Podcasts about Iwo Jima

On December 7, 1941, Lieutenant Bruce McCandless ran through gunfire at Pearl Harbor to reach his ship, the USS San Francisco, just as the second wave of Japanese aircraft struck. It was the first day of a war that would carry him through nearly every major Pacific naval campaign — and decades later, his own words would almost be lost to history. In this episode of Echoes of War, host Greg sits down with Bruce McCandless III to discuss his newly published book, Iron and Fire: The Pacific War Story of Destroyer Captain Bruce McCandless — a firsthand World War II memoir recovered from his grandfather's papers and shaped for publication in time for the 85th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Rear Admiral Bruce McCandless was a Medal of Honor recipient who served aboard the heavy cruiser USS San Francisco (CA-38), one of the most decorated ships of WWII, before commanding the destroyer USS Gregory (DD-802). In this conversation, we cover his experience at Pearl Harbor, the brutal night surface battles of Guadalcanal and Cape Esperance, the naval war in the Solomon Islands, operations to drive Japanese forces from Attu and Kiska in the Aleutians, and the harrowing kamikaze attacks faced during the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. We also discuss how this manuscript was discovered decades after it was dictated, why it was set aside for so long, and what it was like editing a firsthand account of combat written by a family member and Naval hero. Whether you're a WWII history buff, a student of Pacific War naval history, or simply searching for authentic first-person military memoirs, this episode offers a rare, unfiltered look at the human cost of naval combat in World War II.

“While the men prepared to replace the first flag, I was able to position myself for a picture, the elements of which were composed by the men themselves, and the wind, weather, midday lighting, and the luck of timing.” - Joe Rosenthal, Associated Press At the end of the war in Western Europe, with the war in the Pacific still going strong, America was a tired country that needed a patriotic jolt. You can only position yourself so well: good photographer, heroic moment of reprieve amidst the horrific fighting, camera crew tailing the soldiers, hoping to capture even the slightest sense of what the sons and brothers of the nation were fighting for. But all the preparedness in the world can't bank on the beauty of luck. This is the story of the luckiest snapshot ever taken. See the images: https://www.thelonelypalette.com/episodes/2026/8/25/episode-72-joe-rosenthals-raising-the-flag-on-iwo-jima-1945 Music used: The Andrews Sisters, "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen" The Blue Dot Sessions, “Sunday Lights,” “Cherry Heath,” “Curious Kepler,” “Arlan Vale,” “Dreadnaut Files,” “Silent Ocean,” “Chromium Blush,” “Mencher and Polk,” “The Silver Hatch,” “10c Coffee” Bob Dylan, “The Ballad of Ira Hayes”

James Arlon Jenkins was an American Marine who served through some of the fiercest fighting of World War II. After enlisting in 1940, he witnessed the attack on Pearl Harbor before deploying to the Pacific theater, where he saw continuous action during the grueling campaigns on Guadalcanal, Guam, and Iwo Jima. Following the war, he completed occupation duty in Japan before being discharged with a disability caused by recurring bouts of malaria and severe stomach ulcers contracted during his service.Returning to civilian life in Oklahoma, Jenkins worked to overcome the physical toll of tropical illness and combat trauma. He supported his family through shoe repair and pursued studies in mechanical engineering, ultimately building a stable postwar career that concluded with 18 years of service for the Tulsa Airport Authority. Support the show

Trump visits the National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington to sign the Herschel Woody Williams National Medal of Honor Monument Location Act, and the whole event carries a rare, genuinely reverent tone. Fifteen living Medal of Honor recipients are in the room as Trump reflects on the almost unbelievable bravery behind their stories, including the late Woody Williams' harrowing flamethrower duty on Iwo Jima, before signing legislation that clears the way for a brand new monument near the National Mall. There's a lighthearted detour into economic numbers, tariffs, and a jab or two at political rivals, but the heart of this one is the tribute itself, honoring the museum's founders, the Williams family, and the handful of living legends seated in the crowd. Trump also picks up an honorary title of his own before wrapping things up. Less rally, more remembrance, with genuine warmth running through it.

James Arlon Jenkins was an American Marine who served through some of the fiercest fighting of World War II. After enlisting in 1940, he witnessed the attack on Pearl Harbor before deploying to the Pacific theater, where he saw continuous action during the grueling campaigns on Guadalcanal, Guam, and Iwo Jima. Following the war, he completed occupation duty in Japan before being discharged with a disability caused by recurring bouts of malaria and severe stomach ulcers contracted during his service.Returning to civilian life in Oklahoma, Jenkins worked to overcome the physical toll of tropical illness and combat trauma. He supported his family through shoe repair and pursued studies in mechanical engineering, ultimately building a stable postwar career that concluded with 18 years of service for the Tulsa Airport Authority. Support the show

CAPTIO DECEMBER  7, 1941943 to Tokyo Bay: The Central Pacific Drive and the Politics of Supreme CommaCraig Symonds, Part Two: This second interview segment covers the Central Pacific campaign from late 1943 to postwar reconciliation. It begins with the bloody amphibious landing at Tarawa, where Marine General Holland Smith trained troops to overcome coral obstacles. Nimitz resolved persistent command tensions, managing difficult deputy John Towers and supporting carrier commander Marc Mitscher. His calculated risk paid off at Kwajalein and during the Battle of the Philippine Sea, though Raymond Spruance's beachhead-focused defense drew aviator criticism. During the Battle of Leyte Gulf, William Halsey aggressively chased decoy carriers, leaving the beachhead vulnerable and triggering the famous "where is Task Force 34" message controversy. Despite Halsey later steering the fleet into two deadly typhoons, Nimitz protected him from dismissal to preserve public morale. After moving headquarters to Guam, Nimitz oversaw costly victories at Iwo Jima and Okinawa, countered kamikazes, approved the blockade strategy, and ultimately accepted Japan's surrender. He subsequently served as Chief of Naval Operations postwar. (2)

A few final thoughts on the Summer of Trinity, again.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan_Project   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Iwo_Jima  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Okinawa   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_B._McVay_III Walter Griffith, the commander of USS Bullhead, who had departed the ship just before its final voyage that summer, also committed suicide, two years before McVay - and with more definite connection to the loss of his men.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_T._Griffith https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Downfall - the plan to invade Japan in November 1945. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1945_World_Series https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_World_Series   As recorded, my reason for why Little Boy and Fat Man were dropped sounds like I agree with that - at least, it sounds like that more than I intended. Really, though, my view is more of an acknowledgement of the inevitability of the war machine which built those weapons. The decision to use them, in my view,  was less about particular reasons and more about why they were made: To win the war. Whether they were needed to win the war was irrelevant by the end, and trying to assess the "need" to drop them is missing that important point. 

