We will write, and we will fight
In the face of the shadow of totalitarianism and the threat of war, how we support Ukraine in Taiwan, and how we strengthen our determination to defend our country
I hope this letter finds you well. It was a frustrating week, and the first thing I did every morning was to check the CNN website for more updates of the war. As I wrote this piece, a 40-mile-long Russian military convoy was heading for Kyiv, which made me even more worried about the city and its people.
This week, we just mourned for the February 28 Peace Memorial Day. In the face of the shadow of totalitarianism and the threat of war, after overcoming the initial shock, I started wondering what we can do in Taiwan, and strived to turn anxiety into action.
《翻譯寫作的文字風景》是中英文雙語電子報。如果只想收到中文版，請到網站右上角的「My Account」內進行操作，也可以直接回覆這封E-mail或寫信到transcreation@substack.com，由我幫忙更改設定。再次感謝你的訂閱支持！
這篇文章的中文版在這裡。
In the early morning of February 24, Russia launched a full-scale attack on Ukraine, and the news left me dumbstruck. According to a poll released on February 22, 51% of Taiwanese did not think Russia and Ukraine will actually go to war, and I am ashamed to admit that I was part of that 51%. According to the same poll, 63% of Taiwanese did not think China would take the opportunity to invade Taiwan. Unreluctant to enter the war though I was, it seemed I have to reconsider the chances of a Chinese invasion -- especially for dictators who are not held accountable, whose power go unchecked, and who may do as they like.
Soon after the war started, the Russian forces were reported to be victorious, but such reports were soon revealed to be fake news and propaganda war. Information on social media needs to be carefully checked and verified, and traditional media seems to be more reliable at this time. The Taiwanese media basically translate news from foreign media, so I decided to follow CNN directly. For those who are more fluent in Mandarin and Taiwanese, Taiwan Public Television Service is a reliable source.
While watching the updates of the warfare, I felt very powerless. What to write in a time when writing seems a luxury and words seem useless?
Taiwan and Ukraine are certainly different, but as a Taiwanese, I can easily empathize with the Ukrainians. Like Taiwan, Ukraine is also threatened by a power with imperial ambitions, and it is said to share the same roots with Russia, but it is also a target of invasion to serve the dictator’s interests. Well into the seventh day of the war, the Ukrainian people have resisted aggression and defended their own country courageously. Much inspired by their courage, I hope I can act the same in the unfortunate event of war.
Coincidentally, we just happened to mourn for the February 28 Peace Memorial Day this week, and this year marked the 75th anniversary of the February 28 Incident. In the face of the threat of totalitarianism and the shadow of war, I held peace and freedom even more dearly. As I reflected on the massacre on and after February 28, 1947 and the White Terror that followed for nearly half a century, in my mind, those who fought for democracy and freedom seemed to be walking in a long dark corridor, not knowing whether the people around them were friends or foes, not knowing whether they would suddenly be grabbed into a dark room, and yet they still believed in a dim gleam in the distance and kept walking. The authoritarian regime, in order to consolidate its rule, indiscriminately detained and killed so many people; our task today is to realize transitional justice, and there is still a long way to go.
Looking back at history, we know peace and freedom were earned with sweat and even blood; they are not something to be taken for granted, and we must strive for them constantly. Once we become negligent, dictators always have various excuses for depriving us of our freedom.
Back to the war in Ukraine, there is another similarity between Taiwan and Ukraine. According to the military website Global Firepower, our military strength is close to that of Ukraine (ranking the 21st and the 22nd respectively). Though not sure if the ranking offered any reliable comparison, I learned from the courage of the Ukrainians that a weak country could still fight against a strong one. Victory or defeat seems to be a self-fulfilling prophecy. The stronger our will to resist and the higher the aggressor’s cost to occupy and rule, the less likely it is to be invaded and the higher the chance of victory.1
Still, the cost of war was staggering. As of March 2, the United Nations reported there were at least 406 civilian casualties, of which at least 102 were killed, which was definitely an underestimated figure, and the military casualties were yet to be added. Reading the numbers and reports, I couldn’t help but think that I could be the one wounded or killed, or my family or friends might be the ones. How do we keep faith in the fear of war?
In this war, in addition to the perseverance the Ukrainians have shown in defending their country, the Russian protesters also inspired me. Anti-war demonstrations have broken out across Russia, and nearly 6,000 people have been detained as of February 27. May we all have the courage to stand up to injustice.
I remembered being asked how to translate “solidarity” into Mandarin years ago in class. At that time, I could only quote the dictionary definition and mumbled words like “sticking together 團結,” “sticking together for common interests” and so on. In the past few years, the meaning of “solidarity” has been repeatedly put into practice, both in the time when “Taiwan supports Hong Kong” and “Taiwan supports Ukraine,” and in the time when “Freedom-loving people should look out for each other!” Put into action one time after another, the meaning of “solidarity” has become clear and powerful to me.
Perhaps writing seems powerless in the face of war, but if we survive, those who survive must continue to write and continue to speak, so that we will not forget the evil of totalitarianism, so that we will remember the spirit of justice. We will write in the time of peace and war, and we will fight in the time of war and peace.
What can we do?
Action is always the best way to overcome anxiety.
A Broad and Ample Road published an excellent article a few days ago which offered a list of organizations to donate and other sources of information (tweets, websites, etc. of journalists and scholars).
“Seh seh world 世界走走” has also compiled a list of organizations (in Mandarin) we can donate.
Here is a list of websites for information (in Mandarin) compiled by my friend “Li Pang 黎胖.”
And, a final note to lighten everyone’s spirit, I played “the game of buying games” (i.e., steam) yesterday and bought This War of Mine. The Polish game company 11 bit studios will donate this week’s earnings (from February 24th to 3 March) of its anti-war game “This War of Mine” to the Ukrainian Red Cross. Hopefully in a few weeks my work is concluded and the war is over, and I can start playing the game.
In addition, I will read a few books to learn more about the wartime basics, including Battlefield Action Manual for Civilians 小老百姓的戰場行動守則, Prepping 101: 40 Steps You Can Take to Be Prepared 災難超前部署手冊, and What to do if CCP Invades 阿共打來怎麼辦. A few years ago, my friend took a self-defense course and received training for the EMT license, which seems to be good things to work on too.
Please share the ways to stand with Ukraine or to better equip ourselves with knowledge and skills for defense!
Jheng Shao-Yu 鄭紹鈺, “Analysis of ‘the first battle being the end of the war’ from the perspective of wartime finance: a case study of the Vichy France regime” (從戰時財政看「首戰即終戰」：法國維琪政權的經驗).