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Last time we spoke about the Oyama Incident and decision to fight at Shanghai. In July 1937, escalating tensions between Japan and China erupted into war after the Marco Polo Bridge Incident. As conflict spread, Chinese leader Chiang Kai-shek, believing in his nation's resilience, called for unity to resist Japanese aggression. A pivotal moment occurred on August 9 at Hongqiao Airport, where a violent confrontation left several Japanese soldiers dead. The circumstances remained murky, with both sides blaming each other, further inflaming hostilities. Despite attempts at negotiation, the military standoff intensified, leading to a consensus that war was imminent. Chiang mobilized troops to Shanghai, a crucial city for both strategic and symbolic reasons, determined to demonstrate that China could defend its sovereignty. The Chinese forces, under Generals Zhang Fukai and Zhang Zhizhong, faced logistical challenges but aimed to strike first against the increasingly aggressive Japanese military. On August 12, both nations prepared for conflict, leading to a drastic escalation.  #157 The Battle of Shanghai Part 2: Black Saturday and Operation Iron Fist Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, 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 the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia 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 where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. On Friday, August 13 of 1937, the residents of Shanghai began enduring the sounds of rifle fire and machine gun salvos, punctuated by the distant booms of artillery.  Members of the Japanese marines, disguised in civilian clothes and posing as rowdy thugs, boisterous ronin, arrived at barricades manned by the Peace Preservation Corps at the northern edge of Yangshupu around 9:15 a.m. They began to provoke the Chinese guards with loud taunts and jeers. When the Chinese fired a warning shot into the air, the Japanese retaliated with deadly intent. The Chinese responded in kind, resulting in a lethal exchange. From that moment on, the situation was beyond control. As the day progressed, nervous skirmishes continued throughout the northern part of Shanghai. Chinese commanders dispatched patrols to conduct probing attacks, hoping to identify weak points in the Japanese defenses and push them back wherever possible. Meanwhile, their Japanese counterparts rushed to occupy key positions outside their main line of defense, aiming to gain an advantageous position should their adversaries launch a larger offensive. Small bands of soldiers from both sides maneuvered along narrow alleys to minimize the risk of detection; however, whenever they encountered each other, the results were deadly. In the western sector of the front line, where the Chinese Army's newly arrived 88th Infantry Division was preparing its positions, the center of activity was the headquarters of the Japanese marines near Hongkou Park. This location resembled a fortress, featuring a massive four-story structure shielded from air and artillery bombardment by a double roof of reinforced concrete. The building, which encompassed a large inner courtyard, occupied two city blocks and could accommodate thousands of troops at once. Highly visible, it represented both a significant military threat and a symbol of Japan's presence in Shanghai. The Chinese were acutely aware of their objective: they had to eradicate it. The Sichuan North road lies south between the marine headquarters and the Japanese section of the International Settlement. This road became the scene of frantic activity from the first day of battle. Japanese armored cars and motorcycle patrols, with machine guns mounted on sidecars, sped up and down the otherwise deserted street, while trench mortars positioned along the pavement lobbed grenades into Zhabei to the west. As columns of smoke rose into the sky from buildings in the Chinese district, Japanese officers squeezed into a narrow conning tower atop the marine headquarters, watching the bombardment's results through field glasses. Reports of Chinese snipers stationed in the upper floors of buildings along the road prompted Japanese squads, led by sword-wielding officers, to carry out door-to-door searches. Suspects were unceremoniously dragged away to an uncertain fate. Not a single civilian was visible in the area; everyone stayed indoors, behind closed windows and drawn curtains. On the afternoon of August 13, the Eight Character Bridge, located west of the marine headquarters, became the site of one of the battle's first major engagements. The bridge, measuring just 60 feet in length and spanning a minor creek, was deemed by both sides to have significant tactical importance. The Chinese commanders viewed it as a crucial route for advancing into the Hongkou area, believing that if the bridge fell into Japanese hands, it would be like a "piece of bone stuck in the throat." At around noon, Major Yi Jin, a battalion commander of the 88th Infantry Division, led a couple of hundred men from around the North Railway Station toward Eight Character Bridge. When the soldiers reached their objective at about 3:00 p.m., they spotted a small Japanese unit that had just arrived across the creek and was setting up defensive positions. The Chinese opened fire and managed to secure the bridge, prompting the Japanese to launch a brief artillery bombardment that resulted in several Chinese casualties. Gunfire near the bridge continued intermittently until 9:00 p.m., when a fragile silence fell over the area. Further to the east, in the 87th Infantry Division's sector, the day was also characterized by frantic maneuvering, punctuated by lengthy bursts of violence. Chinese reconnaissance parties infiltrated enemy-held areas, making their way to the Japanese Golf Club near the Huangpu River, where they began shooting at workers busy preparing the makeshift airfield. As the first volleys from the Chinese snipers rang out, clouds of dust filled the air, causing the workers to hastily seek cover. Japanese soldiers stationed in the clubhouse immediately returned fire, throwing off the snipers' aim. After about an hour, two Japanese vessels moored in the Huangpu River, the destroyer Run and the gunboat Seta were called in to assist the Japanese marines facing the 87th Infantry Division on land. Four- and six-inch shells screamed across the sky, exploding in the Chinese districts to the north. Shanghai University was also shelled, as the Japanese troops on land believed it had been occupied by Chinese soldiers. Ultimately, the last remaining staff members, two Americans, were forced to flee the campus. The naval artillery had come to the aid of the beleaguered infantry onshore, a scene that would be repeated continually in the days and weeks to come. Late that evening, Chiang Kai-shek finally ordered his military commanders to “divert the enemy at sea, block off the coast, and resist landings at Shanghai” Even before the mobilization of troops began, panic swept through Shanghai. Meanwhile, the city's waterfront took on an increasingly ominous tone. The China Daily News wrote “Arms, ammunition, and supplies streamed from several Japanese cruisers and destroyers onto the O.S.K. wharf in what appeared to be an unending flow. Additionally, a large detachment of soldiers in full marching gear disembarked, while a cruiser, the Idzumo, two destroyers, and nine gunboats arrived shortly before.” Zhang Zhizhong, the commander of the left wing, finally received the orders he wished to hear. Zhang intended to deploy all available troops in a bold effort to eliminate the Japanese presence once and for all, following the strategy recommended by the Germans. However, the plan had a significant weakness. The assault was to focus on the marine headquarters and the rest of the Hongkou salient while deliberately avoiding combat within the formal borders of the International Settlement. This decision was made as a concession to international public opinion and was politically sound. However, from a military perspective, it was nearly suicidal and greatly increased the risks associated with the entire operation. The Hongkou area represented the most heavily fortified position along the entire front. The marine headquarters was at the center of a dense network of heavy machine gun positions, protected by barbed wire, concrete emplacements, and walls of sandbags. On Saturday, August 14th, the Nationalist military command decided to target one of the most significant Japanese naval assets in Shanghai: the Izumo, anchored with support ships on the Huangpu River in the city center. Shortly before 11:00 a.m., five Chinese planes appeared over the rooftops, flying toward the river and the Japanese vessels. The aircraft released their bombs, but all missed their target, with several detonating on the wharves, demolishing buildings and sending shrapnel flying through the air. In response, the Japanese battleships unleashed a massive barrage, further endangering those unfortunate enough to live or work in the area as shell fragments rained down with deadly force. At 11:20 a.m., another Chinese air raid occurred, this time involving three planes, once again targeting the Izumo. However, for two of the pilots, something went horribly wrong. “From one of the four monoplanes, four aerial torpedoes were seen to drop as they passed over the Bund, far from their intended target... Two others fell on Nanking Road.” Either the pilot misjudged the target, or there was a malfunction with the release mechanism. Regardless of the cause, the bombs landed in one of the city's busiest civilian areas, where thousands were walking, shopping, and enjoying a hot August Saturday. At 4:46 p.m., the public health department's work diary noted, “Palace Hotel hit! Many injured and dead in street! Nanking Road opposite Cathay Hotel.” A reporter vividly captured the horror of the scene: “A bomb arced through the air, struck the Palace Hotel with a glancing blow, and unleashed indescribable carnage. As the high explosive fumes slowly lifted, a scene of dreadful death emerged. Flames from a blazing car danced over distorted bodies. Bodies wrapped in coolie cloth lay in shapeless heaps at the entrances to the main doorways and arcades of the Palace and Cathay hotels, their heads, legs, and arms separated from smashed masses of flesh. The corpse of a Chinese policeman lay dead in his tracks, shrapnel lodged in his head, and a disemboweled child was nearby.” To make matters worse, another pilot mistakenly released his bomb over Avenue Edward VII, another major shopping street. When the numbers were finally tallied, over 1,000 people, both Chinese and foreign had been killed. The bombs struck the International Settlement, a zone that was politically neutral and presumed safe. Hundreds of civilians were killed culminating in what would soon be referred to as “Black Saturday” or “Bloody Saturday.” By the time these tragedies unfolded, the Battle of Shanghai had already entered its second day.  Zhang Zhizhong's men prepared their positions for most of the day, then launched their attack late in the afternoon. Intense fighting erupted in the few hours before sunset, and it quickly became clear that the 88th Infantry Division was encountering resistance that was tougher than expected. In addition to the direct fire from entrenched Japanese positions, the attackers were bombarded by the Third Fleet's powerful artillery, which was awe-inspiring even when it employed only a fraction of its total strength of 700 pieces. However, the Chinese infantry lacked proper training in the use of heavy weaponry against fortified enemy positions. Their heavier guns, which could have made a significant difference, were held too far in the rear and missed their targets too easily, as inexperienced crews used flawed coordinates from observers who were not close enough to the action. Additionally, some of the Japanese positions had such thick defensive walls that it was questionable whether even the most powerful weaponry in the Chinese arsenal, the 150 mm howitzers, could do more than merely dent them. These tactics resulted in extraordinarily heavy losses for the Chinese, including among senior ranks. Around 5:00 p.m., Major General Huang Meixing, the 41-year-old commander of the 88th Infantry Division's 264th Brigade, was leading an attack near the marine headquarters. His divisional commander, Sun Yuanliang, attempted to reach him via field phone, but he was forced to wait. When he finally managed to get through to Huang, he cracked a rare joke: “It took so long, I thought you were dead.” Just minutes later, as if fate wanted to punish Sun Yuanliang for his black humor, Huang Meixing's command post was struck by an artillery shell, killing him instantly. Shock spread through the ranks as the news circulated, recalled Wu Ganliao, a machine gunner in the 88th Division. “Brigade Commander Huang was a fair-minded person, and he showed real affection for his troops. It was sad new”. Huang was by no means an exceptional case; Chinese officers died in large numbers from the very first day. One regiment lost seven company commanders in a single short attack. Several factors contributed to the high incidence of death among senior ranks. One reason was the ethos among some officers to lead from the front in an effort to instill courage in their men. However, leading from the rear could also be highly risky in urban combat, where opposing forces were often just yards apart, and the maze-like environment created by multi-story buildings and narrow alleys led to a fluid situation where the enemy could be just as likely behind as in front. Moreover, soldiers on both sides deliberately targeted enemy officers, perhaps more so than in other conflicts, because rigid leadership hierarchies placed a premium on decapitating the opposing unit's command. However, the massive fatality rates among officers, and even more so among the rank and file, were primarily the result of Chinese forces employing frontal assaults against a well-armed, entrenched enemy.The men who were dying by the hundreds were China's elite soldiers, the product of years of effort to build a modern military. They represented the nation's best hope for resisting Japan in a protracted war. Nevertheless, on the very first day of battle, they were being squandered at an alarming and unsustainable rate. After just a few hours of offensive operations with minimal gains, Chiang Kai-shek decided to cut his losses. In a telegram, he commanded Zhang Zhizhong: “Do not carry out attacks this evening. Await further orders.”In the weeks leading up to the outbreak of the battle of Shanghai, Chiang Kai-shek received a parade of leaders from various provinces eager to participate in the upcoming fight. After years of the Warlord nonsense , a new sense of unity began to emerge among them for the first time. All of these factions proclaimed they would lend their troops to his leadership if he pledged them against Japan. As a sign of his sincerity, Chiang decided to appoint the position of overall commander in Shanghai to one of his longest-standing rivals, our old friend, the finger nails inspector, Feng Yuxiang. This was a political savvy move directed at the Communists, trying to earn their favor.  