If you didn’t know that the KMT government killed about 20,000 Taiwanese people in a one-month span in early 1947 and imprisoned about 140,000 more during the 40 years after, that’s no accident. In Part 1, we share what we’ve learned from our research about the 228 Massacre and the period of martial law afterward called White Terror. In Part 2, we share the way that the 228 Massacre and White Terror were handled since these events ended and the parallels to how governments handle similar events like the Tulsa Race Massacre and the Tiananmen Square Massacre.
Trigger warnings: violence, police/military brutality, totalitarian government.
Sources, Part 1:
About the 228 Massacre: OfTaiwan article and Google Books digitization of US Relations with China, with special reference to the period 1944-1949, based on files from the US Department of State.
About Chen Yi: Wikipedia
The history of martial law in Taiwan: Wikipedia
Additional Reading, Part 2:
Tulsa Race Massacre: Learn and support Justice for Greenwood
Credits:
Part 1 featured the songs "Close to Home" and "Never Look Away" by Vienna Teng (Spotify), and the national anthem of the Republic of China from the Office of the President of the Republic of China, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. The image on the cover art was a modification of this image by Adece033090, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Part 2 featured "Making the Banned" by Jason Chu and Alan Z and "Ronny's Outro" feat. Ronny Chieng from Face Value by Jason Chu and Alan Z, and "Close to Home" by Vienna Teng (Spotify). The image on the cover art was a a modification of a photo by Hung Jui-chin, for Taipei Times coverage of the 40th anniversary of the 228 Incident.
Other podcasts featuring interviews with contemporary English-speaking Taiwanese people of interest:
Taiwanese Diaspora (website, Instagram, Apple, Spotify)
Talking Taiwan (episodes related to 228 Incident)