This process, long overdue in the opinion of many historians, is helping forge significant headway in prompting the ROC’s second world war allies to conduct fair and just evaluations of this important chapter of history.
Lu Fang-shang, director of Taipei City-based Academia Historica, said different fronts in World War II are now given equal consideration on the strength of historical facts previously downplayed due to the conflict between the ROC government and Chinese communists.
“Earlier this year, President Ma Ying-jeou made first official mention of the former Soviet Union’s military aid and material assistance to the ROC during the early phase of the eight-year war,” he said. “In addition, most mainland Chinese historians now acknowledge the fact that ROC government forces carried out the bulk of the fighting against the Japanese army.”
According to Lu, another positive development is Beijing’s acknowledgement of the vital role played by the U.S. in China during the conflict. “This change is evidenced by the inauguration in March of the Flying Tigers Heritage Park in Guilin, Guangxi province,” he said.
The Flying Tigers comprised volunteer U.S. pilots operating under the auspices of the ROC air force from 1941 to 1942. The outfit flew Curtiss P-40 fighters, chalking up an impressive number of victories against Japanese air units.
Another academic seeking to reshape global perceptions of the war is Taiwan-born Kuo Tai-chun of Hoover Institution at Stanford University.
“By taking different perspectives of this event, we are making sense of the developments and maneuverings that led to the endgame,” she said. “The Japanese invasion wreaked havoc on China, but it also stimulated nationwide consolidation, fostering the glorious development of the ROC in the years ahead.”
Echoing Kuo’s remarks, Lu said a globally accepted view of the conflict is close to realization, especially in reconciliation of ROC government and communist perspectives.
“History is always in the making. With both sides across the strait edging closer to a shared version of history, this augurs well for achieving more common pursuits going forward.” (YHC-JSM)
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