ROC to establish national military museum

2015/10/27

President Ma Ying-jeou said Oct. 24 that a museum honoring the bravery and patriotism of the nation’s military and civilian personnel who fought to safeguard the Republic of China will be established in 2013 in Taipei City.

In a ceremony unveiling the eight-year project, Ma said the timing of the announcement was particularly significant on the eve of the 70th anniversary of Taiwan’s retrocession from Japan at the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945).

“In addition to showcasing the history and preserving the relics of the ROC military, the museum is dedicated to all those who contributed to defending Taiwan from foreign invasion,” Ma added.

According to the president, while the public is fully aware of the eight-year war, few are familiar with other historical confrontations on the island, such as the Battle of Tamsui during the Sino-French War (1884-1885) and the Japanese Invasion of Taiwan in 1895.

Equally important were the contributions of overseas Chinese, Ma said, especially those in Southeast Asia who volunteered to serve as drivers and mechanics on the Burma Road during World War II.

“The government has sent out invitations to many survivors and their descendants, who will be honored with special service medals next month in Taiwan,” the president said, adding that the story of comfort women, who were forced into sexual slavery by the occupying Japanese Army, will also be documented by the museum.

Built on a Ministry of National Defense-owned property in the city’s Dazhi District, the museum will include a 10-floor main exhibition hall and a six-floor annex, with total floor space topping 49,500 square meters.

Museum exhibitions will be arranged to highlight the military’s development before the establishment of the ROC, as well as during the nation’s early years and the war against Japan. Displays are also slated to showcase the state of the military following the government’s relocation to Taiwan in 1949.

Given the museum’s proximity to the Chihai Cultural Park, Grand Hotel, National Palace Museum and National Revolutionary Martyrs’ Shrine, the MND expects the facility to reinforce the area’s status as a cultural and historical hub.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=238202&ctNode=2194&mp=9)