Taiwan Garrison Command

{{Short description|Secret police force in the Republic of China (Taiwan) from 1945 to 1992}}

{{Infobox military unit

|unit_name = Taiwan Garrison Command

|native_name = {{lang|zh-TW|臺灣警備總司令部}}

|image = Flag of the Taiwan Garrison Command.svg

|image_size = 250px

|caption =

|country = {{flagicon|TWN}} Republic of China

|type = Secret police / state Security body

|branch = {{nowrap|24px Ministry of National Defense}}

|dates = September 1945 – 1 August 1992

|specialization = Suppression of anti-government elements

|command_structure = {{nowrap|24px Republic of China Armed Forces}}

|size =

|current_commander =

|garrison = Taipei City

|ceremonial_chief =

|nickname = Ching-tsung ({{lang|zh-TW|警總}})

|motto =

|colors =

|march =

|mascot =

|battles =

|notable_commanders = :zh:彭孟緝, :zh:陳守山, :zh:周仲南

|anniversaries =

|decorations =

|identification_symbol = 170px

|identification_symbol_label = Logo of Taiwan Garrison Command

}}

File:ROC Commanding General of Garrison Flag.svg

File:ROC Garrison Unit Flag.svg

The Taiwan Garrison Command ({{zh|c=臺灣警備總司令部|p=Táiwān Jǐngbèi Zǒngsīlìngbù}}) was a secret police and national security body under the Republic of China Armed Forces on Taiwan. The agency was established at the end of World War II, and operated throughout the Cold War. It was disbanded on 1 August 1992.{{cite news

|author=許紹軒

|url=http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2008/new/may/17/today-fo3-2.htm

|publisher=Liberty Times

|script-title=zh:小檔案／警總戒嚴時代「東廠」

|language=Chinese

|page=

|date= 17 May 2008

|accessdate=2008-06-13

}}

Taiwan Garrison Command was responsible for suppressing activities viewed as promoting communism, democracy, and Taiwan independence.

Organization

Taiwan Garrison Command was commanded by a three-star general officer and contained both officers or enlisted personnel from the Army, Marine Corps, Military Police, Political Warfare, or Intelligence Bureau; and members from the National Police Agency of the Ministry of the Interior, as well as civilian recruits from other colleges after special training. Because of security reasons, its military draftees were tagged and interviewed before the usual military recruit training.

Involvement

Although officially a military division, Taiwan Garrison Command actually functioned as a secret police organization. It was actively involved in suppression of suspected Communist sympathizers or Taiwan Independence activists. Many pro-democracy activists were imprisoned as well. Famous cases include the arrest of Peng Ming-min, the Taiyuan Incident, and the Kaohsiung Incident. Also, it was rumored to have been involved in many politically motivated assassinations/murders, such as the murder of Lin Yi-hsiung's family and the murder of Dr. Chen Wen-chen.{{cite news

|author = Shelley Shan

|url = https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2022/07/04/2003781106

|publisher = Taipei Times

|title = Archives of Chen murder 'concealed without merit'

|language = English

|page = 2

|date = 2022-07-04

|accessdate = 2023-01-08

}}

The reputation of Taiwan Garrison Command is so notorious that its name symbolizes the authoritarian rule to which Taiwan was once subjected.{{cite news

|first =

|last =

|author = 許紹軒

|url = http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2008/new/may/17/today-fo3.htm

|publisher = Liberty Times

|title = 扁視察會餐國防部請媒體吃「警總」便當

|language = Chinese

|page =

|date = 17 May 2008

|accessdate = 2008-06-13

}}

History

=Origins=

The Taiwan Provincial Garrison Command ({{lang|zh-TW|台灣省警備總司令部}}) was established on 1 September 1945 at Chongqing, with Chen Yi as its first commanding general. On the same day, the {{ill|Governor Office of Taiwan Province|zh|台灣省行政長官公署}} (1 September 1945 — 16 May 1947) was formed, and Chen Yi was appointed Governor of Taiwan.

This command's major responsibilities included the repatriation of all Japanese nationals in Taiwan, transfer of authority over Taiwan to the Republic of China government, and maintenance of law and order. The agency was renamed as the All-Taiwan Provincial Garrison Command ({{lang|zh-TW|台灣全省警備總司令部}}) and relocated to Taipei in 1947. Peng Meng-chi was appointed its new commanding general.

