Retrocession of Taiwan

{{Short description|Transfer of Taiwan and Penghu from Japan to the Republic of China in 1945}}

{{Infobox event

| image = 1945 日本在臺北市公會堂向二戰同盟國投降 October 25th, Japan Surrenders to Allies of World War II in Taipei, TAIWAN (Formosa).jpg

| partof = World War II

| caption = Japanese surrender ceremony in Taipei

| native_name = 臺灣光復

| native_name_lang = zh

| date = 25 October 1945

| outcome = Taiwan came under control of the Republic of China

| module = {{Infobox Chinese

|child=yes

| pic =

| t = 臺灣光復

| s = 台湾光复

| order = t

| p = Táiwān Guāngfù

| w = T‘ai²-wan¹ Kuang¹-fu⁴

| kanji = 台湾光復

| hiragana = たいわんこうふく

}}

}}{{History of the Republic of China}}

On 25 October 1945, Japan handed over Taiwan and Penghu to the Republic of China, as a result of the World War II. This marked the end of Japanese rule and the beginning of post-war era of Taiwan. This event was referred to by the Republic of China as the retrocession of Taiwan (臺灣光復).[http://www.ipsas.sinica.edu.tw/image/ipsas/1/213.pdf 國籍與公民權：人民與國家「身分連結」的法制溯源與法理分析] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150107155717/http://www.ipsas.sinica.edu.tw/image/ipsas/1/213.pdf}}，第34-36頁，李建良，台北：中研院政治所、中研院社會所，2006-05-26{{cite web |title=中華民國外交史料特展臺灣光復 |url=http://www.npm.gov.tw/exh100/diplomatic/page_ch04.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150711230720/http://www.npm.gov.tw/exh100/diplomatic/page_ch04.html |archive-date=2015-07-11 |access-date=2014-12-16 |publisher=國立故宮博物院 }}蘇瑤崇，[http://www.drnh.gov.tw/ImagesPost/46ea605e-f08b-4f39-94fd-e3ed4cdce786/6378ccbe-ecac-4394-83ec-8de1f1aaf369_ALLFILES.pdf 「終戰」到「光復」期間臺灣政治與社會變化] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518081250/http://www.drnh.gov.tw/ImagesPost/46ea605e-f08b-4f39-94fd-e3ed4cdce786/6378ccbe-ecac-4394-83ec-8de1f1aaf369_ALLFILES.pdf}}，國史館集刊第十三期，2007年9月{{cite book |author=臺灣省諮議會 |url=http://www.tpa.gov.tw/export/sites/tpa/files/public/public12-4-2.pdf |title=臺灣省參議會、臨時省議會暨省議會時期史料彙編計畫－蔡鴻文先生史料彙編（下） |date=2005 |publisher=臺灣省諮議會 |isbn=986-00-4270-5 |access-date=2015-05-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714022133/http://www.tpa.gov.tw/export/sites/tpa/files/public/public12-4-2.pdf |archive-date=2015-07-14 }} The Republic of China government viewed this as the restoration of Chinese sovereignty over Taiwan, following its cession to Japan in 1895 after the Qing dynasty's defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War. Therefore, the event was named "retrocession", a notion that has been controversial since the democratisation of Taiwan in the 1990s. The date of the handover was annually celebrated as the Retrocession Day, a former public holiday in Taiwan from 1946 to 2000.

