Let us know what you think about the show. Leave a review by clicking on "rate show"
The History of Taiwan - Formosa Files

The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files

Taiwan's Top-Rated History Podcast
Stories from the History of Formosa (Taiwan)


The Formosa Files Taiwan History Podcast is sponsored by
The FRANK CHEN FOUNDATION
(陳啟川先生文教基金會)
www.frank-chen.org.tw

HOSTS:
John Ross (author, co-founder of publisher Camphor Press)

Eryk Michael Smith (writer, broadcaster, journalist)

Both Ross and Smith have lived in Taiwan for well over 20 years and call the island home.

Formosa Files - Weekly Tales from the Wonderful History of Taiwan 

Recent Episodes

May 16, 2024

S4-E11 - Bird Droppings on Rocks: the surprising history of hotly contested South China Sea islands

On Saturday May 18th, 2024, a group of local lawmakers will visit Taiping Island 太平島, a tiny strip of coral and sand in the Spratly Islands more than 1,500 km away from the southern tip of Taiwan. As anyone who reads the new…
May 14, 2024

FORMOSA FILES IN CHINESE! CH05-經濟奇蹟背後的重大事故-高雄港高中六號事故

1973年(民國62年)9月3日早上,在高雄港發生了一起嚴重的沉船事故。總共有25位乘客罹難,而且這25位乘客全部都是13至30歲的未婚女性。究竟為什麼會有這麼多的年輕女性罹難?事件的後續又如何呢?
May 9, 2024

S4-E10 - Radio Wars

John recently visited the National Radio Museum in Minxiong Township, Chiayi County. This led to some research on the use of radio for propaganda. Whether harnessed by the imperial Japanese military or the CIA, “Free China” …
May 7, 2024

FORMOSA FILES IN CHINESE! CH04-芭比娃娃 M.I.T.—臺灣製造的世界傳奇

芭比娃娃是陪伴許多人童年的娃娃,2023年甚至還有一部以芭比娃娃為題材的電影發行,也再一次讓這個世界級的娃娃成為熱門話題。然而有許多人不知道,從1960年代起一直到1980年代,全世界有超過一半以上的芭比娃娃都是在臺灣生產製造。當時芭比娃娃的美泰兒公司(Mattel, Inc.)與臺灣的華夏塑膠策略聯盟,在臺灣臺北縣泰山鄉(現在的新北市泰山區)設立「美寧工廠」,生產芭比娃娃並外銷到世界各地。如果是年紀稍大一點的聽眾朋友,搞不好您以前的芭比娃娃就…
May 2, 2024

S4-E9 – Chen Shui-bian 陳水扁: The Middle Years – From Law School to First Prison Term

When Chen Shui-bian 陳水扁 began his university studies in 1969, gifted student though he was, few could have imagined he would become Taiwan’s first non-KMT president. The young Chen had no political plans – he wanted to study…
April 30, 2024

FORMOSA FILES IN CHINESE! CH03-臺灣街頭巷口的洗腦名曲—臺灣垃圾車音樂文化

LISTEN TO THE STORY OF ⁠TAIWAN'S MUSICAL GARBAGE TRUCKS ⁠⁠⁠IN CHINESE! 說到臺灣日常中最特別的聲音,莫過於幾乎每天都在大街小巷裡響起的〈少女的祈禱〉與〈給愛麗絲〉。臺灣垃圾車播放音樂,其實遠自1968年(民國57年)就已經開始。一路發展到現在,垃圾車的「曲目」也有許多變化,但臺灣人聽得最久、最習慣的還是這兩首曲子,也成為臺灣日常最特別的文化。這集就讓我們來聊聊臺灣垃圾車…