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Mai 2025 - Numéro 65 : ・Les nouvelles de l'équipe ・Les sujets d'actualité : Nouvelle loi pour les clubs à hôtes, point sur l'Expo Universelle, nouvelles restrictions pour les vélos, fin du boys band Arashi, polemique sur le riz, etc. ・Les recommandations L'équipe Gaijin San : Vincent (@Vince_Tokyo), Nicolas (@Ryo_Saeba_3) et Amaury
After an unexpected hiatus filled with personal challenges, Sarah and Panic are back for a jam-packed catch-up episode brimming with news, plans, and fan adventures!The K-pop landscape is evolving rapidly as Monsta X makes a triumphant full-group return following their staggered military enlistments. We dive deep into how military service transforms idols' perspectives, noting that these mandatory breaks often become crucial reflection periods where performers reassess their careers and futures. The revelation that sent us into absolute shock? Arashi's unexpected announcement of their reunion activities leading up to spring 2026! We share our unbridled enthusiasm and slightly outrageous contingency plans for attending their performances – including possibly camping outside venues or traveling internationally with no guaranteed tickets. The prospect of this legendary J-pop group's comeback after their 2020 hiatus has reignited our most dedicated fan instincts.Travis Japan fans can celebrate as member Noel gradually returns to activities following his health-related break, while we also unpack the controversy surrounding girl group Kiss of Life that led to their removal from the KCON LA 2025 lineup. Between Ninomiya Kazunari's upcoming solo releases and Masuda from NEWS taking a health-related pause, the J-pop world remains as dynamic as ever.The episode concludes with Panic's detailed chronicle of waiting two hours for the Hello Kitty Cafe Truck – a tale of determination, strategic line positioning, and the unspoken rules of merchandise purchasing etiquette that every true fan understands. Whether you're planning concert attendance strategies or navigating merch lines, this episode celebrates the dedication that connects us all as music fans.What lengths would you go to for your favorite artists? Share your stories and join our community of passionate music lovers who understand that being a fan is more than casual listening – it's a lifestyle!Support the showPlease help Music Elixir by rating, reviewing, and sharing the episode. We appreciate your support!Follow us on:TwitterInstagram If have questions, comments, or requests click on our form:Music Elixir FormDJ Panic Blog:OK ASIA
JR and Nef present the first XAR Podcast for the month of May. With Anime North looming, the main topics of this podcast include the long-awaited release date of the English-language Uma Musume Pretty Derby game, hockey playoff season, the disbandment of popular J-Pop band Arashi, and the start of the papal conclave.During the live stream, we offered our Twitch users to cast a virtual fishing line in LurkBait for a chance to win the Yumemi Crochet Doll!The Extreme Anime Radio Podcast brings you news, information, insights and commentary into the world of Anime and Japanese culture. From the people behind Extreme Anime Radio, the station that brought listeners around the world Anime and J-Pop music from 2001 until 2019.Please follow us on social media for the latest updates about the podcast! Visit linktree.com/animeradio for links to our social media pages, listen to our most recent podcasts, join the XAR chatroom, or to contribute via StreamElements.Reach out to us by e-mail: extremeanimeradio@gmail.comXAR Podcast Theme Song: Strawberry Cake by SoundArtCreation Nash Studio (FILE-SPL1-359) - used under license
Popular Japanese pop group Arashi has announced that it will end its activities after holding a concert tour around next spring.
来春のコンサートツアーをもって活動終了を発表したアイドルグループの「嵐」活動休止中の人気アイドルグループ「嵐」は６日、有料ファンクラブ向けサイトなどで、来年の春ごろにコンサートツアーを行い、グループとしての活動を終了すると発表した。 Popular Japanese pop group Arashi has announced that it will end its activities after holding a concert tour around next spring.
Summer nostalgia hits different when it comes with a side of hope for devoted J-pop fans. Sarah and Panic serve up a deliciously meandering conversation that begins with seasonal treats but evolves into something much more exciting for Arashi followers.Remember those perfect Ben & Jerry's flavors that disappeared from freezers forever? We take a deep dive into the "Flavor Graveyard," mourning lost treasures like Rainforest Crunch, Cool Britannia, and Wavy Gravy. The passionate debate about these frozen delights reveals how certain foods become time capsules for specific moments in our lives - and why we're still grieving discontinued pints decades later.But the temperature in the studio rises when we discuss recent appearances by Ninomiya on Japanese variety shows. During a dinner with members of Snowman, he dropped what might be the most tantalizing hints yet about an Arashi comeback. His coy response when directly asked about future concerts - "Well, I guess so. We probably should" - has us analyzing every word and facial expression. With Arashi's anniversary approaching in November, could this be the moment fans worldwide have been waiting for? From ice cream memories to concert whispers, this episode captures the bittersweet feeling of longing - for discontinued treats, for travel adventures, and for the return of beloved performers.What flavor memories transport you back in time? And are you ready for what might be the most anticipated comeback in J-pop history? Share your thoughts and subscribe to join our music-loving community!Support the showPlease help Music Elixir by rating, reviewing, and sharing the episode. We appreciate your support!Follow us on:TwitterInstagram If have questions, comments, or requests click on our form:Music Elixir FormDJ Panic Blog:OK ASIA
Ready for a musical journey through the diverse world of STARTO talent? From the heart-fluttering sweetness of Travis Japan's "Say I Do" to the intense, passionate declaration in SixTONES' "BARRIER," each track reveals a unique artistic identity worth exploring.The episode marks a joyful return to our roots, as we've long championed these artists since our very first podcast focusing on Arashi. Now, with streaming services making music more accessible globally, we're thrilled to highlight how groups like timelesz are reaching significant milestones—over 5 million streams and 1.3 million monthly listeners on Spotify already!We couldn't contain our excitement discussing Hey! Say! JUMP's "SUPER CRUISIN'" with its perfect blend of pop, hip-hop, and rock elements, or WEST's explosively fun "WEST SIDE SOUL!" that captures their vibrant Kansai spirit. Each song creates a distinct atmosphere—from romantic cherry blossom picnics to high-energy arena parties—while showcasing the incredible vocal talents and production that make STARTO artists stand out.What makes this episode particularly special is how these five tracks form a perfect playlist progression, starting gentle, building in intensity, adding an anthemic energy, cruising along, and ending with an all-out celebration. Whether a longtime fan or new to these artists, you'll discover something to love among these diverse musical offerings.Travis Japan: Instagram X YouTube Say I Do (Spotify) #HollywoodTJ Dream Episode Electrifying New York Performance EpisodeSixTONES: Instagram X YouTube BARRIER (video)timelesz: Instagram X YouTube Rock this Party (Spotify)Hey! Say! JUMP: Instagram X YouTube SUPER CRUISIN (Spotify) WEST: X YouTube WEST SIDE SOUL (video)STARTO ENTSupport the showPlease help Music Elixir by rating, reviewing, and sharing the episode. We appreciate your support!Follow us on:TwitterInstagram If have questions, comments, or requests click on our form:Music Elixir FormDJ Panic Blog:OK ASIA
You've caught us in our natural habitat – Sarah and Ms Panic doing what we do best: rambling about the music we love and responding to your questions! Welcome to our March 1st edition of Rants and Ramblings, where we celebrate our birthday month alongside musical favorites like Fuma, Kenty, Suga, and more who share our March-born status.We kick things off discussing the importance of fan interaction through our feedback form (always in the show notes!) and how listeners help us understand lyrics in languages we're still learning. When it comes to being a fan, we share some heartfelt advice about patience and positivity – be ambassadors for your favorites instead of warriors, because karma works in its own time.The K-pop universe is buzzing with G-Dragon's triumphant return as his album "Ubermensch" smashes records and tops charts internationally. Meanwhile, our boy J-Hope has launched his "Hope on Stage" tour with electrifying performances that have us seriously regretting not scoring tickets! We're hoping for a livestream or theater showing to catch the magic.On the J-pop front, we celebrate timelesz finally arriving on streaming platforms and discuss XY's upcoming double single release. We tackle listener questions about how groups evolve after member departures (specifically GENERATIONS continuing as six members) and offer our take on the Japanese music industry's gradual global expansion. One listener's comment about discovering Travis Japan, Ballistic Boys, and Psychic Fever through our recommendations reminds us why we started this podcast – to introduce amazing music that transcends language barriers.Have our concert recaps sparked your interest? We're excitedly preparing for upcoming shows with Hwasa and ONE OK ROCK, so stay tuned for those episodes! Please rate, review, share, and consider subscribing to help us maintain this archive of musical conversations. Until next time, keep your musical horizons expanding!Support the showPlease help Music Elixir by rating, reviewing, and sharing the episode. We appreciate your support!Follow us on:TwitterInstagram If have questions, comments, or requests click on our form:Music Elixir FormDJ Panic Blog:OK ASIA
Arashi 嵐先生線上課程：日語動詞變化完全掌握 6小時奠定自學基礎 ** ---** 想對編輯說的話：提問箱 來IG學更多：EZJapan IG -- Hosting provided by SoundOn
Welcome to another episode of Bushido Cast. Today we take a look at the recent Jan 2025 Balance Errata with Jason, Barry and Matt. Look out for the second half of the show on Arashi's Fanboys podcast. Enjoy! Event announcement: Daimyo of the South. Royal British Legion Portsmouth South England, United Kingdom, 27 April 2025. One round with custom short scenario. Three rounds at 100 Rice (2 lists). details on Longshanks and Discord.https://www.longshanks.org/event/23460/Start times shown: Event announcement: Daimyo of the South.Intro 30 seconds inRule book updates 2 mins Shiho Clan 12 minsSilvermoon Trade Syndicate 48 mins Ito Clan 55 mins Shadow Wind Clan (Ninjas) 1 hour 9 mins Prefecture of Ryu 1 hour 11 mins Second half of show on Arashi's Fanboys podcast.
What happens when Japanese culture meets the global stage? That's exactly what Hideaki Takizawa is achieving as he orchestrates the opening ceremonies of the IG Arena in Aichi, leading up to the prestigious Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament. We give you a peek into his hectic schedule designed to bring the vibrant tapestry of Japanese culture to audiences around the world. Also, join us as we cheer for the 88rising "Head in the Clouds" Festival in California where the group, Number_i will perform, alongside G-Dragon, DPR Ian, 2NE1, and more.On a more complicated note, the music scene faces its own set of challenges. We discuss NewJeans' legal tussle with their label, Ador, and their aspirations to rebrand as NJZ amid binding contracts. We draw parallels with the journey of G-Dragon and his plans for the 88rising Festival and a world tour. These stories reveal the intricate dance between identity, law, and creativity that artists must perform today.We also indulge in a bit of nostalgia with Hello Kitty collections and "otaku" culture. This episode offers a colorful blend of music, advocacy, and heartfelt anecdotes, promising to entertain and enlighten.Support the showPlease help Music Elixir by rating, reviewing, and sharing the episode. We appreciate your support!Follow us on:TwitterInstagram If have questions, comments, or requests click on our form:Music Elixir FormDJ Panic Blog:OK ASIA
It's time for an update on Japanese idols and how the industry is shaping since we last spoke about is many moons ago to what we are now seeing among it's fans. Whether you're a long-time fan of AKB48, Arashi, or other popular idol groups, or just curious about the Japanese music scene, join us as we take a closer look at the evolving landscape of Japanese idols and what the future holds. Check out our social media below
في هذه الحلقة تكلّمنا عن أهم احداث صناعة الألعاب في سنة 2024 وتطلعاتنا لسنة 2025.الحضور:مشعل الصويّانأحمد الراشدعادل باجنيدأحمد الصالح==================================================تابعوا حساباتنا:-موقعنا:http://alaab.netقناة ألعاب الرئيسية:https://www.youtube.com/c/alaabgamingصفحة البودكاست الصوتيhttp://alaab.buzzsprout.comتويتر ألعاب: (@AlaabGaming)http://www.twitter.com/AlaabGamingانستجرام ألعاب: (@AlaabGaming)http://www.instagram.com/alaabgamingقناة ألعاب للبث المباشر في تويتش:http://www.twitch.tv/AlaabLIVEتابعوا قناة خالد العوبثاني في تويتش:https://www.twitch.tv/shaggiekayتابعوا عمران الحازمي على قناته في تويتش (18+):https://www.twitch.tv/abu_maryam==================================================موسيقات الحلقة:-المقدمةAlaab Network - A Beautiful Day To Play ~Alaab Main Theme~Publisher: Ahmed AlrashedComposer: Tee LopesالنهايةThe King of Fighters '95 - Arashi no Saxophone (Arranged)Publisher: SNKComposer: Shinsekai Gakkyoku Zatsugidan
Ever wondered what happens when a K-pop group like NewJeans decides to sever ties with their management? We explore the tumultuous journey of this popular group as they announce the end of their contract with ADOR and HYBE, stirring up a storm of speculation and legal curiosity. Our latest episode kicks off with our trademark banter and a spontaneous serenade, setting a lively tone before diving into the serious business of the music industry. We reflect on a past episode's hilarious misunderstanding of a "host club," reminding us all that laughter truly is the best medicine.As the conversation heats up, we dissect the complexities surrounding NewJeans' decision, touching on the potential need for the group to reinvent themselves if they pursue independence. The entertainment industry isn't always as glamorous as it seems, and we delve into how young artists navigate these tricky waters. We also chat about the mixed reactions to K-pop's involvement in traditionally Japanese music festivals, shedding light on cultural dynamics and the evolving music scene. Our discussion takes us around the globe, from the vibrant showcases in Puerto Rico to Japan's glittering year-end events.But the episode doesn't stop there! We venture into the murky waters of celebrity rumors, focusing on the enigmatic Ohno Satoshi and the relentless gossip machine. We stress the importance of credible sources while indulging in a bit of speculative fun. As we wrap up, we invite you to join our comedic journey, urging you to rate, review, and share the podcast. Whether you're in it for the laughs, the insights, or the surprising twists, this episode promises to entertain and engage with our unique blend of humor and fandom.Support the showPlease help Music Elixir by rating, reviewing, and sharing the episode. We appreciate your support!Follow us on:TwitterInstagram If have questions, comments, or requests click on our form:Music Elixir FormDJ Panic Blog:OK ASIA
What if every moment of your life felt like a scene from a musical? This whimsical idea drives our exploration into the joy of spontaneous singing, from how a G-Dragon anthem can boost your confidence to the challenges of sing-alongs during movie screenings of the much-anticipated Wicked. We chuckle at the idea of imposing no-singing policies in theaters, while also considering the cultural love for karaoke in places like the Philippines. Let's imagine how creative solutions can preserve cinema etiquette while still allowing audiences to revel in their musical passions.In the world of K-Pop, power struggles and controversies make headlines, with Min Hee Jin's resignation from HYBE taking center stage. We look at the complex web of allegations, lawsuits, and industry politics surrounding her label, ADOR, and its popular artist, NewJeans. As speculation swirls about the group's future and Min's controversial work with V from BTS sparks investigation, we delve into the precarious balance of power and artistry in this competitive industry. The drama unfolds amidst a backdrop of rumored disbandments and corporate maneuvering, leaving fans and critics alike pondering what's next.Shifting gears, we celebrate the unexpected career path of former KAT-TUN member Junnosuke Taguchi as he embarks on a new journey as a host in Fukuoka. From legal woes to entrepreneurial ventures, Taguchi's post-idol life is nothing short of intriguing. His latest endeavor invites us to speculate on his charm and talent, whether on television or in the hospitality scene. With light-hearted fantasies about interacting with him in his new role, we reminisce about his enduring appeal and wish him success in his latest chapter, all while encouraging listeners to join us in this musical odyssey through the world of entertainment.Support the showPlease help Music Elixir by rating, reviewing, and sharing the episode. We appreciate your support!Follow us on:TwitterInstagram If have questions, comments, or requests click on our form:Music Elixir FormDJ Panic Blog:OK ASIA
