The ENTIRE History of Taiwan in 22 Minutes

Between Taiwan and China lie 78 miles of dark water, and that strait has decided who ruled the island for 400 years. The Dutch, the Spanish, a pirate's son's kingdom, the Qing and Imperial Japan all crossed it. All of them are gone. Taiwan is still here. This is the whole story in one sitting. It starts when the strait was dry land and a Denisovan walked across it. Taiwan then became the likely homeland of the Austronesian languages, now spoken from Madagascar to Hawaii. From there, the story follows Koxinga's siege of Fort Zeelandia and the emperor who called Taiwan "a ball of mud." It covers migrants crossing the deadly Black Ditch, the 12-day Republic of Formosa and the Musha uprising. Then come the 228 Incident, the Nationalists' retreat in 1949 and the shelling of Kinmen on odd-numbered days. It ends with TSMC, founded in the small railway town of Hsinchu, which now makes nearly 90 percent of the world's most advanced chips. Along the way, we correct the myths: who "discovered" Formosa, and who the Taiwanese really are. Finally, we explain why warships circling the island today are the newest chapter of its oldest problem: who controls the water. Chapters: 00:00 The 78-Mile Gap 02:16 When the Strait Was Dry Land 03:57 First Farmers and the Great Austronesian Voyage 05:21 The Formosa Myth and the Dutch 07:00 Koxinga Throws Out the Dutch 08:15 The Qing, the Ball of Mud and the Black Ditch 10:19 Japan and the 12-Day Republic 11:07 The Musha Uprising 11:57 The 228 Incident 13:03 1949: A Government in Retreat 14:42 Kinmen Under Fire 15:32 Losing the UN Seat 16:01 1987: Martial Law Ends, TSMC Begins 17:04 Democracy, Drills and Taiwan Today 19:55 Why the Strait Still Matters 20:44 The Far Side of the Water This documentary is based on archaeological discoveries, peer-reviewed research and primary historical sources, and it stays faithful to the historical record. Which country or city should we cover next? Tell us in the comments.