bismarck wrote:Taiwan was never fully part of China. In 1895 it was ceded to Japan and had nothing to do with the second World War and as such should not have been on the table as "spoils".
It had everything to do with WW2. I just think WW2 for Japan really started in 1904 and it got mixed signals from the US.
Japanese behavior in World War Two was nothing new--it's just this time the Americans were against their aggressive actions. The Japanese used a surprise attack similar to Pearl Harbour against the Russians when they kicked their ass in war in 1904.
The difference was that the US under Teddy Roosevelt was fine with Japan taking a much greater role as a civilizing force against barbaric races/regions (whether weaker Asian countries or the Slavic race in general as exemplified by the Russians) and they had no problems with that surprise attack on Russia. They tacitly allowed Japan to have it's own Monroe doctrine in the Pacific (sphere of influence). However, the US screwed the Japanese after 1904 by not agreeing that Russia should pay Japan financial reparations for the war. Had the US gone to bat for the Japanese in 1904, WW2 nearly 40 years later would have likely never happened. They would have seen each other as partners/civilizing forces rather than competitors with historical grievances.
It should either have remained part of Japan or been placed under US administration (without letting in a boat load of Shanghai gangsters and their cronies), in either case it would still have become an Asian beacon of development and democracy, especially if the latter path was followed.
Just being ruled by the US doesn't mean it would be an Asian beacon on development and democracy. If that was the case, the Philippines would be Singapore. They aren't.
Likewise, if Taiwan remained part of Japan, there wouldn't have been as much post-war protection/aid from the US or the influx of dynamic DNA from the aristocrats/business elite that fled China to Taiwan. With a weak de-militarized government ruling Taiwan from Tokyo and just Taiwanese, Mao would have invaded. The aboriginals would have held out longer. Or,if it remained Japanese, Taiwan would have been a sleepy province like Okinawa. High economic indicators but not a powerhouse in IT, manufacturing etc.
No the best choice was huge American aid/money to a government in exile, the KMT talent that came over, and a compliant workforce. In other words, things happened as they should!!!!