World Anti-Communist League

The World Anti-Communist League (WACL) was an international right-wing political organization. It was founded in 1966 in Taipei, Taiwan, under the initiative of Chiang Kai-Shek, and with the aim of opposing Communism around the world through "uncoventional" methods. It had eight regional branches, with a presence in up to 100 countries on six continents. The honorary life chairman of the WACL was Dr. Ku Cheng-Kang, a senior leader of the Kuomintang, and the president of Taiwan's National Assembly.

Related Topics:
Right-wing - 1966 - Taipei - Taiwan - Chiang Kai-Shek - Communism - Ku Cheng-Kang - Kuomintang - National Assembly

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The WACL performed elaborate annual conferences at various locations throughout the world. The WACL's core activity involved providing financial and material aid to right-wing militias around the world, notably by providing scholarships for psychological warfare trainings at the Political Warfare Cadres Academy in Taiwan.

Related Topics:
Right-wing - Militia - Psychological warfare - Political Warfare Cadres Academy

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The WACL had close ties with the governments of Taiwan under Kuomintang] rule, and (to a lesser extent), South Korea. Numerous groups of questionable repute also participated in the WACL: the Unification Church, various Latin American death squads, former World War II Axis government officials wanted for war crimes, and a large number of fascist organizations {{fact}}.

Related Topics:
South Korea - Unification Church - Latin America - Death squad - World War II - Axis - War crime - Fascist

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In 1978, Roger Pearson, a known fascist and white supremacist, became the chairman of the WACL, until he was deemed too extreme and therefore expelled in 1980. During the 1980s, the WACL was particularly active in Latin America, notably by aiding the Contra forces in Nicaragua.

Related Topics:
1978 - Roger Pearson - White supremacist - 1980 - 1980s - Latin America - Contra - Nicaragua

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After the fall of Communism in Eastern Europe in 1990 and 1991, the fate of the WACL has remained unclear.

Related Topics:
Communism - Eastern Europe - 1990 - 1991

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Although on September 17, 1994, The Irish Times reported that the WACL is now known as the World League for Freedom and Democracy. It is still sponsored by Taiwan and South Korea and now officially has turned itself to "global affairs, the need for peace initiatives and co-operating with developing countries."

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Two further reports have been noted holding the World League for Freedom and Democracy responsible for producing "troops of killers" while ostensibly organizing to provide support for Corazon Aquino from the right-wing in the Philippines (The Village Voice, February 27, 1996) and for supporting the Mozambican National Resistance (RENAMO) movement in Mozambique (The Guardian, August 6, 1994).

Related Topics:
Corazon Aquino - Philippines - Mozambican National Resistance - Mozambique

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