Last time we spoke about the reaction after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. After four years of fighting Japan almost alone, China's Chiang Kai-shek learned of Pearl Harbor with profound relief. Japan's attack, meant to neutralize American naval power, instead galvanized the entire Western world against Tokyo. Within hours, Chiang declared war on the Axis powers, transforming China from an isolated nation to a recognized Allied member. The strategic mathematics were clear to Chiang: America's industrial might would ultimately crush Japan. China simply needed to survive long enough. The United States quickly formalized this partnership, pledging military support through Lend-Lease and elevating Chiang to leadership of Allied forces in the China theater. Yet Pearl Harbor brought catastrophe for Western civilians in China. Americans and Britons, previously protected as neutral foreigners, were suddenly rounded up and interned in camps. For many, decades of presence in China ended in hasty evacuation, leaving behind lives built over generations.   #216 The Battle of Hong Kong Part 1: The Approaching Storm 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. Japan emerged as a significant threat to British interests during the 1920s following the collapse of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. This concern intensified dramatically after Japan's invasion of China, with the ensuing Sino-Japanese War escalating tensions further. British assets in the region came under direct assault, including attacks on Western military and commercial vessels such as HMS Ladybird. Yet despite these provocations, the British Government maintained an inconsistent stance toward Japan, responding with only feeble diplomatic and military countermeasures. This contradiction characterized London's approach: while diplomatic channels remained conciliatory, military planners viewed Japan with genuine apprehension. During the 1930s, Singapore and Malaya represented Britain's most valuable and prosperous holdings in the Far East and consequently received substantial garrison reinforcements. By contrast, Hong Kong was widely acknowledged to be indefensible—a conclusion reached repeatedly by successive military studies. Despite this consensus, the British Government proceeded with the Hong Kong Defence Scheme in 1936, which aimed to transform Hong Kong Island into a fortified redoubt while establishing delaying positions in Kowloon and the New Territories. The Hong Kong Garrison's mandate was straightforward: repel external attacks and prevent enemy use of the harbour and dry dock. The underlying strategy relied on a simple principle: hold Hong Kong Island as an impregnable fortress and await relief from the Royal Navy. Consequently, protecting the harbour became the paramount objective. Japanese strategists were correctly identified as Hong Kong's primary threat, with military planners anticipating attack from the sea rather than overland. To counter such an offensive, the defence scheme incorporated five successive layers of protection: naval mines fitted with indicator nets and anti-submarine booms formed the first barrier; coastal artillery provided the second; beach installations featuring pillboxes, wire entanglements and mines constituted the third; infantry strongpoints positioned on commanding heights guarded against amphibious landings; and finally, a mobile reserve force stood ready to counterattack and eliminate any successful enemy incursion. The 1936 plan also mandated extensive fortification of Kowloon's bottleneck approaches through bunkers, trenches and blocked passages, with a principal defensive line—resembling a miniature Maginot Line—constructed across the mountains immediately north of Kowloon. The garrison structure comprised three infantry battalions plus the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps (HKVDC), a unit approximately regiment-strength equipped with armoured cars, engineers, artillery, anti-aircraft guns and infantry. These forces organized into three brigades: mainland, island, and garrison reserve. The air component was planned to be formidable: a reconnaissance squadron, a fighter-bomber squadron, two torpedo squadrons and a flight of auxiliary spotting aircraft operated by the HKVDC. Naval forces consisted of a modest destroyer contingent, an MTB flotilla, gunboats and patrol vessels. When Japan occupied Guangzhou, Hong Kong found itself effectively encircled. In response, limited conscription was implemented, though restricted to non-Chinese males for HKVDC service. Chinese personnel were largely confined to non-combat positions such as air-raid precautions and medical duties. The expanding Japanese threat prompted a substantial expansion of the Hong Kong Garrison to four regular infantry regiments—two British units (one specializing in medium machine-gun support) and two Indian regiments. Supporting forces included two coastal artillery regiments, a field artillery regiment-plus, and an anti-aircraft regiment. The Royal Navy expanded to include the 2nd MTB flotilla (eight 60-foot, 29-knot motor torpedo boats armed with twin torpedoes and eight Lewis guns each, plus two smaller 55-foot vessels), four shallow-draught river gunboats (HMS Cicala, Tern, Moth and Robin), four aging World War I S-class destroyers (HMS Thracian, Thanet, Scout and Tenedos—the last transferred to Singapore in 1939), HMS Cornflower sloop, and various auxiliary vessels including tugs, boom defence ships and minelayers. The Fleet Air Arm deployed three Supermarine Walruses—single-engine reconnaissance amphibians—at Kai Tak Airport. The Royal Air Force remained the weakest service, equipped with only four Vickers Wildebeest torpedo-bombers and a handful of HKVDC aircraft: one Avro Tutor, two Hornet Moths and two Cadet biplanes. When World War II erupted in Europe, Britain's focus necessarily shifted to national survival, inevitably leaving distant imperial outposts like Hong Kong neglected. Rather than receive reinforcements, Hong Kong actually lost capable personnel; many veteran troops were repatriated to Europe, leaving behind a less proficient garrison. Peacetime duties had proven a poor preparation for combat—officers and men had passed their time socializing rather than maintaining combat readiness. Governor Sir Geoffrey Northcote persistently urged London to adopt a firmer stance against relentless Japanese provocations: aircraft incursions, sinking of junks and fishing vessels, and infiltration by Taiwanese fifth columnists (Japan had colonized Taiwan in 1895). Recognizing the hopelessness of his position, Northcote recommended withdrawal in October 1940, arguing that defending the colony would inevitably result in mass civilian casualties and widespread destruction—a pragmatic assessment given Hong Kong's indefensible state. London categorically rejected this proposal, reasoning that withdrawal would demoralize China, embolden Japan and undermine American confidence in British resolve. Underlying this decision was an additional consideration: the long-standing dispute over Hong Kong's sovereignty. Since Britain acquired Hong Kong in 1841, the prospect of surrendering it, even temporarily, raised fears about reclaiming it afterward. Preserving the appearance of British determination was deemed crucial to demonstrating to Chiang Kai-shek, Nationalist China's leader, that Britain intended to retain the territory. Despite these political calculations, London consistently refused fresh troop deployments. Major-General A. E. Grasett, the China theatre commander, requested reinforcements only to face rejection—London offered only Indian or other colonial forces. Air Chief Marshal Sir Robert Brooke-Popham, appointed British commander in the Far East in 1941, likewise pressed for garrison strengthening, to no avail. The situation shifted dramatically after Grasett, a retired Canadian who had recently left his China post, travelled to Britain via Canada. Upon arriving in Canada, he independently approached his former classmate Major-General Crerar, Chief of the Canadian General Staff, and advocated for reinforcement. Grasett argued persuasively that deploying two or more additional battalions would enable the Hong Kong garrison to withstand an extended siege. When Grasett reached London in early September 1941, he presented this case directly to the British Chiefs of Staff, simultaneously proposing that Canada could provide the extra units. His arguments proved persuasive; the Chiefs of Staff altered course and convinced a reluctant Churchill to reconsider. In light of accelerating Japanese pressure, Britain substantially enlarged the Malaysia/Singapore garrison from nine to 32 battalions and despatched two capital ships—HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse—to the region, reasoning that this show of force would deter Japanese aggression against British Far Eastern interests, including Hong Kong. The original defence strategy envisaged holding Hong Kong Island exclusively while denying the harbour to attackers. A single battalion (the Punjabis) would execute delaying actions across the New Territories, followed by a three-battalion defensive stand on the Gin Drinkers Line. This brief mainland resistance would allow time for demolishing stores, power installations, docks and wharves, clearing food stocks and removing vital matériel before withdrawing to Hong Kong Island for a protracted resistance awaiting relief from Singapore or American forces from the Philippines. The Gin Drinkers Line—styled after the French Maginot Line in miniature—ran approximately 18 kilometres south of the Sino-Hong Kong border. Beginning near Gin Drinkers Bay west of Kowloon, it extended 17 kilometres across the Kowloon Peninsula hills toward its eastern extremity. The strategic expectation was that this line would delay the Japanese assault for three weeks or longer, permitting battalion withdrawal to Hong Kong Island for sustained resistance while mainland forces completed evacuation procedures. The 1937 war plan stipulated that four battalions would be necessary for an effective delaying action and seven for an adequate Gin Drinkers Line defence—figures which excluded the aircraft and naval support essential to success. With only a single army brigade available and virtually no air capability, planners abandoned the mainland defence concept, leaving defensive works incomplete and deteriorating under tropical conditions. Chinese personnel were conspicuously absent from initial war preparations and strategic planning, only being incorporated late in the process. The largest Chinese component was the volunteer contingent serving with the HKVDC. On the regular army side, approximately 150 Chinese recruits were enlisted in mid-1941 for the 5th Anti-Aircraft Regiment. The Hong Kong Chinese Regiment, hastily constituted on 3 November 1941, comprised officers borrowed from British and Indian units alongside 52 Chinese junior NCOs and other ranks with minimal training. A Royal Engineers troop staffed entirely by Chinese soldiers saw service, and some Chinese personnel served with the Royal Navy and Dockyard Defence Corps. Chinese participation increased substantially in auxiliary services—air-raid precautions, auxiliary police, nursing, St John Ambulance and fire brigades. This reluctance to fully integrate Chinese forces likely reflected prevailing attitudes of the era. Pre-war British propaganda had frequently mocked Japanese military capability, portraying officers and soldiers as myopic and incompetent. Japanese combat prowess was systematically underestimated; their victories in China were attributed to facing inferior opposition rather than evidence of genuine military strength. Japanese weaponry was dismissed as inferior to European standards. Consequently, British confidence remained high that the colony could hold indefinitely if adequately reinforced. In September 1941, Hong Kong received heartening news: two additional Canadian battalions would be deployed to the garrison. Brigadier John Maltby promptly revived the pre-war plan for defending the Gin Drinkers Line, developing a strategy centred on three mainland battalions (2nd Royal Scots, 5/7 Rajputs and 2/14 Punjab) supported by HKVDC elements and four artillery troop detachments, while three island battalions (1st Middlesex, Royal Rifles of Canada and Winnipeg Grenadiers) bolstered by the bulk of the HKVDC would hold Hong Kong Island. Command responsibility was divided between two brigades: the Island Brigade (Hong Kong Infantry Brigade) under Brigadier Lawson, a recently arrived Canadian, and the mainland Kowloon Infantry Brigade under Brigadier Wallis. The Canadian regiments arrived on 16 November 1941. Maltby was commissioned into the Indian Army in 1911, and  saw extensive service across multiple campaigns: World War I, the Persian Gulf (1913–14), and the North-West Frontier (1923–24). His early promise earned him selection for accelerated advancement through prestigious staff colleges at Quetta and RAF Andover. By 1937, he was again serving on the North-West Frontier, and by 1939 commanded both the 3rd Jhelum Brigade (later the Calcutta Brigade) and the 19th Infantry Brigade in Deccan. In 1940, posted to China, Maltby orchestrated the closure of the North China Command by withdrawing two infantry battalions from Shanghai. Promoted to major-general as GOC China in August 1941, he had only three months to prepare the colony's defenses, a race against time he could not win.  The Gin Drinkers Line occupied a naturally dominant position atop mountains spanning northern Kowloon's breadth, yet possessed inherent weaknesses that would prove fatal. The line lacked defensive depth and remained vulnerable to flanking manoeuvres, with two sectors representing particular danger: Customs Pass and the gap between Golden Hill and Laichikok Peninsula near Gin Drinkers Bay. Given the extended front, each battalion arranged its forces in a string of platoon positions with gaps covered by daytime fire and nighttime patrols. One company per battalion could be held in reserve within prepared positions guarding the most dangerous sectors. The reserve company of the centre battalion (2/14 Punjab) initially advanced as forward troops, screening demolition operations and delaying the enemy's initial thrust. The hasty decision to establish mainland defences meant that essential support systems—communication networks, artillery registrations, mortar calibrations—remained incomplete when combat commenced. Ammunition shortages compounded the problem. For instance, the 2/14 Punjab conducted only a single 3-inch mortar practice session before the attack; adequate ammunition arrived only in November and totalled a mere 70 rounds per battalion for both training and combat. These mortars were registered for the first time in their battle positions, with combat beginning just 12 hours later. The 2-inch mortar situation was even more desperate: troops received live ammunition only as fighting started, making their baptism of fire an actual combat situation. Transportation deficiencies—trucks and animals in short supply—forced manual ammunition transport across Hong Kong's challenging terrain, imposing severe physical demands on already stretched personnel.   On 6 November 1941, Imperial Japanese Headquarters ordered its Commander-in-Chief in China to prepare plans for capturing Hong Kong. The 23rd Army, part of the China Southern Expeditionary Army Group and commanded by Lt. Gen. Sakai Takashi with Maj. Gen. Kuribayashi Tadamichi serving as Chief of Staff, would form the invasion's backbone. All preparations were to be completed by the end of November 1941. The operation, designated 'Operation C', sought to 'seize Hong Kong within ten days'. Takahashi was the son of a factory worker, and rose through the ranks to become a veteran of China campaigns. He was tasked with capturing Hong Kong using the 38th Division normally assigned to the Southern Expeditionary Army Group. Despite setbacks and humiliation over requests for additional resources—particularly following intelligence reports of tanks (actually Bren carriers) in Hong Kong—Sakai remained determined to succeed. He served as Governor of Hong Kong from 26 December 1941 to 20 February 1942. Kuribayashi, best remembered as the Japanese commander at Iwo Jima, graduated from the Army Academy in 1914 specializing in cavalry. He served as deputy military attaché to Washington and Canada and studied at Harvard University. In December 1941, he held the position of Chief of Staff to the 23rd Army during the Hong Kong operation. Operation C followed a straightforward strategic framework. A blocking force would prevent Chinese interference from the rear, while the main invasion force would spearhead the assault. The 23rd Army, comprising four divisions plus a mixed brigade and two infantry regiments, received the assignment to attack Hong Kong. Of these four divisions, only the 38th played a substantive role in the invasion itself. The attack employed a combined-arms approach. Naval forces would establish a blockade and deliver bombardment while aircraft targeted key installations. Ground forces from the 38th Division—specifically the 228th, 229th, and 230th Regiments—would execute the land invasion using a three-pronged strategy. The right column would sweep westward in a wide arc, clearing Castle Peak Road and targeting the western flank of the Gin Drinkers Line near Laichikok Peninsula. The centre force would press directly through the line's middle, while the left column would cross Tidal Cove (Tolo Harbour) toward Kai Tak Airport and eastward toward Devil Peak, a crucial defensive position. The objective was to annihilate British forces on the mainland and compel Hong Kong's surrender through sustained bombardment. Should British forces resist, the island phase of the campaign would commence. Securing the rear against the Chinese National Army of the 7th Military District and Communist guerrillas fell to the 66th Regiment, normally part of the 51st Division but attached to the 38th for this operation. The 66th would simultaneously occupy and secure rear areas throughout the New Territories and Kowloon while the three assault regiments engaged the main defensive forces. This rearguard operation was organised into columns named after their commanding officers: Kitazawa, Kobayashi, Sato, and Araki. The Japanese selected the narrowest approach between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island, targeting the eastern coast near Lyemun Passage where only 410 metres of water separated the mainland from the island. Upon landing, forces would rapidly advance inland to seize the critical junction of Wongneichong Gap, then pivot westward and southward to capture Victoria City and the remainder of Hong Kong. The naval contingent divided into two groups: the Bombardment Group and the Attack Group. Approximately 300 personnel from the Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF) were attached to the invasion force. Air support came from the First Air Brigade under Col. Habu Hideharu, which contributed 56 light bombers and fighters. Their mission was to neutralise the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, thereby securing aerial and maritime superiority for the ground campaign.   On the eve of war, the British garrison numbered 13,981 all ranks, including nursing staff and St John Ambulance personnel. Of these, 8,919 were British and Canadian, with 4,402 Indian and Chinese. The core infantry force comprised 5,422 regular soldiers, complemented by approximately 6,000 additional personnel across artillery, engineering, naval, and Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps (HKVDC) units. By 1941, the Royal Navy had become a shadow of its former self as the once-dominant China Squadron. Of the three World War I destroyers present on 8 December, two had been sent to Singapore—the third undergoing repairs—by 1930. This redeployment stemmed partly from the futility of defending the colony and partly from a commitment by senior US Navy officers: Britain would reinforce Singapore with Hong Kong's fleet in exchange for four American destroyers at Singapore. This American guarantee, however, never materialized. The defensive infrastructure focused primarily on countering a seaborne attack: twenty-nine coastal guns (9.2in., 6in., 4.7in., and 4in. calibres), ten 18- and 2-pounder beach defense guns, and twenty-eight field guns (60-pounder, 6in., 4.5in., and 3.7in. calibres). The Hong Kong Garrison's infantry comprised four regular army battalions—two British and two Indian—bolstered by five HKVDC infantry companies, each averaging 100 men. The 1st Middlesex Regiment, deployed in August 1937, served as a machine-gun battalion equipped with forty-eight Vickers medium machine guns. Having been abroad since 1931, the regiment had deteriorated through protracted garrison service, Hong Kong being among the softest postings available. From September 1939 onward, all regiments—including the 5/7 Rajputs (arrived June 1937) and the 2/14 Punjab—experienced systematic loss of experienced officers and NCOs to other theaters. The Royal Scots proved particularly hard hit, suffering disciplinary problems and an unusually high court-martial rate. Units like the Hong Kong and Singapore Royal Artillery suffered critical leadership gaps that went unaddressed. By December 1941, many formations fielded inexperienced replacement troops, significantly undermining combat readiness. The Punjabis exemplified these deficiencies. Stationed in Hong Kong since November 1940, they received their vehicles and mortars only in August 1941—three months before combat. Compounding this, forty percent of their strength consisted of raw recruits arrived just in October. When war erupted, artillery regiments found themselves relying on junior officers in senior roles, with British commanders unfamiliar with Urdu directing Indian troops, a handicap that severely compromised effectiveness. Deficient equipment compounded leadership shortages. Shells dating from 1918 detonated prematurely upon discharge, while ammunition shortages crippled operations. On 8 December, all field guns deployed with merely 100 rounds apiece, with 200 rounds held in reserve for the entire campaign, and coastal guns received only 25 rounds each. Insufficient cross-training meant many infantrymen failed to understand the artillery "clock face" targeting system, causing them to miss their objectives. Malaria devastated European troops, particularly the Royal Scots. Of approximately 770 personnel, at least 180 suffered recurring malarial episodes from the Shing Mun Redoubt area's notoriously endemic conditions. Staff shortages forced nearly every unit to promote junior officers to positions beyond their rank, exacerbating structural weaknesses. Although the Canadians' arrival bolstered the garrison, significant handicaps undermined their effectiveness. Both battalions carried a C-class designation—deemed unfit for foreign service—having spent years in soft garrison postings without rigorous training. The deficit was stark: each Canadian soldier received only thirty-five rifle practice rounds. The two battalions incorporated 115 men with fewer than sixteen weeks' training, while sixty-two of seventy-five recruits joining the Winnipeg Grenadiers in June came directly from a training depot lacking even basic rifles. Twelve percent of the Canadian force remained untrained. Equipment deficiencies proved even more damaging. A standard 1941 Canadian infantry battalion required 102 motor vehicles—including twenty-two Universal Carriers, thirty-seven ¾-ton trucks, thirteen 1-ton trucks, thirty-one bicycles, and twenty-two Boys anti-tank rifles. When the Canadians landed, logistical failures left them with only six Bren carriers, two water tankers, twelve ¾-ton trucks, and a single Boys anti-tank rifle. Although they carried 3in. mortars, neither ammunition nor radios accompanied them. Canada possessed only 300 3-inch mortar bombs in its entire inventory at that time, making any allocation to Hong Kong impossible. A second vessel, the SS Don Jose, was dispatched with replacement vehicles and equipment but never reached Hong Kong before 8 December. The Japanese seized it en route to Manila. Despite these shortcomings, the force departed on 27 October with 1,975 men and arrived on 16 November. Intelligence estimates regarding Japanese available forces varied widely, ranging from two to four divisions. On 6 December evening, Chinese reports confirmed the previous day's arrival of three Japanese divisions at Buji township, located eight miles from the border in what is now Shenzhen. Earlier, around 1 November, a Japanese deserter provided intelligence of significant troop concentrations north of the frontier, including large-calibre artillery indicative of at least divisional strength.   The Hong Kong invasion force comprised three service branches: the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) deployed the 38th Infantry Division, the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) committed the Second China Fleet, and the Imperial Japanese Air Force (IJAF) contributed the 1st Air Group. Command of the ground assault rested with Lieutenant-General Sano Tadayoshi of the 38th Division, supported by Major-General Ito Takeo heading the infantry group, while supporting arms including artillery, engineers, armor, and transport fell under Sano's authority. The main assault force consisted of three infantry regiments from the 38th Division, each led by a colonel: the 228th under Doi Teihichi, the 229th under Tanaka Ryosaburo, and the 230th under Shoji Toshishige. The 38th Division itself was a standard 1940s B-class infantry division of approximately 20,000 troops (ranging from 18,000–21,000 depending on operational requirements), organized into three regiments with three battalions each. Reflecting the Japanese army's reliance on animal and human transport, each regiment fielded roughly 3,800 troops supported by some 700 horses. Battalion strength averaged around 1,071 personnel, with companies numbering approximately 180 men. Japanese infantry battalions of this period featured a distinctive organization: rifle platoons consisted of four sections (three equipped with rifles and light machine guns, one with light mortars and rifles), complemented by an additional heavy machine-gun company fielding twelve Type 92 weapons and a troop of light artillery—likely Type 92 70mm infantry guns. The divisional field artillery regiment operated 75mm Type 41 mountain guns organized into three 688-man battalions, each with two troops of two guns. Mountain artillery units, numbering 36 guns total, carried additional personnel (3,400) and animals (1,400) to navigate the terrain complexities of Hong Kong operations. Recognizing the need for overwhelming firepower to compel Hong Kong's surrender, the IJA augmented the invasion force with heavy artillery—15cm and 24cm howitzers commanded by Major-General Kitashima Kineo. News of the Canadian reinforcements arriving in Hong Kong forced a reassessment. Commander-in-Chief Sakai Takashi of the 23rd Army informed his superiors that the original ten-day timeline was unrealistic and requested additional troops. Although most formations were already committed to other operations, Imperial Headquarters eventually authorized two depot regiments from Japan to support the campaign. Intended for second-line duties rather than frontline combat, these units were to be returned promptly after freeing experienced personnel for Hong Kong operations. This arrangement allowed the 19th and 20th mixed brigades—approximately 6,000 men organized in five infantry battalions, a field artillery battalion, and an engineer battalion—to be released for Hong Kong. However, Sakai's request for reinforcements met with disapproval from Imperial Headquarters, and he received an unmistakable message: a swift, decisive campaign was essential. His situation worsened when Japanese agents mistakenly identified British Bren carriers as tanks, forcing Sakai to improvise armor by raiding the 1st Reserve Tank Battalion and tankette units from infantry depot divisions. In attempting to secure additional armor from the 11th Army's 9th Reconnaissance Regiment, Sakai encountered resistance. General Hata Shunroku lodged sustained complaints with senior officials, and Sakai received a sharp rebuke—further requests would not be entertained, and his replacement would follow if necessary. Stung by this loss of face, Sakai abandoned all additional requests and became even more determined to achieve success. Vice-Admiral Niimi Masaichi, commanding the 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet, oversaw the entire naval element, divided into bombardment and attack groups. His flagship, the light cruiser Isuzu, carried Captain Ura Koichi, who simultaneously commanded the bombardment group. This naval force assembled ships from various China Expeditionary Fleet units, particularly from the Canton Special Base Force, 15 Squadron, and 11 Torpedo Boat Division at Guangzhou. Reflecting Niimi's lack of confidence in the army's air support capabilities, the seaplane tender IJN Kamikawa Maru joined the operation on his insistence, providing organic naval aviation against the threat posed by British Wildebeests. Niimi also petitioned for destroyers IJN Wakaba and Yugure to counter the three British destroyers, though this request was denied. The Special Naval Landing Forces (SNLF) were assigned to conduct diversionary attacks south of Hong Kong Island, intended to distract British forces from the main land invasion thrust. The IJAF's 1st Air Brigade, commanded by Colonel Habu Hideharu, centered on the 45th Air Regiment with 34 Kawasaki Ki-32 Type 98 'Mary' light bombers. This composite force drew aircraft and units from airfields across China and Manchuria—Beijing, Shanghai, Taiwan, and Qiqihar—all assembled at Baiyun Aerodrome in Guangzhou on 7 December 1941. Supporting the 1st Air Brigade were the 10th Independent Squadron under Captain Takatsuki Akira with 13 Nakajima Ki-27 Type 97 'Nate' fighters, 3 Mitsubishi Ki-15 Type 97 'Babs' command reconnaissance aircraft from the 18th Independent Reconnaissance Squadron, and the 44th Independent Squadron fielding 6 Tachikawa Ki-36 Type 98 'Ida' observation aircraft. Years before the invasion, the Japanese cultivated an extensive network of agents and sleeper operatives in Hong Kong, methodically gathering intelligence and mapping military installations. This sophisticated network proved remarkably effective: invasion maps carried by IJA officers were actually Hong Kong Government and British military maps, overprinted with Japanese annotations and interpretations. British officers later discovered in captivity that the Peninsula Hotel's regular barber was a Japanese Navy lieutenant-commander who had exploited the intimate setting to extract valuable information about British force dispositions. Intelligence operatives infiltrated every level of Hong Kong society—the garrison tailor and barber both served as spies. This groundwork enabled exceptional accuracy in artillery fire and bombing campaigns. The Japanese further leveraged criminal networks, recruiting gangsters throughout Hong Kong and Guangdong province with money and arms, turning them into irregular auxiliaries supporting the invasion.   On Sunday, 7 December, seven hundred members of the 2nd Royal Scots and Middlesex Regiment marched to St John's Cathedral for the morning service. As Major-General Maltby read a passage from Matthew, his aide-de-camp, Lieutenant I. MacGregor, delivered an urgent message that would change everything. Preparations for conflict had already begun. On 5 December, the HKVDC had mobilized fully, yet Hong Kong's broader population remained unmoved—the Happy Valley racetrack reported record attendance that very day. The contrast was stark: while one institution prepared for war, another celebrated as though nothing threatened. Japanese forces had been positioned advantageously since autumn 1941. The 23rd Army was already stationed west of Guangzhou, with contingents scattered across Foshan Town, Zhuhai, and other locations on the Pearl River delta. Upon orders for war on 1 December, they faced minimal distances to cover. The army regrouped at Humen, Shilong Town, and Guangzhou itself—staging areas for the invasion. The first visible signs arrived on 4–5 December when Japanese forces landed at Mirs Bay; the 228th Regiment moved into its staging area at Buji Town, now part of Shenzhen City. Maltby received these reports and immediately departed the cathedral service to issue urgent stand-to orders. Yet skepticism persisted within military circles. Some dismissed the threat, dismissing such intelligence as "astonishingly erroneous." Meanwhile, the Imperial Japanese Navy massed in the waters beyond Hong Kong's horizon. The Kowloon Infantry Brigade held a stretched defensive line: the 5/7 Rajputs anchored the centre, the 2/14 Punjab the east, and the 2nd Royal Scots the west. Forward positions extended far—C Company, 2/14 Punjab, under Major S. Burns ranged along Castle Peak Road toward Yuen Long. The brigade screen, C Company of the 2/14 Punjab, held Shueng Shui and Taipo Market with four Bren carriers and two armoured cars from the HKVDC, backed by engineers and the 22nd Fortress Company. The Hong Kong Infantry Brigade held Hong Kong Island itself. The Winnipeg Grenadiers occupied Victoria City on the north-west coast, while the Royal Rifles of Canada stretched along the north-east shores from Saukiwan to Lyemun. Brigadier Lawson commanded from his headquarters at Wongneichong Gap in the island's centre. At 0355 hours on 8 December, the code word "Blossom Blossom" was transmitted. Eleven minutes later, Lieutenant-General Sakai ordered the invasion to commence. Fifty minutes after that, at 0445 hours, Major Charles Boxer—a fluent Japanese speaker formerly of the Lincolnshire Regiment—was roused by Radio Tokyo announcing that war was imminent. Governor Young and Major-General Maltby were informed at once. By 0500 hours, the forward demolition points had been blown by Major Gray, OC of C Company 2/14 Punjab, and the HKVDC engineers under Major J. H. Bottomley. At 0645 hours, the garrison received formal notification: Britain and Japan were at war. Seventy-five minutes later, air-raid sirens wailed. Within moments, smoke billowed from Kai Tak Airport as Japanese aircraft destroyed virtually the entire air garrison. The Wildebeests, Walruses, HKVDC biplanes, and several civilian planes were engulfed in flames. Only two Ju-52s of the Eurasia Corporation and one CNAC T-32 Condor escaped destruction—dispersal bays had never been built due to lack of funds. The Japanese then turned to secondary targets, bombing Shamshuipo Camp and the neighbouring police station. The Canadians suffered few large-scale casualties in the initial strikes, though Sergeant Routledge and Signalman Fairley of the signal platoon were wounded—the first Canadian soldiers injured in World War II. Remarkably, Hong Kong Island's theatres, cinemas, and restaurants continued operating as though the island faced no peril. Japanese demolition efforts proved only minor obstacles. Bridges blown were quickly replaced. The invasion proceeded on three fronts: the 230th Regiment advanced westward along the northern route toward Yuen Long and Castle Peak, targeting the northern slope of Tai Mo Mountain. The 228th Regiment drove down the centre, following the Sheung Shui–Taipo–Kowloon road toward Grassy Hill north of the Shing Mun Redoubt. The 229th Regiment, crossing at Sha Tau Kok and by boat at Starling Inlet, proceeded via Taipo toward Tai Shui Hang and Ma On Mountain. Whenever confronted with strongly defended positions, the Japanese bypassed them entirely rather than engage. The first day brought scattered but spirited resistance. Around 1300 hours, the Punjabis inflicted the first serious check, drawing blood from advancing Japanese forces. At 1830 hours, they ambushed and decimated several Japanese platoons south of Taipo market town. The HKVDC's armoured cars and Bren carriers struck similar successes nearby. The 2 Royal Scots' reconnaissance platoon clashed with elements of the 229th Regiment around Yuen Long. Despite these minor victories, Japanese momentum continued. Armed with stolen British maps and guided by fifth columnists, they pushed forward relentlessly. By late afternoon on the 8th, the Punjabis withdrew toward Grassy Hill to avoid being outflanked. The artillerymen of the 12th Battery engaged an IJN destroyer and Japanese forces around Taipo, inflicting heavy casualties. Farther south near Shatin, on the Taipo–Kowloon highway, rapidly advancing Japanese troops surprised the defenders and severed the fuse at an HKVDC demolition point. Their triumph proved momentary; the engineers completed the backup circuit and detonated the bridge, destroying it along with the Japanese soldiers crossing it. By early morning on 9 December, orders came to withdraw all mainland units to the Gin Drinkers Line. The Punjabis, already at Shatin Wai overlooking Tide Cove, held their position under pressure and continuous shelling for the next two days. The HKVDC withdrew to Fotan, a village south of Shatin. Maltby ordered D Company, 5/7 Rajputs, under Captain H. R. Newtons to Smuggler's Ridge to close the gap between the 2 Royal Scots and 2/14 Punjab. HKVDC armoured cars and Bren carriers continued patrols along Castle Peak Road while HMS Cicala, having survived two air attacks, maintained station in Castle Peak Bay. Despite an IJN blockade, the destroyers HMS Thanet and Scout slipped anchor and escaped to Singapore around 2130 hours. The surviving CNAC and Eurasia aircraft took off with high-value evacuees: Dr. Sun Yat-Sen's widow and her two equally renowned sisters—the Soong sisters—along with Chinese Finance Minister H. H. Kung. Also departing was Lieutenant-Colonel H. Owen-Hughes of the HKVDC, who carried orders to coordinate with the Chinese Nationalist Army for a rear-guard attack on Japanese forces to relieve the pressure on Hong Kong. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. On 8 December 1941, Japan attacked Hong Kong with the 38th Division, supported by naval and air forces. Despite British defenses manned by undertrained, under-equipped troops, Japanese forces advanced rapidly across three fronts. Within hours, the RAF was destroyed, demolitions proved futile, and British units withdrew toward the Gin Drinkers Line facing overwhelming odds.

