Preserving Taiwanese WWII voices in?‘The Day the War Ended’

Preserving Taiwanese WWII voices in?‘The Day the War Ended’

2026-08-21

“The Day the War Ended” is a documentary playing across select theaters in Taiwan. It sheds a unique light on Taiwan’s experiences of World War II through the personal accounts of elderly survivors, including the late Taiwan independence pioneer Peng Ming-min. The youngest person to give their story was aged 90 so the film preserves a slice of history that’s about to fade from living memory. Let’s find out more.

- How terrifying! Half of the Presidential Office collapsed.
- That night, over 100,000 people died within two hours.
- Aircraft machine-gunned down the area; someone was hit, knocked unconscious and lost their left hand.

Older adults who experienced the war firsthand recall both fear and sorrow vividly in their minds. The documentary "The Day the War Ended" takes movie fans back to Taiwan during World War II.

- When you scrambled up, I saw that you had lost an arm
- It was hanging by just a strip of skin. I grabbed my arm and ran off the boat as fast as I could, searching the streets everywhere for a doctor.

This year marks the 81st anniversary of the end of World War II and the 4th anniversary of the death of Peng Ming-min, the godfather of Taiwan independence. He had given an oral account of his life experiences during World War II.

Lu Tzu-ying
The Day the War Ended director
This book filled in the gaps in my understanding and memory of the war. It showed how people in Taiwan lived on the home front—away from the front line battlefields—and how the war impacted their daily lives.

Brought to life from books into color imagery, older adults share their firsthand experiences of war and how their lives transformed in its aftermath.

Lu Tzu-ying
The Day the War Ended director
When the decision was made to adapt the book, it was already 2020, 75 years after the end of the war. So the interviewees we were able to track down were all quite old. The youngest interviewee who we ended up with in the film was 90 years old, and the oldest was 98.

Freddy Lim, an interviewer throughout the film, readily agreed to join despite his packed schedule as a sitting legislator at the time.

Lu Tzu-ying
The Day the War Ended director
When we pitched the project to him, he agreed right away, which completely surprised me. When they brought up the Tapani Incident, I didn’t understand it at all, but Freddy jumped right into the conversation. He had already done extensive research on Taiwanese history when writing his songs, so he was able to connect with them immediately. I feel so incredibly lucky.

Dry historical subject matter is transformed into an easy-to-understand documentary. The 97 minutes are not just about war, but about preserving personal memories before they slip away from living memory.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#Thedaythewarended #Taiwanfilm #Taiwandocumentaries #Worldwar2 #Freddylim #Taiwanhistory

二戰結束81週年! "終戰那一天"彭明敏還原戰時台灣

2026-08-21

今年適逢二戰結束81周年，紀錄片"終戰那一天"，帶著觀眾回到1945年的台灣，透過高齡親歷者的口述，重現戰火下的恐懼與傷痛。其中，已故台獨先驅"彭明敏"，也曾分享自己在戰火中失去左手的經歷。導演歷經多年採訪、蒐集史料，將逐漸消失的戰爭記憶，化為97分鐘的影像，留住台灣不能被遺忘的歷史。##

- 好可怕喔，總統府的一半都倒光光
- 那個晚上兩個小時內，死了十幾萬人
- 飛機來掃射，被擊中暈倒，左手斷掉

親歷戰事的長者，回想起戰爭當下，恐懼與悲傷歷歷在目。紀錄片終戰那一天"，帶影迷重回第二次世界大戰的台灣。

- 你爬起來以後，看到你失去一隻手的時候
- 剩一張皮，我拿著手趕快從船上跑出來，跑來街上四處找醫生

今年是第二次世界大戰結束81周年，也是台獨教父彭明敏，逝世4週年。他生前透過口述，還原二戰的生命經驗。

[["終戰那一天"導演盧慈穎]]
“這本書裡面，彌補了我之前失落的戰爭的記憶，或是戰爭的認識，因為裡面有講到，在台灣的人除了在前線之外，在後方的人怎麼生活，他們生活受到戰爭什麼影響”

