228 Memorial Day 2025 – February 28, 2025

History of 228 Memorial Day

The government of Taiwan declared February 28 as 228 Memorial Day, officially known as Peace Memorial Day.The story behind Peace Memorial Day comes from a long history of colonialism and oppression. In 1895, Taiwan came under 50 years of Japanese dominion after China’s defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War. When the Japanese surrendered at the end of World War II in 1945, the Republic of China (ROC) regained administrative control.The mood was initially jubilant as the Taiwanese celebrated the end of Japanese rule but this was short-lived. The Kuomintang (K.M.T.) troops from the ROC proceeded to loot the Taiwanese. Over time, the administration monopolized the production and supply of crucial commodities like paper, and tea, and took over mines and factories. The K.M.T. administration’s overall inefficiency and corrupt governance plunged the economy into disarray.The events that led to the February 28 incident can be traced back to the period after World War II. When the war ended, Taiwan was placed under the administrative control of the Republic of China. Before the war, Taiwan had been ruled by the Japanese and enjoyed significant economic development under their rule.Subsequently, the economic arrangements between Taiwan and China were temporary, pending the development of permanent solutions. However, the Taiwanese soon became discontent with the corruption and high-handedness of the Chinese government, led by the Kuomintang Party (KMT). At the time, Chen Yi was the Governor-General.On February 27, 1947, agents of the Tobacco Monopoly Bureau struck a widow suspected of selling tobacco in front of a tea house. Following this, an officer shot into a crowd of angry bystanders, killing a man as a result. The following morning, an outraged crowd of Taiwanese came out to protest. They marched first to the Bureau and when the protest moved to the Governor-General’s office, guards opened fire on the protesters. The violence that broke out lasted for several weeks and led to thousands of deaths. Martial Law was also declared, marking the start of the “White Terror” in Taiwan.The K.M.T. countered with a brutal crackdown on March 8 on the orders of Governor-General Chen Yi. For three days, the troops went on an indiscriminate looting and killing spree — a massacre that would signal the beginning of the ‘White Terror.’In March of the same year, reinforcements from the Nationalist Army arrived and the Governor-General ordered the imprisonment and execution of all uprising organizers. This also resulted in the deaths of between 3,000 to 4,000 people.Following Chen Yi’s dismissal and subsequent execution in 1950, the families of victims received monetary compensation. Yet, even after the lifting of martial law in 1987, the 228 massacres remained a heavily censored topic. Through the years, citizens’ groups rallied to lift the taboo around 228. Their efforts paid off when in 1995, President Lee Teng-Hui issued a formal apology and declared February 28 Peace Memorial Day.Though the horrible events cannot be reversed, the Taiwanese government showed good faith by offering a public apology. An Act was also signed into law, providing monetary compensation to survivors of the massacre.