1895-1951年期間台灣是日本殖民地，日本在1945年投降，美國全權掌控一切，台灣係由中國軍隊接收。1949年，舊中國政府被新中國政府推翻，殘餘的勢力擠往台灣逃難，次年在台灣成立中央政府，名稱卻叫做「中華民國」；當時的想法是要以台灣的「中華民國」去恢復中國已滅亡的中華民國。但在台灣成立的政府一定要稱作台灣政府，不可稱作中國政府，而且當時台灣猶是日本領土，中國政府更不可能遷移來此。美國原本支持舊中國政府，但發現該政府貪污嚴重，轉而要與新政府結交，並以台灣為誘餌。但新政府與蘇聯結盟，不希罕台灣這個交換條件，並百般羞辱美國。美國只得重拾支持中國舊政府殘餘勢力，由於台灣使用「中華民國」國號，美國將計就計，將台灣當作中國，形成以假中國對抗真中國的外交策略，從1950-1978年長達28年。於是美國未遵照傳統國際法的規範，在日本放棄台灣主權後註明承認台灣獨立的做法，當然也未交給其他國家；因此台灣主權下落何方？成為二次戰後學術、政治上的大課題。世界各國學者專家對這件史實約有一百二十個不同看法，分成國家類與非國家類，本文專門敘述國家類的七十三個看法；並進而以相關的歷史事證，嘗試檢視這些說法，以了解其是否符合歷史事實，並略以歷史事證審視批判之。
Taiwan was colonized by Japan from 1895 to 1951. After Japan's surrender in 1945, drafted by the United States, Taiwan was governed by Chinese military. In 1949, China was governed by the new party which founded the People's Republic of China. The remaining of the previous Chinese government relocated to Taiwan, and formed a head of government called Republic of China the next year. At that time, the main political target of it was to retake vanished Republic of China in China. However, a government established in Taiwan should not be named after China. Especially Taiwan was still a territory of Japan then, and it was impossible for Chinese government to relocate to another country. The United States supported the old Chinese government which is Republic of China at first. Nevertheless, as United States found out there was severe corruption within Republic of China, they turned to and would like to set up official diplomatic relations with People's Republic of China while were prepared to let PRC force defeat Taiwan. At the meantime, Sino-Soviet relation was strengthened. China did not accept the proposal and attacked U.S. troops. In 1950 to 1978, the United States chose to ally with the old Chinese government, ROC, to confront again the real China (People's Republic of China) with the fake China (Republic of China). For various political reasons and concerns, the United States did not follow the International Law. United States not only did not admit the independence of Taiwan after Japan's surrender of Taiwan, but also did not hand it to any other countries. The national identity and ethnic identity of Taiwan are both major political and academic issue after World War II.
