The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files

Hear the tale of Japanese colonial officials discovering golf as the "new cool thing for elites" -- and ordering a course built in just a few hours. Plus, the story of Lu Liang-huan (呂良煥), a man from a poor family who worked his way up from being a caddy to an impressive 2nd place win at the 1971 British Open. NOTE: We are re-releasing this episode in celebration of the 62nd anniversary of the Kaohsiung Golf and Country Club 高雄高爾夫俱樂部, a public course and oasis of nature, trees, and birds in the middle of the city (and, of course, an international-standard golf course). This episode first came out in July 2022. The Kaohsiung Golf and Country Club is managed by the sponsors of the Formosa Files podcast, the Frank C. Chen Foundation. Visit formosafiles.com for pics, links and more.

British tea enthusiast and explorer, Robert Fortune, embarked on a secret trip to Taiwan in 1854 to learn the secrets of tea production. Despite spending only a day on the island, he made fascinating botanical discoveries and documented pre-treaty port Qing era Taiwan. This episode explores the British obsession with tea and their attempts to grow it in India. It also delves into Fortune's perilous journey to Taiwan, the endemic Fomosa Lily, the poverty in a Taiwanese town, and the subsequent boom of Taiwan's tea industry.

Taiwanese fishing vessels were notorious for their use of drift nets, which caused international outcry. In 1989, the US Coast Guard launched a sting operation to catch illegal Taiwanese fishing boats. They chased a Taiwan-registered ship for 2,700 miles. The podcast explores the decline of salmon population in Alaska, the impact of rapid industrialization on Taiwan's fishing industry, challenges faced by fishermen, and the ban on driftnet fishing.

Photographer Chris Stowers, known for his epic sea voyage on a traditional Indonesian boat, shares his experiences and insights on photography in Taiwan. From practical recommendations to favorite temples and festivals, he covers photography spots in Taipei like Elephant Mountain and the Shinko Mitsakoshi store. The conversation also delves into the significance of Taiwan's historical events and the speaker's growing appreciation for the country amidst the pandemic.

Explore the stories behind the planes at Gangshan Aviation Education Exhibition Hall. Learn about defectors who brought Soviet planes to Taiwan and the mystery of a Hungarian MiG-21. Discover historical aerial engagements and notable planes in the museum, including the C-47 Skytrain and Boeing 720. Discuss the replacement of the Hawk 3 fighter planes with the Mitsubishi A5M fighter. Dive into the surprising event of Soviet planes bombing Taipei City in 1938, with insights from an American witness.

Not gonna lie folks: this episode gets dark; the story of a super swine slaughter. But, there's also some tasty morsels of info on Taiwan's favorite meat, and the pig’s place in the island’s history and culture. Plus, a final happy ending involving little cute piggies, but you'll have to have to visit formosafiles.com to see the pics.

Explore the roots of the 'Sino-French war' and the mysterious Battle of Dan Shui. Learn about the French objective in Taiwan and the boundaries of the Great Wall and Tunyo. Discover the intriguing history of famous Pacific warships and the one-way suicide mission of the Yamato battleship. Analyze the strategic importance of Taiwan and its potential impact on Japan.

Explore the ROC's naval blockade of China, involving intercepting and attacking ships, including those from the UK and US. Discover the involvement of CIA-backed Nationalist forces and unofficial ROC guerrillas. Learn about high-profile cases like the Soviet tanker Tuapse and the political footballs made of detained crews.

Michael Turton, Taiwanese history expert, discusses the 'what ifs' of Taiwanese history, including alternative scenarios of Spanish or Dutch colonization. The podcast explores the impact on indigenous Austronesian people, interracial marriage, and the potential of Taiwan becoming a British or German colony. Turton argues that Taiwan's connection to China is an anomaly of history and was never inevitable.

Today John Ross and Chris Stowers (a man who has first-hand knowledge of what it's like to sail on an old-fashioned sailing boat) end our three-part series on the amazing voyage of the Chinese junk (built possibly in the 1890s) that made it -- not without overcoming considerable difficulties -- from Keelung to San Francisco in 1955. We discover the fates of the two chickens brought along for the long sea trip (Mildred 1 and Mildred 2), and, of course, learn what happened to our adventurous crew. We won't give away any spoilers, but let's just say there's also a nice twist on what eventually happened to the Free China junk itself.  Visit www.formosafiles.com for pics, links, and more.