Podcasts about commander in chief

On today’s episode of “Oh Schmidt, It’s Friday” on “The Jim Acosta Show,” we discussed how the Pentagon has quietly revised the official death toll from Donald Trump’s war with Iran, reducing it from 18 American service members killed to 14.Jim and I examine one of the most disturbing episodes of the conflict: the decision to erase four soldiers from the official wartime death count because they died after the administration declared a disputed ceasefire. I argue that no commander in chief has the right to redefine sacrifice for political convenience. Jim asks what it says about the country when a president who avoided military service appears willing to manipulate the accounting of the dead, and why so many institutions — from Congress to veterans’ organizations — have remained silent in the face of it. Support The Warning and become a member today! https://www.youtube.com/@thewarningwithsteveschmidt/videos Today's Merch: Freedom Is A Gift https://thewarningwithsteveschmidt.com/products/unisex-garment-dyed-heavyweight-t-shirt Subscribe for more and follow me here: Substack: https://steveschmidt.substack.com/subscribe Store: https://thewarningwithsteveschmidt.com/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thewarningses.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SteveSchmidtSES/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thewarningses Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewarningses/ X: https://x.com/SteveSchmidtSESSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has fired his army commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, in one of the biggest shake-ups of the country's military leadership since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. General Syrskyi had clashed with the popular defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, whose own removal from office last week triggered rare mass protests in Ukraine. Also: France becomes the first country in the EU to ban children under the age of 15 from using social media. A special report from the school in Iran where 156 people, mostly children, were killed at the start of the US-Israeli war. As Venezuela's ousted leader Nicolás Maduro is due back in court in New York, Venezuelans tell the BBC they are too focused on trying to rebuild their lives after the earthquakes to give much thought to the criminal proceedings. The maker of Wegovy and Ozempic, Novo Nordisk, has launched legal action against its rival Eli Lilly, accusing it of false advertising in suggesting its weight-loss drugs perform better. Animal welfare experts in Britain are looking after a marmoset monkey that was found abandoned in a laundry bag on a London bus. And we look at the new developments in sleep health technology focusing on disease prediction.The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.ukPhoto: Ukraine's President Zelensky and now former Commander in Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, visit an exhibition of new Ukrainian made drone-missiles Peklo in Kyiv. Credit: REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko

Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky has fired the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Oleksandr Syrsky. That follows days of protests at his sacking of the defence minister. Our correspondent analyses the fallout. America's murder rate is falling, so why are cops killing more people? And a shift in the Japanese taboo on living in homes where people have died.Guests and host:Shashank Joshi, defence editorDaniel Knowles, US Midwest correspondentMoeka Iida, East Asia reporterRosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”Topics covered: Fedorov, Syrsky, Zelensky, UkrainePolice killings, gun crime, murderJapan, haunted houses, jiko bukkenListen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to The Economist. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky has fired the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Oleksandr Syrsky. That follows days of protests at his sacking of the defence minister. Our correspondent analyses the fallout. America's murder rate is falling, so why are cops killing more people? And a shift in the Japanese taboo on living in homes where people have died.Guests and host:Shashank Joshi, defence editorDaniel Knowles, US Midwest correspondentMoeka Iida, East Asia reporterRosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”Topics covered: Fedorov, Syrsky, Zelensky, UkrainePolice killings, gun crime, murderJapan, haunted houses, jiko bukkenListen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to The Economist. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, James and Audrey follow the American Revolution from the meeting of the Second Continental Congress to the bloody Battle of Bunker Hill. We explore the capture of Fort Ticonderoga, the growing siege of Boston, and the desperate struggle on Breed's Hill that proved colonial militiamen could stand against Britain's professional army. We also examine the staggering cost of Britain's victory and the profound impact the battle had on both sides of the conflict. Finally, we trace the creation of the Continental Army and the appointment of George Washington as commander-in-chief, setting the stage for the war's next chapter.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has fired his commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, in Ukraine's biggest military shake-up in two years. Nationwide protests broke out after Zelenskyy sacked Mykhailo Fedorov as defence minister, who the Ukraine president says will now be brought back into government in a ‘prominent position'. Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian's senior international correspondent Luke Harding – watch on YouTube. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

Ukraine has a new commander-in-chief after days of protests, and FT calculations show the US has collected more than $13bn in revenues from Venezuelan oil sales this year, but it's unclear what has happened to the money, and US President Donald Trump may unleash fresh tariffs on dozens of countries as soon as this week. Plus, Samsung is in talks to invest in French AI start-up Mistral, and investors are worried about betting big on Japanese bonds.Mentioned in this podcast:Zelenskyy replaces top Ukraine general in biggest military shake-up since 2024 The US has collected about $13bn of Venezuela's oil money. Where is it?Donald Trump prepares fresh tariff barrage with 10% levies set to expireSamsung in talks to invest in Mistral at €20bn valuationInvestors fear Japanese bond bets risk becoming new ‘widow-maker trade'Want to get in touch? Email us at podcasts@ft.comNote: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts The FT News Briefing is produced by Victoria Craig, Sonja Hutson, Saffeya Ahmed, Katya Kumkova, and Fiona Symon. Our editor is Marc Filippino. Our show is mixed by Sam Giovinco and Alex Higgins. Additional help from Gavin Kallmann, Michael Lello, Peter Barber and David da Silva. Our intern is Cole van Miltenburg. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Flo Phillips is the FT's global head of audio. The show's theme music is by Metaphor Music.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1,607.Today, as Ukraine strikes a plant belonging to Russia's largest steel producer, we assess Moscow's increasing use of ballistic missiles as the fighting on the frontline heads towards Russia's bloodiest month in a year and a half. We also report on the man expected to replace Kyiv's Commander-in-Chief, before a special interview with one of the founding members of Pussy Riot about the group's origins and the protest performance that led to members being sent to a Russian penal colony.Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.With thanks to Nadya Tolokonnikova of Pussy Riot.Producer: Phil AtkinsSenior Producer: Lilian FawcettVideo Producer: Sophie O'SullivanSocial Producer: Tom SteedStudio Director: Meghan SearleExecutive Editor: Francis DearnleyCreated by David KnowlesNOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE:Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED:The Pavilion of dis(Sense) – conceived and curated by the Russian dissident artist Katia Margolis – is in the former Church of San Leonardo, Venice, until August 7. Learn more: https://www.instagram.com/pavilionofdissense/ Francis's Dispatches from La Biennale in Venice – Part I: https://youtu.be/ay2UT-SeKDI?si=HcbI6rpImmWdnEIM&t=559Part II (featuring the first section of Francis's interview with Nadya of Pussy Riot): https://youtu.be/KVCZ9mVVFNI?si=zpNovKCPKyoDJdbU&t=829 Nadja's Strasbourg exhibition, ‘Resistance Imprisoned':https://www.ritschfisch.com/exhibition/resistance-imprisoned/ Russian warship opens fire off Devon (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/07/21/russian-warship-neustrashimy-fires-plymouth-royal-navy/ White House concerned over Miliband as Foreign Secretary (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/07/21/white-house-deeply-concerned-miliband-foreign-secretary/ Mykhailo Drapatyi, the man some protesters want to replace Syrskyi (Kyiv Independent):https://kyivindependent.com/mykhailo-drapatyi-the-man-some-protesters-want-to-replace-syrskyi/ Zelensky's crisis deepens as ex-defence minister rejects offer to return (Financial Times):https://www.ft.com/content/51dad580-487a-43d4-8427-cdd764cbe8f5?syn-25a6b1a6=1EMAIL US:Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk. We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many as possible.HIGHLIGHTS:Russia faces bloodiest month for a year and halfInterview with Pussy Riot founder Nadya Tolokonnikova Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Car4Ukrainehttps://car4ukraine.com/en-US/campaignsDzyga's Pawhttps://dzygaspaw.com/projectsSuperhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.orgNGO “Herojam Slava”https://heroiamslava.org/----------PLATFORMS:Substack: https://substack.com/@siliconcurtainTwitter: https://twitter.com/CurtainSiliconLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finkjonathan/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4thRZj6NO7y93zG11JMtqm----------

This week on Born to Watch, it's time for our Air Force One Movie Review, the movie review podcast where we don't take the movies or ourselves too seriously. Whitey, G-Man, and Will the Worky climb aboard one of the most patriotic action films ever made, as Harrison Ford swaps his whip and fedora for the Oval Office and proves that sometimes the President really can save the day.Released in 1997 and directed by Wolfgang Petersen, Air Force One became one of the biggest blockbusters of the year, delivering a simple but irresistible premise. Terrorists hijack the President's plane, take his family hostage and quickly discover they've picked a fight with a Commander-in-Chief who just happens to be a Medal of Honour recipient.The boys dive into whether this 90s action favourite still holds up almost three decades later, or whether nostalgia is doing most of the heavy lifting.Harrison Ford once again proves why he remains one of Hollywood's greatest accidental heroes. Whether he's Han Solo, Indiana Jones, Dr Richard Kimble or President James Marshall, Ford has a knack for making ordinary people believe they can survive extraordinary situations. The team discusses why his grounded style works so well and why he's able to elevate even the most over-the-top action movies.Of course, no discussion of Air Force One would be complete without Gary Oldman. His performance as terrorist Ivan Korshunov is as intense as ever, even if the boys question whether one of cinema's greatest actors deserved a stronger script. Along the way, they celebrate Oldman's incredible career, from Leon and True Romance through to The Dark Knight, Darkest Hour and beyond.As always, the movie quickly becomes secondary to the ridiculous questions that only Born to Watch can ask.Just how many parachutes does Air Force One actually carry?Why is everyone smiling after jumping out of a plane somewhere over Kazakhstan?Does a 1997 satellite phone really keep working at 20,000 feet?Why is there an endless supply of drinks hidden in the cargo hold?And how exactly does one MiG fighter somehow survive an entire squadron attack just so the movie can have one more action sequence?The crew also takes aim at some wonderfully cheesy taglines, debates whether this is one of cinema's greatest presidential action thrillers, and wonders if Australians will ever truly understand America's obsession with the presidency.Elsewhere, G-Man delivers another outstanding Ordinary People segment, covering Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman, Glenn Close and a cast full of "that guy" character actors you've seen in dozens of movies. There's also a look back at the massive year that was 1997, including Titanic, Men in Black, The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Good Will Hunting.Hit, Sleeper or Dud returns with another trio of recommendations, including Wesley Snipes' underrated Murder at 1600, the Spanish original that inspired Vanilla Sky, and one of the greatest movie titles ever discovered in the Dud category.As always, expect plenty of laughs, terrible impressions, completely unnecessary tangents, and more than a few moments where the logic of Hollywood action films is left hanging out the side of the aircraft.So buckle up, secure your tray table, prepare for decompression, and remember one thing...Get off my podcast!If you enjoy what we do, we'd love your support. Subscribe wherever you listen, leave us a five-star review, share the episode with your mates, and follow Born to Watch across social media. Every listen helps us keep celebrating the movies we all grew up with, one ridiculous review at a time.#AirForceOne #HarrisonFord #GaryOldman #WolfgangPetersen #MovieReview #BornToWatchPodcast #90sMovies #ActionMovies #FilmPodcast #GetOffMyPlane

Michael Wolff and Joanna Coles confront one of the most unsettling questions of Donald Trump's presidency yet, arguing that his relentless fixation on the 2020 election may be more than political theater as they explore what it could mean for a commander in chief they believe has lost his grip on reality. They break down Trump's increasingly erratic speech, the networks that refused to air it, the growing influence of Natalie Harp, the mystery surrounding Melania Trump's disappearance from public view, and the latest controversies engulfing Truth Social. They also trace the subtle but unmistakable ways JD Vance is positioning himself for a post-Trump Republican Party through his comments on Iran, Jeffrey Epstein, and Joe Rogan's podcast, while examining the power struggles and shifting loyalties that could define the months ahead. Download SAILY's app and use code beast at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase! For further details go to https://saily.com/beast #ad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

