Also known as formosa, these others are both the seat of the government of the republic of china, commonly referred to as grc, as well as the armed fortress of the military establishment. Taiwan is an island of considerable variety. The eastern half is dominated by a chain of rugged mountains. While to the west lie flat and fertile plains, ideal for the calibration of rice, sugar, and pineapples. The many rural visit villages emphasize the honoring the oriental traditions and culture. Only a few minutes away stand the modern cities of taipei, bustling with movement and signs of 20 century living. 20th century living. During the korean war, it became apparent that the security of taiwan and the offshore islands was vital to the free worlds defense perimeter. Since these islands face a constant threat of the aggression from communism. The United States began the First AdvisoryAssistance Program, known as mag. Today, taiwan, protected by elaborate systems of fortifications, supports numbering over 600,000. The training giving given to these forces is the subject of this report. Narrator taiwans early history is a series of wars, rebellions, and invasions. Beginning in the 12thcentury, taiwan was the subject of rival foreign powers, terrorists, and chinese adventuresss, all edges for a foothold on this rich and strategically placed island. It was not until the 17th century and the arrival of an Almost Legendary finger figure, that taiwan begin to acquire any stability. In the 19th century, taiwan was a province of china of the manchu dynasty. The comparative piece of this period was to be shortlived. In 1894, japan declared war on china. At the conclusion of the illfated sino japanese war, taiwan was officially ceded to japan, in whose hands it would remain for the ensuing 50 years. Once taiwan month again became part of taiwan chinese territory, but National Forces would be pushed off the mainland by powerful communist insurgents. 1947, the city of taipei became the fountainhead of governmental activity after the activation of the mainland entirely. In 1950, the korean war erected and taiwan was destined to play an Important Role as a symbol of freedom in the shadow of communism. Complexes, commonly oi as tim moye kim otherwise called the pescatores, might serve as ideal stepping stones a communist invasion. It is fronted on three sides by the mainland and has been shelled by red artillery. After an initial survey of nationalist leads in 1951, United States immediately launched an excessive program. American Army Officers and enlisted men began working with, but not in direct control of, any grc soldier. To theisors are assigned u. S. Military assistance advisory group, commonly referred to as mag. These advisors working closely with their chinese counterparts, use all available means of transportation to visit the widely scattered chinese forces. Most senior commanders and many subordinates have been trained at u. S. Army schools under the military Assistance Program. Of maag advisors on taiwan encompasses the entire spectrum of army training. Army of any nation is only as good as its infantry. These men going over the leaders reaction course at an inference infantry school, face a series of obstacles. Is similar to the leaders reaction at fort benning, with a few modifications. Great emphasis is placed on infantry weapons training. Working closely with their counterparts, advisors have set up intensive training at a variety of lights and heavy infantry weapons. [gunshots] narrator and Artillery School outside a city advises instructors a basic artillery course. They encourage use of training aids, such as this board, which give students their first practical work in adjusting artillery fire. Firecrackers are a specialty of the chinese, employed to simulate artillery fire. Advisors are suggesting a changeover to more realistic charges. It isnt long before trainees graduate from miniature to real firing. ]gunshots narrator the chinese Army Armor School is often referred to as the fort knox of taiwan. Tank is the u. S. And 41, light enough to navigate the islands terrain. Narrator although armor is used primarily in an offensive role on taiwan, direct training to implement an immobile defense to help repel an invasion or to counter attack if invaded. [gunshots] narrator many tanks used in training have machine guns, mounted and secret iced with tank guns. Synchronized. Withtank guns guns. Chronized with tank these military vehicles are waiting to be rebuilt at the chinese automotive base depot near taipei. By working with u. S. Ordinance advisors, they have developed an installation for the Largest Military automotive regaled acity in the free world rebuild capacity in the free world. Than 1700 more ordinance personal, the depot has the capacity of turning out 1520 rebuilt vehicles per day, 4055 engines, and 108200 most, hasle, like been completely taken apart, and carefully rebuilt. Now, it joins a line of others, rebuilt and ready to be reissued. Ordinance advisors can share a feeling of satisfaction in a job well done. U. S. Advisors of many areas of the world must devote a large percentage of their time and effort to making