In spite of his pledge to respect Austrian sovereignty, Hitler on March 13 proclaimed in Vienna Germany's annexation of Austria. Independent and sovereign Austria was not fully restored until 10 years after Germany's defeat in May 1945. There are striking similarities between Taiwan today and independent Austria between 1918 and 1938. Third, in Taiwan today, there are many who are in favor of unification with China. Fourth, there are already increasingly closer cultural and economic ties between Taiwan and China.
Pressure is on for the Taiwan government to reach a compromise or agreement with China.
Whatever that agreement will be, it will certainly facilitate Chinese communist infiltration of Taiwan. In any case, it is abundantly clear that the people of Taiwan and their leaders can and must learn from the Austrian lesson. Chen Ching-chih is professor of history at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville . This story has been viewed 779 times. The Taipei Times.