From a Good Wife and a Loving Mother to a Fearless Warrior: A Study of Female Military Training in Wartime Taiwan, 1937-1945

Abstract The role of women has traditionally been that of a good wife and a loving mother. While females were not generally conscripted, women in Japan and Taiwan sometimes received military training from programs implemented by the government. Following an historical approach, this study explores the factors, contents, effects, and causal links of such policy. This study also endeavors to ensure the objective interpretations of historical facts through collection of oral histories. The time period of this study covers the entire war-time era from 1937 to 1945, so as to investigate the relationship between females and the nation during wartime, clarifying the meaning of military training for Taiwanese women and understanding the various situations and potentials of Taiwanese females. The policy of mobilizing females during Japanese rule could be delineated into three dimensions. First, the emphasis of female’s role as a mother; second, their participation in air defense drills; and third, receipt of military training. Female military training in this case included “basic military training” and “budō,” particularly the use of naginata, kyudō, and kendō. Students and women in general were both included in the programs. The rationale of this policy for female participation in military training is derived from the concept of “the nation in arms” from Japan. According to this idea, citizens must maintain health-consciousness in order to be prepared to readily face any contingency during wartime. Therefore, during wars, the Japanese government implemented the policies of “national mental and physical exercises” and “female military training.” The female military training included shooting, marching, room sharing, budō, spears, the crafting of bamboo spears and spear fencing, and equestrianism. The Japanese government expected that through such military training, women could not only build a strong physique in order to maintain mental health and raise healthy children but also enhance their military knowledge. As the battlefield situation had gotten worse, females receiving military training would also serve to bolster domestic defenses as well. Eventually, through the training, the government also expected that females should rouse gratitude towards the soldiers. No matter training for own personal health or domestic defense, the females were dominated by the government. Military training also reshaped women’s role and image. The familiarity of weapons, patriotic and fearless acts exemplified the bravery of women. However, such images were not incompatible with their roles of being a good wife and loving mother. The Japanese government utilized the news of female training to serve as an element of propaganda in order to inspire males’ jingoism. The military training granted females chances of introspection toward themselves and a re-examination of the education of militarism. Keywords：a good wife and a loving mother, wartime, basic military training, budō, the nation in arms, domestic defense