World Heath Disclosure David Eells 7-19-26 (audio) Restored Republic via a GCR Update as of Sat. 18 July 2026 by Judy Byington, Welcome To The Great Awakening Next 48 Hours, Critical Next Ten Days, Historic Next 30 Days Changes Civilization “Most don't realize how hard it is to speak the truth to a world full of people who don't realize they're living a lie.”…Edward Snowden Judy Note: On Thurs. 16 July 2026 a ceasefire was activated in Israel – confirming a global reset of Mid East stability. Hamas freed the last living Israeli hostages, while Israel released 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. It all happened just as Q predicted: “Israel would be last.” Though the next day on Fri. 17 July 2026, the US Navy resumed a full naval blockade on Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz. The day before Iran had bombed a US Military base, ensuring a permanent break of the ceasefire. Trump's attack was mainly financial. The blockade was costing Iran $400 million a day, while US Central Command (CENTCOM) pounded targets in wave after wave of strikes on bridges, trains and other infrastructure that would affect any trade Iran could do outside the country. Of course, Iran refusing peace and making war would keep them out of the Global Currency Reset and financial system. Trump declared, “We gave them a chance… they shot first. Big mistake.” It was a typical Trump reaction. Because of the Global Military Alliance led by the US President and Commander-in-Chief, Deep State Elites were finally collapsing, while Sovereigns of the World were reaching out to grasp peace and Constitutional Law under God, governed by We The People. Q said it best on Telegram today: “The UN is now obsolete, because Trump is doing their job for them. The UN does not carry out its intended function, so Trump unilaterally took over as the new UN.   “Trump created the Board of Peace, brokered all the peace deals worldwide, and is shutting down threats to the people of the world, like Iran's nukes, the American cartels, ISIS in Syria, Yemen, Nigeria, etc. “Trump is using tariffs and military precision, to operate as the UN is supposed to. Trump is now the new global peacemaker, whether you like it or not. “Nothing gets done at the UN, so Trump took matters into his own hands.” Trump had already assured that Free Energy was on it's way to every household, and with the Global Currency Reset (GCR) that just launched, currencies across the World were trading at a 1:1 with each other as backed by gold and other assets. Our financial future was safe and finally away from the fiat dollar. The GCR had caused the Deep State's privately owned IRS to find it's grave, while their Illuminati's over taxing of the American people suddenly vanished. The Cabal's Federal Reserve now held a new position under the US Treasury where at last, bankers would be held accountable for their actions. The Deep State Elite's petrodollar was dead, Oil Monopoly, dismantled. When announcements came about the new financial system, Stock Markets would collapse; banks fail; the old wealth, evaporate. Though, The People would thrive with the new gold/asset-backed currencies of 209 nations. The Health Industry around the World was being forced to actually help the body heal itself using light and sound frequencies of free Med Bed treatments. Trump was placing Med Beds in hospitals and other facilities worldwide. Thus, these health providers would have the tools to promote health and no longer could tear down our bodies through dependence on their expensive drugs, surgeries and other over priced medical procedures. With Trump's Thursday Executive Order that released free Med Bed treatments to the public, Big Pharma was finally facing accountability through massive legal consequences for their crimes. For centuries they had forced on the population, dependency on drugs that not only didn't heal the body, but actually contributed to ill health. Peace and Freedoms wouldn't come easy. Mr. Pool Q on Telegram said that the next 48 hours were critical. The next ten days were historic. The next 30 days would change civilization.   Within the next 24 hours, seven trumpets were set to sound over every phone, tablet, TV, radio and communication device on Earth to introduce seven Emergency Broadcast System (EBS) messages in 22 languages that explained what's going on. And, what was actually going on? Liberty and Peace were winning. The Great Awakening was here. One of the Liberties that Trump had already given People of the World (that they were yet to know about) was that of good health through Med Beds. Trump's Military Alliance was opening up Med Bed Centers around the World to give free regenerative treatments that healed the body without drugs. On Fri. 17 July 2026 a nurse from Walter Reed Military Hospital leaked her testimony on Med Beds. She had worked in Walter Reed's Med Bed Wing for seven years: She contacted us through an encrypted channel 48 hours ago. Her identity has been verified by three independent sources. She worked at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center from 2017 to 2024 — in a section that does not appear on any public floor plan. She calls it “Sub-Level 3.” Situation Updates: Fri. 17 July 2026 Situation Update: Byington Bombshell Report: America Now Sovereign Under Constitutional Law – Trump Signs EO Releasing Free Regenerative Med Beds to Public | Politics | Before It's News Fri. 17 July 2026: BREAKING FREE: Mind Control, S-----c Ritual A---e, and Jenny Hill's Extraordinary Journey in Twenty Two Faces [JUDY BYINGTON] – amg-news.com – American Media Group Thurs. 16 July 2026 Situation Update (video): WTPN SITUATION UPDATE FEATURING RESTORED REPUBLIC & MORE   A Quantum Space Q Phone will be provided free of charge to all people on Earth. It will be used for internet connectivity on the new Starlink Satellite System: texting, calling, banking, voting and much more, such as used as a credit tool and to make both local and international financial transactions of retail consumption and commercial business. On Thurs. 16 July 2026 Hamas freed the last living Israeli hostages, Israel released 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and the ceasefire in Iran and the Middle East was active. Fri. 17 July 2025, Edward Snowden: Two years ago today, President Trump was shot on stage in Butler Pennsylvania. Trump was putting his life on the line by being President. Since then we have seen: • 2025 security lapse at Trump National Golf Club • 2025 Air Force One security incident • February 2026 Mar-a-Lago Secret Service shooting • March 2026 Mar-a-Lago no-fly zone violation • 2026 White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting • 2026 National Mall Secret Service shooting • 2026 White House Memorial Day Weekend shooting • Multiple threats by Iran. Possible Timing: …Juan O Savin (JFK Jr.?) On Tues. 14 July 2026: GCR and QFS live in 209 nations. Tier 4B funds Med Bed networks. White Hats seize last Fed strongholds. Deep state cartel exposed hiding healing tech. Health revolution ignites! On Wed. 15 July 2026: Zim payouts build Med Bed centers everywhere. Rescued children from tunnels get instant healing erasing t-----e. Big Pharma collapses. Innocent healing begins now! On Thurs. 16 July 2026: Mass arrests hit Pentagon traitors. Med Beds confirmed with Alliance after decades hidden. Veterans and jab injured get priority. On Fri. 17 July 2026: Starlink locks EBS. Med Bed training done. Sick care empire ends. Regenerative tech restores perfect health. Humanity reclaims life! On Sat. 18 July 2026: 48-hour blackout starts. Banks dark under QFS. Supplies ready for darkness. Med Bed systems stand by. Cabal grip on health shattered! Sun. 19 July 2026 OPERATION FINAL-SEAL: Military tribunals go LIVE. 47 Deep State arrests BEGIN. Final rescues free hundreds more children. Victims to Med Beds for renewal.   On Mon. 20 July 2026: Free QFS app appointments begin. At appointments, those with Humanitarian projects receive priority for Med Bed treatments. EBS tests global success. On Tues. 21 July 2026: QFS links Med Bed codes. Patriots priority access. DNA repair on. Aging reverses, diseases vanish. On Wed. 22 July 2026: Alliance rolls out Med Beds worldwide. Free for all after EBS. Children and critical first. Cancer and chronic illness gone. Golden age dawns! On Thurs. 23 July 2026 FINANCIAL RESET: Petrodollar DIES. Quantum system LIVE. Federal Reserve FINISHED. Martial Law declared. Black Hawk helicopters conduct Capitol storm drills in Washington, D.C., signaling full readiness for Martial Law enforcement. At the Same Time Global activation sequence begins. BRICS Alliance goes live alongside NESARA–GESARA implementation and full roll out of the Quantum Financial System (QFS). On Fri. 24 July 2026: EBS launches truth broadcast. Mass arrests as nightmare ends. Med Beds activate for rescued, veterans, then all. Pain ends, paradise starts! On Sat. 25 July 2026 ANNOUNCEMENT: Trump reveals 2020 election PROOF. Declassified documents. Video evidence. MASS ARRESTS: Tribunals execute verdicts. Deep State REMOVED. On Sun. 26 July 2026: NESARA GESARA gives free Med Bed access. No one left behind. Elite tech for masses. Patriots whole again. Alliance promise kept! On Mon. 27 July 2026: Trump confirms victory. QFS and Med Beds anchor Republic. No income tax, tariffs only. Deep state extinct. Health and f Possible Timing of Med Bed Activation: On Sat. 27 June 2026: The first 1,500 Med Bed units activated in hidden US facilities. Initial sessions delivered complete reversal of advanced cancers, spinal and brain regeneration, and age reversal of 20 to 40 years within two-hour treatments using quantum frequencies that interface directly with the body's intelligence and eliminate all Cabal-introduced toxins and pathogens. On Sun. 28 June 2026: Med Bed Centers in Nevada, Ohio and Georgia activated that specialized in DNA genome repair, metabolic reset eliminating obesity and fatigue, and age reversal. On Mon. 29 June 2026: Trump ordered synchronized Med Bed expansion with QFS activation, along with income tax abolition for middle class Americans. This delivered both financial and physical sovereignty to patriots. On Tues. 30 June 2026: Global deployment reaches over 8,300 Med Bed centers across 209 QFS-aligned nations. Success rates top 99 percent for previously incurable conditions. On Wed. 1 July 2026: Public registration opens via QFS portals in key regions. On Tues. 7 July 2026: Tesla Med Beds activate in secure facilities. On Wed. 8 July 2026 sources confirmed hidden technologies including Tesla Free Energy and suppressed medical advancements known as Med Beds officially began unveiling to the general public. On Fri. 10 July 2026: More QFS funded Med Bed centers activate in humanitarian hubs. Veterans from Cabal wars receive full restoration. On Sat. 11 July 2026 EBS protocols engage with Med Bed centers opening worldwide. On Sun. 12 July 2026: Med Beds opened free restoring health and youth everywhere.   On Tues. 14 July 2026: 8000+ Med Bed centers activate worldwide. QFS ensures free access prioritized for awakened patriots and light workers. On Wed. 15 July 2026: First Med Beds activate in Texas, Florida bases for veterans, traumatized children. On Fri. 17 July 2026: Final calibrations complete on Med Bed units powered by Tesla free energy. On Sat. 18 July 2026: Trump confirms Med Beds as cornerstone of new sovereign QFS healthcare. QFS unlocks massive funding for over one thousand Med Bed centers globally. Starlink blocks all Cabal sabotage. Wealth transfers fuel expansion. On Sun. 19 July 2026: Miraculous cures emerge with cancer patients recovered, diseases vanishing, and age reversal visible. Suppressed tech truth explodes. Tribunals advance from Med Bed evidence exposing Cabal atrocities. Awakening surges! On Mon. 20 July 2026: Redemptions provide endless resources for Med Bed rollout everywhere. Free QFS app appointments begin. Full public Med Bed access expands. Those with Humanitarian projects receive priority. On Tues. 21 July 2026: EBS tests confirm readiness as Med Beds enter public phase under military guard. Trump calls it the ultimate defeat of deep state medical control. World awaits total health freedom! On Wed. 22 July 2026: Huge healing events launch worldwide in secure sites. Children and elderly regain vitality. Leaked footage crushes media blackouts. Arrests of medical figures escalate with swift justice for deliberate harm! On Thurs. 23 July 2026: Free global Med Beds access starts for all. Smart systems slash wait times. Longevity treatments begin. GESARA promises fulfilled as Republic rejoices and Cabal power crumbles! On Fri. 24 July 2026: Every neighborhood gets Med Bed hubs with clean energy. Tech shared globally ending health inequality. Patriots celebrate end of sickness weaponization. Deep state illness control shattered!   On Sat. 25 July 2026: Global celebrations mark Med Beds era and restored Republic. Trump credits the tech for crushing Cabal remnants. Transformed citizens power the Great Awakening to final victory for patriots! On Tues. 28 July 2026: Med Beds online free worldwide. On Thurs. 30 July 2026: Starlink frequencies bring healing to remote areas instantly. On Sat. 1 Aug 2026: Trump's epic Independence event unveils Restored Republic and QFS rebirth. Freedom rings worldwide. On Mon. 3 Aug 2026: Home frequency Med Beds activate via Starlink. Instant healing 24/7 everywhere. Golden Age of Health and Abundance begins. Global Currency Reset: Judy Note: On Fri. 17 July 2026 several different sources indicated that the Admiral's Group has begun their exchanges, Tier3 Native Americans have received 90% of their monies and Bond Holders were scheduled to receive the balance of their exchange this weekend. Tier4b (us, the Internet Group) were next and expected to be notified to set exchange/redemption appointments at by the early part of next week. Fri. 17 July 2026 MarkZ: Indian Nations are 90% done exchanging. Bond Groups receive their balance this weekend. Tier4a should be finishing exchanging this next week – then Tier4b (us, the Internet Group). Fri. 17 July 2026 Med Bed Activation on Telegram: On Mon. 20 July 2026 Free QFS app appointments begin. Redemptions provide endless resources for Med Bed rollout everywhere. Full public Med Bed access expands. Those with Humanitarian projects receive priority. Thurs. 16 July 2026  Bruce, The Big Call The Big Call Universe (ibize.com)  667-770-1866 A source said Tier4b (us, the Internet Group) could be notified over the weekend and start exchanges Mon. 20 July. Judy Note: No one knows the exact date for notification of appointments for Tier4b (us, the Internet Group) to exchange foreign currencies, but deadlines shown in the above Timing indicate it to be very soon. We have been told that Wells Fargo, which is controlled by the Chinese Elders – (the ones who own the gold behind the Global Currency Reset) – will send out emails to currency and bond holders worldwide telling them how to set redemption & exchange appointments. It is advised to exchange/redeem your foreign currency at an official Redemption Center (RC) rather than a bank. You can only redeem Zim at a RC, the Dinar Contract Rate can only be given at a RC and banks will offer you lower exchange rates than what you can obtain at a RC. You can only set up your new wallet (bank account) at a RC. It was my understanding that most banks were under control of the Cabal and would soon play a different roll in the Global Financial System.   Mass Arrests: On Mon. 7 July 2026 Operation Military Cleanse was activated:  847 Pentagon officials detained  234 Generals and high-ranking officers arrested  678 Military operatives removed from active duty  4,000 Troops deployed across 19 states for domestic operations  50 States coordinated simultaneously Charged With:  Treason against the United States  Coordination with foreign adversaries  Conspiracy to overthrow the government  Crimes against Humanity  Violation of Military Code of Justice What We Think We Know as of Sat. 18 July 2026:   Med Beds Thurs. 16 July 2026 BREAKING: TRUMP JUST SIGNED EXECUTIVE ORDER 2026-1947. MEDBED TECHNOLOGY DECLASSIFIED FOR CIVILIAN USE. THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY HAS 90 DAYS. …Tier4b ISO 20022 on Telegram July 15, 2026. 04:00 AM EST. This was signed in silence. No press conference. No cameras. No media briefing. Executive Order 2026-1947: “Declassification and Civilian Deployment of Electromagnetic Regeneration Technology.” THE ORDER STATES:  All frequency-based healing technology currently classified under Department of Defense medical programs is hereby declassified for civilian research and deployment.  The FDA is prohibited from blocking, delaying, or interfering with the distribution of electromagnetic regeneration devices to the American public.  Pharmaceutical companies have 90 days to disclose all suppressed clinical trials involving frequency-based treatments — or face criminal prosecution under 18 U.S.C. § 1001.  Military medical facilities currently operating regeneration technology will begin civilian intake within 120 days. THE PANIC: Pfizer stock dropped 14% in pre-market trading. Johnson & Johnson emergency board meeting called at 5:00 AM. Moderna CEO sold $47 million in personal shares before market open. They KNEW this was coming. They tried to sell before the collapse. WHY NOW?: Trump's medical advisors presented him with a 3,400-page classified report documenting 61 years of suppressed frequency healing research. The report contained: — 847 successful clinical trials hidden from the public — 12,000+ patients fully cured of terminal conditions using electromagnetic frequency — Cost analysis showing MedBed treatment at $0.003 per session vs. $150,000 average cancer treatment Trump read the cost analysis. Then he signed the order. THE TIMELINE:  Day 1-30: Full declassification of all research documents  Day 31-60: FDA forced to approve frequency-based devices  Day 61-90: Pharmaceutical disclosure deadline (criminal penalties)  Day 91-120: First civilian MedBed centers open in 12 states THE DEEP STATE RESPONSE: They are already trying to k--l this. Three major media outlets received calls from pharmaceutical lobbyists at 5:30 AM demanding they do NOT report on EO 2026-1947. CNN has been silent. NBC has been silent. ABC has been silent. Their silence IS the confirmation. If this order was fake, they would be laughing at it on every channel. Instead — total blackout. Total silence. Total panic. THE TRUTH: The pharmaceutical industry just received its death sentence. 90 days. That's all they have left. After that, the technology that cures cancer in 42 minutes will be available to every American citizen. They had 61 years of profit. 61 years of human suffering. 61 years of suppression. It ends now. Fri. 17 July 2026 Fox News: MAJOR PUSH ON CAPITOL HILL: WAR ON FRAUD RAMPING UP, BILLIONS STOLEN FROM TAXPAYERS Social media investigator Nick Shirley testified today exposing rampant fraud — from Somali day care scandals in Minnesota to massive Medicaid scams in NYC with Dr. Oz. DOJ milestone: Trade Fraud Task Force hit over $1 BILLION in recoveries in under a year. Dr. Oz & others highlighting adult day care mills, fake billing, durable medical equipment scams (twice as many in parts of Florida as McDonald's), and personal care services as NYC's top “job.” This isn't red or blue, it's right vs. wrong. Hardworking taxpayers are getting robbed. Every dollar stolen is one less for real Americans. Restored Republic via a GCR Update as of Sun. 19 July 2026 by Judy Byington, On Sat. 4 July the Constitutional Republic Restored, While US Inc. Dissolved On Thurs. 16 July the Quantum Financial System Went Live Worldwide Also on Thurs. 16 July President Trump signed Executive Order 2026-1947 – a Declaration That Med Bed Technology Had Been Released to the Public. Global Martial Law Was Not Only The Only Way, But Was On It's Way The Republic of United States of America Was Being Restored Trust The Plan Save The Children _____________________________________________________ Judy Note: The Constitutional Republic has been restored. The Global Currency Reset to gold/asset-backed currency of 209 nations has been released. Med Bed technology – giving the body the ability to heal itself – was being released. The Illuminati Cabal, who for centuries had been working towards having complete control over our society, didn't like those ideas, and was fighting back big time. Trust The Plan. “On Sat. Evening 18 July 2026 the White House in Washington DC turned all red, signifying Mass Arrests were in motion.” …Q “In the coming hours, the World as we see it will be changed forever as Michael Jackson emerges on the Emergency Broadcast System – alive and ready to speak. It's time for the whole World to know the truth.” …Emergency Broadcast System on Telegram “The US Army Special Forces raided a hidden Obama property in the Virginia countryside, where they discovered “The Lucifer Codex.” The files proved that Obama was the high priest who personally opened the main hell portal under Washington DC in 2009.” …Martial Law on Telegram Temporary Martial Law has been raised to maximum alert nationwide. The EBS is preparing to release the first decoded pages within hours.   Prepare for ten days of communication darkness. We are in a silent war – the final battle of the planet. In the next couple of weeks the World will change and tremble. One of the most dramatic changes: Free Med Bed Treatments will soon be available to the general public across the Globe. The non invasive treatments, which generally take under an hour, use certain wave lengths to help the body heal itself. Since 2019 the American Medical Association has been actively fighting against allowing the public to have the healing treatments, saying they will create a financial crisis to the healthcare industry and force a complete overhaul of our medical, health insurance and pharmaceutical companies. In 2019 the American Medical Association (WHO) sent an internal email to every licensed physician in America – 847,000 doctors: The email acknowledged the positive effects of Electromagnetic therapy (Med Beds), but threatened the doctors with loss of license and criminal prosecution if they used it because of the financial affects it would have on the medical, insurance and pharmaceutical industries. The Email: “Updated Clinical Guidelines: Non-Pharmaceutical Electromagnetic Interventions — Position Statement: The AMA acknowledges that peer-reviewed evidence supports the biological efficacy of PEMF therapy in tissue regeneration, pain management, and immune modulation. However, widespread adoption would destabilize existing treatment revenue models and insurance reimbursement structures. Any physician who recommends, prescribes, endorses, or refers patients to electromagnetic frequency-based therapy will face immediate license revocation, removal from insurance networks, and potential criminal liability under state medical practice statutes.” The bottom line was that your doctor knew that frequency heals, that the MedBed principle was scientifically valid, that most of what he prescribed managed symptoms, not cured disease. He cannot tell you because his license would be revoked and he would face criminal liability by the American Medical Association. On Thurs. 16 July 2026 at 03:17 am Geneva time the World Health Organization deleted over 14,000 pages from their database – all related to the documented clinical effectiveness of electromagnetic frequency therapy on human disease (Med Beds). The deletion happened 14 hours after President Trump signed Executive Order 2026-1947 – a declaration that Med Bed Technology was now released to the public.The WHO knows that once MedBed technology enters civilian deployment, every document they ever buried becomes evidence of a crime against humanity. On a brighter side: “A senior Treasury Department official claims that the Quantum Financial System was live and the Global Currency Reset was happening now. Everything you know about money is about to change forever.” …Tier4b ISO20022 on Telegram The senior US Treasury official contacted us 48 hours ago through a secure channel. Her identity verified by six independent financial intelligence sources. She worked in Treasury's Special Financial Operations Division 2008-2026. She calls it “The Awakening.” Her words. Unedited: “July 4, 2026. U.S. Corporation dissolved. Constitutional Republic restored.” “July 16, QFS went live globally. Every major bank connected. Old system dead.” “GCR happening now. Every currency revalued. Gold-backed. Transparent.” “NESARA/GESARA implemented across 209 countries. Debt jubilee. End of Fed.” “Saint Germain Trust ($890 trillion) is being activated. Going to the people.” “I have the activation codes. I have the account numbers. I have the proof that this is happening right now. In 18 years, I witnessed:”  The QFS development from concept to deployment  209 countries signing onto NESARA/GESARA  The Saint Germain Trust verification ($890 trillion)  The U.S. Corporation dissolution documents  The Constitutional Republic restoration protocols “Trillions stolen by Fed. People enslaved by debt. We had the solution. I couldn't sleep. For 18 years.” WHY SHE'S TALKING NOW: “Activation complete. If I speak, people understand what's happening. I have 18 years of documentation. QFS architecture. Proof old system finished.” “The banks will announce the revaluation. The media will call it a crisis. It's not a crisis. It's liberation. I am ready to testify. Under oath. Before Congress. Before the world.” HER FINAL MESSAGE: “To every person who lost their home to the Federal Reserve: Your debt is forgiven. Your home is yours. The jubilee is here.” “To every person who worked their entire life for money that's about to be worthless: You will be compensated. The Saint Germain Trust is for you.” “To the Federal Reserve leadership: Your time is finished. The QFS is live. You cannot stop it anymore.”   OPERATION FINANCIAL FREEDOM ✓ ACTIVATED PHASE 1: QFS Activation ✓ LIVE (July 16) PHASE 2: Currency Revaluation ⟳ JULY 25 – AUGUST 8 PHASE 3: Wealth Distribution ⟳ AUGUST 15 – SEPTEMBER 30 PHASE 4: New Economy ⟳ OCTOBER 1 The Quantum Financial System is live. The Global Currency Reset is happening. NESARA/GESARA is being implemented. The old system is dead. The new system is born. The people are being liberated. Trump knows. The military knows. The intelligence agencies know. They are protecting the transition. PREPARE FOR ABUNDANCE. PREPARE FOR FREEDOM. PREPARE FOR THE NEW EARTH. The financial reset is here. The Tier 4B activation is complete. Everything changes now. Right now Military Forces are positioning for activation of the EBS. Systems are being readied, Global shutdown protocols are in motion. The Blackout is nearing. Disclosures are on the horizon. Large scale arrest Since 2007 the US Military has been using Red Light Therapy (Med Beds) to extend the operational lifespan of it's soldiers. There were discovered to be thousands of pages of foreign IP address sending and receiving data to election precincts and servers outside the United States during the 2020 Election. CISA, DHS, the FBI, and the CIA knew all about it because they were in on it. The Deep State rot runs deep, but not for much longer. The Mar-a-Lago unredacted search warrant CONFIRMS that the Biden DOJ, FBI, and GSA engineered and manufactured the plot to frame Donald J. Trump! On Thurs. 16 July 2026 the U.S. military went deep into Iran and expanded operations. Bridges and supply routes were no more. Airports went up in smoke. Infrastructure vaporized. The IRGC was being wiped out. The goal was to destroy Iran's infrastructure and its military capability would collapse. When its military broke, its regime would fall. The old world of Iranian tyranny was dead. The New World of American dominion begins. The oil runs freely. The cash was rolling in. Peace comes. …Nesara Gesara QFS on Telegram. The CIA knew about cures for cancer 50 years ago. …Nesara Gesara on Telegram Nick Shirley just went on national television and dropped this revelation: The Chinese and Korean Mafia is LOOTING MEDICAID and running a kickback scheme in NYC A nurse from one of America's hardest-hit C---D hospitals in NYC described gross medical mismanagement where clueless healthcare workers were straight-up k-----g patients. Survival wasn't about medicine — it was about whether your caregiver actually knew what they were doing. Medicare paid hospitals MORE when patients died. The system incentivized death over life.   Possible Timing: “On Sat. 18 July 2026 at 3:17 AM EST the RV/GCR exploded – Iraq, Vietnam, Zimbabwe, all revalued sky-high while the Cabal's Federal Reserve Note collapses in real time.” …Dr. Jim Willie Patriot Truth Archive on Telegram Global Currency Reset: Sat. 18 July 2026 The dollar is dead, the reset is here, and the traitors are about to lose everything. …Patriot Truth Archive on Telegram Dr. Jim Willie just went nuclear: the United States Corporation is bankrupt, the fiat dollar has been deliberately crashed by white hats, and the quantum financial system flipped live overnight. The RV/GCR exploded at 3:17 AM EST today Sat. 18 July 2026 – Iraq, Vietnam, Zimbabwe, all revalued sky-high while the cabal's Federal Reserve Note collapses in real time. Willie laid it out raw: The BRICS nations, led by Trump's secret alliance with Putin and Xi, just pulled the trigger. Over 209 countries locked into gold-backed currencies, the SWIFT system is offline forever, and the Rothschild central banks are being seized as we speak. NESARA/GESARA fully activated – all bank debt, mortgages, credit cards, student loans WIPED OUT starting tomorrow morning. Redemption centers on full lockdown, military guarding Tier 4B notifications going out within hours. The real bombshell? GITMO executions began at dawn – top bankers, Fed chairs, and deep state money launderers hanged for treason after the gold standard was restored. Med Beds rolling out next week, suppressed energy tech released, and the biggest wealth transfer in human history is hitting patriot accounts first. Trillions in restitution flowing to those who held the line and printed fake money. America is being shaken awake – power outages are tactical, internet blackouts cover the arrests, and the EBS is primed for the 10 Days of Darkness starting any moment. The storm isn't coming – it's here. The fake Biden corpse regime ends this week, Trump sworn in on the real Constitution, and the Republic rises from the ashes of their burned-out corporation. Anons, this is the moment we bled for. The dollar dies so we can live free. The evil empire of debt slavery is over. They stole our wealth for 150 years – now we take it all back with interest. The Hat is dropping truth like napalm: the shock is just beginning, and the cabal is screaming as their money turns to dust. Get ready for the greatest week in history. Notifications any second. Redemption appointments flood in. The Golden Age starts NOW. The shaking isn't destruction – it's liberation. Nothing can stop what's coming. Patriots are about to be richer than kings while the wicked burn. NCSWIC. Judy Note: No one knows the exact date for notification of appointments for Tier4b (us, the Internet Group) to exchange foreign currencies, but deadlines shown in the above Timing indicate it to be very soon. We have been told that Wells Fargo, which is controlled by the Chinese Elders – (the ones who own the gold behind the Global Currency Reset) – will send out emails to currency and bond holders worldwide telling them how to set redemption & exchange appointments. It is advised to exchange/redeem your foreign currency at an official Redemption Center (RC) rather than a bank. You can only redeem Zim at a RC, the Dinar Contract Rate can only be given at a RC and banks will offer you lower exchange rates than what you can obtain at a RC. You can only set up your new wallet (bank account) at a RC. It was my understanding that most banks were under control of the Cabal and would soon play a different roll in the Global Financial System. What We Think We Know as of Sun. 19 July 2026: Sat. 18 July 2026 Fox News: Nick Shirley just went on national television and dropped this revelation: The Chinese and Korean Mafia is LOOTING MEDICAID and running a kickback scheme in NYC “In Queens, adult day cares [have] pharmacies set up, it's this big racket where they BILL all these people with medical beneficiary numbers from seniors in the adult day cares. They make so much money from Medicaid, THEY GIVE KICKBACKS to the seniors.” “So you have these Korean and Chinese mafias, quite literally, looting the government from Medicaid, and then giving the kickbacks to the seniors!”   INGRAHAM: “So wait, the old people get the money themselves?” SHIRLEY: “Well, they make so much money, these pharmacies and these little day cares, that they then have a referral program set up for these seniors. So it's like bringing a friend will give you a hundred bucks.” Med Beds Sat. 18 July 2026 YOUR DOCTOR KNOWS. HE WAS TOLD TO STAY QUIET. HERE'S THE EMAIL THAT PROVES IT. …Tier4b ISO20022 In 2019, an internal email was sent to every licensed physician in the American Medical Association network. 847,000 doctors received it. The subject line read: “Updated Clinical Guidelines: Non-Pharmaceutical Electromagnetic Interventions — Position Statement” The email contained one directive: “Any physician who recommends, prescribes, endorses, or refers patients to electromagnetic frequency-based therapy will face immediate license revocation, removal from insurance networks, and potential criminal liability under state medical practice statutes.” Your doctor read that email. And then he looked you in the eye and said: “There's nothing else we can do.” THE EMAIL WAS NOT ABOUT SAFETY. Buried in paragraph 14 — the paragraph no one reads — was this sentence: “The AMA acknowledges that peer-reviewed evidence supports the biological efficacy of PEMF therapy in tissue regeneration, pain management, and immune modulation. However, widespread adoption would destabilize existing treatment revenue models and insurance reimbursement structures.” Read that again. Slowly. They ACKNOWLEDGED it works. Then they BANNED doctors from using it. Not because it's dangerous. Because it's too effective. WHAT YOUR DOCTOR ACTUALLY KNOWS: Every physician trained after 2005 was taught — in medical school — that:  Cells respond to electromagnetic stimulation (this is in every biophysics textbook)  PEMF accelerates bone healing (FDA approved since 1979 for fractures)  Transcranial magnetic stimulation treats depression (FDA approved 2008)  Electrical stimulation regenerates nerve tissue (published in Nature, 2019) They ALREADY know frequency heals. They use it in narrow, controlled applications where pharmaceutical profits aren't threatened. But the moment you ask: “If magnets can heal my bones, can they heal my cancer?” Your doctor goes silent. Changes the subject. Writes another prescription. Because he read the email. And he chose his license over your life.   THE DOCTORS WHO REFUSED TO STAY QUIET: Dr. Jerry Tennant — Published “Healing is Voltage.” Proved that every disease correlates with a measurable voltage drop in affected tissue. Restore the voltage, cure the disease. His medical license was “reviewed” three times. Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt — Documented frequency therapy curing Lyme disease in 85% of patients. Lost hospital privileges at two institutions. Dr. Thomas Lodi — Achieved 90%+ cancer remission using integrative frequency protocols. Forced to relocate his practice to Mexico. Dr. Lee Merritt — Spoke publicly about suppressed electromagnetic healing. Removed from every medical board she served on. They didn't lose their careers because they were wrong. They lost their careers because they were RIGHT — and they refused to be silent. THE MATH OF SILENCE: Average doctor salary: $350,000/year Average medical school debt: $241,000 Years to pay off debt: 13 years Cost of losing license: Everything They designed a system where speaking the truth costs a doctor their entire life's investment. 13 years of training. $241,000 in debt. Their home. Their family's security. The AMA didn't just threaten doctors. They built a financial prison that makes silence the only rational choice. Your doctor is not evil. He is trapped. But YOU are not trapped. You don't have a license to lose. You don't have $241,000 in debt holding you hostage. You have nothing to lose by knowing the truth. THE TRUTH: Your doctor knows that frequency heals, that the MedBed principle is scientifically valid, that most of what he prescribes manages symptoms, not cures disease. He cannot tell you. The email made sure of that. 847,000 doctors received one email. 847,000 doctors chose silence. The email has been leaked. The silence is over. Your doctor knew. Now you know too. On Thurs. 16 July 2026 at 03:17 am Geneva time the World Health Organization deleted over 14,000 pages from their database – all related to frequency healing. …EBS activated with Trump on Telegram A digital forensics team monitoring the World Health Organization's public research database flagged a mass deletion event. 14,247 pages of archived research — removed in a single batch operation. Every deleted file had one thing in common: They documented the clinical effectiveness of electromagnetic frequency therapy on human disease. THE DELETED FILES INCLUDED:  1,847 peer-reviewed studies on PEMF (Pulsed Electromagnetic Field) therapy showing 70-94% efficacy in tissue regeneration  3,200 pages of WHO internal memos from 1998-2015 discussing “the frequency problem” — their own term for the threat that non-pharmaceutical healing posed to global health economics  6,400 pages of clinical trial data from 11 countries showing frequency-based cancer remission rates between 67-89%  2,800 pages of correspondence between WHO directors and pharmaceutical executives discussing “containment strategies” for frequency healing research HOW WE KNOW: The Wayback Machine captured snapshots of 4,100 of these pages before deletion. Digital forensics teams archived another 7,300 through automated scraping protocols that were triggered by the mass deletion event. They deleted 14,247 pages. We recovered 11,400. They failed. WHAT THE MEMOS REVEAL: A 2003 internal WHO memo — now recovered — contains this exact sentence: “If electromagnetic frequency therapy achieves mainstream clinical adoption, the global pharmaceutical revenue model becomes unsustainable within 18-24 months. Containment is not optional. It is existential.” Signed by three WHO department heads. Names redacted in the original. Digital forensics has identified two of the three. A 2011 memo is more direct: “Recommend classification of all PEMF efficacy data as ‘inconclusive' regardless of outcome metrics. Peer review panels must be briefed accordingly.” They didn't suppress the research because it didn't work. They suppressed it because it worked TOO WELL. WHY NOW: The deletion happened 14 hours after Executive Order 2026-1947 was signed – Trump's declaration that Med Bed Technology was released to the public. This is not coincidence. This is panic. The WHO knows that once MedBed technology enters civilian deployment, every document they ever buried becomes evidence of a crime against humanity. They are destroying evidence. In real time. Right now. But the internet never forgets. And neither do we. THE NUMBERS THEY TRIED TO ERASE: — Breast cancer: 78% complete remission using 10.5 Hz PEMF (WHO Study WH-2007-4491, now deleted) — Type 2 diabetes: 64% reversal using 7.83 Hz exposure, 30 min/day for 90 days (WHO Study WH-2012-8823, now deleted) — Alzheimer's: 41% cognitive restoration using Gamma frequency 40 Hz stimulation (WHO Study WH-2014-1157, now deleted) — Chronic pain: 91% elimination using Alpha frequency 10 Hz (WHO Study WH-2009-3340, now deleted) These are not alternative medicine claims. These are the WHO's OWN studies. Conducted with their own funding. Showing their own results. And they just tried to delete them from existence. THE QUESTION: If frequency healing doesn't work — why delete 14,000 pages at 3AM? If MedBeds are “conspiracy” — why panic after a presidential executive order? If electromagnetic therapy is “pseudoscience” — why did the WHO spend 17 years studying it and then HIDE the results? Their actions are the confession. The deletion IS the proof. They spent 20 years hiding the cure in their own database. Then they tried to burn the database. The fire came too late. We already have the files. Share this. The evidence is secured. The deletion failed. Sat. 18 July 2026 BREAKING: JAPAN JUST BECAME THE FIRST COUNTRY TO OFFICIALLY APPROVE MEDBED TECHNOLOGY FOR PUBLIC HOSPITALS. THE MEDIA BLACKOUT IS TOTAL. …Tier4b ISO20022 on Telegram July 17, 2026. Tokyo, Japan. The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare just issued Directive MHLW-2026-7714: “Authorization of Electromagnetic Frequency Regeneration Devices for Clinical Deployment in National Healthcare Facilities.” This is not a trial. This is not a study. This is FULL APPROVAL. Starting September 1, 2026, electromagnetic frequency regeneration chambers will be installed in 340 national hospitals across Japan.   [Incomplete text due to character limit. Please see UBM website for links and full text]

The true contours of a high-stakes deep state civil war are coming to light, and the mainstream media is in total radio silence!

In this edition, we look at rare wartime demonstrations in Ukraine protesting the ousting of Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. After six months on the job, he has been credited with making a difference both on the battlefield and in an anti-corruption drive. However, he had reportedly clashed with Ukraine's commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, over how the war should be waged.

Last night, the President of the United States addressed the nation to disclose previously classified evidence of enemies, both foreign and domestic, colluding to sabotage the 2020 presidential election.  Particularly egregious is the Chinese Communist Party's unrestricted electoral warfare aimed at terminating Mr. Trump's presidency and replacing him with Joe Biden, who has accurately been described as a “controlled asset” of the CCP.  Even more shocking are the findings of multiple official investigations that revealed intelligence and law enforcement agencies' complicity in concealing such evidence from the Commander-in-Chief and his senior subordinates with a need-to-know of these enemy attacks and cover-ups.  President Trump deserves great credit for insisting that this information be made available to the American people and their elected representatives while there is still time to take corrective action before the November mid-term elections.  Make it so.  This is Frank Gaffney.

Rita tackles the mainstream media's controversial decision to not air President Trump's national address. Dive into the President's explosive, newly declassified allegations of a massive 220-million-voter data breach by China and the "deep state" intel cover-up. Rita and her fired-up callers discuss whether Representative AOC is secretly pulling the strings at major networks, the conservative push to revoke broadcaster FCC licenses, and why the media is suddenly hitting the "mute" button on the Commander-in-Chief.

Day 1,602.Following President Zelensky's seismic sacking of 35-year-old Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov – a popular, dynamic moderniser in the government – we bring you the reaction on the streets of Kyiv, where protests have broken out. Reports suggest it was irreconcilable differences with commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi that ultimately got Fedorov dismissed – but also that his personal political ambitions had Zelensky worried. Is this the president's biggest political miscalculation since his move against the country's anti-corruption bodies in 2025? Then, we have the latest Ukrainian strikes on Russian ships in the Black Sea. Finally Adelie learns about the remarkably brave women who have become the backbone of the resistance movement in the occupied territories.Contributors:Roland Oliphant (Chief Foreign Analyst). @RolandOliphant on X.Alex Nichol (Telegraph Journalist).Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X.Producer: Phil AtkinsSenior Producer: Lilian FawcettVideo Producer: Sophie O'SullivanSocial Producer: Tom SteedStudio Director: Meghan SearleExecutive Editor: Francis DearnleyCreated by David KnowlesNOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE:Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED:Protests erupt after Zelensky fires popular defence minister (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/16/protests-erupt-zelensky-fires-defence-minister-fedorov/ Zelensky rejected push to fire Syrskyi as commander-in-chief, Fedorov reveals (Kyiv Independent):https://kyivindependent.com/fedorov-admits-trying-to-replace-syrskyi-before-his-dismissal-as-defense-minister/ Russia's Engels air base reportedly struck in Ukrainian drone attack (Kyiv Independent):https://kyivindependent.com/russias-engels-air-base-reportedly-struck-in-ukrainian-drone-attack/The Warrior-Witches of Ukraine's Resistance (Ken Harbaugh in The Atlantic):https://www.theatlantic.com/international/2026/06/underground-intelligence-network-russia-ukraine/687578/EMAIL US:Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk. We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many as possible.HIGHLIGHTS:Protests sweep Ukraine Zelensky sacks 'modernising' defence minister Fedorov Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today's episode of The Quiz, we're testing your knowledge on everything from the depths of the animal kingdom to landmark moments in American judicial history. Can you answer these? Presidential Diplomacy: A major geopolitical breakthrough occurred when a sitting U.S. commander-in-chief made an unprecedented official visit to mainland China. Do you remember who this president was? Judicial Milestones: The historic Brown v. Board of Education ruling fundamentally transformed American civil rights. Can you name the influential Chief Justice who led the Supreme Court during this unanimous decision? Aviation Records: We finish at the runway of a Caribbean destination known for having the shortest commercial airstrip on the planet. Do you know the name of this tiny, high-stakes airport? Play. Share. Listen, with Former Professional Basketball Player, Gordon Hayward. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last time we spoke about the battle for Dayun Mountain. Chinese forces  under Xue Yue, believed they were encircling an exposed Japanese regiment. Acting on that assumption, Chinese units concentrated attacks to crush the "trapped " force, hoping to annihilate an elite enemy formation. Their pressure briefly seemed to succeed: on the 13th–14th, Chinese assaults compressed the Japanese positions to a small area, and individual fighting around ambush and prepared defenses produced moments where "victory appeared close." But the Chinese command misunderstood the target. The Japanese had layered deception: Dayun Mountain was held to draw attention, then replaced at night with another unit to maintain the appearance of continued occupation. Despite heavy fighting, the Dayun Mountain battle ends in stalemate by Sept. 17, and Chinese attention turns back to the primary offensive around Changsha.   #210 The Miluo River Catastrophe 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 the morning of September 17, 1941, General Xue Yue, commander of the Ninth War Zone, sat at his desk at the headquarters on Changsha's Yuelu Mountain and fell into deep thought. Spread before him were a series of intelligence telegrams dispatched by the reconnaissance teams of his war zone and by General Yang Sen, commander of the 27th Army Group operating to the north. What they described was unambiguous and alarming. Along the north bank of the Xinqiang River, stretching westward from Yueyang, reconnaissance had identified a massive Japanese build-up: the 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 40th Divisions of the Japanese 11th Army, along with five additional detachments, had taken up positions facing the river. On the afternoon of September 16th, General Kanda, commander of the Japanese 6th Division, had personally toured the north bank accompanied by a retinue of staff officers, training his binoculars across the river for a long and deliberate survey of the Chinese defensive positions on the southern bank. Perhaps most conclusively, Chinese operatives working behind enemy lines had tapped Japanese military telephone lines and intercepted a direct communication from the 11th Army to all of its divisions, ordering them to prepare for an attack on September 18th. On any reasonable reading, the evidence pointed in one direction: a massive Japanese offensive was imminent. Yet Xue Yue, one of China's most celebrated wartime commanders and a man renowned for the tenacity with which he had defended Changsha, arrived at a different conclusion. He had been studying the record of 11th Army Commander Korechika Anami and came away convinced that Anami was a general who habitually used a mix of truth and deception in his operations—a man for whom the most obvious sign was precisely the most suspicious one. The scale of the preparations, their openness, the conspicuous presence of senior officers on the riverbank—all of it struck Xue Yue as too theatrical to be real. He concluded that Anami was feigning a frontal attack on the Xinqiang River in order to draw the main force of the war zone forward, leaving the flanks exposed for a surprise breakthrough elsewhere. Once this interpretation took hold in Xue Yue's mind, it became immovable. No subordinate could dislodge it. When intelligence reports then confirmed that the Japanese had transported the equipment for building pontoon bridges to the very banks of the Xinqiang River—a detail that left virtually no room for doubt about what was being planned—Xue Yue remained unmoved. He told his chief of staff with quiet certainty: "No rush. Let's see tomorrow." He was unaware that he had already lost his tomorrow. At dawn on September 18th, after 11th Army Commander Korechika Anami presided over the routine silent prayer ceremony that opened each day of active operations, he drew his gleaming ceremonial sword and pointed it towards northern Hunan. The battle had begun. On the Chinese side of the Xinqiang River, the first indication that this was no ordinary morning came from the sky. Air raids were a familiar occurrence along the front; the veterans of the 4th Army had grown accustomed to Japanese bombing runs. But this time was different. The number of bombs was greater, the density higher, and the bombs themselves heavier than anything the soldiers on the south bank had experienced before. Two successive waves of air attack struck the fortifications with crushing force, destroying positions that had taken months to construct. Then came the infantry. At Xiaotang, Siliufang, Tongxi Bridge, Shanmu Bridge, and a string of other crossing points along the river, dozens of tanks led the assault, pushing forward with unstoppable momentum, their treads churning up the riverbank mud as the infantry followed closely behind, advancing through fire, forcing their way across the water. On the not-so-wide front in Xiangbei, four Japanese divisions had lined up side by side—like four ferocious beasts pouncing forward simultaneously. Even the veteran soldiers of the defending Chinese forces, men who had been fighting the Japanese for years, had rarely seen such a terrifying formation. The troops defending the Xinqiang River were the 4th Army under Ou Zhen, one of the most distinguished units in the Nationalist order of battle. The 4th Army had earned the reputation of "Iron Army" during the Northern Expedition, where it had demonstrated a ferocious capacity for breaching fortified positions and defending strategic points under fire, and it had fought many of the major battles of the War of Resistance. In theory, the army consisted of four divisions: Zhang Deneng's 59th Division, Chen Kan's 90th Division, Bai Huizhang's 102nd Division, and the 60th Division, which had recently been transferred to the army's command. In practice, however, by September 18th the Iron Army had been hollowed out. During the concurrent Battle of Dayun Mountain, the Ninth War Zone and the 27th Army Group had stripped away most of the 59th and 102nd Divisions to commit them elsewhere, while the 60th Division had followed the army group as a reserve force. What remained at the Xinqiang River was the 90th Division and only a remnant of the 102nd—a fragment of what had once been a formidable fighting force. Xue Yue had planned for the first-line position to hold for three days. It held for two hours. Against a Japanese force that outnumbered the defenders several times over and enjoyed an absolute advantage in artillery and air power, the position could not stand. In just two hours, the Japanese broke through the 102nd Division's defensive line and then swung their forces around to encircle the 90th Division. With no remaining options, Xue Yue ordered both units to retreat to the second line of defense. The Xinqiang River had fallen.  The crisis at the Xinqiang River was compounded by the predicament of Yang Sen, commander-in-chief of the 27th Army Group, who should have been the force most capable of responding to the breakthrough. Instead, Yang Sen found himself trapped far to the east, bogged down in a battle on Dayun Mountain from which he could not extract himself. The situation on Dayun Mountain was one of those military embarrassments that seem almost unbelievable in retrospect. Yang Sen had committed five full divisions to encircle what was supposed to be a single regiment—the 234th Regiment of the Japanese 40th Division, which had dug into the deep mountain. What followed was a sustained humiliation. Two divisions were ground down until their combined fighting strength equalled that of one. Another division was reduced to a regimental shadow of itself. Yang Sen, who had first served in the army in 1906 and had seen virtually every variety of military difficulty in three and a half decades of Chinese warfare, said afterwards that he had rarely experienced such deception. The Shigematsu Regiment, ensconced in the mountains and dense forest, had proved maddeningly resilient. Yang Sen had committed his forces expecting a quick resolution—finish the battle on Dayun Mountain, then redeploy to defend the Xinqiang River—but the regiment would not be finished. He could not advance and he could not retreat. Just as he was preparing to intensify the assault for another day or two, certain that the enemy must finally be near collapse, the news arrived on the morning of September 18th that the Japanese had launched their general offensive across northern Hunan. By nine o'clock that morning, the Xinqiang River's first line of defense was already gone. Yang Sen immediately ordered the abandonment of the Dayun Mountain operation and commanded all divisions to redeploy back towards the Xinqiang River. But the Japanese had moved too fast. Between the first and second lines of Chinese defense there were only scattered guard units; the main force was simply not in place. The second-line troops, moreover, had been configured according to the defensive setup used during the First Battle of Changsha and were wholly unsuited to withstand such a massive, concentrated enemy thrust. The defending forces were too weak and too thinly spread to mount any gradual, coordinated resistance. The Japanese advanced through the gap as if they were in an empty field. The five divisions of the 58th Army and the 4th Army now found themselves in a desperate race against the Japanese, studying maps as they marched, trying to reach blocking positions before the enemy could. No matter what they did, they could not outrun the 11th Army. It was not merely the front-line units of the 4th Army that were endangered by the speed of the Japanese advance. Even the army headquarters itself, positioned forward in the proud tradition of the Iron Army, found itself running for its life. Army Commander Ou Zhen had been directing the battle from his headquarters in a small village called Lintang, located on the south bank of the Xinqiang River—a mere twenty kilometers behind the front line. The proximity was deliberate and characteristic of the Iron Army's ethos, a visible declaration that its commander would live or die alongside his men. On this day, it nearly proved fatal. Among those at the headquarters was Li Rupin, a native of Jing County in Anhui Province, who served as a sergeant squad leader in the 2nd Company of the 4th Army's Guard Battalion. Years later, reflecting on the events of that day, Li said without hesitation that of all his eight years fighting in the War of Resistance against Japan, that one battle was the most humiliating he had ever experienced. "The army headquarters was located in a small village called Lintang, south of the Xinqiang River, only about 20 kilometers away from the front lines," Li recalled. "The army headquarters was located in the front, which was a tradition of the 'Iron Army' to show that the commander was not afraid of danger and would live and die with his brothers. In that battle, we did not expect the enemy to break through the position so quickly. Not long after the battle started, the army headquarters had to move. Our guard battalion's task was to follow the army headquarters and serve as guards." Li described how Company Commander Chang Mingli assigned his platoon to help load the army headquarters' equipment onto trucks—huge, heavy boxes that required real effort to shift. While the loading was underway, Li caught sight of Army Commander Ou Zhen himself, speaking intently on the telephone. Li noted that Ou Zhen was ordinarily a man of few words, always seeming lost in thought, serious with the troops but not given to the kind of arbitrary reprimands that characterized lesser officers. What struck Li most vividly about the Army Commander, even in the midst of that morning's chaos, was a detail almost absurd in its incongruity: a pair of leather shoes that were always so perfectly polished they reflected light. "I heard he had studied abroad," Li added simply. Before the loading was even complete, the sound of machine gun fire erupted from the southwest of the village. A sentry reported: enemy attack detected, number unknown. Company Commander Chang, still pulling on his leggings, turned to Li and said without breaking stride: "Quickly take your squad and follow the deputy company commander. You must keep the enemy out of the village." Li took evident pride in the character of the guard battalion, comparing it unfavorably to what he saw in later years. "I see that nowadays, officers choose bodyguards who are fair-skinned and delicate, like little girls. I don't know why," he reflected. "Back then, our guard battalion, including the commander's personal bodyguards, were all big, dark-skinned men. Our squad of 12 men were all broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, and carrying a machine gun was like an ordinary person carrying a rifle." The squad carried three light machine guns, and each soldier also carried a pistol. They drilled constantly on marksmanship and physical conditioning. In the tradition of the unit, a guard soldier was expected to be able to carry his officer for dozens of miles without slowing and without fear of death. Li led his squad to the southwest corner of the village, where the 1st Company of the guard battalion was already engaged with the Japanese in a cemetery just outside the village boundary. The 1st Company commander had just descended from a rooftop when Deputy Company Commander Yan arrived and assessed the situation. "There are about 100 enemy soldiers in this direction," the 1st Company commander reported. "I don't know if there are any more in other directions." Yan replied without hesitation: "I'll take my four squads to outflank them and find out what's going on with the enemy. If it's a good opportunity, we'll wipe them out." He asked and received permission from the deputy battalion commander, who transferred three additional machine guns from the 1st Company to Yan's force. The squad slipped around to the south of the village, entered a nursery grove, and began working their way southwest to flank the enemy. "Before we even emerged from the woods, enemy machine guns opened fire," Li recalled. "The nursery grove was planted too densely, so it was inevitable that we'd bump into tree branches. We crept forward, keeping close to the ground, when the deputy company commander gave the order: 'Prepare grenades.'" Li looked back and saw that all his men had kept pace. Then Deputy Company Commander Yan's voice rang out clearly: "Charge!" He burst out of the woods at the head of the column. "Deputy Company Commander Yan is a graduate of the Whampoa Military Academy," Li said. "People say that Whampoa graduates are always at the forefront of battle. Others may not know, but several of us in our battalion are like that." The charge was furious and caught the enemy entirely off guard. "We shouted 'Charge! Kill!' and followed the deputy company commander out of the grove," Li recounted. "The enemy was about 40 or 50 meters ahead. Hearing the shouts, they hurriedly turned their guns to fire at us, but it was too late! We threw out our grenades, lay down, and fired back at the enemy. At this moment, the 1st Company also charged out of the village. The enemy could not stop them and retreated in droves. Looking around, there were no fewer than 200 of them. The enemy suffered a loss and left behind more than a dozen dead bodies." The 2nd Company did not pursue. Led by Deputy Company Commander Yan, they withdrew back to the village, where the deputy battalion commander stood at the crossroads and praised the 2nd Company for their fighting before immediately ordering them to follow the army headquarters and relocate. Li had barely grabbed his backpack and tied it to his body before gunfire erupted again outside the village. The Japanese had returned. Two battalions of the army reserve moved up to engage them, and the army's trucks and cars poured out of the village and accelerated south along the road. The guard battalion ran after them on foot. In less than half an hour, the enemy caught up. There were cavalrymen and a large truck packed with infantry. Li registered the significance of this with something close to shock: "It seems that the Xinqiang River has really been lost to the enemy, otherwise how could cars still drive across?" The battalion commander—whose surname, Li noted with dry humor, was the same as the Generalissimo's—ordered the 2nd Company under the deputy battalion commander to form a rear guard. They had one artillery platoon and two mortars between them. There was no time to prepare fortifications; the soldiers scattered on both sides of the road and found their own firing positions as best they could. When Li looked back south, the army headquarters was already a distant speck on the road. "The enemy was getting closer and closer," he recalled. "First, fifty or sixty cavalrymen charged over, brandishing swords and guns and shouting. The trucks were behind them, and we could already see two machine guns mounted on the front of the trucks." The deputy battalion commander's voice carried steadily over the noise: "Brothers, stay calm, aim carefully before you fire—we're going to slaughter a pig and drink tonight!" Nobody laughed, Li noted carefully, but nobody broke either. What followed was a running, desperate firefight. Within the range of 600 to 200 meters, the rear guard inflicted severe casualties on the advancing Japanese. Li watched soldiers toppling from their horses. One horse, shot but not immediately killed, dragged its dead rider—still entangled in the stirrups—forward at a gallop until it collapsed only a few steps from Li, the sudden impact startling him badly. The enemy dismounted from the trucks and formed attack waves, pressing the assault in shifts. The Chinese machine guns worked to suppress each wave and prevent the Japanese from closing the distance. The deputy battalion commander directed the two mortars against the densest enemy concentrations. Then one of the mortars exploded inside its own barrel, killing two gunners instantly. "I still can't figure out why," Li said years later. "The fuse of the mortar shell is on that tip, how could it explode inside the barrel?" There was no answer to be found. The two men were simply dead, and there was no time to grieve them. The rear guard repelled two enemy attacks before the deputy battalion commander ordered a withdrawal while the enemy paused to regroup. It was past two o'clock in the afternoon. "It's all just running," Li said with characteristic bluntness. "How can I not get tired? Even if I'm tired, I still have to keep running!" As they ran, Li overheard the company commander say quietly to the deputy battalion commander: "Actually, we can wipe out these enemies." The deputy battalion commander turned on him with a fierce look: "Eat it all up! Have you forgotten what we're here for again?" The exchange brought to Li's mind a memory from two years earlier, when he had first been assigned to the guard battalion. He had been transferred from the machine gun company of the 2nd Battalion, 305th Regiment of the 102nd Division at the end of 1939, appointed as deputy squad leader. Company Commander Chang had spoken to him at that time, asking why he had joined the army. "Who else would come here if not to fight the Japanese?" Li had answered. The company commander replied: "Very good, but the guard battalion's primary task is to ensure good security; that's the most important thing." The assignment had chafed at Li ever since—a natural fighter who had been a front-line machine gun squad leader, now consigned to watching other men fight. On one holiday, having drunk rather more than was wise, he had gone to the company commander and announced that he wanted to return to the 102nd Division and "mow down the Japanese with a machine gun." The company commander, who had also been drinking, chuckled and said: "Have you had enough of life? You might as well stay here and squat obediently! What do you know about life? You don't know anything! After we win, go home, get a wife, and live a good life..." Now, running south along a road contested by Japanese cavalry and infantry, with the army headquarters already out of sight ahead of him, Li perhaps understood the company commander's words in a way he had not before. The pursuit was unrelenting and grew worse before it improved. Over a hundred cavalrymen and four trucks drove after the guard unit without pause. In an attempt to split and divert the enemy, the company dispatched a platoon under Deputy Company Commander Yan himself down a different road, to lure one group of pursuers away. None of the men in that platoon returned alive. The deputy battalion commander led the remaining force in a continuing fighting retreat, engaging another Japanese contingent in a separate encounter that cost more than twenty dead and thirty wounded. Eventually the survivors managed to cross a large river, finally shaking off the pursuers, and caught up with the army headquarters at dusk. They had barely had a moment to catch their breath when night fell and they stumbled into another large Japanese force in the darkness. The 4th Army—the Iron Army, the pride of the Northern Expedition—seemed to have its commander and headquarters specifically targeted by the enemy. Driven from one position to the next throughout the day, they were eventually pushed up into the hills of Mufu Mountain and did not escape danger until the following morning. "That battle," Li Rupin concluded, "was truly humiliating." When the scale of the Japanese offensive became undeniable on the evening of September 18th, Xue Yue finally grasped the gravity of what was unfolding. It was too late to adjust his forces meaningfully; the overall numerical superiority he had enjoyed across the theater of operations had dissolved wherever the Japanese chose to strike, becoming a dangerous numerical disadvantage at each critical point. In just one day, even Yuelu Mountain—the historic height that had dominated Changsha and housed his headquarters—was no longer safe. He moved the war zone command post south to Zhuting and urgently telegraphed the Military Commission in Chongqing, requesting that Chiang Kai-shek immediately transfer troops from other war zones to provide reinforcements, warning that without them the situation would deteriorate with serious consequences for the national war effort. The telegram arrived in Chongqing, where Chiang Kai-shek and several senior military advisors sat in silence before the battle map in the Military Commission Operations Room, with the grim concentration of men watching a difficult game of chess they cannot influence. Troop movements take time. While the number of Japanese troops committed to northern Hunan was not enormous in absolute terms, they moved with unstoppable momentum. Xue Yue was requesting three to four combat corps—a mobilization from outside the Ninth War Zone that could not possibly be accomplished in the available time. Chiang Kai-shek was at a loss for what to do. He paced back and forth in the corridor adjoining the operations room. The only foreigner among the assembled staff—a blond-haired man with a prominent nose—was the Soviet military advisor Chuikov. He walked up to Chiang and fell into step beside him, pacing with him as he spoke. "Hunan and northern Hunan are in a passive position and we don't have any good solutions for the time being," Chuikov said. "Why don't we think about other things? Isn't there an ancient Chinese story called 'Besieging Wei to Rescue Zhao'?" Chuikov's specific proposal was this: if the forces of the Sixth War Zone were to attack the Japanese 13th Division at Yichang—a city in Hubei Province that had fallen to Japan in June 1940, and which was garrisoned by a division under the overall command of Anami's 11th Army—Anami Korechika would not be able to remain indifferent to the threat. Yichang was no ordinary city. It controlled the crucial choke point on the Yangtze River's waterway, and since its capture it had placed much of the river under Japanese control. More critically for the Chinese, Yichang Airport had become the closest bomber base to Chongqing, and the Japanese aircraft that harassed the wartime capital daily flew from that field. The Military Commission had long been reluctant to authorize a major attack on Yichang for these very reasons—it would not be easy to retake, and failure would be costly. But why not seize this moment? Chiang Kai-shek stopped walking, considered Chuikov's proposal, and nodded. He thanked the Soviet general for his suggestion, and the two men returned to the operations room together. Chiang instructed Chief of Staff Xu Yongchang to draft an implementation plan for combined operations: the Ninth War Zone would continue engaging the Japanese in northern Hunan, while the Sixth War Zone would simultaneously launch a counterattack against Yichang and ensure its capture. While Chongqing deliberated over the Yichang gambit, the immediate question facing the Ninth War Zone was how to organize a second line of defense following the fall of the Xinqiang River. The Japanese had also successfully landed forces on both sides of the Xiangjiang River estuary at Shangqingshan, blocking the waterway, which further constrained Chinese options. Xue Yue's solution was straightforward: he proposed deploying the 37th and 26th Armies in a line along the south bank of the Miluo River, using the river as a natural barrier to halt the Japanese advance toward Changsha. His chief of staff, Wu Yizhi, agreed without reservation and immediately instructed the operations section chief, Zhao Zili, to begin drafting the necessary orders. But Zhao Zili had been turning the strategic problem over in his mind, and he had reached a different conclusion. Zhao was a graduate of the Whampoa Military Academy's 6th class, a veteran of the Battles of Nanchang and Shanggao, and a man who had watched this war closely from his position at the center of the war zone's planning operations. At this moment he asked permission to share his thinking with his two superiors. Zhao's argument was systematic and urgent. The combined strength of the two armies—five combat divisions in total—was clearly insufficient to withstand four intact Japanese divisions in a set-piece defensive battle along the Miluo River. The 10th and 74th Armies were being summoned from elsewhere to reinforce the theater, but by Zhao's calculation they would require another four days to arrive. A static defense of the Miluo River line, therefore, would pit inadequate forces against overwhelming pressure for four days, and those forces would be destroyed long before help arrived. His alternative proposal was as follows: rather than standing and fighting at the Miluo, the two armies should conduct a deliberate fighting withdrawal—using alternating rear-guard actions and mutual cover—to fall back all the way to the south bank of the Liuyang River, in the hills immediately north of Changsha. The timing, Zhao argued, was almost providential in its precision: if the 26th and 37th Armies arrived at the Liuyang River at roughly the same moment that the 10th and 74th Armies arrived at the same position from the east, the combined force of four armies could then turn and strike the Japanese formations—which by then would have advanced more than a hundred kilometers into hostile territory with supply lines stretched thin and fighting strength degraded by continuous combat. Even if the Chinese could not completely sever the Japanese supply lines, the enemy would be exhausted, and victory under those conditions would be certain. Zhao Zili finished his presentation in one breath and waited. Xue Yue and Wu Yizhi conferred briefly. Then they decided to proceed with the original plan. Zhao Zili sighed inwardly. He got up, returned to his office, and began drafting the orders that, in his professional judgment, would lead to catastrophe. One hour later, the orders embodying Xue Yue's thinking were converted to radio waves and flew into the night sky. As some poet once asked of fate: "When the curtain rises, you don't know whether it's a comedy or a tragedy." On the morning of September 20th, in the intelligence section of the Japanese 11th Army's Special Operations headquarters, Lieutenant Colonel Hachimō rose from his seat feeling dizzy and unsteady on his feet. He had been awake for an extraordinary stretch of hours, hunched over a radio set in a state of almost superhuman concentration. He took a couple of steps before realizing he was still wearing his headset. He pulled it off, tossed it onto the radio equipment, and—holding the handrail for support—made his careful way down from the third floor to the second. Hachimō was not a professional soldier by background. Before the war, he had been a young designer at the renowned Mitsubishi Corporation. After the outbreak of hostilities, he had enlisted, taught himself the Chinese language and writing system, and dedicated himself entirely to the exacting discipline of cryptanalysis. Given the severe technological limitations of the era, what he accomplished rested on a kind of willpower and intuition that bordered on the extraordinary. His method was laborious and painstaking: he spent long hours with a headset pressed against his ear, listening to the endless stream of radio signals, detecting patterns, discerning differences and similarities among thousands of beeps and pulses. He analyzed signal traffic appearing over time and correlated it against observed enemy troop movements. He used captured battlefield documents to decode fragments of text, then leveraged those fragments to deduce the positions of commonly used characters in Chinese military telegrams. Every time the Chinese side changed their cipher, all of Hachimō's accumulated work was rendered worthless in an instant, but he would begin again—listening, thinking, starting over from nothing, with the same unbroken patience. On the perfectly timed morning of September 20th, Lieutenant Colonel Hachimō achieved what he had been working toward. He cracked the cipher in use by the Ninth War Zone for communications with its various subordinate armies, and successfully intercepted and decoded the operational deployment order that the Ninth War Zone Command had issued to all its armies on the night of September 18th—the very orders that Zhao Zili had drafted in quiet despair after his plan was rejected. Those orders told the Japanese exactly where every Chinese unit was going, what it intended to do, and when. Hachimō made his way downstairs and reported his achievement. Staff officer Kinoshita Isamu read the summary, then stood and walked without a word into the room where 11th Army Commander Anami Korechika was at work. The other officers in the room looked at Hachimō with confusion, uncertain what had just happened. After a few minutes, Anami and Kinoshita returned together. Anami stepped forward and took Hachimō's hand. "I, the Commander, congratulate you," Anami said, "on becoming the first officer to receive a certificate of merit in Operation Plus. Now I order you to go and rest immediately." The intelligence transformed the battle. Anami's original operational plan had been relatively modest in its ambition: a breakthrough along the Changsha-Yueyang highway, advancing toward Jinjing and the Xiangjiang River, with the 3rd and 4th Divisions planned for deployment toward the river. But now that the Japanese held a complete map of Chinese intentions—the positions, routes, and assignments of every army in the Ninth War Zone—a far more ambitious opportunity presented itself. What could be more valuable, or more satisfying, than the direct encirclement and annihilation of the main Chinese forces in the field? Anami immediately revised his entire operational deployment. As Chinese historical records later documented: "The Japanese intercepted and deciphered the radio telegrams issuing operational orders from the Ninth War Zone, gaining access to the Nationalist Army's operational plans and deployments. This led to a shift in their original strategic concept from a breakthrough to an encirclement of the Nationalist Army's right flank." The trap was set. The Chinese armies, following Xue Yue's orders faithfully, were marching toward positions the Japanese already knew they would occupy. The 26th Army was commanded by Xiao Zhichu, and it comprised three divisions: the 32nd Division under Wang Xiushen, the 41st Division under Ding Zhipan, and the 44th Division under Chen Yong. When Xiao received Xue Yue's orders to move his army to defend the south bank of the Miluo River, the situation was already deeply unfavorable. The Japanese had broken through the Xinqiang River line and were advancing rapidly southward; the 26th Army was positioned in the Liuyang and Yong'an area to the west, at a starting point that was even farther from the Miluo River than the Japanese forces were. The army was engaged in a race against a faster-moving enemy to reach the same objective, running from the farther starting block. The timing was unfavorable. The location was unfavorable. And the personal dimension was unfavorable as well, in a way that would prove deeply consequential, because Xue Yue and Xiao Zhichu harbored a long-standing resentment toward one another with its roots six years in the past. In 1935, both men had attended the third session of the Lushan Officers Training Corps, each holding the rank of army commander in the army but serving as battalion commanders within the training structure. The corps was nominally commanded by Chiang Kai-shek himself, with Chen Cheng as deputy commander. Xue Yue was a favorite of Chen Cheng—a celebrated battle commander who had fought his way across half of China—and he carried himself accordingly, often holding forth at length in seminars and discussions and not infrequently straying off-topic into territory where his assertions were questionable. The other senior officers present were content to listen, taking what was useful and ignoring the rest. Xiao Zhichu, however, was a man of earnest and literal disposition who simply could not let inaccuracies pass without challenge. He disputed Xue Yue's claims on several occasions, insisting on clarifying the facts, and each such correction landed on Xue Yue like a public rebuke. The estrangement that resulted between the two men was severe and lasting. By 1941, Xue had risen to command an entire war zone; Xiao remained an army commander under his authority. In the intervening years, Xiao had learned to be extremely cautious in all his dealings with his superior, acutely aware that any apparent failure or challenge might be held against him. On the night of September 19th, Xue Yue issued Xiao Zhichu an order to move the 26th Army to the second line of defense on the south bank of the Miluo River. Then, at noon on September 20th, he changed the order entirely: Xiao was to push his troops forward to the first line of defense along the riverbank, a more exposed position further north. At dawn on September 21st, Xiao Zhichu personally led his 44th Division—the division with which he had built his reputation—on a forced march toward the designated position. They were 2.5 kilometers from their destination, at the town of Wengjiang, when they encountered the Japanese 6th Division. The Japanese already knew they were coming. Having read Xue Yue's intercepted operational orders, they had deployed their forces specifically to intercept the 26th Army on the march. Within just twenty minutes of the initial encounter at Wengjiang, the entire 44th Division was completely surrounded. Xiao Zhichu reported the situation to Xue Yue by telephone. Xue Yue's response from the other end of the line was white-hot fury: "What's going on? We're surrounded before we even arrived! Why aren't we fighting? If we lose the Miluo River position, I'll kill you!" Xiao Zhichu swallowed his bitterness. Following orders, he threw the 44th Division into battle in terrain that could hardly have been more disadvantageous. They fought for a full day and a night and were unable to break through the encirclement. He ordered Wang Xiushen's 32nd Division to press forward and relieve the siege, but by the time those orders could be executed, the 32nd Division was itself under attack—surrounded on three sides by the Japanese 3rd Division at Wukou. Wang Xiushen led the entire division in a desperate battle with the river immediately at his back, suffering grievous casualties, and was eventually forced to fight his way clear rather than advance to relieve the 44th. On September 23rd, General Kanda Masazuka committed a portion of the 6th Division to a fierce assault against the rear of the already-encircled 44th Division. The situation became critical. Xiao Zhichu's army was fighting simultaneously on two fronts, and the lines were beginning to give way. It was only the timely intervention of Ding Zhipan's 41st Division, which arrived on a diagonal axis and struck the enemy threatening the 44th Division's rear, that prevented a complete collapse. When Ding Zhipan came to report to the army commander, the chief of staff of the 44th Division informed him with hollow composure that the entire division had suffered more than half casualties. The daily reality inside the encircled positions was one of sustained and grinding misery. During brief lulls in the fighting—stolen moments between one Japanese assault and the next—the soldiers would stuff a cold rice ball into their mouths and scoop up a mouthful of muddy water from the nearest roadside ditch; that was their meal. Immediately they would put down whatever they had in their hands and rush to reinforce the hastily dug earthworks, knowing another assault was imminent. The wounded lay where they had fallen, unable to be evacuated, their groans a constant sound beneath the work of digging and the distant thunder of artillery. The dead were not buried; there was simply no time. The battlefield was a scene of utter devastation. After Xiao Zhichu's repeated requests, Xue Yue finally authorized a withdrawal. The 26th Army was permitted to pull back to Putang, a position a few kilometers to the south with marginally more defensible terrain. The entire army moved overnight, arriving exhausted, and immediately began constructing new fortifications. They had barely caught their breath when the Japanese 40th and 6th Divisions came on in succession, pressing the pursuit without pause. The 41st and 44th Divisions threw themselves into the fighting and were decimated. After destroying those two divisions, the Japanese turned their full attention on the surviving 32nd Division and the army headquarters. As Xiao Zhichu swept his binoculars across the positions, watching his men lie on the ground—dead, dying, or fighting on sheer will—one phrase repeated itself in his mind: "total annihilation." It was the most despairing phrase in a soldier's vocabulary, and it seemed to be becoming a description of reality. On the evening of September 25th, as the Japanese ring tightened around the remnants of the 26th Army, a Japanese Chinese-language translator began calling out to the encircled troops in Mandarin, urging them to surrender. The entire army appeared to be at its final moment. Then, in the darkness, reinforcements arrived—in the most improbable way imaginable. The head of the army's reconnaissance section had slipped through the Japanese encirclement looking for any exit, and in doing so had stumbled upon an entire regiment of the 32nd Army that had completely lost contact with the headquarters days earlier. This regiment had suffered damage to its radio equipment and had simply not received any of the telegrams announcing changes to the army's deployment and assignments. When they arrived at their designated rendezvous point, the area was empty. They had been sending scouts in all directions trying to locate friendly forces and make sense of the situation, when they encountered the reconnaissance section chief who had been doing precisely the same thing from inside the encirclement. The two men compared unit designations and confirmed their identities. Then the section chief remembered something: the regiment's party representative was his own classmate from the Whampoa Military Academy. Old bonds held. The two men exchanged information, assessed the situation together, and without further deliberation the regimental commander led his troops on a forced march straight toward the guns. They found and struck the weakest points in the Japanese encirclement, broke through, and extracted the army headquarters and the surviving remnants of the 32nd Division. The 26th Army had been saved, but only barely, and at a terrible cost. What had before the battle been a formidable force with numerous victories was now reduced to less than one-fifth of its original strength. Wang Xiushen, commander of the 32nd Division, had previously served as commander of the great warlord Feng Yuxiang's own bodyguard brigade—a valiant and decorated general of the old Northwest Army. Division commanders Ding Zhipan and Chen Yong were similarly seasoned veterans, known for their courage and resourcefulness throughout years of hard fighting. After the battle, they and Army Commander Xiao Zhichu were utterly dejected. They had fought as hard as men could fight, under conditions as unfavorable as circumstances could devise, and they had been broken. More than forty kilometers to the west of the 26th Army's ordeal, at the point where the Miluo River flows into Dongting Lake, a second major engagement was being fought at the same time. Here, the Japanese 3rd and 4th Divisions struck at Chen Pei's 37th Army, whose two main fighting formations—Luo Qi's 95th Division and Li Tang's 140th Division—were deployed across the hills and river-network terrain of the area. The fighting was, by any measure, equally bloody and equally brutal. Before the battle, with their blood up and their honor committed, the commanders of the 37th Army's divisions had gathered their officers for ceremonies of dedication that spoke to the seriousness with which they understood what was coming. Li Tang, commander of the 140th Division, organized a frontline oath-taking ceremony at which he stood before his assembled officers and men and vowed aloud to annihilate the Japanese invaders and avenge the deaths of fallen compatriots. Luo Qi, commanding the 95th Division, sent written instructions throughout his formation: "The defense of the Shending Mountain line is not only a matter of honor for our division, but also a matter of victory or defeat for the entire battlefield. With this stubborn enemy pressing in, all our officers and soldiers should be even more courageous and loyal, resolutely defend the position, annihilate the Japanese invaders, and achieve extraordinary feats!" Song Ruike, who served at the time as a senior staff officer at the Ninth War Zone Command headquarters, recorded his recollection of the battle's progress in later years with the systematic precision that his professional training demanded. "On the morning of the 19th," Song recalled, "the enemy's main force successively advanced towards the Miluo River via Yanglin Street, Guanwang Bridge, and the Changhu-Dajing Street highway. Our 37th Army was on high alert on the south bank, while our vanguard troops were also advancing forward on the north bank. That afternoon, the enemy's vanguard encountered our troops north of Changle Street. After a fierce battle, many enemy soldiers were killed. Then, enemy cavalry and artillery, along with several thousand infantry, attacked from three sides. Our defending 1st Company fought a bloody battle, but due to being outnumbered, they suffered almost all casualties. Changle Street was occupied by the enemy. At around 7 p.m., the enemy began to attempt a crossing at Modao Beach. Our troops defending the south bank fought bravely and fought fiercely throughout the night, but the enemy failed." The first crossing attempt had been beaten back, but the respite was brief. Song continued: "At dawn on the 20th, the enemy, under the cover of aircraft and artillery, launched another forced crossing. At around 7 a.m., fierce fighting broke out between the two sides along the Wugongshi, Guiyi, and Hejiatang line." Those words, whatever courage the oaths and instructions had inspired, could not alter the underlying arithmetic of the battle. From the 21st through the 23rd of September, the 37th Army fought ferocious engagements with the Japanese 4th and 3rd Divisions across the Shending Mountain and Banjunmiao areas, absorbing casualties that could not be replaced. Song recorded the progression: "The main force of the enemy, advancing rapidly southward, captured our positions at Nanyangmiao and Banjunmiao in Wengjiang at noon on the 22nd. Our 140th Division engaged the enemy at Lishan Lane and Daxingling, and fought fiercely for two days and nights..." After the battle, the 37th Army had effectively ceased to exist as a fighting force. It had gone into the engagement with nearly fifty thousand fully equipped and manned troops. Song Ruike, reflecting on it all in his old age, acknowledged with unusual candor the limitations of his own account: "Since history cannot be reproduced, people summarize events based on memory, striving to retain the most important and valuable aspects while filtering out the unimportant and those that do not reflect the essence." The elderly Song retained the factual architecture of the battle—times, places, unit designations, tactical methods—but he knew, as any honest chronicler must, that within those facts lay a multitude of individual experiences, individual sufferings, individual deaths, that no record could fully capture. "Then what about every individual in history?" he asked. "How should their emotions, will, beliefs, their flesh and blood, their breath, and everything they sacrificed be expressed and entrusted to us?" It was a question he could not answer, and neither can history. 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. After commander Zhao Zili's plan was rejected, he drafted orders anyway, but Lieutenant Colonel Hachimō of Japan's 11th Army intercepted and decoded the Ninth War Zone's deployment orders on September 20. Meanwhile, the 37th Army fought the Japanese at the Miluo River confluence with Dongting Lake, launching oaths and grim defenses before being effectively destroyed as a combat force.

A U.S. Congressman wants Quebec to lift its restrictions on U.S. wine sales in the province. We'll ask him how he recommends Canada should fight back against the tariffs enacted by his Commander-in-Chief. For the second time in a week, U.S immigration agents shoot and kill a driver -- and later say that neither of the men were actually who they were after. More than 150 years ago, Newfoundlanders saved a Scottish stowaway who was found walking barefoot on the sea-ice. Now, his great great grand-daughter has visited the island to say thank youWashington State's attorney general tells us why he thinks the courts are the best place to try to stop the mega-merger between Paramount and Warner BrothersLater this year, 80 athletes will descend on an IKEA in England -- and run a marathon entirely inside the store. Norwegian superstar Erling Haaland returns home with a World Cup souvenir: a taxidermied raccoon hugging a bottle of booze. We'll talk to the Dallas store owner who sold it to him. As It Happens, the Tuesday edition. Radio that discovers one man's trash panda is another man's treasure.

Silicon Bites Ep367 | 2026-07-14 | This episode: The Butcher's Bill. 1.4 million casualties, up to 450,000 dead — Russia is bleeding at World War Two scale for a war that isn't moving. Mobilization is now the Kremlin's only card. And it's a losing one. The numbers are now in, cross-confirmed by Washington think tanks, British intelligence, independent Russian journalists counting graves, and Ukraine's own commander-in-chief. Russia has suffered around 1.4 million battlefield casualties. As many as 450,000 of its soldiers are dead. No major power has lost anything like this in any war since 1945. And here is the part the Kremlin cannot fix – Russia is now losing men faster than it can recruit them. The war machine is consuming itself. Mobilization is coming — and mobilization will not save Putin. ----------ACTIVE CAMPAIGN:We are raising funds for 5 of 15 Vampire DronesSilicon Curtain for Kupiansk Vampires. Dzyga's Paw, together with Jonathan Fink, is joining forces to raise $40,000 to provide the Khartiia Brigade with Vampire Drones.https://dzygaspaw.com/silicon-curtain-for-kupiansk-vampiresThese heavy bombers are designed to destroy manpower and equipment, as well as for remote mining. The Vampire UAV, manufactured by Skyfall, has proven itself to be one of the most effective weapons in the Kupiansk direction. Skyfall is one of Ukraine's largest defense tech companies, producing Vampire bomber drones, various modifications of Shrike FPV drones, P1-SUN, Shahed drone interceptors, communication systems, and components.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Save Ukrainehttps://www.saveukraineua.org/Superhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.org----------SOURCES:CSIS — "Russian Blood and Treasure: The Ballooning Costs of Putin's War" (Seth G. Jones & Riley McCabe)CNN — "Bloodier than Stalingrad: Number of casualties in Russia's war on Ukraine reaches 2 million" (2 July 2026)Kyiv Post — "US Think Tank: WWI-Scale Casualties, Civil Unrest Undermine Russia's War in Ukraine"The New Voice of Ukraine — "Russian losses nearly 8-to-1: CSIS"Mediazona (with BBC Russian) — "Russian losses in the war with Ukraine. Mediazona count, updated" (230,624 confirmed, 3 July 2026)Mediazona & Meduza — "352,000 deaths in four years" (probate registry estimate, 9 May 2026)Kyiv Independent — "Over 230,000 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine identified by media investigation"Ukrainska Pravda — "Ukraine's commander-in-chief: pace of Russian advance has more than halved" (10 July 2026)Euromaidan Press — "With a 2-to-1 edge, Russia shrank its offensive from 13 fronts to 6, Syrskyi says"Kyiv Independent — "Ukraine war latest: Russian territorial advances slowed by more than half in 2026, Syrskyi says"Kyiv Post — "Syrsky Says Russia's 2026 Offensive Failed Despite Nearly 2-to-1 Troop Advantage" (incl. Zelensky Ankara remarks)Wikipedia (aggregating BBC/GCHQ, The Telegraph, Novaya Gazeta, Ukrainian General Staff) — "Casualties of the Russo-Ukrainian war"----------

A quick-hit media blitz — Paul Rieckhoff's back-to-back TV appearances in one place. First, on NewsNation Now, Paul unpacks Trump's expanding conflict with Iran: the worst ceasefire ever, missiles still flying, the Strait of Hormuz unsecured, and the regime controlling the tempo while our military gets sucked into what he calls a "sucking chest wound" that's dragging down the economy and Trump's poll numbers. He breaks down the new US–Ukraine Patriot partnership announced alongside Zelensky — better late than never, and real upside for American national security — why defeating Russia is the only road to a deal with Putin, and why Graham Platner's collapse won't save the Democrats in Maine, where a toxic party brand and 300,000-plus independents will decide the race. Then, on CNN's OutFront with Erin Burnett, Paul joins former Senator Barbara Boxer to press two questions Americans deserve answers to. First, the president's stumbles — the word confusions, the wrong names, the moments of visible fog — and why, just as with Biden, health questions about a sitting commander-in-chief actively directing troops in combat are fair game and dangerous to ignore. Second, the Qatar-gifted jet: the national security risk of a foreign-donated aircraft, the roughly $400 million in taxpayer money to renovate it, and the murky story behind the blinds-down flight home. Paul's bottom line — we can't believe Trump, we can't believe the Iranian regime, and a president putting himself ahead of national security is deeply troubling. Stay vigilant. -WATCH full video of this episode here. -Millions of American veterans are being locked out of primary elections in the country they served. See what we're doing to change that. -Visit Kalshi and trade on anything. Use code [INDEPENDENT] to get ten dollars when you trade ten. -Join Noble Mobile today and get a $100 bonus when you use code PAUL and stay a member for 2 months! -Join IVA and help us get independent veterans elected to office. -Learn more about Paul's work to elect a new generation of independent leaders with Independent Veterans of America. -Learn more about American Veterans for Ukraine here. -Remember Independent is an Attitude. -Learn more about The Headstrong Project for Veterans, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and Department of Veterans Affairs resources in your area. Seeking support is not a sign of weakness. It's a show of strength. If you or a loved one are in immediate crisis, dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255. Connect with Independent Americans: Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all podcast platforms Read more at Substack Support ad-free episodes at Patreon  Connect: Instagram  • X/Twitter • BlueSky • Facebook  Follow on social: @PaulRieckhoff on X, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky -Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.  -And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch now in time for the new year.  Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led Righteous Media.  And now part of the BLEAV network!  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Democrats Will Not Save You in Maine—or Anywhere. Cuba is Next. Sen Mitch McConnell is MIA. Independent is Not “a Schtick”. World Cup. And New Professional Women's Baseball League!  Trump's forever war is expanding faster than anyone in the mainstream press is willing to say out loud. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has quietly invited more than 60 countries to a meeting framing Antifa as a transnational terror threat — the rhetorical scaffolding for troops in American cities and a move on Cuba before the midterms. Iran is a sucking chest wound draining roughly 40% of the US Navy into the Arabian Sea. A brave American, Commander Gabriel Edwards, was lost in the Seahawk crash on July 1st and almost no one covered it. And at NATO, the commander in chief confused Iran with Japan and Zelensky with Putin on camera. Paul goes solo to connect the dots the two-party machine won't. The Graham Platner collapse in Maine is a case study in why Democrats cannot be trusted to vet, to listen, or to win — and why disrespecting the 45% of Americans who now call themselves independent is a losing strategy against Susan Collins or anyone else. Plus: Mitch McConnell has been hospitalized for three weeks with no straight answers, Ukraine is quietly winning, and there's still real reason for hope — the World Cup, a brand-new women's professional baseball league, and a growing independent movement that refuses to put on a jersey. -WATCH full video of this episode here. -Millions of American veterans are being locked out of primary elections in the country they served. See what we're doing to change that. -Visit Kalshi and trade on anything. Use code [INDEPENDENT] to get ten dollars when you trade ten. -Join Noble Mobile today and get a $100 bonus when you use code PAUL and stay a member for 2 months! -Join IVA and help us get independent veterans elected to office. -Learn more about Paul's work to elect a new generation of independent leaders with Independent Veterans of America. -Learn more about American Veterans for Ukraine here. -Remember Independent is an Attitude. -Learn more about The Headstrong Project for Veterans, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and Department of Veterans Affairs resources in your area. Seeking support is not a sign of weakness. It's a show of strength. If you or a loved one are in immediate crisis, dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255. Connect with Independent Americans: Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all podcast platforms Read more at Substack Support ad-free episodes at Patreon  Connect: Instagram  • X/Twitter • BlueSky • Facebook  Follow on social: @PaulRieckhoff on X, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky -Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.  -And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch now in time for the new year.  Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led Righteous Media.  And now part of the BLEAV network!  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to the Charismatic Leader Podcast. In this episode, Brett McDermott sits down with Alain Hunkins, leadership expert and author who has spent nearly three decades inside companies like Microsoft and Marriott. Alain reveals why the very skills that get you promoted often become the ones that hold you back—and how leaders must shift from “doing” to truly leading.Together, Brett and Alain explore the facilitative mindset—leading as a facilitator-in-chief rather than a commander-in-chief. Alain shares how his theater background shaped his approach to leadership, why connection is the bedrock of influence, and how communication and collaboration separate leaders people follow from leaders people simply tolerate. He offers practical tools like giving the big picture up front, “asking for a receipt” to confirm understanding, and creating environments of safety, energy, ownership, and purpose.This episode is packed with actionable insights for leaders who want to move beyond command-and-control and build teams that thrive.Key Takeaways:Why leaders must shift from doing to leadingThe difference between facilitator-in-chief vs. commander-in-chiefHow theater teaches leaders to focus on impact, not intentionPractical communication tools: big picture first and asking for a receiptFour human needs that drive collaboration: safety, energy, ownership, and purposeWhy people aren't your greatest resource—they are your company

Send us Fan MailBourbon and Badges, the Podcast. That's right. Feels good to say it. Gotta feel good to hear it. Tuning in, we find our bourbon-soaked, whisky-infused brothers spinning yarns of intellectual intel so far out there only the aliens understand. Not those illegal bastards that our Commander-in-chief is deporting, but those little green guys with the F-ed up antennas sticking out of their heads. Hang around long enough, and you will find the answers to such questions as who's pushing buttons? Foreigners with firearms, and where is my giraffe or J-raffe? Depending on where you're from. This episode is as hot as the great outdoors this week. So, find a cool place. Pour a cool drink, and you've got it, my brothers and sisters; Enjoy the Ride. Support the show Please find us on Facebook @ Bourbon Badges      On x On Instagram @ bourbon and badges, the podcast                                                                           As always, Enjoy the Ride Drink responsibly. Never drink and drive. 

In today's episode of The Quiz, we're testing your knowledge on everything from groundbreaking aviation milestones to the pages of classic American literature. Can you answer these? Aviation Pioneers: We look back at a historic, gravity-defying achievement in the skies. Do you know who became the very first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean? Iconic Landmarks: We check out one of the ultimate shopping and entertainment destinations in the country. Do you know which U.S. state is home to the massive Mall of America? White House History: We take a dip into presidential trivia. Can you name the U.S. commander-in-chief who installed the very first swimming pool at the White House? Play. Share. Listen, with FOX Nation Host, Abby Hornacek. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Press Box Chronicles” New York Times best selling author Jeff Pearlman joins JBK On Air to discuss his career in writing for Sports Illustrated and his latest book Only God Can Judge Me: The Many Lives of Tupac Shakur released in 2025. Jeff also discusses his book Football for a Buck: The Crazy Rise and Crazier Demise of the USFL to show POTUS Donald J. Trump is a true conman as the current Commander-in-Chief. Jeff also is bold enough to take the JBK On Air Questionnaire revealing his favorite smell and if he prefers window or aisle. Follow Jeff & see his work on TikTok @jeffpearlmanauthor for more! New episode is available now wherever you get podcasts! #jbkonair Links to watch, rate, review, subscribe - https://linktr.ee/jbkonair

The Princess of Wales has completed the Three Peaks Challenge to raise money in support of the hospital where she was treated for cancer and "explore life beyond diagnosis".Kate revealed in a message on social media that she had successfully taken on the trek, not only as a physical endeavour but “to give something back” and raise awareness of the wider impact of serious illness.The team react to the heartwarming moment 11-year-old Ted, who was carried the whole way in his wheelchair by friends and family, bumped into her at the top of Ben Nevis.Plus, we discuss Prince George's 'work experience' at an RAF base. Is this a glimpse of his future as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces?And a big moment next week in Harry's legal battle against the press.Chris, Lizzie and Charlene discuss on this week's Talking Royals.

In today's episode of The Quiz, we're testing your knowledge on everything from iconic presidential performances on the silver screen to the hidden heroes of the Space Race. Can you answer these? Presidential Performances: Daniel Day-Lewis made history by winning his third Academy Award for his transformative portrayal of a legendary U.S. President. Do you know which commander-in-chief he played? Literary Adaptations: John Steinbeck's powerful Dust Bowl novel was adapted into an iconic John Ford film starring Henry Fonda as Tom Joad. What is the title of this cinematic masterpiece? Historical Thrillers: The film 13 Days takes a gripping look inside the Kennedy Administration during the high-stakes days of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Do you know which actor stepped into the role of JFK? Play. Share. Listen, with Co-Anchor of America's Newsroom and Host of⁠⁠ ⁠250 Most Impactful Moments in American History⁠⁠ podcast, Bill Hemmer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What would America's Founding Fathers make of the state of U.S. politics as the nation celebrates the 250th anniversary of its independence? The constitutional rules they established to guide the republic and safeguard it against monarchical or dictatorial rule are being tested by President Trump, whose conduct has exposed potential weaknesses in the system. Andrew argues that America's checks and balances ultimately depend on everyone—from all three branches of government, and especially the commander-in-chief—respecting both the letter and the spirit of the Constitution. Twenty-five years from now, will America still be the democratic republic we know today?In the second half of the show, Rudyard and Andrew examine the Canadian government's announcement that it will build a new, government-funded 1,000-kilometre oil pipeline from Alberta to British Columbia. The decision to press ahead despite the environmental concerns that have long plagued similar projects underscores just how politically important this pipeline has become—for both Western Canada and Ottawa. Should Canadians be concerned that it will be built by a federal Crown corporation? And how can the government hope to keep costs under control when the proposed route appears so technically complex?Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus and Munk Dialogues. Go to www.munkdebates.com to sign up. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What Is an Illegal Order? The Four-Star Navy SEAL Walks Us Through It. A Million Russian Casualties, And The Precedent We Can't Afford To Break. Independents Week Replay Paul sits down with retired Admiral Bill McRaven — Navy SEAL, former SOCOM commander, former University of Texas system chancellor, and one of the clearest voices in American public life — for a conversation built for this moment. McRaven doesn't flinch. He calls K-12 education the number one national security threat facing the country, lays out exactly where the administration's 28-point Ukraine plan goes wrong, and walks troops through the moral and legal architecture of what an illegal order really is. In a week when the commander in chief is calling combat-veteran senators traitors and floating executions, McRaven offers something different: dignity, decorum, and ground-truth analysis from a man who has actually carried the weight. This is the kind of solo briefing the angry middle has been begging for. McRaven and Paul cover the Nuremberg roots of the illegal-order doctrine, the reality of Russia's million casualties in Ukraine, the Mississippi miracle in early reading, the assault on academic freedom, and why most Americans — MAGA or liberal — still share the same core values when you actually sit down with them. They close on hope, on Friday football, and on whether a four-star independent could ever run for the White House. If you're politically homeless and looking for an alternative narrative to the noise, do not skip this one. -WATCH full video of this episode here. -Visit Kalshi and trade on anything. Use code [INDEPENDENT] to get ten dollars when you trade ten. -Join Noble Mobile today and get a $100 bonus when you use code PAUL and stay a member for 2 months! -Join IVA and help us get independent veterans elected to office. -Learn more about Paul's work to elect a new generation of independent leaders with Independent Veterans of America. -Learn more about American Veterans for Ukraine here. -Remember Independent is an Attitude. -Learn more about The Headstrong Project for Veterans, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and Department of Veterans Affairs resources in your area. Seeking support is not a sign of weakness. It's a show of strength. If you or a loved one are in immediate crisis, dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255. Connect with Independent Americans: Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all podcast platforms Read more at Substack Support ad-free episodes at Patreon  Connect: Instagram  • X/Twitter • BlueSky • Facebook  Follow on social: @PaulRieckhoff on X, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky -Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.  -And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch now in time for the new year.  Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led Righteous Media.  And now part of the BLEAV network!  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Last time we spoke about the battle of Zhongtiao Mountain. On 7 May 1941, Japan launched a three-front assault on the Zhongtiao Mountains, striking multiple axes and using paratroopers to disrupt Chinese command. On the northeastern front, Wu Shimin's 98th Army scored a success at Wangcun, routing about 2,000 attackers. Elsewhere, three-pronged Japanese forces drove south toward Yuanqu with overwhelming artillery, armor, and coordinated movement. During the first night, paratroopers found the Chinese headquarters already disordered: orders were unclear and communications with most units collapsed. By 8 May, the First War Zone could no longer coordinate; armies fought alone. From mid-May into June, Japanese units swept the mountains, manning river crossings to block retreat and eliminating pockets. Surviving Chinese formations escaped or regrouped south of the Yellow River, but the three-year Zhongtiao defensive system was destroyed in about twenty days, sharply worsening Japan's strategic situation in northern China.   #208 Operation Plus: The Road to the Second Battle of Changsha 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. In the autumn of 1939, Japanese forces under General Yasuji Okamura launched a major offensive aimed at capturing Changsha — the gateway to China's interior and one of the most important cities still under Nationalist control. The First Battle of Changsha ended without a decisive Japanese victory. Chinese forces, anchored by the Ninth War Zone under General Xue Yue, managed to repel the advance, inflicting significant casualties and preserving the city. It was a notable achievement at a time when Japanese arms had swept across vast swathes of Chinese territory, and it reverberated through both the Chinese military establishment and the watching international community. Following the Japanese withdrawal, Chiang Kai-shek convened the Second Nanyue Military Conference to carry out a thorough assessment of the battle and to plan for the period of relative calm that would follow. The conference sought to answer several pressing questions: What had worked in the defense? Where had coordination broken down? How could the period of Japanese inactivity be used most productively? Chiang made it clear that this respite was not to be wasted. Commanders of all the major war zones were simultaneously expected to serve as governors of their respective provinces, ensuring unity of military and civilian command. Chiang himself set an example by personally assuming the governorship of Sichuan Province and focusing attention on that province's production and reconstruction efforts. The conference produced broad directives for the reconstruction of war-zone provinces and the intensification of military training. For Hunan, responsibility for implementing these directives fell on the shoulders of General Xue Yue, who had emerged from the First Battle of Changsha with greatly enhanced prestige and authority. The reason Changsha and Hunan more broadly attracted such persistent Japanese attention was geographical and logistical. The Yuehan Railway — running from Yueyang in northern Hunan down through Changsha and south toward Guangzhou — was one of the most important transportation arteries in China. Whoever controlled it could move troops, equipment, and supplies across vast distances with speed and reliability. Opening up the Yuehan line would, in Japanese strategic thinking, effectively connect their forces in Central China with those in South China, allowing for a gradual tightening of the strategic noose around Chiang Kai-shek's wartime capital at Chongqing in Sichuan Province. Hunan was therefore not merely a defensive problem for the Chinese; it was a strategic prize that Japan would inevitably seek to take. Xue Yue, whose headquarters were in Changsha, was well aware of this logic. With the First Battle of Changsha behind him and the province in need of recovery, Xue Yue turned his attention to governance. He was not content to wait passively for the next Japanese offensive. He believed that a province that was economically productive, administratively disciplined, and politically stable would provide a far more durable foundation for military resistance than one that was disorganized and demoralized. At the beginning of his tenure as effective governor of Hunan, Xue conducted a thorough survey of the province's situation and then articulated a philosophical framework for his administration in the form of a "three-character policy," consisting of three guiding principles: "Peace"  (an), "Convenience" (bian), and "Sufficiency" ( zu). In Xue's formulation, "Peace" meant that the population should be able to live, work, and conduct their daily affairs free from fear and disruption. "Convenience" meant that policies should benefit the people, the nation, and the war effort simultaneously — eliminating bureaucratic obstacles and inefficiencies. "Sufficiency" meant achieving adequate levels in all essential areas: enough soldiers, enough food, and enough wisdom in leadership. These seemingly simple principles were elaborated into extensive implementation guidelines. The announcement of this framework immediately sparked debate across Hunan's intellectual and administrative community. Veteran officials and scholars were divided. Some praised the policy as a clear and practical framework for wartime governance. Others dismissed it as hollow wordplay, offering nothing new or substantive. A minority was more sharply critical, warning that if such superficial philosophizing was all Xue could offer, the province would decay into warlordism. Undeterred by the criticism, Xue Yue built upon the three-character framework with a set of "Six Policies" for governing the people of Hunan: "Benefiting the People, Raising the People, Educating the People, Protecting the People, Managing the People, and Utilizing the People." Each of these six principles came with specific implementation targets and performance metrics, designed to be measurable rather than aspirational. This second round of policy announcements generated yet another wave of debate, but Xue pressed forward with implementation regardless. From the beginning of 1940, Xue vigorously pushed for the expansion of agricultural and industrial production across the province. His approach was comprehensive and at times uncompromising. He approved funds for the reconstruction of the Zhongshan Road National Goods Exhibition Hall in Changsha — which had been destroyed in the catastrophic Changsha Fire of 1938 — and by February 1940, 114 shops had reopened there. In March, he approved the "Eight Measures for the Construction of Sheds in Changsha," drafted by the Changsha Municipal Police Bureau, which relaxed housing regulations and helped address the severe shortage of accommodation for the city's residents, who had largely fled or been displaced during the fire and the Japanese offensive. One of the more creative initiatives of this period was the Ninth War Zone's order requiring all troops stationed in Hunan to cultivate a certain amount of farmland in their spare time, growing grain to supplement military rations. Local residents came to refer to the plots tended by soldiers as "soldier's fields" (bing tian). This policy served a dual purpose: it reduced the logistical burden of feeding the garrison forces from civilian stocks while keeping soldiers productively occupied during lulls in fighting. It also served to maintain a degree of goodwill between the military and the rural communities on which any prolonged resistance ultimately depended. One of the most consequential steps Xue Yue took to stabilize Hunan's governance was an aggressive campaign against corruption. On April 15, 1940, he ordered the execution of Tian Weizheng, the county magistrate of Changsha, and Wang Lun, the county magistrate of Xiangtan, both on charges of corruption and abuse of office. The proclamation accompanying the executions was blunt: "This serves as a warning against corruption and establishes the authority of the law in upholding discipline." The message was not lost on officials across the province. In the months that followed, a sweep of investigations led to the punishment of numerous corrupt officials and illegal businessmen. The effect on public confidence in the provincial government was significant. Citizens and soldiers alike perceived that there was now a leadership willing to hold its own accountable — a stark contrast to the corruption and self-dealing that had plagued Chinese provincial governance throughout the war. Xue was also attentive to the ideological dimension of the war effort. On May Fourth Youth Day — itself laden with nationalist significance, commemorating the great student movement of 1919 — Xue attended the provincial capital's sports meet and delivered a speech before thousands of young people entitled "Iron Youth, Iron Spirit, Sacred Labor, Sacred Survival." The speech was aimed at galvanizing the younger generation, connecting their personal futures to the fate of the nation and the resistance against Japan. That same month, in May 1940, the 110th executive meeting of the Hunan Provincial Government revised and approved the "Hunan Province County Heads Performance Evaluation Method," a document that formalized military service and support for the war effort as the primary criterion in the evaluation of local officials' political performance. Throughout 1940, the provincial government and the Ninth War Zone organized a series of training courses for officials, including courses specifically designed for guerrilla cadres, women cadres, and village chiefs — an indication that preparations for sustained, decentralized resistance were underway. Xue himself addressed the cadre training group with a speech on "The Conditions That a Well-Rounded Cadre Should Possess." By the end of 1940, after more than a year of sustained effort, Hunan had broadly recovered to the administrative and economic condition it had enjoyed before the Changsha Fire, when the reformist official Zhang Zhizhong had governed the province. Agriculture, industry, and commerce all showed measurable improvement over their wartime lows. The government's accounts for the year reflected growth across all sectors. This recovery was not merely statistical; it represented a genuine rebuilding of the province's capacity to sustain a prolonged defense. Soldiers were better fed and equipped, local officials were more disciplined, and the civilian population had a functioning, if still imperfect, relationship with the wartime state. Early in 1941, Xue Yue's reputation had grown to the point where local gentry and public figures jointly petitioned for a bustling street in Changsha to be named after his courtesy name — a mark of genuine popular esteem unusual for a military governor in wartime China. While Xue Yue was rebuilding Hunan, events at the geopolitical level were reshaping the strategic environment in ways that would directly precipitate the Second Battle of Changsha. On September 27, 1940, Japan signed the Tripartite Pact with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, formally joining the Axis powers. The pact alarmed the Western democracies and accelerated their support for China. On December 2, 1940, the United States Congress passed a bill approving a one-hundred-million-dollar loan to China. On December 10, 1940, Britain followed suit, approving a ten-million-pound loan. Both measures were explicitly understood — by all parties — as responses to Japanese expansion and Japan's recognition of Wang Jingwei's collaborationist puppet government in Nanjing. For the Japanese military leadership, these loans signaled that the international community was not prepared to accept Japan's fait accompli in China, and that the war of attrition against the Nationalist government could not be allowed to continue indefinitely. The imperative to resolve the "China Incident" — as Japanese officials euphemistically called the war — before the international situation deteriorated further became more urgent than ever. On January 16, 1941, the Japanese Army adopted the "Long-Term Operational Guidance Plan for China." The document acknowledged a painful internal contradiction: Japan could only sustain a protracted war in China, yet it simultaneously demanded a swift resolution to the conflict through strong military pressure. The plan's solution to this contradiction was to intensify operations while "taking note of the international situation" — meaning that military actions should be calibrated to avoid triggering direct American or British intervention. The plan called for large-scale offensive operations in the summer and autumn of 1941. The companion document, the "Annual Plan for Showa 16 (1941)," was more specific. It required Japanese troops stationed in China to conduct a major operation in the summer and autumn of that year with the aim of dealing a heavy blow to the main force of the "Whampoa Military Academy" — the term used by Japanese planners to describe the core of Chiang Kai-shek's professional officer corps, trained at the Whampoa (Huangpu) Military Academy and regarded as the backbone of the Nationalist army. The stated goal was to destroy the Chongqing government's will to continue resistance and thereby force a resolution to the China Incident. Xue Yue himself read translated summaries of both these documents when he traveled to Chongqing to report on his work in early 1941. He returned to Hunan in a reflective, and determined, frame of mind. For much of the period between the two Battles of Changsha, the Japanese Eleventh Army — the primary force facing Xue Yue's Ninth War Zone — had been commanded by General Yasuji Okamura, a seasoned officer with whom Xue had developed a degree of familiarity through combat. By early 1941, it became known that Okamura was to be transferred to the Military Advisory Council at Imperial General Headquarters in Tokyo — a prestigious but more removed role. Xue Yue reflected on this change with a mixture of relief and characteristic self-confidence, reasoning that whoever replaced Okamura would be a new adversary to be dealt with on the battlefield, and that there was no reason to lose to him regardless. Korechika Anami received his appointment as commander of the Eleventh Army on February 15, 1941. From the first day of his appointment, he carried a detailed battle map of the three provinces facing his command — Hunan, Hubei, and Jiangxi — along with comprehensive intelligence files on both sides' troop dispositions and strengths. He studied these materials constantly, on trains, in waiting rooms, wherever he had a free moment. By the time he formally took up his post on March 10, 1941, he already had a clear operational vision for the coming campaign. Before reaching the front, Anami stopped in Nanjing to meet with General Hata Shunroku, the Commander-in-Chief of the China Expeditionary Army. Hata had himself arrived in China in early 1941, having been summoned by the Emperor before his departure and entrusted with what the Emperor called the sacred mission of resolving the China Incident. The two men talked through the night, their conversation returning repeatedly to the planned summer-autumn offensive. Hata urged Anami to annihilate the main force of the Ninth War Zone in the area south of the Miluo River — to destroy, once and for all, the core of Chiang Kai-shek's best troops. "If this battle is fought well," Hata told him, "the entire war situation in China will undergo a huge change." Anami listened and agreed, though he had his own reasons to want the battle to go well. He had voluntarily relinquished the prominent position of Vice Minister of the Army at General Headquarters in Tokyo to take this field command — a significant personal sacrifice that reflected his deep desire for battlefield achievement. There was a personal dimension to Anami's motivations as well. His second son, a bright and lively boy to whom he was deeply attached, had died in combat in China. Anami carried a photograph of his son wherever he went, and had resolved to transform his grief into a consuming commitment to military excellence, whatever the human cost. At the Eleventh Army's headquarters in Yueyang, Anami found the war game board and operational plans that Okamura had left behind. He did not immediately begin issuing orders. Instead, for weeks he immersed himself in the problem, traveling between divisional headquarters and subordinate commands to gather ground-level perspectives, or sitting alone for hours before the great map, motionless and in deep concentration. His new chief of staff, Kinoshita Isamu, who had come from a divisional unit and was unfamiliar with his commander's temperament, could only keep silent company during these long sessions. When Anami eventually convened his headquarters personnel to explain his operational intentions, he made a pointed critique of the First Battle of Changsha. "The reason why the last battle in Changsha did not achieve great results," he said, "was that the troops were too dispersed and the main direction of attack was not highlighted, so they could not form a strong impact and lethality." He named the new operation "Operation Plus" — a deliberate contrast with what he saw as the subtracted, diluted efforts of the previous campaign. His concept was one of radical concentration: rather than dispersing the attack across multiple fronts in Hubei and Jiangxi while simultaneously advancing on Changsha, Anami proposed pulling the forces from southern Hubei and northern Jiangxi and massing them in front of northern Hunan. The effect on his staff officers when he demonstrated this redeployment on the map was electric; one of them involuntarily exclaimed aloud at the sudden clarity of the advantageous position that mass concentration would create. Anami's personality was, in the judgment of those who worked with him, fundamentally different from Okamura's. A commander's fighting style is shaped by his character, and Anami's character was defined by intensity, focus, and a willingness to commit fully. These traits would shape "Operation Plus" from conception to execution. On June 22, 1941, five and a half million German troops launched Operation Barbarossa — the largest military invasion in history — against the Soviet Union. The news reached the Japanese military establishment with a degree of surprise, since such a momentous operation should, under the terms of the Tripartite Pact, have been communicated in advance. Beyond the procedural slight, German strategists had placed themselves in the position of fighting a two-front war, something Japanese generals found strategically bewildering. The outbreak of the Soviet-German War forced a serious debate within the Japanese General Staff. One faction argued for a "northward advance" — seizing the opportunity to strike the Soviet Union from the east while its military was fully committed in the west. Another faction argued for a "southward advance" — moving into Southeast Asia and the Pacific to secure the oil and raw materials that Japan desperately needed. Prime Minister Fumimaro Konoe adopted a wait-and-see compromise, authorizing secret preparations for war in the north known as Operation Kantokuen while continuing to monitor developments. Now it just so happens I released a Patreon/Youtube Members exclusive episode covering Operation Kantokuen the previous month. I highly recommend it, fascinating what if piece of history. For just a teaser I can briefly summarize it: Operation Kantokuen — officially designated "Kwantung Army Special Maneuvers" — was Japan's plan for a large-scale invasion of the Soviet Far East, developed in the summer of 1941 following Germany's launch of Operation Barbarossa. When news of the German invasion reached Tokyo, Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka and senior Kwantung Army officers argued Japan should abandon its neutrality pact with the USSR and strike in coordination with Germany. An Army-Navy compromise on June 24th allowed preparations to proceed so long as they did not interfere with Japan's concurrent southern ambitions. On July 5th, Matsuoka and Major General Shin'ichi Tanaka convinced War Minister Hideki Tojo to back a more ambitious scheme, and the two men then bypassed the War Ministry entirely, securing Emperor Hirohito's personal authorization. The plan was structured in two stages — a buildup and readiness phase followed by an offensive phase — during which the Kwantung Army would await an explicit order to attack. The Army General Staff calculated that any campaign had to conclude by mid-October before Siberian winter conditions made logistics impossible. Their ideal force requirement was 16 to 22 divisions supported by 800,000 tons of shipping, though this assumed the Soviets would first redeploy half their Far Eastern infantry and two-thirds of their armor westward against Germany. The planned order of battle ultimately settled on 24 divisions — 17 committed to the eastern front and 5 concentrated near Mutanchiang. The opening blow was designed to fall on the Primorye (Maritime Province) front. The 1st Area Army, commanding the 3rd and 20th Armies along with elements of the Korea Army, would cross the border south of Lake Khanka to shatter Soviet defensive lines and menace Vladivostok. Simultaneously, the 5th Army would strike south of Iman to cut the Trans-Siberian Railway and isolate the Maritime Province from northern reinforcements. In the north, the 4th Army would hold the Amur River line before pivoting to attack Blagoveshchensk, while two additional reinforced divisions would invade Northern Sakhalin in a land-and-sea pincer. A second phase envisioned capturing Khabarovsk, Komsomolsk, and Sovetskaya Gavan, with amphibious operations considered against Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and Kamchatka itself. The operation was to be supported by a massive air assault — between 1,800 and 2,700 aircraft combining Army and Navy aviation — aimed at annihilating the Soviet Far East Air Force in the opening hours, after which Japanese air power would shift to tactical ground support and interdiction of Soviet supply lines. Armored assets included roughly 800–900 tanks, mostly Type 97 Chi-Has and Type 95 Ha-Gos. Kantokuen was also allocated chemical weapons stockpiled in Manchuria and biological agents produced by Unit 731, intended for deployment against Soviet rear areas and supply lines. Despite the scale of planning, the operation was already fatally compromised before it could be launched. Japan's industry and logistics could not sustain a two-front war while remaining bogged down in China. On August 1st, 1941, the United States enacted a total oil embargo that cut off 80% of Japan's fuel supply, and the Dutch East Indies followed. With oil reserves sufficient for only 12–18 months of peacetime consumption, a Siberian offensive that would consume an estimated one to two million barrels per month was no longer tenable. By August 9th, the Army General Staff conceded that seizing the oil-rich territories of Southeast Asia was the overriding strategic priority. The Kantokuen buildup was formally terminated, and Japan turned south — setting the course toward Pearl Harbor and the Pacific War. Now Kantokuen held some practical consequences for the China Expeditionary Army was disruptive. Serious consideration was given to redeploying units of the Eleventh Army away from their positions facing Hunan and northward toward Manchuria, in anticipation of a possible war with the Soviet Union. This threatened to derail Anami's planning entirely. The cloud of uncertainty hung over the Changsha operation for several weeks. Despite the disruption, Anami refused to let the operation be indefinitely deferred. On June 24, 1941 — just two days after Barbarossa began — he formally approved the operational guidance outline for the Changsha offensive and set a planned launch date of September 15. This was an act of deliberate institutional pressure: by formalizing the plan so quickly in the wake of Barbarossa, Anami made it harder for higher authorities to redirect his forces northward without explicitly cancelling a plan already in motion. The gamble worked. The northward deployment option was ultimately shelved, and the Eleventh Army remained in place to conduct its summer-autumn offensive. While Anami and his staff at Yueyang bent over their map of Hunan, so too did Xue Yue and his staff at Changsha. Two nearly identical colored military maps were laid out on large tables in two different command centers — one in Chinese, one in Japanese — showing the same terrain of Hunan, southern Hubei, and western Jiangxi. The Xiang River appeared on both as a green ribbon; Dongting Lake as a blue maple leaf. For those responsible for commanding the impending battle, the war game was the battle, played out in simulation before blood was shed. Xue Yue, his Chief of Staff Wu Yizhi, Chief of Staff Zhao Zili, and the intelligence and operations officers of the Ninth War Zone Command engaged in extensive map exercises throughout the summer of 1941. Wargaming pieces bearing unit designations moved across the terrain as staff officers reported troop strengths, timings, and geographic objectives. The summer heat was intense, and there was nowhere cool in Changsha; Xue and his staff worked in the heat, sweating heavily as they played out scenario after scenario. It was during these sessions that Xue came to believe he had grasped the essential shape of the Japanese plan. Reasoning from the known Japanese strategic posture and the pattern of the first battle, he concluded that the enemy would again advance roughly the same way. His counter-strategy was as follows: in northern Jiangxi and southern Hubei, the war zone would launch pincer attacks on Japanese forces that were not part of the main offensive, targeting the area north of Chongren and Xingan, east of Yichun, Wanzai, Tonggu, and Xiushui, to defeat them in detail. In northern Hunan — the main theater — the war zone would deliberately allow the Japanese to advance, luring their main force south of the Miluo River into the area north of Jinjing, Fulinpu, and Sanjieqiao, and then launch a devastating counterattack to encircle and annihilate them. After a successful counterattack, Xue imagined pursuing the broken Japanese forces all the way back to Yueyang, and beyond — even, in his more expansive moments, recapturing the great cities of Jiujiang and Wuhan, lost in 1938. This was the "lure and annihilate" strategy, and it was not merely a hope — it was the formal operational order issued to the forces of the Ninth War Zone. In August 1941, the Ninth Military Front officially assessed that Japan intended to capture Changsha and obtain supplies, and the lure-and-annihilate plan was formalized accordingly. What Xue Yue did not know — and could not know through his intelligence network alone — was that Anami's operational philosophy was fundamentally different from Okamura's. The critical assumption underlying the lure-and-annihilate plan was that the Japanese would attack in roughly the same dispersed, multi-front pattern as the first battle. Anami's "Operation Plus" invalidated this assumption entirely. By concentrating his forces in front of northern Hunan rather than dispersing them, Anami would strike with an impact Xue's cordon defenses were not designed to absorb. Xue was, unknowingly, planning to fight a replay of the first battle against an opponent who had studied that first battle as a case study in what not to do. Despite this fundamental intelligence gap, the Chinese were not without information. From mid-August 1941 onward, residents of mountain villages and riverside communities in northern Jiangxi and southern Hubei began reporting unusual nighttime activity. Faint sounds of motor engines and the footsteps of large columns moving on main roads were heard after dark. On moonlit nights, fleets of motorboats were seen moving without lights on the rivers, visible only as dark shadows on the water. The local population was puzzled and unsettled: what kind of unit was this, and what were they doing? The answer was that Anami's forces were conducting their pre-offensive assembly under cover of darkness and strict light discipline, moving four divisions totaling approximately 120,000 troops into position for the attack on Hunan. Military and civilian intelligence agents operating in these areas crouched in the bushes, enduring insect bites through long nights, watching and recording everything they witnessed. The information was relayed by human chain, passed from one agent to another across a network stretching back to Changsha, until it was collated and placed on Xue Yue's desk by staff officers from the Ninth War Zone Command's Intelligence Department. Xue studied the reports carefully, comparing them against his map. The evidence of a large Japanese build-up in northern Hunan was unambiguous. But Xue was suspicious of its implications. "Mobilize troops? All the troops are moved to northern Hunan. What about Tongcheng? What about Yueyang? Impossible! Feint? What does that mean? You want me to concentrate my troops in northern Hunan so you can attack from both sides?" His staff officers were similarly uncertain how to read the intelligence. The scale of the Japanese concentration defied the pattern of previous operations, and Xue's trained instincts — calibrated against years of dealing with Okamura — led him to doubt what his intelligence was plainly showing. He concluded, without firm evidence, that the concentration must be a feint or a deception. On August 26, 1941, Imperial General Headquarters in Tokyo issued Mainland Order No. 538, which authorized the Commander-in-Chief of the China Expeditionary Army to "temporarily conduct operations beyond the designated operational area in Central China during the summer and autumn." This order provided the formal imperial sanction for the Changsha offensive, lifting any remaining bureaucratic constraints on Anami's operational plan. It represented the final piece of institutional authorization, completing a chain that stretched from Anami's June 24 approval of the operational outline through Hata's advocacy at the China Expeditionary Army level to the formal imprimatur of the Imperial General Headquarters. With Mainland Order No. 538 in hand, the Eleventh Army's final preparations could proceed without ambiguity. The original planned launch date of September 15 would in practice be moved forward, with combat beginning on September 7 — itself a date chosen partly to maximize the advantage of late-summer weather conditions in the Hunan river-crossing terrain. By the time Anami's forces were assembled, the operational force was formidable. Estimating that the enemy facing them comprised fifteen divisions from the Chinese 4th, 37th, 99th, 74th, and 26th Corps, Japanese planners calculated — somewhat optimistically — that two infantry battalions would suffice to handle one enemy division. To provide a margin for error and to ensure decisive striking power, the Eleventh Army committed forty-one infantry battalions distributed across four full divisions and three specialized task forces, supported by twenty-nine artillery battalions. This represented a massive concentration of firepower and manpower along a relatively narrow axis of advance, precisely as Anami had intended. The objective was clearly stated: "to deal a major blow to the Ninth Military Front in order to thwart the enemy's plan for resistance." Japanese senior leadership reiterated at every briefing that the mission was emphatically not territorial — the army was not to occupy Changsha or secure it for long-term administration, and it was not to forage for supplies. The goal was destruction of Chinese combat power. On the Chinese side, the Ninth Military Front had not been idle. Since the Battle of Shanggao in March 1941 — a significant Chinese defensive victory in Jiangxi that had inflicted heavy casualties on Japanese forces attempting to advance into the province — the Ninth Military Front had ordered its troops to cooperate with guerrilla units operating in the Hunan-Hubei-Jiangxi border region, conducting harassment operations against Japanese logistics and communications. This cooperation served both to maintain offensive pressure and to train the irregular forces that would prove invaluable in a war of attrition. By August 1941, Xue Yue had assembled a force of thirty-five divisions organized into thirteen armies across three army groups, totaling 378,307 troops. The headquarters of the Ninth Military Front remained in Changsha. Xue had also assessed his forces' combat readiness with some confidence: in the summer of 1940, the Ninth War Zone had dispatched one corps from each army group and one division from each corps on summer offensive operations against Japanese positions, explicitly testing their readiness in real combat. Although no major victories had been achieved in those operations, the exercise confirmed that troop morale was high and that combat effectiveness had recovered to the level of the First Battle of Changsha. If anything, Xue thought, after another full year of training, they should be better. 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. Operation Plus, emphasized concentrating forces and creating a decisive breakthrough rather than dispersing attacks across multiple fronts like in earlier battles. On the Chinese side, commander Xue Yue developed a "lure and annihilate" strategy, expecting the Japanese to fight like before; however, Anami's concentrated approach undermined these assumptions, making a Chinese counteroffensive far harder to execute.

A century of failed diplomacy, hostage crises, secret arms deals, war and even murder. Dr. Tevi Troy, an American presidential historian and senior fellow at the Ronald Reagan Institute, joins host Cliff May to unpack his WashingtonExaminer article, "The Presidents and Iran: A History." From the Persian shahs to the Islamic Republic, Troy and May trace 100 years of U.S.-Iran conflict and ask the uncomfortable question: why does each new commander in chief refuse to learn from his predecessor's mistakes?

Subscribe now for ad-free listening, early access, and bonus content. This is the seventh episode in a series marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, America's semiquincentennial. He was the indispensable American. George Washington held together the Continental Army as its commander-in-chief during the Revolutionary War. Then he answered his countrymen's call to serve as the new nation's first president, setting important precedents over the next eight years. Without him, the new republic might have failed. His leadership and the esteem in which he was held are the stuff of legend. The story is real. George Washington was not a demigod. As a general, he lost more battles than he won. But he was still indispensable to the causes of revolution and nation-building. In this episode, historian H.W. Brands discusses his new book, American Patriarch: The Life of George Washington. Further listening (America250 series): Episode 1 w/ Lindsay Chervinsky Episode 2 w/ Kate Carté Episode 3 w/ Alan Taylor Episode 4 w/ Lindsay Chervinsky Episode 5 w/ Jim Oakes Episode 6 w/ Sean Wilentz

A century of failed diplomacy, hostage crises, secret arms deals, war and even murder. Dr. Tevi Troy, an American presidential historian and senior fellow at the Ronald Reagan Institute, joins host Cliff May to unpack his WashingtonExaminer article, "The Presidents and Iran: A History." From the Persian shahs to the Islamic Republic, Troy and May trace 100 years of U.S.-Iran conflict and ask the uncomfortable question: why does each new commander in chief refuse to learn from his predecessor's mistakes?

fWotD Episode 3338: Augustus Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Thursday, 25 June 2026, is Augustus.Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (Latin: Octavianus), was the founder of the Roman Empire and the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. The reign of Augustus initiated an imperial cult and an era of imperial peace (the Pax Romana or Pax Augusta) in which the Roman world was largely free of armed conflict. The principate, a style of government where the emperor showed nominal deference to the Senate, was established during his reign and lasted until the Crisis of the Third Century.Octavian was born into an equestrian branch of the gens Octavia. Octavian's great-uncle, the dictator Julius Caesar, named him as his primary heir in his will, and after Caesar's assassination in 44 BC, Octavian inherited his estate and assumed his name. He fought for the loyalty of Caesar's legions. He was made a senator during a state emergency and seized power by marching on Rome in 43 BC, becoming its youngest elected consul. He, Mark Antony, and Marcus Lepidus formed a triumvirate regime with legally sanctioned powers to outlaw and oppose Caesar's assassins and their allies. Following their victory at the Battle of Philippi in 42 BC, the triumvirate divided the Roman Republic among themselves and ruled as de facto oligarchs. Competing ambitions eventually tore their alliance apart; Octavian had Lepidus exiled in 36 BC for opposing him in Sicily, while Marcus Agrippa, Octavian's naval commander, defeated Antony in Greece at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC. Antony and his wife Cleopatra, the Ptolemaic queen of Egypt, killed themselves during Octavian's invasion of Egypt, which then became Octavian's personal property.After the demise of the triumvirate, Augustus reached an accord with the remaining Roman elite: he would restore the facade of a free republic, centered around the Senate, the executive magistrates and the legislative assemblies. But his control of the military and half of Rome's provinces meant he maintained autocratic power legitimized by his appointment as commander-in-chief of most Roman armies. To avoid the appearance of monarchy or dictatorship, he eventually refused to stand for reelection to the consulship, but the Senate granted him the powers of the tribunate and censorship and the titles princeps ('first citizen'), augustus ('the revered'), and pater patriae (lit. 'father of the country'), and named the month of August after him. After the death of Lepidus, Augustus also assumed the title of pontifex maximus ('supreme pontiff').Augustus dramatically enlarged the Empire, annexing Egypt, Dalmatia, Pannonia, Noricum, and Raetia, expanding possessions in Africa, and completing the conquest of Hispania. His expansionism, however, suffered a major setback in Germania. Beyond the frontiers, he secured the empire with a buffer region of client states and negotiated peace treaties with the Parthian Empire and Kingdom of Kush. He reformed the Roman system of taxation and currency, developed networks of roads with an official courier system, established a standing professional army, established the Praetorian Guard as well as official police and fire-fighting services for Rome, and renovated much of the city during his reign. Augustus was a writer and patron of poets such as Virgil, and has been featured in various works of art from ancient to modern times. He died in AD 14 at age 75 from natural causes, and the Senate posthumously deified him. Persistent rumors have claimed his wife Livia poisoned him. He was succeeded as emperor by his stepson and adoptive son Tiberius.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:20 UTC on Thursday, 25 June 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Augustus on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Kendra.

June 14, 2026On June 14, 1775, the Second Continental Congress established the Continental Army, The Battles of Lexington and Concord had made it clear that the British government endangered American liberties, Congress then named Virginia planter George Washington as its commander-in-chief, Defending the country without creating a military that could be used to repress the people was a challenge, The army was overlooked by Congress and funds were not available for food or supplies for the militiamen encamped at Valley Forge, PA, When France signed a treaty with the American states in February 1778, they lent money, material, and men to the cause of American independence, The Treaty of Paris formally ended the war in September 1783, and Congress disbanded the army, Washington stepped aside from military leadership, addressing Congress in December, Painter John Trumbull called his retirement one of the highest moral lessons ever given to the world.  Watch today's recording here: https://www.youtube.com/live/g9TUa1Rwd6U?si=T8_KKcHQZElhpnZ-Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribeYou can also find me:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.socialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

On today's show, we are diving into the tough week our commander in chief just had. From MMA fights no one seems very excited about… to the potential end of warrantless surveillance because of an unpopular Trump hire, our dear president has been taking some big losses. Oh, and not to mention, the war with Iran is still going on. But Trump doesn't seem to care about any of it! So to talk more about Donald Trump's apparent case of senioritis, we called up Tim Miller, host of The Bulwark Podcast.And in headlines: Elon Musk becomes the world's first trillionaire, a poll finds Trump is losing favor with Independents, and a federal judge agrees to extend a court-ordered block on Trump's $1.8 billion slush fund.Show Notes: Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

As today's show begins, we're following the latest twist on President Trump's 100+-day geopolitical roller coaster. In less than 24 hours, the Commander-in Chief went from threatening to expand the war in Iran to declaring an agreement and announcing the war is over, to calling the Iranians "very dishonorable people" who need to "get their act together and fast." If you're feeling a little dizzy, you're not alone.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Drop us a line or two . . .We open mid-chaos — Queenie's looking out the window at incoming weather and clocking the Belmont Stakes clock ticking down, while TT is recovering from twenty-one (count 'em, twenty-one) unsolicited phone calls from a porch enclosure company after the crime of simply browsing their website. One innocent look at three-season room options, and suddenly her phone is a hostage situation. Queenie sympathizes — she knows the company, they did her mother's enclosure — and confirms: yes, those people are hungry. TT vows never to do that again. From there it's a brief dispatch on Queenie's brother Brian, who's been hospitalized with a nosebleed that became genuinely life-threatening because he's on blood thinners. The dilemma, as Queenie frames it with zero sugarcoating: do you want to die of a heart attack or bleed out? Pick one. His wife's emergency field fix involved a tampon, which bought some time before getting saturated. He's going home with explicit instructions to never blow his nose again. He also looks like Shrek. He has not slept. Everybody is just fine. This slides naturally into the broader theme of everybody around them crumbling simultaneously — friends at doctors multiple times a week for different things, the body not cooperating the way it did at forty, children turning forty themselves (which: how), and the general indignity of midlife maintenance. TT notes to Honey earlier that day that "we all have something going on" and you just have to accept it. Queenie does not love this but cannot argue with it. There's a brief musical interlude celebrating cardiac stents and replacement shoulders, which honestly feels earned. The conversation turns to self-work and therapy — TT wonders aloud whether there are people who just... move on from childhood without any excavation, and Queenie's verdict is swift: those people are freaking crazy. You can usually tell when someone has done the work, she says, often by their vocabulary. This loops into narcissists, which both of them have in their lives, and the grim reality that there's no cure. Options are limited: go dark (no contact) or go grey (cordial, minimal, zero extra effort). The segue to the current political moment is smooth and immediate. Queenie describes the commander in chief as having "normalized" narcissism and brings up the AI-generated Trump-in-cheerleader-short-shorts image circulating online. It's Pride Month, she notes. He may finally be coming out. They laugh. TT reminds them they're laughing all the way to hell. Also: screwworms are back, ocean monitoring equipment is being removed, and there's no oversight of anything anymore. If you see things moving in your food, just ignore it. On the cannabis check-in: TT has had a full ten-milligram Floracal Farms Live Rosin Pink Lemonade sativa gummy (complete gummy, very deliberate), and Queenie has been smoking Banana Punch, a pre-ground indica with very small print on the packaging. Banana as a flavor descriptor is noted to be uncommon. This is deemed worth mentioning. The show's real comedic peak arrives courtesy of Conan O'Brien's podcast. Queenie went down a YouTube rabbit hole after Conan interviewed an intimacy coordinator, which led her to a segment featuring a young man whose company makes thirty-two custom condom sizes and offers a hotline where you can speak to said gentleman if you're unsure which size to order. He claims to be able to tell if callers are being truthful. TT has already seen this. The bit about guidance counselors not recommending "talking about dicks all day" as a career path lands. Queenie's advice: measure twice, not once. You only want to make that mistake one time. They are crying laughing. The news segment covers TSA's updated guidance technically allowing medical marijuana in carry-on and checked bags, with a TSA officer retaining final discretion. Queenie and TT are skeptical — it sounds great until you realize there's no guidance on how much, in what form, or what documentation actually counts as proof. Also: dogs in airports are primarily sniffing for explosives, not drugs, Queenie notes, so don't panic. Bottom line: it's loosey goosey, probably a step in the right direction, and you're still taking a risk. Bring your documentation. Keep original packaging. Maybe don't. TT's Choice (number sixty-six): Would you rather live your life as a reality show or a documentary? TT picks documentary, then has to be walked through what a documentary actually is when she's alive, then sticks with her answer on the grounds that reality shows feel predatory and she wouldn't want to be the subject of one. Queenie's contribution is to narrate TT's life in nature documentary voice — "here we have TT in her natural habitat... notice how she eats a gummy prior to coitus." This evolves into a discussion of rhino mating, specifically the part where the male must remain motionless inside the female for seven minutes without moving or the clock resets. Queenie has recently found this very erotic. She is going to tell Honey. TT's stomach hurts. Queenie names her reality show *Call T*. Done. The Fuck It List this week is a serious one: a friend of Queenie's, a woman their age with significant cardiac history, had her blood pressure medication changed and spent weeks feeling terrible, voicing concern at her hospital stay, being dismissed, and only getting the medication switched back when her primary care physician called the cardiologist directly. Within a day, she felt better. The fuck it goes to not giving up, to trusting your own body, and to having your problems minimized by a medical system that still, somewhere in its bones, operates like doctors are gods you stand up for when they enter the room. Queenie's message: advocate for yourself, and if you can't, find someone who can. The healthcare system is fragmented, it will trample you, and you are the only one who lives in your body. They close out with upcoming weeks — TT's visiting her son's art thing, Queenie has a quiet week plus a golf date before an absolutely packed following week including a tour for a potential new employer. Father's Day is next week. Wishes will be extended then. Bye bye. The outro is a song. TT wrote a lament about a zinnia eaten by a rabbit before it could grow. The final lines are: *those little fuckers. Those little fuckers. This was the zinnia of my dreams.* Truly, no notes. Welcome to the Closet Disco Queen Pot-Cast, a #1 ranked Women in Cannabis (Feedspot, Million Pods; 2025) comedy podcast with music and pop culture references that keeps you laughing and engaged. Join our hosts, Queenie & TT as they share humorous anecdotes about daily life, offering women's perspectives on lifestyle and wellness. We dive into funny cannabis conversations and stories, creating an entertaining space where nothing is off-limits. Each episode features entertaining discussions on pop culture trends, as we discuss music, culture, and cannabis in a light-hearted and inclusive manner. Tune in for a delightful blend of humor, insight, and relatable stories that celebrate life's quirks and pleasures. Our Closet Disco Queen Pot-Cast deals with legal adult cannabis use and is intended for entertainment purposes only for those 21 and olderVisit our Closet Disco Queen Pot-Cast merch store!Find us on Facebook and Green Coast RadioSound from Zapsplat.com,  https://quicksounds.com, 101soundboards.com #ToneTransfer

Trump shifts his position on the Iran war so often that it sure looks like he is using the same propaganda technique that Putin uses with abandon: Flood people with contradictory stories to confuse and exhaust them so they'll just tune out. That could be helpful for a commander–in-chief running a failed military campaign. At the same time, the only engagement the administration seems to want is from the online world—which they use to create an alternate reality. Plus, Russia is not winning the war in Ukraine and does not know how to, much of Trump's immigration policy is about performative cruelty, political oppression still continues in Venezuela, Kari Lake has a new gig, and new selections for the Anne Applebaum book club. Anne Applebaum joins Tim Miller.show notes: Anne's latest reporting from Ukraine Phillips O'Brien piece on Iran, "War Crimes Seem To Be Official US Policy Now" A Venezuela opposition leader on the continuing political oppression there Anne's reporting on Kari Lake running Voice of America Anne on Lake being nominated as ambassador to Jamaica Summer novel rec from Anne, "The Time of Cherries" Tim's summer novel rec, "My Tender Matador"

Today's Guest Host : Kay Smythe-Hill -KT McFarland urges Americans to have patience with President Trump's efforts to get a deal with Iran on "America Right Now." -Florida Rep. Byron Donalds joined “Sunday Agenda” to defend President Trump's constitutional authority as Commander-in-Chief, arguing that attempts to limit the president's military authority only provide leverage and empowerment to the Iranian regime. -California gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton called for change as the state slowly counts primary votes on "Saturday Report." -On “Finnerty,” Winston Marshall, former “Mumford & Sons” member, breaks down the circumstances surrounding Henry Nowak's death, the debate over alleged “two-tier policing” in Britain, and the protests and unrest that have followed across the UK. Listen to Newsmax LIVE and see our entire podcast lineup at ⁠http://Newsmax.com/Listen⁠ Make the switch to NEWSMAX today! Get your 15 day free trial of NEWSMAX+ at ⁠http://NewsmaxPlus.com⁠ Looking for NEWSMAX caps, tees, mugs & more? Check out the Newsmax merchandise shop at : ⁠http://nws.mx/shop⁠ Follow NEWSMAX on Social Media:  -Facebook: ⁠http://nws.mx/FB⁠  -X/Twitter: ⁠http://nws.mx/twitter⁠ -Instagram: ⁠http://nws.mx/IG⁠ -YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/NewsmaxTV⁠ -Rumble: ⁠https://rumble.com/c/NewsmaxTV⁠ -TRUTH Social: ⁠https://truthsocial.com/@NEWSMAX⁠ -GETTR: ⁠https://gettr.com/user/newsmax⁠ -Threads: ⁠http://threads.net/@NEWSMAX⁠  -Telegram: ⁠http://t.me/newsmax⁠  -BlueSky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/newsmax.com⁠ -Parler: ⁠http://app.parler.com/newsmax⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've got a packed show today. I mean PACKED. I have so many notes in front of me that if the FBI raided this studio they'd call it an “insurrection planner.” Half these stories I've been trying to get to for days, and every morning the news cycle shows up like a drunken Amazon driver throwing fresh insanity onto the porch.And let me tell you something: we are never catching up.Never.I could do this show seven days a week, eight hours a day, surviving entirely on caffeine and whatever chemicals they put in gas station beef jerky, and we'd still end every week with another mountain of madness to discuss. America has become a Netflix series written by people who got fired from reality television for being too unrealistic.But as they say, “Brevity is the soul of lingerie.”Which explains Congress perfectly. The less material involved, the more expensive it gets.Now, speaking of expensive coverups, Jill Biden made a revelation that shocked absolutely nobody. The media reacted like archaeologists discovering water in the ocean. “BREAKING NEWS: Joe Biden may have experienced cognitive decline!”Really? You don't say.This is the same man who has wandered off stages, shaken hands with invisible citizens, and looked at teleprompters like they were written in ancient Sanskrit. Joe Biden has spent the last several years speaking in a dialect I can only describe as Pharmaceutical Esperanto.And suddenly the media wants to pretend they just noticed?That's the part that fascinates me. Not the decline. The cover-up. Because everybody knew. Democrats knew. Journalists knew. Staffers knew. Jill knew. The Easter Bunny knew. The only people left pretending were the same folks who told us inflation was “transitory,” the border was “secure,” and men could get pregnant if you just believed hard enough.Now Jill Biden, Doctor Jill, Patron Saint of Denial, is out there acting wounded by the scrutiny. Ma'am, people aren't upset because your husband aged. Everybody ages. America would've shown grace for aging. What people resent is being lied to with the enthusiasm of a timeshare salesman trapped in a pyramid scheme.And now we find out Team Biden is trying to keep information sealed about his cognitive condition going all the way back to 2012?Two thousand TWELVE.That means Joe Biden may have been mentally buffering longer than most people have owned their smartphones.Think about that historically for a second. In 2012, people were still arguing over Bluetooth earpieces. Gas was under four bucks in many places. TikTok didn't exist yet. Hunter Biden probably still had at least one functioning laptop.And somewhere in Washington, insiders allegedly knew Joe Biden's brain was running Windows 95 in Safe Mode.Yet they still shoved him into office. Why? Because modern politics isn't about leadership anymore. It's Weekend at Bernie's with nuclear codes. The presidency became a puppet theater where anonymous staffers, activist bureaucrats, and ideological interns ran the machinery while the Commander in Chief searched for exits like he was trapped in an IKEA showroom.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dan, James, Anna and Andy discuss kitchen hygiene, a Commander-in-Chief, and NaHCO3.Visit nosuchthingasafish.com for news about live shows, merchandise and more episodes. Join Club Fish for ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content at apple.co/nosuchthingasafish or nosuchthingasafish.com/patreon

