Podcasts about Fierce

Jacob Infante from Pro Football Network and the Windy City Gridiron calls in to talk about Bears camp, extensions, injuries, and potential future moves. Jacob also sheds some light that Pierce the Fierce might have some competition.  Evan and Quinn have both had the same experience hooked up to 1,000 wires...  Evan explains his hot take from hour 1. 

A mainstay of Belgian bastions Fuse and TRAUM, Antwerp-based talent Phemia punches in with two hours spanning the broadest techno scope, from sunken dub atmospherics to velvety minimalism. Through rattling 4x4 narratives and jagged, polymorphic sines, Phemia entices us down the path of multisensory elation, summoning the finest of brooding post-industrial folds and elegantly stripped-back, Detroit-style chug. The result is a positively dynamic, highly immersive trip for your synapses that'll have you hold your breath with every transition and reach for your inhaler as soon as the drop lashes down. Fierce and playful, lock in for a proper eruptive mind-bender. 

Is biotech taking a trip to the world of psychedelic drugs? Why is Novo Nordisk going after Eli Lilly’s Zepbound ads? And what are peptides? This week on "The Top Line," Fierce's Zoey Becker, Will Maddox and Kevin Dunleavy chat about some of the biggest recent stories. From a psychedelics acquisition that could spark more movement in the emerging field to an advisory committee meeting on peptides shrouded in political controversy to a lawsuit between the two major obesity drugmakers, we’ll catch you up on the latest developments shaking up the biopharma world. To learn more about the topics in this episode: ‘A rising tide scenario’: Why other Big Pharmas could follow Lilly into psychedelics UPDATE: Peptides favored on 1st day of closely watched FDA compounding adcomm Peptide adcomm Day 2: Emideltide voted down in panel's 1st pushback Novo Nordisk files lawsuit accusing rival Eli Lilly of running ‘false and misleading’ GLP-1 ads Novo escalates Lilly false advertising suit with planned bid to halt comparative ads See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mary Anastasia O'Grady reports that following a narrow election victory, center-right businessman Abelardo de la Espriella faces fierce opposition from outgoing President Gustavo Petro. Petro, a former M19 terrorist, has refused to recognize the results, alleging fraud and foreign interference. De la Espriella plans to take a hard line against illegal armed groups like the ELN and FARC. To build support, he intends to hold his inauguration at a military garrison, signaling a commitment to restoring national security. (14)1898 BOGOTA

JP Nadda Fierce Reply to Congress in LokSabha

Is the data center issue becoming left/right? Deroy Murdock explains, and Senator Josh Hawley joins us after a hot and contentious line of questioning on Capitol Hill with Fauci today.

La médiumnité, ce n'est pas un talent qu'on active sur commande. C'est une antenne qui capte des bribes, des images furtives, des mots qui n'ont pas toujours de sens tout de suite. Dans cet épisode, je t'ouvre les coulisses de cette pratique, loin des clichés qu'on lui colle trop souvent.Depuis quelques mois, mes capacités médiumniques se sont beaucoup développées à travers mes soins énergétiques. Passages d'âme, soins aux lieux, messages de guides de plus en plus précis : j'ai eu envie de te partager ce que recouvre vraiment ce mot, comment ça fonctionne concrètement pour une praticienne, et à quoi ça sert. On parle des outils du médium, des différents types d'âmes avec lesquelles on peut entrer en lien, du cadre éthique indispensable autour de cette pratique, et de ce qui rend une connexion possible ou non.Je te partage aussi mes propres biais d'interprétation, mes erreurs de parcours, et ce que j'ai appris sur les limites à poser — pour toi comme pour la personne en face.Ce que tu vas apprendre :Pourquoi la médiumnité fonctionne par bribes spontanées et jamais sur demandeLes différentes sources de messages : guides, entités, mémoires de lieux ou d'objets, âmes en transitionComment un médium reconnaît une âme sans toujours obtenir son prénomLe piège du biais d'interprétation — et pourquoi il faut apprendre à s'en méfierCe qui se joue vraiment au moment du passage, et pourquoi certaines âmes restent bloquéesPourquoi le rôle du médium dépasse largement le simple contact avec les défuntsOù poser ses limites face aux demandes des consultantsPar où commencer si ce sujet t'appelleRessources mentionnées dans cet épisode :La formation énergétique (reprise du module 1 en septembre) : https://spiritualite-et-yoga.com/formation-praticien-energeticien/Le projet Satsang : https://spiritualite-et-yoga.com/le-satsang/Tes prochaines étapes :Travailler avec moi : https://spiritualite-et-yoga.com/formations/Me retrouver sur les réseaux : https://www.instagram.com/amba.manipura/?hl=en**********************************************Je suis Amba, énergéticienne, formatrice en énergétique, en cartomancie, et en médiumnité. J'accompagne depuis plusieurs années celles et ceux qui veulent intégrer la spiritualité dans leur vie, à travers mes formations professionnelles, mes accompagnements individuels et ce podcast qui rassemble aujourd'hui des centaines de contenus disponibles gratuitement !

Voir la musique comme un espace de lien, de transmission et d'engagement c'est toute l'ADN de la résidence Fierce Por Favor, imaginé par Sorun. Sorun, Ladurso et Kali Kalité se retrouvent derrière les platines pour mettre en avant les différentes facettes du militantisme dans le monde de la musique et pour soutenir l'association Solidarité Sida suite à l'annulation de Solidays, fin juin. Si tu veux faire un don : https://aider.solidarite-sida.org/solidays/~mon-don Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

Voir la musique comme un espace de lien, de transmission et d'engagement c'est toute l'ADN de la résidence Fierce Por Favor, imaginé par Sorun. Sorun, Ladurso et Kali Kalité se retrouvent derrière les platines pour mettre en avant les différentes facettes du militantisme dans le monde de la musique et pour soutenir l'association Solidarité Sida suite à l'annulation de Solidays, fin juin. Si tu veux faire un don : https://aider.solidarite-sida.org/solidays/~mon-don

Sharai and Trent Reese reunite to see if The Final Girls will inspire a fight on Fierce.Artwork created by Bri Tippetts. Check out her work at @britippettsart.Music Credits: Composed/Produced by LaRob K. Rafael. LaRob K. Rafael, piano/vocals, Jackson Kidder, bass, and Tiana Sorenson, vocals.Want More Time On Fierce Street? Then check out the links below!Follow all of our social media from our⁠ All My Links⁠.Subscribe to our ⁠Patreon⁠ for exclusive content and merchandise.

This week on "The Top Line," Fierce Healthcare and Life Sciences' editor-in-chief steps behind the microphone for a solo episode highlighting several of the biggest stories in biopharma. The episode covers GSK’s first lung cancer approval following its acquisition of Nuvalent, Axiom Biosciences’ unusual plan to list first in Hong Kong before pursuing a Nasdaq co-listing amid a resurgent biotech IPO market, and the U.S. House’s passage of legislation directing the FDA to update its animal testing rules. The episode also includes an update from the Fierce newsroom, including the arrival of a new Fierce Biotech staff writer, and a reflection on why human judgment, curiosity and original reporting matter more than ever. To learn more about the topics in this episode: GSK secures first lung cancer approval as FDA clears Jideytro in quick payoff from Nuvalent deal ‘There is always a first’: Why US biotech Axiom will begin its IPO journey in Hong Kong House passes bill directing FDA to update animal testing rules See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Drum & Bass Odyssey with Strobe EP041 Show: Drum & Bass Odyssey Artist: Strobe Air Date: 24 July 2026 Genre: Drum & Bass Strobe brings the light and the dark with this months mix. Music from Benny L, Lenzman, Quartz, Level 2, Riya, Rift and many many more. Tracklist: 1 Lenzman - Masquerade (Die & Interface Remix) 2 Ulterior Motive (feat. Will Manning) - Gods & Neighbours 3 Future Cut - Whiplash (Verb remix) 4 Digital & Spirit - Phantom 2018 5 Fierce & Zero T - Second Nature (Moonshine) 6 Rift - Morana 7 Dego & Goldie - The R (Seba Rmx) 8 Total Science - Street Level (Loxy remix) 9 Rift - Pandora 10 Quartz - 0s & 1s 11 Quartz - Cold Voids 12 Level 2, & Collette Warren - Secret Lies 13 Level 2 - Blurred 14 Lenzman - Lasers 15 Lenzman feat. IAMDDB - In My Mind (Break Remix) 16 Lenzman - Starz feat. Kevin King (LSB Remix) 17 Ulterior Motive - Stay [feat. James Sunderland] (Lenzman Remix) 18 Lenzman - Broken Dreams 19 Rift - Under The Skin 20 Adam Y - Physical 21 Lenzman - My Tears feat. Steo (Ulterior Motive Remix) 22 Rift - Mercury 23 Adam Y - Ghostline 24 Quartz - Mute Reflex 25 Riya, Minor Forms - Different Kind 26 Bladerunner - Murda You 27 Cleveland Watkiss, Benny L - Metaphors 28 Battery - Replicant 29 Paul T & Edward Oberon, Brodie, Enamie - Mash Up The System Originally broadcast on Data Transmission Radio. Listen live and explore the archive: https://radio.datatransmission.co

Fierce debate over foreign police will dominate the agenda at the final day of ALP national conference Economists react to latest US tariff hike Aussie dominate in the pool in GlasgowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fierce debate over foreign police will dominate the agenda at the final day of ALP national conference Economists react to latest US tariff hike Aussie dominate in the pool in GlasgowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Magic was never scary to me. That’s why finding out I was afraid of it caught me completely off guard and left me spinning. For years I’d been working with magic without calling it that.  I wrote little songs for myself, repeated like chants, to help me manifest a newspaper column, my husband, and plenty of smaller things along the way. I didn’t think of it as magic but as a way to focus my energy. However, once my magic coach pointed out what I was actually doing, an old fear surfaced right alongside the curiosity. I had no idea where it came from. That question sent me looking for an answer, and what I found was a protective wall around my own heart. Two walls, actually, discovered years apart, protecting two very different parts of my life. Here’s both stories, plus what I’m doing about it at a live event on July 29th. The Cage Around My Heart Back in 2020, stuck inside during Covid like everyone else, I started working with a magic coach named Mikala. She helped me see the magic I’d already been using for years without naming it. That was exciting and also the moment the fear showed up. It wasn’t rational. I wasn’t casting spells or doing anything harmful, just directing my energy toward what I wanted. But the dread was real once I discovered this was magic. So, I went looking for its source the way I usually do with past-life work. This is a healing modality I’ve relied on for close to 30 years. The Akashic Records had already revealed plenty to me about past lives and how they influence me today. Like why calligraphy came so naturally. I had been a monk illuminating Bibles in the Middle Ages, as it turned out. This time, what I found was darker. I discovered a life in Venice that ended with my head removed for practicing magic with a group. There was also a pattern of betrayal tied to magic showing up more than once. So by 2022, I decided to finally work through it using a meditation based on Dr. Bradley Nelson’s Emotion Code He created this idea that we sometimes create a protective wall around the heart that can block us instead of helping us. Asking to See the Wall I set my intention to heal my fear of magic. Then I asked to see the wall in this gentle meditation. What appeared was a stone dungeon. I was standing inside a metal cage, spikes pointing inward at heart level which seems like something straight out of a horror film. I didn’t know how to dismantle it myself, so I asked my guides to handle it. The metal melted into a puddle at my feet. Then it reformed into a metal plate with two interlocking hearts, one pointed down and one pointed up, woven together like the Star of David. I stopped the meditation right there, went to my computer, and looked up the symbol. It represents unity. One heart and the end of duality. Whoa – that felt important. Going back into the meditation, I asked what that meant for me and my magic. The answer was to stand on the plate whenever I do magic now. It will keep me safe. I still don’t cast spells or light ritual candles, though there’s nothing wrong with that path for someone else. However, these days I talk about magic openly with clients, with friends, or anyone curious enough to ask. A few years ago I never would have said that out loud. Is Your Subconscious Keeping You Too Safe? Fast forward to this year, I decided to share this powerful, yet completely safe process. So, I created the live Heart Wall Meditation event for July 29th. To go a bit deeper, I thought the best thing was to run the process on myself again, but this time with a different intention which was friendship. Midlife has a way of thinning out your circle of friends. People move, pass away, and drift apart. Each time it happened, I told myself I’d go make new friends, and then did nothing. That bothered me, because I’m a social person who works alone at home and genuinely craves connection. So, why the stall? I sat down and asked my subconscious to show me what was in the way. A wall appeared but this time it was brick, not a metal cage. Big, solid, and completely unexpected. I was totally shocked! I asked the wall if it had a message for me and it explained why it was there. Then I asked if I could take it down and got an immediate yes. I decided to have some fun with it and imagined a ray gun. One blast and the wall came apart, leaving a pile of rubble. I told the rubble to sink into the earth and be recycled. Gone. Except I wasn’t quite finished. Something told me to look again, and a white stockade fence appeared. It was six or seven feet tall, points on top, and solid. I imagined a saw and cut a doorway in the middle, then walked through to the other side. Nothing there but open grass. When I turned back, I gave the fence a gentle push and it fell flat, then dissolved. Remove Old Walls of Protection Two walls, two completely different methods to demolish them. One I blew apart, the other I removed gently. Both ways worked just as well! That’s the part that surprises people most. Your subconscious isn’t working against you. There’s no battle required. It’s simply doing its job to protect you, but with outdated information. That means you don’t actually need it and get to choose how you clear it. Fierce or gentle, the wall still comes down either way. What struck me afterward is that I’d cleared heart walls before around magic, around business. But it never occurred to me to check friendship. Now I’m more open to new people than I’ve been in years. What This Means For You Both stories point to the same truth. Your subconscious builds walls to protect you, using old information that may no longer apply. The protection can end up costing you more than it saves, whether that’s your magic, your business, your relationships, or your sense of safety in the world. The good news is that you don’t need decades of past-life work, shadow work or inner child digging to find your own wall. You just need a willingness to see it, ask what it’s doing, and be rid of it. If any of this stirred something in you, I’m hosting a live Heart Wall Meditation on July 29th where we’ll go through the process together. You can register here. Does Your Heart Have A Wall Protecting You From Something You Want? A heart wall is a protective barrier around the heart. It might look like a wall of some kind in front of you or some other protective mechanism in meditation. It could be metal, brick, glass, or a fence that shields you from old pain. The problem is it can also block what you want now. Fear of something you love or desire, like intuition, love, or a thriving business, can exist side by side with genuine enthusiasm for it. The two aren’t contradictory. Heart walls can show up around any part of life including spiritual growth, creativity, career, family, and you may have more than one without realizing it. You can clear a heart wall by any creative method that you imagine. It might be with force like throwing a grenade to demolish it or gently by simply opening a door or pushing it over. Both are equally effective. Your subconscious mind isn’t an obstacle you have to fight. Thankfully, it’s job is to protect you, often using outdated information. That’s why the walls come down more easily than you’d expect once you become aware of them and ask. Noticing a pattern of avoidance in your life, like a friendship you keep meaning to build or a goal you keep circling, is often a sign that a protective heart wall is involved. FAQs What is a heart wall? A heart wall is a protective barrier the subconscious builds around the heart, often in response to past pain or trauma. It’s meant to keep you safe, but it can also block love, opportunity, or connection you’re consciously trying to invite in. Can you have more than one heart wall? Yes. Heart walls tend to be specific to different areas of life. It’s entirely possible to clear one around business or intuition, and still have another, separate wall around friendship, love, or health that hasn’t been addressed yet. How do you clear a heart wall? Through a guided visualization, you ask to see the wall, then ask permission to remove it. The method varies from person to person. Some walls dissolve gently, others need to be broken apart. But both approaches are equally effective at clearing the block. Is a heart wall the same as a limiting belief? They’re related but not identical. A limiting belief is a thought pattern; a heart wall is more of a protective structure the subconscious builds around it. Clearing the wall often makes the underlying belief far easier to shift. What can a heart wall block besides love? A heart wall can block any form of connection or flow including creativity, magic, friendship, business success, romance, or receiving support from others. The post How My Heart Wall Got Between Me And My Magic appeared first on Intuitive Edge.

