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TAIWAN HISTORY - Formosa Files Episodes

Dec. 23, 2021

S1-E21 - The "Best" Hijacking in History?

The word "stalemate" defined relations between Taiwan and China in the 1970s and early 1980s. Neither side wanted to legitimize the other with "official" talks so ideas such as postal and travel links, as well as the most important - family reunions - went nowhere. But everything would change in 19…

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Oct. 14, 2021

S1-E9 - The Empire's Last Soldier 李光輝

He was the last Pacific WWII holdout and a native Taiwanese from the Amis tribe... here's the remarkable story of a Japanese colonial soldier who didn't get home until the mid-1970s!

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Oct. 8, 2021

S1-E8 - POWs, Bombing Raids, and Kamikazes

Initially relatively spared, as WWII in the Pacific reaches a climax, Taiwan is hit hard by advancing Allied forces. POWs in camps across the island await liberation and in modern-day Tainan, a Japanese commander assembles the first kamikaze unit on Formosa.

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Sept. 30, 2021

S1-E7 - Luzon or Formosa? - Taiwan Dodges WWII Invasion

World War II in the Pacific is coming to a close... American military top brass meets with the President to pick the island from which to launch the final attack on Japan. Taiwan -- in particular, southern Taiwan -- is a strong candidate. Hear some interesting war stories and...oh, the tale of the …

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Sept. 30, 2021

S1-E6 - Big Crises on Tiny Islands

The Korean War is over, and Mao turns again to the mission of invading Taiwan. To do that, his forces will need to first take some tiny islands just off the coast of China... which is easier said than done. Here's the story of the two "Cross-Strait Crises."

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Sept. 16, 2021

S1-E4 - Mao Really Wants Taiwan - and a Taiwanese Spy Almost Gave it …

Only one Taiwanese person is known to have survived the famed Long March of Chinese communists led by "Chairman" Mao. Hear the story of Cai Xiaoqian (蔡孝乾) from modern-day Changhua County, who became Mao's spymaster in Taiwan... and whose work almost led to a successful invasion!

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