Is media bias distorting your view of the music industry? We're shining a light on the whirlwind controversy surrounding Jessi and how sensationalist reporting painted her in an unfair light. After an exhaustive investigation cleared her of all charges, we're left asking: how much damage can a skewed narrative really cause? Discover the emotional toll such incidents can have while we send positive vibes Jessi's way and discuss the significance of standing by those unjustly scrutinized.Can we measure musical talent through awards and/or charts alone? We challenge the idea that quality is synonymous with popularity, focusing on artists like TXT who defy traditional metrics yet captivate audiences worldwide. The Grammy's may have their limitations, especially when it comes to recognizing non-Western artists and those who write their own music. We also dive into the polarizing opinions about major artists to emphasize that popularity and artistic quality are not mutually exclusive.Get ready for exciting news in the world of music collaborations and tours! We're thrilled about BE:FIRST's upcoming 2025 world tour and the successful dome tour in Japan, while also highlighting SkyHi's collaboration with Kaito from King & Prince. The rise of cross-cultural collaborations is reshaping global profiles, and we're here for it. Plus, there's a tantalizing teaser you won't want to miss—something big is on the horizon, and we're keeping it under wraps for now. Stay tuned for more updates and continue to join us as we explore the vibrant evolution of Asian pop music!Support the showPlease help Music Elixir by rating, reviewing, and sharing the episode. We appreciate your support!Follow us on:TwitterInstagram If have questions, comments, or requests click on our form:Music Elixir FormDJ Panic Blog:OK ASIA
Can you imagine the thrill of reliving 25 years of Arashi's incredible journey, especially for those who had to play catch-up during their long hiatus? We're here, riding the wave of excitement brought by their anniversary celebrations, complete with YouTube concerts and the buzz about their remastered Blu-ray releases. Dive into the nostalgia of dusting off those old DVDs and VHS tapes, while grappling with the financial conundrums these new releases present. It's a vibrant reflection on shared memories and the impact of the pandemic on Arashi's plans, especially for the fans who came late to the party.What happens when a celebrity's private family moment is interrupted by an intrusive camera lens? We discuss Kazunari Ninomiya's recent Twitter outburst over privacy issues, contrasting it with how some celebrities choose to share personal moments on their terms. The conversation also spotlights the challenges fans face trying to snag tickets for Jun Matsumoto's London stage performances, painting a broader picture of the media's relentless pursuit versus the personal boundaries celebrities try to maintain.Reflecting on gender dynamics and societal expectations, we delve into the story of a celebrity named Jessi and the broader implications of fan misbehavior. The episode sheds light on the double standards women face in confrontations, both in public spaces and under the spotlight. Through personal anecdotes and celebrity experiences, we emphasize the need for respecting boundaries and addressing the unfair blame often placed on female celebrities. This discussion aims to foster awareness and highlight the importance of boundaries, no matter one's fame or gender.Support the showPlease help Music Elixir by rating, reviewing, and sharing the episode. We appreciate your support!Follow us on:TwitterInstagram If have questions, comments, or requests click on our form:Music Elixir FormDJ Panic Blog:OK ASIA
On revient sur l'histoire de la PlayStation, sortie fin 94 au Japon et mi-95 en France ! Pourquoi ? Mais parce qu'elle va fêter ses 30 ans dans quelques semaines et que la première console de Sony a marqué une évolution cruciale dans la perception du jeu vidéo. Toute l'équipe se replonge dans les 90s pour partager ses souvenirs de la PS1, ses jeux favoris, des anecdotes liées à son lancement en France, aux US et au Japon, etc. Mais cet épisode #48 est aussi l'occasion de parler manga avec Tower Dungeon, la nouvelle série de Tsutomu Nihei (BLAME!, Knights of Sidonia) ; anime aussi, avec “I Parry Everything: What Do You Mean I'm the Strongest? I'm Not Even an Adventurer” (c'est son vrai nom, traduction littérale du titre original japonais !) ; et bien sûr de Nintendo, avec la sortie récente de The Legend of Zelda : Echoes of Wisdom ! Pause musicale : The King of Fighters '96 - Arashi no saxophone 2 - SNK Shinsekai Gakkyoku Zatsugidan Prolongez l'expérience avec la newsletter de Thierry. Véritable extension de l'émission, vous y trouverez des informations complémentaires ainsi que des illustrations visuelles.Le billet de l'épisode 48 est disponible ici.Retrouvez toutes les précédentes publications sur thierryfalcoz.fr Retrouvez-nous sur Twitter / X, mais aussi sur Bluesky Contactez-nous pixelbentopodcast@gmail.com
“Here he comes from the sky!” Much to Nate's (“The TsuBro's”) delight, HPV3's starts its coverage of Ultraman (1966)! And Chris (“Sentai Guy”) and Jake (“The Metal Don”) have no complaints—except about Arashi being an idiot! This truly classic henshin kyodai hero series premiered as a live stage show that was lost media for a years. In this first batch of episodes, we see Shinichi Sekizawa, of Godzilla fame, co-write the origin story, an episode that retroactively gives some key Ultra lore, and several iconic kaiju. Beforehand, them HPV3 boys discuss some henshin hero news (hence why it's their longest episode yet!). They also make crazy suggestions like an Ultra series in the vein of The Office. Get your Beta Capsules ready! Vote on our nickname for HPV3's listeners! (Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1GXG_vPbi3t8DASdVEvrhgbk4OtK0krKdnSuVb1TrcSk/edit). Podcast Socials: Twitter/X: @HenshinPowerV3 The Markalite Lounge (official Facebook group) The Markalite Lounger (official Discord server) Power Rangers Legacy (Power Trip Facebook group) YouTube Channel: @HenshinPowerV3 Nathan's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/nathan_marchand
Can costly advertising vans spreading hate be redirected towards positive initiatives? Join us on this episode of Music Elixir where Sarah and Ms Panic confront the recent controversy involving BTS's SUGA and a DUI incident. We passionately discuss the negative use of resources and propose a more constructive approach, such as funding alcohol addiction programs and supporting victims. This episode isn't all heavy though—we segue into some heartwarming news that will leave fans with a smile.Prepare for an overload of cuteness as we gush over BTS's Jin and Arashi's Aiba Masaki teaming up on 24-Hour Television to pamper rescue dogs. Their chemistry is infectious, and their love for animals shines through, providing a much-needed dose of positivity. We also speculate on other BTS members' activities, including a potential dinner with TXT, adding layers of joy and community spirit among these beloved idols.Lastly, we tackle the wallet-busting topic of concert ticket prices, using examples like 2NE1 and BTS to illustrate the financial challenges fans face. From reminiscing about iconic tours to the rising costs of show merchandise, we provide a comprehensive look at the evolving landscape of live music experiences. We even delve into the transformation of Las Vegas landmarks and brainstorm exciting BTS-themed venues and entertainment hubs. This episode is packed with insights, laughter, and thoughtful discussion, making it a must-listen for every fan.Support the Show.Please help Music Elixir by rating, reviewing, and sharing the episode. We appreciate your support!Follow us on:TwitterInstagram If have questions, comments, or requests click on our form:Music Elixir FormDJ Panic Blog:OK ASIA
Ever wondered what it's like when astrology predictions intertwine with the whirlwind world of K-pop and J-pop? Tune into our latest episode of Music Elixir, where we kick things off with personal stories about our astrological journeys and how they intersect with our multifaceted careers. Get the scoop on G-Dragon's latest developments, including YG Entertainment's surprising decision to hand over all trademark rights to his stage name. While whispers about a solo concert at Seoul's Gocheon Sky Dome circulate, nothing has been confirmed yet, but one thing's for sure: GD is gearing up for a major solo comeback before the end of 2024. Join us as we dissect these rumors and reflect on GD's incredible journey and what lies ahead for him in the industry. We also give a shout out to Jin of BTS and his new role as Gucci's global ambassador (and speculate about his runway debut.)Switching gears to J-Pop, Snow Man's latest single "BREAKOUT" has shattered records with phenomenal first-week sales, and we can't help but gush over the stylish transformations of Daisuke and Raul. Plus, don't miss our excitement about the timelesz new member auditions, set to be streamed exclusively on Netflix from September 13th. We also delve into Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry's ambitious plans to revitalize the music industry, discussing the integration of cultural industries and the global impact of platforms like Netflix. With reflections on Arashi's influence and some fun anecdotes from "VS Arashi," this episode is brimming with the latest updates, insightful discussions, and plenty of entertainment. Stay tuned to part 2 of this discussion!Support the Show.Please help Music Elixir by rating, reviewing, and sharing the episode. We appreciate your support!Follow us on:TwitterInstagram If have questions, comments, or requests click on our form:Music Elixir FormDJ Panic Blog:OK ASIA
Join us on Music Elixir's latest episode, where we kick things off with the quirky new fandom name "MONSTIEZ" for BABYMONSTER. We explore its meaning and how it measures up against iconic names like MONSTA X's "MONBEBE." Along the way, Panic shares an unexpected fascination with a YouTube channel about lobster fishing—combining fun and education in the most surprising way.Curious about the latest buzz in the K-pop world? Apple TV+'s upcoming documentary "K-Pop Idols" featuring Jessi, CRAVITY and BLACKSWAN is on our radar. We chat about Jessi's candid revelations on Eric Nam's podcast and Jay Park's boundary-pushing antics, from his "McNasty" video to his OnlyFans account. Our conversation dives into why these provocative tracks captivate us, sticking in our minds despite their controversy.We also take a stylish turn, discussing XG's fashion evolution and comparing it to the iconic Spice Girls. From Fujii Kaze's new journey with Republic Records to Naniwa Danshi's Shunsuke Michieda's milestone birthday live stream, there's plenty happening in the J-pop world too. We wrap up with the intense touring schedule of SecondLady and some juicy celebrity relationship rumors that will leave you buzzing. Tune in for a lively mix of music, fashion, and pop culture insights that you won't want to miss!Support the Show.Please help Music Elixir by rating, reviewing, and sharing the episode. We appreciate your support!Follow us on:TwitterInstagram If have questions, comments, or requests click on our form:Music Elixir FormDJ Panic Blog:OK ASIA
Have you ever felt like life threw you a curveball, forcing you to hit pause on your passion projects? Well, we did, and after navigating through those unexpected challenges, we're thrilled to be back with a fresh analysis of three songs from artists "old and new". First up, NEXZ "Ride the Vibe" offers a mellow and melodic experience that's quite the contrast to the usual explosive debuts. Join us as we also unpack the impact of JO1's "Love Seeker" and Number_i's "BON," both of which have been making waves since their release in May.Step into a time machine as we celebrate the infectious grooves and iconic dance moves of the disco era. Relive the vibrant energy of the 70s with us, as we highlight legendary artists like the Jackson 5 and discuss the vocal prowess of disco stars who hit those impressive high notes. We also delve into the cultural significance of timeless anthems like Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive," which has become a beacon of resilience and empowerment, especially within the LGBTQ+ community. Our nostalgic homage to disco will remind you why this genre's joyful vibes have a lasting impact on music and culture.Finally, we journey through the multifaceted symbolism in Japanese hip-hop, focusing on Number_i's latest single. Discover how traditional Japanese sounds are beautifully integrated with modern hip-hop influences in the standout "BON" We also explore the cultural references in the music video, noting the intricate symbolism and traditional instruments featured. As we wrap up, we hint at our possible upcoming deep dive into "No.O- ring-" and encourage you to rate, review, and share our podcast to keep the momentum going. Tune in for a captivating mix of personal stories, music analysis, and cultural insights!NEXZ infoInstagramXYouTubeJO1 infoInstagramXYouTubeNumber_i infoInstagramXYouTubethumb and thumber Join Finn White and Quinn Ireland for a funny and random 20-minute podcast full of laughs.Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the Show.Please help Music Elixir by rating, reviewing, and sharing the episode. We appreciate your support!Follow us on:TwitterInstagram If have questions, comments, or requests click on our form:Music Elixir FormDJ Panic Blog:OK ASIA
Why does buying concert tickets feel like navigating a maze? Join us on this episode of Music Elixir as we share our frustrations and insights about the chaotic world of ticket sales and pre-sales. From the baffling phenomenon of entire shows selling out during pre-sales to the impact of fan club and TikTok pre-sales on ticket availability and pricing, we leave no stone unturned. Sarah and DJ Panic also reveal their personal strategies for managing the high costs of attending concerts, particularly in pricey cities like New York and Boston, making this a must-listen for any live music aficionado.Switching up the tempo, we delve into the ever-changing landscape of K-pop festivals and concerts. We express our excitement about upcoming events in Boston, and our success in snagging prime seats for the Epik High concert at the Orpheum Theatre. But it's not all good news; we discuss the disappointing postponements of ARIA Fest in Europe and WeBridge in Vegas, along with the eyebrow-raising ticket prices for KCON LA. These incidents open up a broader conversation about the struggles festival organizers face and the ripple effects on fans eagerly awaiting their favorite acts.Finally, we confront a serious issue affecting the concert scene: inappropriate fan behavior. Highlighting unsettling incidents involving military returnees and BTS members, we stress the importance of respecting personal boundaries at events. Our discussion underscores the severe consequences of unwanted physical contact and calls for fans to treat public figures with humanity and respect. Wrapping up on a lighter note, we send best wishes for Ninomiya's birthday and we share thrilling updates on upcoming events, including a highly anticipated streaming show on August 16th. Tune in for an episode filled with rants, updates, and heartfelt conversations.Support the Show.Please help Music Elixir by rating, reviewing, and sharing the episode. We appreciate your support!Follow us on:TwitterInstagram If have questions, comments, or requests click on our form:Music Elixir FormDJ Panic Blog:OK ASIA
Ever felt the pinch of eye-watering concert ticket prices or the disappointment of missing out on exclusive merchandise? You're not alone. Join us as we navigate the treacherous terrain of ticket scalping and merchandise scams. With the Fujii Kaze ticket frenzy as our backdrop, we're comparing the crazy resale costs to life's big expenses and spotlighting the pitfalls of pre-release merch madness. It's a world where being a vigilant fan is as crucial as being a passionate one, and we're here to share our shock, advice, and maybe a laugh or two about our own pre-show synchronicity.As the music industry's battle with scalping rages on, we're front and center in the discussion of the financial strains it imposes on fans. We've all been there, grappling with the temptation to splurge beyond our means just to catch a glimpse of our idols live. Sit with us as we explore recent efforts to curb ticketing injustices and the heartache of fan club presale letdowns. We're swapping tales from the trenches of the ticket war, offering empathy and a dose of reality to fans facing the music of sold-out shows and elusive tickets.Then there's the beat of J-Pop's latest and the solo ripples in the BTS universe – we're on it. From ARASHI's Matsumoto Jun to BTS's RM, we're dissecting solo ventures and group dynamics, ready to prep you for any concert with the latest gear (like the 'army bomb' for BTS fans). Our conversation goes deep, touching on music's personal impact, the thrill of the hunt for that rare SUGA shirt, and the ways our favorite tunes shape our identity. So if you're ready to get personal with music, merch, and everything in between, plugin for a session with your go-to banter duo.Support the Show.Please help Music Elixir by rating, reviewing, and sharing the episode. We appreciate your support!Follow us on:TwitterInstagram If have questions, comments, or requests click on our form:Music Elixir FormDJ Panic Blog:OK ASIA
