Chiang Kai-shek and the 28 February 1947 Incident: A Reassessment
Author(s)
Rawnsley, Gary D.; Rawnsley, Ming-Yeh T.
Abstract
Reconsiders Chiang Kai-shek’s responsibility in causing and resolving the February 28, 1947, incident. The authors utilize a range of the new archival material in Taiwan and reinterpret the secondary sources on the incident. The article is concerned with reintroducing the relevance of agency into the early history of the Nationalists’ involvement in Taiwan, which demonstrates the interaction of agents with structures. In particular, it provides a detailed consideration of Chiang’s leadership style and political agenda. The article emphasizes the interaction between Chiang and factions in Taiwan in 1947, which has been overshadowed by the simplicity of the mainlander-Taiwanese dichotomy.
