Podcasts about japanese imperial army

Who is Hiroo Onoda? He was a second lieutenant in the Japanese Imperial Army during World War 2. But instead of ending his fight following Japan's surrender, he kept on fighting for 29 years after the war had ended. And throughout those three decades, he initiated guerilla warfare against a Philippine island, killing up to 30 civilians in the process over a war that was already over. -- Episode Written by Mike Bedard Episode Editing by Lewis Poggie -- Join our Discord server! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/deepcutsdiscord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- Pick up some Deep Cuts T-Shirts and other merch! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/deepcutsmerch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- Get the official Deep Cuts shoulder patch! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/deepcuts_patch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- Listen to our album, a 9 song rock opera about the rise and fall of Napster! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/album/63C5uu1tkzZ2FhfsrSSf5s?si=q4WItoNmRUeM159TxKLWew

**Content Warning** This episode discusses graphic topics related to wartime human experimentation and extreme violence. In this deeply unsettling episode of Creepy Budeez, Brian, Bean, and Gary explore the chilling history of Unit 731, a covert biological and chemical warfare unit of the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II. From shocking experiments on human subjects to the dark motivations that fueled this brutal program, we uncover the terrifying reality of one of history's most horrific secrets. Prepare for a haunting journey into the depths of human cruelty and the disturbing legacy that Unit 731 left behind.

Chapter 1:Summary of The Rape of Nanking"The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II" by Iris Chang, published in 1997, is a historical account of the horrific massacre in Nanking (now Nanjing), China, during the Second Sino-Japanese War. The book details the events that occurred in 1937, when the Japanese Imperial Army captured Nanking, then the capital of Nationalist China. Over the span of six weeks, Japanese soldiers committed widespread atrocities, including mass executions, rapes, looting, and other forms of extreme violence against civilians and unarmed soldiers.Chang describes the brutalities using extensive research, including survivors' testimonies, photographs, and documents, highlighting both the scale and cruelty of the massacre. The author estimates that approximately 300,000 people were killed and tens of thousands of women were raped, making it one of the most devastating massacres of the 20th century.The book also discusses the international response to the atrocities, noting how a small group of Western expatriates and missionaries established the Nanking Safety Zone to shelter and protect Chinese civilians. Despite their efforts, the suffering and loss were immense."The Rape of Nanking" serves not only as a reminder of a dark chapter in history but also as an examination of the psychological and sociological underpinnings of such human atrocities. Chang criticizes the Japanese government's reluctance to fully acknowledge the incident and calls for greater recognition and understanding of the massacre. Her narrative aims to ensure that the atrocities committed in Nanking are neither forgotten nor repeated. The book has contributed significantly to discussions about historical memory and justice.Chapter 2:The Theme of The Rape of Nanking"The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II" by Iris Chang is a non-fiction book published in 1997 that provides a detailed account of the Nanking Massacre, a six-week period of horrific violence and atrocities committed by the Japanese army in the Chinese city of Nanking (now Nanjing) beginning in December 1937 during the Second Sino-Japanese War.Key Plot Points:1. Invasion of Nanking: The book begins with the context of the Japanese invasion of China and the strategic and symbolic importance of Nanking, then the capital of Nationalist China.2. The Fall of Nanking: Details the siege and eventual fall of Nanking to Japanese forces. Despite attempts at defense by Chinese troops, the city succumbed to the better-equipped Japanese army.3. The Massacre Begins: Following the capture of the city, Japanese soldiers began an unrestrained attack on both soldiers and civilians, which included mass executions, rapes, and widespread looting.4. The Safety Zone: A group of Westerners and a few sympathetic Japanese established the Nanking Safety Zone, which tried to shelter Chinese civilians from the atrocities. The efforts and struggles of these individuals, including John Rabe, a German businessman and Nazi Party member, who played a leading role in trying to protect the civilians, are highlighted.5. The International Response: The book also discusses the lack of a strong international response to the massacre and the world's focus on the events unfolding in Europe leading up to World War II.6. Aftermath and Denial: Post-war, the book chronicles the Chinese struggle for recognition of the massacre, the ongoing denial by certain segments of Japanese society, and the challenges faced by historians and survivors in memorializing the event.Character Development:Given that it's a historical account, the book doesn't feature traditional character development. However, it does provide deep profiles of key figures involved in the event, illustrating their moral choices, courage, or cruelty. Figures such as John Rabe...