sure that equipment supplied by the military Assistance Program is properly maintained. There is probably no better example of this than the guided missile advisor from taiwan. This heart missile site, located on one of the islands highest peaks, literally above the clouds much of the time, is an excellent tactical position. However, it is a position which, because of extremely high humidity, amplifies the problems of missile maintenance. And, as with most military equipment on a taiwan island complex, the minutes problems are compounded by the necessity of keeping ammo and other material in operation readiness at all times rather than in storage. These advisors trained as a package with 40 members of a hot battery at fort lewis, texas. It has resulted in an exceptionally close knit, smooth running team in both maintenance and operational phases. Site, crisprcules dissipate in a practice firing, just as if crews participate in a practice firing. They are quickly raised for firing. [missile firing] narrator the responsibilities are on maintenance, as well as keeping personnel at the peak of operation readiness, applies to the other teams in taiwan. This includes advising chinese army units on such activities as engineer. Communications. Ammo. Quartermaster. Logistical. Chemical. And psychological operations. On taiwan, psychological advisors are not attached to maag, but are a part of the taiwan broadcast and visual activity. As an advisory byproduct, many u. S. Wives conduct english classes for chinese army personnel. Military advisory groups on taiwan devote attention to all phases of airborne training. At the chinese training school, students learn correct techniques as the chief airborne advisor shows them how. And soon, two c 46s head to the drop zone for firsttime jumpers. Inside the cabin of one, the two u. S. Advisors are ready to lead the way. They jump, and the trainees follow. An introductory briefing before exercised sky soldier testifies to the emphasis placed on combined training and sinoamerican relations. The tactical situation is an aggressive force has invaded taiwan. U. S. Paratroopers from okinawa and a chinese Airborne Unit will combine in a counter attack. Official begins as paratroopers ready to take off from the drop zone have their shoots checked by the jump mast chutes checked by the jump master. The plan is for grc and u. S. Troops to jump at two widely separated jump sons, and then to counter attack on foot jump zones, and then to counter attack on foot. [plane engines roaring] narrator within a few minutes, aircraft of the Chinese Air Force arrived over the primary drop zone. Quickinese are unusually to master jumping techniques. Exercise, the island civilians are highly interested spectators. As the grc move out, the heavy drop of equipment is released. Aircraft, u. S. Completing their flight from okinawa, arrived over the secondary drop zone. They move off the drop zone to carry off their half of the movement. The Main Objective of both forces is to take an Aggressive Health branch, pinned down at the end of the drop zone, the received word that the aggressive force is withdrawing and move out for the objective. The aggressors were treated under fire by the advancing u. S. Paratroopers. Objective,red the u. S. Troops faced a series of nonmilitary obstacles. Meanwhile, the chinese paratroops approached the bridge from the opposite direction. U. S. Advisors accompany them during the entire exercise. As the enemy fights to defend the bridge, the chinese bring up their heavy weapons. [gunshots] f 100 jets report and attack on aggressive positions. The invading force, u. S. And grc troops link up on the Main Objective. Completed, one successful counter airborne attack. Among positive results of exercised sky soldier, or Mutual Respect between u. S. And chinese personnel, as well as proof of feasibility of a combined defense by forces of the two nations. About 100 miles across open lies them taiwan, other Three Islands in the complex. Highest point, a radar site symbolizes the strategic importance of the four island complex to the free world. For in addition to the aspects already mentioned, the complex provides an observation post for which to keep the chinese coastal activities under close surveillance. It also adds to the depth of the overall defense of taiwan. Kinmen proper is about 12 miles long and five miles wide. Its cliff like terrain, with a network of underground placements, broad beaches, and the taiwan straits, is considered by many to be almost impregnable. A land of low rainfall, the island has gently rolling red and white clay farm land on the western coast. Its chief crops are peanuts, sweet potatoes, wheat, and millet. In recent years, the civilian population has become almost self sustaining. Secondlargests village. In recent years, the government has been in a position to eliminate the ancient specters of disease and on a plummet, and is establishing unemployment, and is establishing Better Safety practices. These bombed out buildings, currently used to train chinese soldiers, were destroyed by artillery fire from the communist mainland in a 258, one half a million rounds blasted the