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Taiwan During World War II. Episodes

April 8, 2022

S2-E6 - Part 1: Dr. Peng Ming-min 彭明敏 (1923-2022) - The Incredible li…

Dr. Peng Ming-min (彭明敏) was a Taiwanese pro-independence/pro-democracy activist who lived an exceptional life - losing an arm in a WWII US air raid, witnessing the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, and being arrested for sedition after returning to Taiwan -- to name just a few of the amazing parts of his…

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Jan. 25, 2022

S1-E25 - From Russia With Love: ROC First Lady Faina Chiang 蔣方良

In 1933, on a winter’s night in the Russian town of Yekaterinburg, Faina Vakhreva -- then 17 years old -- was walking home and became the unwanted subject of attention of a Russian man who began harassing her. A 23-year-old Chinese man also walking home at the time, saw what was happening and chase…

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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. 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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