By Daniel Nardini
The term White Terror means a period of extreme anti-Communism by a government attempting to crush a Communist movement and create a reign of terror against any and all opposition whether Communist or not. The term “white” is in reference to anti-Communist forces, and “red” refers to Communist forces. In world history, there have been six White Terror periods. The first was Russia where the whites conducted a white terror campaign against their red opponents from 1918 to 1921 during the Russian Civil War. Another white terror was conducted in Hungary from 1919 to 1921 when the monarchy attempted to suppress a Communist revolt that had held control of the country. The third white terror was when the Bulgarian monarchy suppressed a Communist revolt in 1923. The fourth white terror took place in Spain from the Nationalist side under General and then dictator Francisco Franco during the Spanish Civil War (1936 to 1939) and in the postwar period from 1940 to 1946. The fifth white terror took place during the Greek Civil War from 1946 to 1948 when the Greek monarchy slaughtered the Communist rebels leading a bloody revolt.
But the most infamous white terror was in Taiwan, which lasted almost 43 years! The white terror ran from 1949 to 1992. Why did this white terror last so long? Unlike the other such dark episodes, the one in Taiwan ran so long because the entity that engineered it, the Nationalist Party of China, was in a precarious position in its fight against the Communist Party of China which ruled China. The Nationalist Party made sure to keep total control over the only place they held, and this included a powerful secret police, the suppression of any and all political parties, and specially built prisons for political dissidents only. The prisons for political prisoners were Green Island and a large prison called the Jingmei Correctional Center. The white terror was quite thorough scaring people to not rock the boat for decades. The death penalty was frequently employed, and political prisoners were incarcerated for years and even decades; many of whom never got out of prison alive. The only reason why this dark period did end was because ordinary Taiwanese were willing to fight and die no matter what the odds. Their own families were just as willing to sacrifice themselves for the fight as well. Eventually the government itself changed and brought an end to the white terror. It is believed that as many as 10,000 to 30,000 innocent people may have died during the white terror in Taiwan.
I was in Taiwan for part of the white terror from 1990 to 1992. I saw the end of this dark period, but at a cost. During those two years, I had to be careful what I said, I had to worry from day to day whether I would be arrested for something, and it was clear because I was a foreigner the government did not trust me. The government truly did rule by terror, and all information about what was happening in Taiwan was heavily censored. Ethnic minorities in Taiwan were poorly treated, and the judiciary was simply an instrument of the government rather than being an independent entity. The military police (their version of a secret police) could and did take people away without warrant and without notice. I saw this happen dozens of times, and it was unnerving to say the least. This dark period is now history, and is very much remembered in Taiwan. It is very much talked about in school textbooks, there are books and newspaper articles on the white terror, there are monuments and memorials to all those who died during the white terror, and there are three museums in Taiwan dedicated to the white terror. There is the Green Island White Terror Memorial Park, the Jingmei White Terror Memorial Park (both former prisons), and the National Human Rights Museum. There is doubt now that the people of Taiwan will forever remember this dark period in their history.
But to my sadness, it seems that white terror episodes are happening in other countries. It is happening in Russia. The Hungarian government under the dictator Viktor Orban has instituted what can only be called a white terror on his people. Right wing governments have come to power in countries like Slovakia, Finland, Croatia, the Czech Republic, and Italy. Is it possible we could see white terror episodes in these countries as well? I cannot say, but I fear that the lessons of history in so many ways have not been learned.
Witness to the White Terror
By Daniel Nardini
But the most infamous white terror was in Taiwan, which lasted almost 43 years! The white terror ran from 1949 to 1992. Why did this white terror last so long? Unlike the other such dark episodes, the one in Taiwan ran so long because the entity that engineered it, the Nationalist Party of China, was in a precarious position in its fight against the Communist Party of China which ruled China. The Nationalist Party made sure to keep total control over the only place they held, and this included a powerful secret police, the suppression of any and all political parties, and specially built prisons for political dissidents only. The prisons for political prisoners were Green Island and a large prison called the Jingmei Correctional Center. The white terror was quite thorough scaring people to not rock the boat for decades. The death penalty was frequently employed, and political prisoners were incarcerated for years and even decades; many of whom never got out of prison alive. The only reason why this dark period did end was because ordinary Taiwanese were willing to fight and die no matter what the odds. Their own families were just as willing to sacrifice themselves for the fight as well. Eventually the government itself changed and brought an end to the white terror. It is believed that as many as 10,000 to 30,000 innocent people may have died during the white terror in Taiwan.
I was in Taiwan for part of the white terror from 1990 to 1992. I saw the end of this dark period, but at a cost. During those two years, I had to be careful what I said, I had to worry from day to day whether I would be arrested for something, and it was clear because I was a foreigner the government did not trust me. The government truly did rule by terror, and all information about what was happening in Taiwan was heavily censored. Ethnic minorities in Taiwan were poorly treated, and the judiciary was simply an instrument of the government rather than being an independent entity. The military police (their version of a secret police) could and did take people away without warrant and without notice. I saw this happen dozens of times, and it was unnerving to say the least. This dark period is now history, and is very much remembered in Taiwan. It is very much talked about in school textbooks, there are books and newspaper articles on the white terror, there are monuments and memorials to all those who died during the white terror, and there are three museums in Taiwan dedicated to the white terror. There is the Green Island White Terror Memorial Park, the Jingmei White Terror Memorial Park (both former prisons), and the National Human Rights Museum. There is doubt now that the people of Taiwan will forever remember this dark period in their history.
But to my sadness, it seems that white terror episodes are happening in other countries. It is happening in Russia. The Hungarian government under the dictator Viktor Orban has instituted what can only be called a white terror on his people. Right wing governments have come to power in countries like Slovakia, Finland, Croatia, the Czech Republic, and Italy. Is it possible we could see white terror episodes in these countries as well? I cannot say, but I fear that the lessons of history in so many ways have not been learned.