Co-authoring of History Must Begin with Official History

Co-authoring of History Must Begin with Official History
China Times Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
October 21, 2015

Executive Summary: This year is the 70th anniversary of the victory of the War of Resistance against Japan. Officials and private citizens on both sides of the Taiwan Strait have held several meaningful commemorations. But the two sides still differ on many aspects of modern Chinese history. This is particularly true regarding the history of the war, the two political status of the ROC and PRC, and cross-Strait relations, and leads to political controversy. Fortunately despite such disputes, the two sides have decided to co-author a history of the war. A common understanding of history is important to cross-Strait emotional and spiritual understanding. We hope officials and private citizens on both sides will act promptly, and reach a common understanding of history. Such an understanding will provide a social foundation of cross-Strait peace.

Full Text Below:

This year is the 70th anniversary of the victory of the War of Resistance against Japan. Officials and private citizens on both sides of the Taiwan Strait have held several meaningful commemorations. But the two sides still differ on many aspects of modern Chinese history. This is particularly true regarding the history of the war, the two political status of the ROC and PRC, and cross-Strait relations, and leads to political controversy. Fortunately despite such disputes, the two sides have decided to co-author a history of the war. A common understanding of history is important to cross-Strait emotional and spiritual understanding. We hope officials and private citizens on both sides will act promptly, and reach a common understanding of history. Such an understanding will provide a social foundation of cross-Strait peace.

Consider the bloody War of Resistance against Japan. According to Nationalist Government Chairman Chiang Kai-shek's speech in Lushan, the war lasted eight years. But if one takes the Mukden Incident as the war's starting point, it lasted 14 years. If one takes the First Sino-Japanese War, or the Japanese Peony Society invasion of Taiwan in 1874, it lasted 100 years. Victory may be glorious. But the tens of millions of deaths must never be forgotten. Unfortunately, the War of Resistance against Japan was almost immediately followed by the KMT CCP civil war. The two sides of the Taiwan Strait found themselves under divided rule. As a result, the history of the War of Resistance against Japan has yet to be fully written.

Years of peaceful cross-Strait exchanges have now taken place. This is the 70th anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance against Japan. Both sides of the Strait are commemorating the victory simultaneously. Both sides have extended olive branches. Both sides have proposed co-authoring a history of the war. This of course is the best way for the two sides to commemorate the tragic history of the war.

On National Day, President Ma Ying-jeou delivered a speech. He said the two sides should co-author a history of the war. President Ma has long argued for this. President Ma was responding positively to Mainland President Xi Jinping's recent remark that historians from both sides of the Strait should share historical data, co-author a history of the war, and safeguard China's national dignity.

During official talks between cross-strait affairs directors, Mainland Affairs Council Chair Hsia Li-yan and the Mainland's Taiwan Affairs Office Director Zhang Zhijun agreed. Non governmental organizations from both sides should come forward. They should invite scholars from both sides and overseas to share historical data and begin cooperation.

The two sides are currently co-authoring a history of the war. They are taking advantage of this critical moment. Many elderly people who took part in war are still with us. They can provide direct testimony. Each side has precious historical material. Both must work together to rehabilitate and reconstruct historical truth. Co-authoring a history of the war will help make things right. It will refute ridiculous distortions of history. It will honor the sacrifices and suffering of compatriots. It will provide the world with an accurate, in-depth understanding of this period of history. It will teach the world a lesson regarding militarism, and help avoid the repeat of a major human tragedy. Leaders from both sides have reached a high degree of agreement regarding the events. Therefore we urge the two governments to treat the project seriously, and promote it energetically. They must not merely go through the motions.

Non-governmental organizations must come forward. But if the two governments fail to act, their leaders' promises to co-author a history of the war will remain empty talk. Why? Because the majority of first-hand testimony is under government management. Information disclosure requires bilateral agreements. That is why the two governments must act.

The governments on the two sides of the Strait are currently managing their own historical documents. They should immediately inventory their archives and upload the material they have onto the Internet. Governments have their own approach to managing important documents. The Republic of China government on Taiwan has a Government Information Disclosure Law. Article IX states: citizens may apply for access to government archives and other information. Non-citizens "may request information not limited to ROC citizens by the government." In other words, the government opens its archives only to countries or regions with which it has reciprocal disclosure agreements. So why not conclude a cross-Strait agreement?  It is difficult for Mainland scholars to come to Taiwan and read government files. Taiwan scholars have even less opportunity to access Mainland files. Without an accelerated information disclosure agreement and consultations between the two sides, accessing historical files and co-authoring a history of the war will be impossible.

To co-author a history of the war, the two sides must first complete three important assignments.

First, governments on the two sides must make historical documents related to the war fully accessible by the end of the year. They should provide an easy to use index which researchers can consult to examine the material.

Second, the two sides must simultaneously conclude a disclosure of information agreement. If it is too late for full disclosure, then at least documents pertaining to the history of the war should be made public. This is the 70th anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance against Japan. There is no longer any reason not disclose historical data. Openness and joint research will provide a sound basis for co-authoring a history of the war.

Third, private academic institutions are coming forward to co-author a history of the war. This is of course very good. But the two governments cannot remain aloof. Both governments must help non-governmental organizations conduct research into war history. They must offer long-term war history research grants, encouraging valuable research into war history.

Having the two sides co-author a history of the war is a far-reaching and urgent task. We must seize the opportunity.  Once the two governments open their archives, once the excitement in academia subsides, diversified research will enable the early completion of this history of the great war.


合寫抗戰史 需先開放官方史料
2015年10月21日 中國時報

今年是對日抗戰勝利70周年，兩岸官方與民間都進行了許多深具意義的紀念活動，但由於兩岸官方對中國現代史，尤其抗戰史，及兩岸關係定位的認知，仍有很大的差異，因而引起了若干政治性的扞格與爭議。所幸在爭議風暴中，仍然達成了一項有意義的共識，就是兩岸應合寫抗戰史。要實現兩岸民眾心靈的和解，建構共同史觀是非常重要的一步。希望兩岸官方與民間立即付諸行動，共同為兩岸和平發展的社會基礎鞏固基石。

對日抗戰血淚史，從國民政府蔣中正委員長發表廬山講話算起，長達8年；從九一八事變算起，長達14年；如果從甲午戰爭算起，甚至從1874年日本侵略台灣的牡丹社事件算起，更長達一百多年。回顧這段歷史，雖然最後獲得了光榮勝利，但是過程中血跡斑斑、死亡人數高達數千萬，絕對不容後人遺忘。遺憾的是，對日抗戰勝利之後不久就發生了國共內戰，兩岸陷入分治，竟然使得這段對日抗戰史至今尚未獲得最全面而完整的呈現。

直到如今，在兩岸和平交流多年之後、在抗戰勝利70年之際，兩岸各自紀念抗戰勝利的同時，都伸出了橄欖枝，分別提議要合寫抗戰史，這當然是對兩岸抗日血淚史最好的紀念方式。

馬英九總統在國慶演說公開呼籲，兩岸可以合寫抗戰史。這不只是馬總統一貫的立場與主張，也可以看成是對於大陸國家主席習近平日前提到兩岸史學界應該共用史料、共寫史書、共同捍衛民族尊嚴這段談話的善意與正面回應。

日前兩岸事務首長正式會談中，陸委會主委夏立言與大陸國台辦主任張志軍也同意：兩岸可由民間單位出面，邀集兩岸及國際學者一起從共享史料開始進行合作。

兩岸此刻合寫抗戰史的意義在於利用當下這個重要時刻，把握曾經參與抗戰的耆老還有不少仍與我們同在之時，留下最直接的見證；同時，結合兩岸過去各自擁有與保存的珍貴史料，一起努力為歷史的真相進行復原與重建。在這個合寫抗戰史的過程中，不僅可以撥亂反正，駁斥歪曲歷史的荒謬言論，也可以告慰犧牲與傷亡的苦難同胞，更可以讓世人重新正確而深入的認識這一段血淚史，從而在這個軍國主義蠢蠢欲動的時刻，避免人類的重大悲劇重演。對於這件深具意義的大事，既然雙邊領導人與對話部門都已經達成高度共識，我們要具體建議兩岸政府應該嚴肅看待、認真推動，絕不是敷衍以對。

在實際的作法上，雖然可由民間單位出面，但是如果兩岸政府不作為，雙邊領導人對於合寫抗戰史的呼籲與允諾必將成為空話，這是由於重要的第一手史料多數都是由政府管理，而且在資訊公開上還涉及雙邊協議的磋商，顯見兩岸政府都必須有所作為。

以實際情況來看，兩岸政府各自管理的抗戰史料與檔案，應該立即彙整完整清冊，並且將清冊公開上網；除此之外，各國對重要檔案往往有其管理辦法，以台灣為例，《政府資訊公開法》第九條明訂：具國籍的公民才能申請查閱政府檔案等資訊，如果沒有國籍，則「以其本國法令未限制中華民國國民申請提供其政府資訊者為限」。換句話說，目前政府檔案只針對雙邊已有資訊互惠公開的國家或地區開放。偏偏兩岸之間尚未完成這方面的協議，於是大陸學者固然難以來台申閱政府檔案，台灣學者更不容易接觸到大陸檔案，因此兩岸之間如果不加速資訊互惠公開協議的磋商，根本不可能在相互開放史料的基礎上合寫抗戰史。

兩岸要合寫抗戰史，有三項重要功課必須先完成。

第一，雙邊政府應在年底之前，各自全面開放現有抗戰史料，並且應該提供方便檢索的清單與典藏地點，以供研究人員查閱。

第二，在此同時，兩岸必須完成資訊互惠公開的協議，萬一來不及推動資訊的全面互惠公開，也應該先針對抗戰史的部分互惠公開。坦白講，抗戰勝利至今已經70周年，這些史料實在沒有不能公開的道理；相互公開，共同研究，這才是合寫抗戰史的堅實基礎。

第三，由民間學術機構來出面合寫抗戰史，當然是非常務實的建議，但是政府部門也不能置身事外。我們還要建議兩岸政府也必須在年底之前，規畫出可以立刻委託非政府機構進行抗戰史研究的近期計畫，並且安排未來中長期的抗戰史研究補助，積極催生出珍貴的抗戰史研究成果。

兩岸合寫抗戰史是一項意義深遠、刻不容緩的重要任務，唯有把握當下的重要時機，在政府積極開放史料、學術研究眾聲喧譁之後，才能進一步在多元研究成果的基礎上，早日完成這部偉大的抗戰史。