On 15 August 1945, Japan announced its surrender following its defeat in World War II. On 2 September, Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers, issued General Order No. 1, instructing Japanese forces in various locations to surrender to the Allies. The order specified that Japanese troops in Taiwan were to surrender to the Chinese leader Chiang Kai-shek. Chiang delegated He Yingqin as his plenipotentiary for the surrender process, who further appointed Chen Yi to oversee the surrender in Taiwan. The Governor-General of Taiwan and Commander of the Japanese 10th Area Army, Rikichi Andō, on behalf of Japan, surrendered to Chen Yi at the Taipei Public Hall on 25 October, signing the documents to formalise the transfer.{{cite web |author= |date=2010-12-15 |title=中山堂受降檔案分析 |url=http://www.drnh.gov.tw/var/file/3/1003/img/10/967888649.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309072308/https://www.drnh.gov.tw/var/file/3/1003/img/10/967888649.pdf |archive-date=2021-03-09 |access-date=2017-11-01 |publisher=國史館 |language=zh-tw }}[http://www.tpa.gov.tw/opencms/activity/exhibition/subExhibition10/exhibition0007.html 臺灣省諮議會- 戰後臺灣如何「光復」？] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181114224727/http://www.tpa.gov.tw/opencms/activity/exhibition/subExhibition10/exhibition0007.html}}，臺灣議政史料展，臺灣省諮議會網站

Background

File:Office_of_War_Information_flyer_No.107.jpg

The Qing dynasty of China ceded Taiwan to Japan in 1895 following its defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War. The 1911 Revolution brought about the fall of the Qing dynasty and the establishment of the Republic of China.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2024-11-18 |title=HISTORY |url=https://www.taiwan.gov.tw/content_3.php |access-date=2024-11-18 |website=Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan) |language=en}}

Japanese aggression escalated into full-scale conflict after the Marco Polo Bridge Incident in 1937, drawing the Republic of China into the Second Sino-Japanese War. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the Republic of China officially joined the Allies in World War II.{{Cite web |last=Mitter |first=Rana |date=2015-09-01 |title=Forgotten ally? China's unsung role in World War II |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2015/08/31/opinions/china-wwii-forgotten-ally-rana-mitter/index.html |access-date=2024-11-18 |website=CNN |language=en}} The Republic of China sought Allied agreement for Japan to relinquish Taiwan and return its sovereignty to China after the war. This intention was included in the Cairo Declaration and reiterated in the Potsdam Proclamation, which called for the fulfilment of these terms.{{Cite journal |last=Teng |first=Sue-feng |date=2014 |title=The 70th Anniversary of the Cairo Declaration and its Historical Significance |url=https://www.taiwan-panorama.com/en/Articles/Details?Guid=11ff4118-3278-4e6e-83db-b2d5f7f66f98&CatId=10&postname=The%2070th%20Anniversary%20of%20the%20Cairo%20Declaration%20and%20its%20Historical%20Significance |journal=Taiwan Panorama |publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan)}}

{{Blockquote|text=It is their purpose that Japan shall be stripped of all the islands in the Pacific which she has seized or occupied since the beginning of the first World War in 1914, and that all the territories Japan has stolen from the Chinese, such as Manchuria, Formosa, and The Pescadores, shall be restored to the Republic of China.|title=1943 Cairo Declaration}}{{Blockquote|text=The terms of the Cairo Declaration shall be carried out and Japanese sovereignty shall be limited to the islands of Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku and such minor islands as we determine.|title=1945 Potsdam Declaration}}

Government plans

On 17 April 1944, the National Government of the Republic of China in Chongqing, through the Kuomintang's Central Design Bureau, established the Taiwan Investigation Committee. Chen Yi, who had participated in the 40th Anniversary Commemorative Taiwan Expo, was appointed as the head. Initially, no Taiwanese members were part of the committee, but in September, several Taiwanese members were added.{{Cite web |title=國家發展委員會檔案管理局-檔案支援教學網>臺灣戰後初期的接收與治理>臺灣接收工作>接收規畫 |url=https://art.archives.gov.tw/Theme.aspx?MenuID=200}} In May 1944, the Central Design Bureau divided the Chinese territory into three zones, the rear zone, the recovered zone, and the retroceded zone, with Taiwan and Manchuria being the retroceded zone.〈復員計畫綱要（二）〉，《國民政府》，國史館藏，數位典藏號：001-041100-00002-002，[https://ahonline.drnh.gov.tw/index.php?act=Display/image/3501232EO4ObKC#lI89 P. 8]{{cite journal |author=張齊顯 |author2=林嘉慧 |date=2012-06-01 |title=外交部駐臺公署成立與首任特派員探討研究 |url=https://libap.nhu.edu.tw/citesys/jnPaperDetail.aspx?pID=3564 |journal=南開學報 |volume=9卷 |issue=1期 |page=2}}