Six Marines raising the American flag atop Mount Suribachi on February 23, 1945, became one of the most enduring images in American history. But what about the company behind the flag? Join the Veterans Breakfast Club for a conversation with Marine veteran and author Billy Myers, who has spent years researching the remarkable story of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Marines—the unit whose men climbed Suribachi and whose members raised both the first and second flags over Iwo Jima. Myers' forthcoming book tells the story of Easy Company from its formation through the brutal battle for Iwo Jima and beyond. Drawing on letters, diaries, military records, and family accounts, he introduces the ordinary young Americans who became part of one of World War II's most iconic moments. If Band of Brothers told the story of Easy Company in Europe, Myers aims to tell the story of Easy Company in the Pacific. A Marine Corps veteran himself, Myers enlisted at seventeen and served four years before earning degrees from Northwestern State University and The Ohio State University. He later spent nearly three decades coaching football and baseball in Louisiana, bringing the same commitment to teamwork, leadership, and perseverance to his historical research. Our conversation will explore not only the famous flag raising but also the men whose lives have too often been overshadowed by a single photograph. We'll discuss the savage fighting on Iwo Jima, the bonds forged within Easy Company, the challenges of reconstructing its history eighty years later, and why these Marines still matter today. As always, we'll leave plenty of time for audience questions, comments, and stories. Veterans, family members, students, history lovers, and all who wish to learn are warmly welcome.

