Chapter 1. – The history of Taiwan and the arrival of the Japanese
Before we start with the description of the activities of these units and their wartime experiences, it is necessary to get closer acquainted with the history of Taiwan and the period of japanese colonization. By doing so, we will be able to understand the fanaticism, devotion, and the high fighting quality of these units, which were the Japanese themselves highly valued.
Looking back from the colonization of the island Hokkaido and Okinawa, so is Taiwan's first colonial territory of Japan, acquired as a result of the war (defeat of China - 17. April 1895, the peace treaty in Shimonoseki). Together with this, one of Taiwan among the territories that Japan hold the longest period of time (from 1895 to 1945). Similarly, the residents of Taiwan to Japan still held a very friendly relationship and the Japanese themselves are considered to be the friendliest projaponský nation. Such an approach contrasts sharply with, e.g. post-war attitude of Koreans or mainland Chinese.
Where, however, he took in Tchajwancích such sentiment and affection? In order to understand this affection it is necessary to orientate in the short history of the island from about the year 1700 ad.
Austronéští natives were the first inhabitants of the island who get to the island around 5000 years ago. Throughout the ages, however, led to the migration of ethnic chinese, that these original inhabitants was called as "raw barbarians". Chinese migration began to someone around the year 1600, during the next 400 years were built the roads and infrastructure to areas with the original inhabitants, as they were very rich in natural resources (coal, gold, copper, iron, sugar, wood, thermal springs, etc.) – the first pioneers of this exploitation were the Spaniards and the Dutch. Any other ruling dynasty had on the original inhabitants as barbarians, wild people and trying to physically exterminate or drive away to the mountains.
The expression Austronésané means more family tribes (linguistically related) – this is about the nations of Taiwan, Polynesia, Micronésie, Melanesia, and also some indonesian, malaysian and philippine strains. The taiwanese austronéská culture as such was not a monolithic structure, but was rather a conglomerate of different cultures and ethnicities, which in total produced the indigenous culture. We can distinguish three main linguistic branches - atayalskou, tsouiskou and paiwanskou.
Thanks to modern research we can say that the culture of these indigenous inhabitants of Taiwan can be divided into two large groups:
1) nížinní Austronésané - tribes Babuza, Basay, Hoanya, Ketagalan, Luilang, Pazeh, Popora, Qauqaut, Siraya, Taokas, Trobiawan and Friends
2) mountain Austronésané and Austronésané from the area of eastern Taiwan – tribes of the Atayal, Saisiyat, Tsou, Bunun, Rukai, Paiwan, Ami, Puyuma and Yami
The progressive penetration of Han chinese into the area Austronésanů led to the assimilation and extinction of some of the indigenous cultures (in particular lowland Aborigenců).
Fortunately, they managed, in particular, strains from the eastern region and the mountains hold their customs and traditions. Likewise, most of them housed at its historic tribal territory. Very often also the various tribes fighting amongst themselves, either to secure their hunting territory, or possibly prevent the invasion or to prevent certain parts of the common territory.
The ethnic composition in the beginning of the Second world war so it was very colorful. In brief it can be said that there are two ethnic groups - Han chinese (now constituting a clear majority) and Austronésané (now forming a cultural minority).
However, let's go back to the period before and during the japanese colonization of the island of Formosa.
Once it became Taiwan a japanese colony in 1895, the Japanese sought to the indigenous education (the introduction of the school education system, etc.), as well as tried to change their style of life – or rather the pursuit after the establishment of the tribes and, say, agricultural production. Just as it is e.g. in the case of Germany and the japanese anthropological institute comes to the island and try to carry out various researches and pseudovýzkumy. The very name of Takasago then comes from this institute and is the japanese designation of the Mountain and the eastern Austronésanů (Takasago so, therefore, does not refer to the lowland tribes). The institute has also divided the natives into 9 ethnic groups, depending on the dialect of the language and cultural habits (the tribes of Atayal, Saisiyat, Tsou, Bunun, Rukai, Paiwan, Ami, Puyuma and Yami). As well as this institute is responsible for the theory that Takasago considered to be related to the Japanese. Thanks to this theory so it must all 9 strains Takasago browse the japanese educational system, where the only official language was japanese. All members of the tribes of Takasago are required to speak japanese and are under heavy influence of japonizace.
The japanese language was the main point of the japanese school system. Additional points were then:
1) compulsory school attendance
2) the 4-year-old elementary school - and through this a short time managed to achieve that 80 % of children of natives could read and write
3) focus courses (except japanese) was very practical, focusing on mathematics, forestry, horticulture and agriculture
4) japonizace – part of the subjects was also recitation of Chokugo (the imperial revenues and ediktů), together with the worship of the japanese emperor as a god, these efforts of the Japanese people about the absolute japonizaci strains Takasago magnified in a time of hostilities with China (1937) and with the announcement of the Narodního the fundraising act in 1938, the preparation of strains of Takasago for the war and for the war needs, so she picked up on the momentum and education, Taiwan has been changed rather on emphasizing the martial tradition of Japan, the military cooperation of the nations and sacrifice for the emperor
Another of the strong features of the japonizace Taiwan was a movement Kominka ("the Transformation of the colonized to the imperial citizens"). The aim of this movement was to induce the natives and also Hana, to adopt japanese names, speaking japanese and worshiping the emperor. Together with that, thanks to the support of the colonial government, was among the natives extended the idea that the highest spiritual order, which has every individual to achieve, is to serve the emperor and the (japanese) nation, even if it means sacrificing his own life. Similarly, they also managed to incorporate among the natives typically japanese values - Takasago themselves even stressed Yamatodamashi ("spirit of the people of Yamato") or Nipponseishin ("japanese spirit").
After reading this chapter, so I guess it is not surprising that after the outbreak of the Second world war in the pacific battlefield was most of the natives of Formosa mentally "ready" for war as was the case with "native Japanese"..