Feng Yuxiang did not hesitate when offered the command. “As long as it serves the purpose of fighting Japan, I'll say yes, no matter what it is.” His appointment was announced just as the first shots were fired in Shanghai. Feng was about a decade older than his direct subordinates, which Chiang considered an advantage. He desired someone who was both composed and prudent to counterbalance the fiery tempers of the frontline commanders, as Chiang put it“ The frontline commanders are too young. They've got a lot of courage, but they lack experience.” Feng moved his command post to a temple outside Suzhou in mid August. Almost immediately afterward, he visited Zhang Zhizhong, who had established his command near the Suzhou city wall. At that time, Zhang was just beginning to realize how formidable the Japanese resistance in Shanghai truly was. His staff started to notice troubling signs of his deteriorating health, sensing that sickness and exhaustion were taking a toll on his ability to stay upright and effectively lead the battle. Perhaps this feeling of being overwhelmed was why he failed to undertake basic tasks, such as providing adequate protection from air attacks. Meanwhile, Shanghai society responded to the sudden outbreak of war. In July, the city's residents worked, ate, drank, and played as they had for decades. Beginning in August, however, they had to entirely remake their lives. Local institutions began to relocate; by late September, it was announced that four local universities would open joint colleges with institutions in China's interior. In the country's premier commercial city, business was being devastated. “Like a nightmare octopus flinging cruel tentacles around its helpless victims,” the North-China Daily News reported, “the local hostilities are slowly strangling Shanghai's trade.” A shopkeeper lamented, “We obtain a lot of business, of course, from tourists who visit Shanghai. What tourists are there these days?” For the foreigners in Shanghai, the war was seen as a violent diversion, but nothing truly dangerous, at least, that's what they thought. For the Chinese, however, life was unraveling. As the fighting intensified around the Japanese district, thousands of refugees poured into the streets, heading for Suzhou Creek and the Garden Bridge, the only link to the International Settlement that remained open. It was a chaotic and merciless stampede, where the weak were at a severe disadvantage. “My feet were slipping… in blood and flesh,” recalled Rhodes Farmer, a journalist for the North China Daily News, as he found himself in a sea of people struggling to escape Hongkou. “Half a dozen times, I knew I was walking on the bodies of children or old people sucked under by the torrent, trampled flat by countless feet.” Near the creek, the mass of sweating and panting humanity was nearly uncontrollable as it funneled toward the bridge, which was a mere 55 feet wide. Two Japanese sentries were almost overwhelmed by the crowd and reacted as they had been trained, with immediate, reflexive brutality. One of them bayoneted an old man and threw the lifeless body into the filthy creek below. This act of violence did not deter the other refugees, who continued to push toward the bridge, believing they were heading toward the safety of the International Settlement. Little did they know, they were moving in the wrong direction, towards the horrific slaughter of innocent civilians that would mark the entire Shanghai campaign. The American advisor Claire Chennault had been in the air since the early hours of August 14. After only a few hours of sleep at his base in Nanjing, he jumped into a lone, unarmed fighter to observe the Chinese air raid as a neutral party. The night before, he had been at the Nanjing Military Academy, in the company of Chiang Kai-shek and his wife Soong Mei-ling. That night, as war loomed, Soong Mei-ling in tears said “They are killing our people!” Chennault asked “what will you do now?”. She replied “We will fight,”. Chennault was the one who suggested bombing the ships on the Huangpu River because of the artillery support they provided to the Japanese infantry. Since there was no Chinese officer with the expertise to prepare such an operation, Soong Mei-ling had asked Chennault to take over. Although he was completely unprepared for this new role, he felt a growing affinity for China, fueled by excitement at the prospect of contributing to their fight. Eleanor B. Roosevelt, the wife of US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, was in Shanghai at the time of the bombing and was horrified by the loss of innocent life. She sent a letter to Japan's premier, Prince Konoye, urging him to seek ways to minimize the risk of Chinese air raids, which she argued were caused by the presence of Japan's military in the Shanghai area. The Japanese did not respond. However, the day after her letter, the Izumo was moved from its anchorage near the Japanese Consulate to the middle of the Huangpu River. The cruiser remained close enough to contribute its artillery to the fighting inland, but far enough away to significantly reduce the danger to civilians in the city. The 15th was surreal, even after thousands had been killed in battle, the fighting in China remained an undeclared war as far as the Japanese government was concerned, and it committed forces only in a piecemeal fashion. The Japanese Cabinet continued to refer to events in Shanghai and further north near Beijing as “the China Incident.” However, euphemisms were not enough to disguise the reality that Shanghai was becoming a significant problem. In the early hours of the 15th, a Japanese Cabinet meeting decided to send army reinforcements to the hard-pressed marines in Shanghai, leading to the deployment of the 3rd and 11th Divisions. The two divisions were to form the Shanghai Expeditionary Force, a unit resurrected from the hostilities of 1932. Many of the soldiers sent to war were reservists in their late twenties and early thirties who had long since returned to civilian life and were poorly disciplined. In their habitual disdain for the Chinese, Japanese leaders figured that this would be more than enough to deal with them. Underestimating the foe would soon prove to be a mistake they would repeat again and again in the coming weeks and months. To lead the force, the Japanese leaders brought out of retirement 59-year-old General Matsui Iwane, a veteran of the 1904-1905 Russo-Japanese War. Matsui was a slight man, weighing no more than 100 pounds, with a large 19th century mustache and a palsy affecting his right side. He was not an accidental choice; he knew China well and had been an acquaintance of Sun Yat-sen.  Hongkou or “Little Tokyo” had become an area under siege. Surrounded by hostile Chinese troops on three sides, its only link to the outside world was the dock district along the Huangpu River. From the first day of the battle, the area was bombarded with Chinese mortar shells, prompting an exodus among Japanese residents, some of whom had lived in Shanghai for years. An increasingly common sight was kimono-clad women carrying heavy loads as they made their way to the wharfs to board ferries taking them back to Japan. Hongkou, said visiting Japanese correspondent Hayashi Fusao, “was a dark town. It was an exhausted town.” Those who remained in “Little Tokyo,” mostly men forced to stay behind to look after their businesses, tried to continue their lives with as little disruption to their normal routines as possible. However, this was difficult, given the constant reminders of war surrounding them: rows of barbed wire and piles of sandbags, soldiers marching from one engagement to another, and the sounds of battle often occurring just a few blocks away. “Every building was bullet-marked, and the haze of gunpowder hung over the town,” wrote Hayashi. “It was a town at war. It was the August sun and an eerie silence, burning asphalt, and most of all, the swarm of blue flies hovering around the feet.” It seemed Vice Admiral Hasegawa Kiyoshi, the commander of the Japanese 3rd Fleet, had bitten off more than he could chew in aggressively expanding operations in the Shanghai area. August 16th saw repeated Chinese attacks, placing the Japanese defenders under severe pressure, stretching their resources to the limit. Rear Admiral Okawachi Denshichi, who headed the Shanghai marines, had to hastily commit reserves, including irreplaceable tanks, to prevent a Chinese breakthrough. That day Hasegawa sent three telegrams to his superiors, each sounding more desperate than the last. After his second telegram, sent around 7:00 pm,  warning that his troops could probably hold out for only 6 more days, the Naval Command ordered the marine barracks at Sasebo Naval Base in southern Japan to dispatch two units of 500 marines each to Shanghai. Following Hasegawa's 3rd telegram later that night, the navy decided to send even more reinforcements. Two additional marine units, consisting of a total of 1,400 soldiers waiting in Manchuria for deployment at Qingdao, were ordered to embark for Shanghai immediately. The Chinese, however, did not feel that things were going their way. The battle continued to be much bloodier than anyone had anticipated. Throwing infantry en masse against fortified positions was the only feasible tactic available to an army rich in manpower confronting an adversary with a clear technological advantage. Yet, this approach turned the battle into a contest of flesh against steel, resulting in tremendous loss of life. Chiang Kai-shek was losing patience. After several days of fighting, his troops had still not succeeded in dislodging the Japanese from the streets of Shanghai. The Japanese marines entrenched in the Hongkou and Yangshupu areas proved to be a harder nut to crack than he or his generals had expected. At a meeting with his divisional commanders, Chiang ordered a massive attack to be launched in the early morning of August 17. The troops were to utilize more firepower and be better prepared than they had been for the assault three days earlier. Codenamed Operation Iron Fist, it was the most ambitious Chinese offensive in the first critical week of the Shanghai campaign. Colonel Hans Vetter, the advisor assigned to the 88th Division, played a key role in planning the offensive. He aimed to employ “Stosstrupp” or “stormtrooper” shock troop tactics that the Germans had effectively used during the Great War. After an intense artillery bombardment, a small, elite group of determined, well-armed men was to punch through the Japanese lines and fight their way deep into the enemy camp before the defenders had a chance to recover from the initial surprise. This procedure was to be followed by both the 88th Division moving in from the west, targeting the area south of Hongkou Park, and the 87th Division conducting a parallel operation from the east. Zhang Zhizhong recognized a window of opportunity while he still enjoyed a significant, but likely temporary, advantage against the Japanese. This opportunity had to be seized before reinforcements arrived. However, the odds were not favorable. Urban combat with modern weaponry of unprecedented lethality was a costly affair, especially when the enemy had the upper hand in the sky. Japanese airplanes constantly threatened the Chinese positions, carrying out relentless sorties throughout the day. The Chinese Air Force remained a factor, but it was uncertain how much longer it would hold out against the more experienced Japanese pilots and their superior, more maneuverable aircraft. The growing Japanese presence overhead, supported by both shipborne planes and aircraft based on airstrips on Chongming Island in the Yangtze Delta, greatly complicated any major movements on the ground. Despite these challenges, the Chinese Army continued its troop build-up in the Shanghai area. The 98th Infantry Division arrived on August 15 and placed one brigade, half its strength, at the disposal of the 87th Infantry Division, ensuring that the division's rear area was covered during Operation Iron Fist. Operation Iron Fist kicked off as planned at 5:00 am on the 17th. Utilizing all available firepower, the 87th and 88th Infantry Divisions launched simultaneous assaults against stunned and bewildered Japanese defenders. In line with the Stosstrupp approach of rapid penetration, Zhang Zhizhong introduced a new tactical principle, prompted by the severe losses during the first few days of fighting. Forces under his command were to identify gaps in the Japanese defenses and exploit them, rather than launch massive, costly, and most likely futile attacks on heavily fortified positions. Once an enemy stronghold was spotted, the main forces would circumvent it and leave just enough troops to keep it pinned down. Chen Yiding, a regimental commander of the 87th Infantry Division, played a pivotal role in the assault. His soldiers, each equipped with provisions for two days, made good progress during the first hours of Iron Fist, leveraging their local knowledge and moving with the slippery dexterity of alley cats. They would enter a building on one street, knock down the wall inside, and exit onto the next street, or they would throw down beams from rooftop to rooftop, sneaking as quietly as possible from one block to another without being noticed by those on the ground. They proved elusive targets for the Japanese, who expected them to come from one direction, only to be attacked from another. Nevertheless, changing the tactical situation from the previous days was not enough. The attackers encountered well-prepared defenses that sometimes could not be circumvented, resulting in significant losses from the outset of the assault. An entire battalion of the 88th Division was wiped out while trying to take a single building. Despite their sacrifices, there was no major breakthrough anywhere along the Japanese defense lines. This was partly due to strong support from Japanese naval artillery stationed along the Huangpu River and partly a reflection of poor coordination between Chinese infantry and artillery.Equally detrimental to the Chinese cause was their careful avoidance, during the first days of combat in Shanghai, of fighting inside the International Settlement or even in the predominantly Japanese part of the settlement, in order to avoid angering the outside world and swaying international opinion against them. This approach frustrated their German advisors. “It was obvious that the attacking troops had been told to engage only enemies standing on Chinese territory, not the ones inside the international areas,” the Germans wrote, with an almost audible sigh of regret in their after-action report. This frustration was shared by several Chinese officers at the frontline. “We are much handicapped by the demarcation of the foreign areas,” the adjutant to a divisional commander told a Western reporter. “We could have wiped out the enemy if it had not been for orders from the Central Government and our commander to avoid causing damage to foreign lives and to give them adequate protection.” The presence of the large foreign community primarily played into Japanese hands. Many of Chiang Kai-shek's officers believed that if the Chinese had been able to move through the French Concession and the International Settlement to attack the Japanese from the rear, they could have won easily. Zhang Fakui would later say “Without the protection provided by the foreign concessions, they would have been wiped out,”. At the end of the day, the Japanese emerged victorious. Their defense proved stronger, as it had for four long years on the Western Front during the Great War. The challenge facing the Japanese was tough, but at least it was straightforward and uncomplicated: they had to hold on to Hongkou and Yangshupu while waiting for reinforcements to arrive. They proved adept at this task. In many cases, Chinese soldiers found themselves fighting for the same objectives they had targeted when the battle for Shanghai began several days earlier. By August 18, the Chinese attack had been called off. Operation Iron Fist had proven to be a costly endeavor for the Chinese, who endured heavy casualties in the vicious urban fighting. The Japanese, on the other hand, suffered approximately 600 casualties, of which 134 were fatalities, according to the Official Gazette. The Japanese marine units dispatched from Manchuria on August 16, the day of crisis for their compatriots in Shanghai, arrived in the city during the morning of August 18 and were immediately thrown into battle. A few hours later, the Japanese Cabinet announced the formal end of its policy of non-expansion in China, which, by that time, had already been a hollow shell for several weeks. “The empire, having reached the limit of its patience, has been forced to take resolute measures,” it stated. “Henceforth, it will punish the outrages of the Chinese Army, thereby spurring the Chinese government to self-reflect.” 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. On August 13, Japanese marines, disguised as civilians, provoked Chinese guards, leading to mutual gunfire. The fierce urban fighting escalated, especially at the strategically vital Eight Character Bridge. Despite determined Chinese assaults, heavy losses ensued as they struggled against well-fortified Japanese positions. As artillery and air strikes rained down, civilian casualties soared, culminating in the infamous "Black Saturday," followed by the failed Operation Iron Fist.    

