Earlier this year when we were in Taiwan in January for the presidential election, we sat down to interview Dr. Linda Gail Arrigo, Ai Linda (艾琳達). Linda talked about the era and events that precipitated the Kaohsiung incident, also known as the Formosa Incident, which is widely considered the watershed moment in history that led to Taiwan’s democratization. The Kaohsiung Incident happened in December of 1979
This is the episode of Talking Taiwan that got us shortlisted in the top 15 podcasts selected in category of “Moment of Visionary Leadership” for the 2024 International Women’s Podcast Awards (IWPA). This year the IWPA had 700 submissions from over 33 different countries. Results were announced in London on Wednesday, June 19th.
While we were not selected as the winning podcast in this category, we are deeply honored to have our work recognized. Any increased visibility for Talking Taiwan also means greater visibility for Taiwan.
During this interview Linda talked about how, in 1975 she had been sent to observe a trial that had been stated to be an open trial but when she arrived there, she saw that it wasn’t. In the face of intimidation by the Taiwan Garrison Command officers, she chose to speak up about the injustice she saw, and reported it to Amnesty International. To me, Linda’s self-directed action was a moment of defiant courage, which exemplified a “Moment of Visionary Leadership,” which is why we submitted a clip from this interview to the International Women’s Podcast Awards. Thank you Linda Gail Arrigo, Ai Linda (艾琳達) for sharing your story and for advocating for the people of Taiwan.
This is part one of a two-part interview.
Related Links:
Linda Gail Arrigo: https://www.linda-gail-arrigo.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linda_Arrigo
American Military Assistance Advisory Group in Taiwan: https://shorturl.at/If1g7
Miss Saigon: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Saigon
Double Ten Day in Taiwan (Republic of China): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Day_of_the_Republic_of_China
https://oftaiwan.org/culture/double-ten-day/
https://www.taiwaneseamerican.org/2011/10/100-years-of-history-behind-double-ten-day-of-the-r-o-c/
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Progressive_Party
Chiang Kai-shek: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiang_Kai-shek
Mainland China: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mainland_China
Mainlander: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mainlander
General Claire Lee Chennault: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claire_Lee_Chennault
Flying Tigers: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Tigers
Watergate: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watergate_scandal
Former U.S. President Richard Nixon: https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/richard-m-nixon/
Peng Ming-min: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peng_Ming-min
Taiwan Alliance for Interculture: https://taiwaneseamericanhistory.org/blog/ourjourneys37-eng/
Lungshan temple: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangka_Lungshan_Temple
The 228 massacre: https://228massacre.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_28_incident
https://www.taiwandc.org/228-intr.htm
Taiwan’s Martial Law era: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martial_law_in_Taiwan
White Terror Era in Taiwan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Terror_(Taiwan)
Chen Chu: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chen_Chu
Control Yuan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control_Yuan
Vietnam war: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War
Protests against the Vietnam War: https://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/vietnam-war-protests
Taiwan Garrison Command: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwan_Garrison_Command
Amnesty International: https://www.amnesty.org/en/
John King Fairbank: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_King_Fairbank
Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies: https://fairbank.fas.harvard.edu/
Taipei American School: https://www.tas.edu.tw/
Peng min-ming and 2 others published Taiwan Statement of Self redemption
Lynn Miles: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynn_Miles_(activist)
Veteran human rights activist Lynn Miles dies at 72: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2015/06/09/2003620262
Shih Ming-teh: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shih_Ming-teh
Zhongli incident: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhongli_incident
Chiang Ching-kuo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiang_Ching-kuo
Harvey Feldman: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_Feldman
Annette Lu: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annette_Lu
The “Kaohsiung Incident” of 1979 (an article from Taiwan Communique): https://www.taiwandc.org/hst-1979.htm
Formosa Incident (an article from OFT- Outreach for Taiwan): https://oftaiwan.org/history/white-terror/formosa-incident/
Reports on the Kaohsiung Incident
Contemporary reports from 20 years ago shed light on the attitude of the authorities to the Incident’s aftermath (an article from the Taipei Times published in 1999): https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/local/archives/1999/12/10/0000014313
Jingmei: https://www.nhrm.gov.tw/w/nhrmEN/Jing_Mei_Explore
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter: https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/james-carter/
Jimmy Carter, “Establishing Diplomatic Relations With China,” Dec. 15, 1978: https://china.usc.edu/jimmy-carter-%E2%80%9Cestablishing-diplomatic-relations-china%E2%80%9D-dec-15-1978
The Voice of Taiwan: https://youtu.be/VwkvoOlvvzM?si=XOpFfsmDNVZDvaAX
Formosa Magazine: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formosa_Magazine
Whiplash (game played by kids): https://funandgames.org/whiplash/
Understanding the History of Taiwan through Dr. Jerome Keating Ep 97
Understanding the History of Taiwan through Dr. Jerome Keating Ep 97: https://talkingtaiwan.com/understandinga-the-history-of-taiwan-through-dr-jerome-keating-ep-97/
Dr. Mark Chen: Advocate for Taiwan in Both the U.S. and Taiwan Ep 212
Dr. Mark Chen: Advocate for Taiwan in Both the U.S. and Taiwan (Episode 212): https://talkingtaiwan.com/dr-mark-chen-advocate-for-taiwan-in-both-the-u-s-and-taiwan-ep-212/
The 228 Massacre: Taboos, Scars, Stigmas and an Essential Lesson in Taiwan History Ep 171
The 228 Massacre: Taboos, Scars, Stigmas and an Essential Lesson in Taiwan History (Episode 171): https://talkingtaiwan.com/the-228-massacre-taboos-scars-stigmas-and-an-essential-lesson-in-taiwan-history-ep-171/
Helping 228 Survivors Deal with Trauma: Dr. Michi Fu and Dr. Tsuann Kuo Work with the Transitional Justice Commission (Episode 172): https://talkingtaiwan.com/helping-228-survivors-deal-with-trauma-dr-michi-fu-and-dr-tsuann-kuo-work-with-the-transitional-justice-commission-ep-172/
Michelle Kuo and Albert Wu: On a Broad and Ample Road and the Taiwanese Presbyterian Church Shooting Ep 209): https://talkingtaiwan.com/michelle-kuo-and-albert-wu-on-a-broad-and-ample-road-and-the-taiwanese-presbyterian-church-shooting-ep-209/
Dr. Wei-Ping Li: How Taiwan’s Media Environment Changed from Martial Law Era to Present Ep 267
Dr. Wei-Ping Li: How Taiwan’s Media Environment Changed from Martial Law Era to Present Ep 267: https://talkingtaiwan.com/dr-wei-ping-li-how-taiwans-media-environment-changed-from-martial-law-era-to-present