前線島嶼：冷戰下的金門

by Michael Szonyi, 宋怡明, 黃煜文 (Translator)

金門，一個蕞爾小島。它雖小，卻無比重要，地緣政治角力、海峽兩岸武力衝突，皆曾交會於這個「前線島?」上。但金門的故事，不止於此。過往的研究忽略了一個重要的部分──金門人。島上的居民，親身體驗了多次砲戰及其後「軍事現代性」的複雜、獨特歷程。而這些歷程在他們生活的所有面向，銘刻下或深或淺的痕跡。本書探討金門在冷戰這個國際地緣政治結構下，其社會的變遷過程；並分析軍事化、現代性與地緣政治化（geo-politicization）之力量，如何在島上運作。金門人的經濟、性別與家庭、宗教等生活各方面如何被這些力量所影響；金門人的集體記憶，又是如何選擇、編寫或遺忘？更重要的是，本書的理論架構使金門研究提升至更大脈絡中。金門小島，不再是邊陲離島的格局，而是冷戰社會史研究的全新標誌。

Genres: History, Nonfiction

384 pages, Paperback

First published August 11, 2008

Reviews

[Anthony Caruso · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, so much to the point where I want to read more about Taiwan during the Cold War.

Szonyi's argument is presented like it is a big deviation from normal historiography in the introduction, but I think the approach to each of his argument is a bit of an expected formula, at times; He'll lay out the situation for you, demonstrate why it is important to understand a key event, and how the locals responded to an event/interacted with officials or the State (usually including some way that they got around proscribed laws/conventions). What made it really stand out in my mind was the examples presented and the manner in which Szonyi drew a clear connection between PRC policy/political atmosphere, and at times global as well, and ROC policy/political atmosphere. It was really an entertaining read and I feel like I got a lot from it. I understand why Jinmen may be thought of as a very important historic area because of its geopolitical role in the Cold War(, especially after reading the part on page 233 that covers how Taiwan might have also fallen to the PRC if Jinmen's resistance at Guningtou had failed.)

[Vivian Lu · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this for a final paper for school. I was able to finish it in two days, so it wasn't a difficult read. The outline and supporting details are presented in a very matter-of-fact, easy-to-follow way. The book did feel like a history book, but that's not a bad thing per se. I learned a lot. I think it's great that this book was published; I knew nothing about it beforehand. It makes me want to visit Jinmen aka Quemoy. 3.5/5 rounded up to four for Goodreads.

[versarbre · Rating 4 out of 5]

The comment of the two sides being mirror images is very insightful. The author also does a great job showing the ever-shifting geopolitical relations during the "Cold War"period and the changing positions of Jinmen in that context. The chapter on ghosts and temples is gold.

[Hengyu · Rating 4 out of 5]

人二三炮击之后，金门面对的实际军事威胁已基本不存在，但蒋当局决意将金门打造成大陆对台湾以及自由世界与日俱增的威胁的象征，以合理化其戒严统治，随着大量驻军的到来和战地政务体制的建立，金门民众进入一种长达数十年的军事化生活。躲炮击单躲双不躲，民兵地道战，抓老鼠，种高粱，阿兵哥生意兴隆，小女子军中乐园为国献身……自由世界向大陆妥协、炮击结束、岛内政党轮替，金门最终失去了象征意义和作用，被世界和台湾双重边缘化。给民众留下的的只是一个军事塑造的低度现代化的社会，以及苦难与英雄交织的历史记忆。

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unique look at geopolitics of Cold War through a social history approach focused on the island of Jinmen

[Chyi · Rating 5 out of 5]

宋怡明从军事化、现代性、地缘政治化和集体记忆四个维度，分析冷战时期金门的社会变迁及民众与国家的互动。书中批评当权者借军事上的紧急状况（即使此种状况已经缓和），全方位介入普通百姓的生活，削弱人民的自由。这种状况不光发生在金门，在两蒋时期的台湾、毛泽东治下的大陆以及世界上很多地区，都是普遍现象。恰如作者所说，金门和岛上人民的经验“是种象征且寓意深长”。

[Tom Olmsted · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good scholarly review of the forces affecting change on the island of Kinmen in the Taiwan Strait.