During World War II, the United States Marines played a central role in the battle for the islands of the Pacific. Marine Corps veteran Bill Swanson was often in the first wave to hit the beach in many of these brutal campaigns. In this episode, he paints a vivid picture of what it was like to fight in the "living hell" of these steaming jungles and swamps. He shares his experiences on Bougainville, Guam and Iwo Jima, battling a hidden and determined enemy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The National Security Hour with Major Fred Galvin – This powerful Independence Week special traces the incredible price paid by our Founding Fathers, the soldiers of Valley Forge, the heroes of Gettysburg, the Marines at Belleau Wood, the warriors of Pearl Harbor, Normandy, Iwo Jima, and every generation that answered our nation's call...

#195 - Scott Davis - The Last of the Old Breed | The Last WWII Marines of the Pacific — Their Stories Before They're Gone Forever

In the spring of 1945, The Battle of Iwo Jima raged between the US Marines and Navy, and the Imperial Japanese Army. Tasked with capturing the Japanese island and its accompanying airfields, the US launched a five-week assault that ultimately became one of the bloodiest conflicts of the Pacific War, leading to the deaths of almost 7000 US soldiers and as many as 18,375 Japanese troops. Though the US would ultimately succeed, the clash between the two countries was not without its controversies. Join us for this documentary as we examine The Battle of Iwo Jima.  Welcome to Wars of the World Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some men leave the military and still notice the empty seat at the table. The mission has ended, the unit is no longer there, and civilian life often lacks the honesty they once shared with fellow service members. Historian and Marine veteran Bryan Rigg offers a unique perspective on this struggle. He draws from his research on World War II, Holocaust history, his time in the Marine Corps, and his efforts to save stories that might have been forgotten. He discusses unopened Iwo Jima records, German primary groups, the silence after war, and how veterans can lose their close circle of support when they come home. This conversation covers both battlefield history and the daily challenges veterans face after service. It offers veterans practical ideas for building connection, finding meaning, seeking therapy, learning from older veterans, supporting family, and making small check-ins that help them keep going. You will come away with a better understanding of why isolation is so hard, how to rebuild connections on purpose, and how sharing pain with the right people can help you heal. Timestamps: 00:01:38 - How a Marine veteran kept serving through history 00:06:45 - The World War II files no one had opened 00:11:00 - Primary groups and why men fight harder together 00:26:15 - Why veterans lose their tribe after coming home 00:46:15 - Finding the why that keeps a man moving forward Links & Resources Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 Website: https://www.BryanMarkRigg.com Follow Bryan Rigg on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bryanmarkrigg/ Follow Bryan Rigg on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bryanmarkrigg/ Follow Bryan Rigg on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/bryanmarkrigg1 Follow Bryan Rigg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanmarkrigg Follow Bryan Rigg on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClvYbh1DdUB-k5DBuQ_yFFw/videos

Islas Aisladas, letales e inolvidables. Lugares como Iwo Jima, la Isla del Diablo o la Isla de las Serpientes encierran algunos de los episodios más oscuros del pasado. Tiranos Desde gobernantes despiadados como Calígula o Iván el Terrible hasta dictadores como Mao Zedong o Saddam Hussein, responsables de millones de muertes: estos son algunos de los gobernantes más letales que ha conocido la humanidad.

Drop us a note about the podcast. “What is truth?” Pilate's question isn't a relic from a dusty courtroom, it's the question that keeps haunting our public life, our homes, and our churches. We open with John 18 and watch Jesus stand calmly in front of earthly power, saying his kingdom is not of this world and that he came to testify to the truth. That moment draws a bright line between convenience and conviction, and it forces us to ask where we've traded truth for comfort.From there, we move from the courtroom to the living room with 1 Peter 3 and talk plainly about Christian marriage: conduct that speaks louder than words, beauty shaped by a gentle and quiet spirit, and husbands called to live with honor so prayers aren't hindered. We also read through the crucifixion account in John 19, then connect it with Psalm 119 and Proverbs 16, where God calls out divided loyalties and demands justice, honest judgment, and fair standards.We also reflect on the long-term consequences of cultural choices, highlight a recent criminal case tied to immigration debates, and then pivot to what real courage looks like with the Medal of Honor story of William Robert Caddy at Iwo Jima. We close with a striking Robert E. Lee Christmas letter on gratitude to Almighty God and a reminder that national celebrations mean little if God is missing from the center.If this conversation helps you think more clearly and live more faithfully, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the American Soul Podcast.#ChristianNation#RobertELee #MedalofHonorSupport the showThe American Soul Podcasthttps://www.buzzsprout.com/1791934/subscribeCountryside Book Serieshttps://www.amazon.com/Countryside-Book-J-T-Cope-IV-ebook/dp/B00MPIXOB2 

Life is not what you make it. Student explains Chicago cross. Markwayne Mullin's Trump story. WWII veteran's tears. JD on The View.

If we had the bomb in time. Do you think we should've dropped here first? Support on Patreon!

In this prayerful episode for Flag Day, Lynette Kittle reflects on what the American flag has meant to generations of citizens who have lived under its colors, fought beneath it, and looked to it as a symbol of the freedoms they hold dear. Adopted by the Continental Congress in 1777, the flag has witnessed war, sacrifice, and the ongoing pursuit of a more perfect union, and it still stirs the hearts of those who love what it represents. From the iconic photograph of six Marines raising the flag at Iwo Jima to Isaiah's imagery of banners lifted on mountaintops, the raising of a flag has always carried weight. It speaks in an instant of a nation, its people, and its values. On Flag Day, Lynette invites us to do more than admire the symbol — she calls us to pray over it, asking God that the nation it represents would be one that truly honors His name, walks in His ways, and stands for the freedom that comes not only from the Constitution, but from Jesus Christ Himself. As Dr. Jerry Newcombe describes it, the American flag represents "self-rule under God," and that is worth both celebrating and interceding for. Today's Bible Verse "Till you are left like a flagstaff on a mountaintop, like a banner on a hill." — Isaiah 30:17, NIV Ponder Today A nation's flag is more than a symbol. It is a witness. In a single glance, a flag communicates what a nation stands for, who its people are, and what they value. What we pray for our flag is ultimately what we pray for our nation. Flag Day is an invitation to intercession, not just celebration. Gratitude for what our nation has been is inseparable from prayer for what it can yet become. Let patriotism lead you to your knees on behalf of the country you love. Much blood has been shed defending what the flag represents. The sacrifice of those who served beneath its colors deserves our remembrance and our gratitude, on Flag Day and every day. The truest hope for any nation is that it would trust in God. Laws, constitutions, and military strength all have their place, but a nation's greatest foundation is the acknowledgment that its liberties and blessings ultimately come from Him. A Prayer for You Today Dear Father, we pray for our nation's flag to wave in humbleness and hope, representing a country that honors and glorifies Your name above all others. Let it be carried and waved by a people who follow Your ways. Let it stand, too, for the true freedom given to us through Jesus Christ, God's gift to every person who receives His salvation and freedom from sin. With sincere hearts, we ask You to make America a nation that truly trusts in You, and may our flag reflect that trust to the world. In Jesus' name, Amen. Don't Miss an Episode If today's prayer stirred both your patriotism and your faith, we'd love to stay connected. Subscribe to the LifeAudio newsletter at LifeAudio.com for daily prayers, devotionals, and more content to nourish your love for God, your neighbors, and your nation every day. If you like this podcast, be sure to check out our sister podcast, Your Nightly Prayer - an evening Christian prayer podcast to help you end your day in conversation with God. https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-nightly-prayer/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This is the VIC 4 VETS, Weekly Honored Veterans. SUBMITTED BY: Frank S. Wright sent this via AmericanVeteransCenter.org _____________________________________________________________ Frank S. Wright - Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.) United States Marine Corps, retired. I’m a hundred years old now — one of the last living Marine Raiders of World War II. In January 1942, just weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor, I quit high school in Arkansas and walked into the enlistment office. I was sixteen — too young, too skinny, and too light to qualify. The sergeant told me to come back when I was heavier. So I went home, ate all the bananas I could find, and stuffed five pounds’ worth into my pockets before stepping on that scale again. I passed. I lied about my age. And I became a Marine.After boot camp, I volunteered to join the 4th Marine Raiders, America’s first special operations unit. They asked me why I wanted to join. I said, “Because I want to fight.” Our commanding officer was James Roosevelt, the President’s son — a good man, the kind who never gave an order he wouldn’t do himself. We were trained to land first, fight behind enemy lines, and take the beaches nobody else could reach. From Guadalcanal to New Georgia, from the jungles of the Solomons to the black sand of Iwo Jima, we fought to free the Pacific. On Guam, I was stabbed in the stomach during hand-to-hand combat. On Iwo Jima, I was hit by machine-gun fire and knocked unconscious. Both times, my men thought I was gone. Somehow, I wasn’t. When I came to, I saw the flag rising on Mount Suribachi. Every ship in the harbor sounded its horn. I had tears in my eyes then, and I still do when I think about it. That flag meant freedom still lived. There were dark days too... On Guadalcanal, I caught malaria and ended up in a field hospital — but when my unit was preparing to move out, I couldn’t stand being left behind. I slipped out and rejoined them. I’ll now admit, I was always a little rebellious. When the war ended, I became a drill instructor, helping shape the next generation of Marines. I was in my twenties, carrying wounds inside and out. For more than a decade, I didn’t share my stories. I kept them locked away, like many of my brothers did. Over the years, I began to open up and share my story with friends, family, and others who wanted to know about the realities of the battlefield at the Pacific Front. At my age, I don’t take many things for granted. But I still believe in this country — and what it stands for, Thank you for remembering. Thank you for caring. And thank you for keeping faith with those who served.Semper Fidelis, Frank S. Wright Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.) Veteran, 4th Marine Raiders | 21st Marines, 3rd Marine DivisionP.S. When I was sixteen, I had to lie about my age to fight for my country. Now, at one hundred, I can tell you the truth as plain as I know it: freedom isn’t free. ________________________________________________________________ This Week’s VIC 4 VETS, Honored Veteran on NewsTalkSTL.With support from our friends at:Alamo Military Collectables, Gemini Wealth Group H.E.R.O.E.S. CARE, Inc. Michel's Funeral Home and Freddie's Market See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join the Veterans Breakfast Club on Thursday, June 4 at 7:00pm ET for a special livestream conversation with historian Nicholas Evan Sarantakes about his acclaimed new book The Battle of Manila: Poisoned Victory in the Pacific War. In February 1945, American and Japanese forces fought one of the most brutal urban battles of World War II: the month-long struggle for Manila. Often overshadowed by Iwo Jima and Okinawa, the Battle of Manila became the third-bloodiest city battle of the war, leaving much of the Philippine capital destroyed and more than 100,000 Filipino civilians dead. Sarantakes' groundbreaking book examines the campaign from American, Japanese, and Filipino perspectives, revealing the chaos of house-to-house fighting, the role of Filipino guerrillas, and the devastating human cost of liberation. Nicholas Evan Sarantakes is a professor at the U.S. Naval War College and an award-winning historian whose work explores the Pacific War, military strategy, and American foreign policy. His new study sheds light on a pivotal but often overlooked campaign that helped determine the final outcome of World War II in the Pacific. #BattleOfManila #WWII #WorldWarII #PacificWar #Philippines #MilitaryHistory #USArmy #DouglasMacArthur #NicholasSarantakes #VeteransBreakfastClub #WW2History #HistoryLivestream #Manila1945 #PacificTheater #WWIIHistory

Mother Horse Eyes Part 2 - Flesh Portal Nightmare Continues | Nephilim Death Squad PodcastDavid Lee Corbo (The Raven), Top Lobsta, and Mattt return for the unhinged continuation of the Mother Horse Eyes saga in this wild Nephilim Death Squad episode. Dive deep into the grotesque flesh interface horrors: Iwo Jima's volcanic nightmares, the Manson Family desert pussy portal, Michael Jackson's propofol-fueled REM suppression, North Korean whale frequency experiments in underground facilities, and the tree of life revelation that changes everything.Plus chaotic banter on boomer life in The Villages, Owen Benjamin's savage Baby Boomerville song, Peter Thiel and Silicon Valley “Christians,” the Book of Revelation, Antichrist tech, biblical prophecy, Neil deGrasse Tyson memes, and nonstop roast sessions. If you love conspiracy horror, creepypasta, anomalous phenomena, biblical deep dives, and no-filter podcast chaos — this is your episode.Like if the flesh portal stories broke your brain Subscribe and hit the bell for more Nephilim Death Squad madness Support the show & get early/ad-free episodes + private communities: patreon.com/NephilimDeathSquadMerch & discount codes: TopLobsta.com0:00 – Intro, Ancient Ones Quote & Welcome Back3:50 – Patreon Plug, Merch, Discord & Community Reminder8:15 – Twitter Ban Story + Craig's Dead Mom Roast Session13:40 – Tucker Carlson Nephilim Episode + Timothy Alberino Suggestion19:05 – Nancy Banter (“Mother” Jokes & Violence Scale)24:30 – Mother Horse Eyes Part 2 Begins – Iwo Jima Recap30:10 – Michael Jackson Propofol & REM Suppression Story37:45 – Reaction to MJ + Kanye Nitrous / Whippets Tangent46:20 – Owen Benjamin “Baby Boomerville” Song (Full Play & Breakdown)55:40 – Boomer Villages Deep Dive + “World's Ending When I Die”1:07:25 – Fiscal Policy, Great Reset & Boomer Money Talk1:16:50 – Mother Horse Eyes – Manson Family Desert Flesh Portal (Pussy in the Arroyo)1:26:10 – Duncan Trussell / Peter Thiel / Book of Revelation Clip1:33:40 – Antichrist Tech, Elon Musk, Prophecy & Judgment Discussion1:42:15 – Mother Horse Eyes – North Korea Whale Frequency Facility1:48:50 – Final Thoughts, Tree of Life Reveal & Outro  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/nephilim-death-squad--6389018/support.☠️ Nephilim Death Squad — New episodes 5x/week.Join our Patreon for early access, bonus shows & the private Telegram hive.Subscribe on YouTube & Rumble, follow @NephilimDSquad on X/Instagram, grab merch at toplobsta.com. Questions/bookings: chroniclesnds@gmail.com — Stay dangerous.

La conquista de la isla de Iwo Jima significó un punto y aparte para la guerra en el Pacífico. Al fin las islas principales de Japón estaban al alcance de los letales cazas de escolta de la USAAF... Te lo cuenta Antonio "Von Hammer" en este programa especial de Motor y al Aire. Músicas de: Marcos Bolaños y Light elves Music. Más episodios: ivoox.com/podcast-motor-al-aire_sq_f1117313_1.html Contacto: motoryalairepodcast@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/motoryalaire Twitter: @motoryalaire

CannCon and Alpha Warrior throw out the usual format and turn the show over to the audience for a Memorial Day special. Before the lines open, the guys go round and round on whether stolen elections are best called fake or fraudulent, with Alpha holding the line on stolen and gay over fake and gay. They cover Johnny Joey Jones reenlisting in the Marine Corps at 40 with no legs, what that signals about the civilian military force the CIA quietly admitted exists, and CannCon's own story of getting forced out by Obama-era downsizing after a shoulder reconstruction. Then the calls start rolling in. Kairos reads her original poem "Hey, Ron" written for her Vietnam vet neighbor. Claire Cat honors her dad, two uncles, and British father-in-law who served from Iwo Jima to the Battle of the Bulge to pulling pilots out of London's fields. Smay calls in from the regular Army era of 1970s pay. Space Monkey shares twenty nine Palms memories. Lion AZ tells the story of her granddaughter discovering she had a relative who served. Pan Blanco, age 84, remembers his recon Marine brother G. Edward Dyer. CannCon closes with a plug for the Mighty Oaks Warrior Program.

En enero de 1945 los aliados intuían que la guerra entraba en su recta final, aunque nadie acertaba a fijar la fecha del desenlace. El teatro europeo de operaciones parecía más cerca del final que el del Pacífico. Alemania estaba cercada por el este, el oeste y el sur, mientras que el archipiélago japonés todavía resistía. Aún no se habían librado las batallas de Iwo Jima y Okinawa, por lo que el alto mando estadounidense calculaba que aquello no terminaría hasta mediado el año 1946 a un coste muy elevado en vidas. Lo que sí dominaban los aliados sin discusión era el aire, y de ese dominio surgiría la mayor campaña de bombardeo estratégico de la historia. En el Reino Unido Arthur Harris, al frente del Bomber Command, era partidario del bombardeo de área nocturno, concebido expresamente para incendiar ciudades enteras y romper así la moral de los civiles. Los estadounidense preferían el bombardeo de precisión diurno sobre objetivos industriales bien elegidos con anterioridad. Disponían de ciertos avances como la mira Norden y contaban con buenos cazas de escolta como los Mustang que protegían a los bombarderos. En la Conferencia de Yalta celebrada en febrero Roosevelt y Churchill decidieron desatar una campaña de bombardeos que aliviase presión a los soviéticos en el frente del este impidiendo que el ejército alemán pudiese desplazar tropas y pertrechos hasta allí. Ese mismo mes atacaron con furia Berlín el día 3 y Dresde entre los días 13 y 14 con tres oleadas combinadas que desataron una tormenta de fuego que en su centro superó los 1.500 grados. Unas 25.000 personas murieron en el bombardeo, pero no sería el único. Le siguieron otras ciudades como Pforzheim, Wurzburgo y Magdeburgo que fueron destruidas, incluso en mayor medida que Dresde. Pero lo que marcó la diferencia no fue tanto la destrucción de las ciudades como los ataques sobre la infraestructura ferroviaria, algo que terminó paralizando por completo el Reich. En el Pacífico el cambio vino de la mano de un joven general, Curtis LeMay, que en enero se puso al mando de los B-29 destacados en las islas Marianas. Los fuertes vientos en altura hacían muy difícil el bombardero de precisión sobre Japón. LeMay ordenó volar de noche, a baja altura, sin armamento defensivo a bordo de los aviones y con bodegas repletas de bombas incendiarias M-69. La noche del 9 al 10 de marzo la Operación Meetinghouse incendió 41 kilómetros cuadrados de la ciudad de Tokio y mató entre 80.000 y 125.000 personas en lo que fue el episodio bélico más mortífero no de la guerra, sino de toda la historia. Nagoya, Osaka, Kobe, Yokohama y Kawasaki sufrieron idéntico destino, y luego decenas de ciudades medianas. Pero, pese a la devastación, Japón no se rendía. En Washington se plantearon invadir las islas principales con una gran operación anfibia, pero estimaban que el coste sería altísimo, de hasta un millón de bajas. Fue entonces cuando recurrieron a la bomba atómica que habían desarrollado con el Proyecto Manhattan. El 6 de agosto cayó la primera en Hiroshima, tres días más tarde cayó otra sobre Nagasaki. Entre medias los soviéticos entraron en Manchuria. El día 15 el emperador Hirohito anunció la rendición incondicional. Esta tormenta de fuego plantea preguntas incómodas. Los bombardeos contribuyeron a la victoria si, pero las víctimas civiles superaron las 650.000 en ambos teatros. Harris y LeMay fueron condecorados, y los tribunales de Núremberg y Tokio prefirieron no abrir ese melón. Sucesivos acuerdos sobre el alcance de este tipo de bombardeo vinieron después, pero el debate sigue abierto. En El ContraSello: 0:00 Introducción 4:01 La tormenta de fuego 1:24:41 Joaquín Murat Bibliografía: “El incendio. Alemania bajo el bombardeo” de Jörg Friedrich - https://amzn.to/4tOywyi “Bomber command” de Max Hastings - https://amzn.to/3PV8aN9 “Downfall” de Richard B. Frank - https://amzn.to/4wNBx4M “Sangre y ruinas” de Richard Overy - https://amzn.to/4uVxtgS Escucha el episodio completo en la app de iVoox, o descubre todo el catálogo de iVoox Originals

Movie of the Year: 2006A New Season Begins The Movies of 2006 Podcast Begins: 128 Films Enter the BracketThe movies of 2006 podcast is officially underway, and the Taste Buds are ready to take on one of the richest film years of the 21st century. Ryan, Mike, and Greg kick off the 2006 season on PopFilter by introducing the year, explaining the bracket structure, and beginning the first round of eliminations. Furthermore, Part 1 of the intro sets the tone for a season packed with genuine heavyweights, unlikely contenders, and some of the most debated films of the decade.2006 delivered a field that refuses to cooperate with easy rankings. The Departed sits alongside Pan's Labyrinth, Children of Men, and Little Miss Sunshine in the same calendar year. Additionally, Casino Royale, The Prestige, Babel, Borat, and Idiocracy all arrived in 2006, representing wildly different visions of what cinema can accomplish. The Taste Buds have their work cut out for them.About the 2006 Film Year2006 stands as one of the most celebrated film years of the decade. Martin Scorsese's The Departed swept the Academy Awards, winning Best Picture and earning Scorsese his first Oscar for Best Director. Meanwhile, Guillermo del Toro delivered Pan's Labyrinth, a Spanish-language dark fantasy that works equally as a fairy tale and a historical horror. Alfonso Cuarón's Children of Men earned near-universal acclaim for its singular, one-take-heavy vision of a dying civilization.The box office reflected 2006's breadth. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest topped the global charts. Casino Royale relaunched the Bond franchise with Daniel Craig in his debut as 007. Cars kept Pixar's winning streak intact. Moreover, the comedies were just as crowded: Borat, Talladega Nights, Idiocracy, and Clerks II each built devoted audiences. Consequently, building a bracket from this year means making choices that will draw genuine disagreement from all directions.International cinema contributed heavily to 2006's depth. Alejandro González Iñárritu's Babel earned seven Academy Award nominations after competing at Cannes. Pedro Almodóvar's Volver brought Penélope Cruz one of her most celebrated screen performances. The year also produced major releases from Darren Aronofsky (The Fountain), Sofia Coppola (Marie Antoinette), Christopher Nolan (The Prestige), and Mel Gibson (Apocalypto). In practice, few years in recent memory offer this density of debate-worthy titles across this many genres. The movies of 2006 represent a year when every corner of the industry produced something worth arguing about.How the Movie of the Year Bracket WorksMovie of the Year uses a bracket format borrowed from sports tournaments. The Taste Buds seed 128 films from a given year and match them head-to-head across multiple rounds until one earns the title of best of the year. The movies of 2006 provide an especially deep pool to draw from. Each round cuts the field in half: 128 to 64, 64 to 32, 32 to the Sweet 16, and on through the Elite Eight, Final Four, and championship. Notably, the bracket covers the full range of the year — prestige titles, genre pictures, comedies, blockbusters, and deep cuts all compete on equal footing.The seeding and matchups drive the conversation. A high-seeded favorite facing a scrappy underdog often produces the most spirited debates, because the Taste Buds evaluate every film on its own terms. No film earns an automatic pass based on reputation alone. A beloved blockbuster can fall in round one. A smaller film can advance much further than anyone expects. Therefore, the bracket functions as a pressure test for every assumption the hosts carry into the season.The format also distinguishes Movie of the Year from a standard best-of list. The hosts cannot simply rank their favorites and close the debate. Instead, they defend each pick against a direct opponent, round after round. Above all, the bracket produces arguments that a list never could, because every vote carries immediate consequences. To see what this process looks like across a full season, the Movie of the Year archive includes complete coverage of every year the Taste Buds have tackled, including the recently completed 1971 season.The 2006 First Round: Inside the Movies of 2006 Podcast BracketThe first round of the 2006 season pits 64 matchups against one another and cuts the field in half. Part 1 of the intro covers the opening set of battles, with Part 2 completing the round. Even the quickest first-round decisions carry weight, because an early upset can remove a major contender long before the serious rounds begin.2006 gives the hosts no shortage of compelling first-round scenarios. High-profile releases like Superman Returns, X-Men: The Last Stand, and Blood Diamond arrive as recognizable titles but face real scrutiny on merit. Films like Half Nelson, Brick, and Thank You for Smoking represent the indie side of the year with strong critical backing. Moreover, the international titles — Pan's Labyrinth, Volver, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer — introduce a different set of criteria into the matchups entirely.The documentary field adds another dimension. An Inconvenient Truth became one of 2006's most discussed releases and earned Al Gore an Academy Award. Jesus Camp generated controversy and critical notice in equal measure. Additionally, the horror entries, the prestige dramas like United 93 and The Good Shepherd, and the awards-season crowding all create pressure across the bracket from the opening round. Roger Ebert's four-star review of The Departed captures the critical consensus around 2006's most decorated film. Nevertheless, the first round is only the beginning.Why 2006 Still Matters2006 represents a pivotal moment in 21st-century cinema. The year demonstrated that prestige filmmaking and mass entertainment could share a single calendar without one displacing the other. The Departed and Pan's Labyrinth both belong to 2006. Borat and Children of Men arrived the same year. That range matters because the best film years do not produce one kind of great film — they produce many kinds simultaneously.Moreover, 2006 produced titles that have only grown in cultural stature since their release. Idiocracy arrived with little fanfare and now functions as a widely cited cultural reference point. Children of Men drew modest theatrical audiences and currently ranks among the most admired films of the decade in retrospective criticism. The Prestige built a devoted following that continues to generate debate about its structure and its final image. Additionally, Casino Royale remains the gold standard for modern Bond films nearly two decades later.The movies of 2006 podcast gives these films a structured arena to compete. That structure reveals something a ranked list cannot: which films hold up under sustained comparison, which reputations survive direct opposition, and which consensus picks turn out to be more fragile than they appear. 2006 deserves this treatment. The Taste Buds are the right crew to find out which film earns the crown.Related Episodes from Movie of the YearMovie of the Year — Full Episode ArchiveThe Last Picture Show — Movie of the Year: 1971A Clockwork Orange — Movie of the Year: 1971More 2006 episode pages will be linked here as the season progresses.FAQ: Movies of 2006 Podcast and Film YearWhat is the movies of 2006 podcast intro episode about? This episode launches the 2006 season of Movie of the Year on PopFilter. Ryan, Mike, and Greg introduce the 2006 film year, explain the bracket format, and work through Part 1 of the first round, taking the field from 128 films down toward 64.How does the Movie of the Year bracket format work? Movie of the Year seeds 128 films from a given year into a tournament-style bracket. Films compete head-to-head across multiple rounds — from 128 to 64, then 32, the Sweet 16, Elite Eight, Final Four, and championship — until one film earns the title of best of the year. The format produces arguments that a simple ranked list cannot, because every vote has immediate consequences.What films are in the 2006 Movie of the Year bracket? The 2006 bracket includes 128 films from across the year: prestige dramas like The Departed, Babel, and Letters from Iwo Jima; international titles like Pan's Labyrinth and Volver; genre films like Children of Men and The Prestige; comedies like Borat, Idiocracy, and Little Miss Sunshine; and blockbusters like Casino Royale and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.What won Best Picture for the 2006 film year? The Departed, directed by Martin Scorsese, won the Academy Award for Best Picture at the 79th Academy Awards in 2007. The film also earned Scorsese his first Best Director Oscar. However, Oscar history and the Movie of the Year bracket determine their...

