5000 students and teachers fleeing the Chinese Civil War from Shandong in mainland China were relocated to the Penghuarchipelago near the island of Taiwan.[1] The ROC promised that their education would continue while serving as part-time soldiers. Instead, the refugees were made full-time soldiers. Student protests broke out on July 13 and were violently suppressed by the military. Some protesters being stabbed with bayonets, while others were reportedly killed.[1][2]
Some teachers and principals publicly supported the students;[1] some may have attempted to notify higher authorities of the abuses. In response, the military arrested hundreds of students toward the end of July. The prisoners were tortured into false confessions of being communist spies. The supportive teachers and principals were implicated and arrested. 40 stood trial in Taipei. Two principals and five students[2] were publicly executed;[1] their deaths were announced on December 12.[2]