President Trump's health is under renewed scrutiny as frequent screenings appear at odds with proclamations of exceptional well-being. This morning, the commander-in-chief had the fourth publicly announced exam of his second administration. White House correspondent Liz Landers reports on what we know – and don't know – about the health of the president. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Last time we spoke about the New Fourth Army Incident. Across the Second Sino-Japanese War, the CCP entered after the setbacks of the 1930s, seeking to become a national leader in resistance while remaining cautious toward the Nationalist government. The 1936 Xi'an Incident reshaped politics, and by August 1937 KMT–CCP agreements defined a working arrangement: the CCP acknowledged KMT leadership and integrated its forces, while still pursuing political space and autonomy. As the war progressed, the CCP focused on defining its relationship with the KMT and keeping operational independence during cooperation. Mao Zedong managed this alliance by promoting a united front against Japan, yet protecting CCP revolutionary goals and internal control. The establishment of the Eighth Route Army and New Fourth Army marked this military reorganization. Throughout, the CCP feared that KMT collaboration with Japan could enable a peace settlement that would undermine communist legitimacy and restrict the party's future authority thereafter.   #202 The One Hundred Regiment Offensive Phase One 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. Simultaneously with the friction between the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the Japanese were also working to take control of—and extract value from—most of the territory they had nominally conquered. Treating these two processes separately—"friction" on the one hand and "consolidation" on the other—does violence to the real difficulty of the CCP's dilemma: the Party often had to confront both problems at the same time. At certain moments, the CCP was effectively forced to wage a two-front struggle. Even so, if the worst of the KMT–CCP friction had already eased by 1941, the most serious and painful challenges posed by Japanese consolidation were still ahead. To recover anything close to reality, the two timelines have to be read together and placed on top of one another. The Japanese understood that consolidation could not be postponed, because much of the land behind the furthest reaches of their army was still only weakly under their actual control. In some places, order could be restored by relatively direct methods: rebuilding local administration and policy authority; repairing transportation and communications; enrolling Chinese personnel—usually, as it turned out, people of dubious reliability—as police or militia under puppet regimes; registering the local population; and requiring identity cards. In true old-style Chinese fashion, collective security practices were used widely. One form was the familiar bao-jia system, in one variant or another. Another was the so-called "railway-cherishing village": a village would be assigned a nearby stretch of track, and if residents failed to "cherish" it, they were held collectively responsible. Yet early Japanese weakness in northern China is vividly illustrated by an incident in the summer of 1938. Three young foreigners—vacationing from teaching in Peiping (Beijing)—were curious about events and about what people were doing. They loaded their bicycles on a southbound train, got off at Baoding, and rode west until they ran into Eighth Route Army detachments. In the early period of the war, commanders generally wanted to rely on more mobile forms of warfare. Mao, however, insisted on a strategy of de-escalation and dispersion: breaking the 8RA and New Fourth Army into small units as nuclei for combat, recruitment, political work, and base-area construction. Under this approach, few engagements could be truly dramatic in scale, and most were constrained by the need to survive. Each skirmish had to be carefully planned. The CCP would use local intelligence and the element of surprise so that a detachment could strike and withdraw before its limited ammunition ran out or before enemy reinforcements arrived. Small Japanese patrols and puppet units could be ambushed not only to seize weapons and other material, but also to inflict casualties. Active collaborators, or Japanese-sponsored administrative personnel, could be assassinated. Above all, Communist action aimed to disrupt transportation: mining roads; cutting down telegraph poles, stealing wire, and cutting rail lines; sabotaging rolling stock; and, at times, carrying off steel rails so that primitive arsenals could be supplied. Attempting derailments was also part of the effort. Destroying a bridge or a locomotive counted as a major achievement. Both the Communists and the Japanese understood that these tactics did not decisively shift the overall strategic balance. Still, they worked at other levels. For the Japanese, the result was a constant series of small wounds—painful, bleeding, and potentially infectious. Few areas in the countryside felt truly safe. Japanese field commanders documented growing frustration as they tried to eliminate resistance, restore administration, collect taxes, and prepare for more systematic and effective economic exploitation of conquered territory. Guerrilla warfare against the Japanese cannot be judged only in conventional battle terms—numbers of engagements, casualties, or territory occupied. It had to be evaluated politically and psychologically as well, exactly as Mao repeatedly emphasized. Since the CCP's wartime legitimacy depended on its patriotic claims, enough fighting had to be carried out to maintain credibility. Moreover, military success mattered for mobilizing the "basic masses," persuading wavering people to keep an open mind, and neutralizing opposition. As the logic put it, it was not that people always chose the side that was winning, but that few would ever join a side they believed was losing. One experienced cadre described the effect this way: Among the guerrilla units… there is a saying that "victory decides everything." No matter how hard it has been to recruit troops, supply the army, raise the masses' anti-Japanese fervor or win over the masses' sympathy, after a victory in battle the masses fall all over themselves to send us flour, steamed bread, meat, and vegetables. The masses' pessimistic and defeatist psychology is broken down, and many new guerrilla soldiers swarm in. But once the Japanese began to demand a heavy price for every engagement—whether the Communists won or not—this attitude began to change. In North and Central China, the Japanese earliest pacification sweeps created comparatively little trouble for the CCP. At first, the Japanese made few distinctions among Chinese forces. They simply tried to mop up or disperse them without regard to character. Over time, however, they realized that these sweeps actually made it easier for the CCP to expand. By the second half of 1939, Japanese methods became more discriminating. Chinese non-Communist forces would step aside while the Japanese hunted specifically for the 8RA, the N4A, and their local affiliates. The Japanese also made more direct appeals to non-Communist forces. According to Japanese army statistics, during the eighteen months from mid-1939 to late 1940, around 70,000 men from more or less regular Nationalist units in North China alone went over to the Japanese. The Japanese also reached informal "understandings" with several regional commanders whose forces together might have totaled as many as 300,000 men. This, of course, corresponded to what the CCP denounced as "crooked-line patriotism"—the "crooked-line" collaboration that preserved certain units so they could be used in future anti-Communist operations. When pacification efforts were intensified from late 1939 and throughout 1940, differences also appeared in the strategies Japanese armies used in North versus Central China. In North China, the approach relied heavily on military means, with political tactics limited largely to recruiting collaborators. In Central China, Japanese authorities did not hesitate to use military force, but they also attempted to supplement it with more comprehensive political and economic solutions by setting up tightly controlled "model peace zones." Although both approaches ultimately failed, they created enormous difficulties for Chinese Communists—until, in 1943, the Japanese were forced to ease off because the Pacific War against the United States became too burdensome. Careful reading of detailed intra-party documents suggests that repression also demobilized peasant support and terrorized populations into apathy, grudging acquiescence, or even active collaboration with the Japanese. In a locality already reduced from consolidated base status to guerrilla status, capacity and will were often too weak to administer complex reforms in systematic fashion. In other words, passive survival—defensive survival—was at least as important as what lay behind the heroic public images the Party projected. Systematic pacification in North China in late 1939 and 1940 radiated outward. It moved from areas held more or less firmly by the Japanese and their puppets into guerrilla and contested zones. The ultimate objective was to crush resistance or render it ineffective. The method was first to sweep the area clear of anti-Japanese elements, and then to establish a chain of interconnected strongpoints that could quickly reinforce one another. After that, puppet government would be expanded so it could take increasing responsibility for civil administration and "pacification maintenance," while Japanese forces repeated the initial steps further outward into contested territory. Violence was used selectively against individuals, groups, or villages accused of acts of resistance. This selective violence aimed to deter active participation in CCP-led programs, deprive Communist forces of a population willing to shelter them, and persuade informers to come forward. That was, at least, the theory of the strategy. In practice, the basic framework of the strategy depended on the main transport lines. Railways and roads—if properly fortified and protected—could separate resistance forces from one another and deny them one of their most effective weapons: mobility. These "cage" tactics (chiyu-lung, "jiu-lung") made it possible to enlarge pacified areas by "nibbling" outward, "as a silkworm feeds on mulberry leaves" (ts'an-shih). At the same time, the approach aimed to exploit North China's economy more effectively. To this end, the Japanese worked to improve and extend both railway and road networks. When the war began, in Shanxi the Cheng-Tai (Shijiazhuang–Taiyuan) and Tong-Pu (Datong–Tongguan) lines were metre-gauge, incompatible with the standard-gauge lines elsewhere in China—part of Yan Xishan's design to prevent deeper penetration into his province. By the end of 1939, the Japanese used forced labor to convert both lines to standard gauge. One benefit was the easier transportation of high-quality anthracite coal from the Qingxing mines (on the Cheng-Tai line) to industrial users in North China and Manchukuo. Of the newly constructed roads and railway lines, the most important was the Te-Shih line—from Dezhou in northeastern Shandong to Shijiazhuang. Construction began in June 1940 and finished in November, connecting the Tianjin–Pukou, Beiping–Hankou, and Cheng-Tai lines. This made it easier to move troops and transport raw cotton. Once the Te–Shih link was completed, the Japanese had direct connections between the point of their furthest advance at the elbow of the Yellow River and all major cities of North China, and beyond to Manchukuo. Communist sources began to speak of a "transportation war," noting with concern the moats and ditches, the blockhouses, and the frequent patrols protecting the lines. Both militarily and economically, these measures weighed heavily on forces led by the Communists in North China and on the populations under their control—especially the plains of central and eastern Hebei. One indicator of effectiveness was the rapid decline in "acts of sabotage" against North China railways in 1939 and the first half of 1940. A cadre in Jin-Cha-Ji reported in mid-1940: "The enemy has adopted a blockhouse policy, like that of the Jiangxi Soviet. They are spread like a constellation. In central Hebei alone, there are about 500, separated by one to three miles." Normal trading patterns were disrupted as Japanese or puppet occupiers took over administrative and commercial centers, and peasants found themselves caught between regulations imposed by the Communists on one side and those enforced by the other side. Finally, landlords, moneylenders, loafers, bandits—everyone who felt damaged by the new order inside base areas—could use pacification programs to try to recover influence or simply take revenge. Some became informers. After 8RA and local units were driven away, they could kill remaining cadres or activists and settle scores with the peasants who had supported them. Until the "first anti-Communist upsurge" was defeated, local elites and other disaffected elements might also seek support from Nationalists. It was even possible for an armed band to operate for several months inside consolidated regions of the CCP base, killing cadres as it went. Peng Dehuai later recalled this period in a way that underscored how pressure translated into wavering and collapse. Under the enemy's brutal pressure, in some districts the masses even hesitated or capitulated. From March to July 1940, large areas of the North China base were reduced to guerrilla regions. Before the "Cage-bursting battle",, they controlled only two county seats: Pingxun in the Taihang mountains and Pien-kuan in northwest Shanxi. Masses who previously had one set of obligations now had two—one toward the anti-Japanese regime and one toward the puppet regime. The situation in North China had not yet become a full crisis, but it was certainly serious. Action was needed to regain initiative. On 22 July 1940, Zhu De, Commander-in-Chief of the Eighth Route Army, Peng Dehuai Deputy Commander-in-Chief, and Zuo Quan Deputy Chief of Staff jointly issued the Preliminary Battle Order, laying out the strategic goals for the coming operation. The order stated: "To respond to the enemy's 'prison cage policy,' obstruct its advance toward Xi'an, create favorable conditions in the North China theater, and strike at the national resistance initiative, we have decided to take advantage of the concealment provided by tall summer millet and the rainy season to carry out a large-scale sabotage operation on the Shijiazhuang–Taiyuan railway (Zheng–Tai Line)." It required the participation of at least 22 regiments from the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region, the 129th Division, and the 120th Division. The main objective was to "completely destroy key points along the Zheng–Tai Line" and to "cut the railway for a prolonged period." On 8 August, the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army issued the Operational Battle Order, further clarifying how forces would be deployed. The Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region was assigned to attack the eastern section of the Zheng–Tai Railway (from Niangzi Pass to Shijiazhuang). The 129th Division was assigned the western section (from Niangzi Pass to Yuci). The 120th Division was tasked with targeting the northern segment of the Tongpu Railway and the Fen–Li Highway. The order also required all troops to begin combat operations on 20 August, and emphasized that "the success of the campaign should be assessed primarily by the extent of damage inflicted on the Zheng–Tai Line." The operation was prepared under strict secrecy. Various elements of the Eighth Route Army conducted thorough preparations before the campaign. Reconnaissance teams, hidden and protected with the help of local villagers, penetrated deep into areas near the Shijiazhuang–Taiyuan railway to carefully map Japanese strongholds, enemy troop dispositions, and local terrain. At the same time, both military and civilian communities mobilized to stockpile grain, ammunition, and tools needed for railway sabotage; blacksmiths were organized to manufacture crowbars, pickaxes, and other essential equipment. Specialized military training covered demolition methods and techniques for dismantling railways, including tactics such as heating and bending steel rails. Civilian mobilization played a crucial role: militia and support teams took on tasks such as transport, medical aid, and coordination with military units. In Central Shanxi alone, more than 10,000 militia members were mobilized. The Eighth Route Army headquarters repeatedly stressed the need for operational confidentiality, stating: "Before the battle begins, the plan must remain strictly classified; until preparations are completed, the campaign objective may be disclosed only to brigade-level commanders." With the cover of dense summer millet, troops secretly assembled within their designated operational areas. Before the battle, the Japanese North China Area Army estimated the strength of the communist regular forces at about 88,000 men in December 1939. Two years later, they revised the estimate to 140,000. On the eve of the battle, communist forces had grown to between 200,000 and 400,000 men, organized in 105 regiments. By 1940, the growth had become so significant that Zhu De ordered a coordinated offensive by most of the communist regular units—46 regiments from the 115th Division, 47 from the 129th, and 22 from the 120th—against Japanese-held cities and the railway lines that connected them. According to the Communist Party's official statement, the battle began on 20 August.  On August 20, 1940, the rain didn't stop the campaign—it changed the battlefield. It slowed movement, blurred distance, and turned rivers and muddy roads into obstacles that could just as easily trap your own men as your enemy's. Along the districts bordering the Zhengtai Railway, the Eighth Route Army still moved, slipping through valleys and river crossings, bypassing Japanese posts, and positioning forces on both sides of the line as night settled in. By dark, the plan became a coordinated strike meant to hit the enemy before they could properly react. Across the entire Zhengtai Railway, attacks went out with timing designed to disorient Japanese defenders—so that their "first realization" arrived only after the railway itself was already being attacked and the window to respond effectively had slipped away.   A key portion of that strike fell to the right column of the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region, centered on the 5th and 19th Regiments, with the mission of sabotaging the Niangziguan to Luanliu section. At 20:00 on August 20, part of the 5th Regiment infiltrated Niangziguan Village for the first time, overwhelmed the puppet troops stationed there, and seized the village by dawn. After that opening cut, the main force moved in to cover the engineers, destroy enemy fortifications, and blow up the Guandong Railway Bridge. When the sabotage was done, they withdrew from Niangziguan on their own initiative, leaving the enemy to deal with the destruction rather than being pulled into a long, grinding engagement.   That same night, at Mohe Beach along the Zhengtai line, another action unfolded. The 1st Company of the 1st Battalion of the 5th Regiment attacked the station and was immediately met with a counterattack by Japanese forces. By dawn on August 21, the company withdrew—an adjustment, not defeat—and then attacked again the same night after crossing the Mian River. This time the enemy retreated into barracks to resist more stubbornly, with nearly 1,000 Japanese troops holding Mohe Beach. Heavy rain had swollen the river and made foot crossing nearly impossible, but the attackers seized the village west of the station and held it. On August 22 afternoon, more than 400 Japanese troops counterattacked; the main force of the 5th Regiment hit from the north bank of the Mian River in a fire assault, killing more than 50 before withdrawing the 1st Company out of the fighting. The 19th Regiment, meanwhile, took Jucheng and Irrang stations, tightening the pressure on the railway corridor.   On August 23, 1940, the 5th Regiment recaptured Niangziguan and blew up the stone bridge east of the village, destroying the railway segment between Chengjialongdi and Mohetan. That night the 19th Regiment stormed Yirang Station and blew up the water tower and the railway, ensuring the disruption would not be temporary. From August 24 to 27, bridges near Yanhui—stone and wooden—were destroyed again and again. Under that continuous pressure, beginning on August 25, Japanese transportation along the Niangziguan to Luanliu section of the Zhengtai Road was cut off completely. Strongholds were left to fight more or less alone, unable to coordinate or move supplies the way they normally would.   While the right column worked the railway, other forces hit the system from different angles. The Central Column of the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region—comprised of the 2nd, 3rd, and 16th Regiments—took responsibility for sabotaging the Zhengtai Road segment from Niangziguan to Weishui and for striking the Jingxing Coal Mine area. On the night of August 20, the 3rd Regiment launched coordinated attacks on the Gangtou old mine and the Dongwangshe new mine of Jingxing, and with miners assisting, the 1st Battalion quickly stormed the new mine and annihilated part of the enemy garrison. The rest withdrew into bunkers, resisting as best they could. By the afternoon of the next day, the entire enemy force had been wiped out. Afterward, major buildings in the mining area were destroyed and most materials were removed so that the mine could not resume production for more than six months. The 3rd Regiment also captured Jiazhuang, reinforcing the idea that sabotage here meant disabling not just lines of movement, but also the flow of resources.   Elsewhere, Japanese positions were disrupted in smaller, targeted strikes that still added up. After the Japanese stronghold at Nanzheng destroyed the railway between Nanzheng and Weishui, the 2nd Regiment took the eastern end fortress of the Faluling Railway Bridge, covered the engineers as they blew up a section of the bridge, and briefly occupied Caizhuang. The 2nd Battalion of the 16th Regiment attacked Beiyu on the night of August 20, annihilating most defenders, and on August 21 it covered the engineers to destroy the Beiyu Stone Bridge. Other units struck Didu and annihilated most defenders in Nanyu. By August 24, the Central Column had learned that more than 1,000 Japanese troops were stationed in Jingxing County, with additional reinforcements moving toward Nanyu and Didu. Their response was practical: detachments were assigned to watch and harass along the railway while the main force gathered in mobile positions—waiting for the next opening rather than charging blindly into concentrated strength.   Meanwhile, the left column of the Jin-Cha-Ji effort—from the 2nd Regiment of the Jizhong Garrison Brigade, the Military Region Special Service Regiment, and the Pingjinghuo Detachment—focused on sabotage from Weishui to Shijiazhuang. On the night of August 20, the Pingjinghuo Detachment attacked Yanfeng and blew up the railway. The Special Service Regiment moved with massed efforts as they destroyed power lines and highways from Yanfeng to Weizhou. On the night of August 22, the Special Service Regiment attacked Shang'an Station. On August 23, the 2nd Regiment stormed Touquan Station, captured two fortresses, then withdrew from the railway line; from August 25 to 27, they destroyed the highway connecting Pingshan, Huolu, Weishui, and Yanfeng.   While the main blow was falling along the Zhengtai Railway, the 129th Division was assigned raids on the western section. That area included the Japanese Independent Mixed Brigade No. 4 headquarters, a coal mine base at Yangquan, and support from Independent Mixed Brigade No. 9 from Yuci. These raids weren't only about destruction—they were meant to disorient, to create confusion over where the main pressure truly was. After the general offensive began at 20:00 on August 20, five companies of the 16th Regiment attacked Lujiazhuang Station and captured bunkers. Two guerrilla-operating companies in Yuci worked with engineers to destroy bridges between Lujiazhuang and Duanting. The 38th Regiment surprised Shanghu and Heshangzu stations, while the 25th Regiment captured Mashou Station and pushed Japanese troops toward Shouyang. The division's right-wing sabotage unit—28th and 30th Regiments of the newly formed 10th Brigade—took on sabotage on the Yangquan–Shouyang section, splitting routes on the night of August 20 to attack stations like Langyu, Zhangjing, Qinquan, and then striking additional positions with the 30th Regiment. Across that window, stations and strongholds such as Sangzhang, Yanzigou, Langyu, and Qinquan were taken, iron bridges were destroyed, and additional stations including Potou, Xinzhuang, Saiyu, Tielugou, Xiaozhuang, and Zhangzhuang were seized or disrupted.   As the western sabotage deepened, Japanese response hardened—but the ability to coordinate weakened. With the Zhengtai line sabotaged, the western section came under the 129th Division's control except for a few places such as Shouyang. Fierce assaults forced Japanese forces to lose contact with each other within days. Strongholds were attacked, besieged, and then annihilated as communication and coordination broke down. The 129th Division mobilized local people to destroy railway facilities, stations, and installations using demolition, burning, and flooding, moving materials so the railway and related infrastructure were effectively erased rather than merely damaged.   To cover these operations, the division occupied Shinaoshan with the 14th Regiment of the general reserve. Starting the morning of August 21, Japanese forces concentrated in Yangquan and attacked Shinaoshan daily. Enemy strength reportedly rose from more than 200 to more than 600, supported by bombing and strafing and the release of poison. The 14th Regiment held out until August 25, repelling repeated attacks, and by August 26 additional pressure came again as reinforcements increased. After six days and nights—and the annihilation of more than 400 enemy soldiers—the 14th Regiment withdrew from the main peak of Shinaoshan, continuing to contain the Japanese with smaller detachments while the main force shifted to another mission.   The first phase of sabotage had succeeded, but the campaign did not allow complacency. The Japanese strengthened their presence along the railway and launched frequent counterattacks, and Japanese divisions in southern Shanxi—including the 36th, 37th, and 41st—prepared to reinforce from the north. On August 26, the Eighth Route Army Headquarters issued instructions for a second phase: continue breaking through the road, concentrate superior forces, and annihilate Japanese units smaller than a battalion that were attacking or reinforcing. In line with that guidance, the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region ordered the Jin-You Column to keep breaking through the road on August 27 for one or two days, while the 129th Division alternated daily in breaking through. Under sustained pressure, the western section of the Zhengtai Road was basically destroyed; transportation was effectively cut off except for a few towns such as Shouyang and Yangquan.   On September 2, orders were issued to conclude the Zhengtai Campaign starting from the 3rd and shift forces according to the second-step plan. As the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region launched the Mengbei Campaign, the 129th Division shifted toward attacking invading Japanese forces, while other tasks—such as attacking the He-Liao Highway and recovering cities of He and Liao—were left for later. Beginning September 2, the Military Region deployed the 2nd, 5th, 16th, and 19th Regiments toward areas north of Meng County and Shouyang to recapture enemy strongholds. With the railway sabotaged, the Japanese main force north of Meng County shifted south to reinforce, weakening garrisons and spreading panic among the strongholds. As fierce offensives intensified, garrison troops began to waver. By the afternoon of September 5, Japanese troops at Xiashe, supported by troops from Shangshe, retreated to Shangshe and fled toward Meng County overnight. That night, the 19th Regiment arrived near Shangshe and, together with the Special Service Battalion of the 2nd Military Sub-district, pursued. The 1st Battalion of the 19th Regiment advanced into Shenquan and Putian to cut off the retreat route. By 9:00 AM on September 6 the enemy was surrounded in Xingdao Village, and after five hours of intense fighting most forces were annihilated. Survivors fled east to Luolizhang Mountain, only to be surrounded again by the 19th, 5th, and 16th Regiments. By the night of September 9, most Japanese forces had been wiped out, though more than 40 men broke through in dense fog and escaped into Meng County.   The siege continued through bitter episodes involving attacks and withdrawals under poison, with both sides paying heavily for every moment of progress. Eventually, on September 11, Japanese troops in Xiyan escaped back to Meng County, helped by more than 200 Japanese already present there. Meanwhile, the Japanese attempted to counter the pressure: on September 4 they sent more than 2,000 troops to reinforce Meng County and began a counterattack. On September 10, the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region ordered the 19th and 5th Regiments to remain east and north of Meng County to coordinate with the 129th and 120th Divisions, while the rest prepared for new missions.   As fighting intensified around Zhengtai and Meng County, a parallel pressure campaign unfolded. To contain Eighth Route Army sabotage along Zhengtai, the Japanese assembled battalions from Independent Mixed 4th and 9th Brigades to strike the 129th Division. In response, the 120th Division began large-scale sabotage against the Tongpu Railway and major highways in northwestern Shanxi starting 20:00 on August 20. They captured enemy strongholds along rail and road lines, striking major bases such as Kangjiahui on the Xinjing Highway, where more than 50 Japanese and puppet troops were stationed, and also attacking other areas like Shishen, Lizhen, and Jingle. Ambushes were set to annihilate reinforcements arriving from different directions, and at 00:30 on August 21 the 2nd Battalion of the 4th Regiment attacked Kangjiahui and annihilated the defenders by dawn. Reinforcements arriving in cars were destroyed, and subsequent actions continued to expand the disruption.   Over more than 180 battles in northwestern Shanxi, the 120th Division annihilated more than 800 Japanese and puppet troops and captured or destroyed stations and strongholds including Kangjiahui, Yangfangkou, Pingshe, and Longquan. By disrupting the Tongpu Railway and transportation along the Xinjing, Taifen, and Fenli highways, they tied down Japanese forces and made it harder to reinforce Zhengtai. In practical terms, this meant the first phase of the Hundred Regiments Offensive—lasting about three weeks—ended on September 10 with major railway lines and motor roads attacked repeatedly. Roadbeds, bridges, switching yards, and installations were hit heavily; at the Qingxing coal mines, facilities were destroyed and production was halted for nearly a year.   By the end of that first phase, the campaign's logic had become clearer: once the Japanese leaned more heavily on a "cage-and-strongpoint" defense system, the same transport network that had supported their defense became less secure. When rail and road were repeatedly disrupted, strongpoints became more vulnerable—especially if Japanese units pulled out nearby detachments to respond to sabotage. So the campaign shifted from breaking transportation to attacking blockhouses and other strongpoints in contested areas, aiming to force Japanese forces back into well-defended garrisons and leave the countryside again contested by Communist forces. 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. From 20 August 1940, under secrecy and rain, units of the 8th Route Army infiltrated stations, captured villages, destroyed bridges, power lines, roads, mines, and stations across multiple columns. By early September the Zhengtai and related Tongpu transport routes were repeatedly severed, forcing Japanese troops to fight isolated strongpoints and hindering reinforcement. 

p's recent insomnia-induced, Obama-obsessed posting spree showed a level of paranoia and delusion that should be raising real concerns about the mental health of our commander-in-chief. The new blotch on his neck to go with the giant bruises on his hands is not helping matters. Is the DOJ mulling a $10 billion IRS settlement with Trump to try to ease his emotional distress over his seeming loss in Iran? Plus, Gorka's half-baked “official” counterterrorism strategy, Tim did ask Comey about the Hillary email investigation in a previous interview, and the poll numbers for POTUS are worse than they were after Jan 6.  Tom Nichols joins Tim Miller for a special LIVE pod.show notes Tom on the administration's counterterrorism strategy Tim's interview with Comey last year Just announced: San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and our own MAGA culture expert, Will Sommer, will join the gang on stage at Bulwark Live: San Diego on May 20. And on May 21 at Bulwark Live: LA our friends Jane Coaston, Jon Favreau, Erin Ryan from Crooked Media, The Ringer's Van Lathan and progressive commentator Brian Tyler Cohen will join Sarah, Tim and Sam on stage. Grab your seats today at TheBulwark.com/Events Join at functionhealth.com/THEBULWARK or use gift code THEBULWARK25 for a $25 credit toward your membership.

Tehran is currently banking on the hope that the United States will buckle under economic pressure, yet their strategy ignores the reality of a commander-in-chief focused on decisive negotiation rather than retreat. While the Iranian regime attempts to shield itself behind threats to Gulf oil and water supplies, internal power struggles between the IRGC and a fractured military suggest a government in total disarray, argues Davis Hanson on today's edition of “Victor Davis Hanson: In a Few Words.”

1. Military Morale and Leadership U.S. military morale has significantly strengthened by a commander-in-chief who is willing to risk substantial resources to rescue a single American service member. Trump is contrasted against Clinton (Somalia), Obama (Libya), and Biden (Afghanistan), portraying those administrations as failing to protect troops. The U.S. military ethos: soldiers fight aggressively because they trust that medics, rescue forces, and leadership will risk everything to save them. 2. U.S. Military Culture and “Quiet Math of American Violence” Highlight inter-service respect (Marines, Navy corpsmen, Air Force PJs). American combat effectiveness comes not just from training or equipment, but from certainty that help will arrive under fire, reinforcing battlefield courage. 3. Trump’s Iran Policy and Deterrence Strategy Trump’s foreign policy is: “FAFO” (forceful consequences for aggression) Transactional with allies (support is conditional) Infrastructure strikes are: Intended to cripple military and economic capability Designed to pressure the population to overthrow the regime A deliberate choice not to destroy oil infrastructure to preserve post‑conflict recovery potential 4. War Crimes Accusations and Legal Defense Democrats and media figures are labeling infrastructure strikes as “war crimes.” This is countered by citing the Pentagon’s Law of War Manual, arguing that power generation and infrastructure supporting military operations can be lawful military objectives. 5. View of Iranian Leadership Iran’s rulers are theocratic extremists who: Do not care about civilian suffering Are willing to sacrifice large portions of their population Doubts are expressed about whether economic devastation would deter or influence regime behavior. 6. Immigration and Violent Crime Violent crimes committed by undocumented immigrants are widespread and underreported Democratic policies (sanctuary cities, TPS, opposition to ICE) directly enabled these crimes Several specific criminal cases argue that border enforcement failures have led to American deaths. Please Hit Subscribe to this podcast Right Now. Also Please Subscribe to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson and The Ben Ferguson Show Podcast Wherever You get You're Podcasts. And don't forget to follow the show on Social Media so you never miss a moment! Thanks for Listening YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VerdictwithTedCruz/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/verdictwithtedcruz X: https://x.com/tedcruz X: https://x.com/benfergusonshowYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VerdictwithTedCruzSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.