The Krewe is joined by Patrick St. Michel, Japan-based writer for the Japan Times and author of Make Believe Melodies blog. Patrick shares his passion and expertise on all things J-Pop, what's popular now, where to find it, and so much more! Are you a life-long fan of Japanese pop music? Or maybe you are looking for ways to discover more about J-Pop after hearing Yoasobi's latest hit? This episode is for you!------ About the Krewe ------The Krewe of Japan Podcast is a weekly episodic podcast sponsored by the Japan Society of New Orleans. Check them out every Friday afternoon around noon CST on Apple, YouTube, Spotify, Amazon, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Want to share your experiences with the Krewe? Or perhaps you have ideas for episodes, feedback, comments, or questions? Let the Krewe know by e-mail at kreweofjapanpodcast@gmail.com or on social media (Twitter: @kreweofjapan, Instagram: @kreweofjapanpodcast, Facebook: Krewe of Japan Podcast Page, TikTok: @kreweofjapanpodcast, LinkedIn: Krewe of Japan LinkedIn Page, Blue Sky Social: @kreweofjapan.bsky.social, & the Krewe of Japan Youtube Channel). Until next time, enjoy!------ Support the Krewe! Offer Links for Affiliates ------Use the referral links below & our promo code from the episode (timestamps [hh:mm:ss] where you can find the code)!Zencastr Offer Link - Use my special link to save 30% off your 1st month of any Zencastr paid plan! (00:53:00)------ Links about Patrick St. Michel ------Patrick on Twitter/XPatrick on InstagramMake Believe Melodies SubstackPatrick's Work for Japan Times------ JSNO Upcoming Events ------JSNO Event Calendar
Ever find yourself scrubbing furiously at a concert stamp that just won't quit? Join Sarah and DJ Panic as we chuckle over the clingy aftermath of a Robyn Hitchcock gig. But it's not all about stubborn ink; we'll whisk you through the rollercoaster of emotions when your favorite artists like I.M and YOASOBI play concerts on the same night. Music lovers and concert-goers alike, lean in as we share our tales of woe and wonder from the frontlines of live music.As much as we adore the thrill of the stage, snagging tickets can be a showdown with disappointment—especially when faced with ticket scalpers turning our dream seats into budget nightmares. Picture this: you're in a digital queue, 16,000-strong, for a 5,000-seat venue. Frustrating, right? Hear us out as we rally behind artists crusading against exorbitant resale prices and reflect on the ups and downs of securing those coveted passes. And let's not forget the magic sprinkled by stage designers who transform venues into immersive realms, much like Bad Bunny's recent gigs that have set our standards sky-high.Our episode's finale isn't just a plea for podcast love—though your support through ratings and shares does give us extra pep in our step. It's about the shared heartbeat of every music fanatic—a rhythm that echoes through Arashi's anniversary celebrations to the evolving fan communities and the anticipation of new tour dates. So, buckle up for a joy ride through the rich tapestry of the music industry and the colorful experiences that stitch us all together. Grab your headphones and let's groove through the beats of this musical extravaganza together.Support the Show.Please help Music Elixir by rating, reviewing, and sharing the episode. We appreciate your support!Follow us on:TwitterInstagram If have questions, comments, or requests click on our form:Music Elixir FormDJ Panic Blog:OK ASIA
Picture a stage where reggaeton meets goth, where classical strings soar over urban beats, and where the scent of celebration fills the air. Our journey doesn't stop at music; witness the glamour and grace of flamenco's fiery dance as we discuss our weekend plans.Then, let's buzz about the debut of Aぇ! group under STARTO Entertainment's wing and what it means for the music scene. Their fresh tracks are already causing a stir, and we're betting on their unique mix of pop rock, and dance to shake up the industry. We'll also spill some personal anecdotes about fan club memberships, the dynamics within them, and how celebrity social media tactics can forge unbreakable bonds within these communities. It's a deep dive into the heart of fandom, where the love for music and dance unites us across cultures.Closing the curtain, we laugh, reflect, and give thanks for the adventure of running an independent podcast. From the unpredictability of weather to the unpredictability of securing interviews, we share the behind-the-scenes hustle that keeps Music Elixir thriving. Our gratitude is immense for your support, and as we continue to evolve, we promise to bring you along for the exciting ride that lies ahead in the world of music, dance, and fan culture.Support the Show.Please help Music Elixir by rating, reviewing, and sharing the episode. We appreciate your support!Follow us on:TwitterInstagram If have questions, comments, or requests click on our form:Music Elixir FormDJ Panic Blog:OK ASIA
Ever found yourself in the whirlwind of an airport mob, just to catch a glimpse of your favorite stars? Well, you're not alone, but safety first, folks! Our latest episode takes a hard look at the pandemonium at airports caused by eager fans, and why it's vital to prioritize personal space—for the wellbeing of everyone, including the stars we adore. In a heartfelt twist, we also extend our apologies to Number_i and their loyal followers, and clear up any mispronunciations of the group's name—with special insights straight from Mr. Kishi and the band members themselves.Strap in for a Coachella pre-chat that's as colorful as the festival itself. Then, we dissect the thematic layers of the "Blow Your Cover" music video, revealing how its narrative reshapes our connection to the song. Plus, we spill the beans on Arashi's groundbreaking announcement of their new company, stirring up the fanbase and reshaping the artist-fan relationship.Lastly, we turn our attention to the personal journeys that intertwine with our love for music. We discuss the perfectionist streak in artists like Matsumoto Jun, the authenticity of STARTO's new social media presence, and Nino's photo book that's rewriting the rules of celebrity culture. But it's not all serious business—we laugh over the culture shock of open marijuana use at Coachella and the international fan experience. The conversation wraps up with a raw reflection on the emotional bonds we forge with our favorite artists, their career shifts, and the dreams they ignite within us. Join us for an episode that's a tribute to the highs and lows of true fandom life.The Big C*nty CouchHosts That Girl Gina & Mike Fails invite queers and peers to...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showPlease help Music Elixir by rating, reviewing, and sharing the episode. We appreciate your support!Follow us on:TwitterInstagram If have questions, comments, or requests click on our form:Music Elixir FormDJ Panic Blog:OK ASIA
Ever felt the tension while celebrating your favorite artist, cautious not to step on the toes of perplexing copyright laws? Let Panic and Sarah guide you through the labyrinth of LDH's fan rules with a dash of humor, as we untangle the enigma of sharing content online, debating the nuances between fan adoration and intellectual property rights. Amidst our celebrations for International Women's Day, we delve into the puzzling world of official photos and the recent trend of birthday billboards, all while navigating the ever-changing dynamic between artists and their admirers.We analyze the seismic impact of digital engagement on K-pop sensations like BTS and Blackpink, dissecting the nuances of fandom power in the age of viral content. But it's not all glitz and fandom frenzy; we also confront the prickly side of copyright enforcement, pondering the future influence of international fans on entertainment giants. And because no music chat is complete without a little gossip, we bring you the latest buzz from influencers, some barroom karaoke scuffles, and a boy band lineup shuffle.Wrapping up with some candid banter, we speculate on BTS's Jin and Suga's post-military plans and the implications of their social media hush. Our episode is a kaleidoscope of opinions, from the melodramatic squabbles over (G)I-DLE's "Super Lady" to forecasting the shape of K-pop's future. So, whether you're a die-hard fan or just love a hearty debate on the quirks of music culture, tune in as we share our unfiltered take on the symphony of fandom, right down to the last note.Support the showPlease help Music Elixir by rating, reviewing, and sharing the episode. We appreciate your support!Follow us on:TwitterInstagram If have questions, comments, or requests click on our form:Music Elixir FormDJ Panic Blog:OK ASIA
Comenzamos con los tres discos favoritos de Mundofonías de marzo del 2024, que son los nuevos álbumes del dúo franco-belga Bipolar Bows , del también dúo egipcio formado por Tarek Abdallah & Adel Shams El Din y del trío taiwanés 3Peoplemusic. Continuamos con novedades que nos traen experimentaciones rítmicas globales desde Bélgica, voces de mujeres persas y kurdas y raíces ibéricas reprocesadas, con una buena ración de flamenco. We begin with Mundofonías’ three favourite records of March 2024, which are the new albums by the Franco-Belgian duo Bipolar Bows, the Egyptian duo Tarek Abdallah & Adel Shams El Din and the Taiwanese trio 3Peoplemusic. We continue with new releases that bring us global rhythmic experimentations from Belgium, Persian and Kurdish women’s voices and reprocessed Iberian roots, with a good portion of flamenco. Favoritos de marzo March favorites Bipolar Bows – Hilbilsko horo – Little bundles of joy Tarek Abdallah & Adel Shams El Din – Bachraf Rast – Ousoul 3Peoplemusic – Arashi – Him, her, it, and three De Persia a Iberia From Persia to Iberia spëcht – 2.2 – Triptyques Maliheh Moradi & Ehsan Matoori – The beloved departed – Our sorrow Aynur – Biranin – Rabe Za! + Perrate – La milonga – Jolifanto Código Jondo – Apego vacío – Apego vacío [single] Radizi – El respiro de la piedra – Cal y cemento
Ever mixed up your words in a tweet or found yourself in a wacky situation that could only happen to you? Grab your headphones and get ready for a laugh as we, Panic and Sarah, recount our own series of delightful blunders and unexpected roles in this episode of Music Elixir. From social media snafus to an accidental gig as a salon receptionist, we peel back the curtain on the lighter side of life's mishaps, and gently remind everyone to treat themselves with kindness when the days just don't go as planned.Venturing into the vibrant heart of the Japanese entertainment landscape, we unpack the latest seismic shifts shaking the industry. Tsuyoshi Domoto's bold move within STARTO has everyone talking, while Sexy Zone navigates fresh waters with the upcoming departure of Kento. And just when you thought the surprises were over, we gear up for Boston's musical panorama to be enriched by the arrival of Kpop's P1Harmony, and yes, we plan to be there!So, cozy up with your favorite beverage and join us for a journey where dreams intersect with reality, cats rule the roost, and the Japanese pop culture scene reveals its ever-evolving narrative. It's all happening here on Music Elixir, where the unexpected becomes the highlight and every tune tells a new tale.Support the showPlease help Music Elixir by rating, reviewing, and sharing the episode. We appreciate your support!Follow us on:TwitterInstagram If have questions, comments, or requests click on our form:Music Elixir FormDJ Panic Blog:OK ASIA
跟著Arashi 先生輕鬆掌握N5~N4的動詞變化！ 結帳時輸入【EZJapan_pod150】再折 $150 日語動詞變化完全掌握 6小時奠定自學基礎 --- 想對編輯說的話：提問箱 來IG學更多：https://www.instagram.com/ez_japan_official/
Our latest episode revisits the controversial tides of age gap relationships, spurred by the dating choices of a certain local DJ and the marital dynamics within the Domoto household. We peel back the layers of societal norms and parental concerns, in a candid look at how the times they are a'changing, and love, really isn't about the numbers. We mix humor with the hypothetical as we imagine the daily life of an odd-couple pair of friends in matrimonial bliss, and we take a moment to bask in Raul's meteoric rise in the fashion world. His recent runway domination proves that charisma can't be tailored. Join us for an episode that's brimming with fantasy, surprise, and a whole lot of laughs—it's the kind of conversation you won't want to miss.Support the showPlease help Music Elixir by rating, reviewing, and sharing the episode. We appreciate your support!Follow us on:TwitterInstagram If have questions, comments, or requests click on our form:Music Elixir FormDJ Panic Blog:OK ASIA
As the snow falls, Sarah and Panic cozy up to the mic and invite you into our world of Asian music reverie. Expect a hearty dose of nostalgia mixed with modern flair as we kick things off with TVXQ's U-KNOW (Yunho) and his disco-inspired "Fix It." Our chat sways through the beats of his solo adventure, and we also discuss his behind the scenes collaborator. Plus, we've got a little mystery on the burner, as Sarah teases out the remnants of a peculiar dream that's more than just a sleepy memory.Transitioning with the ease of a well-oiled turntable, we pump it up with PSYCHIC FEVER from EXILE TRIBE (feat. F.Hero & Bear Knuckle) on the track "Spice," where metal riffs meet spitfire lyrics. The diversity in their music mirrors their ethos of inclusion, something we celebrate as much as the tracks themselves. Last up we have ORβIT and the single "Bull's Eye"! Yugo's charm and Tomo's allure- our hearts can barely keep up as we discuss our boys, and the beloved group's reunion song. It's a melting pot of happiness that only gets richer when we shine a spotlight on June's songwriting genius , and the entire groups vocal talents .Now, brace yourselves as we head down a sparkler-lit tunnel, where dreams weave into reality and hint at an auspicious encounter right around the corner. Our banter takes a playful turn with the latest social media shenanigans from entertainers like Nino and Fuma, with a selfie that could give the new CEO a run for his money. It's a glimpse into the jovial world of Japanese entertainment, and just like that cheeky post, our podcast is sure to leave you with a smile. So, join us for a session that's part melody, part mystery, and wholly mesmerizing.TVXQ infoInstagramXYouTubePSYCHIC FEVER from EXILE TRIBE infoInstagramXYouTubeTikTokORβIT info officialInstagramXYouTubeTikTokSupport the showPlease help Music Elixir by rating, reviewing, and sharing the episode. We appreciate your support!Follow us on:TwitterInstagram If have questions, comments, or requests click on our form:Music Elixir FormDJ Panic Blog:OK ASIA
Imagine navigating the highs and lows of life with Japan's finest tunes as your backdrop—that's just a slice of what Sarah and Panic unpack in this melodious episode of Music Elixir. We're diving headfirst into the deep end, and surfacing with insights on Kento Nakajima's daring solo voyage and Sexy Zone's transformation. We then toast to the age-old question of turning 30 in the idol world, and all that entails.But that's not all. Join us as we explore the star-studded universe of celebrity philanthropy and influence, where Arashi's heartfelt donations to a devastated landscape shine brightly, and the fashion impact of BTS members V and Suga remain steady despite military service!We'll also navigate the intricate dance of celebrity personal lives, from unexpected dating announcements to the tender moments that reveal the softer side of fame. And for those pondering the perplexities of the heart, we muse on age gaps, the evolving desires beyond traditional relationship paths, and the fleeting nature of love—always served with a generous sprinkle of humor and warmth. Don't miss out on this heartwarming and thought-provoking journey through the labyrinth of celebrity, music, and personal revelations.Support the showPlease help Music Elixir by rating, reviewing, and sharing the episode. We appreciate your support!Follow us on:TwitterInstagram If have questions, comments, or requests click on our form:Music Elixir FormDJ Panic Blog:OK ASIA
Alex gets the rest of his Christmas presents, Adam has a new resolution and Alex finally finished a game! He discusses Arashi, Adam talks up Epic Rollercoasters and we cover the sales and games you need to look for as we enter 2024
Have you ever been slapped by the reality of work just as you're sipping the last drop of your vacation mojito? That's exactly how Panic felt returning from the sunny shores of Puerto Rico, only to be greeted by a software update that wreaked havoc on the first day back. Imagine teaching your dad to use a smartphone, but it's not a phone—it's his new Subaru Crosstrek. Sarah recounts the parents' reactions to their new rides, you can't help but chuckle at the universal dance of older generations with new tech. Now, we don't always keep it light; sometimes we steer into the important crossroads of life. Discussing the legal shields raised against online defamation targeting figures like Kwon Ji-yong (G-Dragon), we underline the no-nonsense approach to protecting one's good name in the digital age. Yet, in the same breath, we can't resist celebrating YouTube milestones and discussing Japan's latest 'handsome rankings' in ViVi's magazine. Whether it's the gravity of legal battles or the giddiness of hearing an old favorite song, this episode promises a kaleidoscope of stories that reflect the many hues of our everyday existence.Support the showPlease help Music Elixir by rating, reviewing, and sharing the episode. We appreciate your support!Follow us on:TwitterInstagram If have questions, comments, or requests click on our form:Music Elixir FormDJ Panic Blog:OK ASIA
Hey Living African Fam!