Hideo Shimizu, a former member of Unit 731, the notorious germ warfare detachment of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II, stood with his head bowed and hands folded on Tuesday morning in front of the Apology and Peace Monument in Harbin, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province.清水英男（Hideo Shimizu）是二战期间日本侵华实施细菌战的731部队的前成员。8月13日，他低着头，双手合十站在位于哈尔滨的“谢罪与不战和平之碑”前表示忏悔。"I would like to express my sincere apologies and repentance to the Chinese victims, the victims of Unit 731, and the deceased," he said.他说：“在这里我真的深感抱歉，向逝去的受害者表达哀悼，因为我们的种种暴行给受害者带来了巨大的灾难，我们深感抱歉。”After 79 years, Shimizu, who is now 94, returned to Harbin, where Unit 731 was once located, to expose and testify to the crimes committed by his detachment during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45).时隔79年，现年94岁的清水英男重返让他背负一生沉重记忆的原点——位于中国哈尔滨的侵华日军第七三一部队旧址（现为侵华日军第七三一部队罪证陈列馆），揭发731部队在抗日战争（1931-1945）期间犯下的罪行。He boarded a flight from Osaka's Kansai International Airport on Monday morning and arrived in Harbin in the evening.12日，刚过完94岁生日的清水英男从日本大阪关西国际机场出发，并于晚上抵达哈尔滨。On Tuesday, Shimizu visited and identified the notorious Japanese force's old guardhouse sites, the headquarters building, the bacteriology laboratory, the special prison and the frostbite laboratory at the Museum of Evidence of War Crimes by the Japanese Army Unit 731, before publicly expressing his repentance at the museum's Apology and Peace Monument.清水英男先后到卫兵所旧址、本部大楼旧址、细菌实验室遗址、特设监狱遗址、冻伤实验室旧址等地指认，后来到“谢罪与不战和平之碑”前进行忏悔谢罪。Shimizu was about 14 years old and among the last batches of Unit 731 Youth Corps members when he was sent to Harbin in March 1945. He spent more than four months witnessing the war crimes committed by his unit, including the cultivation of pathogens, human dissections and experiments on humans.1945 年 3 月，清水英男大约14岁，是731部队“少年队”最后一期的成员。当时他被派往哈尔滨，4个多月的经历目睹了731部队犯下的战争罪行，包括病毒培养、人体解剖和人体实验。Unit 731 was a top-secret biological and chemical warfare research base established in Harbin in 1935.It was the nerve center of Japanese germ warfare in China and Southeast Asia. At least 3,000 people were used for human experiments by Unit 731, and more than 300,000 people across China were killed by Japan's biological weapons.731部队于1935年建在今黑龙江省哈尔滨市平房区，是世界历史上规模最大的细菌武器研究、实验及制造基地，至少有3000人在这里被用于人体实验，全国有30多万人被日本的生物武器杀害。Shimizu recalled the day when he was taken to the herbarium inside the lab complex. "There were all kinds of human specimens inside — the heart, the stomach, the lungs. I was shocked by the brutality."清水回忆起他被带到实验室大楼内标本室的那一天。他说：“里面有各种各样的人体标本——心脏、胃、肺，我对那些残忍的行为感到异常震惊。”On Aug 14, 1945, Shimizu fled China with the retreating Japanese forces.1945年8月14日，清水随撤退的日军逃离中国。Before leaving China, Unit 731 tried to gun down all survivors and destroy incriminating evidence of the atrocities it committed.在离开中国之前，731部队试图枪杀所有幸存者，销毁其所犯暴行的罪证。After returning to Japan, Shimizu was haunted by the guilt of what he saw and what he was forced to participate in.回到日本后，那地狱般的景象一直在他的脑中挥之不去。In 2016, he revealed his identity as a former Unit 731 member and began to expose the atrocities committed by the Japanese Imperial Army through public speeches and interviews, aiming to reveal historical truths.2016年，他公开了自己前731部队成员的身份，并开始通过公开演讲和采访揭露日本陆军犯下的暴行，揭示历史真相。"Historical facts cannot be covered up," Shimizu wrote in a signed article published on Monday in People's Daily. "I am determined to return to the site of Unit 731 before I die to express my deepest apologies to the Chinese people who had been hurt, and hope to arouse more people's reflection and vigilance, cherish the hard-won peace, and avoid the recurrence of the tragedy of war."清水在人民日报发文《历史事实不容掩盖》：“历史事实不容掩盖。我决心在有生之年回到侵华日军第七三一部队旧址，向受到伤害的中国人民表达最深切的歉意，也希望唤起更多人的反思和警醒，珍惜来之不易的和平，避免战争悲剧重演。”On Saturday, before departure from his home in Nagano prefecture, Shimizu told Xinhua News Agency that it was his "first return to China in 79 years" and he had two wishes.8月10日，清水在离开长野县的家中之前告诉新华社，“时隔79年重返中国，”清水说自己有两个心愿。"One is to sincerely pray for those who perished at the hands of Unit 731 and to apologize to their families, while the other wish is to learn more about the impact of the plague released by the Japanese Imperial Army in Harbin after the war, a topic on which there is little testimony in Japan," he said.“一是想以个人名义真诚地为那些惨遭731部队杀害的人祈福，向受难者家属谢罪。二是想了解日本战败后哈尔滨当地的鼠疫受害情况，这方面日本的证言还非常少。”Jin Chengmin, curator of the Harbin museum, said that most of Unit 731's former members are now deceased.731部队罪证馆馆长金成民表示，731部队的前成员大多已经去世。"Shimizu is currently the only surviving member who is willing to expose the unit's crimes to the public, and he is likely to be the last Unit 731 member to return to Harbin. Before him, there were four who did the same," Jin added.“‘731部队'名簿记录了3600多名成员，绝大多数已不在世，清水英男是第5位返回哈尔滨现场指认、谢罪的原队员，也可能是最后一位。”金成民说。Apology and Peace Monumentn.“谢罪与不战和平之碑”Japanese Imperial Armyn.日本陆军Harbin museumn.731部队罪证馆

