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 which is widely considered the watershed moment in history that led to Taiwan’s democratization.

 [LISTEN to the Complete Episode HERE on APPLE PODCASTS or SPOTIFY]

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. 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. 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: 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 (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 (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: https://talkingtaiwan.com/dr-wei-ping-li-how-taiwans-media-environment-changed-from-martial-law-era-to-present

 

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 (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/

 

LISTEN to Episode 287: Dr. Linda Gail Arrigo: Taiwan Democracy Fighter Talks About Events Leading Up to the Kaohsiung Incident HERE

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