MND unveils calendar on Sino-Japanese War

2014-12-27

The Ministry of National Defense unveiled a commemorative calendar Dec. 25 in Taipei City, marking the upcoming 70th anniversary of the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) and highlighting the role of the ROC army in this historic ordeal.

The calendar covers 12 themes spread across five phases of the war. It chronicles milestones involving key figures in ROC history such as the late First Lady Madame Chiang Kai-shek and former General Ho Ying-chin. Comprising 60-plus classic pictures, the calendar designed by army Majors Hu Ding-jye and Liang Shao-hsien will be released Jan. 1.

“History cannot be forgotten and truths about the war should be remembered for posterity,” an MND official said at a media event announcing the calendar.

“As a responsible member of the international community, we want to further promote peace and stability by spotlighting the important part played by the nation in the eight-year conflict and the sacrifices made by the people.”

According to the official, the conflict was the longest and most devastating in the nation’s history, claiming the lives of more than 3 million soldiers and 20 million civilians.

The official said the calendar lists 268 military martyrs including Zuo Quan, the only Chinese Communist Party leader who gave his life during the war while serving on behalf of the ROC. “Zuo Quan joined the ROC army for the combat. His acts of bravery should be honored along with the rest of the army.”

The calendar also describes actions taken by Taiwan during the event, the relationship between its retrocession and the war’s end, as well as those individuals standing up against Japanese rule, according to the official.

In addition, the calendar records the deeds of the more than 56,000 members of the Chinese Expeditionary Force who died fighting the Japanese in Myanmar, a British colony at the time called Burma, between 1942 and 1945. “Such poignant moments in history bear testament to the nation’s efforts in maintaining freedom and democracy worldwide,” the official said.

A total of 10,000 and 3,000 copies of the calendar in Chinese and English, respectively, will soon be printed and made available to the public, the official said. “It will be cherished by those eager to reflect on the ROC’s accomplishments in the war.”

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=225641&CtNode=413)