Description
Book SynopsisTaiwan's relationship with China is one of the most fraught in East Asia, a key issue in the island's domestic politics and a major obstacle in Sino-American relations. This book explores the roots of the conflict in the post-war period and examines how the Nationalists consolidated their rule.
Trade Review“This book is both a great case study in the tensions between local and national level politics in Republican China, and an excellent investigation into a formative period in Taiwan politics...It should be read by anyone interested in the political history of either Taiwan or the Republic of China.”—China Quarterly
“Reading Phillips’s superb account of the “encouter” between the Nationalists and the Taiwanese from 1945 to 1950 has been a revelation. Moreover, in arguing his thesis, he makes every word count. It is rare to find a study that in a mere 150 pages deals with a slice of history in such a way that the reader is convinced, after finishing it, that all the important issues have been thorougly and persuasively covered.”—American Historical Review
“The book is well organized, well written, and fills a gap in the English-language literature on political development in Taiwan.”—The International History Review
“Steven Phillips is to be congratulated for tackling a difficult and politically sensitive topic in a scholarly, perceptive and insightful manner that enhances both Taiwan studies and China studies.”—The China Journal
Table of Contents1. Introduction i 2. Creating a Colonial Legacy 17 3. Retrocession and the Debate over Taiwan's Place in China 40 4. The February 28 Incident: The Climax of Taiwanese Political Demands 64 5. Nationalist Consolidation and Local Self-Government, 1948-1950 89 6. Taiwan's Elite Transformed 115 7. Conclusion and Epilogue 140
