I stumbled across these websites earlier tonight. They look to be compiled by U.S. soldiers who spent time in Taiwan during the Vietnam War. Worth a look, especially for the photos of bar girls in bell bottoms and other such groovy clothes.
Whoa! Too much, man! Lookit those guys – buncha damn hippies!
The girl pics, though… come on Cranky, you got them from the latest edition of This Month in Taiwan. Fess up!
Seriously, those are great – plus ca change, plus la meme chose (or something).
Outstanding post, outstanding sites! I spent quite a bit of time in the Battle Zone the first few years I was here (i.e. the early 90’s) which by some odd coincidence was also when I was teaching for ELSI. Teaching for ELSI and drinking too much seem to go hand in hand.
I have always thought that somebody should do a book about the history of the Battle Zone. It would be much more interesting than other history books that have been done about Taipei (e.g. a History of Taipei American Schoolzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz, just saying the title puts me to sleep.)
And that project would need to get hopping because a lot of the folks who would remember the really early days are starting to not be able to remember anything.
Good work on finding these “important” sites. Say, I just had an idea, maybe the City of Taipei Information Office would sponser the book about the battle zone. Mayor Horse is always yacking about trying to improve Taipei’s image.
take care,
Dr. Brian
Chief Archivist: Sex and Suds Division, Taipei City Archives
http://members.tripod.com/JIML1944/slk1957.html
All salute the generalissimo, eh? Thanks for the links cranky. Fascinating.
Fantastic link, Cranky!
It’s interesting to see the dark skin color of the bar girls. They look more like Thai women in those shots than local girls these days.
http://www.linkounavy.com/Slides/CampMac/food_and_games.htm
Brilliant stuff…makes me feel like heading up to the Combat Zone for a few beers. In the pics it always looks exotic and alluring but if i go up there now it just seems seedy!!(last time was early in the morning of Sept 21 a few years ago which was a bit shaky)
aronsonsjournal.com/Taiwan_G … Intro.html
This was one of the links found through Cranky’s. Some excellent personal shots of Taipei. Bloke’s got a great eye.
Thanks Cranky!
remember when i first got here wound up one night in a joint up there called “lisa’s place,” with red velvet on the walls and “lisa’s place” in faux gold script on the wall, it was like a 70s nightmare, with upholstery dating back to that era. you could practically see the soldiers still. there’s more to the story but i’d rather not remember that part 
I think some of them still work there …
…Schlitz Beer!
I wonder what the going rate was for those young ladies back then. I mean, lets face it; the military boys were not in Taiwan for R&R to play Chinese chess and drink tea.
[quote=“wolf_reinhold”]…Schlitz Beer!
I wonder what the going rate was for those young ladies back then. I mean, lets face it; the military boys were not in Taiwan for R&R to play Chinese chess and drink tea.[/quote]
In 1972, a girl for a nite in Hong Kong cost about the same as a girl for a week in Taipei. And…I was here for the wonderful food and culture! 
In 1982-83, you could still get a 2-3 year old PX imported bottle of Heineken (with rusty cap) for only NT300 at the Ploughman’s Cottage on Nanking E. Rd. Asiaworld was under construction then.
I came here in 1985, but couldn’t begin to guess the rate then or now for a week’s worth…any clues?
History Quiz:
I wonder which of the Battle Zone bars that is currently around, is the oldest one? Oldest in the sense of having been open under the same name the longest not in terms of ownership. Ownership of those places changes constantly and many of them have multiple shareholders.
My guess for the oldest currently existing under the same name would be the Montana. If I remember right it was started by a foreigner, from Montana who also did a (cough, cough) side business out of the bar. He (I forget his name although I used to talk with him from time to time in the bar) later died in the PI under mysterious circumstances.
What do some of the “older folks” think?
Take care,
Brian the Bar Historian
Brian,
Cruisng the back pages of TMIT recently. … it seems like Myplace might be the oldest remaining. But I’d have to do a more intense review. Irv, I forgot his last name, Dutton maybe, was the owner of Montana. he was a good guy and its a shame about his death in the PI. Jumped or pushed nobody will know. Sad fact is a lot of us old laowais had put together a nice collection of cash to help him survive. On the day it was being sent down is the day he died.
Chou Do Fu
[quote=“brianlkennedy”]History Quiz:
I wonder which of the Battle Zone bars that is currently around, is the oldest one?
[/quote]
I would guess the High Heel Club is pretty old. Montana was one of the newer ones. I remember that guy, and I remember they had the best Nachos in town at one point.
The High Heel Club came after MyPlace. Now that I think about it Hsiao Lin or Mayflower might be the one.
Not only Nacho’s but a wicked sense of humor was served up. Irv used to introduce a drink to unsuspecting patrons called a cement mixer. I can not remeber the alcohols, but it was two part the first being grenadine that you held in your mouth. The second part was something like grand marnier and baileys you drank next and mixed with the grenadine. It created a foaming, curdling ball of puke flavored mess in your mouth that you had to spit out before you could laugh with the others laughing at you.
Chou
[quote=“chodofu”]Irv used to introduce a drink to unsuspecting patrons called a cement mixer.
Chou[/quote]
I came back from Thailand (circa '91) and introduced Irv to the joys of Mekong Whisky. Emptied 2 bottles on a Sunday afternoon. He is missed.
BTW, the cook at Montana’s now works at Malibu.
My investigations reveal that “City Lights” pub across from “B52” is the oldest pub that is in the same location with the same name. Next to that is “Charlie Brown,” neighbors with “B52.”
The first question my source asked was, “What was the bar fine back then? How long did a trick last? How much was it?” As a professional herself, I thought that she could find that out herself, but she said that the old pros (“there’s one who is 57 and still pretty working around here”) don’t feel it polite to talk of that.
So old boys, what is the answer to these?
Dear Dr. Reinhold,
Outstanding bit of field work. Now that you mention it, City Lights would be a good bet for the oldest. I had been in there a couple of times and the layout kind of gives it away as being “old skool” pub. Charlie Brown’s I have never been in, so I know nothing about that place.
So, very good work. Such research would make a great Ph.d thesis. You should contact Academia Sinica, I heard they are getting more interested in Taiwan history.
Were you able to preserve all your field notes on the back of the cocktail napkins?
Dr. Brian
Better than that Dr. Brian, I got it tattooed on my…well, don’t want to spoil the “ending” for you… 
A reminder of the old days:
