WWII in Taipei

Taiwan was a colony of Japan since it was ceded to the Japanese by China in 1895. At the start of WWII, Taiwan was the headquarters of the Japanese Southern Command. At one time there were more than 60 Japanese airfields in Taiwan, from these, Japan launched attacks as far away as Australia and Ceylon.

As the tide turned against Japan, Taiwan became a bombing target of the Allies. Especially after the US recovered the Philippines, Taiwan became an easy target. As the Japanese had few defensive airplanes left, the Allies bombed Taiwan with little resistance. Quickly Taiwan became inconsequential to the Allies push to Japan. Taiwan was surrendered to the Nationalist Chinese after Tokyo had unconditionally surrendered.

On May 31st 1945, Taipei was bombed from bases in the Philippines, almost 4000 bombs fell in 3 hours. There were more that 3000 deaths. After this attack Taiwan was no longer a target.

Near where I live, at HuaShan Park, there are still bomb shelters from 70 years ago.

They say there are trees in the Taipei Botanical Garden that have damage from the May 31st air raid, I have looked for them but they are not marked. (The Nationalists and the US were allies in WWII.)

Once when we lived in HsinChu(1994) they put through a new road and wound up excavating an old bomb shelter.

In Linsen Park, the closest one to where I live, there is a strange monument to a past Japanese Governor General of Taiwan.

This monument of a Japanese official from 1917-1918 was erected long after the WWII resentment of the Japanese was over. But it is interesting that the arch is in the Shinto style. It was the Shinto religion that gave the Japanese justification for their war against ALL of Asia. It's hard to think that Buddhist would have started such a colossal war