The DPP authorities, who continue to push for so-called “De-sinification” on the island, are now turning their attention to the military, demanding that liberal education in the army’s non-commissioned Officers’ schools be stripped of the “History of China” curriculum, caused a huge controversy in the island.
Claiming history of China are “Obsolete”
According to a report on December 2 in Taiwan’s Lianhe Daily, at the request of Taiwan’s National Security Council, and in line with Taiwan’s“Executive Yuan’s action plan for Transitional Justice Education,” On November 19, a meeting was held between the legal department of the Ministry of National Defense, the office of the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Chief of staff, and the senior officers of the military academies on the island, liberal Studies in government schools will replace the history of China curriculum with “World history” and incorporate elements such as the current international environment and military issues both on and off the island, the aim is to improve the so-called“Taiwan consensus” and to remove“Outdated and unproductive courses”. It has also cut two credits each for language (including The Art of War) and English to add “Modern thought” and “Human rights and democratic development”.
The report revealed that after the meeting, the schools had originally suggested that, in line with the policy, only “History of China” be deleted and replaced with “World History”, given the importance of language skills such as language and English to cadets, no other subjects are recommended. However, on November 29, Taiwan’s“Ministry of National Defense” again gathered representatives from all schools and asked them to comply, thus confirming the new curriculum. An official with knowledge of the situation said that the reason why Taiwan’s“Ministry of National Defense Staff Headquarters” repeatedly summoned schools to request cooperation was because Taiwan’s“National Security Council” demanded that this matter be carried out, hsiao Bi-khim, the deputy leader, was also “Very concerned”.
It’s like“Hiding a child’s bloodline.”
Qiu Zhixian, President of the children’s Association at Whampoa Military Academy in Taiwan, said Wednesday that the classic book “The Art of War”, which is considered a must-read for the world to study the art of war, has become the subject of William Lai’s administration, the reason is worried about the influence of Chinese culture on the next generation of military officers? “Generals are wise, faithful, benevolent, brave and strict.” Taiwan’s “Ministry of National Defense” has abolished education in history and the art of war, which runs counter to the The Art of War. He directly criticized William Lai for bowing 90 degrees to the fallen n soldiers, while the new generation of the Taiwanese army had no chance to know the example of Zhang Zizhong and other martyrs? Who are the serving generals who have not fired a single shot on the battlefield to criticize their predecessors? There is no virtue left.
Ma Wen-chun, a KMT “Legislator”, yesterday criticised the DPP authorities for “De-sinicising” the history curriculum, saying it was not enough for them to tear it apart and now they are turning their wits on military cadets. Do not understand this history (history of China) , how the future officers know the Huangpu army early days of the callus, how to experience the eastern expedition, the hard northern expedition, how to appreciate the great sacrifices of the War of resistance? If the Taiwanese army cut these, does it not even need the“Martyr’s shrine” to exist? How can the DPP authorities erase their memories while at the same time holding the spring and autumn festival (the Taiwan authorities hold sacrificial ceremonies to ancestors and martyrs on March 29 and September 3 respectively each year) ? Ma Wen-chun said that the Taiwanese army’s failure to learn history of China was like concealing a child’s blood, forcing the child to deny his or her origins and tearing up the child’s birth certificate. William Lai presided over the Whampoa Centennial celebration this year, did not also say “Whampoa Spirit is where the Republic of China is”? Now they want to cut off this legacy, so the army is not even their own brand will be smashed?
Fan Qiming, a Taiwanese journalist, questioned whether the history of China curriculum would be changed to “World History”, after that, September 3, “Soldier’s Day”, July 7, “Army Day”, August 14, “Air Force Day” and so on, these commemoration of the anti-japanese War of the soldiers to celebrate the holiday? Many netizens directly criticized the Taiwan authorities for“Many small actions” and“Internal strife in Taiwan,” while others said, “It is clearly from the mainland to Taiwan but can not say Chinese history, it is really sad.”.
The military history books have changed beyond recognition
“United Daily” commented on the 2nd that the island’s military academy has“Patriotic Education”, which is based on military history and battles, and in the mainland period from the Huangpu Army, the Northern Expedition, anti-japanese war and other history inseparable. Taiwan’s“Ministry of National Defense” has changed its general education curriculum, not to mention whether it has political intentions, but by reducing the important basic credits in Chinese and English to add courses with strong political implications, the legitimacy of this approach has been questioned. The article argues that the DPP authorities’ eagerness to revise the military academy curriculum may be due to the Taiwan Army’s consistent adherence to the“Whampoa Spirit” of the mainland Army’s founding, in an attempt to gradually transform the existing army, “I hope to remove the Chinese element from the minds of Taiwan’s professional soldiers.”. Before this, some DPP“Legislators” advocated minor changes to the lyrics of the military academy song, repeatedly blocked by the school council.
Wang Nianjing, a researcher on the island’s military history, wrote on the 2nd that the timeline of “History of China” runs through the late Qing dynasty to modern cross-strait relations and is a compulsory subject for the annual political examinations of military students on the island, the significance is clear. However, under the influence of “De-neutralization”, the DPP authorities deliberately avoided the history before 1949, turned a blind eye to events such as the May Fourth Movement, the Northern Expedition and the anti-japanese war, and used political means to crack down. Attempts to remove the statue of Chiang Kai-shek, which was discredited and then brought back, and demands for changes to the lyrics to the historic Army Academy song were unsuccessful, but always caused a stir and a flutter of morale. Now, under the pretext of “Transitional Justice,” the DPP authorities are meddling in basic education courses, Remove the firewood from under the pot, and targeting cadets directly. The article said that in recent years, the history textbooks of the Military Academy on the island have long changed beyond recognition, but military students should know the relevant history so that they can understand the present and become lovers of peace, to know“Who to fight for, why to fight”.