How long did the Republic of Formosa exist?
Republic of Formosa
Knowing that a Japanese landing was imminent, the republican leaders did what little they could in the short time given to them to prepare the island's defenses against invasion.  Taiwan in May 1895 was not short of soldiers.  Tang Jingsong, in order to hearten the people, exaggerated their numbers considerably, claiming that he had under his command 150,000 soldiers, regulars and volunteers.  Judicious observers believed that this figure should be halved.  In all, they calculated, there were 75,000 soldiers scattered throughout the island, of whom 50,000 were in the northern half and 25,000 in the southern half.  These troops included the regular soldiers of the Qing garrison, local volunteers, and Hakka militia units hastily raised on the orders of Ch'iu Feng-chia.