Welcome to the Daily Disciple Podcast. As daily disciples, we seek to adore and follow Jesus, our teacher, into the abundant life that he offers. Because we find Jesus irresistible, fascinating, and incredibly practical, we want to be students of his Scripture. Today's episode is found in Luke 6 "Tender & Fierce Part 2."

Welcome to the Daily Disciple Podcast. As daily disciples, we seek to adore and follow Jesus, our teacher, into the abundant life that he offers. Because we find Jesus irresistible, fascinating, and incredibly practical, we want to be students of his scripture. Today's episode is found in Luke 5 "Tender & Fierce."

Fluent Fiction - Italian: Dolomiti Delights: Choosing Friendship Over Fierce Trails Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/it/episode/2026-07-22-22-34-02-it Story Transcript:It: Luca, Giorgia e Mateo arrivano nelle Dolomiti in una mattina luminosa di agosto.En: Luca, Giorgia and Mateo arrive in the Dolomiti on a bright August morning.It: L'aria è fresca e pulita, e le montagne si stagliano maestose contro il cielo azzurro.En: The air is fresh and clean, and the mountains loom majestically against the blue sky.It: Le Dolomiti sono un paradiso per gli escursionisti, soprattutto in estate.En: The Dolomiti are a paradise for hikers, especially in the summer.It: Loro tre sono amici da anni, un legame che si è stretto ancora di più con ogni avventura condivisa.En: The three of them have been friends for years, a bond that has grown stronger with each shared adventure.It: "Abbiamo bisogno di equipaggiamento," dice Giorgia con entusiasmo.En: "We need equipment," says Giorgia with enthusiasm.It: "Andiamo a fare shopping!"En: "Let's go shopping!"It: Mateo sorride, sempre un po' più cauto.En: Mateo smiles, always a bit more cautious.It: "Sì, ma facciamo attenzione ai prezzi.En: "Yes, but let's be mindful of the prices.It: L'attrezzatura da montagna può costare molto."En: Mountain gear can be very expensive."It: Luca segue i due amici con un'ombra di preoccupazione sul viso.En: Luca follows his two friends with a shadow of worry on his face.It: Sogna di affrontare i sentieri più difficili delle Dolomiti, ma il suo ginocchio, ferito anni fa, ogni tanto gli dà problemi.En: He dreams of tackling the most challenging trails in the Dolomiti, but his knee, injured years ago, bothers him occasionally.It: Non vuole preoccuparli, ma mentre entra nel negozio di articoli sportivi, esita un momento.En: He doesn't want to worry them, but as he enters the sporting goods store, he hesitates for a moment.It: Il negozio è pieno di attrezzatura lucente: scarponi, zaini, bastoncini, e giacche resistenti.En: The store is filled with shiny equipment: boots, backpacks, walking sticks, and sturdy jackets.It: "Luca, guarda questi scarponi," dice Giorgia, avvicinandosi a uno scaffale.En: "Luca, look at these boots," says Giorgia, approaching a shelf.It: "Perfetti per i sentieri più impegnativi!"En: "Perfect for the more challenging trails!"It: Ma Luca sa che la sua vecchia ferita richiede attenzione.En: But Luca knows that his old injury requires attention.It: Sa che rischiare troppo potrebbe rovinarli tutti.En: He knows that taking too many risks could ruin it all for them.It: Si sente diviso: comprare l'equipaggiamento avanzato o rivelare la sua preoccupazione?En: He feels torn: buy the advanced equipment or reveal his concern?It: Mentre esamina una fila di bastoncini, Luca prende una decisione.En: As he examines a row of walking sticks, Luca makes a decision.It: "Ragazzi, devo dirvi qualcosa," inizia.En: "Guys, I need to tell you something," he begins.It: Giorgia e Mateo lo guardano curiosi.En: Giorgia and Mateo look at him curiously.It: "Il mio ginocchio... potrebbe essere un problema se scegliamo percorsi troppo duri."En: "My knee... it might be a problem if we choose too difficult routes."It: Giorgia lo guarda con comprensione.En: Giorgia looks at him with understanding.It: "Luca, non dobbiamo dimostrare niente a nessuno.En: "Luca, we don't have to prove anything to anyone.It: Possiamo comunque fare un'escursione incredibile senza rischiare."En: We can still have an incredible hike without taking risks."It: Mateo annuisce.En: Mateo nods.It: "Sì, scegliamo un percorso moderato.En: "Yes, let's choose a moderate trail.It: Sarà ancora una bella avventura."En: It will still be a great adventure."It: Alla fine, con scarponi e zaini nuovi, scelgono un sentiero che attraversa le colline verdi e offre viste spettacolari senza essere troppo impegnativo.En: In the end, with new boots and backpacks, they choose a trail that winds through the green hills and offers spectacular views without being too challenging.It: Mentre camminano, Luca si sente sollevato.En: As they walk, Luca feels relieved.It: Ha ancora quella scintilla di avventura dentro di lui, ma ha imparato l'importanza del rispetto per le proprie condizioni e il valore del sostegno dei suoi amici.En: He still has that spark of adventure inside him, but he has learned the importance of respecting his own limits and the value of his friends' support.It: Le Dolomiti, con la loro bellezza imponente, fanno da sfondo al loro viaggio.En: The Dolomiti, with their towering beauty, serve as the backdrop to their journey.It: È un promemoria che l'avventura non sempre richiede il sentiero più difficile, ma il percorso che porta alla felicità condivisa.En: It is a reminder that adventure doesn't always require the hardest path, but the route that leads to shared happiness. Vocabulary Words:the bond: il legamethe knee: il ginocchiothe trail: il sentierothe injury: la feritato tackle: affrontarethe equipment: l'equipaggiamentocautious: cautothe worry: la preoccupazioneto hesitate: esitareshiny: lucentesturdy: resistenteadvanced: avanzatothe decision: la decisioneto reveal: rivelarethe concern: la preoccupazioneto understand: comprendereto nod: annuiremoderate: moderatoto wind through: attraversarethe view: la vistarelieved: sollevatothe spark: la scintillathe limit: il limiteto respect: rispettarethe support: il sostegnothe backdrop: lo sfondoto remind: ricordareto require: richiedereto prove: dimostrareshared: condiviso