00:00 Hi, Brain 1:23 Intro - Low rez, wassup with AJ 6:29 Gamecat Dojo 12:25 PSA - kindness and understanding 15:13 Tips - should RE4 be 3rd person?, RE4 graphics, Arashi crashes, Gamecat cuddle, Robocop VR please, 24:47 VT - Light No Fire hype, VR? 30:20 No Man's Sky updates and TGA hints 36:23 VR is growing 44:56 Tips - RE4 demo, RE4 clarity clarification, Millhouse, RED ALERT, Epic Rollercoasters 53:36 Ven VR Adventure this week? 1:03:28 RE4 VR AJ's first impressions 1:48:08 Tips - kiss the chef, Metal Gear please, Crazy Taxi petition, Spyro, roundhouse kick, Butt-Kicker, bro, RE4 time-suck, knife throwing, next RE?, Non Pervert Character, Mirrors Edge please 2:05:19 RE4 final thoughts 2:09:41 Gamecat Meetup GoFundMe 2:12:49 20 Questions 2:19:54 Tips - RE2 next?, VR lenses 2:25:33 The Wrap-up 2:29:06 secret post credits scene
00:00 (5) Questions and caffeine 1:39 Intro 4:22 Wassup with Wes 7:17 Tips - Showcase snafus, Game Awards announcements? 16:09 VT - Marketing shenanigans on game specs? 24:41 Prison Boss PSVR2 30:32 Green Hell Co-op reveal 33:57 Tips - Racket Fury crossplay?, Godzilla in IMAX 38:55 Madison release date trailer 41:51 Friday - RE4, Ancient Dungeon 44:28 Vertigo 2 hype 46:50 Firewall conspiracy 50:27 Perp Games sizzle reel 59:38 Tips - social media partner, background refresh, in-box manuals 1:03:12 Arashi impressions 1:18:09 Tips - partners, thick manuals, Spyro, PS Blog RE4 interview 1:24:27 Arizona Sunshine 2 impressions 1:43:03 Tips - AZS2 mp Discord role? 1:47:24 20 Questions 1:56:39 The Wrap-up 1:58:29 secret post credits scene
Remember that heartwarming celebration of Japanese artist リーダー Ohno Satoshi 大野 智 40th birthday when we transformed the studio into a festival of music and memories? Let's strap in as we revisit that magical time, explore the mesmerizing world of Arashi (嵐) music, and share your reactions to that special episode. We'll also peek into what it's like to be car shopping for Dad, mixing in some personal anecdotes, and car preferences.Have you ever attended a college hockey game at UMass or experienced a reunion at Harvard? We'll take you on that journey, discussing the passionate fandom that follows young players as one would their favorite bands. As a bonus, we'll also share our accidental discovery of a heavenly Thai restaurant in Cambridge that ended up being the cherry on top of our memorable day. We'll close out with some hot updates from the vibrant worlds of K-pop and J-pop. From mispronunciations to security issues and the recent mishap at a K-pop group's morning show performance, we'll cover it all, including a candid chat about the challenges and controversies artists face in the industry. So why wait? Tune in, join us on this whirlwind ride of music, culture, and personal stories, and be a part of the conversation.Support the showPlease help Music Elixir by rating, reviewing, and sharing the episode. We appreciate your support!Follow us on:TwitterInstagram If have questions, comments, or requests click on our form:Music Elixir FormDJ Panic Blog:OK ASIA
00:00 Sus and slander 2:19 Intro - New release plans 8:34 Tips - RE4, hard launch?, Mercs DLC?, headphone reccs?, Galaxy Kart hype 20:34 WMG Meow Wolf DLC, Towers of Powers 24:42 Ancient Dungeons, Arashi, AZS2 28:57 Tips - Racket Fury, gravity bongs, beanieless? 31:27 AZS2 pre order early unlock?, Ian's gameplay 34:12 Tips - Meow Wolf DLC, WPTV News 37:41 The other "Among" game stealth release impressions 47:02 Tips - minor titles, "this week" 49:47 RE4 59:03 GTA6 trailer leaked, Rockstar shenanigans 1:02:06 Beat Saber OST 6 1:06:12 And, there are 2 showcases this week 1:15:00 Tips - Arashi improvements?, speaking Judoon 1:20:02 Best Month for PSVR2? 1:26:36 20 Questions 1:31:37 Tips - ForeVR, manual reloading 1:35:41 The Wrap-up 1:39:02 secret post credits scene
Ever had to pivot when life throws you a curveball? Join us as we share our personal experience on how we turned a concert postponement into an unexpected adventure. This tale is just a taste of what you'll find in our kaleidoscope of topics in this episode.Next, can you imagine finding your personal life under the microscope because your spouse is a celebrity? We unravel a chilling case of a Japanese idol's partner facing a living nightmare of stalking, leading to a heartbreaking divorce. Our discussion exposes the dark side of fan obsession, highlighting the need for respect and privacy. After that, we shift gears to talk about the smoking trends among K-pop idols, the trend of idols taking control of their careers by leaving companies.We round off with some spicy controversies. Did you know G-Dragon's drug issues have resurfaced? Or the scrutiny Lisa from BLACKPINK has been facing? We lay it all out, even venturing into the glamorous world of burlesque and its fair share of wardrobe malfunctions! As we wrap up, join us in our obsession to inspire you to embark on this celestial journey with us. We promise you'll want to come back for more.Our temporary outro music: Track: "Take It All Off"Music provided by https://slip.streamFree Download / Stream: https://get.slip.stream/eZT3XxSupport the showPlease help Music Elixir by rating, reviewing, and sharing the episode. We appreciate your support!Follow us on:TwitterInstagram If have questions, comments, or requests click on our form:Music Elixir FormDJ Panic Blog:OK ASIA
Welcome aboard! This musical voyage starts off with some Halloween gumption, comparing the trick-or-treat traditions of Western Massachusetts with the grand Halloween celebrations at Tokyo's Shibuya Crossing. Get ready for your cultural sweet tooth to be satiated. We start with some J-pop news, covering some of our fave artists and their current endeavors. Then we move to the eye of the storm, where we confront the controversy surrounding BLACKPINK's Lisa's performance at the Crazy Horse Burlesque, is it art or crude? Our discourse navigates the blurred lines between being a fan or being a stalker.Our odyssey concludes with an in-depth analysis of Bad Bunny's 'BATICANO'. Unravel the mystery of German horror, film noir influences, and the philosophical depth in his lyrics. His latest album 'nadie sabe lo que va a pasar mañana' stands out from his previous work with his unique way of addressing mental health issues through music. This isn't just a podcast, it's an adventure into the heart of musical artistry. So, buckle up and let the rhythms guide you, you're in for a treat!Our interlude music:Track: "Approve The Groove", Neo NylonMusic provided by https://slip.streamFree Download / Stream: https://get.slip.stream/QAEmJ6Listen on Spotify: https://go-stream.link/sp-neo-nylonSupport the showPlease help Music Elixir by rating, reviewing, and sharing the episode. We appreciate your support!Follow us on:TwitterInstagram If have questions, comments, or requests click on our form:Music Elixir FormDJ Panic Blog:OK ASIA
Join Panic and Sarah as we explore the captivating world of Asian music in this episode of Music Elixir. From MONSTAX's military enlistment to the potential name change for Sexy Zone, we've got some of the details and some opinions. We're also sharing stories of Asian artists traveling to New York for photo shoots, going to Boston to catch a Red Sox game, and showing up in the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas! So, buckle up for an exciting blend of news, discussion, and reflection!Have you ever wondered about the coincidences in music release and production? We chat about how Jungkook's album drop and the fascinating production of his single 3D by BloodPop are linked to ARASHI. And if you're a fan of group dynamics, we've got something for you too! We discuss Johnny's West's transition to simply 'WEST.', and what it might mean for their fan club. Finally, we delve into the emotional side of the music industry with Fuma's thoughts on Sexy Zone's potential name change, and their canceled overseas work. Kis-My-Ft2, Snow Man, and Naniwa Danshi members share their love for their fans and their resolve to continue delivering amazing entertainment despite the changes within the company. So, are you ready to tune in?Support the showPlease help Music Elixir by rating, reviewing, and sharing the episode. We appreciate your support!Follow us on:TwitterInstagram If have questions, comments, or requests click on our form:Music Elixir FormDJ Panic Blog:OK ASIA
Last time we spoke about the Komiatum Offensive in New Guinea. The drive to Lae and Salamaua was raging on New Guinea. Mount Tambu was assaulted and the allies received hellish casualties trying to take it. The legendary Bull Allen saved countless lives during this action, but Mount Tambu simply couldn't be captured. The allies chose to isolate and surround mount Tambu instead. The allies secured took the sugarcane knoll, the timbered knoll and then found a path heading to Komiatum. Nakano ordered his men to hold Komiatum ridge, but their situation became more and more desperate. Allied artillery and aerial bombardment alongside the enveloping maneuvers were taking a toll, the Japanese had suffered 900 casualties since July 23rd. With more men dying minute by minute, Nakano ordered a withdrawal from Komiatum still believing the primary target of the allies was Salamaua. This episode is the Fall of Kiska & Battle of Vella Lavella Welcome to the Pacific War Podcast Week by Week, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about world war two? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on world war two and much more so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel you can find a few videos all the way from the Opium Wars of the 1800's until the end of the Pacific War in 1945. So before venturing back to the frigid northern aleutians, we have a lot of action to talk about in the south Pacific. On August 3rd, General Sasaki was forced to order a withdrawal from Munda. General Griswold sent a message over to Admiral Hasley declaring “Our ground forces today wrested Munda from the Japs and present it to you as sole owner”. Halsey in his typical fashion replied “keep ‘em dying”. Despite the blood, sweat and tears taking Munda, as a whole, operation cartwheel had fallen a month behind schedule. As Griswold noted “the months fighting had not been the Americans' finest hour in the Solomon islands campaign”. Halsey would add to it “the smoke of charred reputations still makes me cough”. Now just because Munda had fallen did not mean the work was all done, there was to be cleanup operations of course. General Sasaki ordered his forces to retreat northwards, most were enroute to the Kure 6th farm; the 13th regiment and Sasaki's HQ were going to Bairoko; the 3rd battalion, 23rd regiment and Yokosuka 7th guns were heading to Baanga island. The Americans would be in hot pursuit. General Griswold divided the cleanup operations, giving the 25th division the task of advancing across New Georgia to seize Bairoko Harbor and the Piru Plantation. General Hodge 's 43rd division was given the task of seizing the islands of Arundel and Baanga. General Collins would deploy the 1st battalion, 27th regiment and Colonel Dalton's 161st regiment to advance up the Bairoko trail; the rest of Colonel Douglas Sugg's 27th would advance along the Zieta Trail towards the Piru plantation. General Sasaki learnt on August 6th, the American navy had scored a small but conclusive victory when 6 US destroyers sunk 3 IJN destroyers, the Arashi, Kawakaze and Hagikaze during the Naval battle of Vella Gulf. This of course meant the Japanese reinforcement convoy had failed, thus Sasaki wasted no time ordered a general withdrawal to Kolombangara by the way of Baanga Island. Sasaki needed to give the men more time, so he reinforced the Yano battalion with the 12th company of the 3rd battalion, 23rd regiment who were left to defend the Kure 6th farm. Major Yano Keiji, a veteran of Guadalcanal, selected a rough terrain east and south of Zieta village and the Kure 6th farm to dig in. The Americans would later refer to it as “Zieta Garden”. The garden was to be Yano's first line of defense across the Zieta river. There was a bit of high ground due north of Zieta Village which would have been easier to defend, but he needed his men to protect the trail running to Lulu Channel and Baanga, his only line of communications. The 3rd battalion, 23rd regiment in the meantime were securing Baanga. General Sasaki radioed his plans to the 8th Fleet, but to his surprise was told to hold onto New Georgia until late September for “future operations”. Sasaki was bewildered by this, but understood Admiral Samejima then commanding the 8th fleet was trying to direct a land battle, and obviously he was not experienced in such things. What Sasaki did not know at the time was Samejima was being instructed by General headquarters to do this. On August 7th, the Army and Navy had agreed to pull out of the Central Solomons and would cooperate to bolster Bougainville's defenses. A revisión later on August 13th would instruct Koga, Kusaka and Imamura to hold onto as much of New Georgia as possible while Bougainville was being reinforced. Full evacuation of New Georgia was set for late September to early October, but the actual dates were dependent on the Bougainville progress. On August 8th Sugg's 2nd battalion advanced through a deep ravine going roughly 2 miles up the trail when his men were met with heavy machine gun fire. The Yano battalion was defending the barge supply route through the Lulu channel as their comrades and supplies made their way to Baanga. On August 9th, the 27th began their assault upon the Kure 6th Farm, employing a envelopment maneuver. The Yano battalion was holding them at bay, but gradually the allied forces were confining the Japanese into a smaller and smaller pocket. Meanwhile the 1st battalion was advancing north along the Munda-Bairoko trail where they joined Colonel Liversedge's men. On the 10th, Hodge ordered the 169th regiment to hit Baanga and on the 11th patrols from their 3rd battalion had located the Japanese strongpoint on its southwest tip. By nightfall, the American assault of the Kure 6th Farm forced Colonel Yano to withdraw back across the Zieta River to form a new defensive perimeter. His men performed a fighting withdrawal throughout the night seeing many Japanese scream and throw rocks at the Americans. The usual night time activities that kept the allied forces miserable. On the 12th the Americans unleashed an artillery bombardment upon the Kure 6th Farm positions not realizing they had already been abandoned. The 89th had fired 2700 rounds, the heaviest concentration of the operation on completely empty positions. The Americans advanced over Yano's old positions, crossed the river and fell upon Yano's new defensive perimeter. On that day General Barker assumed command of the 43rd division as General Hodge returned to his command of the Americal Division. Barker began by sending L Company of the 169th regiment to occupy Baanga. L Company were met with unexpectedly heavy Japanese fire suffering 28 casualties before they were forced to pull back. Meanwhile on August 13th, Sugg's 3rd battalion with E company managed to launch their main assault against the Yano battalion. They were attempting a envelopment maneuver against Yano's flanks, but heavy resistance saw Yano's right flank repel the attack. On the left there was a marshy plain that hindered the American advance forcing them to go too far left and thus failing to apply enough pressure. Although the assault failed, the unexpected left advance saw some gain. A patrol from H company stumbled across a heavily used trail leading to the Lulu channel. They established a roadblock that night allowing ambush efforts to hit the trail. The roadblock convinced Yano he was soon to be cut off, so he immediately prepared a withdrawal to Baanga. In the meantime, Barker decided to use Vela Cela island as a launching point for an assault against Maanga. On August the 14th, the 3rd battalion, 169th regiment began occupying the small island before using it as a springboard to land at Baanga. However the Americans quickly found themselves surrounded by a mangrove swamp and the Japanese began tossing counter attacks until night fell. Yano's forces repelled numerous American attacks from the 3rd battalion throughout the day, afternoon and night. The Japanese threw back one attack led by four marine tanks, which had crossed the river on a bridge engineers built. While doing this his men also began their retreat westwards. H Company met a brief exchange with Yano's men, but Yano decided not to seriously clash with them and withdrew his battalion to Baanga by the 15th. The 27th occupied Zieta village, making contact with Schultz 3rd battalion, 148th infantry over on Zieta Hill to the north. After this the 27th would advance upon Piru plantation and Sunday Inlet, too which they also ran into mangrove swamps greatly hindering them. The fight for the Zieta area had cost them 168 casualties, the americans were seeing a continuous flow of fierce counterattacks at Baanga, prompting Barker to decided he would reinforce the beachhead with the 2nd battalion 169th regiment and the 1st and 3rd battalions of the 172nd regiment. At this point General Griswold and Admirals Halsey and Wilkinson were trying to figure out what to do next. Halsey's original plan after the taking of Munda was to attack Kolombangara, but the recent performance of the Japanese defenders made the Americans quite skittish about performing an amphibious invasion. The battle for Munda point was one of the fiercest defenses the Japanese had put up. More than 30,000 troops had been brought over to face 5000 Japanese defenders within their network of entrenchments. As pointed out by the commander in chief of the US Navy planning memorandum “If we are going to require such overwhelming superiority at every point where we attack the Japanese, it is time for radical change in the estimate of the forces that will be required to defeat the Japanese now in the Southwest and Central Pacific.” Munda Point airfield would become a landmark victory because of the 6000 foot runway it would soon provide, alongside taxiways and its capacity as a base of operations. Halsey would later declare its airfield “to be the finest in the south pacific” and the Seabees would be awarded with a citation for their great efforts. Commander Doane would receive a special mention “by virtue of his planning, leadership, industry, and working ‘round the clock' to make serviceable the Munda Airfield on August 14th, 1943, a good four days ahead of the original schedule.” The seabees work was a testament not only to their morale and organization, but also the fact they held superior equipment. Admiral Nimitz would go on the record to state “one of the outstanding features of the war in both the North and South Pacific areas has been the ability of US forces to build and use airfields, on a terrain and with a speed which would have been considered fantastically impossible in our pre-war days.” Overall the Georgia campaign would go on the be an essential component in the strangulation of Rabaul, as pointed out by historian Eliot Morison “The Central Solomons ranks with Guadalcanal and Buna-Gona for intensity of human tribulation. We had Munda and we needed it for the next move, toward Rabaul; but we certainly took it the hard way. The strategy and tactics of the New Georgia campaign were among the least successful of any allied campaign in the Pacific”. Allied intelligence indicated Kolombangara had roughly 10,000 Japanese defenders, thus Halsey was inclined to seek an alternative method rather than slugging it out. He thought perhaps they could bypass Kolombangara completely and instead land on Vella Lavella. If they managed to pull that off, it would cut off the Japanese supply line to Kolombangara which was basically surviving on fishing boats and barges based out of Buin. Halsey noted “Kolombangara was 35 miles nearer the Shortlands and Kahili. According to coast-watchers, its garrison numbered not more than 250, and its shoreline would offer at least one airstrip.” A reconnaissance carried out back on July 22nd reported very few enemy troops on the island and that it held a feasible airfield site at Barakoma which also had beaches capable for LST's to land at. Thus Halsey approved the plan and Griswold formed the Northern Landing Force, placed under the command of Brigadier General Robert McClure. The force consisted of the recently arrived 35th regiment of the 25th division attached to the 25th cavalry reconnaissance troops, all led by Colonel Everett Brown; the 4th defense battalion, the 58th naval construction battalion and the Naval base group. To hit Vella Lavella they would require air