Hideo Shimizu, a former member of Unit 731, the notorious Japanese germ-warfare detachment during World War II, arrived by plane in the city of Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang province, on Monday evening, expecting to testify and expose the crimes committed by the unit during the Japanese invasion of China during the war.北京时间8月12日晚，731部队原队员清水英男乘飞机抵达哈尔滨，731部队是二战期间臭名昭著的日本细菌战基地，清水英男此行是为了证实和揭露侵华日军在二战期间犯下的罪行。He is expected to visit the Exhibition Hall of Evidences of Crime Committed by Unit 731 of the Japanese Imperial Army and the former site of Unit 731 on Tuesday.他计划于13日参观侵华日军第七三一部队罪证陈列馆和731部队遗址。Shimizu, 94, was among the last batch of Unit 731 Youth Corps members sent by Japan to Harbin, China, where he spent more than four months witnessing the war crimes committed by the unit, including the cultivation of pathogens, human dissections and human experiments. He fled China with the retreating Japanese forces on August 14, 1945.今年已有94岁高龄的清水英男，曾是最后一批被派往哈尔滨731部队“少年队”的成员，他在731度过了四个多月，亲眼目睹日军犯下了细菌培植、人体解剖和人体实验这些罪行。1945年8月14日，日军败退，他随日军撤离中国。In 2016, Shimizu revealed his identity as a former Unit 731 member and began to expose the atrocities of the Japanese Imperial Army through public speeches and interviews, aiming to tell historical truths.2016年，清水英男公布了自己曾是731部队“少年队”队员的身份，此后便不断通过公共演讲和采访，致力于向公众揭露侵华日军的暴行，还原历史真相。This visit is Shimizu's first return to Chinese soil in 79 years. He has previously expressed a strong desire to return to China to pray for the deceased and apologize to their families. The trip was made possible by donations from various Japanese civilian groups.时隔79年，清水英男首次回到中国。他一直非常想回来为那些惨遭731部队杀害的人祈福，向受难者家属谢罪。清水英男得到了各种日本民间和平团体的资助，这次行程才得以实现。"The war ended 79 years ago, and most members of Unit 731 have passed away. Shimizu is currently the only surviving member who is willing to expose the Unit's crimes publicly, and he is likely to be the last Unit 731 member to return to Harbin," said Jin Chengmin, curator of the exhibition hall.731部队罪证陈列馆馆长金成民说：“这场战役在79年前早已结束，许多部队成员也早已离世，清水英男是现存的唯一一个愿意向公众揭露731罪行的部队成员，也可能是最后一个能够回到哈尔滨的731成员”。Unit 731 was a top-secret biological and chemical warfare research base established in Harbin as the nerve center for Japanese biological warfare in China and Southeast Asia during World War II.731部队是日军在哈尔滨建立的高度保密的生物战和化学战研究基地，是二战期间，日军使用生物战打击中国和东南亚的神经中枢。At least 3,000 people were used in human experiments by Unit 731, while more than 300,000 people in China were killed by Japan's biological weapons. 至少有3000名受害者被731部队用于人体实验，而至少有300,000名中国人丧生于日本的生化武器。 Germn.细菌Pathogensn.病原体Atrocitiesn.暴行；滔天罪行

Over 200,000 women were coerced or forced into sexual slavery in East Asia by the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II. These women, known as comfort women, endured unimaginable suffering and trauma. Few survived to tell their stories, but those who did have shared harrowing testimonies that reveal the depth of their plight. Though once silenced, their voices resonate powerfully through history, ensuring their experiences will never be forgotten. ___ Join the KTC's ⁠⁠Discord⁠⁠ today! ___ If you enjoy Korean True Crime, please rate, follow, and send feedback! It helps me continue to improve the show. If you'd like to support the show or find show sources for free, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠join Korean True Crime on Patreon. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/koreantruecrime/support

PREVIEW: OKINAWA: Conversation with colleague Michael Yon in Okinawa, re: his visit to the memorial for Ernie Pyle, the most prominent war and combat correspondent who was KIA in April 1945 -- on Ie Shima Island, not far from where Michael is staying at Naha, Okinawa. Much more on Michael Yon in Okinawa tonight. 1942 Japanese Imperial Army attacks

“In Malaysia, our grandparents love us by not speaking. More specifically, they do not speak about their lives from 1941-1945, the period when the Japanese Imperial Army invaded Malaysia, tossed the British colonizers out, and turned a quiet nation into one that was at war with itself.”

In this episode of East Asia for All, we examine the sexual slavery system that took place under imperial Japan from 1937-1945 through the graphic novel Grass by Korean author Keum Suk Gendry-Kim. Grass tells the life story of Lee Ok-sun, a Korean girl who was forced to be a “comfort woman” for the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II.  We are joined by Dr. Lin Li, Assistant Professor of History at the University of St. Thomas (Saint Paul, MN), on this episode. Dr. Li's research focuses on the intersections of gender, race, health, and imperialism in East Asia. She is currently working on a book project on the politics of representing and commemorating “comfort women” in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific.