Chris Chavez and Preet Majithia reconvene to debrief the rest of the London Diamond League. Chris and Kyle Merber's emergency pod captured the immediate reaction; this episode is the follow-up, covering everything that got overshadowed by the world record.We discuss:– Preet in the building: Eight flights of stairs between the mixed zone and the seating area to watch Josh Kerr's world record run.– Post-race mixed zone: Josh got emotional exactly once — when Hannah England asked him about the mental toll of the entire process. His first beer since his December wedding was that Saturday night. For a Scotsman, six months without a beer is its own kind of suffering.– Was the world record overshadowed by the World Cup? The day before the World Cup final, England played France in a 6-4 third-place match the same evening. The next morning, BBC Sport's homepage had zero stories about Josh Kerr.– Does this get Josh knighted? Chris's very American question.– Does the mile world record mean as much globally as the 1500? Preet raises the question: the mile matters enormously in the US and UK, but does it land elsewhere?– Sawe vs. Kerr: which was bigger?– Women's 800m — Keely wins in 1:56.21: The pacemaker went through 400 in 56.8, suggesting they were targeting sub-1:55 but backed off — if she'd gone through in 55 flat as planned, it might have been a 1:55 race. Preet's context: this was Keely's 50th sub-2:00 performance and her nineteenth sub-1:57.– Would you rather have Josh's career or Keely's right now?The rest of London — the performances that got overshadowed:– Brandon Miller, 1:42.19 in the men's 800m: Nearly a full second PB, fifth all-time for Americans. Timed his kick off the final bend perfectly.– Julien Alfred, 21.66 in the women's 200: Third win in nine days.– Karsten Warholm, 46.61 in the 400 hurdles: World lead, first hurdles race win of the season, meeting record.– Ja'Kobe Tharp, 12.89 in the 110m hurdles: Fifth time under 13 seconds this season — the first athlete in history to go sub-13 in five consecutive 110m hurdles races.– Kayinsola Ajayi, 9.84 in the men's 100m: Beats world champion Oblique Seville for the second time this season — turns and looks at him as they cross the line.– Rai Benjamin, 44.05 PB in the men's 400m: Beats Matthew Hudson-Smith (44.18). First Diamond League 400m win.– Marileidy Paulino, 48.97 in the women's 400m: Fourth sub-49 this season.– Jess Hull wins the women's 3000m, 8:24.69: Fierce surge with 200 to go– Looking ahead: Josh Kerr to appear on the CITIUS MAG podcast Wednesday. Full US Championships preview episode dropping with Chris and Kyle later this week. Daily shows from USAs throughout the weekend. Subscribe on your platform of choice.____________SUPPORT OUR SPONSORSBANDIT: For 2026, Bandit is providing support for any Unsponsored athletes competing at the USATF Outdoor Championships. Every contract includes a release clause so an athlete can sign with a bigger brand the moment an offer lands. 11 Unsponsored alumni have already gone on to deals with some of the largest footwear brands in the world. Competing at USATF Outdoors? Interested? Contact: ⁠⁠⁠⁠timrossi@banditrunning.com⁠⁠⁠⁠CORE: The CORE 2 Thermal Sensor takes the guessing out of heat training. It reads your core body temperature in real time - no thermometer, nothing invasive, and you can actually see what's happening inside your body while you train. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Take 10% off the CORE 2 with code CITIUS10 at checkout when you visit corebodytemp.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠VELOUS: VELOUS makes recovery footwear designed to help runners bounce back faster between sessions. Their sandals feature Tri-Motion™ Technology: a technical three-density foam system and contoured footbed engineered to cushion impact, support your arches, and help your toes stretch and relax on every step. Run. Recover. Repeat. with VELOUS! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get 20% off your VELOUS order with code CITIUSMAG20 at checkout including FREE Shipping!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jeff gets off some takes before the show gets going to talk about Amazon's best-selling books of all-time, a formidable new AI lawsuit, sales of THE ODYSSEY editions, recent reading, and much more. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Join The Book Riot Podcast Patreon for bonus content and ad-free listening. Subscribe to The Book Riot Newsletter for regular updates to get the most out of your reading life. The Book Riot Podcast is a proud member of the Airwave Podcast Network. Discussed in this episode: Amazon's 50 bestselling books of all time Publishers launch new suit against Google for using digital  to train Gemini This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Go to quince.com/wellread for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. It's now available for our friends in Canada too! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last time we spoke about the Miluo River Catastrophe. On September 17, General Xue Yue, watching alarming reconnaissance telegrams, learns the Japanese 11th Army has massed across the north bank of the Xinqiang River—3rd, 4th, 6th, and 40th Divisions—alongside additional detachments. Chinese operatives even intercept a Japanese order directing divisions to prepare for an attack on September 18. Despite this, Xue Yue's decisions and readiness remain inadequate. By September 21–23, the fighting at and around the Miluo River and Dongting Lake destroys the 37th Army's ability to function as a coherent combat force. The disaster as both tactical collapse and a failure of planning: Japanese interception and decoding of radio orders allow them to shift toward encirclement, turning Chinese movements into a "trap" laid in advance.   #211 The Japanese Blunt China's Iron Army at Changsha Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. The four divisions that had stormed into northern Hunan had made good progress, achieving the victory of defeating three main Chinese armies in quick succession. General Anami Korechika, commanding the Japanese forces, was secretly pleased, but he dared not slacken his efforts in the slightest. He was a methodical man, and he understood that the contest was not yet decided. Every day, his intelligence officers placed before him a stream of intercepted Chinese military telegrams and aerial reconnaissance reports. What they showed gave him reason for both confidence and caution. Two significant forces were moving toward the battlefield — forces unlike those he had so far encountered. One of them was Chiang Kai-shek's elite 74th Army, a formation whose reputation had reached Anami long before, from his time at headquarters in Tokyo. The other was the 10th Army, considered second only to the 74th in quality and fighting spirit.   The 74th Army was no ordinary unit. It had been rigorously trained under German and Soviet instructors specially hired by Chiang Kai-shek, its officers schooled in both European combined-arms doctrine and Soviet tactical flexibility. It was characterized by its disciplined offensive and defensive tactics and was lavishly equipped by the standards of the Chinese military. Most remarkably, it had maintained an undefeated record on the battlefield since the beginning of the war — a distinction that had earned it the title of "Iron Army of the Anti-Japanese War" among the Chinese people. In the high command of the Imperial Japanese Army, it was referred to, with a mixture of respect and wariness, as the Tora no Ko — the "Tiger Child" — meaning, in essence, the ace in the enemy's hand.   The 10th Army was held in nearly equal esteem. The deployment of either of these two formations required the personal approval of Chiang Kai-shek himself. The Generalissimo's principle for employing them was clear and deliberate: they were to be committed only to the most critical battles, those that would decide outcomes, or to the most prominent ones, where their prowess could demonstrate the might of the Chinese army to a watching nation. Since the outbreak of the war, the 74th Army had been kept in reserve at Fenyi in Jiangxi Province, and the 10th Army at Hengyang in southern Hunan. Both forces had been conserving their strength, training, and waiting.   Now Anami's relentless offensive had forced Chiang Kai-shek's hand. The battle situation had tilted dangerously under the weight of Japanese pressure, and the fall of several elite units had left the Chinese commander of the Ninth War Zone, General Xue Yue, with little room to maneuver. Xue Yue had no choice but to appeal to Chongqing for help, and Chiang Kai-shek, reluctantly and with full awareness of the risks, agreed to release his two trump cards. Anami, having mastered his opponent's intentions through his intelligence apparatus, now found himself in the rare and advantageous position of a card player who could see his opponent's hole cards. He carefully planned his battle strategy, studying maps late into the night, conferring with his officers, and calculating how best to neutralize the Chinese elite before they could bring their full weight to bear. He knew that his life's honor, his career, and his legacy rested on this one gamble.   Li Yutang, the commander of the 10th Army, was from Guangrao in Shandong Province — a place that had given China more than its share of fighting men. He was a graduate of the first class of the illustrious Whampoa Military Academy, where he had trained alongside men who would go on to shape the fate of China. At the academy, he had been part of a celebrated group known informally as the "Four Lis of Shandong": himself, Li Xianzhou, Li Yannian, and Li Hanfan. The first three would all rise to significant commands in the Nationalist army. The fourth, Li Hanfan, a native of Changqing in Shandong, had taken an entirely different path, joining the Communist Party of China and fighting the same war under a different flag. In later years, the group became known as the "Three Lis of Shandong," the fourth having parted ways with his classmates long before the guns fell silent.   Li Yutang had not risen quickly or through privilege. He embodied the hardworking, resilient, and tenacious qualities long associated with the men of Shandong — qualities forged by a hard land and harder circumstances. He had climbed the ranks of the army step by step: platoon leader, company commander, battalion commander, regimental commander. Each step had been earned through performance under fire. When Japan launched its full-scale invasion in 1937, Li Yutang was serving as commander of the 3rd Division of the 2nd Army under Li Yannian, participating in the brutal Battle of Shanghai in August of that year. He fought in the grinding urban warfare along the Suzhou Creek, learning lessons in modern combat that would serve him for the rest of the war. The following spring, in March and April of 1938, he led his troops in the Battle of Xuzhou, holding the Linyi line northeast of Taierzhuang, blocking the Japanese 5th Division under Itagaki Seishiro from breaking through to reinforce the embattled Japanese forces at that critical engagement. His handling of the defense contributed to one of the few early Chinese battlefield successes of the war.   For his performance at Xuzhou, he was promoted to commander of the 8th Army. During the Battle of Wuhan in 1938, he led his troops in major engagements against the Japanese 101st and 106th Divisions along the Nanxun Railway, inflicting significant casualties on the attackers. After that campaign, General Xue Yue, recognizing both Li's talent and his Shandong origins — Shandong being home to Mount Tai, the foremost of China's Five Sacred Mountains — personally inscribed a banner reading "Mount Tai Army" and formally presented it to Li Yutang's 8th Army. Chiang Kai-shek added his own recognition, awarding Li Huazhou a medal. In the Battle of Nanchang, Li Yutang again distinguished himself, leading his troops in the defense of Wuning for ten days and ten nights of uninterrupted fighting. When the battle was over, Japanese soldiers lay piled in front of his defensive lines, and the name "Taishan Army" was on every officer's lips from Chongqing to the front. After the First Battle of Changsha in 1939, Chiang Kai-shek personally nominated Li Yutang to take command of the 10th Army — the posting that would now define his legacy. The orders came on September 20, 1941 — three days after the Japanese forces had broken through the Xiangbei defense line in the north. General Xue Yue's summons reached Li Yutang's headquarters in Hengyang, and the 10th Army began immediate preparations for movement to the battlefield.   The mobilization was extraordinary even by the standards of an army that prided itself on discipline and fighting spirit. Li Yutang addressed his men, and the response was unlike anything a commander might ordinarily expect. He received wave after wave of letters — requests to be placed at the front, declarations of determination, pledges to die before surrendering. Some of the letters were written in ordinary ink. Others had been written in blood, the soldier biting his own finger to draw enough for a few lines. These were not men who needed to be driven to battle. They were men who had spent months training for precisely this moment.   Their preparation had been rigorous to the point of fanaticism. For six months before the order came, the 10th Army had conducted intensive training in the three core skills of infantry combat: marksmanship, grenade throwing, and bayonet fighting. The Ministry of National Defense had set a standard that considered a unit successful if one quarter of its men scored "top-tier" in each category. Chiang Kai-shek had personally raised the bar for the 10th Army: eighty percent of every unit must score "top-tier," with the remainder no lower than "excellent." Any unit falling short would face elimination. When the assessments were completed, the result was unambiguous — one hundred percent of the army had met the standard.   Over 30,000 men boarded seven special trains at Hengyang, their military songs and mobilization slogans ringing through the station as families and bystanders watched them depart. The troops traveled by train to Zhuzhou, then transferred to motor vehicles for the road north to Changsha, arriving in the Jinjing area — some seventy kilometers northeast of the city — on September 22nd. They had moved with professional speed. What awaited them would test something no training exercise could fully replicate. From the moment of arrival, the situation was clear to any officer with eyes: the 10th Army had stepped into chaos. However, given the already established passive situation, the 10th Army was like a leaf caught in a whirlpool as soon as it arrived on the battlefield. General Xue Yue, at the Ninth War Zone Command, immediately ordered the entire army to support the besieged 37th Army and simultaneously launch an offensive against the Japanese 3rd Division. It was an ambitious order for troops who had just completed a multi-day journey and had not yet oriented themselves to the ground. Nevertheless, Li Yutang passed the order down and his divisions began to move.   The first division to feel the dislocating effect of high command's demands was Zhu Yue's 190th Division. On September 23rd, the vanguard regiment of the 190th made contact with Japanese forces and was preparing to engage. Before a single shot was fired in earnest, Division Commander Zhu Yue received a telegram from army headquarters ordering him to abandon his current position and rush immediately to Shending Mountain to relieve the siege of the 140th Division of the 37th Army. The order brooked no delay. The troops dropped their baggage where it lay and ran — truly ran, in light order — to the vicinity of Shending Mountain.   They had barely formed ranks at their new position when a second telegram arrived from General Xue Yue. The 190th Division was to immediately reverse course and return to the Fulipu area to establish a defensive line and block the Japanese advance southward. Another forced march, exhausting men who had already marched and traveled for days. They arrived at the designated position on time — a testimony to their conditioning — and Zhu Yue established his division headquarters at Liangjiaduan, near Fulipu. After all the aimless marching and countermanding orders, after all the wasted energy and fruitless attempts, the troops were running on the last of their reserves. They worked through the night constructing fortifications with shovels and bare hands. Just as the first light of dawn revealed the outline of their new positions, the Japanese army advanced.   General Toyoshima Fusataro's Japanese 3rd Division had not rested. It had decisively defeated the 37th Army on the night of the 23rd and turned immediately, without pause, to attack the 190th Division. The blow came from the sky before it came from the ground. At dawn, more than ten Japanese planes swept down over Zhu Yue's division headquarters — seemingly guided, as the Chinese soldiers would later say, as if they had eyes in their heads, so accurate was the targeting. The small village that housed the headquarters was bombed almost to the ground. Dust and smoke billowed over the ruins as the aircraft banked away, and before it had settled, over a thousand Japanese infantrymen, seemingly springing from the earth itself, rushed forward directly toward the headquarters position. The regiment commanders, still at their positions elsewhere, could not be recalled in time.   Division Commander Zhu Yue did not hesitate. He drew his pistol and began commanding his subordinate units to fight back, rallying the headquarters staff and support troops into a perimeter defense. Under the fierce and accurate Japanese fire, Zhu Yue was hit by a bullet in his right arm. Then another round struck him in the left leg, and he went down. Almost simultaneously, Deputy Division Commander Lai Shixiang took command of the nearest available men and attempted to lead a breakout with a machine gun. An enemy mortar round found its mark, and Lai Shixiang was killed instantly. The division headquarters personnel, already shocked by the swiftness of the attack and the wounding of their commander, broke into disorder. Chaos erupted on the battlefield. Many soldiers ran blindly in the smoke and confusion, dying in the crossfire from multiple directions.   Division Chief of Staff Tao Xiu, now acting as deputy division commander with Zhu Yue incapacitated, took hold of the situation as best he could. He led the remnants of the headquarters staff in retreat toward a hollow in a grove of trees near the edge of the village. When the headcount was taken, approximately twenty men remained capable of fighting. It was already ten o'clock in the morning. Tao Xiu gathered these few men and led them along a small path through the dense forest on the outskirts of the village, bypassing Liangjiaduan, searching for the dispersed units of the division.   Out on the main positions, the 568th, 569th, and 570th Regiments were simultaneously surrounded and attacked. The officers and soldiers, exhausted from days and nights of continuous fighting, summoned what remained of their endurance and put up a tenacious resistance. From dawn until the afternoon, several positions were cut off and divided by Japanese encircling movements. In the ever-shrinking pockets, each cluster of defenders became an isolated target for enemy aircraft and artillery. Completely losing the initiative, groups of officers and soldiers perished in the shelling. Many of them died not in defiance but in something closer to despair — regretting this humiliating reversal, the waste of their patriotic aspirations, their unfulfilled desire to fight and kill the enemy on their own terms.   By evening, the regimental commanders had lost control of their respective battalions and companies. The remaining soldiers on each position scattered and concealed themselves in whatever ground offered cover, hiding in all directions across the darkening hills. It was not until midnight that the lightly wounded and unwounded officers and soldiers managed to assemble, as the contingency plan had directed, in a dense forest on the southwest side of the position. Division Commander Zhu Yue, wounded in both his arm and his leg, had been sent to the rear to receive treatment. Acting Deputy Division Commander Tao Xiu stood before the assembled survivors — more than two hundred men gathered from the regiments — and offered them quiet words of comfort. There was little else he could give them. The people present carried the seriously wounded on improvised stretchers and supported the lightly wounded with their arms and shoulders, groping their way through the darkness toward Zhuzhou. The 10th Reserve Division, under Commander Fang Xianjue, had been assigned to hold the Jinjing line — a position that, on paper, formed an anchor of the defensive scheme. In practice, the situation was deeply flawed from the outset. The Ninth War Zone Command had placed the 10th Reserve Division alone at Jinjing with no depth behind it and no friendly forces on either flank — an isolated salient that offered the Japanese every opportunity for encirclement.   On the 23rd, the division captured the Kanai line at noon, an initial success that promised more than it delivered. Around six o'clock in the evening, as darkness gathered, General Kanda Masatsuka arrived at the front with the vanguard of the Japanese 6th Division. He was not a man to move without information. Before committing to a full assault, Kanda ordered a probing attack and watched its progress carefully through binoculars from a small hill behind the advancing force. What he saw gave him pause. However he searched for a weak point in the Chinese line, the defenders showed none. No gap in the wire, no position carelessly manned, no sector that sagged under pressure. Kanda lowered his binoculars and considered his next step. He felt this was indeed an elite unit with excellent tactical skills, and should not be underestimated. He ordered a halt to the attack and waited for the full arrival of his division's strength.   On the morning of the 24th, the Japanese launched their proper assault — a fierce attack from the east, north, and west simultaneously. The three-directional pressure was designed to pin the defenders and deny any lateral reinforcement. Kanda went further, requesting permission from General Anami to concentrate all thirty-plus bombers available for the entire battlefield and direct them at the 10th Reserve Division's positions in a single concentrated raid. Anami granted the request. The bombing was devastating. The defending positions were almost completely destroyed from the air. Yet in the ruins of their fortifications and bunkers, the soldiers of the 10th Reserve Division continued fighting, repelling Japanese ground attacks wave after wave through the rubble and the smoke.   At two o'clock in the afternoon, a report reached Fang Xianjue that halted him in his tracks. A Japanese regiment had executed a large-scale outflanking maneuver around the south side of Jinjing and was approaching the rear of the position. The encirclement was closing. Fang Xianjue was shocked. He now grasped in full the tactical impossibility of his assignment. The Ninth War Zone Command had placed the 10th Reserve Division here alone, exposed on all sides, without depth and without support. The order to "block the enemy's southward advance" had been an empty promise from the start. Fang Xianjue could not understand the strategic intention behind the deployment at all — there was none that made any tactical sense. The only purpose of holding out here, he concluded bitterly, was to theoretically be seen to be "fighting the Japanese." Before Fang Xianjue could translate his analysis into a decision, the Japanese troops launched another fierce attack from the front and both flanks, and one side of the defensive line was breached. The situation became critical. Fang Xianjue decided to withdraw before the encircling force to the south could complete its movement and seal off all escape. He did not have time to seek authorization from the war zone — there was no time. He ordered each regiment to organize its own breakout and reassemble at designated locations.   At four o'clock in the afternoon, Fang Xianjue led the division headquarters in the first withdrawal from the battlefield. Looking back as he departed, he watched as the regiments were cut apart by Japanese fire, large numbers of officers and soldiers falling among the mountain ridges and into the ditches and gullies. There was nothing more he could do for them.   By the 25th, approximately half of the division's troops had reached the designated reception point. After a hasty reorganization, they were ordered to occupy positions along the Xueshi Bridge line and prepare to resume the defense. That same evening, a portion of the Japanese 3rd Division — fresh from its defeat of the 190th Division — launched a fierce attack on Xueshi Bridge. The positions could not be held. The scene of the previous day's rout was repeated almost exactly, and this second defeat completed the destruction of the 10th Reserve Division as a coherent fighting force. General Xue Yue's rebuke reached Fang Xianjue shortly afterward, and the division commander had no way to express the depth of his frustration — the tactical position he had been placed in had made his assignment impossible before the first shot was fired. On the 26th, he led the surviving troops to be received and reorganized by war zone units near Changsha. Compared to the bitter fates of the 190th Division and the 10th Reserve Division, Zhou Qingxiang's 3rd Division wrote a different kind of story in these same days — one of extraordinary tactical competence maintained against mounting odds. In the equally fierce battles, the 3rd Division demonstrated the qualities of an elite force more effectively than any other unit on either side.   On the 22nd, the 3rd Division had been ordered to establish positions two kilometers east of Fulipu. At noon on the 24th, after the Japanese 3rd Division defeated Zhu Yue's 190th Division, a portion of the Japanese force turned and attacked the right flank of Zhou Qingxiang's position. It was repelled. That evening, the Japanese 4th Division, riding the momentum of its success against the 37th Army, launched a night attack on the 3rd Division's left flank. It too was repelled. On the 25th, Zhou Qingxiang's division was attacked from both sides simultaneously by the main forces of two Japanese divisions — forces that outnumbered the defenders several times over. The officers and soldiers of the entire division showed no fear. They fought bravely and with skill honed by months of intensive preparation, holding their lines despite heavy casualties and preventing the Japanese from breaking through at any point.   When word of this resistance was relayed to General Anami Korechika at his headquarters, he fell into a long, uncharacteristic silence. He studied the reports before him, the maps, the casualty tallies on both sides. Then he turned to his chief of staff, General Isamu Kinoshita. "This is the elite force," Anami said quietly. He paused a moment, and added: "I really want to go there and see for myself." The compliment, delivered in the private setting of a Japanese headquarters, was perhaps the most honest assessment of the fighting quality of Zhou Qingxiang's men that history has preserved.   Anami's response, however, was not admiration — it was determination to overwhelm. On the morning of the 26th, he concentrated nearly the entire combat power available to him against the single 3rd Division: units drawn from the Japanese 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 40th Divisions — close to 100,000 men — were directed to surround and destroy the Chinese formation. The 3rd Division stubbornly held its ground despite catastrophic casualties, the soldiers refusing to give way even as the perimeter contracted and the dead accumulated.   To ease the relentless pressure from enemy aircraft, the division commanders made a calculated decision: all positions were ordered to allow the Japanese troops to close to hand-to-hand fighting range. If the enemy was within arm's reach, the bombers above could not strike without killing their own men. Several instances of fierce hand-to-hand fighting erupted across the defensive line as a result — bayonets, shovels, pistols and bare hands in the broken earth and shell craters. By noon, the 8th Regiment had been divided and surrounded. Shortly afterward, the 7th and 9th Regiments met the same fate. Zhou Qingxiang moved the division headquarters to the position of the 7th Regiment to maintain command over his most accessible unit, while the deputy division commander and chief of staff were dispatched to coordinate the independent defense of the 8th and 9th Regiments respectively. For another half day, each of the three regimental pockets fought alone. At dusk, Zhou Qingxiang ordered a breakout.   As darkness fell, exploiting the brief respite that came when the Japanese halted their attacks for the night, each regiment burst simultaneously from its position. Carefully prepared covering detachments remained behind and created convincing feints toward false breakout directions, drawing the enemy's main pursuit forces away from the actual withdrawal routes. The deceptions worked. By the time the Japanese commanders understood what had happened, the breakout had succeeded. Officers and soldiers filtered into the designated reception point in small groups — three men here, five there — arriving through the night and into the following morning. When the count was complete, the 3rd Division was a remnant of less than one-fifth of its pre-battle strength. The finest infantry division in the 10th Army had bled itself almost dry, but it had done so on its own terms, and it had extracted as much as it was possible to extract from an impossible situation.   On September 27th, a chilly autumn wind blew across the city of Changsha. At the playground of Lizhong Middle School in the eastern part of the city, Li Yutang stood and watched the survivors of his divisions come in. A week before, on September 20th, more than 30,000 men had departed Hengyang aboard seven special trains. Their military songs had filled the railway station. Their letters of determination, some written in blood, had been stacked on Li Yutang's desk. Their training scores were the highest ever recorded for a Chinese army unit — a perfect one hundred percent of "top-tier" achievement across all three infantry skills. They had been, by every measurable standard, the finest army China could produce.   Standing now at the playground of a secondary school repurposed as a muster point, Li Yutang looked at what remained: a little over 2,000 men, including lightly wounded soldiers from Changsha who had been caught up in the fighting and bandaged civilians who had taken up arms. Two thousand, from thirty thousand. What had happened to the others? They were dead. They were injured. They were maimed. Some had broken under the pressure and run. The accounting was simple and devastating. Li Yutang's expression remained dignified as he inspected his survivors — the face of a commander who understood that bearing is required of officers precisely in the moments when bearing costs the most. But his heart was filled with tears. Perhaps soon, he reflected, there would be another 10th Army — still heroic and spirited, still singing loudly as it went to war. But it would not be the same one.   History has no gaps or blank pages. The story of the 10th Army's ordeal was barely complete before the next chapter began. Reluctantly, one must turn the page. Following the 10th Army, Wang Yaowu's 74th Army also suffered a crushing defeat. Wang Yaowu had received his orders from Commander Xue on September 21st and had immediately begun moving his three divisions from their cantonments at Fenyi and Xinyu in Jiangxi Province. The 74th Army was composed of three divisions: the 51st Division under Li Tianxia, the 57th Division under Yu Chengwan, and the 58th Division under Liao Lingqi. These were the formations that had kept the "Iron Army" undefeated through four years of brutal warfare. Their code names told their own story — the 51st Division was called "Frontline," the 57th was called "Tiger Warrior," and the 58th was called "Exhilarating." Wang Yaowu had personally chosen the code name for the army headquarters: "Brilliant." Chiang Kai-shek himself had once remarked, "Of all the code names, yours is the best." It was a small distinction, but one that Wang Yaowu quietly cherished.   What Wang Yaowu did not know — could not know, for Anami's intelligence network had kept the preparation perfectly concealed — was that Anami Korechika had been monitoring his movements since the order to deploy was first issued. The Japanese commander had already selected the terrain, positioned his units, and laid the trap. He was waiting for the 74th Army's arrival.   On the 25th, Wang Yaowu led the 57th Division into the battlefield first, marching rapidly as Xue Yue had directed to Chunhua Mountain on the north bank of the Laodao River, east of Changsha, to occupy positions and cover the main force's deployment. On the evening of the 25th, the 169th and 170th Regiments of the 57th Division arrived at the south side of Chunhua Mountain and encountered a Japanese search party of over a hundred men. The 169th Regiment swiftly cut off the small force's escape route, coordinating effectively with the 170th. The Japanese detachment suffered heavy casualties, and the survivors fled toward Chunhua Mountain. When part of the 170th Regiment reached the foot of the mountain, they ran into a much larger Japanese force coming down to meet them — and learned in that moment that Chunhua Mountain had already been occupied by the enemy.   Wang Yaowu responded instantly. To seize the initiative before the Japanese could consolidate, he ordered two regiments to assault Chunhua Mountain that same night. Around midnight, the troops advanced in silence through the dark. After a fierce night battle, two Japanese battalions were unable to hold against the assault and withdrew in the early hours of the morning. The 57th Division had its foothold. At dawn on the 26th, a regiment from the 57th Division followed up the night's success, and Yu Chengwan positioned the division along the Chunhua Mountain line. As the morning advanced, the 51st and 58th Divisions arrived to complete the deployment. Following Xue Yue's orders, Wang Yaowu spread his force across the line: the 57th Division at Chishi River, the 58th Division at Chunhua Mountain itself, and the 51st Division at Fengjiang Bridge. They were ready. Or so it appeared.   At dawn on the 27th, Wang Yaowu went on the offensive. The 57th Division launched a surprise attack on the camp of the main force regiment of the Japanese 3rd Division. The Japanese were caught entirely unprepared — the attack came in total darkness, and the camp was thrown into chaos before anyone could organize a coherent response. The Japanese managed to form some kind of defense only as the first light of dawn broke, and through the morning the two armies clashed furiously. By mid-morning, the Japanese had been forced back three kilometers — a genuine and significant victory achieved through aggression and timing.   Then, at eight o'clock, the Japanese 3rd Division launched its counterattack with the support of dozens of aircraft — fighter-bombers diving low over the Chunhua Mountain positions, strafing and bombing. Both armies knew themselves to be elite formations; each had its country's reputation riding on the outcome. They clashed with corresponding ferocity.   Around noon, Wang Yaowu climbed to the rooftop of a farmhouse and studied the Japanese battle line through his field glasses. What he saw was encouraging: a breach had appeared in the enemy's formation to the north of Chunhua Mountain — a gap that, if exploited quickly, could roll up the Japanese flank. He ordered Li Hanqing, the infantry commander of the 51st Division, to take two regiments and execute an outflanking maneuver through that gap, striking the Japanese from the side. An hour later, Li Hanqing's movement succeeded. The Japanese forces were thrown into disarray, breaking rearward in a rout. For one brief hour, it seemed as though the 74th Army might achieve a decisive success. Then the Japanese 4th Division arrived. It swept in from behind Li Hanqing's flanking force, surrounding his two regiments before they could extract themselves. In the desperate fighting of the breakout attempt, Li Hanqing was shot and killed.   In the afternoon, with two of its regiments lost to encirclement and its flanking stroke reversed, the 57th Division found itself holding off two full Japanese divisions alone. The fighting continued — artillery, rifle fire, close assaults — until nightfall dimmed the battlefield. The division had suffered over 3,000 casualties, and more than half of all commanders below battalion level had been killed or wounded. Division Commander Yu Chengwan conferred with Wang Yaowu over the field telephone, and together they decided to withdraw the troops to prepared positions to hold through the night.   Meanwhile, on the same 27th of September, Liao Lingqi's 58th Division at Chunhua Mountain was subjected to a separate and equally devastating assault by the Japanese 6th Division, reinforced by elements of the 3rd Division. The positions at Chunhua Mountain were compact and clustered — ideal targets for concentrated aerial bombardment. The Japanese bombers came in two waves, and after both had passed, the hastily constructed earthen fortifications were almost entirely destroyed. Across what had been the defensive line, limbs and broken bodies could be seen among the wreckage. The entire division had suffered devastating casualties.   Beginning at nine o'clock in the morning, tens of thousands of Japanese troops launched successive offensive waves, methodically dividing the defensive line into sections and breaking through each one in turn. The defenders engaged the Japanese in hand-to-hand combat at position after position, gunfire and the shouts of bayonet fighters filling the smoke-thickened air. At two o'clock in the afternoon, the Chunhua Mountain defense line collapsed. The surviving soldiers attempted to break out in small groups, but many were intercepted and cut down by Japanese forces waiting along the escape routes.   Wang Yaowu was seething. He directed the battle from wherever he could find a usable vantage point, issuing orders in rapid succession — one moment ordering the 51st Division to send reinforcements to Chunhua Mountain, the next directing the army's directly subordinate regiments to absorb the shattered remnants of the 58th Division, then ordering the 57th Division to block Japanese forces from reinforcing the encirclement. He was everywhere at once, doing the work of a staff of twenty, improvising responses to crises that unfolded faster than any plan could accommodate. And as he directed, the same thought played and replayed: wasn't the Ninth War Zone just feeding them to the wolves? They had jumped into the enemy's encirclement without any initiative, while the enemy could attack from whatever direction they chose. He had nowhere to vent his frustration on the battlefield, only able to fend for himself. While directing the battle, he cursed under his breath: "What kind of hell is this?!"   As dusk fell over the chaos, the gunfire gradually subsided. The Japanese as a rule did not launch night attacks — a pattern the Chinese had come to rely upon for the brief respite it offered. Li Tianxia, commander of the 51st Division, concentrated his troops from the flanks toward the center to consolidate a defensible perimeter. The 57th Division, adjacent to the 51st and badly diminished by the day's fighting, did the same. Both divisions settled into their positions, and the exhausted soldiers lay down fully clothed, weapons in hand, and tried to rest. At midnight, the battlefield exploded.   Fierce gunfire roused the soldiers from whatever shallow sleep they had found. Two elite regiments of the Japanese 6th Division had broken through the gap that had opened between the positions of the 51st and 57th Divisions — a gap created by both units pulling inward — and were driving directly toward the headquarters of the 74th Army. In Wang Yaowu's many years of battlefield experience, this was the only instance he ever encountered of a large Japanese force launching a major attack at night.   The knowledge of terrain displayed by the attacking Japanese regiments was so precise, the route to army headquarters so accurately selected, that it raised immediate suspicions of an intelligence compromise — an inside source who had provided the attackers with maps and positions. Whatever the explanation, the effect was devastating. The headquarters' directly subordinate regiment and guard battalion were outnumbered and quickly overwhelmed. They fought where they could, but the Japanese pushed through them.   The guard platoon leader, a man who had served at Wang Yaowu's side through numerous campaigns, gathered several of his best soldiers and formed a close escort. He led Wang Yaowu into the darkness as the Japanese closed around the headquarters compound. More than a hundred Japanese soldiers gave chase — moving through the dark with a sureness of foot that seemed almost preternatural, as if they had developed night vision. The platoon leader recognized that Wang Yaowu could not outrun a hundred men. He shouted to the general and the remaining escort: "Go quickly!" Then he and a single machine gunner turned and stayed behind. Wang Yaowu ran. A few minutes later, the machine gunner was killed. Shortly after that, the platoon leader was shot through the leg and fell to the ground. He was captured.   Wang Yaowu threw himself into the grass beside a drainage ditch and lay still as Japanese soldiers searched the ground around him, their voices close enough to touch. From his hiding place, he heard his platoon leader — the man who had been at his side day and night, who had chosen to stay behind so that his general might live — cursing the Japanese soldiers from the ground where he lay captured and wounded. Then a Japanese officer drew his sword. The cursing stopped. The Japanese soldiers moved on. The gunfire subsided. Wang Yaowu lay in the grass in the dark and did not move until he was certain they were gone. When he crawled out of the bushes, he looked up at the stars, found the direction of Liuyang, and began walking in the darkness with the few guards who had stayed close. He walked until dawn.   Since joining the army, Wang Yaowu had never allowed himself to think about fear of death. He had spent too many years on battlefields, seen too much death and bloodshed, to entertain it as a personal concern. This time, however, he was in tears. Not from sadness, and not from fear. From something harder to name and harder to bear: frustration — the frustration of a capable commander who had been committed to battle by a higher command that neither understood the ground nor provided him the support to fight on it, and who had watched good men die for orders that made no tactical sense.   In the aftermath of the battle, Wang Yaowu's grief was compounded by something beyond the ordinary losses of combat. The 27th alone had cost the 57th Division nearly half its strength, and the 58th Division had been essentially wiped out as a fighting formation. Of his three powerful divisions, only the 51st remained relatively intact. In war, such losses, however painful, are comprehensible. What happened next was not. Liao Lingqi, the commander of the 58th Division — one of the three officers Wang Yaowu had called his "tigers" — did not remain with his shattered troops to regroup and reorganize them. Instead, after the division's collapse, he slipped away from the battlefield with only his personal guards, changed into civilian clothes, and boarded a train bound for his hometown of Qiyang in southern Hunan to visit his family.   By unhappy chance, a senior staff officer from the Ninth War Zone was aboard the same train. He recognized Liao Lingqi and watched, saying nothing, as the division commander traveled south in civilian dress while his men lay dead on Chunhua Mountain. Upon arriving in Hengyang, the officer went directly to report the incident to General Xue Yue. Xue Yue instructed the Military Law Supervision Department to investigate and referred the case to the Military Commission's Military Law Enforcement Directorate on charges of desertion in the face of the enemy. At that point, in that situation, there was nothing Wang Yaowu could say. He had no words left. He had given everything he had to the battle, and this was what greeted him at the end of it.   The elite 74th Army, with its heroic spirit and its unbroken record, had captured the imagination of the Chinese nation and the hearts of countless young men. When soldiers of the 74th Army returned to their hometowns on leave, they wore their elite status openly, and the prestige of the unit was such that families sought them as sons-in-law. Young men who enlisted and were not selected for the 74th Army were known to weep. What a fine unit. But this time, the trap had been perfectly laid, and the intelligence had been mastered. Anami had looked at his opponent's hole cards and played accordingly. He had concentrated overwhelming force, moved with coordination and speed, and exploited the confusion generated by contradictory orders from the Ninth War Zone Command. The Chinese elite had fought with courage and skill that earned the admiration of their enemies. They had simply been outgeneraled at the operational level.   The Second Battle of Changsha, Phase Three, had cost China two of its finest armies. The 10th Army had departed Hengyang over 30,000 strong and returned barely 2,000. The 74th Army had suffered a crushing defeat from which it would require months to rebuild. Wang Yaowu had walked alone through the dark to Liuyang. Li Yutang had stood in the autumn wind at a schoolyard and looked at what remained of the men who had written their determination in blood.   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. Phase Three of the second battle of Changsha showed Anami Korechika using intelligence and planning to blunt China's elite forces as Chiang Kai-shek reluctantly deployed the "Iron Army" 74th and the 10th. Intercepted communications enable encirclement and heavy losses. Li Yutang's merit and experience shape resistance, yet Japanese strategy dominates from the outset through coordinated advances.

If you have ever felt fear in your body and then immediately made that fear mean something bad about you, this episode is for you. Vanessa explores fear not as something to conquer, transcend, or shame, but as something ancient, intelligent, protective, and deeply human. Through polyvagal theory, Buddhist psychology, the teaching of the first and second arrow, RAIN practice, and self-compassion, we look at what changes when we stop treating fear like the enemy. Healing is not becoming fearless; it is becoming less afraid of fear itself, so you can stay with yourself when it arrives.Reference Links:Stephen Porges — Polyvagal TheoryUse for: Polyvagal theory, autonomic regulation, and the nervous system's safety/danger responses.Link: https://www.stephenporges.com/Note: Stephen Porges developed polyvagal theory, which is referenced in the episode to explain why fear often arises before conscious thought can intervene.Polyvagal Institute — What Is Polyvagal Theory?Use for: Accessible overview of polyvagal theory and autonomic regulation.Link: https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/whatispolyvagaltheoryNote: Helpful general explainer for producers/listeners who want a basic overview.Neuroception — Stephen Porges / Polyvagal TheoryUse for: Neuroception as the nervous system's subconscious detection of safety and threat.Link: https://www.stephenporges.com/Note: Use alongside Porges's work. If referencing neuroception specifically, describe it as the nervous system's below-conscious scanning for cues of safety or danger.Buddhist Teaching — The First and Second ArrowUse for: The teaching that pain may be unavoidable, but the suffering we add on top of pain can compound it.Link: https://blog.tarabrach.com/2017/08/the-wisdom-of-its-not-my-fault-finding.htmlNote: Tara Brach explains the first and second arrow in accessible language. In this episode, fear is the first arrow; shame about fear is often the second.Tara Brach — RAIN PracticeUse for: RAIN: Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture.Link: https://www.tarabrach.com/rain/Note: Tara Brach describes RAIN as a mindfulness and compassion practice for working with difficult emotions.Jon Kabat-Zinn — MindfulnessUse for: Mindfulness as present-moment, nonjudgmental awareness.Link: https://www.mindful.org/jon-kabat-zinn-defining-mindfulness/Note: Kabat-Zinn defines mindfulness as awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, nonjudgmentally.Jon Kabat-Zinn — Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)Use for: MBSR as an 8-week mindfulness-based program developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn.Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3336928/Note: This source identifies MBSR as developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn in 1979 and describes its use of mindfulness meditation to alleviate suffering.Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)Use for: MBCT as a mindfulness-based approach developed for relapse prevention in recurrent depression.Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2834575/Note: This article discusses MBCT and its evidence base, including reduced relapse rates in recurrent depression.MBCT — Segal, Williams, and TeasdaleUse for: MBCT's development by Zindel Segal, Mark Williams, and John Teasdale.Link: https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/docs/default-source/members/sigs/spirituality-spsig/resources/spirituality-special-interest-group-publications-mark-williams-mindfulness-based-cognitive-therapy.pdfNote: This PDF discusses MBCT's development and its use in preventing relapse and recurrence of depression.Rollo May — The Meaning of AnxietyUse for: Distinction between fear and anxiety; anxiety as a threat to something essential to the self.Link: https://open.baypath.edu/psy321book/chapter/c25p2/Note: This source quotes May's definition of anxiety as apprehension triggered by a threat to a value the individual holds essential to their existence as a personality.Dan Siegel — Window of ToleranceUse for: Window of tolerance as the zone where a person can process experience without becoming overwhelmed or shut down.Link: https://www.nicabm.com/trauma-how-to-help-your-clients-understand-their-window-of-tolerance/Note: This is a practical clinical explainer of Siegel's window of tolerance concept.Affect Labeling — Naming Emotions and Amygdala ActivityUse for: Research on how naming an emotion can reduce emotional reactivity.Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17576282/Note: Lieberman et al. found that affect labeling may diminish emotional reactivity through prefrontal-amygdala pathways.Affect Labeling and ReappraisalUse for: Additional research support that affect labeling is associated with decreased amygdala activity and reduced self-reported distress.Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3970015/Note: Useful follow-up source for the episode's point that naming fear can help interrupt total identification with fear.Jack Kornfield — Turning Toward Fear with CompassionUse for: Buddhist psychology, compassion, and turning toward difficult experience rather than abandoning ourselves.Link: https://jackkornfield.com/fear/Note: Use for the episode's discussion of meeting fear with presence and compassion rather than exile.Bodhisattva VowUse for: “All beings” as a compassion frame, including the frightened parts of ourselves.Link: https://tricycle.org/magazine/bodhisattva-vow/Note: Use gently and broadly. This supports the episode's point that compassion includes the frightened one inside us, not just others.Kristin Neff — Self-CompassionUse for: Self-compassion as self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness.Link: https://self-compassion.org/what-is-self-compassion/Note: Supports the episode's discussion of bringing fear back into the circle of care rather than shaming it.Kristin Neff — Fierce Self-CompassionUse for: Fierce self-compassion as a boundary-setting, protective form of compassion.Link: https://self-compassion.org/blog/what-is-fierce-self-compassion/Note: Supports the distinction between tender self-compassion and fierce self-compassion.For educational purposes only. This isn't therapy.If you want to go deeper, check out the written companion on Substack and explore community + training at https://www.vanessaBennett.com.Additional ResourcesExplore: VanessaBennett.comBook: The Motherhood MythCommunity: Inner Compass CollectiveTraining: Inner Compass AcademyConnect with Inner CompassFollow on InstagramConnect with Vanessa Bennett:Follow on InstagramFollow on TikTokLearn more on SubstackConnect with Vanessa Bennett on LinkedInSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Boston. San Francisco. Beijing? The global biotech industry has long been concentrated in a handful of cities. But which emerging hubs could become dominant forces in biotech in the decades ahead? In this week’s episode of “The Top Line,” Fierce Biotech’s Darren Incorvaia and Will Maddox discuss a new Fierce special report identifying five cities with the potential to become major forces in the global biotech industry. Did your favorite city make the cut? Listen to find out. To learn more about the topics in this episode: Top emerging biotech hubs in 2026 As US lawmakers increase scrutiny of Chinese trials, industry fears ‘huge distraction and expense’ British biotech VC funding shows ‘signs of recovery,’ but IPO rebound yet to materialize Could Basel be the next Boston? How the Swiss biotech hub is quietly raising its game This week's episode is sponsored by IQVIA Biotech. Built for biotech innovators, IQVIA Biotech is a full-service CRO, designed for agility, fast decisions, and the urgency needed for emerging biopharma. With dedicated teams and deep therapeutic expertise, we help move programs forward with focus and confidence. Visit IQVIABiotech.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Song of Solomon 6:4-8:14 July 19, 2026 Pastor Alexander Haines  

