The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files

Latest Episodes:

[ENCORE] The Empire's Last Solider (29 Years, 3 Months, and 16 Days) Jul 27, 2023

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The last Japanese "holdout" of World War II was an Indigenous Amis Taiwanese named Attun Palalin, but in Japanese Formosa, he was Nakamura Teruo (中村輝夫). Palalin was one of a group of Indigenous Taiwanese who served in the Japanese military as part of the Takasago Volunteer Unit 高砂義勇隊. The Takasago Unit was built on the idea that Indigenous Taiwanese were best suited for guerilla-style fighting in Southeast Asian jungles as they could live off the land and were accustomed to tropical climates, etc. Several thousand Indigenous men were recruited. Many Formosans served under the flag of the Rising Sun with distinction during the Second World War; no one, however, was apparently more dedicated than "The Empire's Last Solider," Attun Palalin, who kept "fighting" on an island in modern-day Indonesia until 1974! Enjoy your summer, catch up on episodes, and check out this encore episode, first released in October 2021.

John Groot and John Ross Walk and Talk Historic Tamsui 淡水 - Part Two - S3-E20 Jul 21, 2023

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Tamsui (Danshui) native John Groot and Formosa Files' John Ross continue their walk and talk around the old town. They’re on the trail of the 1884 Battle of Tamsui between French and Taiwanese forces, a battle which was a rare victory for the beleaguered Qing dynasty. As well as military matters, the two Johns chat about the wider history of Tamsui. It’s a fun mix of travel and history. Visit formosafiles.com for links to videos, maps, images, info and more.

Two Johns Take a "Walking Tour" in Historic Tamsui 淡水 - Part One - S3-E19 Jul 20, 2023

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Strategically located near the mouth of the Tamsui (Danshui) River, the port town of Tamsui has a long, rich history. The Spanish built a fort here in the 1600s, as did the Dutch, and numerous European traders came here in the nineteenth century when it was a treaty port. But perhaps the most surprising foreign presence was the brief and bloody stay of the French military. This was the Battle of Tamsui of October 1884, which was a part of the Sino-French War. John Groot, the author of “Taiwanese Feet: My walk around Taiwan,” takes John Ross on a walking tour of his beloved hometown on the trail of this forgotten historical conflict.

Visit formosafiles.com for video links, images, maps, extra info and more.

Getting Arrested in Taiwan - With Lawyer Ross D. Feingold - S3-E18 Jul 13, 2023

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Formosa Files and Taipei-based lawyer Ross Feingold very much hope you never get arrested in Taiwan, or anywhere else for that matter. But should this unfortunate event occur, what are your rights? Does Taiwan require search warrants? Are there "Miranda Rights"? Is it really true that you can get in legal trouble for swearing at someone? Are cops allowed to parade suspects in front of the media in what Americans call a "perp walk"? Listen as Eryk gets some free legal advice* from an expert in local law. (*Disclaimer: None of the commentaries in this episode should be taken as official legal advice. Ross Feingold is speaking as an individual legal professional, and his views are his own.)
Visit formosafiles.com for info, links, images, and more.

The Wrongful Execution of Chiang Kuo-ching, and the Death Penalty in Taiwan – S3-E17 Jul 06, 2023

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Among the too many killings committed in the lawless year of 1997 was the execution of 21-year-old Chiang Kuo-ching (江國慶), a soldier convicted of a horrific crime after a forced confession. Chiang went to his death maintaining his innocence, and 14 years later in 2011, he was posthumously cleared of all wrongdoing. John and Eryk tell this harrowing story, disagree on capital punishment, and discuss the death penalty in Taiwan. They end with a case John brings up of a serial killer from the 1970s-80s who certainly "deserved" his fate.

For images, links, and more, visit www.formosafiles.com

Bonus Episode: The American Institute in Taiwan - Kaohsiung Branch (2023) Jul 04, 2023

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It's the Fourth of July! Happy 247th Birthday, America! It's estimated that around 80,000 U.S. nationals live and work in Taiwan; most, however, do so in the north. But the U.S. State Department has never forgotten southern Taiwan! The American Institute in Taiwan, Kaohsiung Branch (AIT/K), has been serving both Taiwanese and American citizens in the southern port city since 1979. AIT/K's area includes the south, southeast, and outer islands such as Penghu. Check out this fun conversation Eryk recently had with outgoing AIT/K Branch Chief Tom Wong about his time in tropical Taiwan.

Kaohsiung and Taiwan Celebrate Five Years of Weiwuying 衛武營國家藝術文化中心 – Part 2: Struggles & Victories! – S3-E16 Jun 30, 2023

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John and Eryk have been commissioned to tell the tale of Weiwuying as this new Kaohsiung landmark turns five: in part two, we've got challenges galore to overcome, disputes to settle, and finally, a glorious ending as, more than arguably, one of the world's finest performing arts venues opens in 2018. Happy Birthday, Weiwuying!

Kaohsiung and Taiwan Celebrate Five Years of Weiwuying 衛武營國家藝術文化中心 – Part 1: The Land & the Plan – S3-E15 Jun 29, 2023

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As this already-iconic structure and performance center turns five, John and Eryk have been commissioned to tell its tale: it's a 40-year saga of a century-old military base becoming a park and home to, more than arguably, one of the world's finest performing arts venues. It's 2023, and Happy 5th Birthday, Weiwuying!

Bonus Episode: Eryk Calls John for a Meanderingly Interesting Chat Jun 22, 2023

Show notes

Now that we're well into Formosa Files season three, your co-hosts add some background to stories we've told, try to clear up misconceptions about the ROC’s exit from the United Nations, make some “controversial” comments on Dr. Sun Yat-sen, and finally, we agree that Mongolia is an independent country, which the Republic of China (Taiwan) also agreed is a fact, in 2002.

S3-E14 - The Three “Pearl Harbors” of the Chinese Communist Party - with Ian Easton Jun 15, 2023

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Author of The Final Struggle, Ian Easton, sits down for a long chat with Eryk about the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). It's remarkable how close to extinction the CPP came, not once, but thrice. This is a story of spies and counterspies, moles and defectors, violence, treachery and death. Listen to Ian Easton's case on how much we've underestimated the CCP, and how democratic governments, international institutions... and people of all freedom-loving societies, need to "wake up" to the reality of what the CCP is: an authoritarian near-superpower wedded to a fanatic Marxism/Leninism ideology that seeks a new world order, controlled, of course, by a modern emperor in Beijing.

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