This study aims to investigate how Kuomintang (the Nationalist Party, KMT) rebuilt its propaganda system in the 1950s after its relocation in Taiwan. Apart from spending heavily on national defense, KMT also devoted to promote mass propaganda, especially by taking advantage of cinema and radio broadcasting, which were considered as the most effective mediums of propaganda at that time. By educating Taiwanese people through these two types of mass entertainment according with party-centered ideologies and national policies, KMT shaped and strengthened its policy promotion of “Fuxing Jidi” (Base for Recovery of the Mainland), thereby positioning Taiwan as the ideal stronghold against Communist China. Starting with the establishment of propaganda system through KMT's organizational mobilization from both central and regional committees of the party, this study examines the courses, contents and tools of KMT's propaganda, particularly focusing on the party-owned cultural institutions such as “Central Motion Picture Corporation” (CMPC) and “Broadcasting Corporation of China” (BCC), in order to demonstrate the achievements on the promotion of “Building Taiwan as the Fuxing Jidi for Anti-Communism” via cinema and radio broadcasting.
Since propaganda of cultural wars puts much emphasis on the cultivation of esprit de corps, KMT offered visual and auditory attractions to the masses directly via cinema and radio broadcasting, represented respectively by CMPC and BCC. For example, CMPC often used cinema of non-political themes as means of educational propaganda to influence its audience, facilitating the implementation of KMT's social education and cultural policies. Following the instructions of KMT's central authorities, BCC also strengthened its reportage on those important decisions made by the authorities, indoctrinating the audience with social reformism, patriotism and anti-communist ideology, thus shaping the collective imagination of “Fuxing Jidi.” Step by step, this study will reveal how KMT obtained its legitimacy consolidation in the 1950s Taiwan by using modern technology to shape and strengthen people’s obedience and knowledge towards its national policies.