With the end of the war, the Nationalist government debated two plans for Taiwan: a normal Chinese province or a special administration area with additional military authorities. Chiang Kai-shek, upon the suggestion of Chen Yi, turned Taiwan into a Chinese province, yet he set up the Taiwan Provincial Administrative Executive Office, which had extensive political and military power. This design was criticised by Taiwanese and was called the New Governor-General Office.[http://www.jimlee.org.tw/history_detail.php?articleSN=8708 二二八事件] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518085515/http://www.jimlee.org.tw/history_detail.php?articleSN=8708}}，李筱峰，1997年2月25日

Takeover

= Initial reactions =

On 15 October 1945, the National Revolutionary Army of China arrived in Taiwan, landing at Keelung, where they were greeted warmly by the local Taiwanese population.[http://www.mh.sinica.edu.tw/MHDocument/PublicationDetail/PublicationDetail_638.pdf 悲劇的歷史拼圖金山鄉二二八事件之探析] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161009153547/http://www.mh.sinica.edu.tw/MHDocument/PublicationDetail/PublicationDetail_638.pdf}}，頁5，中央研究院近代史研究所彙刊第36期，2001-12 Businesspeople took out advertisements in local newspapers to celebrate the takeover, and streets were filled with celebrations marked by firecrackers and Chinese lanterns. Although there were limited incidents of Taiwanese retribution against the Japanese, the general situation remained calm and orderly, with the Taiwanese anticipating the Chinese administration's arrival.{{Cite web |title=臺灣的歷史源流(下冊) |url=http://public1.ntl.gov.tw/publish/culture/history2/c9hsyquarter1.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928175947/http://public1.ntl.gov.tw/publish/culture/history2/c9hsyquarter1.pdf |archive-date=2007-09-28 |access-date=2007-09-08 }}

= Surrender ceremony =

File:19451025_中國戰區臺灣省受降典禮後_臺灣省警備總司令部全體官兵合影.jpg

On 25 October 1945, the Japanese surrender ceremony in Taiwan took place at 10 a.m. at the Taipei Public Hall. The surrendering party was the Japanese Empire's 10th Area Army, represented by Governor-General of Taiwan and 10th Area Army Commander General Rikichi Andō. Chen Yi represented the Allied Commander-in-Chief Chiang Kai-shek to accept the surrender, which was witnessed by representatives of Nationalist government, Taiwanese people, Japanese forces, and American forces.{{Cite web |author=林炳炎 |date=2014-05-09 |title=從「翻異」看「1945年10月25日台北市公會堂の降伏式」 |url=http://pylin.kaishao.idv.tw/?p=4804 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190503092141/https://pylin.kaishao.idv.tw/?p=4804 |archive-date=2019-05-03 |access-date=2018-06-09 |language=zh-tw }}慶祝抗戰勝利五十週年兩岸學術硏討會論文集，第1卷，第553頁，中國近代史學會，聯合報系文化基金會，1996

Representatives of the National Government: Chen Yi, Ge Jing'en, Ko Yuan-fen, Huang Chao-chin, Yu Mi-chien, Sung Fei-ju, Li Wan-chu.
Representatives of the Taiwanese people: Lin Hsien-tang, Chen Hsin, Mosei Lin, Tu Tsung-ming, Lo Wan-chu, Xie Shuangqiu, Huang Shih-hung, Wang Baiyuan.
Representatives of Japan: Rikichi Andō, Haruki Isayama, Hifumi Suda, Tasuku Nakazawa.
Allied representatives: Edwin A. Locke Jr., Cecil J. Gridley, Henry Berk, Ulmont W. Holly, George H. Kerr, among 19 others.

After the surrender ceremony, Chen Yi delivered a radio speech proclaiming that Taiwan and the Penghu Islands had rejoined China, marking Taiwan's retrocession. George H. Kerr, who was invited to proofread the English translation of Chen Yi's Chinese speech, noted that it omitted any mention of the role played by the United States.美國駐台北副領事葛超智與「二二八事件」，第128頁，王呈祥，海峽學術出版社，2009 On the Taiwan Provincial Administrative Executive Office officially began operations, with its headquarters located at the former Taipei City Hall.{{Cite web |author=鄭梓 |date=2009-09-24 |title=臺灣接管 |url=https://nrch.culture.tw/twpedia.aspx?id=3831 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721063227/https://nrch.culture.tw/twpedia.aspx?id=3831 |archive-date=2023-07-21 |access-date=2023-07-19 |website=臺灣大百科全書 |publisher=中華民國文化部 }}

= Property takeover =

From November, the Taiwan Provincial Administrative Executive Office and the Taiwan Garrison Command jointly established the Taiwan Provincial Receiving Committee, tasked with taking over military and administrative functions, as well as Japanese assets in Taiwan. In January 1946, the Handling Committee was set up under the Receiving Committee, with branches in 17 counties and cities to oversee the management of Japanese assets. By July, additional bodies—the Property Auction Committee and the Property Liquidation Committee—were established to handle the valuation, auction, and settlement of debts and claims related to the properties and financial institutions .{{Cite web |title=臺灣日產的接收 |url=https://www.archives.gov.tw/alohasImages/95/search.html |website=檔案樂活情報}}

Aftermath

Shortly after the takeover, the Taiwanese people witnessed a corrupt and undisciplined Chinese administration that seized Taiwan's resources to support the civil war on the mainland.{{cite book |author=呂芳上 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uYCQlAEACAAJ&q=官員貪污案 |title=中華民國近六十年發展史 |publisher=國史館 |year=2012 |isbn=9789860333978 |volume=第1卷 |pages=第14–15頁}}{{cite book |author=陳翠蓮 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KNuBAAAAIAAJ&q=台糖+五十萬噸稻米 |title=派系鬥爭與權謀政治:二二八悲劇的另一面相 |date=1995-02-20 |publisher=時報文化出版 |isbn=9789571315782 |page=第84頁}}{{Cite journal |author=蘇瑤崇 |date=2014 |title=戰後臺灣米荒問題新探（1945-1946） |url=http://www.mh.sinica.edu.tw/MHDocument/PublicationDetail/PublicationDetail_1607.pdf |journal=中央研究院近代史研究所集刊 |publisher=中央研究院近代史研究所 |issue=86 |pages=95–134 |issn=1029-4740 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112023805/http://www.mh.sinica.edu.tw/MHDocument/PublicationDetail/PublicationDetail_1607.pdf |archive-date=2020-11-12 |access-date=2019-02-05 }}{{rp|111}}{{cite journal |author=程玉鳳 |date=2009 |title=光復初期臺糖的銷售問題—十五萬噸敵糖的來龍去脈（1945-1947） |url=https://www.drnh.gov.tw/p/405-1003-14214,c212.php |journal=《國史館館刊》 |issue=第21期 |pages=47–94 }}{{rp|69}}{{cite news |author=William D. Newton |date=March 21, 1946 |title=Chinese Exploit Formosa Worse Than Japs Did |newspaper=Washington Daily News |location=Washington, North Carolina |page=3}}{{cite news |author=William D. Newton |date=March 1946 |title=Corrupt Chinese Rule Bleeding Rich Isle |newspaper=Washington Daily News |location=Washington, North Carolina}} The government's poor economic management led to hyperinflation, reduced production,{{Cite web |title=國立中央大學台灣歷史教學資料網 |url=http://hakka.ncu.edu.tw/Hakka_historyTeach/abstract_detail.php?sn=44 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200419150451/http://hakka.ncu.edu.tw/Hakka_historyTeach/abstract_detail.php?sn=44 |archive-date=2020-04-19 |access-date=2017-07-16 }}[http://taup.yam.org.tw/comm/comm9509/tpdc5905.html 「由終戰五十年談台灣前途座談會」紀實] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309072417/http://taup.yam.org.tw/comm/comm9509/tpdc5905.html}}，台灣教授協會通訊第四期，1995-09 widespread unemployment and hunger,[https://books.google.com.tw/books?id=PXiB6H_jc_IC&pg=PA306 甘蔗悲歌-二林事件] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170801035239/https://books.google.com.tw/books?id=PXiB6H_jc_IC&pg=PA306}}，第306頁，歷史教學理論與實務，吳翎君，五南圖書出版股份有限公司，2004-01-10 and a rise in violent crime.[http://www.jimlee.org.tw/history_detail.php?articleSN=8732 從台海兩岸文化差異看台灣前途] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518085519/http://www.jimlee.org.tw/history_detail.php?articleSN=8732}}，李筱峰，2013-01-29 Taiwanese citizens faced discrimination by mainland military and government officials,[https://books.google.com.tw/books?id=jCVxqUEnRb4C&pg=PA179 為這個時代留下永遠的歷史見證與紀錄] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309072438/https://books.google.com.tw/books?id=jCVxqUEnRb4C&pg=PA179}}，第179頁，李筱峰，Third Nature Publishing Co.，2004 which fueled growing resentment. These factors ultimately contributed to the eruption of the 28 February incident.[http://www.228.org.tw/pages.aspx?v=82D4F7824F7815C6 本會簡介] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150703145052/http://www.228.org.tw/pages.aspx?v=82D4F7824F7815C6}}，財團法人二二八事件紀念基金會 Many intellectuals who had supported the end of Japanese rule and were hopeful for Chinese governance, including Lin Hsien-tang, were either killed or forced to flee by the government.[https://books.google.com.tw/books?id=kk3BjM2fDSgC&pg=PR4 狂飆的年代：近代台灣社會菁英群像] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309072451/https://books.google.com.tw/books?id=kk3BjM2fDSgC&pg=PR4}}，第4頁，林柏維，秀威出版，2007-09-01

Controversy

The Nationalist government was criticised for controlling Taiwan as "conquerors", displaying an attitude of "superiority" and exercising authoritarian power.二二八事件資料集，第29頁，鄧孔昭，稻鄉出版社，1991 It implemented a 40-year-long period of White Terror, during which Taiwan's indigenous people were repressed, and democracy, human rights, and freedoms were stifled. Therefore, a good number of Taiwanese scholars believed that there was no retrocession of Taiwan, but the island was once again conquered by a foreign government.{{Cite web |author=許建榮 |date=2016-10-25 |title=臺灣光復節？臺灣再淪陷日？ |url=http://www.peoplenews.tw/news/3c279ecd-c1d4-4de9-9718-4f9d432e4ce1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309072515/http://www.peoplenews.tw/news/3c279ecd-c1d4-4de9-9718-4f9d432e4ce1 |archive-date=2021-03-09 |website=peoplenews.tw}}{{Cite web |author=盧世祥 |date=2015-10-11 |title=打破「台灣光復」的迷思 |url=http://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/paper/922744 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309072506/http://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/paper/922744 |archive-date=2021-03-09 |website=ltn.com.tw}}[http://www.hi-on.org.tw/bulletins.jsp?b_ID=94768 「光復」？還是淪入另一個外來政權統治？] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170801041028/http://www.hi-on.org.tw/bulletins.jsp?b_ID=94768}}，張炎憲，鯨魚網站，2009-10-20{{Cite news |author=蔡文居 |date=2013-10-28 |title=南市教育局長：光復節是台灣再淪陷日 |url=http://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/breakingnews/891395 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309072510/http://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/breakingnews/891395 |archive-date=2021-03-09 |newspaper=自由時報 |location=台南}}[http://www.taiwanenews.com/doc/emerson1034.php 何日再光復?─台灣光復節八月十五日台灣淪陷日十月廿五] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309074620/http://www.taiwanenews.com/doc/emerson1034.php}}，周明峰，台灣e新聞，1991-04-15