US Senate vote-a-rama is still ongoing, Thune suggests we are "getting to the end", unclear if he has enough votesEU reportedly wants immediate relief in any US deal, said to be accepting universal tariffs but is seeking key exemptionsRisk tone began firmer after strong Chinese data; thereafter, deteriorated into and through the European morningUS futures in the red, ES -0.2%, awaiting updates on the Reconciliation Bill, Chair Powell and a packed data docketUSD continues to fall. JPY and CHF lead, fixed bid, XAU higher.EUR and EGBs unreactive to as-expected flash HICP and numerous ECB speakers who have focused on EUR strengthLooking ahead, highlights include US Manufacturing PMIs, ISM Manufacturing, JOLTS Job Openings, ECB Central Banking Forum, Speakers including ECB's Schnabel & Lagarde, Fed's Powell, BoJ's Ueda, BoE's Bailey & BoK's Rhee. Earnings from Constellation Brands. Holiday closures in Hong Kong & Canada.Click for the Newsquawk Week Ahead.Read the full report covering Equities, Forex, Fixed Income, Commodites and more on Newsquawk

Alex Dicken is joined by former Birmingham City fitness supremo Dave Carolan who provides the inside track on pre-season testing after Chris Davies' squad returned to EPIC to prepare for the new Championship season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last time we spoke about Operation Chahar. In July 1937, the tensions between Japan and China erupted into a full-scale conflict, ignited by the Marco Polo Bridge Incident. Following a series of aggressive Japanese military maneuvers, Chiang Kai-shek, then enjoying a brief respite at Kuling, learned of the escalating clashes and prepared for battle. Confident that China was primed for resistance, he rallied his nation, demanding that Japan accept responsibility and respect China's sovereignty. The Japanese launched their offensive, rapidly capturing key positions in Northern China. Notably, fierce battle ensued in Jinghai, where Chinese soldiers, led by Brigade Commander Li Zhiyuan, valiantly defended against overwhelming forces using guerrilla tactics and direct assaults. Their spirit was symbolized by a courageous “death squad” that charged the enemy, inflicting serious casualties despite facing dire odds. As weeks passed, the conflict intensified with brutal assaults on Nankou. Chinese defenses, though valiant, were ultimately overwhelmed, leading to heavy casualties on both sides. Despite losing Nankou, the indomitable Chinese spirit inspired continued resistance against the Japanese invaders, foreshadowing a long, brutal war that would reshape East Asia.   #156 The Battle of Shanghai Part 1: The Beginning of the Battle of Shanghai Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, 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 the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia 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 where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. On August 9, a bullet riddled sedan screeched to an abrupt halt at the entrance to the Hongqiao airport along Monument Road. The gruesome scene on the dashboard revealed that one of the victims had died in the car. He had been dragged out and subjected to brutal slashing, kicking, and beating until his body was a mangled mess. Half of his face was missing, and his stomach had been cut open, exposing the sickly pallor of his intestines, faintly glimmering in the night. The other man had managed to escape the vehicle but only got a few paces away before he was gunned down. A short distance away lay a third body, dressed in a Chinese uniform. Investigators swiftly identified the badly mangled body as belonging to 27-year-old Sub-Lieutenant Oyama Isao, while the other deceased Japanese man was his driver, First Class Seaman Saito Yozo. The identity of the Chinese victim remained a mystery. At first glance, the scene appeared to be the aftermath of a straightforward shootout. However, numerous questions lingered: What were the Japanese doing at a military airfield miles from their barracks? Who had fired the first shot, and what had prompted that decision? The Chinese investigators and their Japanese counterparts were at odds over the answers to these questions. As they walked the crime scene, searching for evidence, loud arguments erupted repeatedly. By the time the sun began to rise, they concluded their investigation without reaching any consensus on what had transpired. They climbed into their cars and made their way back to the city. The investigators were acutely aware of the repercussions if they failed to handle their delicate task with the necessary finesse. Despite their hopes for peace, it was evident that Shanghai was a city bracing for war. As they drove through the dimly lit suburbs on their way from Hongqiao back to their downtown offices, their headlights illuminated whitewashed trees, interspersed with sandbag defenses and the silhouettes of solitary Chinese sentries. Officially, these sentries were part of the Peace Preservation Corps,  a paramilitary unit that, due to an international agreement reached a few years earlier, was the only Chinese force allowed to remain in the Shanghai area. In the hours that followed, both sides presented their versions of the incident. According to the Chinese account, the Japanese vehicle attempted to force its way through the airport gate. When members of the Peace Preservation Corps stationed at the entrance signaled for Saito, the driver, to stop, he abruptly turned the car around. Sub-Lieutenant Oyama then fired at the Chinese guards with an automatic pistol. Only then did the Chinese return fire, killing Oyama in a hail of bullets. Saito managed to jump out before he, too, was gunned down. The commander of the Chinese guards told a Western reporter that this wasn't the first time someone Japanese had attempted to enter the airport. Such incidents had occurred repeatedly in the past two months, leading them to believe that the Japanese were “obviously undertaking espionage.” The Japanese account, predictably, placed the blame for the entire incident squarely on China. It asserted that Oyama had been driving along a road bordering the airfield with no intention of entering. Suddenly, the vehicle was stopped and surrounded by Peace Preservation Corps troops, who opened fire with rifles and machine guns without warning. Oyama had no opportunity to return fire. The Japanese statement argued that the two men had every right to use the road, which was part of the International Settlement, and labeled the incident a clear violation of the 1932 peace agreement. “We demand that the Chinese bear responsibility for this illegal act,”. Regardless of either side, it seemed likely to everyone in the region, war would soon engulf Shanghai.  Meanwhile, as the Marco Polo Bridge Incident escalated into a full blown in the far north, General Zhang Fakui was attending a routine training mission at Mount Lu in southeastern Jiangxi. A short and small man, not considered too handsome either, Zhang had earned his place in China's leadership through physical courage, once taking a stand on a bridge and single handedly facing down an enemy army. He was 41 years old in 1937, having spent half his life fighting Warlords, Communists and sometimes even Nationalists. In the recent years he had tossed his lot in with a rebel campaign against Chiang Kai-Shek, who surprisingly went on the forgive him and placed him in charge of anti communist operations in the area due south of Shanghai. However now the enemy seemed to have changed.  As the war spread to Beijing, on July 16th, Zhang was sent to Chiang Kai-Shek's summer residence at Mount Lu alongside 150 members of China's political and military elites. They were all there to brainstorm how to fight the Japanese. Years prior the Generalissimo had made it doctrine to appease the Japanese but now he made grandiose statements such as “this time we must fight to the end”. Afterwards Chiang dealt missions to all his commanders and Zhang Fakui was told to prepare for operations in the Shanghai area.  It had been apparent for weeks that both China and Japan were preparing for war in central China. The Japanese had been diverting naval troops from the north to strengthen their forces in Shanghai, and by early August, they had assembled over 8,000 troops. A few days later, approximately thirty-two naval vessels arrived. On July 31, Chiang declared that “all hope for peace has been lost.” Chiang had been reluctant to commit his best forces to defend northern China, an area he had never truly controlled. In contrast, Shanghai was central to his strategy for the war against Japan. Chiang decided to deploy his finest troops, the 87th and 88th Divisions, which were trained by generals under the guidance of the German advisor von Falkenhausen, who had high hopes for their performance against the Japanese. In doing so, Chiang aimed to demonstrate to both his own people and the wider world that the Chinese could and would resist the invader. Meanwhile, Chiang's spy chief, Dai Li, was busy gathering intelligence on Japanese intentions regarding Shanghai, a challenging task given his focus in recent years. Dai, one of the most sinister figures in modern Chinese history, had devoted far more energy and resources to suppressing the Communists than to countering the Japanese. As a result, by the critical summer of 1937, he had built only a sparse network of agents in “Little Tokyo,” the Hongkou area of Shanghai dominated by Japanese businesses. One agent was a pawnshop owner, while the rest were double agents employed as local staff within the Japanese security apparatus. Unfortunately, they could provide little more than snippets, rumors, and hearsay. While some of this information sounded alarmingly dire, there was almost no actionable intelligence. Chiang did not take the decision to open a new front in Shanghai lightly. Built on both banks of the Huangpu River, the city served as the junction between the Pacific Ocean to the east and the great Yangtze River, which wound thousands of kilometers inland to the west. Shanghai embodied everything that represented modern China, from its industry and labor relations to its connections with the outside world. While foreign diplomatic presence was concentrated in nearby Nanjing, the capital, it was in Shanghai that the foreign community gauged the country's mood. Foreigners in the city's two “concession” areas nthe French Concession and the British-affiliated International Settlement often dismissed towns beyond Shanghai as mere “outstations.” Chiang Kai-shek would throw 650,000 troops into the battle for the city and its environs as well as his modest air force of 200 aircraft. Chiang, whose forces were being advised by German officers led by General Alexander von Falkenhausen, was finally confident that his forces could take on the Japanese. A German officer told a British diplomat, “If the Chinese Army follows the advice of the German advisers, it is capable of driving the Japanese over the Great Wall.”   While Chiang was groping in the dark, deprived of the eyes and ears of an efficient intelligence service, he did have at his disposal an army that was better prepared for battle than it had been in 1932. Stung by the experience of previous conflicts with the Japanese, Chiang had initiated a modernization program aimed at equipping the armed forces not only to suppress Communist rebels but also to confront a modern fighting force equipped with tanks, artillery, and aircraft. He had made progress, but it was insufficient. Serious weaknesses persisted, and now there was no time for any remedial action. While China appeared to be a formidable power in sheer numbers, the figures were misleading. On the eve of war, the Chinese military was comprised of a total of 176 divisions, which were theoretically organized into two brigades of two regiments each. However, only about 20 divisions maintained full peacetime strength of 10,000 soldiers and officers; the rest typically held around 5,000 men. Moreover, Chiang controlled only 31 divisions personally, and he could not count on the loyalty of the others. To successfully resist Japan, Chiang would need to rely not only on his military command skills but also on his ability to forge fragile coalitions among Warlord generals with strong local loyalties. Equipment posed another significant challenge. The modernization drive was not set to complete until late 1938, and the impact of this delay was evident. In every category of weaponry, from rifles to field artillery, the Chinese were outmatched by their Japanese adversaries, both quantitatively and qualitatively. Domestically manufactured artillery pieces had shorter ranges, and substandard steel-making technology caused gun barrels to overheat, increasing the risk of explosions. Some arms even dated back to imperial times. A large proportion of the Chinese infantry had received no proper training in basic tactics, let alone in coordinated operations involving armor and artillery. The chief of the German advisory corps was General Alexander von Falkenhausen, a figure hard to rival in terms of qualifications for the role. Although the 58-year-old's narrow shoulders, curved back, and bald, vulture-like head gave him an unmilitary, almost avian appearance, his exterior belied a tough character. In 1918, he had earned his nation's highest military honor, the Pour le Mérite, while assisting Germany's Ottoman allies against the British in Palestine. Few, if any, German officers knew Asia as well as he did. His experience in the region dated back to the turn of the century. As a young lieutenant in the Third East Asian Infantry Regiment, he participated in the international coalition of colonial powers that quelled the Boxer Rebellion in 1900. A decade later, he traveled through Korea, Manchuria, and northern China with his wife, keenly observing and learning as a curious tourist. From 1912 to 1914, he served as the German Kaiser's military attaché in Tokyo. He was poised to put his extensive knowledge to good use in the months ahead. Chiang believed that Shanghai should be the location of the first battle. This decision was heavily influenced by Falkenhausen and was strategically sound. Chiang Kai-shek could not hope to win a war against Japan unless he could unify the nation behind him, particularly the many fractious warlords who had battled his forces repeatedly over the past decade. Everyone understood that the territory Japan was demanding in the far north did not need to be held for any genuine military necessity; it was land that could be negotiated. The warlords occupying that territory were unpredictable and all too willing to engage in bargaining. In contrast, China's economic heartland held different significance. By choosing to fight for the center of the country and deploying his strongest military units, Chiang Kai-shek signaled to both China's warlords and potential foreign allies that he had a vested interest in the outcome.  