island and in invasion attempt was repelled. Now, caves protect the population, as well as visiting military. The shelling still continues, but only with rounds filled with propaganda materials, and only on number days. Most military establishments are located in tunnels or caves to reduce both casualties and damage to material, especially if the Chinese Communist should resume the use of high explosive rounds. Although in recent years, shelling has been restricted to leaflet carrying rounds, anyone within the immediate vicinity can be hit by shell fragments. As a result, visits, inspection trips, and supply activities are scheduled for evennumbered days. The tunnel through which this jeep is being driven also serves as the entrance to the underground office of the defense the kinmen defense Advisory Team. They have taken on two assignments because of the small personnel in relation to the large number of activities and installations. You are looking at the interior wall of another office, a cave enclosed Operations Office of a chinese division. The Division Advisor and his counterpart climbs stairs from the intersecting tunnels that lead to the office. Much of the advisor effort here is devoted to training and maintenance of equipment. Although the troops on kinmen are seasoned and in a tactical situation, training and maintenance are vital to an area so close to an enemy threatening invasion. Curtains are the underground living quarters of operations personnel. Many troops on kinmen live in caves close to their duty stations. For many, reporting for duty today is to walk through a maze of manmade tunnels to daylight. Here in the shadow of another tunnel, and aviation advisor and his counterpart, a general, discuss parachute inspections and maintenance. Are protectedraft by a sergeant advisor oversees 9 by hisnce on an l1 counterpart, who was school trained. This is in line with the army policy of bringing allied nationals to the United States for training and operation and maintenance of u. S. Equipment. Cave, ahin another chinese unit has set up a signal maintenance shop. There are virtually no activities that are not protected by solid rock. Another typical underground installation is the u. S. Army communication center. It enables members of the kinmen Advisory Team to remain in constant communication with the army section of maag in taipei. The activities of the navy medicare illustrate the dedication of personnel in keeping with the navys mission of administratively and logistically supporting u. S. Troops on taiwan. His original assignment was solely to administer the medical needs of u. S. Personnel. However, his energy and skills proof such that, at his request, the chief of the Advisory Team detailed him to serve as a medical advisor in addition to his regular duties. Resupplying the large number of military personnel on kinmen presented a difficult problem until u. S. Advisors helped to solve it. Faced with the necessity of moving supplies rapidly across soft stretches of sand, they designed and helped set up a teamm that enabled an lst to the beach, unload one time. This permits crews to unload in a single, evennumbered day, thus avoiding a conflict with the chinese shelling schedule. Advisors and their counterparts make frequent inspection trips to the other Three Islands of the kinmen complex, which as we have noted, stand as close to 20003000 yards off the communist mainland. They visit a psychological operations post. They are greeted by two specialists from the chinese womens army corps. Powerful loudspeakers enable them to send frequent propaganda messages across the streets to the mainland straits to the mainland. Psychological operations also involved balloons carrying scarce items such as salt and toothpaste, to the island. An advisorkinmen, inspects a rifle range. An advisor inspects several outposts for which observers keep it under constant surveillance. Maps and mockups of the red coast and how i harbor help to locate gun positions and other strategic positions. They can see that all is quiet, and the situation normal along the communist coastline. Controlling the exit, kinmen is in effect the court in the communist invasion bottle, performing much the same role for asia as does berlin in europe. Complex are the furthest outposts of the free worlds pacific defense. In april 1961, lyndon b. Johnson, then Vice President of the United States, after a factfinding tour of Southeast Asia, reported to president jf kennedy, the battle against communism must be joined in Southeast Asia with strength and determination to achieve success there. Or the United States, inevitably, must surrender the pacific and take up our defenses on our own shores. Asian communism is comprised and contained by the maintenance of free nations on the subcontinent. Without this inhibitory influence, they are than outpost, philippines, japan, taiwan have no security and the vast pacific becomes a red sea. You can watch archival films on Public Affairs in their entirety on our weekly series, 10 00merica saturday at p. M. And sunday at 4 00 p. M. Eastern here on American History tv. The cspan cities tour travels the country, exploring th