從書籍變成彩色影像，長者們描述戰爭的親身體驗，以及戰後的人生變化。

[["終戰那一天"導演盧慈穎]]
“決定要做書的改編的時候，那時候已經是2020年，已經是戰爭結束75年之後，所以我們能夠找得到的受訪者年紀都很大了，我們最後放在影片中的受訪者最年輕90歲，年紀最長的已經98歲”

貫穿整部片的與談人林昶佐，當時任職立委行程滿檔，他仍一口答應。

[["終戰那一天"導演盧慈穎]]
“我們跟他簡報這個案子，他馬上就答應，我也覺得很驚訝，他們講噍吧哖(事件)，我根本完全沒有聽懂，可是Freddy他已經馬上接上了，他做過很多相關研究，他以前在寫歌的時候，寫很多跟台灣史相關的，他已經做很多研究，可以馬上接上去，我覺得非常非常幸運

歷史生硬題材，轉換成淺顯易懂的紀錄片。97分鐘不只講戰爭，而是保存即將消失的親身記憶。

更多新聞內容，請鎖定：
民視台灣台（152頻道）週一至週五晚上9:30
民視新聞台（53頻道）週二至週六凌晨1:00

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Forensic institute holds ceremony for over 9,000 deceased

The Institute of Forensic Medicine, Taiwan’s only institution that does forensic examinations, is responsible for determining causes of death and conducting DNA testing for prosecutors’ offices nationwide. With its storage facilities nearing capacity, the institute held a special ceremony during Ghost Month and plans to cremate and bury remains from 9,409 cases.

Wearing gloves and a mask, a staff member at the Institute of Forensic Medicine carefully processes a sample. Even small specimens can help confirm a deceased person’s identity and cause of death, playing a crucial role in legal investigations. But what happens to the specimens once the case is closed?

The institute’s acting director led staff in prayers at a memorial ceremony for more than 9,000 people. The facility storing their remains has reached capacity, so the institute held a ceremony before transferring the remains to a crematorium.

Tseng Hsin-tung
Institute of Forensic Medicine acting director
We have accumulated remains from 9,409 people over the past few years, so we held a memorial ceremony during Ghost Month to pray for them and help them find peace in the afterlife.

The institute, Taiwan’s only forensic examination agency, has helped prosecutors determine causes of death and conduct DNA testing since its founding in 1998, particularly for cases involving unnatural deaths or major crimes. Specimens were previously disposed of as medical waste, but for humanitarian reasons, the institute in 2018 began holding memorial ceremonies and cremating the remains.

Hsiao Chung-chuan
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We donated 30 coffins to promote charity and give back to society. We’re honored to have this opportunity to do something meaningful.

Even small samples can help determine someone’s identity and cause of death during investigations. The memorial ceremony symbolizes the conclusion of the investigation and honors the deceased.
For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

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Taiwan’s international aid organization celebrates 30 years with book launch

The International Cooperation and Development Fund, also known as TaiwanICDF, recently celebrated its 30th anniversary with a book launch. The book describes how Taiwan transformed from being a foreign aid recipient to a global solutions provider. Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung, who was at the event, said the high tech that Taiwan is most proud of, such as AI, semiconductors and smart healthcare, will be integrated into international cooperation in the future. Let’s find out more.

With the ribbon pulled away, the International Cooperation and Development Fund held a grand book launch to commemorate its 30th anniversary. The book comprehensively documents how Taiwan has transformed from an "aid recipient" into a provider of global solutions.

Lin Chia-lung
Foreign minister
Through the official publication of this special book, we have a wonderful opportunity to revisit three decades of meaningful international cooperation and honor the stories, deep-rooted partnerships and shared achievements.

Over the past 30 years, TaiwanICDF has expanded its international cooperation and aid efforts from traditional agriculture to smart healthcare and AI. Facing future challenges, TaiwanICDF has also announced its upgrade to an international cooperation platform.