There were also several operational reasons for preferring a conflict in the Yangtze River basin over a campaign in northern China. The rivers, lakes, and rice paddies of the Yangtze delta were much better suited for defensive warfare against Japan's mechanized forces than the flat plains of North China. By forcing the Japanese to commit troops to central China, the Nationalists bought themselves the time needed to rally and reinforce their faltering defenses in the north. By initiating hostilities in the Shanghai area, Japan would be forced to divert its attention from the northern front, thereby stalling a potential Japanese advance toward the crucial city of Wuhan. It would also help safeguard potential supply routes from the Soviet Union, the most likely source of material assistance due to Moscow's own animosity toward Japan. It was a clever plan, and surprisingly, the Japanese did not anticipate it. Intelligence officers in Tokyo were convinced that Chiang would send his troops northward instead. Again in late July, Chiang convened his commanders, and here he gave Zhang Fukai more detailed instructions for his operation. Fukai was placed in charge of the right wing of the army which was currently preparing for action in the metropolitan area. Fukai would oversee the forces east of the Huangpu River in the area known as Pudong. Pudong was full of warehouses, factories and rice fields, quite precarious to fight in. Meanwhile General Zhang Zhizhong, a quiet and sickly looking man who had previously led the Central Military Academy was to command the left wing of the Huangpu. All of the officers agreed the plan to force the battle to the Shanghai area was logical as the northern region near Beijing was far too open, giving the advantage to tank warfare, which they could not hope to contest Japan upon. The Shanghai area, full of rivers, creaks and urban environments favored them much more. Zhang Zhizhong seemed an ideal pick to lead troops in downtown Shanghai where most of the fighting would take place. His position of commandant of the military academy allowed him to establish connections with junior officers earmarked for rapid promotion. This meant that he personally knew the generals of both the 87th and 88th Divisions, which were to form the core of Zhang Zhizhong's newly established 9th Army Group and become his primary assets in the early phases of the Shanghai campaign. Moreover, Zhang Zhizhong had the right aggressive instincts. He believed that China's confrontation with Japan had evolved through three stages: in the first stage, the Japanese invaded the northeast in 1931, and China remained passive; in the second stage, during the first battle of Shanghai in 1932, Japan struck, but China fought back. Zhang argued that this would be the third stage, where Japan was preparing to attack, but China would strike first.   It seems that Zhang Zhizhong did not expect to survive this final showdown with his Japanese adversary. He took the fight very personally, even ordering his daughter to interrupt her education in England and return home to serve her country in the war. However, he was not the strong commander he appeared to be, as he was seriously ill. Although he never disclosed the true extent of his condition, it seemed he was on the verge of a physical and mental breakdown after years in high-stress positions. In fact, he had recently taken a leave of absence from his role at the military academy in the spring of 1937. When the war broke out, he was at a hospital in the northern port city of Qingdao, preparing to go abroad for convalescence. He canceled those plans to contribute to the struggle against Japan. When his daughter returned from England and saw him on the eve of battle, she was alarmed by how emaciated he had become. From the outset, doubts about his physical fitness to command loomed large. At 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 10, a group of officers emerged from the Japanese Consulate along the banks of the Huangpu River. This team was a hastily assembled Sino-Japanese joint investigation unit tasked with quickly resolving the shooting incident at the Hongqiao Aerodrome of the previous night. They understood the urgency of reaching an agreement swiftly to prevent any escalation. As they drove to the airport, they passed armed guards of the Chinese Peace Preservation Corps stationed behind sandbag barricades that had been erected only hours earlier. Upon arriving at Hongqiao, the officers walked up and down the scene of the incident under the scorching sun, attempting to piece together a shared understanding of what had transpired. However, this proved to be nearly impossible, as the evidence failed to align into a coherent account acceptable to both parties. The Japanese were unconvinced that any shootout had occurred at all. Oyama, the officer who had been in the car, had left his pistol at the marine headquarters in Hongkou and had been unarmed the night before. They insisted that whoever shot and killed the man in the Chinese uniform could not have been him. By 6:00 pm the investigators returned to the city. Foreign correspondents, eager for information, knew exactly whom to approach. The newly appointed Shanghai Mayor, Yu Hongjun, with a quick wit and proficiency in English, Yu represented the city's cosmopolitan image. However, that evening, he had little to offer the reporters, except for a plea directed at both the Japanese and Chinese factions “Both sides should maintain a calm demeanor to prevent the situation from escalating.” Mayor Yu however was, in fact, at the center of a complex act of deception that nearly succeeded. Nearly eight decades later, Zhang Fakui attributed the incident to members of the 88th Division, led by General Sun Yuanliang. “A small group of Sun Yuanliang's men disguised themselves as members of the Peace Preservation Corps,” Zhang Fakui recounted years later in his old age. “On August 9, 1937, they encountered two Japanese servicemen on the road near the Hongqiao military aerodrome and accused them of forcing their way into the area. A clash ensued, resulting in the deaths of the Japanese soldiers.” This created a delicate dilemma for their superiors. The two dead Japanese soldiers were difficult to explain away. Mayor Yu, likely informed of the predicament by military officials, conferred with Tong Yuanliang, chief of staff of the Songhu Garrison Command, a unit established after the fighting in 1932. Together, they devised a quick and cynical plan to portray the situation as one of self-defense by the Chinese guards. Under their orders, soldiers marched a Chinese death row inmate to the airport gate, dressed him in a paramilitary guard's uniform, and executed him. While this desperate ruse might have worked initially, it quickly unraveled due to the discrepancies raised by the condition of the Chinese body. The Japanese did not believe the story, and the entire plan began to fall apart. Any remaining mutual trust swiftly evaporated. Instead of preventing a confrontation, the cover-up was accelerating the slide into war.  Late on August 10, Mayor Yu sent a secret cable to Nanjing, warning that the Japanese had ominously declared they would not allow the two deaths at the airport to go unpunished. The following day, the Japanese Consul General Okamoto Suemasa paid a visit to the mayor, demanding the complete withdrawal of the Peace Preservation Corps from the Shanghai area and the dismantling of all fortifications established by the corps. For the Chinese, acquiescing to these demands was nearly impossible. From their perspective, it appeared that the Japanese aimed to leave Shanghai defenseless while simultaneously bolstering their own military presence in the city. Twenty vessels, including cruisers and destroyers, sailed up the Huangpu River and docked at wharves near "Little Tokyo." Japanese marines in olive-green uniforms marched ashore down the gangplanks, while women from the local Japanese community, dressed in kimonos, greeted the troops with delighted smiles and bows to the flags of the Rising Sun that proudly adorned the sterns of the battleships. In fact, Japan had planned to deploy additional troops to Shanghai even before the shooting at Hongqiao Aerodrome. This decision was deemed necessary to reinforce the small contingent of 2,500 marines permanently stationed in the city. More troops were required to assist in protecting Japanese nationals who were being hastily evacuated from the larger cities along the Yangtze River. These actions were primarily defensive maneuvers, as the Japanese military seemed hesitant to open a second front in Shanghai, for the same reasons that the Chinese preferred an extension of hostilities to that area. Diverting Japanese troops from the strategically critical north and the Soviet threat across China's border would weaken their position, especially given that urban warfare would diminish the advantages of their technological superiority in tanks and aircraft. While officers in the Japanese Navy believed it was becoming increasingly difficult to prevent the war from spreading to Shanghai, they were willing to give diplomacy one last chance. Conversely, the Japanese Army was eager to wage war in northern China but displayed little inclination to engage in hostilities in Shanghai. Should the situation worsen, the Army preferred to withdraw all Japanese nationals from the city. Ultimately, when it agreed to formulate plans for dispatching an expeditionary force to Shanghai, it did so reluctantly, primarily to avoid accusations of neglecting its responsibilities. Amongst many commanders longing for a swift confrontation with Japan was Zhang Zhizhong. By the end of July, he was growing increasingly impatient, waiting with his troops in the Suzhou area west of Shanghai and questioning whether a unique opportunity was being squandered. On July 30, he sent a telegram to Nanjing requesting permission to strike first. He argued that if Japan were allowed to launch an attack on Shanghai, he would waste valuable time moving his troops from their position more than 50 miles away. Nanjing responded with a promise that his wishes would be fulfilled but urged him to exercise patience: “We should indeed seize the initiative over the enemy, but we must wait until the right opportunity arises. Await further orders.” That opportunity arose on August 11, with the Japanese display of force on the Huangpu River and their public demand for the withdrawal of China's paramilitary police. Japan had sufficiently revealed itself as the aggressor in the eyes of both domestic and international audiences, making it safe for China to take action. At 9:00 p.m. that evening, Zhang Zhizhong received orders from Nanjing to move his troops toward Shanghai. He acted with remarkable speed, capitalizing on the extensive transportation network in the region. The soldiers of the 87th Division quickly boarded 300 trucks that had been prepared in advance. Meanwhile, civilian passengers on trains were unceremoniously ordered off to make room for the 88th Division, which boarded the carriages heading for Shanghai. In total, over 20,000 motivated and well-equipped troops were on their way to battle.  On August 12, representatives from the United Kingdom, France, the United States, Italy, Japan, and China gathered for a joint conference in Shanghai to discuss ceasefire terms. Japan demanded the withdrawal of Chinese troops from Shanghai, while the Chinese representative, Yu Hung-chun, dismissed the Japanese demand, stating that the terms of the ceasefire had already been violated by Japan. The major powers were keen to avoid a repeat of the January 28 Incident, which had significantly disrupted foreign economic activities in Shanghai. Meanwhile, Chinese citizens fervently welcomed the presence of Chinese troops in the city. In Nanjing, Chinese and Japanese representatives convened for the last time in a final effort to negotiate. The Japanese insisted that all Peace Preservation Corps and regular troops be withdrawn from the vicinity of Shanghai. The Chinese, however, deemed the demand for a unilateral withdrawal unacceptable, given that the two nations were already engaged in conflict in North China. Ultimately, Mayor Yu made it clear that the most the Chinese government would concede was that Chinese troops would not fire unless fired upon. Conversely, Japan placed all responsibility on China, citing the deployment of Chinese troops around Shanghai as the cause of the escalating tensions. Negotiations proved impossible, leaving no alternative but for the war to spread into Central China. On that same morning of Thursday, August 12, residents near Shanghai's North Train Station, also known as Zhabei Station, just a few blocks from "Little Tokyo," awoke to an unusual sight: thousands of soldiers dressed in the khaki uniforms of the Chinese Nationalists, wearing German-style helmets and carrying stick grenades slung across their chests. “Where do you come from?” the Shanghai citizens asked. “How did you get here so fast?” Zhang Zhizhong issued detailed orders to each unit under his command, instructing the 88th Division specifically to travel by train and deploy in a line from the town of Zhenru to Dachang village, both located a few miles west of Shanghai. Only later was the division supposed to advance toward a position stretching from the Zhabei district to the town of Jiangwan, placing it closer to the city boundaries. Zhang Zhizhong was the embodiment of belligerence, but he faced even more aggressive officers among his ranks. On the morning of August 12, he was approached by Liu Jingchi, the chief of operations at the Songhu Garrison Command. Liu argued that the battle of 1932 had gone poorly for the Chinese because they had hesitated and failed to strike first. This time, he insisted, should be different, and Zhang should order an all-out assault on the Japanese positions that very evening. Zhang countered that he had clear and unmistakable orders from Chiang Kai-shek to let the Japanese fire first, emphasizing the importance of maintaining China's image on the world stage. “That's easy,” Liu retorted. “Once all the units are deployed and ready to attack, we can just change some people into mufti and send them in to fire a few shots. We attack, and simultaneously, we report that the enemy's offensive has begun.” Zhang Zhizhong did not like this idea. “We can't go behind our leader's back like that,” he replied. Zhang Zhizhong's position was far from enviable. Forced to rein in eager and capable officers, he found himself acting against his own personal desires. Ultimately, he decided to seek the freedom to act as he saw fit. In a secret cable to Nanjing, he requested permission to launch an all-out attack on the Japanese positions in Shanghai the following day, Friday, August 13. He argued that this was a unique opportunity to capitalize on the momentum created by the movement of troops; any further delay would only lead to stagnation. He proposed a coordinated assault that would also involve the Chinese Air Force. However, the reply from Chiang Kai-shek was brief and unwavering: “Await further orders.” Even as Chiang's troops poured into Shanghai, Chinese and Japanese officials continued their discussions. Ostensibly, this was in hopes of reaching a last-minute solution, but in reality, it was a performance. Both sides wanted to claim the moral high ground in a battle that now seemed inevitable. They understood that whoever openly declared an end to negotiations would automatically be perceived as the aggressor. During talks at the Shanghai Municipal Council, Japanese Consul General Okamoto argued that if China truly wanted peace, it would have withdrawn its troops to a position that would prevent clashes. Mayor Yu responded by highlighting the increasing presence of Japanese forces in the city. “Under such circumstances, China must adopt such measures as necessary for self-defense,” he stated. Late on August 13, 1937, Chiang Kai-shek instructed his forces to defend Shanghai, commanding them to "divert the enemy at sea, secure the coast, and resist landings."  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. In July 1937, tensions between Japan and China escalated into war following the Marco Polo Bridge Incident. Confident in his country's resolve, Chiang Kai-shek rallied the Chinese against Japanese aggression. On August 9, a deadly confrontation at Hongqiao Airport resulted in the deaths of Japanese soldiers, igniting further hostilities. As both sides blamed each other, the atmosphere became tense. Ultimately, negotiations failed, and the stage was set for a brutal conflict in Shanghai, marking the beginning of a long and devastating war.

