The Door to Taiwan

Five hundred Chinese prisoners shuffled toward the 32 "explanation" tents in the valley. Behind them, in the compounds of Indian Village, their 22,000 comrades were banging pans and canteens, shouting "Death to Mao Tse-tung." This was the long-awaited day when the U.N. stand against forced repatriation of prisoners (which had prolonged the Korean war 16 months) was to get its first real test: the free choice of the P.W.s themselves. After listening to the Communist explanations, the P.W.s could leave each tent by one of two doors: one led to Communist China; the other was the one the P.W.s called "The Door to Taiwan [Formosa]."

Despite the uproar in the compounds, the 96 Communist explainers assigned to the day's work were relaxed and confident. They smiled at the first P.W.s as they walked, one by one, into the tents; they invited them to sit down. Convinced by their own propaganda that the P.W.s had been held against their will, the Communists began soothingly. "You have been cheated by evil men . . ."

They were completely unprepared for what came next. P.W.s turned their backs, stamped their feet, sang Nationalist-songs. One burst a pimple on his face and flicked its contents at the explainers. Another listened for a while, then remarked contemptuously: "The others are waiting for me to sit in on a mah-jongg game in the compound . . . Try not to waste any more of my time." In Tent 7, a stocky Chinese, with Nationalist emblems sewn on his blouse, faced three Communists, sweating and fidgety in green-brown wool uniforms. This is what was said:

Young Indian chairman: We are representatives of five neutral nations--Poland, Czechoslovakia, Sweden, Switzerland and India. These explainers will talk to you and ask you certain questions. You need not answer questions which you feel might be used to coerce you . . .

Communist explainer: We have come to welcome you back to the arms of the motherland in the name of the people of China.

P.W.: I want to go to Taiwan. I don't want to listen to what you have to say.

Explainer (smiling): Please listen. We know that you have suffered greatly. We also know that your father and mother are waiting to welcome you back. We know that you have been oppressed. We are prepared to forgive you for whatever activities you may have engaged in against the people. When you decide to go home, just go out that door. (He points to the "China door.")

P.W. (flushed and shouting): My mother and father were both killed by the Communists. You say you represent the people. Where are the people? I am going to Taiwan.

Explainer (standing, no longer smiling): Don't talk that way. Look to the future. Consider your life and the life of your generation. There is no future for you on Taiwan. There is no real freedom, and ...

P.W. (rolls up sleeve and bares anti-Communist tattoo): Freedom! I didn't come to Korea of my own free will, did I?

Explainer: China is making great strides in economic reconstruction. We have a job for you and a need for you.

P.W.: What reconstruction? You always talk a lot about reconstruction. I have never seen any reconstruction.

Explainer: Come back home and see what great strides we have made.

P.W.: You lie. I will go to Taiwan. I don't want to hear any more of this.

Explainer: I have finished my explanation to this man. Please bring on the next man.

P.W.: To hell with you sons of dogs who have sold our country to Russia. You are Russian slaves.

Indian chairman: You have heard the explanation. You have a free choice to be repatriated or not. We will give you five minutes alone to think it over. If you want to go ...

P.W. (shouting): Which door to Taiwan? I want to go to Taiwan. Please tell the U.N. representative. (P.W. walks out through "Taiwan door.")

The Parade. Frustrated and confused by the P.W.s' defiance, the Red explainers after two hours were letting the P.W.s go through almost a man a minute; they stared down at their own clenched hands while P.W.s cursed and mocked them; they glared at the Indians and U.N. observers as if they had caused it all. First day's count: explanations, 500; conversions. 10.

The second day, North Korean P.W.s refused to leave their compounds for the explanations, despite an Indian threat to use force. Fearing an attempt at a mass breakout, the Indians called off the proceedings.

The third day, 430 Chinese P.W.s turned up for explanations, but lashed at the explainers, spat at them, kicked at their shins and bellies, until Indian guards were called on to hold them back. The Communists too were tougher: they tried to coerce the P.W.s in violation of the neutral commission ground rules, and they were not always stopped by the Indian chairmen. "We have 90 days to explain to you," one explainer said, "and we will talk to you time and again if you don't come with us now." One lied: "Taiwan has been overrun and Chiang Kai-shek overthrown." One boasted: "We destroyed the Nationalists, and soon we will take over Taiwan."

For three hours, the explainers picked on one P.W. and put him through what the U.N. called a "cruel and inhuman ordeal." Seventeen times the P.W. tried to leave the tent, but was induced to return. Seven times the U.N. observer protested, often with Swiss and Swedish support; the Indian chairman denied the appeal. But Indian General Thimayya heard what was going on and hurried over to the tent. He listened, then led the P.W. out by the hand, while the explainers shouted, "Come back, come back." The third day's count: explanations, 430; conversions, 9.

Countermove. The courageous defiance by the P.W.s was a catastrophic blow to Communist prestige. The immensity of that blow could be measured in the reaction of the Indians on the scene, dumfounded at the discovery that prisoners might be defiant to the death against Communists and not simply (as they thought) coerced by Chiang Kaishek, Syngman Rhee and Mark Clark.

The Communists could not be expected to take this kind of defeat indefinitely. If the explanations did not soon turn in their favor, they would undoubtedly stall them on "technical grounds" and start more trouble. Their first countermove was to demand that the balky North Koreans be worked on again before any more Chinese were interviewed, apparently hoping that the North Koreans would clash with the Indian troops and thereby divert attention from their own red Red faces.

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