Tainan Air Raid Site (Tang Te-chang Memorial Park)

Tang Te-chang Memorial Park (湯德章紀念公園), located at the heart of Tainan's West Central District, is a historic roundabout where seven major roads converge. Originally established in 1907 as a commemorative site with a statue of Governor-General Kodama Gentaro, the park was later named Taisho Park (大正公園) during the Japanese colonial era. Today it serves as a poignant reminder of the devastating air raid that struck Tainan on March 1, 1945.

On that fateful day, the United States Fifth Air Force launched its heaviest raid on the city of Tainan. The 22nd Bombardment Group led the initial wave, dropping 500-pound general-purpose bombs on the city center. In the early afternoon, the 43rd Bombardment Group followed with a second wave of 500-pound incendiary bombs. Together, approximately 25 B-24 Liberator bombers delivered high-explosive ordnance, followed by 16 additional aircraft dropping incendiary munitions.

The bombing was indiscriminate and catastrophic. Government offices, commercial districts, residential neighborhoods, hospitals, and schools were all targeted. The resulting fires and direct hits burned or destroyed 1,073 houses. The historic Hayashi Department Store (林百貨), completed in 1932 as southern Taiwan's first elevator-equipped department store, suffered severe damage — bomb and bullet scars remain visible on its rooftop to this day. The nearby Tainan Prefecture Office was also heavily damaged.

The air raid was part of a broader Allied strategic bombing campaign against Taiwan that intensified after October 1944, when Japanese air defenses on the island were effectively neutralized following the loss of some 300 aircraft in the Formosa Air Battle off eastern Taiwan. With air superiority established, American forces conducted relentless raids on Taiwan's cities, infrastructure, and military installations throughout early 1945.

After Japan's surrender, the park was renamed Minsheng Green (民生綠園). In 1998, it was renamed Tang Te-chang Memorial Park to honor the Taiwanese-Japanese lawyer Tang Te-chang (湯德章), who was publicly executed at this very location on March 13, 1947, during the February 28 Incident. The park now features a bronze bust of Tang and stands as a layered memorial — commemorating both the wartime devastation of 1945 and the political tragedy of 1947.