Kevin Begley caught up with Danielle Tranzillo, Nicki Rosenfeld, and Dylan Salamone from The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk to dive into all the exciting summer experiences waiting for families. From hands-on touch tanks and 4D movie magic to cruising aboard the brand-new R/V Sound Explorer and feeding vibrant lorikeets, this summer is packed with discovery and fun for all ages. Hear how the Aquarium is making waves with new exhibits, adorable animals (hello, baby seals!), and ways to get closer than ever to the wonders of Long Island Sound. 

After the United States struck three Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend, many expected volatility in the markets. But, as of 10 AM ET Monday morning, the major stock indexes and oil prices appear to not be shifting dramatically—suggesting that investors may not react until Tehran does. FOX Business co-anchor Taylor Riggs speaks with AIER economist Paul Mueller to break down how the unfolding situation in the Middle East stands to impact the U.S. markets and prices. Photo Credit: White House Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After the United States struck three Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend, many expected volatility in the markets. But, as of 10 AM ET Monday morning, the major stock indexes and oil prices appear to not be shifting dramatically—suggesting that investors may not react until Tehran does. FOX Business co-anchor Taylor Riggs speaks with AIER economist Paul Mueller to break down how the unfolding situation in the Middle East stands to impact the U.S. markets and prices. Photo Credit: White House Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After the United States struck three Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend, many expected volatility in the markets. But, as of 10 AM ET Monday morning, the major stock indexes and oil prices appear to not be shifting dramatically—suggesting that investors may not react until Tehran does. FOX Business co-anchor Taylor Riggs speaks with AIER economist Paul Mueller to break down how the unfolding situation in the Middle East stands to impact the U.S. markets and prices. Photo Credit: White House Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Futures are muted ahead of Wednesday's trading day. The FOMC is expected to leave rates unchanged in today's announcement and investors will be listening to see how the Fed is seeing the U.S. inflation and employment outlook. Tom White discusses what will factor into the Fed's dot plot, the latest developments from the Iran-Israel conflict and other data to be watching today.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day.Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – / schwabnetwork Follow us on Facebook – / schwabnetwork Follow us on LinkedIn - / schwab-network About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

In episode 420 of the BE SMART podcast: Student loan collections are causing significant declines in credit scores, the housing market is experiencing a stalemate with more sellers than buyers, investors are making portfolio decisions based on political views, and commodities are currently undervalued compared to financial assets. Jared and Cameron discuss oil and geopolitical risks, gold's haven bid and flirtation with its all-time high, and platinum's cocoa-like breakout this year.

You've heard of camping, hiking and trail riding...but what do you know about the world of Overlanding? In this episode Podcaster, Business Owner, and Overlander Benji Ward shows us the ropes when it comes to Overlanding! The Fort NOT Lost in the Woods Podcast is a production of O'Quinn Marketing. For information on being a guest or sponsor, email tracy@oquinnmarketing.com. To leave a voice mail for the show, call 417-650-6057. Thank you to show sponsors: Security Bank of Pulaski County, The Bow and Barrel Sportsmen Center, Nexthome Team Ellis, and TK's Pizza of St. Robert Mo.   

Join OANDA Senior Market Analysts & podcast guest Nick Syiek (TraderNick) as they review the latest market news and moves. MarketPulse provides up-to-the-minute analysis on forex, commodities and indices from around the world. MarketPulse is an award-winning news site that delivers round-the-clock commentary on a wide range of asset classes, as well as in-depth insights into the major economic trends and events that impact the markets. The content produced on this site is for general information purposes only and should not be construed to be advice, invitation, inducement, offer, recommendation or solicitation for investment or disinvestment in any financial instrument. Opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and not necessarily those of OANDA or any of its affiliates, officers or directors. If you would like to reproduce or redistribute any of the content found on MarketPulse, please access the RSS feed or contact us at info@marketpulse.com. © 2023 OANDA Business Information & Services Inc.

US Commerce Secretary Lutnick said they have reached a framework to implement the Geneva consensus; will return to the US to see if Trump approves.Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Li Chenggang said the two sides reached a consensus regarding the Geneva meeting; will report on the framework to leaders.European bourses are firmer this morning, though with Retail lagging; Stateside, futures are just into the red into CPI.DXY choppy but contained within Tuesday's parameters so far. Fixed benchmarks pressured into CPI, Gilts lag.Crude has seen notable two-way action on reporting around Iran. XAU edges higher, base metals mixed. Looking ahead, highlights include US CPI & Weekly Earnings, UK Spending Review, Speakers including ECB's Cipollone, Supply from the US, Earnings from Oracle.Click for the Newsquawk Week Ahead.Read the full report covering Equities, Forex, Fixed Income, Commodites and more on Newsquawk

Stocks were little changed Tuesday, as Wall Street waits for more insight on trade discussions between the U.S. and China. We'll cover all of the angles for you.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit bequranic.substack.comIt's Tafsir Thursday—and not just any Thursday. Today is the 9th of Dhul Hijjah, the Day of ‘Arafah, the greatest day of the year.If you're fasting today—may Allah accept it from you! The Prophet ﷺ said that fasting on this day wipes away two years of sins: one past, one future. Incredible reward for just one day.And if you're not fasting? Don't worry—t…

With voters turning out in record numbers, South Korea has elected liberal leader Lee Jae-myung to lead the country left in turmoil by the brief imposition of martial law by Yoon Suk Yeol. The nation of 51 million people has the world's lowest birth rate and is now a "super-aged" society. South Korea saw its GDP forecast downgraded this Tuesday by the OECD as the group revised down growth prospects for most of the world amid US President Donald Trump's trade war. 

The Yankees won a wild and crazy 1-0 game on a first-inning sac fly. Get 20% off your first Slab Pack or card purchase by going to https://ArenaClub.com/FOUL and use code FOUL. Subscribe to PT on YouTube!Part of the Foul Territory Network

Stocks are mixed as investors parse the latest earnings reports and Federal Reserve meeting minutes while awaiting Nvidia's latest quarterly results. We'll tell you all you need to know.

Kevin Green kicks off the holiday shortened week with a full dive into the top storylines of the week. He looks at the weekend developments out of the White House, as a 50% tariff hike on the E.U. has been delayed to July 9. Meanwhile, investors are eagerly awaiting Nvidia (NVDA) out on Wednesday. But, KG also highlights this week's PCE data report as the Fed's preferred inflation gauge. For the S&P 500 (SPX), KG is looking at 5940 to the upside, 5875 to the downside but cautions that the opening move will be key after a long weekend.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day.Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – / schwabnetwork Follow us on Facebook – / schwabnetwork Follow us on LinkedIn - / schwab-network About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

The 2025 American Music Awards take place on Memorial Day at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas, broadcast live on CBS for the first time and featuring a partnership with the Easy Day Foundation to support veterans. Jennifer Lopez hosts the event, Kendrick Lamar leads with ten nominations, and notable nominees include Post Malone, Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, and Shaboozey. The Artist of the Year category features Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, Kendrick Lamar, Morgan Wallen, Post Malone, Sabrina Carpenter, SZA, Taylor Swift, and Zach Bryan. New Artist of the Year nominees include Benson Boone, Chappell Roan, Gracie Abrams, Shaboozey, Teddy Swims, and Tommy Richman. Rod Stewart receives a Lifetime Achievement Award, Janet Jackson receives the Icon Award, and performances are scheduled from Benson Boone, Gwen Stefani, Gloria Estefan, Blake Shelton, Lainey Wilson, and Reneé Rapp. Taylor Swift is rumored to announce a new album. The event is available on CBS, streaming platforms, and will be re-aired on MTV, CMT, and BET.Learn more on this news by visiting us at: https://greyjournal.net/news/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US President Trump's Tax/Spending bill is currently being debated in the US House (passed the Rules Committee overnight), the debate has formally hit the two-hour minimum as of the time of publication; vote time TBC.European stocks trade lower following the Wall Street and APAC losses; US equity futures attempt to recover recent losses.USD mixed vs. peers, EUR and GBP digest PMI metrics, JPY narrowly leads.USTs a little firmer finding some reprieve following 20yr weakness, Bunds choppy following EZ PMIs.Crude pressured amid reports of further OPEC+ output hikes, Spot gold a little lower.Bitcoin extended on gains and printed a fresh all-time high of above the USD 111k level; Texas House approved the bill to create a Bitcoin reserve.Looking ahead, US Flash PMIs, Jobless Claims, Canadian Producer Prices, NZ Retail Sales, ECB Minutes. Speakers including RBA's Hauser, BoE's Breeden, Dhingra & Pill, ECB's Elderson & de Guindos, BoC's Gravelle, Fed's Barkin & Williams, Supply from the US.Read the full report covering Equities, Forex, Fixed Income, Commodites and more on Newsquawk

Join travel experts Ryan and Julie as they explore America's Last Frontier in this comprehensive guide to Alaska travel. Whether you're considering an Alaska cruise, land-based adventure, or combination trip, this episode covers everything you need to know to plan your dream Alaska vacation.Land-Based Alaska VacationsStarting points: Anchorage and FairbanksTransportation options: Alaska Railroad, rental cars, guided toursDeeper immersion into wilderness and local cultureAccess to interior Alaska destinations like Denali National ParkCustom itineraries for specific interests (fishing, photography, wildlife)Best for: Active travelers, photographers, wildlife enthusiastsAlaska CruisesInside Passage routes from Seattle or VancouverHassle-free travel with scenic coastal viewsPopular ports: Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, SewardLimited time in each destinationBest for: Cruise lovers, multi-generational travelers, comfort seekersAlaska Cruise Tours (Land + Sea Combination)Pre or post-cruise land extensions (3-7 days)Most popular add-on: Denali National ParkBest of both experiences: coastal views and interior explorationConvenient planning through cruise linesBest for: Travelers wanting comprehensive Alaska experienceBest Time to VisitLate May through early SeptemberOptimal weather conditionsPeak whale watching seasonMost ports and attractions openPacking EssentialsLayer for all weather typesWaterproof clothingComfortable walking shoesPrepare for temperature variations in single dayPhysical ConsiderationsAssess mobility and activity levelsSome excursions require physical fitnessAge restrictions on certain activitiesWide variety of adventure levels availableBooking StrategyBook early due to limited travel seasonReserve excursions after booking main tripConsider cruise and tour package dealsPlan around port schedules and timingConnect with All Things TravelWebsite: WonderAndBeyondTravel.comEmail the hosts for personalized travel planningSpecializing in family travel, cruises, and destination expertiseNext Episode PreviewJoin us next week as we explore the new travel trend of "retirement moons" - a growing vacation concept for retirees.Want to cruise with Ryan and Julie in July 2025? Join our cruise with friends of the podcast (yes, that's you as a listener)! Check out the details: https://forms.gle/Jpikq82XPQS63v5N8Visit our website, allthingstravelpodcast.com, for freebies and more podcast info! Ready to plan your vacation? Most families are confused and overwhelmed when planning a vacation. We work with you to plan a trip perfect for your family. Saving you time, money, and stress! Visit our website www.allthingstravelpodcast.com and click on "Plan Your Next Vacation" Join the travel conversations and the fun in our Facebook Page and Instagram Page! Please share the show with your travel buddies!! Click this link and share the show! Never miss an episode and help us take you to the top with us by following and leaving a 5-Star review on your favorite podcasting app!

Amid federal agency turmoil, Mississippi tornado victims are still waiting for disaster assistance. The AP"s Jennifer King reports.

The markets are coming off a strong week after a sudden thaw in U.S.-China trade relations, but tariffs and inflation remain a concern.Important DisclosuresThe information provided here is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered an individualized recommendation or personalized investment advice. The investment strategies mentioned here may not be suitable for everyone. Each investor needs to review an investment strategy for his or her own particular situation before making any investment decision.All expressions of opinion are subject to change without notice in reaction to shifting market conditions. Data contained herein from third-party providers is obtained from what are considered reliable sources. However, its accuracy, completeness, or reliability cannot be guaranteed.Examples provided are for illustrative purposes only and not intended to be reflective of results you can expect to achieve.The Schwab Center for Financial Research is a division of Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.All names and market data shown above are for illustrative purposes only and are not a recommendation, offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security. Supporting documentation for any claims or statistical information is available upon request.Past performance is no guarantee of future results, and the opinions presented cannot be viewed as an indicator of future performance.Investing involves risk, including loss of principal.Diversification strategies do not ensure a profit and do not protect against losses in declining markets.Indexes are unmanaged, do not incur management fees, costs, and expenses and cannot be invested in directly. For more information on indexes, please see schwab.com/indexdefinitions.The policy analysis provided by the Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., does not constitute and should not be interpreted as an endorsement of any political party.Fixed income securities are subject to increased loss of principal during periods of rising interest rates. Fixed income investments are subject to various other risks including changes in credit quality, market valuations, liquidity, prepayments, early redemption, corporate events, tax ramifications, and other factors.The Schwab Center for Financial Research is a division of Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.(0131-0525)

Small businesses are eyeing the upcoming Budget with cautious optimism, hoping for support in a tough economy. Prospa New Zealand Managing Director Adrienne Begbie spoke to Corin Dann.

(00:00-27:25) – Query & Company opens on a Thursday with Greg Rakestraw temporarily filling in for Jake Query while he is at a sponsorship event. Rake and producer Eddie Garrison touch on the schedule release last night for the Indianapolis Colts. Tony East from Locked On Pacers and Forbes Sports joins the program to discuss who the next week off benefits the most, assesses if the Celtics can beat the Knicks three consecutive games, evaluates which team the Pacers would rather face, and attempts to pinpoint how much money Myles Turner could get paid this offseason. (27:25-34:35) – As Greg awaits Jake Query’s arrival to the show, he discusses the start to the IndyCar series for Alex Palou and ties it to our guest later in the show. Greg also realizes how successful the Pacers have been in the last 30 years when you factor in how many times they have made the conference finals. (34:35-43:09) – The first hour of today’s show concludes with Jake sharing his opinion on schedule release videos with the Colts having to remove theirs after an hour. (43:09-1:06:09) – Jake and Eddie continue the schedule release conversation for the Colts by sharing some things that stick out about it. They transitioned to the Celtics/Knicks series with Boston extending it to a game six with a win last night. Jake weighs the pros and cons of facing each team. (1:06:09-1:17:31) – Chief announcer of the IndyCar Radio Network, Mark Jaynes, stops by and visits Jake at the media center to assist Jakr in recapping what has happened so far in the practice sessions. They also discuss how close the teams with the same engine manufactures work together at oval courses and the fortune they have at broadcasting the race every year. (1:17:31-1:24:18) – Hour number two concludes with Pacers emcee and DJ on HOT 100.9, B Swift, joining Jake at IMS to discuss how he became a fan of racing and his experience waving the green flag today. (1:24:18-1:50:10) – Two-time Indy 500 winner, Al Unser Jr., joins Jake Query at IMS to preview an upcoming event he has with Willy T Ribbs at the IMS Museum. Additionally, he goes back in time to winning his first Indy 500 in 1992, his relationship with his dad (Al) and uncle (Bobby) growing up, reacts to a story that Jake tells him about his Uncle Bobby, and touches on some of the struggles he had in his life. (1:47:04-1:56:46) – Jake admits that he was a little surprised that the Celtics were able to win commandingly last night against the Knicks without Jayson Tatum. He hopes that the Pacers face the Knicks for a couple of reasons and lays out how he thinks the Pacers will attack them, if they face off in the Eastern Conference Finals. (1:56:46-2:05:12) – Jake closes out today’s show by rehashing some thoughts on the Colts schedule release video that was taken down and answering a question from a listener about how teams manage gas throughout the race. Support the show: https://1075thefan.com/query-and-company/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

00:00 – 27:44 – JMV begins the show by discussing the Colts schedule release video and the bit of controversy it caused. He then discusses the Colts schedule for 2025, as well as the Pacers and who their opponent in the ECF might be. 27:45 – 42:04 – J.J Stankevitz of Colts.com joins the show to discuss the Colts 2025 schedule! They discuss the Colts divisional matchups, and where they land in the schedule, as well as the travel the Colts will have to undertake this year. 42:05 – 44:55 – JMV wraps up the 1st hour of the show! 44:56 – 1:10:33 – Chris Denari from Pacers TV joins the show! JMV and Chris discuss a very busy end to the Month of May featuring Pacers and Racers! Chris talks about the potential matchups in the Eastern Conference Finals, and what might give the Pacers the edge. 1:10:34 – 1:20:27 – JMV looks ahead to next week, when all eyes will be on Indianapolis for the Indy 500 and the NBA Eastern Conference Finals! 1:20:28 – 1:26:27 – JMV wraps up the 2nd hour of the show! 1:26:28 – 1:51:58 – Mike Chappell from FOX59 and CBS4 joins the show! Mike and JMV first discuss the Colts schedule release. They also talk about the schedule itself, and what matchups/date stand out for 2025. 1:51:59 – 2:01:49 – JMV takes a call from a listener of the show as things roll on! 2:01:50 – 2:07:10 – JMV wraps up another edition of the show! Support the show: https://1075thefan.com/the-ride-with-jmv/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aine Gladney-Knox, the mother of a young boy who had bilateral hip surgery, discusses her worries and fears as she awaits the outcome of a clinical audit into whether these surgeries were required.

Archer Aviation (ACHR) reports earnings after the bell, which John Jannarone expects to be "speculative" due to its long path to profitability. The biggest concern on John's radar is FAA certification that keeps getting "kicked further and further out." Michael Boyd notes Archer's "exciting concept" but worries about the company's outlook. As Michael says, "no one's asking the hard questions" about aircraft demand.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day.Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

The cardinals electing the next pope will vote again Thursday afternoon after black smoke rose again from the Sistine Chapel Thursday, indicating no pope was selected in the conclave's latest round of voting. The secrecy surrounding the conclave hasn't stopped people from trying to predict the results. Three of the major betting markets alone have taken in more than $19 million in wagers. Known as papal vestments, the pope's official attire has long been made by two family-run tailoring businesses in Rome. They're eagerly waiting to watch white smoke rise from the Sistine Chapel and see a new pope emerge, possibly wearing the garments they created. The price tag of parenthood is becoming more expensive. Tariffs in the escalating trade war between China and the U.S. are driving up prices on baby products, impacting businesses and customers. CBS News' Jo Ling Kent reports. CBS News' Elizabeth Palmer reports on how Russia's wartime past is being honored even as the fight in Ukraine continues.Billionaire businessman and philanthropist Bill Gates tells "CBS Mornings" co-host Tony Dokoupil about his plans to give away $200 billion through the Gates Foundation over the next 20 years. He also criticized the Trump administration's foreign aid cuts, saying they will lead to millions more child deaths worldwide. Actor Lovie Simone discusses her lead role in "Forever," a new Netflix series exploring teenage romance and self-discovery in 2018 Los Angeles. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The next 36 hours will be all about Jerome Powell and interest rates, according to Kevin Hincks. He reports from the Cboe Global Markets and weighs whether we'll see a dovish or hawkish stance on rates tomorrow. Kevin says the inflation picture can shift with energy prices plummeting. All of this, on top of a market waiting on any news of trade deals, is why Kevin urges investors to stay vigilant.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day.Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

From Wall Street to Main Street, the latest on the markets and what it means for your money. Updated regularly on weekdays, featuring CNBC expert analysis and sound from top business newsmakers. Anchored by CNBC's Jill Schneider.

Overview: Tune into this week's episode of Launch Financial as we discuss a big week ahead as all eyes are on the Federal Reserve's two-day meeting and their conclusion on the future of interest rate policy.  Show Notes: 

Ben Criddle talks BYU sports every weekday from 2 to 6 pm.Today's Co-Hosts: Ben Criddle (@criddlebenjamin)Subscribe to the Cougar Sports with Ben Criddle podcast:Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-sports-with-ben-criddle/id99676

Brad Rowland and Scott Coleman co-host Episode 190 of the Hammer Territory Podcast. Topics include another series win for the Atlanta Braves despite a rough loss on Wednesday, encouraging signs from Chris Sale, an offensive flop in the finale against the Colorado Rockies, the upcoming series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and much more.Nutrafol is offering our listeners $10 off your first month's subscription and free shipping when you go to https://Nutrafol.com and enter the promo code FOUL. You can now stream Braves games all season long with FanDuel Sports Network. Use promo code baseball30 for a 30-day free trial at FanDuelSportsNetwork.com/packages.

The S and P 500 was relatively unchanged as Wall Street awaits any progress on trade deal negotiations, Stocks came under some pressure as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent failed to detail further progress on trade deals in remarks from the White House, General Motors declined after the automaker reported better-than-expected profit but said it was reassessing future guidance and suspending more share buybacks as it awaits clarity on the impact from the levies

The S and P 500 was relatively unchanged as Wall Street awaits any progress on trade deal negotiations, Stocks came under some pressure as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent failed to detail further progress on trade deals in remarks from the White House, General Motors declined after the automaker reported better-than-expected profit but said it was reassessing future guidance and suspending more share buybacks as it awaits clarity on the impact from the leviesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Among those insights: the monthly jobs report and more corporate earnings, including from four of the Magnificent Seven tech stocks. Plus: Nvidia shares fall after a WSJ exclusive report on rival Huawei gearing up to test its AI chips. Danny Lewis hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How can we prepare for Christ's return? Jesus likens it to a bride preparing for her groom. With joyful expectancy, we focus on faithfulness and holiness, living each moment for the eternal purpose of knowing and pleasing Him. Are we living each day in light of Christ's return? His promise calls us to purity, urgency, and joyful expectancy. Like a bride awaiting her groom, we prepare with devotion and faithfulness, echoing the prayer, "Come, Lord Jesus!" Join Nate and Gabe as they take a look at the Command of Christ, “Await My Return.” Want to go deeper in studying this command of Christ? Download a free study guide at https://homediscipleship.com  Study guide includes: Scriptures referenced in podcastReview of Old Testament contextGuide for Scripture meditationQuestions for application and prayerFor more information, visit us at https://homediscipleship.com  Find us on Facebook and Instagram @homediscipleshiphttps://www.facebook.com/homediscipleshipnetworkhttps://instagram.com/commandsofchristpodcast

Stocks fell again as Trump ramped up attacks on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell raising questions about the central bank's independence, CFP Chad Burton answers questions about getting ready for retirement, More on the Wealth Management and Retirement Planning Seminar at Hayes Mansion in San Jose at 6:30pm with CFP Chad Burton and CFP Ryan Ignacio

What does it look like to live in light of eternity? Like Anna and Simeon, we are called to watch and pray, devoting ourselves to God's purposes. Our brief lives are opportunities to prepare for Christ's return, investing in what matters forever. Are we living each day in light of Christ's return? His promise calls us to purity, urgency, and joyful expectancy. Like a bride awaiting her groom, we prepare with devotion and faithfulness, echoing the prayer, "Come, Lord Jesus!" Join Nate and Gabe as they take a look at the Command of Christ, “Await My Return.” Want to go deeper in studying this command of Christ? Download a free study guide at https://homediscipleship.com  Study guide includes: Scriptures referenced in podcastReview of Old Testament contextGuide for Scripture meditationQuestions for application and prayerFor more information, visit us at https://homediscipleship.com  Find us on Facebook and Instagram @homediscipleshiphttps://www.facebook.com/homediscipleshipnetworkhttps://instagram.com/commandsofchristpodcast

Votes are still being tallied for Oakland's Special Election that will determine who will finish out the term left vacant after former mayor Sheng Thao was recalled last fall. As of Wednesday, former Oakland City Councilmember Loren Taylor held a narrow lead over former U.S. representative Barbara Lee. Taylor campaigned as someone who knows the local issues and politics and can move the city forward. Lee represented Oakland in Congress for nearly 27 years and promised to bring more funding to address the city's pressing needs. Final results could take several weeks using Oakland's ranked-choice voting system. We'll look at the latest results and talk about this unusual race and the future of Oakland. Guests: Darwin BondGraham, news editor, Oaklandside Alex Hall, enterprise and accountability reporter, KQED Shomik Mukherjee, Oakland reporter, Bay Area News Group Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

(00:00) The guys react to a clip from LB coach Zak Kuhr emphasizing "violence" on defense. Zolak shares his take on what the coaches mean by that. Beetle questions if this should be the main focus, pointing out there were several non-violence-related issues with the defense last season. (10:32) The crew reacts to Ben Volin predicting the Patriots will finish 2nd in the AFC East. They break down the rest of the division and what that could mean for New England. They also discuss the possibility of the Saints trading up with the Patriots for a quarterback due to Derek Carr’s injury. (21:21) Zolak and Bertrand talk about the NBA regular season wrapping up, with the Celtics set to face either the Magic or Hawks in the first round. McKone says he prefers the Hawks matchup. They also discuss injury concerns surrounding Jaylen Brown. (30:35) The guys discuss Jordon Hudson appearing in a video at UNC practice with Bill Belichick, sparking questions. Beetle wonders if NFL teams may view Belichick differently because of his relationship. They all share their thoughts on the viral video.

Life in the Peloton is proudly brought to you by MAAP I don't know about you guys, but I thought this year's edition of the Tour of Flanders was an absolute classic. It had everything: drama, excitement, chaos, and - of course - a worthy winner. I couldn't wait to catch up with our man on the ground, Laurence Pithie, to hear what happened between the barriers on the bergs of Flanders, and hear how he's feeling ahead of the Queen of the classics; Roubaix. Laurence went into Flanders after a pretty nasty crash in Dwars door Vlaanderen the Wednesday before. Fortunately, although he was a bit stiff and bruised, his legs came good and - after over 6 hours of brutal racing - he rolled home in an impressive 11th place. The TV cameras were pretty fixed on that leading group of Pog, Van Der Poel, Pedersen, and Van Aert for the last few hours of the race, so Pithie's ride went a bit under the radar - but that's one of the things I've loved most about getting these updates from him this season; hearing those stories the cameras miss. Although he's still only 22 years old, the way Laurence talks about these races shows just how experienced and mature as a rider he is. Hearing how he raced this year's edition compared to last year, and the changes he made to his tactics even just over the course of this classics season, it's easy to tell how professional he is; already a real seasoned pro. Laurence isn't racing Scheldeprijs - the midweek race between Flanders and Roubaix - so he actually made the decision to fly home for a few days of normality to reset before heading back to the cobbles for Paris Roubaix this Sunday. Flanders is such a huge event with so much build up, it can be pretty overwhelming - so breaking out the bubble for a few days should let Laurence reset and come back ready for all out war at Roubaix. I mean, just looking at the walls of fans on the roadside all the way around Flanders, I'd need a few days to get my hearing back, let alone my legs! I have absolutely loved these regular phone calls with Pithie and really trying to understand what those 3 weeks on the road are like from the inside. It's no secret that I absolutely love the Spring classics; the ins and outs, the crashes, the stories - I could talk about them all day. it's not all about the podium riders - every single rider in these races is giving absolutely everything, and I think that's why they mean so much to so many people; you've got 180 guys lining up ready to leave everything out there on the road.  Of course, it's not all over - the best is yet to come. This Sunday, the Queen of the Classics, the Hell of the North, my favourite race: Paris Roubaix. Last year Laurence bagged himself a classy 7th place, and he's looking to better that this time around. I could hear the fear in his voice when he told me the weather forecast; after one of the warmest, driest Springs on record - the rain is coming…oh, man, a wet Roubaix! It's the stuff of dreams…or nightmares. Whether the clouds break or not this weekend, I've got no doubt that Laurence is going to get to that iconic velodrome and round out a great Spring classics season with another pearler of a result. Who knows, he might even come home with a cobblestone of his own.  Guys, thanks for following along on this Spring Classics mini series. I hope you've enjoyed these updates from Laurence and the rest of the Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe team as much as I have. In fact, Laurence has actually agreed to give me a call after Roubaix so we can wrap up this series and hear about what went down on the pavé - a cheeky bonus ep. for you all.  Laurence; this is it now, mate, the big one. Go and get it. We're all rooting for you.  Cheers! Mitch   Chapters 00:00:00 - Intro & Flanders Recap 00:03:25 - Laurence on Riding Flanders 00:08:00 - Strategy & Team Tactics at Flanders 00:12:10 - The Turning Point: Final Moves at Flanders 00:18:09 - Reflections on 11th Place 00:24:05 - Resetting for Roubaix 00:26:00 - The Allure (and Fear) of Paris-Roubaix 00:34:10 - Roubaix Recon & Equipment Talk ----more---- This episode is sponsored by our friends at JOIN - the adaptive training app that helps you become a better cyclist. Head over to join.cc/litp to get your first month free. ​This episode is brought to you by Wahoo Fitness. Elevate your ride with Wahoo's cutting-edge indoor trainers, GPS bike computers, and heart rate monitors. Engineered for cyclists, by cyclists. Discover more at wahoofitness.com.​ I'VE WRITTEN A BOOK! The Life in the Peloton book is OUT NOW! Get your copy now exclusively at maap.cc! Can't wait for you to read it. JOIN US IN THE PELO Where do you sit in the PELO? Come and join the Life in the Peloton membership.

Jimbo's got Julien Laurens, Seb Stafford-Bloor, Pol Ballús and Michael Cox alongside him to get all warmed up for the mouthwatering Champions League quarter-final first legs.Arsenal v Real, Bayern v Inter, Barca v Dortmund & PSG v Villa await in a fascinating midweek of cup action. We look ahead to each of the ties.On the domestic front, the La Liga title race took another turn as Real Madrid were stunned by Valencia - while Barca were held by Betis but still extended their lead at the top to four points. But was it an opening they'll rue not taking full advantage of come the end of the season?PSG officially wrapped up the Ligue 1 title with their 1-0 win over Angers - as their quest to go unbeaten continues. Behind them the fascinating race to be the best of the rest continues, with Marseille picking up a much-needed three points while Lyon and Strasbourg put the pressure on Monaco. In the Bundesliga, Bayern showed their mettle to come from behind to beat a stubborn Augsburg 3-1, their first game since the news broke that club legend Thomas Müller is set to leave at the end of the season. Plus - Dortmund warmed up for their trip to Barcelona with an impressive 4-1 win at Freiburg - but with injury news that could scupper their chances… And over in Serie A, Inter surrendered a two-goal lead against lowly Parma,Igor Tudor fires up Juve as they put an end to Roma's seven-match winning streak, and Lazio go route one as they reignite their hopes of a top four finish. Produced by Lucy Oliva. RUNNING ORDER: • PART 1: Moments of the weekend & Champions League quarter-final previews (00.45)• PART 2: Ligue 1 review - PSG crowned as Marseille bounce back (23.40)• PART 3: La Liga review - Barca fail to capitalise on Real's shock defeat (27.00)• PART 4: Bundesliga review - Dortmund dealt a huge injury blow as Muller signs off (36.30)• PART 5: Serie A review - Inter drop points as the hunt for Europe heats up (51.30) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jimbo's got Julien Laurens, Seb Stafford-Bloor, Pol Ballús and Michael Cox alongside him to get all warmed up for the mouthwatering Champions League quarter-final first legs. Arsenal v Real, Bayern v Inter, Barca v Dortmund & PSG v Villa await in a fascinating midweek of cup action. We look ahead to each of the ties. On the domestic front, the La Liga title race took another turn as Real Madrid were stunned by Valencia - while Barca were held by Betis but still extended their lead at the top to four points. But was it an opening they'll rue not taking full advantage of come the end of the season? PSG officially wrapped up the Ligue 1 title with their 1-0 win over Angers - as their quest to go unbeaten continues. Behind them the fascinating race to be the best of the rest continues, with Marseille picking up a much-needed three points while Lyon and Strasbourg put the pressure on Monaco.  In the Bundesliga, Bayern showed their mettle to come from behind to beat a stubborn Augsburg 3-1, their first game since the news broke that club legend Thomas Müller is set to leave at the end of the season. Plus - Dortmund warmed up for their trip to Barcelona with an impressive 4-1 win at Freiburg - but with injury news that could scupper their chances…  And over in Serie A, Inter surrendered a two-goal lead against lowly Parma,Igor Tudor fires up Juve as they put an end to Roma's seven-match winning streak, and Lazio go route one as they reignite their hopes of a top four finish.  Produced by Lucy Oliva.  RUNNING ORDER:  • PART 1: Moments of the weekend & Champions League quarter-final previews (00.45) • PART 2: Ligue 1 review - PSG crowned as Marseille bounce back (23.40) • PART 3: La Liga review - Barca fail to capitalise on Real's shock defeat (27.00) • PART 4: Bundesliga review - Dortmund dealt a huge injury blow as Muller signs off (36.30) • PART 5: Serie A review - Inter drop points as the hunt for Europe heats up (51.30) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices