Podcasts about counteroffensive

➡️ Join the community of geopolitics enthusiasts and gain access to exclusive content on PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingGeopoliticsCheck out The Counteroffensive: https://www.counteroffensive.news/➡️ Sign up to my free geopolitics newsletter: https://stationzero.substack.com/Thank you Conducttr for sponsoring the podcast. Take a look at Conducttr's services and its crisis exercise software at: https://www.conducttr.comThis is a conversation with Tim Mak, a Ukraine-based journalist and a founder of The Counteroffensive - a new type of a media organisation trying to bring authentic reporting from the war and from Ukraine in general.  I spoke to Tim to learn about how everything that's been going on is being perceived in Ukraine - how is the Ukrainian government trying to work with the United States after they cut off its aid - what are their options and whether they have a strategy for what to do. And about the changes of the public opinion on peace deals and war negotiations or about the reality of the critical minerals deal negotiations and what is all that really about - and much more. 

In this episode, retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel Mark Reardon joins me to talk about Operation Lüttich, one of two counteroffensives the Germans launched following the Allied invasion at Normandy in the summer of 1944; the second being the Battle of the Bulge. Mark provides significant detail from his book, Victory at Mortain: Stopping Hitler's Panzer Counteroffensive, which I will link to below, and he also adds some additional insight he has gained since publishing the book. LinksVictory at Mortain: Stopping Hitler's Panzer Counteroffensive by Mark Reardon (https://www.amazon.com/Victory-Mortain-Stopping-Hitlers-Counteroffensive/dp/0700612955)Mother of Tanks website (http://www.motheroftanks.com/podcast/) Bonus Content (https://www.patreon.com/c/motheroftanks)

As Trump and his administration try to rewrite history and say that Ukraine started the war with Russia, we're joined by Tim Mak, war correspondent and founder of The Counteroffensive. Tim has been living in Kyiv since the beginning of Russia's invasion and discusses the toll that the war has taken on the people of Ukraine. He examines what kind of leader Donald Trump is - will he exploit America's longstanding friendships or choose to abandon them? We also discuss the future of President Zelensky and how Ukranians view his leadership.Read Tim's work in The Counteroffensive: https://www.counteroffensive.news/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's war diary, Nikolai Feldman and Alexey Arestovich discussed the main news on the 1027th day of war:➤ 00:00 Situation at the front: the defense of Kurakhovsky and other directions — stand to the last man or withdraw?➤ 03:20 How can Ukrainian army cut off the enemy's "pincers"? Why Ukrainian commanders don't?➤ 09:10 Change of command of the operational-tactical group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine "Donetsk". Causes and consequences of Syrsky's leadership.➤ 13:27 Arty Green: rotation of incompetents.➤ 18:25 An attempt to cover up the rotten with something bright: purple laser beam in the Ukrainian army. The unique experience of the Ukrainian army — how to fight worse three years later than at the beginning of the war.➤ 21:10 Bullying of Ukrainian soldiers in the 211th pontoon brigade.➤ 25:38 Marcus, 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade (SMB) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: how the recruitment project was implemented. The problem of integrating pixels with volunteers.➤ 36:10 The incompetent system of training and operation in the Armed Forces of Ukraine:  military education system needs to be rebuilt.➤ 39:10 Which generals did the Ukrainian System elevate?➤ 43:00 An example of a crime against the golden human capital in the 47th SMB.➤ 50:15 Counteroffensive in summer of 2023: an example of ignoring mine fields intel.➤ 52:20 Ad hominem attacks on former 47th SMB Sergeant Major Marcus instead of seeing a set of problems he brings up.➤ 55:35 Trump said that Zelensky is ready to conclude an agreement with the Russian Federation. Trump's peace plan is a freeze plan for the duration of his term, a pause to resolve the security issues between two countries.➤ 01:00:00 Goals of post-war reconstruction system in Ukraine.➤ 01:03:30 The intentions of Ukrainian political teams: Ukraine may be worse prepared for the third phase of the war with Russia.Olexiy Arestovych (Kiev): Advisor to the Office of Ukraine President : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oleksiy_ArestovychOfficial channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjWy2g76QZf7QLEwx4cB46gNikolay Feldman - Ukranian journalist, social researcher, blogger.

Day 994.Today, we look at renewed Russian efforts to retake Kursk before Trump returns to the White House, consider the evidence Europe is responding to the threat of an American withdrawal, and assess potential new appointments in for the new government Washington. Then, later, we hear the euphoric memories of a Ukrainian officer who served in the historic Kharkiv counteroffensive.Contributors:Francis Dearnley (Assistant Comment Editor). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.With special thanks to our guest, a Ukrainian officer we shall not name who served in the historic Kharkiv counteroffensive.Content referenced:Putin rushes to recapture Kursk from Ukrainians before Trump takes office (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/11/11/putin-kursk-assault-ukraine-trump-north-korea/Donald Trump expected to nominate China hawk Marco Rubio for secretary of state (FT):https://www.ft.com/content/5ec67430-7c68-4783-bf88-92c82e9d7f6fBrussels to free up billions of euros for defence and security from EU budget (FT):https://www.ft.com/content/eb0de7f4-5ba1-460a-a83d-1a7302fc1536Russian forces damage Kurakhove Reservoir dam in Donetsk Oblast (Kyiv Independent)https://kyivindependent.com/russian-forces-damage-dam-of-kurakhove-reservoir-in-donetsk-oblast-ukraine-says/?mc_cid=0e0eef55ad&mc_eid=08d0680a95Starmer to demand Biden hands Ukraine missing $20bn before Trump takes over (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/11/11/keir-starmer-demand-biden-ukraine-20bn-before-trump-talks/Subscribe to The Telegraph: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, host Jeremy Hitchcock sits down with Tim Mak, a veteran journalist with over fifteen years of experience covering Capitol Hill, national security, and presidential campaigns. As a former U.S. Army medic and EMT, Tim brings a unique perspective to his reporting, blending firsthand experience from the frontlines of conflict with deep insights into national and international security. He's the author of Misfire, an investigative look into the NRA, and his work has appeared in The Atlantic, Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, and Politico Magazine.Now based in Ukraine, Tim shares his journey from Washington to Kyiv, the inspiration behind his publications The Counteroffensive and Counteroffensive Pro, and his focus on Ukraine's defense innovations and human stories amid war. Join us as we discuss his experiences, the evolving defense landscape, and what it's like reporting from a war zone.

An old Soviet bioweapons lab shows new sign of life—and growth. Thousands of North Korean soldiers are in Russia to fight against Ukraine. And Russian President Vladimir Putin seems to have Elon Musk's direct line. What's going on in Russia? Lawfare's Editor in Chief Benjamin Wittes sits down with Foreign Policy Editor Daniel Byman and Tim Mak of The Counteroffensive to talk through the news of the weird from Russia.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/c/trumptrials.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Refusing to let Midgardsormr get us down, we get right back on our feet and take the offensive to some imperials. Meanwhile, Moenbryda brings a prototype of her Aetheric Siphon into the field for some tests. But! Things go awry with the appearance of an uninvited interloper. Join us as we continue with the Final Fantasy 14 patch 2.5 main story!   You can reach us at: https://discord.gg/SUHTBVMVxj  podreturnffxiv@gmail https://www.patreon.com/Podreturnffxiv https://bsky.app/profile/podreturnffxiv.bsky.social   FINAL FANTASY is a registered trademark of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. © SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/fernweh-goldfish/skippy-mr-sunshine License code: 91CJGK73DTQIXILK https://uppbeat.io/t/danijel-zambo/fairytales License code: PQ1IMSLKP0XTU1IC

The Russia-Ukraine War Report provides comprehensive, fact-based news coverage about the war in Ukraine. Our team of journalists, researchers, and analysts are from Georgia, Israel, Finland, Poland, Ukraine, the U.S., and the U.K. We go beyond content aggregation and provide analysis and assessments on how today's stories shape the war's future. Today's Podcast Marina Yevshan covers the events that happened on Wednesday and Thursday morning. 01:36 Daily Assessment 04:20 Russian attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure 05:35 Action Report Summary 06:43 Today's Analysis - Russia's slowing operational tempo 08:48 Kursk Counter-invasion - Glushkovo AO 11:08 Kursk Counter-invasion - Korenevo AO 15:20 Kursk Counter-invasion - Lgov OD 16:01 Kursk Counter-invasion - Sumy Oblast, Ukraine 17:16 Ukraine - Kharkiv 18:30 Ukraine - Luhansk 19:03 Ukraine - Northeast Donetsk 23:02 Black Sea, occupied Donetsk, Mykolaiv, and Odesa 23:57 Russian Front 24:48 Theaterwide 25:49 Military Aid Resources and Links The Russian-Ukraine War Map is a great resource to use while listening to the podcast to see the geography covered in today's podcast. You can bookmark: http://www.rusvukrmap.com Today's Podcast is based upon the information in the September 11, 2024, Malcontent News Russia-Ukraine War Situation Report. The SITREPs include access to the pictures, videos, and additional resources we mentioned in today's podcast, and we offer a 7-day free trial. The Russia-Ukraine War Report provides comprehensive, fact-based news coverage about the war in Ukraine. Our team of journalists, researchers, and analysts are from Georgia, Israel, Finland, Poland, Ukraine, the U.S., and the U.K. We go beyond content aggregation and provide analysis and assessments on how today's stories shape the war's future. September 10, 2024, Situation Report https://www.patreon.com/posts/russia-ukraine-111913781 Support Independent Journalism As independent journalists, most of our costs are covered by subscribers. Not one? For $5 a month, you can support Malcontent News and get access to our Daily Situation Reports and Flash Reports, which provide updates during the day. The Situation Report includes information not included in the podcast, including weather forecasts, soil moisture and tractability, and an analysis of Russian and Ukrainian heavy equipment losses using information from the Oryx Database. Become a Patreon today, and we now offer a seven-day free trial subscription at the Bronze support level. https://www.patreon.com/TheMalcontent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The PDB Afternoon Bulletin:    More than a month after Ukraine's surprise invasion of Russia's Kursk region, Moscow appears to have launched a major counteroffensive to take back the territory. Israel's defense minister has revealed a document from a top Hamas commander warning terrorist leader Yahya Sinwar that the group faces dire losses, and the remaining fighters are mentally broken. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The PDB Afternoon Bulletin. Email: PDB@TheFirstTV.com.  Blackout Coffee: https://www.blackoutcoffee.com/PDB Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris square off in their first debate, Russia reportedly launches a counteroffensive in Kursk, Israel reportedly dropped 2K-pound bombs on the Gaza Humanitarian Zone, Pakistan police charge several lawmakers from Imran Khan's party, The Mexican Senate approves Pres. Obrador's judicial reform, The European Court of Justice upholds a $2.7B antitrust fine on Google, House Speaker Mike Johnson delays a vote to fund the US government, Trump media stock suffers a post-debate dip, Mauricio Pochettino is named the US Men's National Soccer Team head coach, and SpaceX launches billionaire Jared Isaacman for the first-ever private spacewalk. Sources: verity.news

Two and half years after Russia first invaded, Ukraine has launched what might be its boldest counterattack yet: a push into the Kursk region. It's the first military incursion across Russian borders since the Second World War, drawing Russian troops away from key battle zones in eastern Ukraine.Tim Mak, a Kyiv-based journalist who publishes the newsletter The Counteroffensive, explains why Ukraine is betting big on such a risky strategy, and whether it could change the course of this protracted war.For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts

Ukraine is at a crossroads. It's been more than two years of brutal, deadly conflict. Despite some shifts to the front lines, neither side has a clear path to military victory, and support for the war effort is flagging amongst Ukrainians. Is it time for President Zelensky to think about negotiating an end to the war? On the GZERO World Podcast, Ian Bremmer sits with Yaroslav Trofimov, Wall Street Journal Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent and author of "Our Enemies Will Vanish," about the challenges Ukraine faces, including waning morale and difficulties in military recruitment. Although recent polls indicate that Ukrainians are more receptive to peace talks, Trofimov warns that Russia's endgame remains unchanged—total erasure of Ukrainian national identity. With the painful history of Soviet-Era aggression still fresh in the national memory, most Ukrainians are resolute that they won't accept compromise unless it means the return of all internationally recognized land. Trofimov cautions that the absence of security guarantees by NATO and Western allies means Russia's assault on Ukraine is far from over.Though Bremmer and Trofimov spoke in July before Ukraine's incursion into Russia's Kursk region, the larger picture remains bleak: no clear path to ending the war, hundreds of thousands of lives lost, and nearly 20% of Ukraine still under occupation. And if Donald Trump wins a second term, continued US military support is uncertain. So, is it time for Ukraine to negotiate with Russia for a swift end to the war? If not, what will be the cost of all this suffering?Host: Ian BremmerGuest: Yaroslav Trofimov  Subscribe to the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published.

Ukraine is at a crossroads. It's been more than two years of brutal, deadly conflict. Despite some shifts to the front lines, neither side has a clear path to military victory, and support for the war effort is flagging amongst Ukrainians. Is it time for President Zelensky to think about negotiating an end to the war? On the GZERO World Podcast, Ian Bremmer sits with Yaroslav Trofimov, Wall Street Journal Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent and author of "Our Enemies Will Vanish," about the challenges Ukraine faces, including waning morale and difficulties in military recruitment. Although recent polls indicate that Ukrainians are more receptive to peace talks, Trofimov warns that Russia's endgame remains unchanged—total erasure of Ukrainian national identity. With the painful history of Soviet-Era aggression still fresh in the national memory, most Ukrainians are resolute that they won't accept compromise unless it means the return of all internationally recognized land. Trofimov cautions that the absence of security guarantees by NATO and Western allies means Russia's assault on Ukraine is far from over.Though Bremmer and Trofimov spoke in July before Ukraine's incursion into Russia's Kursk region, the larger picture remains bleak: no clear path to ending the war, hundreds of thousands of lives lost, and nearly 20% of Ukraine still under occupation. And if Donald Trump wins a second term, continued US military support is uncertain. So, is it time for Ukraine to negotiate with Russia for a swift end to the war? If not, what will be the cost of all this suffering?Host: Ian BremmerGuest: Yaroslav Trofimov  Subscribe to the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published.

EDITORIAL: Ukraine's counteroffensive in Russia could risk a nuclear response | Aug. 12, 2024Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net Follow us: Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital Check out our Podcasts: Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer Stitcher: https://tmt.ph/stitcherTune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein #TheManilaTimes#VoiceOfTheTimes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday morning, in advance of the NATO Summit in Washington DC, Russian missiles ferociously tore through a children's cancer hospital in Kyiv-sending a brutal reminder to the world. Russia is not sparing anyone. Putin is proceeding to murder innocent children while the world watches. This is why veterans recently started American Veterans for Ukraine and it's why so many other people have felt the call to serve. And it's why we're not going to look away on this show. We're not going to stop covering this terrible conflict, until Ukraine achieves victory. Tim Mak (@timkmak) is a leader dedicated to that victory. Tim is founder and editor of The Counteroffensive. Follow them now. He's an independent, investigative journalist with a background in politics, national security, and emergency medicine. He was there in Kyiv as the attacks unfolded. He rushed to the hospital to report on the carnage. And he joins us between power outages from Ukraine now. After this week's deadly attack, he's the perfect independent voice to hear from. And our host Paul Rieckhoff tears into the collapse of support for Joe Biden, why the most recent politicians to abandon Biden are so important, the squishiness from the White House on Ukraine, why Jim Mattis is back in the news, why American Generals have so often been President, JFK Jr's latest conspiracy theory pushing (and snake catching!), why LeBron is what American politics should be, and why the Olympics are so important to America (and Americans) right now.  Every episode of Independent Americans is independent light to contrast the heat of other politics and news shows. It's content for the 51% of Americans that now call themselves independent. Always with a unique focus on national security, foreign affairs and military and vets issues. This is another pod to help you stay vigilant. Because vigilance is the price of democracy. In these trying times especially, Independent Americans is your trusted place for independent news, politics and inspiration.  Previous Appearances: Episode 270 - March 7, 2024 Episode 223 - May 18, 2023 -Get extra content, connect with guests, events, merch discounts and support this show that speaks truth to power by joining us on Patreon.  -Watch video of Paul and Tim's full conversation. -Check #LookForTheHelpers on Twitter. And share yours.  -Join the fight at American Veterans for Ukraine.  -If you're an Independent VETERAN especially, check out Independent Veterans of America.  -Check out the VA website piece about all the American presidents who've been veterans that Paul talked about.  -Find us on social media or www.IndependentAmericans.us. -Hear other Righteous pods like The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra, Uncle Montel - The OG of Weed and B Dorm.  Independent Americans is powered by Righteous Media. America's next great independent media company. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we've got a guest coming to us straight from the middle of a war zone. Tim Mak joins the show from Kyiv, Ukraine. He's an experienced war correspondent who has worked for leading news outlets and founded his own independent publication just over a year ago to cover the war in Ukraine on the ground. The Counteroffensive publishes original reporting from inside the country and recently profiled the man behind an effort to install gun-rights protections in the nation's law. Mak said the effort has made significant progress. Legislation to legalize civilian gun ownership has already made it through a first read in the Ukranian parliament. He said it has a lot of support within President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's party. Much of that support is driven by Maryan Zablotskiy, who talks a lot like American gun-rights activists and has cultivated relationships inside the American conservative movement. But Mak said he's not the only one in Ukraine whose opinion on gun ownership has been changed after facing the brutal reality of the Russian invasion. Still, he noted not everyone agrees, and there is an active debate over what regulations on civilian guns should remain. Click this link for your free trial from our sponsor The Dispatch: https://thedispatch.com/join-offer-reload/?utmsource=newsletter&utmmedium=email&utm_campaign=reload0624 Special Guest: Tim Mak.

Original Air Date: July 10, 2023 This week, Michael sits down with Estonia's Ambassador to Ukraine, Kaimo Kuusk, who has been in the post since 2019. Ambassador Kuusk will soon become the Ambassador to Lithuania, but before he takes his new post, he discusses the Ukrainian counteroffensive, the US decision to send cluster munitions to Ukraine and his thoughts on Russia and Putin after the Wagner Group's mutiny.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original Air Date: July 10, 2023 This week, Michael sits down with Estonia's Ambassador to Ukraine, Kaimo Kuusk, who has been in the post since 2019. Ambassador Kuusk will soon become the Ambassador to Lithuania, but before he takes his new post, he discusses the Ukrainian counteroffensive, the US decision to send cluster munitions to Ukraine and his thoughts on Russia and Putin after the Wagner Group's mutiny.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I detail the latest Supreme Court Second Amendment ruling on this week's episode of the News Update. Then I talk about President Biden's new gun control ad and the risk vs. reward of his strategy in centering his call for new firearms restrictions as the election nears. I also go over an on-the-ground report from The Counteroffensive out of Ukraine about a new effort to bring the war-torn country its own version of the Second Amendment.