Send us Fan MailPeaches is back with the May 20 Daily Drop, and this one's got everything: shrinking bonuses, carrier problems, Iranian escalation, NATO chaos, and the Pentagon throwing half a billion dollars at counter-drone tech.The United States Army keeps pushing force transformation while Europe braces for more U.S. troop withdrawals. Poland is openly stressing about losing American presence—and the billions that come with it. Meanwhile the United States Navy says the plumbing drama aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford was exaggerated, while the new Boeing MQ-25 Stingray finally moves toward deployment. Then the United States Air Force cuts reenlistment bonuses, grounds the entire Northrop T-38 Talon fleet after another crash, and keeps testing rapidly deployable special operations aircraft built for the next fight.Overseas? Iran is setting up control over the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. intelligence says mines are already in place, NATO accidentally shot down a Ukrainian drone over Estonia, and everybody keeps inching closer to a larger regional problem.Bottom line: the future battlefield is moving faster than the bureaucracy trying to manage it.⏱️ Timestamps:00:00 Tasty Gains & OTS Updates 02:00 Las Vegas OTS? 03:00 More U.S. Troops Leaving Europe 05:00 Why Poland Wants Americans to Stay 07:00 Army Transformation Hits Resistance 09:00 Legacy Equipment vs Modern Warfare 11:00 USS Ford Plumbing Drama 13:00 Boeing MQ-25 Stingray Cleared for Deployment 15:00 Super Hornets Landing on Iwo Jima 17:00 Air Force Slashes Reenlistment Bonuses 21:00 Why Bonuses Actually Disappear 24:00 Northrop T-38 Talon Fleet Grounded 26:00 AFSOC's Deployable Skyraider Concept 29:00 Pentagon Drops $500M on Counter-Drone Systems 31:00 Pete Hegseth Reviews Military Legal System 33:00 Donald Trump Eyes Iran Again 35:00 Taiwan Becomes a Negotiating Chip 37:00 Iran Tightens Grip on Hormuz 39:00 NATO Shoots Down Ukrainian Drone 41:00 U.S. Finds Mines in the Strait 43:00 Final Thoughts

PREORDER JOE'S BOOK https://www.amazon.com/Highlands-Burn-Foundling-Brigade-Saga-ebook/dp/B0GSG5CNXX/ref=sr_1_1?crid=QWHSPAADI07D&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.uLEY0I7D6t0IC9GWsF7SH1FKEgKqsqTLmV4PQ_lLi-wVUCYgTqIv0BWd9_-x3VzP.xn7v2CqU5MjngXmmSbYvVGsY_fxkvgsz-LA2tkhHHTs&dib_tag=se&keywords=joseph+kassabian&qid=1774247705&s=digital-text&sprefix=%2Cdigital-text%2C176&sr=1-1 SEE US LIVE MAY 29TH IN LONDON: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lions-led-by-donkeys-podcast-live-in-london-29th-may-tickets-1985443952308 CANT MAKE THE SHOW? WE'RE STREAMING IT! GET YOUR LIVESTREAM TICKETS HERE: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/livestream-lions-led-by-donkeys-podcast-live-in-london-29th-may-2026-tickets-1985444086710 GET SECOND HOME'S DEBUT ALBUM https://secondhomes.bandcamp.com/album/find-a-way-to-hate-it The conclusion to our series on the Battle of Iwo Jima

Andra världskriget är långt ifrån över. Amerikanerna börjar återta territorium från Japanerna, som försvarar sig tappert. Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Hiroshima och Nagasaki är namn som alla känner till. Om detta och mycket mer kommer vi att prata om i den här andra delen av kriget i Stilla havet. Ciceron är precis som i del 1 Marco Smedberg.Vill du veta mera om hans verksamhet, till exempel en resa till Japan 2027, gå in på www.marcosmedberg.seProgramledare: Fritte FritzsonProducent: Ida WahlströmKlippning: Silverdrake förlagSignaturmelodi: Vacaciones - av Svantana i arrangemang av Daniel AldermarkGrafik: Jonas PikeFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/alltduvelatveta/Instagram: @alltduvelatveta / @frittefritzsonHar du förslag på avsnitt eller experter: Gå in på www.fritte.se och leta dig fram till kontakt!Podden produceras av Blandade Budskap AB och presenteras i samarbete med Acast........................................................Organisationer som hjälper Ukrainahttps://blagulabilen.se/http://www.humanbridge.se/https://www.rodakorset.se/https://lakareutangranser.se/nyheter/oro-over-situationen-i-ukrainaNågra organisationer som hjälper i Gazahttps://lakareutangranser.se/vad-vi-gor/har-arbetar-vi/palestinahttps://unicef.se/katastrofinsatser/hjalp-barnen-i-gazakrisenhttps://www.rodakorset.se/var-varld/har-arbetar-vi/palestina/gaza/gaza/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON: http://www.patreon.com/lionsledbydonkeys PREORDER JOE'S BOOK https://www.amazon.com/Highlands-Burn-Foundling-Brigade-Saga-ebook/dp/B0GSG5CNXX/ref=sr_1_1?crid=QWHSPAADI07D&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.uLEY0I7D6t0IC9GWsF7SH1FKEgKqsqTLmV4PQ_lLi-wVUCYgTqIv0BWd9_-x3VzP.xn7v2CqU5MjngXmmSbYvVGsY_fxkvgsz-LA2tkhHHTs&dib_tag=se&keywords=joseph+kassabian&qid=1774247705&s=digital-text&sprefix=%2Cdigital-text%2C176&sr=1-1 SEE US LIVE MAY 29TH IN LONDON: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lions-led-by-donkeys-podcast-live-in-london-29th-may-tickets-1985443952308 CANT MAKE THE SHOW? WE'RE STREAMING IT! GET YOUR LIVESTREAM TICKETS HERE: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/livestream-lions-led-by-donkeys-podcast-live-in-london-29th-may-2026-tickets-1985444086710 GET SECOND HOME'S DEBUT ALBUM https://secondhomes.bandcamp.com/album/find-a-way-to-hate-it The episode with the flag raising in it.

SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON patreon.com/lionsledbydonkeys PREORDER JOE'S BOOK https://www.amazon.com/Highlands-Burn-Foundling-Brigade-Saga-ebook/dp/B0GSG5CNXX/ref=sr_1_1?crid=QWHSPAADI07D&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.uLEY0I7D6t0IC9GWsF7SH1FKEgKqsqTLmV4PQ_lLi-wVUCYgTqIv0BWd9_-x3VzP.xn7v2CqU5MjngXmmSbYvVGsY_fxkvgsz-LA2tkhHHTs&dib_tag=se&keywords=joseph+kassabian&qid=1774247705&s=digital-text&sprefix=%2Cdigital-text%2C176&sr=1-1 SEE US LIVE MAY 29TH IN LONDON: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lions-led-by-donkeys-podcast-live-in-london-29th-may-tickets-1985443952308 CANT MAKE THE SHOW? WE'RE STREAMING IT! GET YOUR LIVESTREAM TICKETS HERE: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/livestream-lions-led-by-donkeys-podcast-live-in-london-29th-may-2026-tickets-1985444086710 GET SECOND HOME'S DEBUT ALBUM https://secondhomes.bandcamp.com/album/find-a-way-to-hate-it A tiny speck of inhospitable black sand turns into hell on earth as tens of thousands of men slaughter one another over caves, bunkers, and mountains. Armed with explosives, flame throwers, napalm, and more naval gunfire than the Japanese had ever seen, US Marines struggle through one of the most horrific battles of the Pacific Campaign of WWII. Part 1/3 SOURCES: Toll, Ian W. Twilight of the Gods: War in the Western Pacific, 1944–1945 Allen, Robert E. The First Battalion of the 28th Marines on Iwo Jima: A Day-by-Day History from Personal Accounts and Official Reports, with Complete Muster Rolls. Burrell, Robert S. "Breaking the Cycle of Iwo Jima Mythology: A Strategic Study of Operation Detachment" Toland, John. The Rising Sun: The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire, 1936–1945 Leckie, Robert. The Battle for Iwo Jima Kakehashi, Kumiko. So Sad to Fall in Battle: An Account of War Based on General Tadamichi Kuribayashi's Letters from Iwo Jima Wheeler, Richard. Iwo Jima. Tatum, Chuck. Red Blood, Black Sand: With John Basilone on Iwo Jima

WMAL GUEST: CARROLL HARRIS (Travis Manion Foundation DC Chapter Leader) on the foundation’s 11th annual nationwide CrossFit workout series honoring fallen military heroes. He details the DC installment taking place this Saturday, April 25, at the Iwo Jima Memorial and how the "Manion WOD" preserves the legacy of those who made the ultimate sacrifice. WEBSITE: TravisManion.org EVENT: National Capital Manion WOD at Iwo Jima Where to find more about WMAL's morning show: Follow Podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Audible, and Spotify Follow WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" on X: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor, @PatriceOnwuka, @JGunlock, and @HeatherHunterDC Facebook: WMALDC and Larry O'Connor Instagram: WMALDC Website: WMAL.com/OConnor-Company Episode: Friday, April 24, 2026 / 6 AM HourSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trump's self-inflicted Iran nightmare won't end as the Strait of Hormuz stays shut, gas prices explode to $6–$7 a gallon, and the world economy heads for stagflation. With just 72 hours left before the ceasefire expires, Trump flip-flops on peace talks in Islamabad (JD Vance is going… he's not… he is… he isn't for "security reasons"), threatens war crimes, and realizes he's a cornered rat who can't reopen Hormuz no matter how many $1 trillion bombs he buys. Plus: • Lindsey Graham's unhinged call to send American troops to die on Kharg Island ("We did Iwo Jima!") • Texas Rep. Pat Fallon's toupee and his "boots on the ground" fantasy • The kill-box geography lesson proving why the U.S. Navy is powerless against Iran's asymmetrical warfare • The White House drunk tank: Pete Hegseth, Kash Patel's latest paranoid meltdown, and FBI lie-detector drama It's all here—Trump's chaos, your higher gas bill, and the global chokehold that could cause a recession, hunger for 45 million people, and Europe running out of jet fuel by June. Live Sundays, Tuesdays & Thursdays at 6:05 PM ET. Subscribe, hit the bell, and support the show so we can keep unspooling these lies faster than Trump can tell them.

Martha MacCallum, executive editor, anchor of The Story 3pm ET,  author of Unknown Valor: A Story of Family, Courage, and Sacrifice from Pearl Harbor to Iwo Jima, and host of podcast "The Untold Story with Martha MacCallum," joined us on the Guy Benson Show today to discuss the downfall of Eric Swalwell and the Democratic response to his ongoing sex scandal. MacCallum and Benson also discussed the ongoing assault against women and protestors in the country of Iran and the ongoing military action against the country, as well as Mamdani's "free" grocery store, and you can listen to the full interview below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Two Please, we break down what makes a good war movie by looking at four key things: nuance, realism, emotional storytelling, and whether the film ultimately feels anti-war. From Saving Private Ryan and 1917 to Dunkirk, Letters from Iwo Jima, Jojo Rabbit, and Oppenheimer, we talk about the films that get it right, the ones that fall into propaganda, and why the best war movies stay with you long after the spectacle ends.CHAPTERS:00:00 What makes a good war movie?00:23 Why now?01:56 War stories beyond cinema02:57 Propaganda and critical viewing04:30 The 4 tests of a great war movie07:22 Nuance over easy heroes and villains08:18 Flags of Our Fathers vs. Letters from Iwo Jima09:12 Mission Kashmir and moral complexity11:31 Why Nazis are the exception13:39 Vietnam films and the rejection of propaganda16:46 The Green Berets and shifting sentiment17:38 Realism and spectacle in war cinema18:40 Why Saving Private Ryan is still so fresh20:33 Dunkirk as spectacle-first filmmaking22:54 1917 and technical immersion25:54 Human stories inside war27:00 Saving Private Ryan as an emotional mission27:54 Grave of the Fireflies and civilian tragedy39:00 Jojo Rabbit and satire in war stories40:03 Schindler's List and survival41:05 Does the film leave you anti-war?42:42 Great anti-war films44:37 Bad representations and post-9/11 stereotyping55:09 When war movies become caricatures56:13 Final takeaway57:14 Oppenheimer, Hiroshima, and the cost of warDon't forget to LIKE THE VIDEO AND SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST.Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twopleasepod/

On this Friday episode of Good Morning Liberty, Nate and Charles run "Dumb Bleep of the Week," reacting to what they see as shifting, unreliable claims around the Iran conflict—especially Trump's moving strike timelines, talk of "great negotiations," and the story of Iran gifting "eight boats" (then "ten boats") of oil, which they note Bloomberg tanker data didn't substantiate. They question reports that Iran struck Diego Garcia based only on unnamed officials and criticize what they call war propaganda from figures like Alan Dershowitz, Rubio, JD Vance (including a "nuclear suicide vest" scenario), Mark Levin, Ben Shapiro, and Lindsey Graham's talk of taking an island and invoking Iwo Jima. The audience votes Trump's admission about avoiding the word "war" because it would require approval as the week's dumbest moment, and the hosts plug their "Fed Haters Club" membership. 00:00 Show Intro Banter 01:38 Dumb Week Setup 02:58 Trump Iran Boats 10:13 Timeline Extensions 12:14 Off Ramp Debate 14:22 Diego Garcia Truther 19:56 Propaganda Hitler Claims 23:17 Rubio DVance Nukes 30:13 Ground Troops Talk 31:50 Ben Shapiro Tease 32:01 Shapiro Sells the War 33:59 Oil Strait Justification 35:44 Lindsey Graham Iwo Jima Talk 39:30 Trump Avoids Saying War 44:48 Israel Hypocrisy Debate 47:05 America First Award Satire 49:40 Mask Discourse Returns 52:11 Wealth Tax and Corporate Rates 58:31 Voting Results and Wrap Up  

Tarabuster Tuesdays with Tara Devlin. Originally recorded on the Political Voices Network, March 24, 2026

Nieves Concostrina recuerda la batalla de Iwo Jima (1945) fue uno de los enfrentamientos más sangrientos del Pacífico, marcada por la resistencia japonesa en túneles y la icónica foto de la bandera en el monte Suribach.

Dick Ramsey's family had it tough lduring the Great Depression. He quit school when he was 15 years old and started working at the Brooklyn Navy Yard as a pipefitter. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, he started helping to build battleships. In 1943, Ramsey joined the U.S. Navy and was assigned as coxswain on the USS Nevada.In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Ramsey takes us through training to the Nevada's involvement in the D-Day landings in Normandy, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. He also reveals several very close calls while in the Pacific and reveals the immense honor given to the USS Nevada and then quickly taken away.Ramsey also shares how the Nevada survived the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor long before he came aboard and how he and his shipmates stayed close for decades after the war.

Early in the morning of October 23, 1983 two truck bombs were detonated at buildings in Beirut Lebanon housing members of the US and French Multinational Force in Lebanon – a military peace mission in the eight-year-old Lebanese civil war. The attack by a terrorist group called Islamic Jihad, which had backing from the governments of Iran and Syria, killed 307 people: 241 U.S. and 58 French military personnel, six civilians and two of the attackers. Two hundred of the 241 US casualties were US Marines, making it the deadliest single-day death toll for the United States Marine Corps since the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. Based on interviews with survivors, military records and personal records, Targeted Beirut by today's guest, Pulitzer Prize nominated historian and NYT bestselling author author James M. Scott, and past HBH guest Jack Carr is the authoritative account of the deadly attack. Heroes Behind HeadlinesExecutive Producer Ralph PezzulloProduced & Engineered by Mike DawsonMusic provided by ExtremeMusic.com

If You want your own Praesidus Iwo Jima Watch then check out my sponsor here Welcome to Iwo Jima, the Marines' Hell on Earth. In February 1945, 70,000 U.S. Marines stormed the black volcanic sands of a tiny, seemingly insignificant island in the Pacific. What they faced was a fortress, an 8-square-mile island honeycombed with 11 miles of underground bunkers, tunnels, and firing positions defended by over 21,000 of Japan's most fanatical Imperial troops. The battle was supposed to take a few days. It lasted for 36 of the most brutal days in American military history. This video breaks down the strategic nightmare, the horrific fighting conditions, and the incredible acts of valor that defined the struggle for Iwo Jima. We explore why this island was so critical, the unbreakable Japanese defense, and the iconic story behind the famous flag-raising on Mount Suribachi. Join us as we delve into one of the most pivotal and costly battles of World War II. Watch the ⁠⁠⁠podcast⁠⁠⁠ Fight me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠war of the barons⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Travel to Croatia with me ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Travel to Greece with me ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Travel to Thailand with me ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out our sister podcast the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mystery of Everything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Coffee Collab With The Lore Lodge ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠COFFEE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bonus episodes as well as ad-free episodes on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Find us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Join us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Submit your relatives on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For our "Sunday Context" series, we advance the story from Iwo Jima by a few months to August 1945, when the United States drops nuclear weapons on Japan in order to bring an end to WWII. We're joined by Garrett Graff to discuss the brutal calculus that went into that decision.Join our America250 newsletter community! Subscribe for free to get the latest news and analysis of how America250 is playing out. Paying subscribers get access to early, ad-free versions of the show. Plus bonus features throughout the year. To support our work and get access to everything, subscribe now.This Day is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.Your support helps foster independent, artist-owned podcasts and award-winning stories.If you want to support the show directly, you can do so on our website: ThisDayPod.comGet in touch if you have any ideas for future topics, or just want to say hello. Follow us on social @thisdaypodOur team: Jacob Feldman, Researcher/Producer; Khawla Nakua, Transcripts; music by Teen Daze and Blue Dot Sessions; Audrey Mardavich is our Executive Producer at Radiotopia. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Martha MacCallum, executive editor& anchor of The Story on the Fox News Channel, Fox News Politics co-anchor, author of Unknown Valor: A Story of Family, Courage, and Sacrifice from Pearl Harbor to Iwo Jima and host of the "The Untold Story with Martha MacCallum"  podcast, joined us on the Guy Benson Show today to discuss her interview this week with Vice President J.D. Vance,  including their conversation surrounding immigration, Iran, the Olympics, and Vance's Presidential Prospects in 2028. MacCallum also discussed the fallout and implications of former Prince Andrew in the wake of additional Epstein allegations, as well as the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie and the controversy surrounding Olympic skier Alyssa Liu. Listen to the full interview below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's part two of our look at Joe Rosenthal's iconic photo "Raising The Flag On Iwo Jima." Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss the mystery over who is actually in the photograph, how the photo shaped American's perception of the war -- and why war images continue to have such an impact, from Vietnam through Abu Ghraib.Join our America250 newsletter community! Subscribe for free to get the latest news and analysis of how America250 is playing out. Paying subscribers get access to early, ad-free versions of the show. Plus bonus features throughout the year. To support our work and get access to everything, subscribe now.This Day is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.Your support helps foster independent, artist-owned podcasts and award-winning stories.If you want to support the show directly, you can do so on our website: ThisDayPod.comGet in touch if you have any ideas for future topics, or just want to say hello. Follow us on social @thisdaypodOur team: Jacob Feldman, Researcher/Producer; Khawla Nakua, Transcripts; music by Teen Daze and Blue Dot Sessions; Audrey Mardavich is our Executive Producer at Radiotopia. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

This week on "50 Weeks That Shaped America," we're headed to February 1945, when attention in WWII has shifted to the Pacific. American forces are "island hopping" towards Japan, and in February a fierce battle broke out on the island of Iwo Jima. After an initial victory, a group of six men clambored to the top of the islands tallest point and hoisted a flag -- twice, as it happens. The photo of the second flag raising would become one of the most famous photographs in American history. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss how the photo came together, and the immediate impact it had on war-weary Americans. Join our America250 newsletter community! Subscribe for free to get the latest news and analysis of how America250 is playing out. Paying subscribers get access to early, ad-free versions of the show. Plus bonus features throughout the year. To support our work and get access to everything, subscribe now.This Day is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.Your support helps foster independent, artist-owned podcasts and award-winning stories.If you want to support the show directly, you can do so on our website: ThisDayPod.comGet in touch if you have any ideas for future topics, or just want to say hello. Follow us on social @thisdaypodOur team: Jacob Feldman, Researcher/Producer; Khawla Nakua, Transcripts; music by Teen Daze and Blue Dot Sessions; Audrey Mardavich is our Executive Producer at Radiotopia. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Why did we give back Iwo Jima to Japan after the war? They know, They are just feigning ignorance. Trump is to the left of you when it comes to immigration. Gifts for mom.Follow The Jesse Kelly Show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheJesseKellyShowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anti-ICE communist agitators in Minneapolis have set up roadblocks as they check IDs of those passing through. President Trump joins Dan Bongino as the podcaster returns to the microphone. Democrats about to take power back in D.C.? SAVE Act and national voter ID still possible? One Democrat's take on Jesus, Mary, and ancient abortions. Federal takeover in Los Angeles as the city continues its feeble recovery following the fires over a year ago. President Trump rants at Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.). Florida's driver's license test is now in English only. Andrew Cuomo preaches against overtaxing the rich. Donor fat! Justin Haskins from the Heartland Institute stops by to discuss the latest economic news and his new book, "The Next Big Crash." 00:00 Pat Gray UNLEASHED! 00:39 Minnesota is like Iwo Jima??? 01:32 Minneapolis Papers Please! 07:26 Journalist Accosted by Anti-ICE Protestors 08:47 Dan Bongino is BACK! 11:44 President Trump Discusses Phone Calls with Xi & Putin 14:01 Pete Hegseth on Changes to the Military 17:40 Harry Enten on Democratic Midterms 21:13 Voter ID Filibuster 30:10 Caller Tim 32:14 Fat Five 48:18 LA Law Enforcement to Arrest ICE Agents?! 51:20 James Talarico on Mary and the Virgin Birth 55:50 James Talarico on Abortion 59:32 Lee Zeldin on Palisades Fire Recovery 1:07:09 Trump Attacks Thomas Massie AGAIN 1:13:08 Sad News out of New York City 1:15:16 Winter Blackouts? 1:17:32 Andrew Cuomo Explains why "Tax the Rich!" Doesn't Work 1:20:18 Women Taking Fat Cells from DEAD PEOPLE?! 1:25:57 Justin Haskins Joins the Show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The left has become insufferable theater kids

Kate revisits one of her most memorable and frequently requested interviews: a conversation with Bruce Leininger, co-author of Soul Survivor and father of James Leininger. This remarkable story began when Bruce and his wife, Andrea, noticed that their young son, James, was experiencing intense recurring nightmares and speaking with unusual specificity about events he claimed to remember from another life. At only two years old, James began describing detailed memories of being a World War II fighter pilot named James Huston Jr., who was killed during the Battle of Iwo Jima. Reality Life with Kate Casey What to Watch List: https://katecasey.substack.com Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/katecasey Twitter: https://twitter.com/katecasey Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/katecaseyca Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itskatecasey?lang=en Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/113157919338245 Amazon List: https://www.amazon.com/shop/katecasey Like it to Know It: https://www.shopltk.com/explore/katecaseySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Stigall spoke with Salem News Channel correspondent Wille Nelson as he attended a surprisingly pro-MAGA crowd gathered to call attention to the devastation that swallowed Southern California one year ago last week.Not much has been accomplished since then. Hear directly from some of the protestors. As you might know, our friend and sponsor Dr. Ashley Lucas has her own health and nutrition show. Stigall gets her reaction to the new MAHA food pyramid turned upside down last week and why are we hearing so much more about allergies and illness linked to food? Plus, it’s one of those stories that was right there to be told and James Bradley decided he’d be the one to tell it. The author of the best selling books “Fly Boys” and "Flags of Our Fathers” tells the story of those men memorialized forever in the iconic photo who raised the American Flag on Iwo Jima. His latest book is “Precious Freedom." -For more info visit the official website: https://chrisstigall.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisstigallshow/Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChrisStigallFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/chris.stigall/Listen on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/StigallPodListen on Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/StigallShowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.