=After the Retreat to Taiwan=

In the beginning of 1949, as the Republic of China government was retreating to Taiwan in the final stages of the Chinese Civil War, the Command was re-designated as "Taiwan Provincial Garrison Command" and headed by Chen Cheng, who concurrently held the office of Governor of Taiwan. On 20 May 1949, Chen Cheng, in his capacity as commanding general for the province and its military governor, declared martial law in Taiwan.{{

cite news

|first=

|last=

|author=李心怡

|url=http://www.newtaiwan.com.tw/bulletinview.jsp?bulletinid=80923

|publisher=New Taiwan News Weekly

|title=戒嚴令根本無效台灣人被裝肖仔

|language=Chinese

|page=

|date=2008-06-26

|accessdate=2008-06-30

}} Immediately, the Taiwan Provincial Garrison Command was ordered to enforce Martial Law within Taiwan, excluding the areas Kinmen and Matsu of Fujian Province, which had been under Martial Law since 10 December 1948.

On 15 August 1949, it was further split into Southeast Military Governor Office (:zh:東南軍政長官公署; 1949-08-15—1950-03-16) and Taiwan Provincial Security Command ({{lang|zh-TW|台灣省保安司令部}}), with Peng Meng-chi appointed as commanding general. The Southeast Military Governor Office, headed by Chen Cheng, was responsible for the defense of four provinces: Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian and Taiwan; and was directly responsible for the systematic killing of thousands of Taiwanese social elites, as part of what became known as the February 28 incident.

In 1958, the Republic of China government underwent a series of restructuring, and Taiwan Provincial Security Command was merged with Taiwan Provincial Civil Defense Command ({{lang|zh-TW|台灣省民防司令部}}), Taiwan Defense Command ({{lang|zh-TW|台灣防衛總司令部}}), and Taipei Garrison Command ({{lang|zh-TW|台北衛戌總司令部}}), becoming the Taiwan Garrison Command under the command of Huang Chen-chiu, the commander of the defunct Taipei Garrison Command.

The Taiwan Garrison Command was involved in the 1980 murder of lawyer and opposition politician Lin I-hsiung and his family.{{cite web |last1=Pan |first1=Jason |title=NSB implicated in 1980 Kaohsiung family murders |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2023/02/25/2003795016 |website=taipeitimes.com |publisher=Taipei Times |access-date=24 February 2023}}

=Disbanding=

Taiwan Garrison Command continued to enforce Martial Law until 14 July 1987, the lift of Martial Law over Taipei City, Kaohsiung City, and Taiwan Province by a presidential order from Chiang Ching-kuo.{{cite web |last1=HARRISON |first1=MARK |title=The end of martial law: An important anniversary for Taiwan |url=https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/end-martial-law-important-anniversary-taiwan |website=www.lowyinstitute.org |publisher=The Lowry Institute |accessdate=8 July 2019}} On 30 April 1991, President Lee Teng-hui declared the termination of the Period of Communist Rebellion and Taiwan Garrison Command again lost its other lawful justification.

This military organization was transformed and restructured into the "Coast Guard Command and Military Reserve District Command" on 1 August 1992.{{cite news |first= |last= |author=邱燕玲 |url=http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2008/new/apr/21/today-p1-2.htm |publisher=Liberty Times |title=仍有政治檔案至今未尋獲 |language=Chinese |page= |date= 21 April 2008 |accessdate=2008-06-13}} The move effectively disbanded the Taiwan Garrison Command, under quiet orders from then President Lee Teng-hui:

Coastal patrol duties were assumed by the Coastal Guard Command; and were later passed to the newly reformed Coast Guard Administration.

Subordinate units for military reserve mobilization were regrouped into Military Reserve District Command, and later, the {{Interlanguage link|Armed Forces Reserve Command (Taiwan)|zh|全民防卫动员署后备指挥部|lt=Reserve Command}}.

Electronic intelligence units{{cite web |year = 1983 |url = http://www.siliconvalley.com.tw/chinese/laws/rule/laws32100.htm |script-title = zh:科學工業園區電腦媒體進出口登記查驗作業要點 |work = 科學工業園區管理局 |language = Chinese |accessdate = 2008-06-13

|url-status = dead |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20090425160035/http://www.siliconvalley.com.tw/chinese/laws/rule/laws32100.htm |archivedate = 2009-04-25 }} for telephone-wire-tapping and radio surveillance were assigned to the Military Intelligence Bureau.{{ cite news |first= |last= |author=宋朝欽 |url=http://city.udn.com/54532/2897673 |publisher=中國時報 |title=警調監聽手機沒人管 |language=Chinese |page= |date=2008-06-08 |accessdate=2008-06-13 }}{{ cite news |first= |last= |author=呂昭隆 |url=http://news.pchome.com.tw/politics/chinatimes/20080608/index-12128811029528124001.html |publisher=China Times |title=解嚴後情治監聽姚祖德控管18年 |language=Chinese |page= |date=2008-06-08 |accessdate=2008-06-13 }}

Duties to suppress unauthorized radio broadcasting were then transferred to the Telecommunication Directorate of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications.

Functions for imprisoning political and dissents activists and re-educating gangsters without trial were terminated. All prison facilities were transferred to either the Military Police Command, or to the Culture Establishment Commission for memorial purposes.{{cite news |first= |last= |author=羅添斌 |url=http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2008/new/may/24/today-p5.htm |publisher=Liberty Times |title=警總單位已移交或改制 |language=Chinese |page= |date= 24 May 2008 |accessdate=2008-06-13

}}{{ cite news |first= |last= |author=邱紹雯 |url=http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2008/new/may/24/today-p4.htm |publisher=Liberty Times |title=坪林招徠遊客／前警總職訓中心擬改建五星監獄飯店 |language=Chinese |page= |date= 24 May 2008 |accessdate=2008-06-13 }}

Task of riot control were shared by the National Police Agency and the Military Police Command.{{fact|date=May 2024}}

The defense of Taipei City were taken over by the Military Police Command.{{cite web |url=http://mp.rocmp.org/eng/kind/tpi/ |title=Garrison Military Police |publisher=Reserve Military Police in TAIWAN |accessdate=2008-06-13}}{{cite web

|url=http://mp.rocmp.org/kind/tpi/ |script-title=zh:戍衛憲兵 |publisher=中華民國後備憲兵論壇 |work=導覽資料庫 |language=Chinese |accessdate=2008-06-13}}

The responsibility for censoring and confiscating questionable publications or newspapers{{ cite news |first= |last= |author=曾韋禎 |url=http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2008/new/mar/9/today-o4.htm |publisher=Liberty Times |title=我是抓耙仔--一名台大中文系女學生之「追究自己」|language=Chinese |page= |date= 9 March 2008 |accessdate=2008-06-13 }} went to the Government Information Office; such functions were later terminated after the abolishment of "the Law of Publications."{{cite web |url = http://isbnfax.ncl.edu.tw/isbn/frmContent.asp?Id=29&callerpage=/isbn/frmIndex.asp&Year=88&Month=2 |script-title = zh:出版法廢止對我國圖書資料蒐集與保存之衝擊與因應 |author = 薛理桂 |publisher = 國家圖書館 |work = 國家圖書館館刊 |language = Chinese

|date = February 1999 |accessdate = 2008-06-13 }}{{Dead link|date=June 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }}{{cite web |url = http://info.gio.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=13006&ctNode=3736 |script-title = zh:出版法廢止後，媒體將無所限制，是否會影響國家安全、社會安寧？ |author = zh:中華民國行政院新聞局 |author-link = :zh:中華民國行政院新聞局 |work = 出版業務Q&A |language = Chinese |accessdate = 2008-06-13 |url-status = dead |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110716104704/http://info.gio.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=13006&ctNode=3736 |archivedate = 2011-07-16 }}

=Transitional justice=

The transitional justice process began shortly after the Taiwan Garrison Command was disbanded. The Transitional Justice Commission is charged with overseeing the process and as of 2019 was still in operation.{{cite web |last1=Pan |first1=Jason |title=Tsai vows to open White Terror files |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2019/07/08/2003718299 |website=www.taipeitimes.com |date=8 July 2019 |publisher=Taipei Times |accessdate=8 July 2019}}