This groundbreaking book takes readers on a journey through Taichung’s West District and beyond during the 1950s to 1970s, uncovering the deep yet often overlooked impact of the U.S. military presence on Taiwan’s urban, cultural, and social transformation.

The story begins in 1950, when the Korean War made Taiwan a key U.S. outpost in Asia. With the establishment of the Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG) in 1951 and the expansion of Kokan Airport into Ching Chuan Kang (CCK) Air Base, Taichung became home to one of America’s largest airbases in the region. This massive project—known as the Yangmingshan Project—displaced thousands of local residents, who called the forced relocation soo-khai (“evacuation”). What began as a “city of tents,” as U.S. pilot John Kmetz described in 1965, soon became “Little America.”

From the 1960s onward, American families settled in Taichung, bringing architecture, lifestyle, and culture that reshaped the city. U.S. military quarters in Xinbei and Tuku Villages featured chimneys and lawns reminiscent of American suburbs. Local residents soon imitated these “A-tok-á houses,” symbols of prosperity and modernity. Street names like Meicun (“American Village”) and Zhongmei (“Chinese-American”) still echo that era.

American influence extended to food. Liu’s Bakery, which served U.S. soldiers, created “Apple Bread” and “Rose Pie,” combining Western techniques with Taiwanese ingredients. These innovations helped modernize Taiwan’s baking industry.

The U.S. presence also transformed entertainment. From 1965, over 210,000 U.S. troops on Rest and Recuperation from Vietnam visited Taiwan, fueling a boom in hotels, bars, and clubs along Wuquan and Daya Roads—Taichung’s “American entertainment district.” The CCK Club became a legendary training ground for musicians such as Rich Huang, Masa Yhou, Su Rui, and Tracy Huang, whose experiences later shaped Taiwan’s pop music scene.

Meanwhile, the United States Information Service (USIS) office in Taichung acted as a “window to the world.” Its library, cultural programs, and Shiy De-jinn’s Cultural Exchange mural symbolized the new artistic and intellectual currents entering Taiwan during Martial Law. Scholars like Chi Pang-yuan drew inspiration from its English materials to introduce American literature and democratic thought to Taiwanese classrooms.

Yet the American presence also carried complex human stories. Relationships between U.S. soldiers and Taiwanese women led to Amerasian children, some facing prejudice but later supported by organizations like the Pearl S. Buck Foundation. Figures such as Tony Wang, Cheng Chih-lung, and Tammy Darshana Lichtenberg embody these intertwined histories.

The U.S. withdrawal in the 1970s, following diplomatic shifts such as Nixon’s visit to China, left many Taichung residents uncertain. However, traces of the American era persisted: local chefs opened Western-style diners, and musicians from CCK clubs transitioned into the Mandopop industry, bringing with them international experience and professionalism.

Today, Taichung continues to preserve and reinterpret this shared past. The Dayang Oil Depot has been reborn as a recreation park; the General Sun Li-jen Memorial Hall, once an American-style residence, recalls the ambiance of “Model Village”; and the American Footprint Museum within the CCK Air Base displays photos, uniforms, and memorabilia donated by veterans. Though the museum is not always open, its digital exhibitions keep these memories alive.

Through rich documentation and vivid storytelling, “Echoing Footsteps of the American Military Presence in Taiwan” reveals how American influence once permeated Taichung’s architecture, cuisine, art, and identity. By tracing these echoes—visible in buildings, recipes, and songs—Syong Yi-ping restores a vital, complex chapter of Taiwan’s modern history and highlights the enduring connections between global encounters and local transformation.