00:00Here at the Kaohsiung Museum of History, these patched up bullet holes are a stark reminder of
00:05Taiwan's tragic past. The building, formerly Kaohsiung City Hall, was one of the main targets
00:10of state violence during a bloody crackdown by the Chinese nationalist Kuomintang authorities
00:15on anti-government protesters, known as the 228 incident. A conflict on February 28, 1947,
00:23between police and civilians in Taipei escalated until it spread across the country. Concerned
00:29citizens in Kaohsiung attempted to hold discussions with local military leaders, but those talks
00:34ended in bloodshed outside this very building.
01:04An estimated 20,000 people across Taiwan would die in the following months.
01:0979 years later, the museum hosts a permanent exhibition on the city's links to the 228
01:14incident, including a model of the clashes in front of the then city hall, which has now
01:19been deemed a site of historical injustice. Reminders like this are all around Kaohsiung,
01:25like the former Japanese-era Kaohsiung train station, now integrated into the city's central
01:30transit station. But the landmark is also the site of tragedy. Government troops took over
01:35the train station to violently crack down on rioters. Here you can see some of the old station
01:40walls are still visible. Just across the street from the old train station is Kaohsiung
01:45High School, which was the home of the city's self-defense corps. Nearly 80 years ago, young students
01:51gathered here at this high school to defend their city from government forces. But they
01:56were no match for the nationalist army. Bullet marks can still be seen on the walls of this
02:00red-riched building on campus.
02:02At least one student died in the violence. It's considered to be the only school in Taiwan
02:07targeted by the army following the 228 incident.
02:31The school hosts memorial events every year, and students now say their school's history is a source
02:37of pride.
02:38Every day when we walk through this place, we can see the spirit of the former teachers
02:42who left for the national freedom and freedom. Now, when we see the former teachers' struggle,
02:49we will also love our lives of the modern life of the national freedom and freedom.
03:14Kaohsiung's resistance to the nationalist authorities is a spirit that continued
03:18as it became a major hub for Taiwan's pro-democracy movement,
03:22a campaign that would only succeed decades later after one of the world's longest-lasting
03:27periods of martial law finally ended.
03:30Now these historical landmarks in Kaohsiung serve as both a tribute to the victims
03:34and a reminder of the city's deadly struggles for democracy.
03:38Scott Huang and Tiffany Wong in Kaohsiung for Taiwan Plus.
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