supremacy and artillery planted upon Piru Plantation and the Enogai-Bairoko area. General Twinnings AirSols had 161 fighters back on July 31st, but by August 18th they would have 129 functioning. Twining had sufficient strength in bombers as the number of light and medium bombers had dropped by less than a dozen, at around 129. For heavy bombers his increased from 48 to 61. It was critical Munda airfields be fully operational by mid august, sothe Seabees of the 73rd and 24th naval construction battalions went to work. Admiral Fitch's plan for Munda airfield called for a 6000 long foot runway with a minimum 8 inch coral surface and taxiways and revetments ready for over 200 fighters by September 25th. Eventually this would also include 48 heavy bombers. The immediate job was the fighter strip as always, you prepare your defenses against air attacks before you bring in the heavy bombers. He had a week to make the field operational. Commander Doane of the 73rd Seabees had two critical assets. The first was Munda was by far the best airfield site in the Solomons. Beneath one to 3 feet of topsoil was solid coral and there was a plentiful supply of live coral which hardened like concrete, great for the surfacing. Second the 73rd was the best equipped battalion yet to arrive to the solomons with D-7 and D-8 bulldozers, ¾ yard power shovels, 8 yard carryalls and 7 ton rollers. Weather was good and the moon was bright for the week permitting night time work without lights. The immediate threat would have been a 12cm of the Yokosuka 7th SNLF at Baanga, but they never fired upon them. Again, wars are won by logistics and it can't be expressed enough what a colossal amount the Seabees did for the Pacific War. By August 14th, Mulcahy flew over to set up his HQ and the VMF-123 and VMF-124 flew into the base with a R4D carrying their gear and personnel. For the incoming invasion P-40s would be coming from Segi while Corsairs would be launched from Munda. Admiral Kusaka had reformed his 1st Base air force thanks to the arrival of his long-sought reinforcements. In mid July reinforcements arrived to the Solomons in the form of the 201st Kokutai Aerial Bomb group and carrier Division 2's naval bombers from Ryujo. The overall strength of the 1st base air force was now at around 230 aircraft of various types. The land-based bombers would go to Rear Admiral Ueno Keizo's 25th air flotilla over in Rabaul. They were tasked with night bombing raids against Guadalcanal and New Georgia now. Naval fights and bombers would be merged into the 1st combined air attack force, later reformed into the 26th air flotilla led by Rear Admiral Sakamaki Munetake. There job was to destroy any enemy shipping in New Georgia and to conduct interceptions over the Munda-Buin areas. It was understood the Americans held numerical superiority, but the Japanese were willing to take them on hoping their fighting spirit would prevail. Meanwhile, back on the night of August 12th, Admiral Wilkinson deployed an advance party of 14 men led by Captain George Kriner to perform a reconnaissance of Vella Lavella. They would be reinforced by Companies E and G of the 103rd regiment when the scouts found 40 Japanese around Biloa and another 100 5 miles north of Barakoma. They had reached the island secretly using 4 PT boats, though Japanese floatplanes would made to bomb one of them. After the successful arrival of the advance party at Barakoma, F Company of the 103rd landed on August 14th to reinforce the beachhead. The main invasión force designated Task Force 31 led by Admiral Wilkinson would consist of 10 destroyers, 5 destroyer transports, 12 LCI's, 3 LST's and two subchasers. At 3:05am the 1st transport group of the force departed consisting of the destroyer transports with 6 escort destroyers were carrying the 1st and 2nd battalions of the 35th regiment. Captain Ryan led the group aboard Nicholas while Wilkinson was aboard Cony. The second transport group made up of the smaller vessels carried the Seabees and support personally following an hour behind with 4 destroyer escorts led by Captain William Cooke. After the force departed Guadalcanal they were to approach the Gizo Strait around midnight, before beginning to unload in the early hours of august 15th, under the cover of fighters. However Wilkinson would not be aware his force was spotted by a G3M Betty bomber which reported back to Admiral Samaki who immediately launched a strike force. By 8am, the 1st and 2nd battalions of the 35th regiment had landed. While the 3rd battalion began their unloading process enemy aircraft appeared. 48 Zeros and 6 Vals were intercepted by American fighters. By 9:15 all the troops were landed, now the equipment began to be unloaded. The Japanese launched two waves from Buin, the first appeared at 12:30, made up of 48 Zero's and 11 Vals. They were intercepted leading to no damage being done to the landing forces. 7 Zeros came in low to strafe the beach but were turned away by fire from 65 automatic weapons aboard the LST's. LST's in the past lacked adequate anti aircraft protection, thus 20 20mm guns were borrowed from Guadalcanal and set to use. At 5:30 32 Zero's and 8 Vals showed up but they too were intercepted. By 6pm the LSTs were beginning to retract. The strikes had amounted to 12 men killed on the beach and 40 wounded, it could have been much worse. The Japanese reported losing 9 Zeros and 8 Vals for the day while the Americans would claim to have lost a total of 5 fighters. Without any real land battle the amphibious invasion of Vella Lavella was a resounding success. After darkness settled in, Admiral Ueno's 5th air attack force over in Rabaul launched their final attempt against the American convoys. At 5:30pm, 3 Betty's that had launched out of Vunakanau were spotting the convoy and reporting their movements. They came across the LCI's southeast of Gatukai and the LSTs as they were approaching the Gizo strait. 23 Bettys in 3 Chutai's, one armed with torpedoes the other two with bombs approached. The torpedo armed Betty's attacked the LCI's while the bombers went for the LST's. The American destroyers tossed up a lot of anti aircraft fire as the torpedoes and bombs failed to hit targets. 4 Betty's would be damaged badly for their efforts. The Japanese reaction to the terrible results was to form an unrealistic plan to wipe out the American invasion by sending a single battalion to the island. When the landings became known, officers of the 8th fleet and 17th army formed a conference. They estimated, with accuracy surprisingly, that the landing force was around a brigade in strength. One officer proposed the idea to send a battalion to counterland. General Imamura's HQ calmly pointed out that sending a single battalion against a brigade would be like “pouring water on a hot stone”. The men were desperately more needed for the defense of Bougainville. The Japanese knew they were vastly outnumbered in the Solomons and that the fight for the central solomons was pretty much lost. They believed their only chance to successfully defend the rest of the solomons was to carry out a slow retreat in order to build up forces in Bougainville and Rabaul. It was decided that two rifle companies of the Miktami battalion and a platoon from the Yokosuka 7th SNLF would be sent to Horaniu on the northeast corner of Vella Lavella. These forces would establish a barge staging base between Kolombangara and the Shortlands. Alongside this Rekata bay would be evacuated and its 7th Kure SNLF would set up a relay base at Choiseul. Imamura nad Kusaka planned to hold Horaniu for as long as possible, trying to establish a new supply route along the west coast of Choiseul. For the Horaniu operation, Admiral Ijuins destroyer squadron of Sazanami, Shigure, Hamakaze and Isokaze were going to escort 22 barges, supported by 3 torpedo boats and two subchasers. The small armada departed Rabaul on August 17th, but Ijuin's destroyers were spotted quickly by an allied search plane 100 miles out of Rabaul. In fact, Wilkinson was anticipating the Japanese heading for Kolombangara or perhaps Barakoma. He sent 4 destroyers, the Nicholas, O'Bannon, Taylor and Chevalier under Captain Thomas Ryan. Ryan had been an ensign in Yokohama during the 1923 Great Kanto earthquake, where he saved the love of one Mrs. Slack from the burning Grand Hotel. This earned him the medal of honor making him 1 of 18 men to receive the medal of honor during the interwar period of 1920-1940. Ryans force departed Tulagi while the other American convoy, the 2nd echelon led by Cooke were landing equipment at Barakoma. By nightfall Ryans squadron were coming up the slot while the enemy convoy was being harassed by 4 Avengers. The Avengers failed to score hits, but the anti aircraft gunfire alerted Ryan, as the Japanese were reversing course heading in his direction. At 12:29am on August 18th O'Bannon made radar contact and a few minutes later the Americans could see the Japanese ships. At 12:32 the Japanese spotted Ryans force, prompting Ijuin to order a 45 degree turn northwest to try and lure the enemy away from the convoy. As his ruse succeeded there would be a pretty ineffective long range gun and torpedo duel seeing Hamakaze and Isokaze taking slight damage. Meanwhile the Japanese barges were racing to the coast. Ryan believed he had foiled the reinforcement when he engaged the destroyers . But because Chevalier was facing some mechanical failures and could not keep up speed to chase the Japanese destroyers, Ryan decided to turn back to engage the already landed reinforcements at Horaniu. However they managed to escape north too quickly, thus the Horaniu operation was quite a bit of success, with a lot of luck at play. Now we are shifting over to the frigid north waters of the Aleutians. The fall of Attu and Munda were pivotal moments of the Pacific war that completely changed the course of their respective campaigns. When Munda was taken, the Japanese realized the central solomons were a lost cause and began to move all resources and men they could to Bougainville. When Attu was taken, the Japanese realized the Aleutian islands campaign was a lost cause and decided to evacuate the forces on Kiska. The battle of the pips and miraculous evacuation of Kiska was completed by the end of July. Kiska was pummeled on July 26th and 27th under clear sunny weather. 104 tons of bombs hit Kiska's installation on the 26th in a large attack consisting of 32 B-24's, 24 P-38 lightnings and 38 P-40's. On the 27th it was hit with 22 tons of bombs. On August 1st Lt Bernard O'Donnel conducted the first reconnaissance sweep since the July 27th bombing and observed no Japanese fights, no anti aircraft fire and no ships at harbor. Meanwhile the blockade was being performed by Giffen and Griffen's task force who bombarded Kiska. Intelligence crews working on aerial photographs of the island and its installations noted a number of odd features. Practically all the buildings around 23 in all appeared destroyed, but with rubble patterns suggesting demolition rather than bombing. The Japanese also appeared to have done no repair work on the craters in the north head runway, which was very odd, it was around the clock kind of work for them. All the garrisons trucks seemed to be parked on the beach in clusters and it seemed they were not moving day to day. Some pilots reported a bit of activity, like narrowly missing flak and some vehicles and ships seen moving below, but Kinkaids HQ noted all these reports were coming from green pilots. Experienced fliers were not reporting such things. Radio traffic had vanished, some wondering if the bombing was so tremendous it destroyed all the radios. Generals Butler and DeWitt believed the Green pilots, but Generals Buckner and Holland Smith were very suspicious, pointing out that the Japanese had already carried out a secret massive evacuation at Guadalcanal. In fact Buckner and Smith kept asking Kinkaid to toss some Alaskan scouts ashore in rubber boats at night prior to an invasion to report if the island was abandoned or not. But Kinkaid had the last say in the matter and declined to do so. Kinkaid's decision was to go ahead with a full scale invasion of the island. In his words “if the enemy had evacuated the island, the troop landings would be a good training exercises, a super dress rehearsal, excellent for training purposes”. On August 12th, Captain George Ruddel, leading a squadron of 4 fighters circled low over the anti aircraft gun positions on Kiska, received no flak so he landed on her North head runway dodging nearly 30 craters. The 3 other fighters followed suit and the pilots performed a tiny expedition for some time. They found no sign of people, just destroyed buildings and abandoned equipment. Nonetheless Ruddels report would not stop Kinkaid, only some scolding for doing something so dangerous. The invasion of Kiska, codenamed operation cottage, was set for August 15th. The invasion force was 30,000 Americans and 5300 Canadians under the overall command of Major General Charles Harrison Corlet. It consisted of Brigadier General Archibald Arnolds 7th division; Buckner's 4th regiment; Colonel Roy Victor Rickards 87th mountain infantry regiment, the 13th Canadian Brigade known as the Greenlight Force which consisted of the Canadian Fusiliers regiment, the 1st Battalion of Winnipeg Grenadiers, the Rocky Mountain Rangers regiment and Le Regiment de Hull led by Major General George Pearkers; there was also Colonel Robert Fredericks 1st Special Service force consisting of 2500 paratroops of elite American-Canadian commandos. Kiska marked the first time Canadian conscripts were sent to a combat zone in WW2. The men were equipped in Arctic gear, trained mostly at Adak, practicing amphibious landings using LCI's and LCT's. The naval forces were commanded by Admiral Rockwell were more than 100 warships strong, with Admiral Baker leading a group to bombard Kiska with over 60 tons on August 14th. The journey to the abandoned island was pretty uneventful. On August 15th, Admiral Rockwell dispatched the transports to gather off Kiska during a period of light fog. Major General Corlett's plan was to stage a diversionary landing using a detachment of Alaskan Scout led by Colonel Verbeck to hit Gertrude Cove which was assumed to be heavily fortified. While this occurred an advance force of the 1st, 2nd and provisional battalions of the 1st regiment, 1st special service force would secure the western side of the island, known as Quisling cove. The main force would land at a beach on the north near the Kiska volcano. Colonel Verbecks scouts and Colonel Robert Fredericks commands were the first to come ashore. They were met by empty machine gun nests as they climbed Lard Hill, Larry Hill and Lawson Hill, interesting names. They investigated caves and ravines only to find destroyed equipment. But perhaps the enemy was simply further up in the hills saving their ammunition to ambush them. During the morning the main force landed on Kiskas northern side whereupon they immediately began climbing some cliffs to reach objectives. In the process each battalion of the 87th mountain regiment captured Robber Hill, Riot Hill and Rose Hill. US Army Lt George Earle recalled this of the unique landscapes of Kiska “At one end was a perfectly shaped steaming volcano, cloudcushioned, well- wrapped […] all around were cliff-walled shores and, when visible, a bright green matting of waist-high tundra scrub and deep lush mosses – a great green sponge of slopes rising to a rocky knife-edge crest nearly eight hundred feet above the shore up in the fog, and zigzagging its ridge-line backbone toward the […] four-thousand foot cone of the volcano”. Lt Earle also noted the incessant rain and fog, Kiska saw roughly 250 days of rain per year on average and held a ton of clouds blotting out sunshine. On the day the allied force landed the island was blanketed with a thick fog. As the allied forces advanced they ran into a variety of booby traps the Japanese had taken a lot of time to leave behind, these included; typical land mines, improvised 155m shells with trigger wires, M-93 mine's laid upside down wired to blocks of TNT, timed bombs, candle bombs, and the classic grenades with trip wire. There was to be several casualties from booby traps. In the fog as timed bombs or other traps went off, allied forces opened fire towards noises believing the enemy was upon them. There was some friendly fire incidents amongst the Americans and Canadians, but not as much that has been perpetuated by quite a few videos on Youtube mind you. Its actually a myth thats been perpetuated in many books, in fact the main source I have been using for the Aleutian islands campaign is guilty of it sad to say. The friendly fire incidents on Kiska was not a large skirmish between American and Canadian forces that resulted in many deaths or wounded, no that was pretty much summed up to booby traps, a lot of them. If you want to know more about this, I did a podcast interview on my youtube channel, the Pacific War channel with Brad St.Croix, a historian focused on Canadian military history. The episode is titled the Canadian experience during the Pacific War, and Brad had a lot of, going to admit, vented anger about debunking this myth haha. Please go check it out, I have to admit of all my podcast episodes it has not received many views and I am sad at this because there's a lot of interesting stuff, like how Canada was going to be part of Operation Downfall. Anyways. The Americans and Canadians suspected the Japanese might be retreating into the interior or hiding in fight pits, so they were tense the entire time, after the stories from Attu who could blame them. The crack of a single rifle fire, would be met with more, but it always died down quickly. Corlett's forces continued to climb uphill towards Link Hill and Ranger Hill in the direction of the main enemy camp at Kiska harbor. They found all the fortifications they came across abandoned. The second wave of the main force were brought over consisted of the 1st regiment, 1st special service force who landed at Little Kiska Island unopposed. By August 18th Corlett was confident the enemy was not on Kiska, but he continued the search nonetheless, into the caves and ravine, until August 22nd. To quote Ian Toll's 2nd book of his pacific war trilogy “Considering the expenditure of naval ordnance and aerial bombs on an island that had been vacated by the enemy, and the tremendous investment of shipping and troops in a bloodless invasion, the Kiska operation had been slightly farcical. In Pearl Harbor, the news was received in good humor. Nimitz liked to tell visitors how advance elements of the huge invasion force, creeping inland with weapons at the ready, were warmly greeted by a single affable dog that trotted out to beg for food” Indeed the capture of Kiska which ushered the end to the Aleutians campaign, was kind of a enormous blunder when you consider the amount of resources allocated to it. You always have to consider these resources could have been brought to the south pacific, but hindsight is hindsight. After the battle of Attu, the allies expected an absolute bloodbath on Kiska. For Corlett's men, the americans suffered 18 deaths, 170 wounded, the Canadians 4 killed and 4 wounded, 130 men also got trench foot. The destroyer Abner Read struck a Japanese mine on August 18th, suffering 70 dead and 47 wounded to bring the total casualties to 313. Generals Buckner and DeWitt sought an invasion of Paramushiro, but the joint chiefs of staff would gradually reject the idea because it was simply seen to be easier to drive through the central or south pacific to Japan. But I would like to point out, if the south and central pacific campaigns did not go well, the idea of hitting the Japanese home islands from the Aleutians could have been a very real thing. Kinkaid, Butler, Eareckson amongst many others would leave the north pacific to deploy in other theaters. It was only really Buckner who remained, DeWitt returned to the west coast, as did the majority of forces. Wanted a feel good end to this one. So the allied forces on Kiska found more than just booby traps, turns out the Japanese had abandoned a number of dogs on the island, so the allied troops adopted many of them and turned them into unit mascots and pets. Surviving photos of the soldiers and the dogs are abundant and cute. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. The amphibious assault of Vella Lavella was a huge success, though now the battle for the small island was on. The farcical battle of Kiska had ushered in the end of the Aleutian islands campaign, birthing a long persisting myth to this very day of an incredible friendly fire battle.
