Formosa Betrayed
By George H. Kerr
A courageous American diplomat, Mr. George H. Kerr, who worked at the
US Consulate in Taipei at the time of the massacre, observed many
atrocities in person. He later on set out to write down his observations
and research, which was published in 1965 as "Formosa Betrayed",
published by Houghton Mifflin, and republished in 1992 by the Taiwan
Publishing Co., Irvine CA. Copies can be ordered by faxing to
(714) 863-3141. An online version
has also been made available at http://www.formosa.org/betrayed.
After the Japanese surrender in 1945, the Formosans, despite the Cairo
Declaration, hoped for a guaranteed neutrality under American or
international trusteeship. Instead, they were delivered over to another
and more oppressive occupation.
Their prosperous society was invaded by a horde of mainland Chinese,
often brutal, ignorant, and greedy -- the dregs of the Nationalist army.
The new governor, under orders, bled the island dry, ruthlessly and
with dispatch.
Yet still the Formosans hoped. American propaganda, promising freedom
to all oppressed peoples, and citing the glorious Revolution of 1776,
continued to pour in upon them. In February 1947 unarmed Formosans rose
en masse to demand reforms in the administration at Taipei. Chiang
Kai-shek's answer was a brutal massacre. Thousands died -- first among
them were the leaders who had asked for American help. Washington
turned a deaf ear, while the Chinese communists rejoiced.
After Chiang's military collapse and retreat to Formosa the situation
became even worse. As American emotional commitment to Chiang became
more fervent, Formosan hope for American or United Nations intervention
or understanding faded and died.
From inside cover of Mr. George H. Kerr's "Formosa Betrayed."
Copied from
Taiwan, Ilha Formosa
The February 28 Holocaust