Taiwan's Lost Military
Taiwan's Lost Military
Identity Crisis or Just In Denial?
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30 July 2023 (Sunday): Update - 17 June 2024
Taiwan's Lost Military
Identity Crisis or Just In Denial?
By Wendell Minnick (Whiskey Mike) 顏文德
TAIPEI - Taiwan’s military has an identity problem.
Or perhaps there is a “denial” of the obvious; example: He’s in denial. His dog has been dead for thirty years, but he keeps filling the bowl everyday.
Twenty years ago I wrote a similar article about the military’s insistence on using the image of China and/or the Great Wall of China on their insignia, and twenty years later there has been no real change.
My suggestions for a replacement include a Betel Nut Babe for the Marine Corps or perhaps an image of a aborigine headhunter. For the Army I recommend the Rainbow Flag and/or Hello Kitty.
The below are the only two command patches that use the image of Taiwan:
ABOVE: Information Communication Electronic Force Information Communication Wing.
ABOVE: Electronic Warfare Operation Center.
For the most part, Taiwan’s military continues to insist on saluting the Cold War fantasy now obviously long dead that Taiwan is still part of China and someday soon the KMT will overrun China’s defenses and retake the motherland…or so the insignia suggests.
Respecting your elders in one thing, but this is idiotic:
ABOVE: Sixth Army Command (Northern Taiwan).
ABOVE: Eighth Army Command (Southern Taiwan).
ABOVE: 234th Army Mechanized Infantry Brigade (Dali, Taichung).
ABOVE: 117th Army Infantry Brigade.
ABOVE: 257th Army Infantry Brigade (Chiayi’s Dalin District).
ABOVE: Taiwan Marine Corps.
ABOVE: Marine Corps Basic Training Facility.
ABOVE: Marine Corps Infantry School.
ABOVE: 99th Marine Brigade (South); “Vanguard”. The image of the warrior is ambiguous. It is not Chinese, per se. Instead it appears to be of the Greek/Roman tradition. This is a NEW insignia.
ABOVE: 66th Marine Brigade (North); “Iron Fist”. The image of the warrior is ambiguous. It is not Chinese, per se. Instead it appears to be of the Assyrian tradition. This is a NEW insignia.
END
Identity crisis is for sure. However, changing the military icons to go without China is a direct invitation to China and a boost to extreme nationalism in Chinese population. The trade-off is a bet that a change of icon can help boost morale and resolve the identity crisis. My best is a change of icon would have all the supposed disadvantages while not achieving much in the supposed advantages. And the root of the problem is again, the identity crisis AND the will to fight to preserve the supposed freedom and democracy. Due to peace time psychology for too long and the switch away from conscription, the people do not have enough will to fight. Will some of the people choose to fight ? Certainly. There are always the equivalent of the Azov Battalion everywhere.