Last time we spoke about the drive to Lae and Salamaua on New Guinea and the mysterious battle of the Pips. The boys on Green Hell were having a hell of a time trying to capture Mount Tambu. The Japanese had made a pillbox nightmare around Mount Tambu and reclaimed Ambush Knoll. Ambush Knoll was once again taken by the allies, by Warfe's commandos to be exact, but Mount Tambu was proving to be a much tougher nut to crack. Then in the frigid northern waters of the Aluetians, the allies had just successfully retaken Attu, but at a horrifying cost. The heavy cost convinced the allies, Kiska would be a similar bloody affair so they sought some Canadian help for its invasion. Yet before the invasion would occur one of the strangest battle of WW2 happened, the mysterious battle of the pips. The Americans found themselves firing at ghosts. But today we are venturing over to New Georgia. This episode is the Fall of Munda Welcome to the Pacific War Podcast Week by Week, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about world war two? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on world war two and much more so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel you can find a few videos all the way from the Opium Wars of the 1800's until the end of the Pacific War in 1945. The New Georgia campaign in many ways was akin to Guadalcanal. The Americans had suddenly invaded the island, landing numerous troops before the Japanese could coordinate a way to thwart them. Once the troops were landed, then the Japanese decided to react, and by react I mean tossing troops of their own on the island to dislodge the Americans. But just like with the Guadalcanal campaign, the war of transportation was not one the IJN could seemingly win against the Americans. By 2nd of July US forces led by the US 43rd Division, held an overwhelming advantage of 15,000 troops compared to 9,000 Japanese, who had landed at Zannana with a view to attacking westwards towards Munda Point. It was a battle that took far longer than the Allies had envisaged. Stubborn Japanese resistance and their ability to infiltrate US lines and cut supplies meant an advance at a snail's pace, despite their control of the air and sea. Yet while the Americans were chipping away, bit by bit at the outskirts of New Georgia, the real defensive position was of course, Munda. Up until this point Major General Minoru Sasaki had done a great job of delaying the Americans while pulling his forces back to make a stand at Munda. Indeed the Americans had a terrible time fighting the Japanese and mother nature, as Sergeant Antony Coulis described one advance thus “We alternatively crawled up and down greasy ridges. We forded numerous jungle streams and swam three of them. The repeated torture of plunging into icy streams; the chopping away of endless underbrush and foliage; the continuous drizzle of rain; the days without hot food or drink; the mosquitoes tormenting us at night. It was sheer physical torture …” Sasaki had constructed a barrage of defensive entrenchments around the airport around Munda to halt the US advance. As Admiral Halsey recalled “Rugged as jungle fighting is by now we should have been within reach of our objective, the airfield. Something was wrong.” The now deceased Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto's plan to turn the Solomons into a killing machine in order to force the United States to parley for a negotiated peace, seemed to be working. With the battle turning into a stalemate, on 15 July Halsey sent the famously tough Major-General Oscar Griswold, of the 14th Army Corps to New Georgia. Major-General John Hester, who had turned down help from the Marines, was relieved from command of the 43rd Division and replaced by Guadalcanal veteran Major-General John Hodge. A Landing Craft Tank Captain named Jack Johnson described the operation as a “screw-up. General Hester was army. I had him aboard one time. He was a little fart. He wore these high lace-up boots and carried a riding crop.” However, a lot of the blame would be placed on Rear-Admiral Turner, the commander of the amphibious forces who had insisted that Hester should retain divisional command as well as overall command of the landing operations.It also did not help that the 43rd “National Guard Division” were untested in battle. Griswold would find them in a state of near psychological collapse, prompting him to request reinforcements from the 37th division. The 37th division was led by General Beightler who was manning Reincke Ridge while to the south near the beach were the 43rd division under General Hester's command until the 29th and the 25th division of General Lawton Collins. Additionally Marine tanks of the 10th defense battalion from Rendova were arriving to replace recent losses and they would be critically needed to face the nightmarish Japanese pillboxes the Americans would be facing. In front of the Americans was a complex of camouflaged and mutually supporting pillboxes and fortifications amidst thick jungle. These defenses dominated several high features including Shimizu Hill, Horseshoe Hill, Kelley Hill and Reincke Ridge. They were made out of crushed coral and coconut logs dug several feet into the ground, with just a small portion poking out for their machine gunners and riflemen. It was these types of defenses that had plagued Hesters assaults. Across a frontage of around 3200 yards, Sasaki had established a series of these defenses along a northwestern axis going from the beach to Ilangana. Before the offensive could be kicked off, 161st regiment led by Colonel James Dalton discovered the Japanese held the Bartley ridge due east of Horseshoe hill. Their reconnaissance indicated double-logged pillboxes. Bartley ridge would be the most forward of the defensive positions and thus needed to be seized first. To meet the enemy Sasaki ordered Colonel Tomonari's forces to launch a second counterattack against whatever allied forces showed up on the northern flank and he also requested the recently landed Yano battalion to reinforce the northern flank. However Tomonari's men had suffered tremendous casualties and he was still trying to rally the scattered men along the rugged highlands. Meanwhile Colonel Yano was only able to send his 7th company to take up a position northwest of the 3rd battalion holding Sankaku hill, because his other men were needed to defend Vila. Because of this Sasaki ordered the depleted 1st battalion, 229th regiment to reinforce the Ilangana line. Colonel Hirata placed the 1st battalion along the line between Sato's 2nd battalion and Kojima's 3rd, which would turn out to be a key position. The offensive kicked off at first light on July 25th. Commander Arleigh Burke took 7 destroyers through the Blanche Channel and bombarded the Lambete plantation for 43 minutes firing more than 4000 5 inch shells. Nearly at the same time, the new commander of AriSols, Brigadier General Than Twining sent 171 bombers and 100 fighters to hit Munda, the largest air strike thus far in the area. As Burke's destroyers were firing 5 inch shells, B-24's and B-17's led the air attack, followed by B-25's, Dauntless and Avengers. It was described by many eyewitnesses as “the greatest show on earth”. The Japanese were only able to toss back 57 Zeros at 9:40am who were intercepted quickly by a Rendova patrol of 29 fighters who shot down 6 zeros and lost 4 of their own. But from 6:30-7am, the 254 aircraft managed to drop 500,800 lbs of fragmentation and high explosive bombs over the target area, a roughly 1500 by 250 yard strip. The result was enormous clouds of smoke hanging all over Munda, but Japanese casualties were considerably light. As the bombardment was quieting down, Griswold unleashed the ground forces supported by the 43rd divisions artillery who were firing more than 2150 105mm howitzer shells and 1182 155mm howitzer shells. Colonel Brown's 103rd regiment advanced upon Ilangana point while the 172nd tried to envelop Shimizu Hill, supported by 5 tanks. The 172nd tossed their 2nd and 3rd battalions around the left and right of Shimizu hill, but by 10am, even with the 5 tanks the Japanese pillboxes had halted them in their tracks. 3 of the tanks were disabled because of vapor lock and a ton of time was wasted by infantry trying to extricate them. THe 3rd battalion on the lefthand side, tried to fight through machine gun and mortar fire, but found it impossible. The men tried to move around the pillboxes but found themselves fired upon by other machine gun positions. The 2nd battalion, 103rd regiment attacked in the center of the 43rd divisions zone and managed to progress 300 yards against lighter opposition. bY 10:40am Company E managed to advance 500 yards and by noon reached a beach near Terere. As Company E tried hastily to create a defendable position, the Japanese moved behind them cutting their telephone lines back to the battalion HQ. Seeing the opening, General Hester tossed in some of his reserves in the form of Ramsey's 3rd battalion, 169th regiment. They were ordered to charge through the same gap made by 3 Company. But as they marched towards the gap they were met with enfilade fire from the southern part of Shimizu hill and from some pillboxes to the south. The 169th were unable to exploit the gap and now E company was forced to pull back lest they be encircled and annihilated. To the north, Beightler kept his 145th and 148th regiments in reserve until Bartley ridge was neutralized. Dalton sent I Company to contain the Japanese pocket by attacking it frontally while the 1st battalion and rest of the 3rd battalion performed a double envelopment. The 1st battalion went around the left while the 3rd took the right, seeing both driving southward and northward for 200 yards. The 1st battalion led by Lt Colonel Slaftcho Katsarky advanced 700 yards with only light opposition, but over on the other side the 3rd battalion of Lt Colonel David Buchanan were halted at the offset by heavy machine gun fire. By the 2nd of the day the 3rd battalion would establish itself in a containing position north,south and east of Bartley ridge. E Company had to be taken out of reserve and sent into the line on some high ground due north of Bartley ridge to secure the right flank of the 161st zone. The 1st battalion advanced a further 400 yards west of Bartley and took up a position on a small rise northeast of Horseshoe hill. With the southern advance stalling somewhat, Colonel Stuart Baxter of the 148th was ordered to help the 161st's efforts at reducing the pocket on Bartley ridge. He performed a limited advance and his 2nd battalion led by Lt Colonel Herbert Radcliffe gained 600 yards without meeting Japanese resistance. Meeting no resistance, the 1st battalion led by Lt Colonel Vernor Hydaker took up the 2nd battalions position as they advanced further, allowing engineers of the 117th engineer battalion to construct a supply trail behind them. Despite all of this Griswold was frustrated by the failure of his 43rd division performance. Ultimately Griswold blamed General Hester who he wrote about in his diary that night “I am afraid Hester is too nice for a battle soldier. He is sick and all done in. Tonight I am requesting his relief from the division.” The next day he ordered the exhausted 172nd to hold their position while the 10rd would advance 800 yards from Ilangana for Terere. To support them the artillery bombarded for over an hour, allowed the 103rd to advance with some tanks in the vanguard. A crucial component of their advance would be the 118th engineer battalion led by 2nd Lt James Olds an acting corps chemical officer, whose men were equipped with flamethrowers who went to work spilling fire over enemy pillboxes. This led to the vegetation over and around them being incarcerated in a matter of seconds and many pillboxes were simply wiped out. As I had said a few times in this series, the flamethrower would be one of the most devastating weapons in island hopping warfare. The flamethrower was gradually employed by both assault and mop up operations. However useful as it was, it did hold some disadvantages. The equipment as you can imagine was quite large and heavy, required the operator to get very close to the enemy positions and thus extremely vulnerable. For flamethrower personnel to be able to close the distance required rifle team protection. But what if you could alleviate these vulnerabilities by slapping a big flamethrower to a tank? Generals like Griswold and Harmon at this point began mounting flamethrowers to tanks and although it would not see the limelight at Munda, the Firetank as they would become known would become the most devastating weapon against Japanese defenses. By the midafternoon, Browns 10rd regiment managed to reduce around 74 pillboxes along a 600 yard front, successfully occupying Ilangana and continuing the coastal advance until Kia. While it was a great victory for Hester, it failed to change Griswolds mind about relieving him. Back over in the north, Beightler ordered another assault of Bartley's ridge. 6 light marine tanks of the 10th defense battalion led the charge at 9am. Companies L and K advanced in columns behind the tanks, tossing heavy fire from .30 caliber Browning automatic rifles (known as BAR's for my Call of Duty world at war veterans) and 2 flamethrowers. Unfortunately for the two guys carrying the flamethrowers, they were not properly protected by their rifle teams and were killed quickly. Very much like the learning of how to perform amphibious landings, it would take time to learn how to effectively use flamethrower units. The man managed to overrun a dozen or so pillboxes, but the terrain soon forced Dalton to frantically order men to extricate stuck tanks. During the morning hours a Japanese soldier burst out of the brush and planted a magnetic mine to one of the stuck tanks disabling it. A second tank was hit in its fuel line by gunfire while the remaining tanks managed to pull back and reorganize by 11am. After 5 hours of combat, Buchanan's 3rd battalion had lost 29 men and only progressed 200 yards and thus was forced to pull back again. On the 27th, Beightler committed his 2nd battalion, 145th regiment to reduce the defenders on Horseshoe hill. They managed to occupy a knoll connecting Horseshoe hill called Wing Hill, but heavy fire from Horseshoe hill eventually dislodges them. Meanwhile Colonel Tomonari finally managed to rally his men together for an attack against the 148th northern flank, while Sasaki sent a machine gun detachment, which was actually some anti-aircraft gunners to ambush the 148th engineers causing Colonel Baxter to order Companies A and D to rush over to protect them. Further south, General Hester began tossing some more aggressive actions in combination with artillery and mortar bombardments, gradually pushing the Japanese off high grounds. The 43rd division was slowly advancing yard by yard on the right flank, now reaching within 500 yards of the coast, but the 8 tanks of the 9th defense battalion were demolished in the attacks. On the 29th, the 1st battalion, 169th regiment had to be brought over from Rendova to take up a position between the 103rd and 172nd regiments. Alongside 4 tanks from the 10th defense battalion and some engineers wielding flamethrowers, Hester now had enough hardened forces to push the Japanese. Because of the continuous fighting, all the American regiments were becoming veterans. Pockets of Japanese that would have once held back an entire american battalion, possibly even a regiment were not being reducing quickly and efficiently. The technique for reducing pillboxes, whether it be from isolating them or overwhelming them was becoming mastered. Broken down this process began with a complete non-combative reconnaissance of the Japanese defenses. This was followed up by a reconnaissance in force, usually by a platoon with extra units who would uncover a portion of the Japanese positions. The assault consisted of parts: preparing an artillery bombardment usually consisting of mortars, firing off the bombardment, then storming in. The bombardments usually got rid of the brush and foliage improving visibility so the enemy could be targeted and damaged. If done efficiently, the Japanese would flee their pillboxes to take refuge. Flamethrowers and tanks made the process a lot easier for the finishing touch part. Soon the Japanese were being pushed to the crest of Shimizu hill. However while Hester was definitely picking things up better with the 43rd division, Griswold was determined to relieve him of command, feeling the man had exhausted himself. Now Major General John Hodge would take over the 43rd. Meanwhile to the north, the Beightlers 161st regiment infiltrated abandoned pillboxes on Bartley ridge near its crest. Over on Horseshoe Hill the Japanese were being hit with heavy bombardments while the 2nd battalion reoccupied Wing Hill and Companies G and F crept their way up the crest of the hill. However once near the crest they began to be pinned down by machine gun fire. The 1st battalion was hitting the hill from the southeast meeting heavy fire as well and they managed to reach 15 yards on top of the crest before being halted. By 5:30pm, the 2nd battalion was forced to withdraw to the foot of the hill, but two companies from the 1st battalion dug in on the crest. The americans lost 24 men died with 40 wounded. On the other side, during the night, Tomonari's main forces of 400 men arrived ready to attack at dawn. They attempted to move behind the rear of the 148th as Baxter's troops were advancing to Bibilo Hill. Baxter's force was spread out quite thinly across 1500 or so yards and they happened to be around 800 yards west of their main regimental ration and ammunition dump. The Japanese from a high ground position began firing down upon them with machine guns, rifles and grenades as forward units stormed the rations and ammunition dump. A ragtag group of service company soldiers rush over to defend the dumb returning fire upon the Japanese. Major Frank Hipp of the 148th took command of the force managing to hold back the Japanese. However as a result of this near catastrophe, Beightler ordered Baxter to withdraw on the 29th. Beightler believed the enemy was coming through a gap between the 148th and 161st greatly worrying him. Back over at Horseshoe hill, Companies G and F reached the crest while E company was hitting its northern side, supported by machine gun crews from H company. The fighting for the north side resulted in hand to hand combat seeing E company make some progress. But by nightfall the 2nd battalion again was again withdrawing down the hill. The actions ended disastrously, as the men were hit hard as they withdrew down the hill taking enormous casualties and gaining nothing in the process. On the 30th, Bartley Ridge and Shimizu Hill remained in Japanese hands as Beightler and Hodge were reorganizing their exhausted forces. That morning, Baxter finally began his withdrawal, miserably under heavy rain, with Tomonari's troops harassing them with ambushes. The ambushes caused Baxter to order the men to dig in around the supply dump and that night saw numerous soldiers dying for water begin to use their helmets as rain catchers. The next day the 148th attempted another break through, but Tomonari's machine gun crews hammered them back towards the supply dump for another night. At this point Sasaki received new orders instructing him to keep the supply lines to Kolombanagara secure. He elected to prepare his men to withdraw to a new defensive line that would be anchored at Kokenggolo Hill to the right, running east of Bibilo hill towards the Munda-Bairoko trail, then it would pass north to Hachiman Hill. Yano and his battalion were ordered to come over from Kolombangara to take up a position at Sankaku hill; Hirata's 229th regiment would hold Kokenggolo Hill and Tomonari would take up a position at Hachiman Hill. These orders came after the Japanese defenders had suffered tremendous losses over days of fighting. In truth the Japanese defensive line was formidable facing the American 14th corps, and indeed the Americans had been held back for a long time. But the Americans brought terrible power, their naval, artillery and aerial bombing was constant and hammered the Japanese. By late July most of the Japanese emplacements near Munda were in shambles. Rifle companies that were typically 170 men strong had shrunken significantly, some down as low as 20 men. The 229th regiment numbered only 1245 effective men. The hospitals could not hope to care for all the sick and wounded as constant shelling rained hell from above. Aside from the sick and wounded, as a major result of the shelling, many men were suffering nervous disorders, to use the old term shell shock, but today we'd call it