Huang Yu-Lin
Secretary General of TaiwanICDF
TaiwanICDF should continue to evolve from an organization that implements development projects into a strong platform for international partnerships.

Robert Kennedy Lewis
Saint Lucia Ambassador to Taiwan
“TaiwanICDF at 30: Shaping the Future Together” book launch event, is a time capsule function to record for posterity the achievements of its three decades of service to humanity. Taiwan continues to earn the respect and lasting loyalty of its friends and partners all over the world. Taiwan can help and Taiwan is helping, through TaiwanICDF.

Putting into practice the people-centered Taiwan model, Taiwan’s allies feel this warmth in their hearts. The TaiwanICDF also hopes to leverage "Team Taiwan’s” soft power" to join hands with global partners and create a new era of cooperation for the next 30 years.

#TaiwanICDF. #Taiwanaid #Taiwandiplomacy #Saintlucia

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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Adorable and poisonous green-spored parasol mushrooms on Kaohsiung road

After days of torrential rain, a road divider in Kaohsiung is blooming with something you definitely don’t want to pick. Huge clusters of white mushrooms have popped up along Fengnan Road, turning the strip of grass into an unexpected photo spot, and even causing a few traffic headaches. Though cute, these aren’t harmless mushrooms. They’re poisonous green-spored parasols, and officials are warning the public to keep them away from their hands and mouths.

This road divider doesn’t have the usual flower bushes. Instead, there are some white things decorating the grass. Let’s take a closer look. It turns out it’s a patch of massive mushrooms, adding a touch of fairyland to the city.

Passerby
Won’t touch the mushrooms
They’re huge! People are saying you shouldn’t touch them. They’re toxic.

Passerby
Likes the mushrooms
It’s so weird! There’s mushrooms!

Days of constant heavy downpours have caused mushrooms to appear all over the road divider along Fengnan Road in Kaohsiung’s Fengshan District. It’s not the first time the mushrooms have cropped up, but they’ve never been this big before. The mushroom craze has sent people flocking to the road to snap up pictures. The traffic chaos now is something else.

Local
Fengshan District
People are parking illegally to take pictures. The police has come to fine them, because it’s such a busy road. You can’t just stop wherever you want.

Security guard
Fengshan District
There was a patch there and another there. There were mushrooms everywhere. The police caught people parking illegally and slapped them with a NT$600 fine.

The mushrooms are green-spored parasols, a medium-to-large poisonous species that can cause serious vomiting and diarrhea 1 to 3 hours after ingestion. City officials were dispatched on Thursday evening to remove them all.

Chen Chin-hung
Kaohsiung Public Works Bureau
Abundant precipitation over the past few days made the soil very moist, creating the perfect condition for green-spored parasols to grow. They are poisonous. They shouldn’t be touched, foraged or eaten.

A low pressure system has blown in constant rains to Kaohsiung, which was once again dotted with mushrooms. While the unusual sight has caught much attention, authorities warn the public to not touch them or, worse, eat them.

#mushrooms #kaohsiung #rainy #cute #adorable #spores #parasol

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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Nearly every city and county in Taiwan hit with heavy rains

Get the rain boots ready and have an umbrella on hand, because the moisture-laden southwesterly winds and low-pressure system are going to keep drenching Taiwan until next Tuesday. And don’t expect the sun to come back any time soon, because next week Typhoon Saudel is expected to keep growing in strength as it gets closer to Taiwan.

The rain’s really coming down in New Taipei, so much so that water is now gushing up onto the roads, turning Xindian’s streets into canals.

Sanxia Old Street is dealing with flooding, too. There’s no sewer in front of this temple that houses Mazu, which is why the pouring rains have left the temple submerged in water.

Down south, Kaohsiung is dealing with strong winds and heavy rains. But outside Vieshow Cinemas there’s still a long line of people putting up with the bad weather just to watch “Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island.”

