“The successful suppression of opposition was the most important reason for the establishment of Jiang Jieshi’s rule in Taiwan between 1947 and 1950.” Discuss.

Candidates will offer a considered and balanced review of the statement that the successful suppression of opposition was the most important reason for the establishment of Jiang’s rule in Taiwan in the timeframe. Causes may predate the timeframe but they must be clearly linked to the issue raised in the question. Candidates may refer to Chen Yi’s massacre of thousands of civilians following the 228 Incident in 1947 and the subsequent imposition of martial law in 1949. This “White Terror” was characterized by the imprisonment and executions of alleged opponents to the regime. The imposition of a one-party state and strict censorship laws also contributed to the suppression of the opposition. Other relevant reasons may be discussed, for example, support for Jiang from the US and many ethnic Chinese who welcomed the end of Japanese rule and the prospect of economic stability. Candidates’ opinions or conclusions will be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.

There are numerous responses to this question Candidates were required to offer a balanced review of the statement that the successful suppression of opposition was the most important reason for the establishment of Jiang's rule in Taiwan. For the most part this was answered well, and responses demonstrated good knowledge of Jiang's rule in Taiwan. There were a few responses that included lengthy detail of the nature of Jiang's rule in China which was not relevant to this question.