What if the worst professional moment of your life turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to you? Lyndsay Dowd spent nearly 30 years in leadership — 23 of them at IBM — before leaving on her own terms for a new opportunity. Six months in, she was fired. No warning, no explanation. The shame and embarrassment took her out… until she asked herself three questions that changed everything: What am I really good at? What do I love to do? How can I help people the most? The answers became Heartbeat for Hire, a company that helps brands ditch toxic, top-down leadership and build cultures people actually want to work in. In this episode, Wendy and Lyndsay — a speaker, founder, 2X bestselling author (Top Down Culture and Voices of Women), Harvard guest lecturer, and globally ranked podcast host — talk about reinvention at 50+, betting on yourself, the “power skills” every leader needs, why trust is your currency, and the permission slip every woman at a crossroads deserves to hear. Fierce, funny, and full of heart.

The Tender & Fierce cohort is coming up again this fall! In this interview, Christi talks about how Tender & Fierce got started and answers questions about the Tender & Fierce cohort. She also shares how to awaken the tender and fierce part of who you are, why it begins with curiosity, and how it is enhanced through community.Time Stamps:0:00 Introduction4:08 The genesis of and meaning behind Tender & Fierce10:04 What you can expect from Tender & Fierce16:42 Who is Tender & Fierce for?18:29 Why a Tender & Fierce retreat?21:25 How to awaken your heart to be tender & fierceShow Notes: Sign up for the Fall 2025 Tender & Fierce Cohort! Sign up here.https://www.famousathome.com/offers/dDt2Aobj/checkoutMen, sign up for the Living Legacy Cohort:https://www.famousathome.com/menscoachingSign up for our email list and Famous at Home Starter Bundle: https://www.famousathome.com/newsletter Download NONAH's single Find My Way Home by clicking here: https://bellpartners.ffm.to/findmywayhome

Send us Fan MailWhat have we loved so far? What's got us excited for the rest of the year?   If you haven't already, become a “Reel Friend” and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and BlueSky @reelgaymovieshow. Also, wherever you listen from, please subscribe and give us some feedback. You can also send questions or comments to reelgaymovieshow@gmail.comWe have merch! Go to http://tee.pub/lic/reelgaymovieshow and pick up something today!

Heather Hansman publishes her 3rd book today, "Fierce Country: The Untold Story of Three Women Who Ignited America's Love for the Wild." Heather joins the River Radius as a returning guest to talk about the subjects of her book: Georgie White, Anne LaBastille and Dolores LaChapelle. We also get into her travels to learn about these three people, how going through the complete collection of one person helped clarify details, how writing a book is a multi-year commitment, her own feelings about the book and the nervous tension she rides as her book publication date arrives. Heather is a longtime river runner and river guide, and is the author of the recent article exposing many details about the current river permitting system. Her writing is funny and serious and deep, and our conversation lets her share with us her journey of writing this excellent book about rivers, people, boats, wild places, ecological theories, and the bias that gets in the way of understanding our natural systems.    Heather Hansman website "Fierce Country" Book Tour @hhansman "Wreck Dot Gov" (article about the river permit system) Previous River Radius Episode with Heather Hansman Apple Podcasts Previous River Radius Episode with Heather Hansman Spotify   SPONSORSPoudre River Fund NRS NRS PFD for Whale Foundation Whale Foundation     THE RIVER RADIUSWebsiteRunoff signup (episode newsletter)InstagramFacebookApple PodcastSpotifyLink Tree

Alex Acosta's role in the Epstein negotiations has always looked less like the story of a rogue prosecutor freelancing a sweetheart deal and more like the story of a disciplined DOJ operator who understood the temperature in the room and acted accordingly. As U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Acosta was the public face attached to the 2008 non-prosecution agreement, but the negotiations unfolded inside a much larger federal machine, with pressure, involvement, and awareness reaching beyond his office. Epstein's legal team was stacked with former prosecutors, political insiders, and high-powered attorneys who knew exactly how to work the system, and Acosta did not respond like a prosecutor ready to burn the house down in pursuit of accountability. He responded like a company man: cautious, deferential, protective of institutional interests, and willing to accept a resolution that kept the matter contained rather than force a public reckoning.That is what makes Acosta's place in the Epstein story so important. He did not simply fail in a vacuum; he helped translate elite pressure into an official government outcome. The deal protected Epstein from a broader federal prosecution, kept victims in the dark, and allowed the DOJ to bury a case that should have exploded into national scandal years earlier. Acosta later suggested there were forces above his pay grade involved, but that only sharpened the picture: if he knew the case was bigger than him, then his job should have been to fight harder, not fold cleaner. Instead, he played the role institutions reward most often — the man who does not make trouble, does not embarrass powerful people, and does not force the Department to confront what it clearly did not want exposed.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.com

Welcome to Life in the Leadership Lane where I am talking to leaders making a difference in the workplace and in our communities. How did they get to where they are and what are they doing to stay there! Buckle up and get ready to accelerate in the Leadership Lane! This week, I am talking with Joseph Cope, Speaker at The HRSouthwest Conference 2026, Topic: “Fierce Empathy: Accountability Without Losing Your Heart” How did Joseph get started in his career? What led himto speaking? What does Joseph share about the buffalo?What does Joseph share about fierce empathy?What does Joseph share shifting outcome to outlook?What does Joseph share about the “cargo model”?What signs does Joseph share attendees will be watching for?What advice does Joseph share to help others in theworkplace? …and more as we spend “Time to Accelerate” with a few more questions. Interview resources:Favorite quote from Joseph:“Learn systems from the inside out to gain the respect and capacity to influence others.”Connect with Joseph on LinkedInVisit Joseph's website Watch Joseph's Ted Talk here Lead from the heart without being last Register now for The HRSouthwest Conference Learn more about the podcast host Bruce WallerCheck out Bruce's books Drive With Purpose: Move Your Career from Success to Significance (#1 New Released book on Amazon)Life in the Leadership Lane; Moving Leaders to Inspire and Change the Workplace Find Your Lane; Change your GPS, Change your Career (“Book Authority” Best Books) Milemarkers; A 5 Year Journey …helping you record daily highlights to keep you on track.Connect with Bruce on LinkTreeSubscribe to Bruce's Blog “Move to Inspire” Get relocation support for your next household goods orcommercial office move across the US by reaching out to Bruce at bwaller@goarmstrong.com or visit The Armstrong Company

This week on "The Top Line," we’re covering some of the biggest stories across biopharma before turning to one of the industry’s major scientific meetings of the summer. First, we discuss Vertex’s $10 billion acquisition of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, the company’s largest deal to date, and what it says about Vertex’s push beyond its historic strength in cystic fibrosis. We also cover growing scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers over the industry’s use of clinical trials in China. Then, Fierce Pharma Senior Editor Fraiser Kansteiner recounts his recent trip to New Orleans for the American Diabetes Association’s 2026 Scientific Sessions with Fierce Pharma Marketing’s Zoey Becker. For years, ADA has focused heavily on its eponymous indication, but this year’s meeting made clear how much the conversation is evolving, with obesity data from drugmakers of all stripes taking up more of the spotlight. Topics include the biggest data sets from the meeting, what it was like to sit down with Novo Nordisk’s new CEO for the first time and the latest from Insulet’s Marvel collaboration on a line of comics about an Omnipod-wearing superheroine. To learn more about the topics in this episode: Vertex, in its largest-ever deal, acquires endocrine disease specialist Crinetics for $10B As US lawmakers increase scrutiny of Chinese trials, industry fears ‘huge distraction and expense’ ‘I’m a lot more optimistic today’: Mike Doustdar tells Fierce about pivotal first year as Novo Nordisk CEO ADA: Lilly pulls back curtain on impressive triple-G efficacy in patients with obesity, diabetes ADA: Amgen highlights Repatha perks, GLP-1 pitfalls in push to boost cardiometabolic pedigree With ADA in the books, analyst says Lilly is ‘widening its lead’ in the obesity race ADA: Novo's Wegovy pill reaches new GLP-1 patients with impressive 3M prescription milestone ADA: Tolerability ‘not to be underappreciated’ in Roche, Zealand’s amylin obesity prospect ADA: Boehringer execs claim survodutide tolerability 'consistent' with class despite phase 3 update ADA: Lilly posts oral semaglutide-topping data as Foundayo speeds toward 2nd potential nod in diabetes This week's episode is sponsored by IQVIA Biotech. Built for biotech innovators, IQVIA Biotech is a full-service CRO, designed for agility, fast decisions, and the urgency needed for emerging biopharma. With dedicated teams and deep therapeutic expertise, we help move programs forward with focus and confidence. Visit IQVIABiotech.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alex Acosta's role in the Epstein negotiations has always looked less like the story of a rogue prosecutor freelancing a sweetheart deal and more like the story of a disciplined DOJ operator who understood the temperature in the room and acted accordingly. As U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Acosta was the public face attached to the 2008 non-prosecution agreement, but the negotiations unfolded inside a much larger federal machine, with pressure, involvement, and awareness reaching beyond his office. Epstein's legal team was stacked with former prosecutors, political insiders, and high-powered attorneys who knew exactly how to work the system, and Acosta did not respond like a prosecutor ready to burn the house down in pursuit of accountability. He responded like a company man: cautious, deferential, protective of institutional interests, and willing to accept a resolution that kept the matter contained rather than force a public reckoning.That is what makes Acosta's place in the Epstein story so important. He did not simply fail in a vacuum; he helped translate elite pressure into an official government outcome. The deal protected Epstein from a broader federal prosecution, kept victims in the dark, and allowed the DOJ to bury a case that should have exploded into national scandal years earlier. Acosta later suggested there were forces above his pay grade involved, but that only sharpened the picture: if he knew the case was bigger than him, then his job should have been to fight harder, not fold cleaner. Instead, he played the role institutions reward most often — the man who does not make trouble, does not embarrass powerful people, and does not force the Department to confront what it clearly did not want exposed.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

(Cambridge Insight Meditation Center) When news of the world is challenging and there is uncertainty for everyone, letting reality in can feel impossible or scary. Yet Buddhist practices are designed to support exactly this, though maybe not all at once. Supported by each other and those who have gone before, bolstered by an innate determination to be free, we practice skills and arts of goodness. Compassionate ethics protects ourselves and others. Meditation turns awareness toward direct experience, open to its textures. Things might start to shift a bit. One practitioner may sense honesty and compassion growing as they admit some limitation. Another might see space for choice where they hadn't imagined choice was even possible. There are lots of possibilities.

Evan Stone and Pierce the Fierce talk about Cubs Cardinals 4th of July series and World cup!

