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Title |
End of WWII: Taiwan in the Days Before and After August 1945 |
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Author |
Hsu, Hsueh-Chi |
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Research Fellow& Director, Institute of Taiwan History, Academia Sinica |
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Abstract |
This paper explores the situation of Taiwan in the days before and after August 15, 1945, on which the Second World War ended. By reviewing the personal diaries of Wu Pingcheng（吳平城）, Yang Jizhen（楊基振）, and Yang Yingfeng （楊英風）, who lived overseas, as well as those of Lin Hsien T’ang（林獻堂）, Ng Ong Seng（黃旺成）and Huang Jitu（黃繼圖）, Wu Xinrong（吳新榮）, Wu Hongqi （吳鴻麒）, who lived in Taiwan, the author examines the response of Taiwanese in the days prior to and in the aftermath of the surrender of Japan. Past official records often painted a picture of Taiwanese rejoicing over the end of Japanese colonization and the return of Taiwan to China. However, the diaries of Taiwanese, both local and abroad, seemed to reflect a more complex emotion over the defeat of Japan and the victory of China. The elation over the end of war was mixed with apprehension of the uncertain future. While diaries detail the serial records of a person’s life, they also serve as first-rate information sources for historical research. From the diaries of the above individuals, we can see their different feelings towards the surrender of Japan, and at the same time, we can establish a collective memory concerning the end of WWII. |