In January of 1902, to prepare for battles in cold and mountainous climates, the Japanese Imperial Army sent 210 men on a training exercise across the Hakkoda Mountains in the middle of winter. This would go on to be the single deadliest mountaineering disaster in all of recorded history. This is the story of the Hakkoda Mountains Disaster.Intro Theme by Swift Junaihttps://www.instagram.com/swiftjunai/?hl=enhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6hf5nMJ8s6LJJfFR4OQ3lghttps://open.spotify.com/artist/1PoG2b18MHocWZA8zQgWjOAmbient Music by CoAgThe Dark EnigmaWriting and research of stories 2 and 3 by Rich Firth-Godbehere instagram.com/DrRichFG https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMGZ...

In the grand tapestry of human history, wars often serve as the junctures where the fate of nations is decided. World War II, with its vast theater and unparalleled scale, is a particularly striking example of such a defining period. This monumental clash of powers, ideologies, and human spirit led to battles whose names still echo through time, their stories written and rewritten by the pens of historians. One such battle, though not as globally renowned as Stalingrad or Normandy, was nevertheless a crucial pivot in the Pacific Theatre, bearing heavy implications for the progression and ultimate outcome of the war. This was the Battle of Saipan. Saipan – a speck of land in the vast Pacific Ocean, part of the Mariana Islands, was a critical strategic stronghold for both the Empire of Japan and the United States. To Japan, it was a bulwark of its inner defense line, a shield to protect the mainland from the encroaching Allied forces. To the United States, it was a stepping stone, a launchpad for their Island Hopping campaign designed to take the fight directly to the heart of the Japanese Empire. From the tranquil Pacific waves that belied the tension beneath to the infernal battle cries amid the pandemonium of war, from the meticulously calculated military strategies to the raw, untamed bravery of soldiers, the Battle of Saipan was more than just an engagement between two armies; it was a pivotal moment that shaped the future course of World War II. As we delve into this epic saga of valor, desperation, strategy, and sacrifice, we will journey from the quiet planning rooms of the United States military command to the frantic defense preparations of the Japanese Imperial Army. We'll witness the human side of this colossal clash, the hopes and fears of those who were not merely players but humans whose lives were irrevocably altered by the battle. The tale of Saipan is one of heroism and tragedy, of victory and defeat, of the indomitable spirit of humanity amid the harshest trials. This is the story of the Battle of Saipan, an unforgettable chapter in the annals of World War II. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ww2-stories/support

Join us as signalman James Jennings discusses how he entered the US Navy during WWII and was trained to land on the invasion beaches of Iwo Jima and Okinawa to ensure our troops were supplies and reinforced as they fought against the fanatical Japanese Imperial Army and Marines. Support the show

In this week's episode of Breaking Battlegrounds, we are honored to welcome a lineup of exceptional guests, each bringing their unique perspectives on pressing issues that matter most to our nation.Our first guest needs no introduction, as he is a dear friend of the show and a prominent figure in the political landscape. Matt Lewis, the acclaimed columnist at The Daily Beast and the author of "Too Dumb to Fail: How the GOP Betrayed the Reagan Revolution to Win Elections (and How It Can Reclaim Its Conservative Roots)," graces our platform once again. Today, Matt joins us to share insights from his newly-released book, "Filthy Rich Politicians: The Swamp Creatures, Latte Liberals, and Ruling-Class Elites Cashing in on America." Next on our show is Congressman James Moylan, representing Guam. As Guam Liberation Day approaches on July 21, Congressman Moylan joins us to shed light on this historic event and its profound significance to the people of Guam. We explore the remarkable journey of resilience and freedom, honoring the spirit of those who have shaped Guam's vibrant history.Our final guest, California State Senator Shannon Grove, enters the conversation with an urgent and compelling topic. She discusses her crucial bill that aims to designate human trafficking as a serious and violent felony. Despite the importance of this legislation, California democrats voted it down. Tune in to learn more about this critical issue and the efforts to combat human trafficking in the Golden State.Subscribe now and stay informed on the latest developments, only on Breaking Battlegrounds!-Connect with us:www.breakingbattlegrounds.voteTwitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_BattleFacebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegroundsInstagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegroundsLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegroundsCalled a “first-rate talent” in The Washington Post and “super-smart” by John Heilemann, Matt K. Lewis is a center-right critic of American politics and pop culture.As a journalist, Lewis has earned a reputation as an “independently minded” (Columbia Journalism Review) and “intellectually honest” commentator (Ben Adler, Newsweek). He is a senior columnist for The Daily Beast, and his work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, GQ, The Washington Post, The Week, Roll Call, Politico, The Telegraph, The Independent, and The Guardian. He previously served as senior contributor for The Daily Caller, and before that, as a columnist for AOL's Politics Daily.Lewis dissects the day's issues in conversation with other thinkers, authors, and newsmakers on his podcast Matt Lewis and the News, and co-hosts The DMZ Show with liberal pundit Bill Scher. He has appeared on MSNBC, CNN, C-SPAN, PBS NewsHour, ABC's “Nightline,” HBO's “Real Time with Bill Maher,” and CBS News' “Face The Nation,” and has contributed to radio outlets including NPR and the BBC.Kirsten Powers described Lewis's 2016 book, Too Dumb to Fail: How the GOP Went From the Party of Reagan to the Party of Trump, as “a lively and fascinating read for any person confounded by the state of today's Republican Party.” In 2011, Lewis released The Quotable Rogue: The Ideals of Sarah Palin in Her Own Words, an edited compilation of the Alaska governor's much-discussed public utterances.-Congressman James Moylan proudly serves as Guam's congressional delegate to the 118th United States Congress. As the first Republican to win the seat on Guam in nearly 30 years, Moylan's victory was historic. He is a strong and trustworthy leader who's focused on issues that affect Guamanians most. Moylan believes island residents have a right to know what's happening in their governing offices. Therefore, he has created an open door policy allowing constituents to have their concerns addressed. Moylan's history of service includes his time as a senator in the 35th and 36th Guam Legislature, a Veteran of the United States army and a parole officer at the Department of Corrections. Additionally, Moylan has more than two decades of experience working in the private sector, including healthcare, financial services, and insurance.In his current position, Moylan serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee.  Both Committees address issues that are vital to Guam.Additionally, Moylan is a native of Guam and is from the village of Tumon. He graduated from John F Kennedy High School and continued to the University of Guam where he obtained a  bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice.  Most of all, Moylan is a proud father to Abby and Krissy Moylan.-Senator Shannon Grove was born and raised in Kern County.After graduating from high school, Senator Grove served in the United States Army. While stationed in Frankfurt, Germany she witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.Following her service to our nation, she established a staffing company with her sister-in-law called Continental Labor and Staffing Resources. Senator Grove currently serves as the CEO.Prior to her election to the State Senate, Senator Grove was the first woman veteran elected to the California Legislature as she served the 34th Assembly District from 2010 to 2016.Senator Grove was elected to represent the 16th Senate District in November 2018, which includes portions of Kern, Tulare, and San Bernardino counties. In January 2019, she was elected Leader of the Senate Republican Caucus where she served in that capacity for two years. As the Republican Leader-Emeritus, Grove remains a committed representative working with legislators to advance policies that benefit the constituents, businesses, and communities within Senate District 16.Senator Grove is an advocate for small business, school choice, the developmentally disabled, farmers, and families. She currently lives in Kern County with her husband, Rick. They are the proud parents of five children and eight grandchildren.Transcription:Sam Stone: Welcome to another episode of Breaking Battlegrounds with your host, Sam Stone and Chuck Warren on the line with us right now. Fantastic new book out came out on the 18th. Matt Lewis. He is a friend of the program, columnist for The Daily Beast, author of Too Dumb to Fail How the GOP Betrayed the Reagan Revolution to Win Elections. Yeah, we are not too dumb to fail. That's been proven many, many times. And today he's joining us to discuss his new book, Filthy Rich Politicians The Swamp Creatures, Latte Liberals and Ruling Class Elites Cashing In on America. Matt, thank you for joining us and welcome to the show.Matt Lewis: Well, thanks for having me back.Chuck Warren: So what gave you the idea to write a book about this issue about filthy rich politicians?Matt Lewis: Well, to be honest, it was because I'm a capitalist. And I was I was actually approached by a book agent, believe it or not, who had this idea to rank the 100 richest politicians in America.Chuck Warren: Interesting.Matt Lewis: That was the original idea of the book. It was 100 chapters. Each chapter was just going to be on. Wow. The 100 richest politicians in just how they made their money. And that's how it started. And it evolved, I think, into a much deeper, more important topic, which includes, you know, the original idea, but but goes so much deeper into like, what it all means. And so it was one of those just the stars aligned and I think we ended up writing a great book.Sam Stone: We got the book a few days ago. I've gone through most of it, I admit, to skimming a few portions. Who is the richest politician in America?Matt Lewis: The richest politician in America is JB Pritzker, who's the governor of Illinois. He is an heir to the Hyatt fortune. There are 11 billionaires in his family and interestingly, when he was running for governor in Illinois, there were three billionaires running for the seat last year in 2022.Sam Stone: Well, amazing. You know what I love about Pritzker? I don't know if you've ever read the book Super Mob, but that family got its start with mob financing.Matt Lewis: Well, you know, it's like the Kennedys, you know, I mean, you go back far enough.Chuck Warren: I think we just call those hard money loans today.Matt Lewis: But in in Congress, it would be Rick Scott. Most people and by the way, it's impossible to know the actual net wealth of most politicians because the range have ways of hiding it. And it's reported in broad ranges. But it used to be Darrell Issa. Right now we believe it is Rick Scott, senator from Florida, who's the richest in Congress.Chuck Warren: Well, so why should this matter to the average voter? I mean, so, for example, you know, as a 2020, I believe about half the members of Congress had a median net worth of $1 million. Okay. And there's almost 22 million people in the United States that have that net worth now. Now, most of that's probably in their home, right. Something they've lived in 20, 30 years. And a couple other things.Sam Stone: I mean, half of California has, but it's.Chuck Warren: Still a lot of money. I mean, you know, a population of 350 million, 21, 21, 22 million people are worth $1 million. And, you know, and that seems like a lot of money. But we also realize that's a lot. And it's not in a lot of ways, right? I mean, you can't retire on that per se and just live on it. But why is this important for Americans and why should they demand some reforms on this?Matt Lewis: Well, so the book is about two things. It's about how the rich get elected and how the elected get rich. And I think both things are important. So right now, the average member of Congress is about 12 times richer than the median American household. And so I think you know, look, I don't begrudge rich people from, you know, for running for office. And in fact, there's some ways that I even admire that. But I do think it's it seems likely to me that when and by the way, I should say that this this phenomenon where the average member of Congress is 12 times richer than the rest of us is kind of new. It's been going on for about three decades now. The gap has dramatically widened. And it just stands to reason, to me that when our elected officials are that much richer than the rest of us, there would be some sort of a disconnect or just a worldview difference in terms of connecting with working class Americans. But that doesn't bother me near as much as the second half of the story, which is the fact that once people get elected, they tend to get richer. And I think that is much more corrosive and damaging than just having rich politicians.Chuck Warren: Well, it's true, though. If you have a certain amount of wealth, you have different concerns than somebody who's making 15, $20 an hour. I mean, that's fair, right? And so how can you really relate if you're all full of people who are highly successful financially?Matt Lewis: Totally. I mean, you know, because of, you know, I'm from a very kind of middle class, working class background. My dad was a prison guard in Hagerstown, Maryland, for 30 years. And that's kind of how I grew up. And I live in West Virginia. I went to a little a little college in West Virginia, but I've been blessed to get to, you know, also know some, you know, folks in journalism who come from maybe more privileged backgrounds than me. And there are some of the nicest, kindest, best people. But I'm telling you, they see they see the world differently than I do. And who could blame them? I mean, they've come from wealth, right? They grew up. And I just think we're all formed by our experience. And and it's impossible not to be at some level.Chuck Warren: Absolutely. We're with Matt Lewis. He is a columnist for The Daily Beast. He has come out with a new book that was released this Tuesday. You can get it at at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble wherever you find your books. Filthy rich politicians, the Swamp Creatures, latte liberals and ruling class elites cashed in on America came out this Tuesday, July 18th. All right. So I want to ask a couple of questions, because your book covers many topics, but who are some of the politicians that we have that are married into money or inherited great wealth?Matt Lewis: So you're the first person to ask me this question. I have a whole chapter or a whole section on this. So thank you. Because this is so I ranked well Business Insider ranked the they have a ranking of the 100 richest politicians in America. And so when the appendix of my book I took the richest 25 and then I personally did kind of a deep dive into them how they made their money. And of the richest 25 members of Congress, more than half, 13 of them made their money through inheritance or marriage the.Sam Stone: Really old fashioned way.Matt Lewis: Yes. And I'll give you a few examples. Richard Blumenthal, his father in law, and by the way, it's usually fathers in law for what that's worth. Interesting.Chuck Warren: Interesting.Matt Lewis: Yeah. Richard Blumenthal's father in law is Peter Malkin, who basically owned the Empire State Building. In fact, he was involved in a in a fight with Donald Trump at some point over control of that.Sam Stone: There was a long time when he was the developer in New York, the real estate guy. Yeah.Matt Lewis: Indeed. There's a Texas congressman named Michael McCaul. His father in law runs Clear Channel Communications.Chuck Warren: Oh, wow.Matt Lewis: Rokana, who's a congressman out of California who's starting to really make a name for himself. His father in law owns a trans max or started trans max and also runs Mara Holdings. Wow. And Mitch McConnell, a lot of people were like, how did Mitch McConnell all of a sudden get all this money? And there are like conspiracy theories about.Chuck Warren: That cocaine.Matt Lewis: Mitch And and and by the way, who knows, right? I mean, maybe there's some secret, But but basically what happened is that, you know, Mitch McConnell is married to Elaine Chao and her mom. When her mom died, you know, she inherited a ton of money. And how much how.Chuck Warren: Much she did inherit, how much did she inherit?Matt Lewis: Oh, we're talking you definitely were talking tens of millions of dollars. Yeah. I mean, he became incredibly wealthy overnight and it looks super suspicious, but it's a matter of public record directly correlates to when her you know, it's money from her her father but but she inherited it when when the mother died.Sam Stone: Andy Biggs is a $10 Billion publisher clearinghouse sweepstakes win is starting to look more and more legitimate.Chuck Warren: Yeah, exactly. Exactly. You know.Matt Lewis: You know, what's you know, what's interesting is, is Kevin McCarthy, the current speaker of the House, won the lottery.Chuck Warren: Oh, really? I thought he did the sandwich shops. Did he really?Matt Lewis: Well, what happened is when he was very young, he won $5,000 in the lottery and he used that money to buy like a deli. And that is what led him to Congress. So.Chuck Warren: Oh, that's fascinating. Yeah, but see, that's that's a little more of a that's more of an all-American story. I got $5,000.Sam Stone: Yeah, that's a great story. Yeah.Chuck Warren: Yeah, it is a great story. It's sort of like, um. Oh, what's it what's that movie? Will Ferrell, where he gets sent to prison for insider trading and he's talking to us. He's talking to his father in law and said, I started this business all of myself with this computer and a $9 million loan from my father. And, you know, there's a lot of people like that. Um, so next to insider trading and I want to get into that probably the next segment. How do certain members benefit their family members, either via their connections or congressional campaigns? That happens a lot more than people think. And it always seems like a surprise to people that some kids on the payroll and we've got two minutes here, but can you give a couple of examples how that's happening?Matt Lewis: Totally. I'll