Combat Stress Reaction “CSR”. To compensate for the losses, Colonel Hirata simply ordered his men of the 229th to kill 10 americans for every Japanese and to do so to the death. That's the kind of, I guess what the Japanese at the time would call fighting spirit, something that made the Japanese armed forces during WW2 unique, perhaps rather tragically. General Imamura decided to reinforce Vila with the 3rd battalion, 23rd regiment and six companies to buff up the 1th and 229th regiments. This freed up the Yano battalion to take up their new position on the new defensive line. Yet still in the meantime, Japanese were still defending Shimizu and Horseshoe Hill to give the rest of the forces time to withdraw. On the 31st Major Francis Carberry's 2nd Battalion, 161st charged up Bartley ridge finding no resistance. Then at 4:45pm the 15th field artillery began firing on Horseshoe Hill while the American forces near its crest tried to dislodge the Japanese. Again they were unsuccessful. By the afternoon Japanese were withdrawing from the Ilagana line, covered by fire from Horseshoe hill. During the night Tomonari led his men to withdraw, but a Avenger spotted his force fleeing through a valley overheard and called in an artillery strike. One of the shells hit Tomonari's HQ killing a lot of his staff and nearly him. Tomonari's force had to abandon a lot of equipment, but by dawn of August 1st they had managed to assemble at Kokenggolo and Bibilo Hills. His 2nd battalion alongside Hara's quick fire battalion went into the tunnels of Kokenggolo Hill while the rest of the 1st and 3rd battalions dug in on Bibilo Hill. Baxter received a message over radio on the 1st of August from General Beightler “time is precious, you must move, get going haste is essential”. The order was to get every man Baxter had and take Shimizu hill. Baxter rallied Companies A, E, B and G into a skirmish line with bayonets fixed and charged at 850am. By 9:30am the exhausted Americans reached Katsarsky's position where they handed the weary men fresh water and some hot food. Shimizu hill was theres. Meanwhile the 103rd regiment began their own attack. Hodge sent Companies E, F and G to march upon Lambeti which they did, finding no opposition. The rest of the 43rd found no opposition as they marched across Shimizu Hill, by 3pm they advanced 700 yards. Beightlers men captured Horseshoe Hill without firing a shot and as darkness fell on the 1st of august, Griswold ordered a general advance for the next day. Admiral Wilkinson brought a convoy bearing fresh troops of the 27th regiment to aid Beightlers right flank, but it took them until August the 3rd to get into combat assembly. In the meantime August the 1st would bring with it a significant increase in artillery bombardment. The 43rd divisions artillery commander, Brigadier General Harold Barker fired 2000 rounds on the 1st, followed by 2000 more on the 2nd, an incredible 7300 rounds on the 3rd and 3600 on the 4th. The Munda area was turned into an inferno. Yano lost the commander and all platoon leaders of the 8th company; 5 officers died atop Bibilo hill; Hara Masao was killed leaving his 1st battalion to be commanded by Sato on August 2nd; the tunnels of Kokenggolo Hill were one of the few safe planes, but a direct hit collapses an entrance to Sato's tunnel, burying him along with 60 men, requiring an entire day to dig them out. The Japanese were forced to take refuge wherever they could, preventing Sasaki from stabilizing his new defensive line. Captain Sugiura Kaju brought reinforcements from the 7th and 8th combined SNLF to Erventa where he loaded up the 3rd battalion, 23rd regiment to head for the Vella Gulf under the escort of Admiral Nishimuras cruisers Susuya, Chokai, Kumano, Sendai and destroyer Amagiri. However the naval force was intercepted by PT boats near the Blackett strait. The PT boats fired torpedoes at the Japanese destroyers, but none hit a target. Sugiura was able to land the reinforcements around Webster Cove, but the Amagiri rammed PT 109 just forward of her starboard torpedo tube ripping away the starboard aft side of the boat. Two men were killed, and one John F Kennedy, yes the future president was tossed around the cockpit of PT 109. Kennedy got the rest of the men to abandon ship around 11 in all. A few of them had serious burns and they were forced to swim for an islet 3.5 miles away known as Plum Pudding Island. Kennedy was the first to reach the island and he proceeded to help tow others to the island. The island was unoccupied, but a company of Sasebo 6th SNLF were nearby on another islet called Gizo. Seeing Japanese barges moving around, the Americans would make their way east to an island near Ferguson passage called Leorava island. It would not be until the night of August 7th when the coastwatch Lt Reginald Evans found them and helped them reach PT 157. For his courage and leadership Kennedy received the Navy and Marine Corps Medal alongside a purple heart for injuries he suffered. However the medals would pale in comparisons to the story written about the event by John Hersey for the New Yorker and Reader's digest which would give Kennedy a strong foundation politically. Back to the battle, on August 2nd, Griswold's forces advanced across the entire front and by the late afternoon the 103rd regiment had already reached the outer taxiways of Munda airfield; the 169th were approaching Bibilo Hill; and the 37th division were 700 yards ahead of Horseshoe hill. By the end of the day, the Japanese defensive line was basically Kokenggolo to Bibilo Hill and the Americans were closing in on both. The 103rd and 169th had units around the eastern end of the airfield, many men using wrecked Japanese aircraft as defendable positions. The 145th and 161st were on the eastern ridges of Bibilo hill and the 148th were about to cut the Munda-Bairoko trail. The Yano battalion's position was taken so quickly, the Americans had failed to notice they had overrun it. Thus Yano withdrew northwards. On August 3rd, the general advance continued and with more open terrain present, mortars became a lot more effective speeding it up. The 169th were advancing up the eastern end of Kokenggolo Hill; to the north, the 145th were advancing up the eastern ridges of Bibilo Hill the 161st were breaking through on the right and the 148th were now along the Munda-Bairoko trail. The situation was desperate that night so Sasaki was forced to order the men to withdraw yet again, now towards Zieta. Hirata's 229th regiment was to hold their position until sundown to give everyone time, then act as a rearguard until they could withdraw to Kongo Hill. Sasaki likewise moved his HQ to the Kure 6th Farm at Zieta. The next morning brought further misery upon the Japanese in the form of an airstrike. At 7:20am 25 Dauntless, 24 Avengers and 24 B-25's bombed Gurasai-Kindu Point, which is just due west of Munda airfield were the Japanese had constructed fortifications and emplaced many anti aircraft guns. Griswold did not let up seeing perhaps the final push against Munda before him. Hodge's 43rd division with marine tanks leading the way attacked Kokenggolo Hill. Beightler's 25th division were striking against the Japanese northern flank, freeing up the 148th and 161st to advance west towards the beach. The defenders at Kokenggolo Hill offered strong resistance as they withdrew towards Kong Hill before the 161st managed to break through to the sea. The fiercest fighting would be found on Bibilo hill, where the 145th were fighting against the dug in 229th regiment. By the end of the day, both the 148th and 161st broke through to the sea north of Kokenggolo hill and the 145th nearly cleared Bibilo hill as the Japanese fled along a trail going to the Kure 6th farm. With Bibilo Hill reduced, the Japanese began abandoning Kong Hill to continue retreating northwards. Griswold's 43rd division tossed mortars, infantry and tanks across Kokenggolo Hill driving away the last of the Japanese from tunnels, bunkers and pillboxes. Their forces soon crossed the western part of the Munda airfield. General Wing grabbed a military telephone and called General Hodge from Bibilo Hill stating “Munda is yours at 2:10 today”. Inturn Griswold radioed the good news over to Admiral Halsey "...Our ground forces today wrested Munda from the Japs and present it to you… as the sole owner…" Halsey then replied with "a custody receipt for Munda… Keep 'em dying." Munda had fallen at long last. The Americans had suffered 4994 casualties since July 2nd, the Japanese had 4683 death with a untold amount of wounded. With Munda captured, Tomonari was ordered to withdraw to Kolombangara to take command of the Vila defenses while Sasaki would move his HQ to Bairoko then move by barge to Vila as well. The 3rd battalion, 23rd regiment was deployed at Baanga island to cover the Japanese withdrawal using mountain guns. Admiral Ota's SNLF marines were to defend Arundel island. While these forces made their retreat, Admiral Samejima elected to carry out another reinforcement run. He would transport the Mikami battalion and on August the 6th with Admiral Ijuin carrying two other companies of replacements to Buin, Sugiura was once again sailing for Kolombangara. Sugiura had the destroyers Hagikaze, Kawakaze and Arashi while Ijuin had the destroyer Shigure. Meanwhile Admiral Wilkinson received reports from a PBY that sighted Sugiura's ships passing by the Buka Passage, so he ordered Commander Frederick Moosbrugger to depart Tulagi and sweep the Vella Gulf. Moosbrugger had the destroyers Stack, Sterret, Lang, Dunlap, Craven and Maury. He sailed south of Rendova to enter the Vella Gulf. He took his time going 15 knots to create as little wake as possible so Japanese floatplanes would not spot him and he was northwest of the coast of Kolombanaga by 11:25pm. Moosbrugger's plan was to divide his force into two formations; a torpedo division consisting of Dunlap, Craven and Maury, and a Gun division consisting of Lang Sterett and Stack. The torpedo group would attack first once rader contact was made while the Gun group would cut across the bows of the enemy and open fire as the torpedo's were expected to hit. This was to be the first time in the Solomons campaign that the US navy planned to use torpedo's as its primary weapon. All 6 of Moosbruggers destroyers held SG radar, but much more importantly at this time an advancement had been made to fix the idiotic mark 14 torpedoes. The defective magnetic exploder was fixed and the settings that made them run too deep was fixed. Admiral King was responsible for the first fix while Moosebrugger on his own accord ordered the torpedoes to be set at a minimum running depth of 5 feet. Sugiura knew fell well he most likely did not hold the element of surprise, but he was prepared to fight as he entered the Vella Gulf with his destroyer Hagikaze in the lead. Moosebruggers force was passing through the Gizo strait before turning southeast towards Blackett strait. Then the Americans turned north up the gulf with the torpedo group leading the way during the dark hours when at 11:33 Dunlaps radar made a contact, bearing 19700 yards away. Moosbrugger immediately changed course to close in and began to line-up his torpedo attacks. For once the Japanese lookouts failed to spot the Americans, most likely due to a lack of moonlight. At 11:41 at a range of around 4500 yards Moosebrugger fired 22 torpedoes and at 11:46 turned his ships 90 degrees as the Gun group made a course to cross Sugiuras T. aT At 11:42 Sugiura's lookouts spotted the American ships silhouettes and torpedo wakes, but it was too late. At 11:45 7 out of the 22 torpedoes found targets. Two torpedoes hit Hagikaze, 3 hit Arashia and 2 hit Kawakaze. Hagikaze was hit aft her engine room bringing her to a stop; Arashia's machinery spaces were destroyed and Kawakaze was hit under her bridge detonating her forward magazine sending her ablaze. Shigure would be found later to have been hit by a torpedo which failed to explode. The 3 destroyers were disabled and burning wrecks. The Japanese fired 8 torpedoes in return, none finding a target as they frantically tried to turn northwards to escape. The Gun group opened fire sinking the 3 crippling destroyers in the course of an hour killing 820 of the 940 troops on board. The Japanese would later send 4 large barges to try and rescue survivors with around 310 out of 1520 Japanese sailors and soldiers being rescued including Sugiura. The IJN received a night action defeat which also killed and prevented reinforcements for New Georgia. The American torpedoes would soon strike fear into the IJN. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. Munda has fallen at last, though it came at a terrible price. Now with the airfield in American hands, the battle for New Georgia would come to a swifter end. The US Navy finally got the chance to deliver a torpedo blow to the IJN and a devastating one it was.
Last time we spoke about the allied offensive against Mubo and the naval battle of Kolombangara. The Australians and Americans were continuing the drive towards Salamaua and Lae, but in their way was the once heavily fortified area of Mubo. Because of intricate diversionary attacks in multiple places, the Japanese gradually lifting their defensive positions in Mubo, until the time was ripe for the allies to seize it. The Pimple, Green Hill and Observation hill, places that caused suffering and hardship were finally seized, Mubo was secured. Over in the Solomons, the New Georgia campaign was continuing, forcing the Japanese to make another daring Tokyo Express run like they did at the battle of Kula Gulf. Yet again Admiral Ainsworth went out to face the enemy, completely ignorant of their torpedo capabilities and he paid for it dearly. Today we are going to continue these stories. This episode is the Drive on Munda Point Welcome to the Pacific War Podcast Week by Week, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about world war two? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on world war two and much more so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel you can find a few videos all the way from the Opium Wars of the 1800's until the end of the Pacific War in 1945. Today we are starting with the main drive towards Munda. We are picking up from last time where General Wing had finally begun his main advance on Munda on July 9th. Now the landings had occurred on July 2nd, from then on the Americans were busy making another landings such as at Rice Anchorage, getting forces to assembly points and trying to hinder any efforts by the Japanese to reinforce Munda. If you were looking down upon a map it would basically look like multiple forces taking up positions that cut off trails and ports that extend towards Munda. Everyone had a unique task and a time table, but as we all know not everything goes according to plan. When General Wing ordered the main advance, two infantry regiments were greatly delayed, those being the 172nd who moved a grand total of 1100 yards and the 169th who made zero ground at all. The war planners had not considered how difficult it would be for ground forces to travel the single narrow tracks, dense jungles, mangroves, creeks, ridges and ravines. The men found navigation difficult and whenever the terrain seemed to narrow they found Japanese defenses. The 172nd were ordered by Major Genera Hester to carry out flanking maneuvers against a roadblock set up by the 9th company, 3rd battalion, 229th regiment while the 169th attacked them frontally. They were supported by heavy artillery, naval bombardment and aerial bombing. But General Sasaki correctly predicted the American commanders intentions and responded to them rather quickly with his own counter flanking maneuvers. His forward area was held by Japanese snipers, well concealed in baskets in trees whom employed rifles that gave little to no muzzle flashes, something that was turning into a real trait of the Japanese. The 172nd progressed a few hundreds yards with its 1st battalion leading the way, the 2nd behind them and the 3rd following from a distance. They were assaulting a point where the Munda trail intersected another trail running southwest to a beach and southwest of this were the native villages of Ilangana and Laiana. The Japanese managed to keep them 1500 yards away with this defenses. The Artillery was not working to dislodge the Japanese from their roadblock and during the night the Japanese were reinforced with some units of the 11th company who took up some high ground later called Reincke Ridge. This made things ever worse for the inexperienced and pretty brutally shaken 169th who had the unfortunate job of meeting them in a front assault. Things were becoming even worse for General Wing. Despite the slow progress, the American forces had actually overstretched their logistics by July 10th. The 118th engineer battalion had been making some good progress building a jeep trail going from Zanana to the Barike River. They relied on information provided by native scouts, and the engineers built the trail over high dry ground, averaging around half a mile or so per day. But the 5 foot deep fast running stream east of the Barike caused a ton of soft mud, not very engineer friendly. To get the ground firm enough for footbridges and such they were forces to swing the road northward parallel to the river for over 2 miles. This gap between the end and front of the road meant near half of the combat troops were forced to carry forward ammunition, food, water and other supplies and let us not forget everyone who gets sick or wounded needed to be carried back on the same roadways. Again, logistics are not as sexy as the combat and don't usually get much time of day, but its important for any war effort, hell look at Russia today. To solve his logistical headache, General Hester decided to divert the 172nd infantry regiment south towards Laiana, while the 169th would continue their miserable advance up the Munda trail. Now Laiana was just 500 yards east of the main Japanese defensive line at Ilangana, currently held by the 2nd and 3rd battalion of the 229th regiment and 2nd independent Quick-fire battalion all under the command of Colonel Hirata Genjiro. The 172nd would have the support of the 3rd battalion, 103rd regiment and 8 M3 Stuart tanks of the 9th defense battalion who were expected to land at Laiana by July 13th. On the morning of the 11th, the 172nd began turning south wading through knee deep mud and having the Japanese fire mortars upon them. By midway they had advanced 450 yards when they came across some Japanese bill boxes. While this was going on the 169th were pushing against the Japanese upon the high ground leading to a stalemate. Because of this Colonel Temple Holland replaced Colonel Eason as commander of the 169th and Colonel Frederick Reincke took command of its 3rd battalion which was being led by Major William Stebbins. On July 12th the Colonel Holland began a plan calling for the 1st battalion to attack frontally while the 2nd battalion enveloped the Japanese left flank. The 3rd battalion who were in reserve were released to engage the enemy, but the entire thing bogged down immediately as units became intermingled with the 172nd who were on their way to Laiana. Meanwhile Rear Admiral Aaron Merrill with task force 36 was ordered to depart Ironbottom Sounds and provide naval bombardment from the Blanche Channel in coordination with heavy artillery in Rendova and aerial bombing from AirSols. Merrill took 4 light cruisers Columbia, Cleveland, Denver and Montpelier into the narrow channel while his two destroyers Farenholt and Buchanen took up a position near the Munda Bar to shell the Kokenggolo Hill Area. Merrills force fired 8600 shells for 40 minutes, which did clear the jungle in front of the advancing troops, but ultimately did little else as they were forced to fire a mile in front of the American positions, but within that mile were the said Japanese defenses. As you can imagine, the boys on the ground were all too excited to now advance, only to find the same unhampered enemy facing them. The 1st battalion, 169th regiment managed to gain about 300 yards; the 2nd battalion received enfilading fire from a ridge to the north, unable to progress and the 3rd battalion assaulted the southern ridge for several hours enjoying some artillery and aerial support. To the south the 172nd were stuck in front of the pill boxes. These pill boxes were not made out of concrete, but instead coconut logs and coral, pretty ingenious stuff. They ranged from 10-12 feet square, with 3-4 layers of logs banked with 6-8 feet of weathered coral. Their ceilings were usually around 10 feet from the floor, dug into the earth so that 2-4 feet of the pill box projected above the ground. Each