Journalist Tim Mak was there on day one of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He was NPR's war correspondent and most recently returned on his own as an independent journalist, founding the newsletter, "The Counteroffensive." From Ukraine news fatigue to how the human stories of the war need to be told, and the recent U.S. aid package, he gives us a glimpse into life in Ukraine.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today's war diary, Nikolai Feldman and Alexey Arestovich discussed the main news on the 777th day of war:➤ 00:00 Strengthening the position of Ukraine: the date and location of the Global Peace Summit have been determined for the initiative of President Zelensky. Russia is not included.➤ 04:05 Specific position of China, which is considering its participation in the world summit before conducting negotiations with French President Macron and Putin.➤ 07:11 Toughening of NATO's position on the eve of the 75th anniversary of the alliance - political support to supply long-range weapons to Ukraine?➤ 11:19 NATO's awakening at the same time as EU is one of the main turning points of this war. Strategic decision has been made. De facto, Ukraine is becoming military allies with NATO.➤ 16:55 NATO High Readiness HQ is planned to be created 100 km from the Russian border, on the territory of Finland, as a demonstrative, retaliatory and necessary step. Cold war with Russia with the prospect of turning into a hot one.➤ 21:15 EU States are returning to normal armies again: Norway plans to strengthen its defense with 56 billion dollars vested by 2036. Strategic reconfiguration in Europe.➤ 23:59 Why can't the EU armies provide Ukraine with more Patriot systems and ammunition for air defense? The secret of “retroactive” statements.➤ 27:39 Russian glide bombs weighing 1500 kg hit Ukrainian cities. Is air defense capable of shooting them down?➤ 33:17 Massive attack of Ukrainian drones on the territory of Russia. The production of Ukrainian drones is sufficiently established to attack military infrastructure and Russian refineries, contrary to the wishes of the United States. Has abandoning its partners become a hallmark of Biden administration?➤ 36:58 What are the legitimate goals for the Ukrainian army on Russian territory?➤ 38:32 The damage that Ukraine can cause to the Russian economy through systemic attacks by long-range UAVs.➤ 41:25 Counteroffensive plan announced by Ukrainian President Zelensky.➤ 45:10 How to understand Trump's controversial positions and what can be expected from him?➤ 48:25 Interview of the head of the Office of President, - Yermak, to the European edition of Politico. Trump, Reagan, ways to help help Ukraine.Ukraine War Chronicles and Analytics with Alexey Arestovych and Nikolay Feldman @ALPHAMEDIACHANNELOlexiy Arestovych (Kiev): Advisor to the Office of Ukraine President : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oleksiy_ArestovychOfficial channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjWy2g76QZf7QLEwx4cB46gNikolay Feldman - Ukranian journalist, social researcher, blogger.

Tim Mak is the editor, writer, and entrepreneur behind the Substack site, The Counteroffensive, which covers the Ukraine-Russia war through personal stories on the ground in Ukraine. He has been in Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion when he was an NPR reporter, and he has done some of the best English-language reporting from that country.Lawfare Editor-in-Chef Benjamin Wittes spoke with Mak, who is reporting from the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. They talked about two years of the full-scale invasion, about a decisive battle early in the war over Antonov Airport, about whether the Ukrainian military effort is sustainable, and about the current mood in Ukraine and how people are feeling about America as Congress dithers on Ukraine aid.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last time we spoke about Operation HA-GO, U-GO and some action brewing up on New Britain and Bougainville. Mutaguchi basically tricked his superiors at Tokyo into allowing him to attempt an invasion of India. Operations HA-GO and U-GO were simultaneously unleashed, the only problem was the allies were very ready to meet them. General Slim's men captured documents indicating the true nature of the operations and he acted accordingly. The new box defense systems were employed as the allies lured the Japanese into major traps thwarting their designs against Imphal. The Japanese were fighting tenaciously, but time and supplies would not be on their side. Over on New Britain the allies advanced and managed to seize Talasea. Meanwhile on Bougainville the Japanese were preparing a large counteroffensive, attempting to breach the American defensive perimeter. The operation had just kicked off last episode and today we will continue the story. This episode is the Bougainville Counteroffensive  Welcome to the Pacific War Podcast Week by Week, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about world war two? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on world war two and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel you can find a few videos all the way from the Opium Wars of the 1800's until the end of the Pacific War in 1945.  The Marines departed Bougainville and were relieved by the Americal Division by the end of January 1944. Sporadic fighting emerged and through it Major General Griswold obtained intelligence indicating the Japanese would launch a major counter attack, most likely slated for early March. At the time Lt General Hyakutake was under extreme pressure to reduce the bombing against Rabaul. Rabaul as we know was smashed daily, suffering heavy losses. Admiral Koga had responded by taking away air units from Truk, but all this achieved was even more losses. Rabaul was neutralized, and Truk became vulnerable. The Americans had pummeled both so much, they were able to unleash a dramatic thrust into the central pacific aimed at the Gilberts, Marshalls and later the Carolines. Now it seems Hyakutake had been operating under some very bad intelligence, indicating to him the Americans were defending their perimeter with just a single division around the airfield. With the objective of destroying said airfield, Hyakutake did not know the actual number of defenders and would not enjoy movement by sea. The Americans had full control of the sea lanes, thus any IJN destroyers trying to move troops would run a risky gauntlet. By the first quarter of 1944, Rabaul had tossed meager attacks against the Americans, for example on January 23rd two bombers scored a direct hit over the living quarters of Brigadier General John Hodge and his senior staff officers.  What Hyakutake had to work with was 4300 men of the 45th regiment led by Colonel Isashi Magata. These men were considered the crack troops on Bougainville and they included artillery, mortar and engineering battalions. They were further supported by 4125 men of the 23rd regiment led by Major General Shun Iwara and 1350 men of the 13th regiment led by Colonel Toyo Horei Muda. All three units would be led by Major General Masatane Kanda. The 3 units made an arduous trek through the jungles to reach their jump off points by the evening of March 7th. Hyakutake then sent them a resounding message “time has come to manifest our knighthood with the pure brilliance of the sword. It is our duty to erase the mortification of our brothers at Guadalcanal. Attack! Assault! Destroy everything! Cut, slash, and mow them down. May the color of the red emblem of our arms be deepened with the blood of American rascals.” Major General Kanda also added his own message  “The cry of our victory at Torokina Bay shall resound to the shores of our beloved Nippon. We are invincible.” All of these troops received a large morale boost from such message, but on top of that there was something else incentivising them all. They had adequate food to last them until April 1st, they literally needed to overrun the Americans to steal their provisions. Such was the reality of the Japanese island hopping campaigns. Hyakutakes forces proved themselves far from invincible. Their artillery bombarded on the morning of the 8th, targeting the airfield at Piva Yoke. Their bombardment destroyed a bomber, 3 fighters, killed a single man, and forced a temporary evacuation of aircraft to New Georgia. It was now exactly the greatest of results. Artilleryman Stan Coleman vividly described the Japanese artillery attack “All of a sudden we heard a very different kind of ‘whoosh.' It was made by a shell at the end of its flight, not the beginning. It was ‘incoming mail.' All hell broke loose. In the rear some fuel dumps went up. Every American artillery piece in the perimeter went into action.” The American artillery counter-attack proved far more effective. The Japanese artillery units were forced to move positions constantly and then they were met by a new type of weapon.  As Coleman recalled “Four blue Marine Corsairs came in with rockets. Rockets were a new ground-support weapon and I had never seen them … The rockets in flight made a fearful display. There was a tremendous concussion when they struck their target.” That same night the Iwasa Unit attacked Hill 700 during a heavy downpour. Yet by 2:30am the first attacks were beaten off. It seems the experience persuaded the Japanese not to attempt another night attack on March 9th. Instead, they used occasional machine gun and mortar fire to disrupt the fitful sleep of the Americans. Then at 6:45am on the 10th, Iwasa launched another attack in coordination with Colonel Muda's assault against Hill 260. Iwasa's men clambered up the steep 70 degree slopes screaming maniacally. They would shout confused threats in English. A prolific slaughter occurred against one group of Japanese soldiers who seized out a pillbox and set up a machine gun post on the saddle of the hill. It was dearly bought. General Griswold had brought up more reinforcements for the 145th that same morning. Engineers put together a bangalore torpedo 72 feet long by connecting sticks of dynamite like a long pipe. The object was to climb the hill and then snake the charge down the opposite side into one of the pillboxes. Unfortunately the Japanese spotted them and fired a knee mortar, hitting the torpedo and killing the engineers. Another ruse was attempted shortly after noon with the object of getting the Japanese on the saddle to surrender. A public address system was set up with speakers aimed at Hill 700, and one of the division's Japanese interpreters spoke to the defenders. He informed them of the odds against their success and told them that they could not be reinforced. If they surrendered, it would be considered honorable. To die needlessly was foolish. For the short time he spoke all was quiet, but seconds after he had finished the Japanese directed a mortar barrage on the section of the hill from whence he was broadcasting. The day ended in victory for the riflemen of the 37th Division. At 11:15 an air strike by 26 planes and continuous artillery fire had devastated the Japanese. The day's assault cost the lives of some 500 or more Japanese soldiers.  Meanwhile further south, the 1st battalion, 13th regiment was knocked out by heavy artillery fire. Colonel Muda sent his 3rd battalion, 13th regiment to attack the southern positions of the 182nd regiment around Hill 260. Hill 260, a twin-peaked rise close to the west bank of the Torokina River approximately four miles north of its mouth, was covered with heavy vegetation. The hill itself measured only 850 yards along its north-south axis and at its widest a mere 450 yards, and it was shaped roughly like an hourglass, with the highest elevations to the north and south connected by a narrow saddle. The eastern slope of the hill was precipitous, steepest along the South Knob, where it was almost perpendicular. The South Knob, which was considered the most important part of Hill 260, had been occupied by men of 2nd battalion, 182th regiment since early January, and vigorous patrolling had also been carried on regularly along the saddle and on the unoccupied North Knob. The hill was about half a mile east of the 182nd's main line of resistance. Between Hill 260 and the main line of the Americal was a small stream named Eagle Creek, which provided a natural defensive barrier. There was but a single trail leading from the main perimeter to South Knob. A small bridge over the creek could take vehicular traffic. The last hundred yards to the top of South Knob was a steep stairway cut into the sides of the hill. Possession of this portion of the hill was important for both sides. The Americans had built a platform near the top of a 150-foot banyan tree from which forward observers could see any enemy-activity along the Torokina River or along the highlands to the northeast. Conversely, if the Japanese could seize the hill they could have good observation of the American-held Hills 608 and 309 and the area behind them. Under the cover of intense machine-gun and mortar fire, the Japanese managed to climb the steep slope of the South Knob and then burst in among the outnumbered Americans. The position was held by a reinforced platoon of Company G of the 182nd and a forward observer team of the 246th Field Artillery Battalion. The Americans were rapidly wiped out and dispersed as Muda's men established a defensive perimeter over the crest of South Knob. Hearing the dire news, General Griswold ordered General Hodge to hold Hill 260 at all costs, an order that surprised many of the Americal's staff since they had not expected to try to hold the hill in the face of a concerted Japanese attack. Companies E and F immediately advanced to occupy the North Knob and then attempted an encircling maneuver to counterattack the newly-established Japanese perimeter. Company E at 8:45 attacked South Knob from the southwest while Company F moved south. The company began its attack at 10:45 but halted after the troops had advanced a few yards into the cleared zone. The men took whatever cover was available and waited for flame throwers before trying to advance farther. At approximately 2:45 the commander, Lieutenant Colonel Dexter Lowry, ordered the attack resumed; Company E split and attempted an envelopment. The northern prong of the envelopment was halted but the infantrymen of the southern prong, using grenades and flame throwers, managed to gain a lodgment within earshot of the men of Company G who were still holding out in the pillbox.  Meanwhile, the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 145th Regiment had been reorganized and launched a counterattack against Hill 700 at 5:00. The Japanese unleashed intense mortar and artillery ied, but gradually were dislodge from the crest of the hill, leaving just 4 pillboxes remaining under their control. After the reestablishment of the original resistance line, Iwasa prepared his men to storm Pat's Nose during the night. The Japanese had lost heavily during these attacks, which also cost the 145th three dead and 121 wounded. During the night, after a failed bayonet charge, the Japanese would reinforce their position on Hill 260. They then struck at Company E early in the morning of March 11th and although this attack was beaten off, the American situation in the lodgment had become desperate. Thus, after another Japanese flanking attack, the defenders would have to pull back towards North Knob.  Company G was sent to relieve the beleaguered Company E but was halted by yet another Japanese flanking attack on Company E. General Hodge, fearful of reducing his main defense line, felt that he could send no more reserves to the hill and therefore decided to break off the action and pull Company G and what was left of Company E off South Knob. They retired, unimpeded by the Japanese, behind Eagle Creek. There they joined Company B and then proceeded to cut a new trail up to the crest of North Knob. At daybreak on 11 March, Iwasa launched another attack against the promontory called ‘Pat's Nose,' some 150 yards to the west of ‘Hill 700.' Flanking 37 mm guns cut the Japanese charge to shreds. Iwasa's rear echelons kept advancing over the dead bodies of those who had been leading the charge and eventually managed to break through the barbed wire, though they too were ultimately destroyed. After an hour of suicidal attack Iwasa's troops receded leaving some 84 dead behind them. The 37th Division's historian described this attack: "Brandishing their prized sabers, screeching 'Chusuto' (Damn them!), the Jap officers climbed up the slope and rushed forward in an admirable display of blind courage. The men screamed in reply 'Yaruzo' (Let's do it!) and then 'Yarimosu' (We will do it!). As they closed with the American doughboys, the leaders cried' San nen Kire!' (Cut a thousand men!). General Beightler, concerned over the inability of the 145th to reduce the Japanese positions on Hill 700, decided to send the 2nd Battalion, 148th Regiment to finally wipe out the enemy opposition. After a heavy mortar and artillery bombardment, two platoons of Company E advanced east from Pat's Nose trying to flank the saddle while a third attacked west from Hill 700. Thirteen men were killed before the momentum of the attack waned and the battalion dug in on the ground it had gained. Meanwhile, Companies F and B, now under the command of Brigadier-General William McCulloch, began a  two-pronged attempt to drive the Japanese off South Knob. Supported by flamethrowers units from the 132nd, men of Company B got across the saddle and onto the knob, but were ultimately pulled because of the enemy's numerical superiority. Meanwhile, Colonel Magata Isashi's 45th Regiment had limited its actions to heavy patrol activity while the Iwasa Unit was attacking Hill 700. The terrain fronting the 129th Regiment, which was holding the center of the 37th Division line, was much more favorable for the Japanese than that encountered by either the Iwasa or Muda forces. The land was relatively flat, although cut by many gullies. The 129th's line, defended by two battalions, extended over two miles, curving slightly from just east of the Numa Numa Trail southwest to the right flank of the 148th Regiment. The Japanese had easy access to the 37th's lines, first via the Numa Numa Trail and then following the lowlands and gullies adjacent to the creeks. Colonel John Frederick, the regimental commander of the 129th, had recognized the potential vulnerability of this position and had organized a defense in depth during the two months prior to the attack. The position was anchored by a large number of mutually supporting earthen and log pillboxes and protected by a double apron of barbed wire, in front of which antipersonnel mines had been laid. Machine-guns had been sited to provide interlocking fire and additional barbed wire had been placed to channel potential attackers into the main machine-gun fire lanes. The 129th's cannon company of 75-mm pack howitzers, and its mortar sections had been augmented by 37-mm and 40-mm anti-tank guns, which could fire canisters in flat-trajectory direct fire. Thus although Colonel Magata's men did not have to climb up steep cliffs to get at the American positions, they would find the 129th's defenses near impregnable to relatively lightly supported infantry attacks, no matter how fanatically delivered. While patrolling, some documents were taken from dead Japanese bodies detailing Magata's plan, so Colonel John Frederick's 129th Regiment was expecting his thrust. On the 11th, the contact between Japanese and American patrols increased, as did the amount of incoming mortar fire, so the American supporting artillery was directed to fire intermittently into the areas where the Japanese were located.Colonel Frederick at 4:00pm ordered all his outposts back into the main perimeter and division artillery fired a ten-minute concentration along the 2nd Battalion front. At dusk, a heavy firefight then broke out as the Japanese opened up with machine-guns and mortars on Company G's area. During the exchange of fire, which lasted until 7:20pm, men in the pillboxes did not fire their machine guns, since they did not want to reveal their positions. The firing died down to only a few exchanges during the night, generally directed at Japanese infiltrators, who were attempting to cut through the barbed wire. Finally, at dawn on the 12th, Magata sent his 1st and 3rd battalions in column to strike Company G. Although the attacking Japanese suffered very heavy casualties from machine-gun fire, they penetrated the first line of defense by sheer weight of numbers. Moving up the streambed running into the sector, they captured one pillbox after another until they held a total of seven. Frederick then sent his reserve 1st Battalion to support Company G, while also launching a counterattack that managed to contain the enemy expansion and that also retook two pillboxes by late afternoon. Meanwhile, Companies E and F of the 148th were converging against Iwasa's remaining strongpoints. Using grenades, rifles, and flamethrowers, they finally reduced the pillboxes one by one, leaving the Japanese in possession of only one pillbox by 1:00pm. An historian of the 145th Regiment described the fight for this last strongpoint: “On the second day, the last held enemy pillbox was subjected to everything an infantryman has at his command. Hand grenades by the dozen were thrown at the emplacement. Still there was responding fire. Flamethrowers scorched the hidden Nip into silence. The searching parties entered the charred remains of the emplacement only to hear the click of a Japanese grenade being detonated. In the far corner they made out the dim outline of a Jap, eyes bloodshot, mouth bleeding, face seared, clothing burned. His clenched fist held a grenade. Even as the men dove for cover outside the pillbox, the Jap threw the grenade at them as in a dying gesture.” Despite a heroic resistance, this was cleared in the afternoon at last, thus completely restoring the original 145th's line.  While this was going on, after a heavy artillery bombardment, McCulloch sent Companies B and F once again to storm the South Knob. Company B in a column of platoons with six flamethrowers attempted to storm the height from the northwest. The leading platoon was halted by machine gun fire from pillboxes dug in on the west slope. Once these were spotted a concentration of mortar and machine gun fire was directed against these Japanese positions, enabling the following platoon to reach the top of the knob. There, it was pinned down by heavy fire from machine guns sited east of the observation post banyan tree. American mortar fire, together with the work of the flamethrower operators, who were covered by BAR men of the 3rd Platoon, soon negated these positions. Although it appeared that the South Knob would soon be in American hands, ammunition for the attacking platoons was running low, there had been numerous casualties, there were no more reserves, and it was already late in the day.  Despite this, Hodge sent Company A of the 132nd Regiment to reinforce the gained position. Company A of the 132nd tried to scale the height from the southwest to join Company B of the 182nd on the crest. A burst of machine gun fire killed the company commander, however, and disorganized the attack so much that under the best of conditions the men could not reach the top before dark. Hodge then reluctantly recalled his forces and, sensing the futility of further attacks, he requested permission to pull off South Knob. Yet Griswold refused the request and a new attack was ordered for the next day using two companies of the 1st Battalion, 132nd Regiment. After another heavy artillery bombardment, Company A attacked southward along the narrow saddle while Company B attacked up the southwest slope. Surprisingly, the two companies of the 182nd that had led the attack the day before had not been kept in immediate reserve but had been pulled back within the perimeter. Therefore there were no reserve troops available to help exploit the minor gains made during the afternoon. As night fell, Major Raymond Daehler, the battalion commander, reluctantly pulled his men off the knob and retreated to safer ground. Despite repeated attacks from 12 -16th, Magata had made no headway and finally withdrew his forces. After Iwasa's retreat, the men of the 145th had the dubious honor of policing the slopes of Hill 700 and burying the corpses left behind. In an area roughly 50 yards square, corpses that could be identified were counted. This count included only those within the barbed wire lines in front of the pillboxes. As one observer noted, the carnage was a sight to turn even the most cast-iron stomach: “Enemy dead were strewn in piles of mutilated bodies, so badly dismembered in most cases that a physical count was impossible. Here and there was a leg or an arm or a blown-off hand, all to show for the vanished and vanquished enemy. At one point, Japanese bodies formed a human stairway over the barbed wire. Five enemy were piled one on top of the other, as each had successively approached the location to use a predecessor as a barricade and then fall on top of him as he in turn was killed. Farther out from the perimeter, where a little stream wound its way parallel to it, Japs killed by the concussion of thousands of mortar shells lay with their heads, ostrich fashion, stuck under the least protection they could find”. What was left of Iwasa's shattered command to the relative safety of the Blue Ridge, Approximately two miles east of the American perimeter. During the day, as the Japanese were retreating, American planes dropped 123 tons of bombs on the intermediate areas, and destroyers off shore lobbed their five-inch shells into the high ground to the north and east of the perimeter. Further east, Magata launched a night attack at 4:00am, managing to gain another pillbox, so Griswold would decide to reinforce Frederick with a tank platoon. General Griswold agreed to send the 1st Platoon of Company C, tank battalion, forward, with the stipulation that they be used only to augment the infantry as they took back the lost pillboxes. 4 tanks supported a midmorning assault, which successfully retook two pillboxes. Another tank-infantry attack began at 1:15pm but was halted since the tanks were low on fuel and ammunition. They were replaced by tanks of another platoon, which assisted the infantry of the 129th in destroying all the other pillboxes held by the Japanese and in restoring the front line roughly to the positions held before the Japanese attack of the previous day. Alongside this, Griswold ordered the reconnaissance troop forward to occupy the right sector of the threatened area, with the 131st Engineer Regiment taking over the extreme left. General Hodge requested to be reinforced with tanks; but as they could not cross Eagle Creek, McCulloch and him reluctantly decided to cease any further attempt to drive the Japanese off South Knob. He thought that the three-day action against the Muda Unit had obviously so weakened it that it no longer posed a danger to the perimeter proper. Thus, it could be contained and continually harassed by combat patrols and neutralization fire.  On the 14th, the fighting fell into just intermittent small-arms and mortar fire from the Japanese as Colonel Magata shifted some of his troops to more favorable positions and as he brought his reserve 2nd Battalion, 45th Regiment and 2nd Battalion, 13th Regiment to reinforce further attacks. Magata also received the 1st Battalion, 81st Regiment and the 3rd Battalion, 53rd Regiment from the north, tossing them into his new reserve. At 4:00am on 15th, the Japanese launched a heavy local attack against the right of Company F. By dawn, they had captured one pillbox and penetrated approximately 100 yards into the perimeter, where they were ultimately checked. A coordinated counterattack by Companies F and C in conjunction with a 36-plane strike against the Japanese positions, managed to retake the pillbox. Further tank-infantry attacks finally drove the entrenched Japanese out of the salient and successfully restored the line. Losses for the day were 10 dead and 53 wounded, while 190 Japanese were counted dead. The Japanese then repeated the attack the next morning at 4:00am on the high ground east of Cox Creek with a larger force of elements from three battalions. They penetrated approximately 75 yards before their momentum was halted. Then, Company B, supported by a platoon of tanks, counterattacked and restored the original line by midmorning. Finally, shortly after noon, the tanks moved beyond the wire and shelled the draws and ravines in front of Company F until their ammunition was exhausted. Once again the Japanese had paid heavily for no gain. 194 dead were counted and 1 prisoner taken, while the Americans only lost 2 dead and 63 wounded. Though the counter offensive is nowhere near done, that is all for this week as we now have to jump over to the CBI theater. General Merrill's Marauders had been given the task of cutting the Japanese supply line over the Kamaing road. At Merrill's disposal were the three battalions of GALAHAD, each in turn broken down into two combat teams. The teams bore the code names Red and White for the 1st Battalion; Blue and Green for the 2nd Battalion and Khaki and Orange for the 3rd Battalion. Each team included a rifle company, heavy weapons platoon, pioneer and demolition platoon, reconnaissance platoon, and medical detachment, with a combined strength of sixteen officers and 456 enlisted men. The marauders had been recruited from units in the south-west pacific and from Trinidad in the Caribbean. Many of the volunteers were notably seen as pure psychopaths. Their training in India was quite painful, a lot so for the military police nearby. 10 percent of the Marauders went AWOL, many of them amused themselves by shooting at catte, chickens and other birds, apparently even at the feet of locals to make them dance. One incident apparently had some of them aboard a train to Ledo firing out of the windows. They were seen as arrogant, psychopathic, gung-ho and they had many colorful catchphrases such as ‘My pack is on my back, my gun is oiled and loaded, and as I walk in the shadow of death I fear no sonofabitch.'  The baptism of the Marauders did not impress their commander who was obsessed with speed and efficiency. The Galahad unit had departed on February 24th and on receiving orders to move to his forward assembly area, Merrill sent his three intelligence and reconnaissance (I & R) platoons to check trails as far as the Tawang Hka, the first of the three considerable streams that crossed the line of march. At 6:00am on the 24th, the 5307th moved out, screened by the I & R platoons. Next day two of them clashed with Japanese patrols and the point of one platoon, Pvt. Robert W. Landis of Youngstown, Ohio, was killed. Luckily radio communication between the 2nd Battalion, 56th Regiment and the 18th Division's headquarters broke down at this time, so General Tanaka was unaware that a semi-detached American unit was operating off to his flank.  Stilwell fretted at the time it took them to cross the 130 miles over the Naga range to the battlefront. Part of the problem was that 5307th Composite was mule-based and had to bring 700 animals with them but none of them knew anything about muleteering. Whatever misgivings Stilwell had when he saw his reinforcements, he kept them to himself and addressed them simply and quietly, explaining that their new mission was to hit Walawbum. On the afternoon of the 28th, Merill received the new orders, calling for cutting the road on either side of Walawbum, the 2nd Battalion led by Colonel McGee to the west, the 3rd Battalion led by Colonel Beach to the south, and the 1st Battalion led by Colonel Osborne to patrol along the Nambyu Hka north of the Kamaing Road. Positions near Walawbum would be held until the 38th Division relieved the 5307th. Unfortunately the freak rains already experienced by Stilwell and his men continued, so that the Marauders' eight-day, 60-mile trek to Walawbum turned into something of a nightmare. On March 2nd, the Marauders crossed the Tanai Hka and arrived at their assembly area. With the last elements at hand, General Stillwell initiated his offensive. On the 3rd, Colonel Brown's tankers, with the support of a battalion from the 65th regiment advanced against Maingkwan. Facing light opposition, they managed to advance 5000 yards northeast of Maingkwan by 3pm when they were halted by heavy Japanese fire. Meanwhile, Merrill's marauders were clashing with Japanese at various places throughout the day. The 3rd Battalion had a sharp fight at Lagang Ga, killing 30 Japanese and seized the area needed for the building of a drop field. One of the battalion's two combat teams, Khaki, stayed at Lagang Ga to build and protect the dropping zone. Orange Combat Team kept on to the high ground east of Walawbum and dug in, its heavy weapons commanding the Kamaing Road. This saw them securing high ground east of Walawbum. The 22d Division, was also moving ahead, and so far was in step with the tanks and GALAHAD. On  the 3rd, the 64th Regiment was near Ngam Ga, east of the Kamaing Road. The 66th to the west was in contact with the third regiment, the 65th, as it emerged from the Taro Plain. Tanaka's intelligence indicated the Americans were at Walawbum. The Chinese 22nd and 38th divisions were advancing slowly, so he believed his rearguard could hold them back so he could take the bulk of his strength to attack the americans. On the 3rd, the 55th and 56th regiment began retreating in order to launch an enveloping maneuver against Merrill's marauders. The next day, Brown found the enemy gone and his men were able to advance 3 miles southeast, getting his tanks in line with Maingkwan. Over at Walawbum, Merrills 3rd battalion were resisting against ferocious attacks from the Japanese. The drop field at Lagang Ga was attacked at dawn on the 4th but the garrison held. Orange Combat Team opened the battle in its sector with mortar fire on Walawbum, drawing mortar and 75-mm. fire in return from the 56th Infantry Regiment, which had been Tanaka's left flank, as it assembled for attack. When it moved, the 56th tried to cross the river and work around the Americans' flanks, where it met booby traps and ambushes thoughtfully prepared for just such a contingency. Some Japanese did cross to the east, but this failed to affect the course of the action, and 75 dead Japanese were counted, as against one American dead and seven wounded. These latter were evacuated by air the same evening. The 2nd battalion managed to get across the Kamaing road west of Wesu Ga where they established a roadblock. Finding out about the roadblock, Tanaka dispatched his forces to clear them out. On the 5th the Japanese appeared to be forming for an attack, but mortar fire seemed to be successful in breaking up such attempts. To the south, Allied aircraft could be seen bombing and machine-gunning what Orange Combat Team took to be Japanese reinforcements. One indication that the Japanese were increasing their strength in the immediate area lay in their being able to force Orange Combat Team's I & R Platoon back across the river about noon. Simultaneously, the 66th regiment liberated the abandoned Maingkwan and began advancing south over the Kamaing road. Brown's reconnaissance had found a good trail running south from Tsamat Ga, and on the morning of the 5th the tanks moved out through the jungle. After the engineers had prepared a small stream for crossing, the tanks broke into a freshly evacuated Japanese bivouac area. Jungle vines looping across the trail from either side, and connecting masses of vegetation and trees, made effective obstacles as they slowed down the tanks by catching their turrets; not until late afternoon did the armor break out on the trail running east and west between Maingkwan and Wesu Ga. Almost immediately the tanks encountered what seemed to be a company of Japanese defending a small but marshy stream. The stream did not seem fordable, so Brown attacked by fire alone. Unknown to him, his tanks were firing on Tanaka's division headquarters, and now lay squarely between the 18th's headquarters and its 56th Regiment. This understandably threw Tanaka's plan into chaos, as his forces who were unsuccessfully attacking Merrills marauders were becoming encircled. Tanaka decided to swing his force around the American roadblock, using a Japanese built trail that the Americans did not know about.The bypass road over which the 18th was to withdraw had been built by the Japanese engineers some days before and quote “The Engineer Regiment commander, Colonel Fukayama, had considered the possibility of reversals in our position and, in order to facilitate the withdrawal of the division, he had previously cleared a secret jungle trail about 20 kilometers long leading from the vicinity of Lalawng Ga to Jambu Hkintang on his own initiative. This trail was used in the withdrawal of the main body of the division.” By nightfall, Merrill's 2nd battalion had pulled out to Wesu Ga and were trying to link up with the 3rd battalion south of Walawbum. On the 6th after heavy artillery bombardment, at 5:15pm an estimated two companies of Japanese in line of skirmishers, with heavy supporting fire, crossed the river. The American mortars continued their work; the automatic weapons held back until the Japanese were within fifty yards. Two heavy machine guns, which had a clear field of fire along the river bank, were especially effective. The Japanese failed, leaving many dead on the open ground east of the river and on the river banks. Orange Combat Team found its ammunition low, and so sent a request for more to Khaki Combat Team, which was about one hundred yards downstream. This was however just a diversionary attack, as most of the 18th division were escaping unmolested. Meanwhile elements of the 113th regiment were beginning to arrive to Lagang Ga and unfortunately an incident of friendly fire would occur. The remainder of the 38th Division and an American patrol met near Walawbum on March 7th. The recognition signal had been arranged as three bursts of three rounds each. This necessarily meant there would be firing when the Chinese and Americans met. When the tops of the American helmets, which looked not unlike the Japanese pot helmet when their brims were invisible, appeared through and over the brush, there was a brief exchange of fire in which three Chinese were wounded before identity was established. Such is the nature of coordinating multiple nations' armies during actions. General Sun and Merrill's marauders made a withdrawal beginning on the 7th in order to circle south and cut the Kamaing road again, this time even further south than before. Brown in the meantime had advanced to Ninghku Ga where he secured support from a battalion of the 64th regiment and launched a coordinated tank-infantry attack against Kumnyen. At around 3pm, the tanks and infantry assembled across the Kamaing road in two places, establishing a roadblock while the tanks moved out aggressively along the road to east and west. On the 8th, Brown's tanks then moved along the Kamaing Road and onto a trail that showed signs of heavy traffic. This allowed them to discover Tanaka's evacuation route, finally occupying Walawbum by the end of the day. Brown later recalled, "swarming with people from the 64th Infantry and the 113th Infantry who, to the tankers' great disgust, disputed the latter's claim to have taken Walawbum”. Though the 18th division had managed to escape Stilwells traps, the American-Chinese forces had still scored a well-earned victory. The road to Myitkyina was not open.  The cost for this first series of victories in the North Burma Campaign were 802 Chinese dead and 1479 wounded, plus 530 undifferentiated casualties from the fall of 1943 to March 18, 1944. But the temporary American-Chinese collaboration did not presage a wider Sino-American synergy, and the Marauders found operating with their allies a major problem. One issue was that of disease: the Americans caught dysentery in large numbers and attributed this to the insanitary habits of the Chinese, especially their refusal to boil their water, or to wash their hands after using the latrines. The American K-rations also proved unsatisfactory and unsuitable for jungle warfare, as the Chindits soon discovered. Yet that is all for burma as we now have to jump over to New Guinea. The advance and pursuit upon Madang resumed on March 12th as the 2/12th Battalion found Ward's Village unoccupied while the 57th/60th Battalion secured the abandoned Saipa 2. The 57th/60th Battalion advanced swiftly by night and finally concentrated at Yokopi two days later. On the 16th, Brigadier Hammer then received a rather ambiguous order. Chilton had redefined the division's role "in the light of the present situation". While the 18th Brigade was to watch the 15th Brigade's immediate left flank from the high ground between the lower Evapia and Mene Rivers, and the commando troop at Faita the far left flank, the 15th Brigade would garrison Kankiryo Saddle, keep contact with the enemy along the Bogadjim Road and patrol along the Kabenau River towards Astrolabe Bay to join the Americans. Finally, the 15th Brigade would "provide a firm base for patrolling, by employing at the discretion of the commander, a force not exceeding one battalion forward of Kankiryo up to and inclusive of Yokopi". The order was ambiguous as far as the local commanders were concerned, and managed to overcome the ban placed by higher authority on any advance across the Finisterres to the coast: Hammer could not go beyond Yokopi but, at the same time, he was to maintain contact with the enemy along the Bogadjim Road—and they were already farther back than Yokopi. At this point Hammer decided that the supply route from the Saddle to the 57th/60th had to be developed. While the battalion patrolled and the enemy positions were bombarded, Saipa, Yokopi and Daumoina were built into staging areas. In the meantime, patrols from the 2/2nd Commando Squadron were harrying the Japanese from the left flank, successfully establishing a new patrol base at Jappa by March 17th. From there, the Commandos patrolled towards Aminik, Oromuge and Mataloi, which they finally found abandoned. Further east, the 58th/59th Battalion patrolled from the Nangapo and Yangalum areas towards Arawum and Kul 2 as they searched for the Americans at the Kabenau and Kambara Rivers. An accidental meeting had already taken place between the patrols of the two Allies. An American reconnaissance patrol was being towed in a rubber boat by a PT boat with the object of landing at Male and seeing if the Japanese were at Bogadjim. Off Garagassi Point, the tow rope broke and the Americans rowed to shore in their rubber boat which they deflated and hid in the bush near Melamu. Moving inland for about a mile they turned west and nearing the Kaliko Track met Lieutenant Norrie's patrol of the 58th/59th Battalion and accompanied the Australians to Barum, where the Americans were given supplies and a guide; moving via Wenga, they reached Jamjam on the 18th and found no signs of the enemy. On this day at noon about 30 Japanese with three machine-guns and a mortar attacked Norrie's position at Barum. The situation would have been serious had it not been for Sergeant Matheson and his two men who had remained behind at Kaliko and managed to bear the first brunt of the attack and warn those at Barum. The Americans moved on the 20th to Yangalum and next day set out for Kul 2, along almost exactly the same route as that taken by Brewster, who had departed on March 20. Brewster reached Kul 2 on March 21, where he joined the Americans from Saidor and remained with them until the 26th. In this period he went to Saidor where he met General Gill, giving him information about the area east of the Kabenau River and learning of the American intentions and dispositions. Brewster then returned to Yangalum having carried out an important and lengthy linking patrol—35 miles each way. On the other side, General Adachi ordered his 51st division to continue withdrawing towards Wewak and for the 20th division towards Hansa. There he sought for them to reorganize and receive around 5000 replacements from Palau each. By the 9th, both divisions had reached Bogia and the 20th division had established a new defense of the Hansa area. By mid March the 51st reached Wewak and would be able to assemble at Hansa. On March 20th, the bulk of the 41st division was ordered to withdraw towards Hansa as well. As a result of the invasion of the Admiralty Islands, the 18th army and 4th air army were now cut off from Rabaul. Thus they were reassigned to the 2nd Area Army under the command of General Anami Korechika with his HQ at Ambon. They would be responsible for the defense of the eastern part of the Dutch East Indies and the western portion of New Guinea. General Teramoto would also have to move his command from Wewak to Hollandia.  Back at Yokopi, Hammer anticipated that the constant patrolling and bombardment had forced the Japanese to withdraw from their positions. On March 28th, patrols of the 57th/60th moved past Daumoina and effectively found the enemy gone. The reality, however, was that General Nakai and Colonel Matsumoto had been ordered to pull back and follow its parent unit towards Hansa. The remainder of the 41st Division were following suit over the next few days. Only a 5000-men detachment, deemed the Madang detachment formed around the 239th Regiment, under the command of General Shoge, was left behind to hold Madang and cover the Japanese withdrawal. Hammer ordered the 57th/60th to move forward with speed towards Yaula, yet the Australians would be stopped at the Kofebi River on March 30. In response, a company would be sent in an enveloping maneuver across the river, successfully getting through to Mabelebu although they would be unable to draw away the defenders. During the night, the surrounded company would then have to resist a number of enemy counterattacks, though these weren't really counterattacks but the Japanese trying to retreat towards Madang. The following day, with the enemy gone, the Australian patrols would rapidly set out north towards Yaula. Meanwhile, the 2/2nd Squadron's patrols, after securing Mataloi 1, were also advancing towards Yaula with speed. Finally, the commandos would successfully enter Yaula on April 4, with the 57th/60th's vanguard arriving soon after and then occupying Kwato by nightfall.  I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. The Bougainville counteroffensive proved the Japanese could still unleash brutal offensives and meet some success. However the level of success was not going to win the war let alone the fight over Bougainville. Within Burma the mixed national armies of the allies were finding some difficult working together, but they were gradually pushing the Japanese back.  

Welcome to Independent Americans. And welcome to March.  The weather is changing. It's warming up and spring is so close you can almost smell it. But instead you're probably smelling something different in the air. Something a lot less pleasant. It's a smell that's always been pervasive in Washington, DC and also on television and the airwaves. But in the last couple of years the smell has gotten out of control. It's everywhere. It comes out of random strangers at random times. You can't escape it. It's everywhere. It's bullshit. Whether it's a government shutdown, or America abandoning Ukraine, or two old men apparently nobody wants for President running for President, we are drowning in bullshit. And when you're drowning in bullshit, you've got to reach for the truth. And you're gonna get it in this episode. From Paul Rieckhoff on Nikki Haley dropping out, Biden being too old, Trump being too toxic, SecDef Austin being too slow, and much more. To include Ukraine.  Tim Mak (@timkmak) is a man on a mission to find the truth. Tim is an investigative journalist with a background in politics, national security, and emergency medicine. He's the author of a book about the inner workings of the NRA, titled 'Misfire.' and he's a former U.S. Army medic and EMT. His writing has been featured in Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, The Daily Beast, Politico Magazine, and the L.A. Times. And you can hear him regularly on NPR's Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and Politics Podcast. He's reported abroad from such places as Ukraine, South Sudan, Djibouti, Israel, Japan and Hong Kong. And now, he's launched his own new media venture called The Counteroffensive. He's taking people deep inside the war in Ukraine. And he joins host Paul Rieckhoff for a look behind the front lines at the people who are feeling abandoned and betrayed by America. It's a heavy dose of truth, but it's a lot better than the bullshit. If you like bullshit, this ain't your place. Every episode of Independent Americans hosted by Paul Rieckhoff is the truth beyond the headlines–and light to contrast the heat of other politics and news shows. It's content for the 49% of Americans that proudly call themselves independent. And it always delivers the Righteous Media 5 Is: independence, integrity, information, inspiration and impact. Always with a unique focus on national security, foreign affairs and military and veterans issues. This is another pod to help you stay vigilant. Because vigilance is the price of democracy. In these trying times especially, Independent Americans will continue to be your trusted place for independent news, politics, inspiration and hope.  -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.  - WATCH video of Paul and Tim's conversation on our YouTube channel here. -Join Paul in Austin, Texas this weekend on Saturday, March 9 at a free Independent Voters MeetUp during South By Southwest.  -Or also in Austin for SXSW on Tuesday for an Army Futures Command panel at for our 10AM panel:  POST-TRAUMATIC GROWTH: ALTERNATIVE HELP FOR INVISIBLE INJURIES: https://dodxtech.com/schedule/ -Check the hashtag #LookForTheHelpers on social media. And share yours.  -Find us on social media or www.IndependentAmericans.us. And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch.  -Check out other powerful, independent Righteous podcasts like The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra, Uncle Montel - The OG of Weed and B Dorm.  Independent Americans is powered by Righteous Media. America's next great independent media company. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After two years of leading a country at war, Ukraine's president remains popular. But as support for the fight wavers both inside and outside the country, Volodymyr Zelensky faces a new set of high-stakes challenges.Does demoting a popular general signal a shift in military strategy? Will international allies deliver the support Zelensky says he needs? If not can he negotiate a popular end peace?Today we're joined by Tim Mak, founder of the Kyiv-based publication The Counteroffensive.For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcriptsTranscripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Hopes are dimming for Ukraine's spring push to drive Russia from its territory. Kyiv's long-awaited counteroffensive has fallen flat and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is reportedly planning to fire his top commander. And, a court in Pakistan ordered former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife to serve long prison terms. It was the second sentence Khan received in two days related to corruption charges. Also, a report by the independent Russian investigative newspaper, The Insider, says a Latvian member of the EU parliament has been working as an agent for the FSB, Russia's intelligence service, for decades. Plus, Turkey's "Sultans of the Net" inspire a generation of girls to play volleyball.

On this first episode of 2024, we reflect on the War in Ukraine and Ukraine's prospects for continued political and military support in 2024 and beyond with Carnegie Endowment's senior fellow and renowned military analyst Michael Kofman. ABOUT THE GUEST Michael Kofman is a senior fellow in the Russia and Eurasia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he focuses on the Russian military and Eurasian security issues. Prior to joining Carnegie in 2023, he served as Director of the Russia Studies Program at the Center for Naval Analyses, where he conducted research on the capabilities, strategy, and military thought of the Russian Armed Forces. Widely recognized as one of the leading authorities on the Russian military, and the Russo-Ukrainian War, Kofman has led foundational work in the field, and is routinely cited in major publications. He also regularly advises senior government and military officials. Aside from his work at Carnegie, Kofman is also a Principal Research Scientist at CNA, an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Center for a New American Security, and a Contributing Editor at War on the Rocks, where he hosts The Russia Contingency, a bi-weekly podcast on the Russian military and war against Ukraine. He previously served as a program manager, and research fellow, at the National Defense University. Past fellowships have included the Modern War Institute at West Point, and the Kennan Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center. PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on December 3, 2023 at the 2023 ASEEES Convention in the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown. If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email slavxradio@utexas.edu and we will be in touch! PRODUCTION CREDITS Host/Assistant EP: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy) Host/Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana) Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar Assistant Producer: Taylor Helmcamp Production Assistant: Faith VanVleet Production Assistant: Eliza Fisher SlavX Editorial Director: Sam Parrish Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by Beat Mekanik, Jon Shuemaker, Broke for Free) Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@MSDaniel) www.msdaniel.com DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin. https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/9/9a59b135-7876-4254-b600-3839b3aa3ab1/P1EKcswq.png Special Guest: Michael Kofman.

Tim Mak, founder of The Counteroffensive, joins Jamie from Kyviv to give an update about life on the frontlines and: -US funding debate -What victory looks like for Ukraine -Trying Putin at The Hague -Not even close to diplomatic talks -What if Donald Trump becomes president again? -How to talk about your Republican uncle about Ukraine -Marshall law pushing off elections Show Notes: -Watch this interview on YouTube -Tim Make's X profile Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, is making a rare trip to Washington this week, pleading his case for American military aid, something which has long been a lifeline for his country but is now increasingly in doubt.Julian Barnes, who covers international security for The Times, explains what has brought Ukraine to the most perilous point since the war began nearly two years ago.Guest: Julian E. Barnes, a correspondent covering the U.S. intelligence agencies and international security for The New York Times.Background reading: The U.S. and Ukraine are searching for a new strategy after a failed counteroffensive.The Ukrainian leader will be appealing for more military support from the United States as an emboldened Russia steps up its attacks on his country.For more information on today's episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

The war in Ukraine has reached a critical point. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hoped for victory in 2023, but a lagging counteroffensive put Ukraine's ability to defend itself in doubt – and has raised questions about the U.S.'s role in the war. Read more:In January, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Ukranians that he expected 2023 to be a victorious year for the country. With support from the United States and other Western allies, Ukraine had planned a counteroffensive in the spring against Russian troops, which ultimately proved unsuccessful. The foundering counteroffensive has raised questions about Ukraine's decision-making and America's deep involvement in the military planning behind the counteroffensive. President Biden has asked Congress to authorize more aid for Ukraine, but he faces stiff resistance from some Republicans in Congress who have tied the aid to negotiations over U.S.-Mexico border policy changes. Missy Ryan, who covers diplomacy and national security for The Post, joins us to explain.

What sets the Biden Administration apart from prior Democrat administrations? More than anything, it's the administration's use of law enforcement to pulverize its political enemies, whether its Trump, his voters, or the colleges they like to attend. Grand Canyon University president Brian Mueller joins with an EXCLUSIVE breaking story of how Biden is viciously targeting his school due to its public role as America's largest Christian university. Then, Darren Beattie of Revolver joins with a brand-new blueprint for how Republican AGs can launch a MAGA legal counterattack at the state level.Support the show: http://www.charliekirk.com/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

​​Ian Bremmer, the president and founder of Eurasia Group and GZERO Media, joins Scott to discuss an update on Ukraine's counteroffensive, where the US-China relationship stands, and how AI is influencing the geopolitical landscape. Follow Ian on Twitter (X), @ianbremmer.  Scott opens by discussing the end of the Writers Strike, specifically its repercussions, and how it isn't a victory.  Algebra of Happiness: have the confidence to be affectionate. PS: The Prof G Pod has been nominated for a Signal Award for best Money & Finance pod. Vote for The Dawg here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The U.S. has sent Ukraine tens of billions of dollars of weapons and senior U.S. military officials predict Ukraine has only about a month to make progress against Russia before rainy weather makes movement difficult. With the help of the Pulitzer Center, Nick Schifrin, videographer Eric O'Connor and their team spent a week on the frontline and has this inside look at the counteroffensive. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Kyle Anzalone joined Scott on Antiwar Radio this week to run through some of the biggest Ukraine news of the day. They start with a look at the many factors that doomed Ukraine's counteroffensive and examine how American and Ukrainian officials are trying to process the failures. They also touch on the escalating drone strikes on Kyiv and Crimea, the fury directed at Elon Musk over Starlink, the West's declining leverage over the world stage and more.  Discussed on the show: Scott's Speech to the Travis County Libertarian Party “Zelensky Blames West for Failed Counteroffensive” (Libertarian Institute) “Report: Russia Doubled Tank and Ammunition Production Despite Sanctions” (Antiwar.com) “Blinken: US Does Not Oppose Ukrainian Attacks Inside Russia With US-Supplied Missiles” (caitlinjohnstone.com) “Blinken: US Does Not Oppose Ukraine Targeting Russian Territory With US-Provided Missiles” (Antiwar.com) “West Declines to Adjust Russian Oil Price Ceiling as Moscow Exports Above the Cap” (Libertarian Institute) “G20 Weakens Condemnation of Russia After India Summit” (Libertarian Institute) “The Inside Story of How the Navy Spent Billions on the ‘Little Crappy Ship'” (Pro Publica) The Pentagon Wars (IMDb) “Prosecution Unable to Locate Key Evidence in Teixeira's Case, Judge Orders Alleged Discord Leaker Remain in Jail” (Libertarian Institute) Kyle Anzalone is news editor of the Libertarian Institute, opinion editor of Antiwar.com and co-host of Conflicts of Interest with Will Porter and Connor Freeman. Follow him on Twitter @KyleAnzalone_ This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott. Get Scott's interviews before anyone else! Subscribe to the Substack. Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Fareed sat down for an exclusive interview with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at his presidential offices in Kyiv. They talk about the state of the Ukrainian counteroffensive, Western support in the fight against Russia, and how Zelensky is fighting corruption in his country. Zelensky also tells Fareed why he believes compromise with Putin is not possible. Then, Fareed speaks with the mastermind behind Ukraine's drone program, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister for Innovation, Education, Science, and Technology Mykhailo Fedorov, about how drones have shaped this war. Plus, Fareed sits down with a group of schoolchildren in Ukraine to hear how they are coping during wartime.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

#Ukraine:  Ukraine's counteroffensive: what is the plan?Colonel Jeff McCausland , USA (retired) @mccauslj @CBSNews @dickinsoncol https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/09/06/ukraine-kills-elite-russian-paratroopers-staromaiorske/ PHOTO:  1870 Odesa NO KNOWN RESTRICTIONS ON PUBLICATION. @BATCHELORSHOW

P.M. Edition for Aug. 31. Ukraine has pierced Russia's main defensive line in the southeast raising hopes its counteroffensive will accelerate. Ukraine correspondent James Marson has more. Plus, global tech editor Jason Dean has more on an exclusive excerpt from Walter Isaacson's upcoming biography on Elon Musk. Annmarie Fertoli hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tommy and Ben talk about negative headlines surrounding Ukraine's counteroffensive, Russian warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin's re-emergence in Africa, a Human Rights Watch Report about Saudi Arabia's horrendous abuse of Ethiopian migrants, a fun twist in the Mar-a-Lago documents case, and rare good news for climate change from voters rejecting oil drilling in Ecuador and a drop in deforestation in Brazil. They also discuss Canada's unprecedented wildfires, Ecuador's election runoff a week after the assassination of a presidential candidate, the rise of a far-right political party in Germany, GOP candidate Vivek Ramaswamy's remarks on America's commitment to Israel, and the crash of a Russian lunar probe. Then Tommy is joined by Kurt Campbell, President Biden's Coordinator for Indo-Pacific Affairs, to break down the historic summit at Camp David the US hosted between Japan and South Korea's leaders. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

President Zelensky admitted this week that Ukraine's counteroffensive has been “difficult” and Fareed talks with Alina Polyakova, the President and CEO of the Center for European Policy Analysis, about why it hasn't yielded the results many expected. Then, the recent coup in Niger: Fareed speaks with the senior director of the Atlantic Council's Africa Center, Rama Yade, about what this will mean for a region already plagued by unrest. Fareed then asks Jason Furman, the former chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors, a question on many people's minds: how did the US avoid a recession? Plus, theoretical physicist Michio Kaku tells Fareed why he believes the next big technological revolution is not artificial intelligence, but quantum computing. Guests: Alina Polyakova (@apolyakova), Rama Yade (@ramayade), Jason Furman (@jasonfurman), Michio Kaku (@michiokaku), Bruce Feiler (@BruceFeiler). Air date: August 13, 2023.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

A bombing kills dozens on Pakistan's border with Afghanistan. Ukraine retakes a small village from Russia. And the trucking company Yellow shuts down after receiving a $700 million government loan. Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.Today's episode of Up First was edited by Amra Pasic, Ally Schweitzer, Michael Sullivan and Emily Kopp. It was produced by Lilly Quiroz, Claire Murashima and Kaity Kline. Our technical director is Zac Coleman, with engineering support from Neisha Heinis.

Photo: Valley Forge 1950. No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow #Ukraine:  The Counteroffensive slows in comparison to what? Colonel Jeff McCausland , USA (retired) @mccauslj @CBSNews @dickinsoncol https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/07/27/47th-brigade-colonel-oleksandr-sak-young-ukrainian-troops/

The Biden administration sends a new shipment of weapons to Ukraine as the Ukrainian counteroffensive continues to stall, Elon Musk is transforming Twitter into what he's calling the “everything App,” and the Justice Department's war with the Lone Star state's Governor escalates further. Get the facts first with Morning Wire. Boll & Branch: "Save 15% off your order with promo code WIRE https://www.bollandbranch.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=Radio&utm_campaign=WIRE"Black Rifle Coffee: Get 10% off your first order or Coffee Club subscription with code WIRE: https://www.blackriflecoffee.com/

For months, much of the world has been watching and waiting as Ukraine prepares for a major counteroffensive in its war with Russia. That battle is now underway, and it's not what was expected.Andrew E. Kramer, the Kyiv bureau chief for The New York Times, reports from the front line.Guest: Andrew E. Kramer, the Kyiv bureau chief for The New York Times.Background reading: Military analysts said it would take weeks or months to gauge the success of the attacks Ukraine mounted last week across a broad stretch of the front line.As Ukraine pushes to recapture territory, Russia has moved ahead with elections in occupied areas.For more information on today's episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Former President Trump rallys support from his base ahead of his appearance in federal court on Tuesday. The much-anticipated Ukrainian offensive has begun. An investigation into political party finances led the to arrest and questioning of an influential Scottish politician.

On today's can't miss edition of Human Events with Jack Posobiec, Poso is joined by a star studded cast of guests including Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene and Roger Stone where they dissect the latest updates on the indictments on President Trump. Congresswoman Greene also breaks down all of the details surrounding Biden taking a bribe from a Ukranian oligarch according to an FBI informant. If you're a part of the MAGA counteroffensive this is an episode you MUST watch. All this plus Tiffany Justice of Moms for Liberty on today's Human Events!Here's your Daily dose of Human Events with @JackPosobiec Save up to 65% on MyPillow products by going to MyPillow.com/POSO and use code POSOGo to itargetpro.com and Save 10% Plus get Free Shipping with promo code POSO.Support the show

Ukraine's counteroffensive begins to build, the feud between California Governor Gavin Newsom and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis escalates, and the two biggest entities in professional golf announce merger. Get the facts first with Morning Wire. Indeed: Start hiring with a $75 sponsored job credit with Indeed at  https://indeed.com/wireOmaha Steaks: Type code ‘WIRE' into the search bar to get ‘Dad's Favorite Gift Package' for JUST $99.99. Plus get 8 free steak burgers.http://www.OmahaSteaks.com

Ben and Tommy talk about a blockbuster report that Ukraine bombed the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines, the bombing of a dam in Ukraine, accountability for the assassination of Haiti's president, CIA Director Bill Burns goes to China, Saudi Arabia and sportswashing, Henry Kissinger's human rights record and accountability in Washington, Trump's classified documents woes, media restrictions in Pakistan, nukes in Iran, reports that school girls were poisoned in Afghanistan, and British PM Rishi Sunak goes to a baseball game. Then Ben talks with Tim Mak, founder of The Counteroffensive and a Crooked Contributor, about life in Ukraine For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. 

Ukraine vowed to mount a counteroffensive against Russia. Drone attacks on Moscow might signal it has begun. The Washington Post's Mary Ilyushina and the Guardian's Luke Harding explain. This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Michael Raphael, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained Support Today, Explained by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tim Mak was an NPR reporter in Kyiv since the beginning of the full-scale invasion last year. He recently stepped down and started his own Substack from the Ukrainian capital, called The Counteroffensive, and Lawfare Editor-in-Chief Benjamin Wittes sat down with Tim to talk about the publication. What makes a reporter leave an established news organization like NPR to start a startup in a war zone? What is The Counteroffensive going to cover? How will it be different from other stuff you might be reading on the Ukraine war? And what are things like in Kyiv these days as the Ukrainians get ready for the counteroffensive for which the publication is named?Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.