Prisoners of War in Taiwan During World War II
"Unknown to others: Prisoners of war from the Allied forces retained in Taiwan"
During World War II, Taiwan, under Japanese rule, became a home to several prisoner of war (PoW) camps. The majority of these prisoners were British or American, but they also included servicemen from Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, and some New Zealand.
For many years, the stories of these PoWs were kept to themselves by the survivors. However, in recent years, efforts have been made to remember and commemorate their experiences.
Conditions in the PoW Camps
The PoW camps in Taiwan were marked by harsh conditions. Overcrowding and poor sanitation led to the spread of diseases, resulting in poor health conditions for the prisoners. Malnutrition was rampant due to meager food rations, and prisoners faced torture, disease, and overwork. Medical care was rudimentary, with surgeries often performed without anesthesia. Many prisoners were forced into slave labor, working on infrastructure projects under punishing conditions.
Efforts to Remember and Commemorate PoW Experiences
Efforts to commemorate the experiences of PoWs in Taiwan include the construction of memorials, historical documentation, and community engagement. A memorial in a small urban park in Taiwan commemorates the site of Kinkaseki, listing over 4,000 names of British and American servicemen. Initiatives have been taken to locate other camps and build memorials, raising public awareness about the bravery and suffering of these prisoners.
Accounts from survivors, like those who endured the "hell ships" such as the Arisan Maru, provide vivid descriptions of the horrors faced by PoWs. These stories highlight the systemic dehumanization of prisoners by the Japanese military. Filmmakers and researchers have played a crucial role in documenting and sharing these stories, ensuring that the history of the PoW camps is not forgotten.
Michael Hurst, a Canadian amateur military historian in Taipei, has spent years researching these PoW camps. After learning about Kinkaseki in 1996, he spearheaded efforts to locate other camps in Taiwan, build memorials for the veterans, and raise public awareness about their experiences. His book "Never Forgotten" is based on interviews with over 500 veterans, diaries kept by prisoners of war, and correspondence.
The Legacy of PoW Camps in Taiwan
By the end of the war, 430 men had died from malnutrition, disease, overwork, and torture while imprisoned in Taiwan. The harsh conditions at Taiwan's PoW camps were long overshadowed by Japan's notorious "Death Railway" between Myanmar and Thailand. However, the stories of the prisoners of war in Taiwan are still being kept alive by individuals like Michael Hurst through the Taiwan POW Camps Memorial Society and private tours.
Eighty years after Japan's surrender, little physical evidence remains of the PoW camps in Taiwan. A gate post and section of wall are all that remain of Kinkaseki, set in a residential neighborhood of Jinguashi town, surrounded by lush, rolling hills. Despite this, the memories of the prisoners of war in Taiwan continue to live on, thanks to the efforts of historians, filmmakers, and families of the prisoners who have reached out for information about their loved ones for over 50 years.
References:
- Taiwan's POW Camps Memorial Society
- Never Forgotten: The Untold Story of Canada's POWs in Taiwan, 1942-1945
- Kinkaseki Prisoner of War Camp Memorial
- Arisan Maru Incident
- Death Railway
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