had several firing slits for riflemen or machine guns. Outside the pill boxes were foxholes, and trenches connected all positions. All of this was well camouflage using earth, grass, vines, palm fronds and such, leading Americans to stumble onto a pill box without even noticing it. One remark made by the 43rd division after coming across them was that they had an easier time smelling them than seeing them. So if you ever watched classic Pacific War films or the Pacific Series and wondered how some of these pill boxes were made, there you go. On the morning of the 13th Colonel Holland requested some aerial support and he got some at 10am. 12 Dauntless dropped 1000 pound daisy cutters upon some smoke markers laid out by the 169th. The dive bombers manage to hit the target perfectly before Holland ordered the men to charge. The 2nd battalion went through the center, while the 1st battalion took the right and the 3rd battalion took the left. They hit the north and south ridges trying to envelop the Japanese. E and F companies of the 2nd battalion ran into heavy machine gun fire, causing a halt. The 1st battalion tried to climb the north ridge but were obstructed by a ton of felled trees and craters due to the bombing. The Japanese who survived the bombardments opened fire from their pillboxes keeping the Americans in check. The charging Americans now without artillery or mortar support tried to push forward with rifle and bayonet, seeing many killed upon the crest or wounded. Company B would lose 3 of its 4 officers alone. The 3rd battalion now led by Colonel Reincke fought for some hours managing to progress 500 yards into the Japanese lines securing the south ridge. They fought pillbox through pillbox, it was a terribly bloody affair, resulting in 100 casualties. When they took the ridge they held the position, beating back several counterattacks during the night, to which the men named the ridge Reincke. Soon the 1st and 2nd battalions took up positions on the 3rds flanks securing Reincke ridge, while the Japanese concentrated on the northern ridge and to the west they held a higher ground called Horseshoe hill. Meanwhile the 172nd had their lines of communication cut off in their rear by the Japanese forcing them to quicken up the pace as they were running low on food. They made it to Laiana beach in the late afternoon successfully securing the beach and organizing defensive positions. The following morning General Hester landed the 3rd battalion, 103rd regiment and the tanks to back them up at Laiana. This came also with some much needed supplies for the worn out men. Having supplied the men to the southern beach, now the men in the northern front required resupply. Reinckes men were tossing back more counterattacks. One morning Japanese artillery fired upon the ridge bursting a tree that killed 4 men and wounded 23. Alongside this 5 men were reported to have a case of shell shock, 7 others war neurosis. Machine gun fire claimed 2 men, wounded another 5. At 8pm artillery began again killing another 8 men and wounding 26. There were no medical officers with the battalion, leaving medics to do what they could. Despite the hardship the 3rd battalion held their ground, and gradually the Japanese evacuated the northern ridge which the 2nd battalion quickly seized. By July 15th, the 4rd divisions engineers had managed to complete the jeep trail from Laiana to the 169th area. Telephone lines crews began to lay underwater cables between Zanana, Laiana and General Barkers artillery teams. Engineers also finished a bridge over the Barike on the 12th and on the 14th had extended the trail within 500 yards of the 169th front lines. Supply lines were finally being secured, and more importantly the wounded would be able to be safely transported. By July 17th, the 43rd division had 90 deaths, 636 wounded in actions and over 1000 cases of sickness ranging from the ever present friend malaria, but also diarrhea, dysentery and such. As mentioned, cases of psychological problems were also very apparent. Half of the 43rd division were suffering war neurosis, which we call today Combat Stress Reaction “CSR”. This is an acute reaction from the stress of war that causes the combatant to feel fatigued, have slower reactions, be indecisive, and can become disconnected from one's surroundings. It's classic psychological trauma, kind of similar to what I assume many of you listeners would think of as PTSD, but it is not the same thing, PTSD can see durations lasting months if not even years, while CSR has a short duration. Small tidbit of info since my first degree is in neuroscience, a fairly recent study in the later 2000's was done to look at the issue of CSR, shellshock and such from a neurological point of view. The idea was to figure out if specific physical damage was being done to parts of the brain during blast trauma that caused combat stress reactions. The reason the study was done was because the symptoms from such maladies often overlap with things you see in traumatic brain injuries, anyways was interesting reading back in my uni days. As pointed out by historian Samuel Eliot Morison, it seemed General Hester's choice of sending the 172nd infantry regiment south, had greatly exposed the inexperienced 169th. In his words “This was perhaps the worst blunder in the most unintelligently waged land campaign of the Pacific war (with the possible exception of Okinawa). Laiana should have been chosen as the initial beachhead; if it was now required, the 172nd should have been withdrawn from Zanana and landed at Laiana under naval gunfire and air support. Or Hester might have made the landing with his reserves then waiting at Rendova. As it was, General Sasaki interpreted the move correctly and by nightfall had brought both advances to a standstill.” In order to break the deadlock that was occurring, some of the command structure would be reorganized. This coincided with half of the 4rd division being knocked out of commission, prompting General Hester to request reinforcements for the drive against Munda. General Harmon performed a inspection of the situation and reported back to Admiral Halsey on Guadalcanal. He advised sending forward General Oscar Griswold of the 14th corps with a forward echelon of staff so he could begin building up the administrative, supply and planning for the future New Georgia occupation force. Once Munda had fallen, this would allow General Hester to carry on against Vila. Harmon justified this by stating Hesters force was too small to do it, but there was another rationale. By doing this it would relegate Admiral Turner to a supporting role, whom the army and marines were resenting because of what they deemed to be his meddling of ground operations. Admiral Turner opposed the idea, and Halsey replied to Harmon he could simply increase Hester's staff. This prompted Harmon to fly back to COMSOPAC HQ on Noumea to personally talk to Halsey and force the issue. Griswold showed up at midnight on the 15th assuming command of the occupational force, leaving Hester to focus on the actions of his 43rd divisions offensive. Griswold began his new task by directing Major General Robert Beightler to the rest of the 37th division to New Georgia alongsideColonel Collins 161st regiment of his 25th division. Over at Zanana, the 1st battalion of the 145th regiment arrived at 5pm, which Colonel Holland tossed up to help reinforce the 169th.Now that Admiral Turner was relieved as commander of the South Pacific Amphibious force, his new orders were to take command of the central pacific offensives, replacing Admiral Wilkinson. Now General Hester was preparing for a corps level offensive, but it would take over 10 days to build up and in the meantime the Japanese began to prepare a major counter offensive. On July 16 and 17 some small attacks were performed against the Ilangana line, supported now by the newly arrived tanks, but a lack of coordination between the 172nd regiments infantry and tanks led to only a bit of gain. Nonetheless the tanks did help against the pillboxes. The tanks took up a wedge formation and used their 37mm guns with high explosive shells to dislodge the panicking Japanese trying to fight back with their machine guns from many of the forward pillboxes. However the Japanese were only phased by the arrival of the tanks for about a day as on July 18th they started to employ anti tank strategies to great effect. The Japanese defenders began tossing a mixture of mines, molotov cocktails and flame-throwers, forcing Griswold to withdraw the remaining tanks and ordered the transportation of the 10th defense battalions tanks to reinforce them. Meanwhile the 169th regiment were advancing southwest towards Kelley Hill located 400 yards southwest of Reincke Ridge. They faced little opposition, but would soon see wave after wave of Japanese counterattacks to dislodge them. On the other side, the 1st and 3rd battalions of Colonel Tomonari's 13th regiment had arrived at the scene and managed to bypass Colonel Liversedge's roadblock. General Sasaki planned to toss Tomonari around the American's right flank near the east bridge over the Barike river. From there they could advance upon Zanana Beach. By July 14th, the 1th regiment were marching to the upper Barike, but the men lacked maps and were hacking their own trail. Tomonari said of this “If we had to go round and round in circles in the jungle, not having been able to find the enemy, nor having been able to help the 229th Regiment and let them die, it would really hurt the reputation the 13th Infantry Regiment had had for a long time, since the Sino- and Russo-Japan War. That was why most soldiers were feeling the pressure. Finally meeting the enemy at that point was like meeting Buddha in hell.” It would take them days to march through the thick jungle. On the night of July 17th, Tomonari and the men found a jeep trail heading towards General Hesters HQ on Zanana Beach. He ordered his men to attack the area which at this time was being guarded by a platoon of the 4rd reconnaissance troops and 70 Fijian commandos led by Captain David Williams. General Hester was not at the HQ at this time he was at Laiana, but Generals Wing and Barker were. The Japanese launched simultaneous raids against the engineer and medical bivouacs and 43rd divisional command post. At the same time Captain Kojima of the 229th regiment launched an attack against Kelley Hill on the 18th. At 10am Japanese machine guns north of Kelley opened fire as riflement charged the its western slope. The 1st battalion fired upon the charging Japanese as the 3rd battalion fired upon the machine gunners to the north. The Japanese assault was threatening to break the line. Many of the Japanese managed to crawl within grenade tossing distance of the northern line of the 1st battalion, but mortar fire forced them back. It was an extremely bloody attack and the 1st battalion reported finding 102 dead Japanse upon the slopes at daybreak. Another predawn attack was launched by the 2nd battalion 229th infantry against the 3rd battalion, 103rd infantry but they repulsed it. The attacks were done to prevent the American troops there from helping the Zanana defenders. If all went well, Sasaki could destroy the 43rd divisions rear installations cutting off major lines of communications to the surrounding front line forces. Tomonari's raids however were chaotic and disorderly. Rather than a organized assault, it fell into a series of separate smaller raids allowing the few reconnaissance and Fijian commandos to fend off the invaders. The reconnaissance forces repelled the attacks upon the engineer and medical bivouacs while the Fijian commandos manned a perimeter alongside Headquarters personnel such as drivers, medical orderlies, clerks, everyone grabbed a rifle despite many not even using one since basic training. The Fijians had better eyesight at night than anyone else and showcased their abilities to the Japanese who were certainly not used to being contested in this field of expertise. Tafa a Tongan, was firing from his foxhole when a Japanese officer wielding a katana and a grenade in the other hand charged at him. Tafa used his Owen gun to mow the man down killing him. The Japanese officer was found later to be carrying documents showcasing the full strength of the Japanese force and details of their mission. The Japanese were screaming as they charged from all directions as the close quarters melee raged on. The Japanese managed to infiltrate the perimeter multiple times, destroying communications equipment, but they could not reach the most important part of the area, General Barkers artillery. Barker unleashed a tight box barrage from extremely close range to devastating effect. The Japanese had no other option than to flee up the jeep trail they came from. Tomonari had his surviving forces erect some road blocks for the next 3 days, but Sasaki's hopes of knocking out the 43rd divisions HQ were thwarted. Having survived the major counter offensive, the 148th regiment was quickly landed at Zanana on the 18th and were soon sent over to Reincke Ridge to relieve the poor 169th regiment. Colonel Stuart Baxter of the 148th regiment was surprised by the roadblocks as Griswold never warned him about them. His advance parties were ambushed leading to 2 deaths and some wounded. During the night the Japanese were found drunk off looted whiskey they had taken from a rations dump near the bridge on the Barike. There was a clash where a platoon from the 169th were bringing wounded men down. The drunken Japanese managed to kill many of the wounded men being carried on litters alongside 2 medics. The bridge henceforth was called “Butchers bridge”. The next morning at 8am, Baxter sent his 1st battalion and his HQ up the jeep road to fight the Japanese, but as they went up it seemed the Japanese had withdrawn. Baxters men crossed the east bridge without incident, but as they went further up the road suddenly Japanese machine guns opened up on them. A company lost over a dozen men to this ambush and soon the Japanese were attacking his flanks forcing Baxter to dig in. By July 21st the Japanese would finally depart the area allowing the 148th regiment to relieve the 169th. As for the 169th, they were sent over to Rendova and General Beightler took command of the 37th division whom he reshuffled for an offensive. A 1300 yard line was formed north of Ilangana with Hester's 43rd division to the south and Beightler's 37th division to the north. By this point Hester moved his 43rd divisional command post from Zanana to Laiana where many trails were created to help with the supply lines. Griswold now planned to start an offensive on July 25th, opening up with a naval, artillery and aerial bombardment, before the infantry and tanks performed a frontal assault upon the Japanese line. The 43rd division would hit from the left to take Lambete plantation and its airfield while the 37th division would hit from the right against Bibilo Hill, thus enveloping the Japanese north of the airfield. Meanwhile, Colonel Currin's 4th Raiders had secured the Enogai inlet, allowing Liversedge to launch his attack against Bairoko. For the attack on Bairoko, Liversedge planned to use the 1st and 4th Raiders along the ENogai-Bairoko trail to hit the Japanese frontally, while the 3rd battalion, 148th regiment would take the Triri-Bairoko trail to hit their southern flank. Liversedge appeared to have expected aerial bombing support, but did not request or failed to request the air support in time. On the morning of the 20th, the forces began their advance. At 10:00am, Colonel Griffiths 1st Raiders ran into some Japanese outposts manned by just a handful of Japanese. They fired upon them sending them fleeing, as they continued their advance they soon came across a larger force. Eventually they were forced to a halt as they came upon the Japanese main defensive line at around Noon. Commander Okumura Saburo had created 4 successive lines of mutually supporting pillboxes on low parallel ridges running north to south. Meanwhile the 4th raiders advanced within 300 yards short of the shore of Bairoko harbor meeting the Japanese lines of defense. At 2:30pm, Griffiths D company managed to break into the first line of defense, but an hour later, Okumura ordered heavy mortar fire from the ridges pushing the Americans back and turning the area into a killing field. The 1st raiders were unable to move forward, now resting their hopes on the 4th raiders making a breakthrough in the south. The 4th raiders ran into the Japanese main line during the midday and were not making any progress. Liversedge called the forces at the front and consequently ordered the two raider battalions to take up defensive positions further east on some high ground. The raiders had suffered 200 casualties before they retired to the south shores of Leland Lagoon. The next day, reinforcements came over from Enogai along with air support. At 9:50am 24 Dauntless, 25 Avengers and 8 B-25's swooped in to bomb Bairoko. This was followed up at noon by 37 Avengers, 6 B-25s, then at 4pm 48 Dauntless and 25 Avengers. 130 tons of bombs his Bairoko alongside an estimated 24,000 rounds of machine gun bullets. Liversedge ordered the men to sit tight and hold their positions for now along a line stretching from Enogai, Triri and Rice Anchorage. Meanwhile, after the victory during the battle of Kolombangara, Admiral Samejima formed a new Night battle unit, consisting of Heavy cruisers Kumano, Suzuya and Chokai; light cruiser Sendai; and destroyers Yugure, Kiyonami, Yukikaze and Hamakaze, led by Admiral Nishimura. Their unit was given the task of harassing American transportation efforts. Rear Admiral Ijuin Matsuji was now commanding the reinforcement unit who were going to make a run on the 17th, but this was greatly hampered by an American air strike against Buin. On the 17th, 7 B-24s, 32 P-38's and P-40's, 37 Dauntless, 36 Avengers and 64 Wildcats and Corsairs hit Buin. 48 Zeros began to take off from Kahili, but they could not scramble fast enough as the Americans bombed the shipping, setting a cargo ship on fire, before the Hatsuyuki took a direct hit to her forward magazine sinking her and 3 other destroyers were damaged. 13 Zeros were shot down while the Americans lost 6 aircraft. Many of Ijuins transports received some minor damage delaying his departure. On July 19th, Nishimura attempted a reinforcement run to New Georgia, but his force was intercepted northwest of Kolombangara by a pack of Avengers. Nishimura's ships scattered at high speed upon seeing the enemy aircraft, but Yugure was successfully torpedoed and sank as a result. The Kiyonami stuck behind to grab survivors. Meanwhile cruisers Chokai and Kumano were also heavily damaged. The Kiyonami was later attacked by 8 B-25's who bombed her at masthead level, leaving her dead in the water. The B-25's also attacked the transports doing some minor damage to the Matsuzuki and Minazuki. 582 men, 102 tons of supplies and 60 drums of fuel were successfully delivered, but the terrible losses led to the newly formed Night Battle unit to be canned. On the 22nd another reinforcement convoy consisting of Seaplane tender Nishin and destroyers Arashi, Isokaze and Hagikaze made a run to Bougainville led by Rear Admiral Osugi Morkazu. They were carrying 630 men of the South Seas 4th guard unit, 22 tanks and 8 artillery pieces. They were intercepted by a huge force consisting of 12 B-24's, 16 Dauntless, 18 Avengers, escorted by 134 fighters flown by US army, Marine and New Zealanders. The Nisshin was devastated by bombs, torpedoes and strafing attacks leading her to sink within 14 minutes from the start of the interception. Of her 633 crewmen and 630 troops onboard, only 178 would be rescued later on by destroyers who faced considerable attacks from aircraft doing so. Despite the rather insane levels of allied aircraft attacks, General Imamura continued to commit more forces to the defense of the Central Solomons now assigning the elite 2nd battalion, 230th regiment “Yano Battalion” led by Lt COlonel Yano Keiji to reinforce Vila. They were sent aboard the destroyers Yukikaze, Mikazuki and Hamakaze on the night of the 23rd. Instead of sailing through the slot, they used the Wilson straight which was very fortunate as Admiral Merrill was coming up the slot with a large task force to supply Liversedge at Enogai. At Least the poor Japanese transports dodge one bullet. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. The American drive upon Munda was seeing significant delays as the Japanese proved themselves very capable at defense, especially in pillboxes. However the battles to reinforce New Georgia were costing the Japanese defeats or pyrrhic victories.
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