(Cambridge Insight Meditation Center) When news of the world is challenging and there is uncertainty for everyone, letting reality in can feel impossible or scary. Yet Buddhist practices are designed to support exactly this, though maybe not all at once. Supported by each other and those who have gone before, bolstered by an innate determination to be free, we practice skills and arts of goodness. Compassionate ethics protects ourselves and others. Meditation turns awareness toward direct experience, open to its textures. Things might start to shift a bit. One practitioner may sense honesty and compassion growing as they admit some limitation. Another might see space for choice where they hadn't imagined choice was even possible. There are lots of possibilities.

Hello! Just a quick note to say this episode was recorded on the morning of July 7th, so things have moved on with the Sean Steur deal! Nonetheless, the base of this episode is not to be missed! John Gibson and Andrew Musgrove talk about what the Steur deal means for Newcastle's approach this summer - and it's very much optimism vs realism! --- Download ⁠SAILY⁠ in your app store and use our code EIBAW at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase! For further details go to ⁠https://saily.com/eibaw⁠ *** EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ ⁠https://nordvpn.com/toon⁠ Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

Jesus is often described as kind, gentle, and compassionate, but Scripture shows us another side just as true: Jesus was fierce. In this message from our summer miniseries How to Be Courageous, we walk through John chapter 2, where Jesus clears the temple courts, and discover what fierce love really looks like. This isn't anger or impulsiveness. It's love that refuses to stay passive about what matters most.Learn how fierce courage sees the barriers keeping people from God, refuses to call brokenness "normal," and always makes a way back to the Father. We'll explore why real courage is developed privately before it's ever displayed publicly, how to fight for your marriage, your kids, and your faith, and what it means that your own body is now a temple of the Holy Spirit. If there's a table that needs flipping in your heart, this message is an invitation to let Jesus clear it out.0:00 A Lesson in Courage2:30 Jesus Was Fierce9:09 John 2: Jesus Enters the Temple14:56 Fierce Love Refuses to Stay Passive18:58 What Consumes You?23:07 Fierce Love Makes a Way26:35 You Are the Temple Now30:17 Response and PrayerSupport the showMade a decision to follow Jesus? We want to know about it! Fill out our connect card here: https://local.churchcenter.com/people/forms/115766Thank you for your generosity. For information on how to give, visit https://localvineyard.church/give.

One of the most intriguing books of the Bible opens with an historical account of God-fearing teenage boys taken as captives into a pagan kingdom. Due to their fierce resolve to maintain character and integrity, God blessed them. In our culture of shifting standards and godless agendas, how can we stand strong and live with fierce resolve?

One of the most intriguing books of the Bible opens with an historical account of God-fearing teenage boys taken as captives into a pagan kingdom. Due to their fierce resolve to maintain character and integrity, God blessed them. In our culture of shifting standards and godless agendas, how can we stand strong and live with fierce resolve?

Hour 1 Evan and Pierce talk about game one between Cardinals and Braves, as well as the match-up for USA Mens soccer, and Pierce the Fierce gets a chance at redemption!

What if endurance isn't about pushing harder, but about continuing to evolve over a lifetime? In this episode of Endurance Minded, Taylor sits down with Margie Goldsmith, an award-winning travel writer, bestselling author, and lifelong adventurer who proves that it's never too late to redefine what's possible. At 82 years old, Margie is still training, traveling, and pursuing challenges. She's visited over 150 countries across seven continents, completed marathons and Olympic-distance triathlons, summited Mount Rainier, and reached advanced base camp on the north face of Mount Everest. But her story goes far beyond the surface of those accomplishments. In this conversation, Margie shares her journey from a place of fear and limitation to a life built on courage, curiosity, and continuous growth. She reflects on how experiences like Outward Bound helped reshape her identity, how physical challenges became a pathway to confidence, and what it means to live life on your own terms. Together they explore: • The transformation from fear to confidence through action • How physical challenge can reshape identity at any stage of life • Why aging doesn't define what's possible • The role of adversity in building perspective and resilience • What it means to truly live a full and intentional life This episode is a powerful reminder that endurance isn't limited to a single season. Margie's newest book is “Becoming a Badass: From Fearful to Fierce.” To get the support your health and fitness business deserves, click the link to find out how you can be a part of the Growth Circle community. https://www.impactinitiative.network/services/growth-circle Free weekly guidance, insight, and tools for health and fitness entrepreneurs: The Business of Coaching - https://taylor75.substack.com/

Illinois basketball continues to generate recruiting buzz as the Illini host a highly touted 5-star prospect for an unofficial visit. Kurtis and Evan break down what the visit could mean for Brad Underwood's program and recap the latest headlines surrounding Illinois athletics. Later, Chris Hightower returns to the studio for another entertaining showdown, challenging Pierce the Intern in a spirited edition of "Name That Coach." Sports talk, recruiting updates, and plenty of laughs fill Hour 1 of The Drive.

The original line-up returns from the dodecanese to entertain you all in our uniquely non-entertaining way. *Apologies, Lee's voice was picked up by the wrong mic in this ep, hence he sounds like he's speaking through a 1920's carnival barker's bullhorn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Imaginary Empires and the Fierce Loyalty of Keeper. Guest: Deborah Lutz. Lutz describes the miniature books the Brontë children created to document their imaginary worlds, Angria and Gondal. The discussion shifts to Emily's domestic life in Haworth, where she balanced household chores with writing. Lutz also recounts Emily's intense bond with her massive, formidable mastiff-mix dog, Keeper. 7EMILY BRONTE

The Experimental Haunting of Wuthering Heights. Guest: Deborah Lutz. Lutz explores the Gothic structure and experimental narrative frames of Wuthering Heights. She suggests Heathcliff is an extension of Emily's own fierce imagination. The segment concludes with the tragic deaths of Branwell, Emily, and Anne from tuberculosis, leaving Patrick as the family's sole survivor. 111825 BRUSSELS

Molly Beer. Guest Molly Beer follows the family to Europe, where John Carter reclaims his identity as John Barker Church. Settling in London's Mayfair, Angelica navigated high society while remaining a fierce American patriot. Beer highlights Angelica's role as a social bridge, hosting luminaries like Lafayette and the Adams family. She became part of the "blue stocking" movement, a circle of highly educated women. Beer emphasizes that Angelica's social intelligence was instrumental in maintaining crucial international alliances, proving that making peace was as vital as making war. 3

Have you ever been on a boat in a stormy sea? Have you ever seen waves so big they can swallow your boat? Have you ever felt the panic of beginning to sink? I haven’t, and I must say, I’m quite grateful. I love living through an adventure to get to the other side with a good story, but that’s one I prefer to just read about. The disciples had this real-life experience, and Mark gives us a vivid picture of their desperation as they became convinced they weren’t going to survive. And what’s crazy is, this is the storm Jesus led them into. It was Jesus’ idea to get in the boat and head in this direction! Mark 4: 35-37 “As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let's cross to the other side of the lake.” So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind. But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.” Fierce storms, high waves breaking into your boat, and water filling the only thing that’s keeping you afloat, is NOT a favorable situation. And maybe that’s the way life feels right now. You’re struggling to make ends meet, and now another thing breaks needing repairs. How will you pay for that? Your marriage has been on the rocks, now you’re dealing with sickness too. You’ve been battling feelings of depression and anxiety, now there are more messes and stresses coming your way, just when you feel you’re already at your breaking point. How much more can you take? These are the storms of life. These are the waves that come crashing into our boat. These are the winds that blow and the waters that threaten. And we ALL go through them. We all deal with our crossing to the other side that goes all wrong. Why does Jesus allow this? Heck, not only allow it, but actually lead us into it? Jesus knew of the storm the disciples would encounter on the boat that night, and he knew of the storms you would encounter too. Yet, he still allowed you to be right here in this boat to meet the waves. Where is Jesus when life grows out of control? Where is Jesus when you feel like you’re sinking? Where is Jesus when it’s all just too much and you don’t know how to save yourself? Verse 38, “Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion.” As the waves are breaking over the boat and water is filling the hull, Jesus is peacefully asleep. There wasn’t an ounce of freak out going on for Jesus. There was no worry, no stress. He was resting in complete assurance. Jesus could sleep through the storm because he was in charge of it. And, Sis, Jesus is here going through this with you, and he’s absolutely NOT flipping out. He’s not worried how this is going to work out. He’s not upset over these hard times. He’s not stressed over what just happened, or anxious about what will happen next. It’s not because he doesn’t know. Oh, he knows. And it’s not because he doesn’t care. Oh, he cares. It’s because of this one thing, through it all, he’s in total and complete control. Verse 38-41, “The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don't you care that we're going to drown?” When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!” Jesus asks why fear has taken over when he’s right there in the boat. After all he has brought us through before, do we still have no faith? After all he has done, do we still question his power? Do we still dismiss ourselves from his love and care? Do we still doubt his control over every detail of our lives? Jesus could sleep through the storm because he was in charge of it. If the winds obey Jesus, so does the housing market, the job market, the dating market and every door that seems closed to you. If the waves obey Jesus, so do the doctor’s reports, the pregnancy results, and the recession. With a single command, Jesus stopped what no human could control. How did Jesus stop the wild storm? He simply said, “Silence! Be still!”, and boom, the wind suddenly stopped and there was a great calm. Looking back, has God ever suddenly stopped the very thing that was threatening you? He has, hasn’t he? It was awful one moment, then it was completely gone the next. It was overwhelming, then it was over. It was way too much, then it was suddenly nothing at all. Recognize who did that. That was Jesus! Jesus calms storms. Jesus changes circumstances in an instant. Jesus brings peace where chaos has threatened. He holds that power. This isn’t too hard for him. Everything is possible in the hands of our God. But sometimes those storms you don’t want and the waves that scare you silly are part of the ride in learning to trust him. How would you know that baby is a miracle if you didn’t wait so long for him? How would you know God opened that door if you hadn’t first watched so many others close? How would you know God is the ultimate provider if you wouldn’t have hit rock bottom first? You see there’s only one way the disciples came to know that the wind and waves obey him, they had to be in the middle of the uncontrollable storms with a sinking boat. Jesus allowed it, and through it he revealed his power and strengthened their faith. Jesus could sleep through the storm because he was in charge of it. Jesus is in charge of what you’re going through too, Sis. As big and scary as it may be, as uncertain as it feels, he has not surrendered one ounce of control. You’re not in charge. You don’t have control. You’re going to wear yourself out trying to act like you do. Here’s the one thing you can do in this storm … choose where you look. You can look at those waves crashing over you, or you can look at Jesus. You can look at the water filling the boat, or you can look at Jesus. I’m not saying to be oblivious to the mess and ignore the problem. Sometimes you gotta pick up an oar and row. Sometimes you gotta grab a bucket and start bailing out some water. Sometimes you gotta cut out the extras and log yourself out of the Amazon. Sometimes you gotta update your resume and go door to door. Sometimes you gotta be honest, take responsibility, and make some necessary changes. But always, always, always, keep looking at Jesus. Keep looking to him for peace. Keep finding assurance in his control over your circumstances. Keep seeking his guidance through your storm. He’s here, and he’s not freaking out. Yes he’s near and yes he cares. He’s resting in the middle of your storm because nothing about it is outside of his authority. Remember how God has gotten you through before, and know he will do it again. Again and again and again, he will be in your boat, riding the waves, with complete authority over everything that comes your way. And there’s nothing wrong with waking up Jesus and asking if he could help you with these waves. Go ahead and wake him up. Cry out to him. Ask for help. Ask him to calm the wind. Ask him to stop the waves. But don’t wake him up because you think he’s forgotten you. Wake him up knowing he’s the only one in the boat who has authority over the storm. Hey Jesus, would you wake up and be near me in this storm? I would really like for it to go away. Would you stop the wind? Would you calm the waves? And if now isn’t the time to calm this storm, will you help calm your girl, because I really don’t want to freak out. I know you’re in control. I trust you. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Benjamin L. Carp describes the fierce information war that followed the fire as both sides vied for public and international opinion. Figures like Benjamin Franklin and Robert Morris worked to protect the American reputation by insisting the fire was accidental. Conversely, the British used local newspapers to brand the rebels as arsonists and criminals. Curiously, formal correspondence between Generals Washington and Howe largely avoided the topic of the fire. This silence may reflect a "gentlemanly" code of the era, where neither commander wished to level such grave accusations without irrefutable proof, despite the ongoing propaganda battle. (6)1776