give you it's a by the way, it's a bipartisan book. Um, both pretty much everyone's equally guilty of this. And so we'll start with Ilhan Omar, you know, a member of the squad on the left. She has directed millions of dollars, millions of campaign dollars to her husband's consulting firm. Likewise, Bernie Sanders, who, by the way, he became a millionaire from a book deal, but his wife, Jane, he has paid a lot of money to her over the years, including hiring her to be his media ad buyer when she had zero experience doing that. So she's basically getting a cut or a percentage of the money his campaign spends buying TV advertisements.Chuck Warren: Does she do that during the presidential, too?Matt Lewis: That is a good question. I think most of this happened in the his congressional races, like in Vermont senatorial races. But, you know, we're talking about a lot of money. And this one.Sam Stone: There's a lot of money when there's no risk, because he was never in doubt for any of those re-elections. Right. I mean, that's really kind of a.Matt Lewis: And Bernie. Bernie didn't just pay Jane. I mean, he paid her like her children, too. Which brings me to Ron Paul, a Republican who has employed six. In 2012, when he was running for president, he employed six family members, but he was a piker. He paid them a grand total of $300,000. So, you know.Chuck Warren: That's that's that's literally not surprising, though, right?Sam Stone: That that's chintzy, cheap. He's hosing his family.Chuck Warren: Do you think that do you think Congress should crack down on this and just not allow you in campaigns to hire family members?Sam Stone: We got 30s. We're going to. Okay. Going to head to break here in just a moment.Chuck Warren: We're with Matt Lewis. He is the author of a great new book came out this week, Filthy Rich Politicians The Swamp Creatures, Latte Liberals and Ruling Class Elites Cashing In on America. You can find this at Amazon, Barnes and Noble. Wherever you get your book, go buy it. This is a very important. We're going to come back and talk to Matt a little bit about what reforms he thinks need to be done so we can clean this up. This is Chuck and Sam breaking battlegrounds. You can find us at breaking battlegrounds vote. We'll be right back.Advertisement: At Overstock. We know home is a pretty important place and that's why we believe everyone deserves a home that makes them happy. Whether you're furnishing a new house or apartment or simply looking to update and refresh a few rooms, Overstock has every day free shipping and amazing deals on the beautiful, high quality furniture and decor. You need to transform any home into the home of your dreams. Overstock Making dream Homes Come True.Sam Stone: Welcome back to Breaking battlegrounds with your host, Chuck Warrem. I'm Sam Stone. We're continuing on here in just a moment with Matt Lewis, columnist of The Daily Beast, author of Too Dumb to Fail, and his newest book, Filthy Rich Politicians. We're talking about that one today. But folks, if you're looking to get filthy rich, maybe you should give our call. Our friends at Invest Y refy a call, go to their website, invest y refy.com that's invest the letter Y, then refy.com and learn how you can earn up to a 10.25% fixed rate of return on your money. That's right. 10.25% Phenomenal rate of return not correlated to the stock market. The stock market goes up. The stock market goes down, your investment continues, racking up the great interest and great returns for you. So give them give our friends there a call. You can do that at 888 y refy 24 and tell them Chuck and Sam sent you Matt.Chuck Warren: All right. So, so much to cover in your book, but tell us what are reforms of your king for the day? And they said, Matt, you make these changes and we start building a little trust back up in Congress again. What would you do?Matt Lewis: Okay. So the first couple we've talked about, I would the most important is to ban individual stock trading for members of Congress and their family. That is by far the most important thing we can do, because.Chuck Warren: Certainly I want to make one appearance.Matt Lewis: Of insider.Chuck Warren: Trading. Right. I don't want to hurt you, but you made a good point. I listened to on a fellow podcast, which you made this point. It's not even so much about them increasing their wealth. Sometimes it's that they prevent the loss of wealth. So let's use, for example, Senator Barr in North Carolina as an example, if you can share that with our audience.Matt Lewis: Yeah, this is really corrosive. So Senator Senator Richard Burr, he just retired, but he was chairman of the Intel Committee. So like in that capacity, you know, he had access to all sorts of of kind of classified briefings, classified information. And you might remember back in early 2020, like before most Americans realized how damaging Covid 19 was going to be like in terms of shutting down businesses and the economy. Um, Richard Burr dumped hundreds of thousands of dollars of stock in things like Wyndham Hotels, the kinds of things that would be damaged in a global pandemic shutdown. But making matters even worse. Then he picks up the phone and calls his brother in law and within one minute of hanging up with Richard Burr, his brother in law calls his broker and dumps his stock. And so that is the thing. It's it's not just that politicians are able to make money by virtue of what certainly looks like insider trading, but it's it avoids the downfall. And certainly during times of change and crisis, that's when they can really use information to dump stock and avoid like a major catastrophic loss.Sam Stone: Well, and that has the the so as someone who does trade stock issues, the other side of that is if you dump at the start of something like that on an industry like hotels, like airlines, all of that, you're going to get that going two ways. You're going to avoid the loss and then you're going to be able to buy back in at a low point and you're going to know when that low point is hit.Matt Lewis: Absolutely. And and again, think of it. I mean, the average American at this point doesn't know how bad Covid 19 is going to be. We're being told it'll disappear. It'll be, you know, like a miracle. It'll disappear or, you know, two weeks to slow the spread or whatever.Sam Stone: This is when you had De Blasio telling folks, go