NEWSMAP , MONDAY, 13 AUGUST, 1945. WEEK OF 31 JULY TO 7 AUGUST, V-E Day + 14 Weeks - 191st Week of U. S. Participation in the War. Volume IV No. 17F
民國34年8月13日星期一，《新聞地圖》，第二次世界大戰歐戰勝利紀念日第 14 週/美國參戰第 191 週，第四卷第17F期《Black Water Museum Collections | 黑水博物館館藏》
FORMOSA is one of Japan's oldest annexations, taken from China after the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95. It's area is nearly 14,000 square miles equalling that of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island combined. Only 300,000 of its 6,000,000 inhabitants are Japanese. Taihoku, chief city of the island, had a prewar population of about 275,000.
Running the length of the island is a chain of mountains rising to more than two miles in height. The western slopes are clothed with thick forests, while on the eastern face many mountains drop sharply to the sea, presenting a barrier to invasion.
Aside from its strategic value, Formosa is also a food basket for Japan, producing one-sixth of Japan's total rice supply. Seventy percent of the world's camphor supply comes from the island. Minerals include coal, sulphur, copper, gold, and silver. There are two oil producing regions- one in the north, at Taihoku(台北), with a large refinery at Byoritsu; the other farther south, near Kagi(嘉義).
Japan's Army strength on the island has been increasing. Early in 1945, Chinese sources(中華民國情報) revealed that the enemy had sent three new divisions to Formosa, making a total of 11-an estimated 110,000 men. The enemy has also built numerous airfields on Formosa, while the Japanese Navy has converted Formosa into an important shipyard and naval base.
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