Last time we spoke about the One Hundred Regiment Offensive. During Phase Three of the One Hundred Regiment Offensive, CCP forces in the Taihang/Jizhong area emphasized strongpoint attacks and transportation warfare. Rather than trying to defeat Japanese units head-on, they used tactics such as night raids and ambushes to disrupt Japanese supply routes and communications. The underlying goal was to make Japanese logistics unstable, weakening their ability to maintain control and conduct effective operations. After CCP successes, the Japanese responded with large-scale "mopping-up" operations beginning October 6. As the Eighth Route Army continued resisting, it adopted flexible methods to counter the Japanese sweeps, especially rapid repositioning and targeted ambushes. One notable action described involves an ambush of a Japanese convoy that caused substantial enemy losses, demonstrating how disrupting enemy mobility could blunt the effectiveness of larger Japanese operations. Overall, the situation remained fluid, with both sides continually adapting their tactics in an ongoing contest for control across occupied North China.   #205 The Hubei-Henan Campaign of 1940-1941 Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. By 1940, the war had settled into a grueling stalemate, with Japanese troops occupying vast swathes of central China, including parts of Hubei, but facing persistent Chinese guerrilla and conventional resistance that prevented total consolidation. In the aftermath of the Battle of Zaoyang in the summer of 1940, Japanese forces had secured the key cities of Yichang and Shashi along the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. Yet Chinese Nationalist troops of the Fifth War Area retained firm control over the vital territories east and west of the Xiang River. Their defensive lines formed a broad arc stretching from the southwest of Yuan'an through Jingmen, north of Zhongxiang, and the rugged foothills of the Dahong Mountains, extending northwest to Suixian. These positions straddled both banks of the Xiang River, anchored on the right by the Wudang Mountains and on the left by the Tongbai range. Working in close coordination with guerrilla detachments operating in the southeast, Chinese units repeatedly harassed the Japanese garrisons that had pushed into Yichang. The constant pressure on the enemy's flanks left the Japanese forces in Yichang and Shashi dangerously exposed and hemmed in, unable to expand or consolidate their gains. To the Japanese high command, this situation had become an intolerable thorn that demanded immediate removal.   Under Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, the Chinese Nationalist government faced severe strains as the war with Japan escalated. Its problems were not only military, but also political and economic. Deep ideological and territorial rivalries with the CCP meant that efforts to present a single front were constantly undermined. Although the two sides officially formed a United Front in 1937, earlier violence and competition, such as the 1927 Shanghai Massacre and the CCP's Long March of 1934 – 1935 had left distrust and strategic differences in place. As a result, Nationalist resistance was harder to coordinate than it would have been under full unity. Meanwhile, the CCP strengthened its position in northern China by expanding rural strongholds. Through land reforms and the use of guerrilla warfare, the communists were able to win local support and apply pressure to Japanese forces in ways that often did not require large, conventional armies. This strategy also drew influence and manpower away from the Nationalists' more traditional, state-centered military structure.   Economically, the Nationalists were squeezed from multiple directions. The loss of China's coastal industrial regions to Japanese occupation forced the government to rely heavily on the interior, with Chongqing becoming a key base. That geographic shift left the administration more vulnerable to shortages of critical supplies, especially raw materials, fuel, and modern weapons. On top of wartime disruption, the global Great Depression intensified fiscal and logistical difficulties, limiting how quickly and effectively the Nationalists could mobilize resources for large-scale operations. By late November 1940, these weaknesses intersected with renewed Japanese pressure. Japanese commanders were also concerned about the possibility of a major Nationalist push, particularly fears of a counteroffensive by the Thirty-first Army Group under General Tang Enbo.    Determined to break the stalemate, the Japanese launched a major offensive in late November 1940. Preparations had begun in earnest early that month. Engineers repaired and expanded highways and bridges, constructed new defensive works and airfields, and stockpiled vast quantities of rations, ammunition, steel-hulled boats, and rubber rafts in the Zhongxiang area. Five regiments were concentrated near Zhongxiang, while additional troops east and west of the Xiang River brought the total strength to more than three divisions. Along the Suixian–Xiangyang Highway, Japanese forces were reinforced to divisional strength, supported by increased artillery and tank detachments. These meticulous measures left no doubt that the enemy was ready for a large-scale operation.   By 23 November the Japanese had completed their deployments and moved into assault positions. The Japanese forces assigned to the Central Hubei Operation were placed under the overall command of Lieutenant General Waichirō Sonobe, who directed the campaign from his headquarters in Wuhan. Sonobe's 11th Army drew on a broad mix of formations, combining units from the 3rd, 4th, 15th, 17th, 39th, and 40th Divisions. The offensive backbone for the thrust into central Hubei province was reinforced by the 18th Independent Mixed Brigade, which helped supply the infantry strength needed for sustained fighting across difficult ground. In practice, this multi-division structure reflected the 11th Army's key mission in the region, acting as the main Japanese formation after the earlier Battle of Zaoyang and it emphasized coordinated divisional advances supported by attached brigades and specialized elements, including limited armored capabilities.   In terms of manpower, the Japanese force is commonly estimated at roughly 40,000 to 50,000 troops. This strength included several infantry regiments and artillery batteries, along with only limited armored elements rather than a fully armored formation. Because the operation depended on finding and exploiting opportunities quickly, it was supported by aerial reconnaissance and bombing carried out by the 3rd Air Brigade operating in central China. Infantry units formed the majority of the fighting power, while artillery was used to provide suppressive fire during advances. Air support, meanwhile, was intended to help identify and target Chinese positions—particularly along important riverine and rail corridors, where disruptions could slow resistance and complicate Chinese reinforcement or retreat.   To manage the operation across varied terrain and combat tasks, Sonobe's command used smaller combined formation often described as task forces, that could operate with some flexibility. Among them were the Kayashima Force, commanded by Major General Koichi Kayashima of the 18th Independent Mixed Brigade, consisting of the entire brigade reinforced by elements of the 40th Division. The Muragami Force, under Lieutenant General Keisaku Muragami, commander of the 39th Division, which included the full division plus supporting non-infantry units. The Hirabayashi Force, led by Lieutenant General Morito Hirabayashi of the 17th Division, formed from detachments of the 17th and 15th Divisions.The Kitana Force, commanded by Lieutenant General Kenzo Kitana of the 4th Division, incorporating portions of the 4th Division and the Kususe Armored Force. These four groups were deployed in parallel around Tangyang, Jingmen, Zhongxiang, and north of Jingshan. The Hanjima Force, commanded by Lieutenant General Fusataro Hanjima of the 3rd Division, positioned near Suixian along the Xiangyang–Hua Highway. This task-force approach helped tailor combat power to specific mission profiles—such as flanking movements, raids, or pressure on Chinese defensive lines—while keeping the overall campaign plan under a unified command.   Equipment choices also reflected the tactical environment of Hubei. The Japanese units made use of Type 95 Ha-Go light tanks for reconnaissance and for anti-infantry roles, typically best suited to the reconnaissance, pursuit, and screening functions that were available even with constrained armor numbers. For fire support, the force relied on conventional artillery, including 75mm Type 90 guns for field engagements and 105mm howitzers for heavier bombardment where stronger explosive impact was needed. Together, these assets were intended to allow Japanese formations to maneuver around Chinese positions and apply pressure in rugged landscapes where rivers, roads, and rail lines often determined the rhythm of battle.   Logistics were a decisive factor in whether the operation could sustain momentum. Sonobe's army depended heavily on existing transportation infrastructure, particularly rail lines radiating from the Wuhan hub toward forward areas such as Suizhou and Zaoyang. These routes were critical for moving ammunition, replacements, and other supplies closer to the front as the Japanese advanced. The campaign also used river transport along the Yangtze River, including motorized barges and steamers, to deliver supplies to units operating near waterways. However, reliance on these corridors came with risks: Chinese interdiction raids could disrupt shipments, forcing convoys to be escorted and increasing the time and resources required to keep the forward units supplied. Overall, this dependence on both rail and fluvial networks highlighted a central operational challenge, maintaining secure access to transportation arteries in contested territory so that the Japanese could keep fighting effectively rather than stalling as supplies dwindled.   The Central Hubei Operation was driven by an intelligence assessment that Chinese troop movements were signaling preparations for a Nationalist counteroffensive. Acting on that interpretation, the Japanese began tightening plans and positioning forces early in the final days of November 1940. On 23 November 1940, the Japanese 11th Army under Lieutenant General Waichirō Sonobe began organizing for the offensive in central Hubei. In order to conduct a coordinated advance across the Han River, the army arranged its forces into five groups, each tasked with moving in a way that supported the broader pincer-style pressure on Chinese positions. The approach also reflected lessons drawn from the earlier Zaoyang–Yichang campaign earlier in 1940, when Japanese divisions had been able to cross the Han River at multiple points, such as Dangyang, Jiukouzhen, and Shayangzhen—to help secure access toward Yichang and the Yangtze route. Logistics were built around infrastructure the Japanese had already established during prior operations. The Hankou hub supported the 11th Army through arrangements that included munitions storage, medical facilities, and transport coordination. Supplies and reinforcements were moved using truck convoys and river crossings, while forward depots—such as those at Shayangzhen northwest of Hankou—provided additional capacity, including freight handling and field hospitals. Because the area was not secure, these supply points were also guarded against threats from guerrilla activity, which could disrupt communications and threaten personnel and equipment.   Operationally, the offensive used limited artillery and air support, reflecting Japanese constraints and directives aimed at keeping the campaign short and avoiding commitments that could stretch units beyond their logistical reach. Instead of trying to grind down Chinese defenses through prolonged bombardment, the plan prioritized speed, reconnaissance, and focused disruption. Japanese intelligence preparation relied heavily on aerial reconnaissance over the Han River valley to locate Chinese positions and infer where resistance would likely concentrate. That information enabled Japanese units to coordinate select maneuvers, including converging pressure from different directions. Where river transport mattered, coordination with naval or riverine elements supported movement and resupply, with overall oversight connected to the China Expeditionary Army.   Anticipating the coming assault, the Chinese Fifth War Area headquarters acted swiftly on instructions from the National Military Council. Orders were issued to the River West Army Group (30th and 77th Corps), the Right Army Group (44th and 67th Corps), and the Central Army Group (41st and 45th Corps) to employ a flexible defensive strategy: hold key positions firmly while committing the main strength to strike the enemy's outer flanks at the decisive moment. The 59th Corps was directed to advance toward the Xiangfan area, ready to reinforce operations on either bank of the river as the situation developed.   As commander of the Fifth War Area, Li Zongren arranged the defense to meet a likely Japanese thrust along the Han River, particularly in the approaches to Wuhan and Yichang, following the wider stalemate that settled in after the 1938 fall of Wuhan. The Fifth War Area could draw on roughly 300,000 troops, though many units were understrength, and the overall readiness varied by locality. Among the formations Li Zongren placed in the most sensitive sectors was the 31st Army Group under General Tang Enbo, which Japanese planners had identified as a potential threat to Japanese intentions in the region. In keeping with the terrain and the limits on manpower, Li's defensive design relied heavily on natural barriers—most importantly the Han River itself—and on the defensibility of rugged ground. Forces were arrayed to hold or contest riverbank positions, supported by fortifications, trenches, and smaller auxiliary elements. Divisions such as the 44th were positioned with an eye toward slowing an enemy crossing and forcing the Japanese to fight for difficult approaches rather than moving rapidly. At the same time, irregular forces and prepared defensive works were used to complicate Japanese reconnaissance and to make it harder for the attacker to coordinate a clean operational flow. Strategically, Li Zongren leaned on elastic defense rather than attempting to win decisive battles at fixed lines. Regular units were supported by guerrilla-style harassment intended to strike Japanese vulnerabilities, especially supply and transportation, between forward bases and the front. Local operations, including actions coming from areas such as Xinyang, were designed to disrupt Japanese logistics in periods when the Nationalists were still managing shortages of ammunition and medical supplies. Militias in the inter-mountainous regions further reinforced this approach: instead of seeking costly frontal engagements, they concentrated on disruption, delaying movements, and making Japanese operations slower and more expensive.   At dawn on 25 November the Japanese offensive began, with columns advancing along multiple axes. On the western Xiangyang front, more than 1,000 troops from Tangyang and over 3,000 from Jingmen struck Hengdian and Yanzhimiao, shattering the positions of the Chinese 30th Corps. Simultaneously, a column moving from Zhujiafu toward Tunglinling split into several detachments and drove deep northward into Liangshuijing, Xiajiazi, and Kuaihuopu. By nightfall the River West Army Group had regrouped along the line from Hengdian through Yanzhimiao to Kuaihuopu. On 26 November the Japanese reached Xianzhu. The following day they assaulted Liuhouji and Lijiatang in a day-long battle that ended in stalemate. At dusk the 30th Corps launched a powerful counterattack; the 27th and 31st Divisions dispatched raiding parties into the enemy's rear. Unable to withstand the pressure, the Japanese fell back toward Jingmen and Zhongxiang, pursued by Chinese forces that inflicted heavy losses.   Along the Jingmen–Zhongxiang Highway the Japanese massed more than 3,000 troops to attack Changshoutian and Wangjiatian, encircling Changjiachi and Shahetian. The Chinese 149th Division withdrew in good order to the stronger Wangjiahe–Wulongguan line. On 26 November enemy strength grew to 4,000–5,000. One column advanced on Sanligang while the main body assaulted Peizhai, Wangjiahe, and Yunanmen. Fighting continued until dark without decisive result. On 27 November the main force of the 44th Corps counterattacked from Wangjiahe, converging with the 67th Corps advancing from the northwest. The coordinated assault inflicted severe casualties, yet the Japanese continued to fight stubbornly. On the Suixian front, more than 2,000 Japanese troops reached Liangshuikou on the morning of 25 November and launched a violent attack against the 123rd Division at Lishan. Two additional columns, each exceeding 1,000 men, pushed westward toward Hoyuantian and Qingmingpu; their numbers swelled steadily as darkness fell. On 26 November fierce combat raged against the 124th and 127th Divisions at Jinjishan and Qingmingpu. A separate force of 700–800 men advanced from Xihe via Langhetian to Tangjiafan. After clashing with the 41st Corps, the Japanese near Qingmingpu linked up with those at Jinjishan and moved toward Hoyuantian on 27 November. That night the detachment at Tangjiafan reached the vicinity of Huantan Zhen, confronting the 125th Division. Recognizing that the enemy had become dangerously dispersed, the War Area Command ordered its units to hold critical localities while the main forces exploited the mountainous terrain for ambushes. The tactic proved effective. Heavy fighting continued until 28 November, when the Japanese, unable to achieve their objectives, began a general withdrawal. Chinese forces west of Xiangyang immediately took up the pursuit. The enemy opposing the Right Army Group was routed and retreated along several routes. In the Suixian sector, Japanese units at Hoyuantian and Huantan Zhen were caught in converging attacks by the Central Army Group, driven back to high ground, and encircled. In a desperate attempt to relieve the trapped forces, the Japanese rushed 1,500–1,600 infantry and cavalry troops from Suixian and Yingshan through Shangshitian and Shatian in a flanking maneuver—only to be ambushed once more. Covered by aircraft and armor, the enemy withdrew toward Suixian and Xihe as Chinese troops pressed forward along the line from Chunchuan to Anchu, Lishan, and Gaocheng. By 30 November all Chinese Army Groups had restored their original positions.   The Central Hubei Operation produced uneven battlefield outcomes, particularly in reported casualties. Japanese accounts describe relatively limited losses, just 132 killed and 445 wounded attributed to advantages in air superiority, artillery, and armored support, even though the advance was complicated by difficult terrain. At the same time, Japanese forces faced persistent Chinese counterattacks along the Han River, which contributed to localized pressure and eventual withdrawal. The Japanese reported 6,439 Chinese killed  and 474 captured, but the evidence base is uncertain and the language of reporting suggests possible exaggeration or propaganda. Conversely, Chinese-era estimates reportedly placed Japanese losses at roughly 5,000 killed and 7,000–8,000 wounded, illustrating a substantial gap between competing narratives. Some alternate reconstructions suggest total Chinese casualties in the range of 20,000–30,000, depending on whether wounded and missing personnel are included. However, because wartime reporting was fragmented and inconsistent, there is no fully verifiable casualty ledger for all units involved.   Despite these tolls, the operation did not appear to achieve a decisive Chinese destruction of Japan's intended target force. The Chinese Fifth War Area, including elements associated with the 31st Army Group under Tang Enbo, suffered attrition but generally avoided annihilation. No major command-level losses are indicated in the surviving accounts, and unit formations were not described as collapsing permanently. On the material side, Japan reportedly seized rifles and supplies from positions that Chinese forces had encircled or abandoned in the short term, but overall equipment losses for either side were described as limited, consistent with the operation's restricted intensity.    Strategically, the operation offered Japan short-term tactical advantages—notably through localized envelopments and the temporary pressure of combined-arms support—but it failed to translate these gains into a sustained strategic result. The fighting also strained Japanese logistics in central China, especially given that the offensive was not followed by major reinforcements. At the same time, it exposed continuing vulnerabilities in rugged terrain where Chinese guerrilla activity and organized counteraction could offset superior firepower.   Ultimately, the Central Hubei Operation produced no net territorial gains. By the end of the week, Japanese troops had returned to positions that did not fundamentally alter control in central Hubei. Local clashes may have disturbed formations and disrupted movement temporarily, but the campaign did not create durable forward bases, did not change administrative control meaningfully, and did not permanently disrupt key supply corridors. The territorial status quo largely persisted: Chinese Fifth War Area forces maintained positions north of the Yangtze River, and there was no widespread abandonment of strongholds sufficient to indicate a strategic collapse.   In the months following the Japanese repulse in central Hubei in November 1940, enemy forces remained largely immobilized across the Jing-Xiang plains, their earlier ambitions checked by determined Chinese resistance. Seeking to regain momentum and draw Chinese strength away from other theaters, the Japanese high command prepared a massive offensive into southern Henan in late January 1941. By the end of the month they had concentrated an imposing array of seven infantry divisions, one independent cavalry brigade, three independent armored regiments, and one independent artillery regiment. In all, more than 150,000 infantrymen, over 8,000 cavalry, 550 artillery pieces, 300 tanks, and 200 armored cars stood ready. Over a hundred aircraft were massed at forward bases in Anyang, Xinxiang, Huaiyang, and Xinyang. From early January onward, ammunition and equipment had been laboriously shipped up the Yangtze and moved inland to Xinyang, while Japanese reconnaissance planes repeatedly overflew Chinese rear areas. Additional troops were concentrated in southern Henan itself.   On 20 January, as a preliminary move to pin down Chinese forces and facilitate the main effort in central Henan, the Japanese 18th Independent Mixed Brigade, together with elements of the 39th and 4th Divisions, launched a limited attack against the Chinese 29th and 33rd Army Groups. The principal assault, however, began on 24 January under the overall command of Lieutenant General Katsuichiro Enbu. The Japanese organized their southern Henan forces into three powerful columns: The Left Flank Force, built around the entire 3rd Division reinforced by the 8th Regiment of the 4th Division and the Mizuno Armored Unit, commanded by Lieutenant General Fusataro Hanjima of the 3rd Division. The Central Force, centered on the 17th Division (less one regiment) and strengthened by the 67th Regiment of the 15th Division and the Yoshimatsu Armored Unit, commanded by Lieutenant General Amaya of the 40th Division. The Right Flank Force, formed around the main body of the 40th Division, also under Lieutenant General Amaya.   In support of this main thrust, Japanese forces in northern Anhui and eastern Henan—principally the 4th Cavalry Brigade with the Hirabayashi Tank Regiment—advanced westward from Haozhou toward Woyang. The Ouda Regiment of the 21st Division pushed west from Suzhou, while the Uguchi and Kobayashi Regiments of the 35th Division, accompanied by engineer, cavalry, artillery, and tank units, moved from Kaifeng, Tongxu, and Zhuxian Zhen along the north bank of the Yellow River and through the flooded areas toward Zhengzhou. These supporting columns were intended to tie down Chinese reserves and prevent reinforcement of the southern front.   The National Military Council in Chongqing correctly assessed the enemy's intention: to drive north along the Beiping-Hankou Railway with their main strength, force a decisive battle against the Chinese field armies, and rely on the northern Anhui–eastern Henan forces to strike westward in coordination. Accordingly, the Council instructed the Fifth War Area to avoid a costly frontal engagement. Instead, a small portion of its troops would offer delaying resistance along the railway, while the main force would maneuver to the enemy's flanks and rear, severing communications and launching devastating counterattacks. In compliance, the Fifth War Area left only a single division near Xiping on the Beiping-Hankou line. The bulk of its strength—carefully concealed in depth on both sides of the enemy's expected axis of advance—remained highly mobile, ready to strike the Japanese flanks or rear the moment the enemy divided his forces or pushed toward Runan, Yancheng, or Wuyang. This elastic strategy proved decisive.   At dawn on 25 January the Japanese southern Henan forces advanced in three columns. The Left Flank Force moved along the line from Xiaolindian to Gucheng and Chashan. The Central Force struck northward from the Minggang area. The Right Flank Force crossed the Huai River between Huaijiao Zhen and Chengyang under heavy air support. Japanese planes bombed Chinese positions relentlessly. True to plan, Chinese units employed only light screening forces to harass the enemy with ambushes and flank attacks, preserving their main strength for the decisive moment.   By 26 January the Japanese had reached the line from Piyang to Gaoyi, Xingtian, and Queshan. On the 27th they pressed on to Chunshui, Shahetian, and Zhumadian. At this point Chinese mobile forces sprang into action. The 13th Corps of the 31st Army Group swung northward toward Xiangheguan, while the main body of the 85th Corps moved toward Shangcai to begin an enveloping maneuver. The 68th Corps of the 11th Army Group struck the enemy rear south of Xiangheguan; the 55th Corps advanced from Tanghe to Piyang; and the 59th Corps of the 33rd Army Group pushed toward Nanyang. On 29 January the 13th Corps attacked the Japanese Left Flank Force near Jieguanting and Xiaoshidian south of Wuyang, while the 85th Corps struck the Right Flank Force around Runan, southeast of Shangcai. The enemy's Central Force, advancing along and west of the railway, found the Chinese positions already evacuated and failed to trap any major units. The Japanese columns on the extreme flanks suffered over 3,000 casualties and lost six tanks in the fighting around Jieguanting.   By 31 January the enemy, desperate to rescue his exposed flank columns, reordered his forces. The Central Force executed turning movements on both sides: elements of the 15th Division swung right from Suiping through Shangcai to converge with troops moving north from Runan against the 85th Corps, while the main body of the 17th Division split into two columns and advanced from Suiping through Xiping toward Wuyang. Simultaneously, the main force of the 3rd Division and part of the 4th Division also converged on Wuyang, hoping to link with the 17th Division and crush the 13th Corps near Jieguanting and Xiaoshidian. Before the trap could close, however, the Chinese 13th and 85th Corps withdrew in good order to the area north of Ye Xian, between Yancheng and Shangshui, and north of the Sha River. When the Japanese broke through at Wuyang and Shangcai they found no major Chinese forces to destroy.   Meanwhile, Chinese troops from western Henan, the 59th, 55th, and 68th Corps, advanced from Tanghe, Piyang, and points north to strike the enemy rear at Wuyang. On 29 January the 84th Corps and local guerrillas in western Anhui recaptured Chengyang and continued the pursuit. The Japanese, having failed to concentrate superior strength or control the battlefield, now found themselves isolated. Their rear communications were severed, and they were under constant pressure from the 68th, 55th, and 59th Corps. After days of exhausting combat the enemy began to withdraw southward on the night of 2 February. Leaving only rear guards at Wuyang and Baoanzhai to tie down the 13th Corps, the main body of the 3rd Division moved from Fangcheng toward Nanyang and Zhenping. The 13th Corps immediately counterattacked, recaptured Baoanzhai and Wuyang, and pursued the enemy toward Fangcheng.   On the night of 2 February, as the Japanese main force approached Nanyang, the 17th Division together with elements of the 15th and 4th Divisions had already pushed south from Wuyang via Xiangheguan toward Piyang, hoping to link with forces moving east from Nanyang and trap the Chinese 68th, 55th, and 29th Corps. Fierce resistance by the 68th Corps near Xiangheguan inflicted heavy losses and forced the enemy to abandon large quantities of supplies. Further south, the 29th Corps exacted still greater casualties around Piyang. On the night of 7 February the trapped Japanese column split: part retreated along the Tanghe–Piyang highway, while the main body withdrew along the Tongbo–Xinyang highway toward Xinyang, leaving many dead behind. The Chinese 85th Corps pursued southeastward, while elements of the 13th, 29th, 55th, and 59th Corps harried the enemy toward Xinyang. By the time the fighting ended, all Chinese units had regained their original positions.   In coordination with the southern Henan offensive, the Japanese forces in northern Anhui and eastern Henan advanced westward in four columns on the morning of 25 January. The Ouda Regiment of the 21st Division struck west from Suzhou. The 4th Cavalry Brigade, reinforced by the Hirabayashi Tank Regiment, split into three routes from Bozhou to attack Woyang, Shanheji, and Shuangqiao, clashing bitterly with a Chinese cavalry division near Shizihe and Niqiuji. The Uguchi Regiment of the 35th Division advanced through the flooded areas from Tongxu and Zhuxian Zhen, while the Kobayashi Regiment moved westward along the north bank of the Yellow River near Zhengzhou. Japanese aircraft intensified their bombing of Chinese cities and front-line positions, including Zhoujiakou, Zhengzhou, Yancheng, Ye Xian, Xiangcheng, Wuyang, and Luoyang. On 29 January one enemy column reached Santaiji and suffered heavy losses under Chinese attack. Threatened on the left by forces near Huaiyang, two Chinese corps withdrew temporarily to the line from Fuyang to Taihe and Jieshou. On 5 February the Japanese captured Taihe and Jieshou, but a Chinese counterattack on the morning of 6 February regained both towns, forcing the enemy to retreat northeastward.   The Battle of Southern Henan, which opened on 25 January and concluded on 10 February after seventeen days of continuous fighting, ended in a clear Chinese victory. Japanese casualties exceeded 9,000; when the enemy withdrew from Nanyang more than 300 military vehicles were left burning on the battlefield. Large quantities of arms, ammunition, and supplies fell into Chinese hands. Chinese losses were significantly lighter. The enemy had hoped to force a decisive battle along the railway and shatter the Chinese armies of the Fifth War Area. Instead, skillful Chinese maneuver, timely flank attacks, and relentless pressure on the enemy's rear and communications had turned the Japanese offensive into a costly failure. The victory not only preserved the integrity of the central Chinese front but also demonstrated once again the effectiveness of elastic defense and mobile counteroffensive tactics against a numerically superior but overextended foe.   In the wake of their costly repulse in central Hubei the previous November and the even more humiliating defeat in Southern Henan between late January and early February 1941, the Japanese sought once more to regain the initiative in the spring of 1941. Their target was western Hubei, where Chinese forces continued to deny them freedom of movement along the middle Yangtze. The entire Japanese 13th Division garrisoned the Yichang salient. Its regiments were deployed in a defensive arc: the 65th Regiment and the 19th Artillery Regiment held positions east of the city at Longchuanpu, Tumenya, and Yaqueling; the 104th Regiment guarded the northwest approaches; and the 17th Cavalry Regiment patrolled the Yangchalu–Baishanao sector. On the west bank of the Yangtze, the 58th Regiment had constructed strong bridgehead fortifications between Chaojialing and Shangwulongkou, ready to support any renewed thrust westward.   Facing this entrenched enemy was the Chinese 26th Corps, entrusted with the critical mission of river defense on the west bank of the Yangtze opposite Yichang. The corps commander had organized his forces into three sectors. The 41st Division held the right zone, anchoring its line from Mujiatian and Tanjiataizi northward to the vicinity of Fanjiah u. The 32nd Division defended the left zone, stretching from Mujiatian through Ceyang to Xiangzikou. The 44th Division remained in corps reserve near Caojiafan, poised to reinforce either flank or exploit opportunities for counterattack.   On 6 March 1941 the Japanese struck. Having quietly reinforced their forces west of Yichang to more than three regiments, supported by cavalry and artillery, they opened the assault at 5:30 a.m. with a violent artillery barrage, followed immediately by infantry advances under cover of air strikes. Chinese security positions at Tanjiataizi and Chaojiadian were overrun. The enemy then hurled itself against the main line at Changgangling. Simultaneously, 600 to 700 Japanese troops, backed by planes and guns, assaulted Fanjiah u. After hours of bitter fighting both localities fell. On the morning of 7 March, Japanese aircraft again spearheaded the attack, enabling the capture of positions at Qianjiatai and Wujiaba. The enemy pressed on toward Qianjiachong and Yutaishan but was thrown back. Meanwhile, the force that had taken Fanjiah u clashed fiercely with the Chinese 44th Division around Taipingqiao; although the division was eventually compelled to withdraw to the eastern end of the bridge under relentless air attack, it continued to resist stubbornly. When the enemy seized Hut zeye from the direction of Fanjiah u, the 32nd Division fell back in good order to the line from Tunziqiao to Tuyanzhong, where it beat off further assaults. By this stage the Japanese had driven themselves into a dangerously narrow salient, exposed on both flanks.   Seizing the moment, the River Defense Force reorganized its lines. The 103rd Division of the 8th Corps relieved the sector from Mujiatang through Yingzishan to Chaotianguan, while the 26th Corps consolidated new positions at Yutaishan, Pijiashan, Qingshuiba, Guangongling, and Xiaopingshanba. The plan was clear: hold the enemy east of this line, then launch a converging counterstroke to destroy the invaders and restore the original front. On 8 March two guerrilla columns from the 41st Division struck at Changgangling and Fanjiayuan, while another detachment hit the enemy east of Pifengjian. More than 2,000 Japanese troops assaulted the 44th Division's positions from Gaolingpo and Dajiaobian toward Wanghuzizhong; determined resistance by the 44th Division, supported by elements of the 41st, brought the attack to a standstill. Later that day the enemy managed to penetrate the 32nd Division's line at Tianwangshi, forcing Chinese troops to fight a delaying action along the outskirts of the Shibai Fortress from Mingjiachong to Heitangou.   Dawn on 9 March brought renewed Chinese initiative. The 103rd Division occupied the line from Tutiling to Shizinao and advanced in several columns against the enemy. A portion of the 44th Division waged a grim holding action on the high ground flanking Guojiaba, suffering heavy losses but buying time for the main body to launch a powerful flank attack against the Japanese at Taipingqiao and Xianglingkou. By dusk Chinese forces had captured the enemy strongpoints at Dujiaoba and Dajiaobian along the highway, annihilating numerous enemy troops. The 32nd Division threw its main strength against the area northwest of Dajiaobian; heavy fighting raged around Wanghuzizhong into the afternoon until enemy reinforcements were driven off. The 41st Division, meanwhile, executed effective flank attacks that yielded significant gains. On 10 March the 103rd Division recaptured the high ground at Xiawulongkou and north of Tianzipo, while guerrillas of the 41st Division continued to harass the enemy through every gap in his lines. When positions at Hongshipo and Lungtanping held by the 44th Division were breached, the division withdrew to the western heights of Bomuping and faced the enemy anew.   At dawn on 11 March, after suffering severe casualties, the Japanese resorted to smoke screens and began withdrawing eastward along several routes. Chinese pursuit forces swiftly retook Xianglingkou, Guojiaba, Guangongling, Tianwangshi, and Dajiaobian. By 12 March the enemy had fallen back to a defensive line running from east of Taipingqiao to Hu z'ai and Huangnikeng. On 13 March Chinese units launched general counterattacks. Unable to withstand the pressure, the Japanese retreated to their original positions. The eight-day engagement thus ended exactly where it had begun.   The battle had been fought with only a portion of the available Chinese forces, yet it proved decisive. The Japanese, who had hoped to crack the river defenses and resume their westward drive, instead suffered 4,000 to 5,000 casualties. The swift and skillful Chinese counteroffensive not only restored the front but left the enemy shaken and apprehensive. Their design to push deeper into western Hubei was decisively thwarted, buying precious time for the broader Chinese war effort in the Yangtze theater and demonstrating once again that determined defense, timely reinforcement, and aggressive counteraction could blunt even the most carefully prepared Japanese offensive. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. In November 1940, a Central Hubei Operation using five task forces attempted to exploit Chinese dispersal but achieved no territorial gains despite local successes. A larger January 1941 offensive into southern Henan deployed 150,000+ troops but again failed strategically. Despite Japanese tactical advantages and superior firepower, logistical constraints and rugged terrain favored mobile Chinese resistance. Both campaigns ended with Japanese withdrawals and restored Chinese positions, demonstrating that determined defense and timely counteraction could blunt large-scale Japanese operations.

We're revisiting Vinny Welsby, aka the Fierce Fatty, who just put out a video highlighting the 49 benefits of being fat. The amount of cope is hilarious including fat people can hide their pregnancy and the sex is great because you rub your bellies together.  Trucker Andy is in studio to laugh about how being fat comes in real handy when you're playing tug of war. On Cringe of the Week, Schmuel Buckman joins Hughezy's show and it does not go well for the first couple of minutes. Scorch might have a new gig! Jerry Banfield is back, and he's back to being Jerry Banfield! He's got himself in a whole bunch of debt and is ready to bury himself as deep as he can while trying to become an internet celebrity again. We check out a classic moment on the Howard Stern Show when Gary and John have a fight on air. It seems John never picked up on the fact that Gary was his boss. Opie had an FU Friday / Superchat Friday and what he's doing now is absolutely incredible - asking his viewers to donate to his PayPal to pay for his dental work. We finish up with Internet News and your voicemails. Trucker Andy's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AllApologiesPodcast Support us, get bonus episodes, and watch live every Saturday and Wednesday: ⁠⁠http://bit.ly/watp-patreon⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://watp.supercast.tech/⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices