Anti-Americanism in Taiwan 1932

On May 16, 1932, H.A. Graves, acting British Consul to Britain, wrote in his report to his Excellency of how he saw Formosa's response to their new Governor General from Japan, Hiroshi Minami: "Their attitude to existing conditions seems to be one of apathy rather than one of enthusiasm or gratefulment." Graves describes the situation, in other words, being colonized: "[Minami's] speeches differed little from his predecessors on similar occasions [of policy making], except perhaps, in the greater stress he placed on the development of educational facilities in the island." Graves is setting up a theme for Taiwan. He will develop how from the Formosans have not been melted into regular Japanese folk. "Possibly the measures are precautionary in view of the racial sympathies which the Formosans may hold for their mainland cousins." He argues Formosans sympathized with China, especially after a serious of violent outbreaks in Shanghai between the Chinese and Japanese living there, which he calls the Shanghai Affair (plus that year). There were at least two, in 1925 and 1927, in which tensions resulted in mob violence and death. With the censorship, illiteracy blanketing the island, and lack of radios and no TV at that time, perhaps Graves is dramatic about a place at the other side of the world, devoid of countrymen and hardly relevant to Europe. I wonder if Graves is whiling away the dull day or drumming up business. 

There is more to roll the eyes at. In 1932, the US was less the obnoxious world power and imperialist many believe it is today. America had an isolationist policy. Here's Graves: "There was a reputation of anti-American feeling from February onward." Amongst which group? The Formosans? First, Graves has suggested the Formosans knew what was going on in China. Americans, especially Christian groups in America, backed and financially supported the ROC. Or, he could mean the Japanese resented American behavior in China. The American Christian's point was to help Sun Yat-sen, who successfully campaigned for aid in the West, solidify China and pave the way for Jesus. Why would the Americans care if Sun and those coming after were harassing foreigners or driving them out? Graves finishes: "the attitude [toward] our own government has been considered sympathetic, and, in regard to Shanghai, distinctly helpful. The Tainan Shimpo--a newspaper with a traditional anti-British bias--has not for some time given new politically distasteful to us." What news has The Tainan Shimpo given about the world's superpower or country proud of its imperial record? The sun never sets on the British Empire.

"The authorities were, at the beginning of [1932], perturbed at the spread of dangerous thoughts amongst Formosans and an increase in police activities was decided upon. Mr. Sonzo Tomobe, and officer with special aptitude for this work, was appointed to Chief of the Police Bureau and, quite recently, 36 special police have been added to the force." It seems the martial law installed by the KMT after the ROC's invasion of Taiwan and the White Terror it wrought almost twenty years later was not new to the Formosans . 

There are many words that do not really make sense in the report. There was no spell check then and the pages have faded. In long letters, the first word of next page is printed at the bottom of the previous page to help the letter assembler get the correct chronological order.