The rain won’t even let up for Taiwan’s newly crowned richest person: Lin Tsung-chi. The street outside Lin’s factory is more like a waterway than a roadway.

- Has the water flooded in?
- It hasn’t. It hasn’t gotten into the factory.
- Of course I worry, because the water keeps rising higher.

This bridge in Tainan’s Rende District is dealing with 50cm of floodwater. In order to prevent a dangerous situation, traffic was re-routed. And in Pingtung the rains there are also playing rough; cars that brave the flooded roads are leaving wakes of water behind them.

Yeh Chih-chun
Meteorologist
Due to the strong southwesterly winds and the low-pressure system, up until Monday the weather will remain relatively unstable. Then, on Tuesday and Wednesday, we can see there’ll likely be a brief break in the weather, mainly because the low-pressure system will move westward as it gets farther away from Taiwan.

And here’s more bad news: Typhoon Saudel seems to be evolving into a severe typhoon.

Yeh Chih-chun
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The conditions of the ocean and atmosphere around the typhoon are quite favorable, so the typhoon is expected to steadily strengthen over the next few days. Based on the current data, it’s expected to continue moving steadily toward the northwest. Experts are anticipating that, by Wednesday, it’ll reach the waters near the Ryukyu Islands.

As it grows in strength, Typhoon Saudel is expected to bring strong winds and heavy rains, which is why weather watchers will be paying close attention to whether or not the tropical storm will hit Taiwan directly.

#wet #waterworld #flooding #typhoon #Saudel #soaked #rainraingoaway

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Etihad Airways arrival announcement says “Welcome back to Taiwan, China”

Taiwanese travelers on an Etihad Airways return flight from Abu Dhabi were welcomed back to “Taiwan, China.” What’s more, during the same arrival announcement, passengers were then warned that bringing meat products into the country could result in a fine from the Chinese government. The plane’s cabin crew did not go off-script, meaning that Etihad Airways has some explaining to do when it comes to their new company policy.

Many see the summer as a great time to travel abroad, with some more than willing to take long transcontinental flights. But even the best vacation memories can be soured by an announcement just minutes before touching back down in Taiwan.

An internet user recently shared their experience on an Etihad Airways flight from Abu Dhabi to Taiwan. The English arrival announcement said “Welcome back to Taiwan,” but the Chinese version must’ve been changed, as it said “Welcome back to Taiwan, China.” The script in Chinese even said taking meat products into the country violates government regulations of China. The confusing announcement drove off the jetlag of the aforementioned passenger, who even asked a flight attendant about the issue. The head of the cabin crew confirmed that the script was read word-for-word. This story was enough to infuriate many Taiwanese internet users that felt Taiwan was being belittled.

Member of public
Advises Etihad to do more research
I think this airline company should do a little more homework on the issue, like I’d hope that they could maintain at least a basic amount of respect for us.

Member of public
Feels disrespected
It makes me feel like they really don’t respect us. I’m also extremely riled up because I, in no way, want to be labeled as Chinese.

The passenger who reported the incident said that all that can be done at the present stage is to write a letter to the company and post the story on social media. This individual will keep everyone updated if Etihad Airways ends up responding to the issue.

Chen Chien-chin
Tourism operator
Because with people from other countries, like when foreigners are learning Chinese, they might be thinking of ways to make Taiwanese travelers happy. But sometimes the Chinese they end up saying actually makes the speaker look foolish, and then everyone gets angry about what was said.

Wang Ting-yu
DPP Lawmaker
The airline company must, at once, be requested to immediately refrain from that type of inappropriate behavior, and the airline should also offer an apology. If they do not improve the situation, then we should punish the airline by stopping them from operating on this flight route.

A formulaic in-flight announcement has created a firestorm, revealing that airline companies need to be careful with every word they put on their scripts.

#Taiwan #China #Etihad #notcoolbro #airlines #flightattendant #inflightannouncement #cabincrew

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

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