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According to the census by Ministry of National Defense, there are 58 military dependent villages in Kaohsiung City, and there are 23 military dependent villages in Zuoying District. Hence the military dependent villages are the distinguishing characteristic of Zuoying. In the 1930s, Japan pursued “Southward Advance Policy” and planed a naval station in Zuoying. The policy has caused a great influence on the development and change of settlements in Zuoying until now. Japanese navy military came here and built many “navy dorms” in Zuoying naval station. Therefore, the importance of position in Zuoying had increased obviously in the last years of Japanese Rule Period. After WWⅡ, Chinese government took over Japanese “navy dorms” and allotted to their military. This is the first origin of military dependent villages in Zuoying. Afterward the Naval Headquarters and the National Women's League also participated in construction of military dependent villages. To Sum up, those are the three major origins of military dependent villages in Zuoying, and with the highly correlation between the distribution of military dependent villages and the military lands in Japanese Rule Period. Military dependent villages are constructed under the government’s collectively plan, clinics, welfare supply stations, basketball courts and cinemas could be found in military dependent villages area. Consequently, the life style of military dependent village residents were closed and self-contained, and formed unique “enclave” settlements characteristics. However, with the military dependent villages reconstruction policy, old military dependent villages in Zuoying have gradually disappeared, replaced by high buildings. The closed life style and strong interpersonal relationship have also gradually collapsed.
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