having approval from the authority, and clash between demonstrators and the police turned into a bloody incident. The anti-Kuomintang leaders were all arrested, and at the trial in military court, criminal law for rebellion was applied. Shih Min-teh was sentenced to life, Huang Shing-chieh, Yao Chia-wen, Chang Chun-hung, Lin Yi-hsiung, Lin Hong-shuan, Lu Shou-lien and Chen Chu, etc. were sentenced to 12 to 14 years of imprisonment.  In addition, in April 1980, Rev. Kao Chun-ming and nine other Presbyterian Church members were arrested for "helping and hiding the fugitives", but were paroled in August 1984.

February 1980, "Slaughter of Lin Yi-hsiung's Family Incident".  Lin Yi-hsiung was a Member of Taiwan Provincial Assembly at that time.  Arrested as one of the "Kaohsiung Incident" leaders, he was under detention on the day of February 28, 1980, when at noontime, his mother, and two twin daughters were cruelly murdered at his home.  Lin was an important suspect of the "Kaohsiung Incident", and the crime was committed while his home was under surveillance.  Therefore, the Secret Military Police was suspected to have involved in the murder.

July 1981, "The Murder of Dr. Chen Wen-chen Incident".  Chen Wen-chen was an Assistant Professor of Carnegie Melon University.  He was a critic of Kuomintang regime while he was in the United States.  On July 2, 1981, during his short visit in Taiwan, he went missing after he had been summoned to the Garrison Command Headquarters for questioning.  Next day, his body was discovered in the campus of Taiwan University.  There were traces of violence in his body.  It was suspected that this incident served as a warning to Taiwanese critic abroad.

October 1984, "The Murder of Chiang Nan Incident".  Chiang Nan (real name Liu Yi-liang, a Chinese Mainlander), a writer and a U.S. citizen, was active in the U.S. exposing the secrets of Kuomintang.  In concern with the publishing of his "Biography of Chiang Ching-kuo", and by order of Chiang Shao-wu, the second son of Chiang Ching-kuo, Taiwan Mafia, dispatched by the Military Intelligence Bureau of National Defense Ministry, murdered him in his own home in the suburbs of San Francisco.  At the trial in America, Kuomintang regime denied involvement with the incident, but paid US$1.5 million to the widow of Chiang Nan for compensation in September 1990.  After this incident, Ronald Reagan, the well-known "Pro-Taiwan President", applied pressure on the Kuomintang regime on August 17, 1985 to practice democratization in Taiwan, in connection with "1986-87 Foreign Affairs Authorization Act".  This has become the turning point of propelling democratization afterwards, and resulted in Kuomintang government’s tolerating the establishment of an opposition party, the Democratic Progress Party, in September 1986, and lifting of the martial law in July 1987.

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