out in the streets and celebrate the Chinese New Year. Right. I mean, it's literally coinciding with that moment.Matt Lewis: And so that's a classic example, right? Our politicians are telling the public, don't worry, everything's fine. And yet what are they doing? What are they doing with their money? And so I think that is super corrosive. And that's by far, I would say, the most important reform in the book.Chuck Warren: Let me ask you this. I'm a follow up two questions real quick. How many members have siblings or family members that are in the brokerage business or selling and trading stocks? Do you know that you were you able to find that out?Matt Lewis: I it's in the book. I don't recall offhand. Okay. I do know it is in the book. And I will I will say this. I mean, in 20 so in 2012, up until 2012, it wasn't even illegal to engage in insider trading in Congress. It's only been the last decade when that was illegal. Now the problem is policing. And I can tell you that the law it's called the Stock Act that made it illegal has has done very little to alleviate. The problem.Chuck Warren: There's always a loophole, right? There's always some loophole they'll find. All right, what else would you do? What else would you reform?Matt Lewis: Well, we've talked about family. I would I would ban the practice of hiring family for campaigns or official congressional offices. If you want to volunteer on a campaign, by all means. I just. We just wouldn't pay you. I would have a ten year moratorium on lobbying so that after serving in Congress, you can't go out and just start lobbying your former colleagues immediately. You would have a ten year basically ban on that. Some people like Ted Cruz and AOC want a lifetime ban. I don't even know if that would be constitutional right now. It's, I think, two years in the Senate, one year in the House. But like you said, Chuck, I mean, there are ways around it. There's this thing called the Daschle loophole where politicians immediately start lobbying. They just don't register as lobbyists.Chuck Warren: They're consultants. They're consultants.Matt Lewis: Yes. They're yeah, exactly.Chuck Warren: You know, and you know what? You see this a lot, too. I mean, take Congress out of the equation. You see this a lot in legislatures. Legislatures. You know, you see people who couldn't rub two nickels together for their elected to the legislature, which doesn't take as much money. And now they're lobbying and making six high, six digits a year.Sam Stone: Watch every governor's staff, if they've just won their second term, they get into year five. Right. And that whole staff disappears into the lobbying land and they're all rich by year eight.Chuck Warren: Is that something that you think we should push also on the state level? And hopefully, you know, I find out a lot of times if states start pushing something, various states, then it goes to the national level is that's something that people should be pushing their state legislatures to pass?Matt Lewis: I would say definitely I would I would strongly encourage that. And, you know, sometimes states can be the laboratories of democracy. And if these reforms can begin there, that would be very healthy.Chuck Warren: What else? Okay. Lobbying, banning stock, hiring kids and family on campaigns. Those are three great things. What else could be done?Matt Lewis: One of them this is one that is not sexy, but it's book deals, believe it or not. You know, Bernie Sanders, who's a socialist, was asked, how did you become a millionaire? And he said, and I'm paraphrasing, but this is pretty close to the real quote. He said, I wrote a best selling book. If you write a best selling book, you could be a millionaire, too. But but the book deals are really I mean, people are using their their perch, their position to become millionaires. But the worst part of it is the bulk orders, right? So you write a book, but instead of real people buying the book, it's like the National Republican Senatorial Committee buys like 50,000 copies of it. And some of that money very well could trickle back into your pocket. Well, for example.Chuck Warren: For example, Bernie Sanders, I just looked it up, made $170,000 in book royalties in 2022, which almost matches his $174,000 congressional salary.Matt Lewis: There you go. There you go. And I don't think you wrote a book in 2022. No, he's still making royalties.Sam Stone: Well, and you know, the quality of most of these books, you know, they're ghost written or co-written, and most of them are just garbage. And you see these huge payouts, you know, it's not for their incredible insight in that in that no tome.Matt Lewis: Totally. Yeah. These are not this is not Hemingway you know.Chuck Warren: Well with Matt Lewis good friend of the show, daily columnist at The Daily Beast. He has come out with a new book. You can buy It now, Filthy Rich Politicians, the Swamp Creatures, Latte, Liberals and Ruling Class Elites. When we come back, we're going to talk about the latte liberals and what Matt dug in about that. I'm going to.Sam Stone: Bring up Joe Biden also. You can do.Chuck Warren: That as well. That's right. This is breaking battlegrounds. Find us are breaking battlegrounds vote. We'll be right back.Sam Stone: Welcome back to Breaking battlegrounds with your host, Chuck Warren. I'm Sam Stone, continuing on right now with Matt Lewis, friend of the program, columnist for The Daily Beast and author of the new book Filthy Rich Politicians, Swamp Creatures, Latte Liberals and Ruling Class Elites Cashing In on America, available right now at Amazon or your favorite bookseller? Matt As I read it, I did get to the section on the Bidens. And two things I think stand out is, one, they're cashing in less than most of of a lot of these other political families are. But two quite frankly, Matt, the stupidity of their schemes with Hunter Biden and all this stuff when there are so many ways that they could I don't want to say legitimately, but at least entirely legally make huge amounts of money. Did nobody in that family take notes from the Clinton Global Initiative?Matt Lewis: Well, I think if you've seen the pictures of Hunter Biden recently, you know that at least some members of his family are not operating based on reason and logic. Um, Joe Biden kind of has, it seems like I mean, who knows? I mean, I don't know if he's, quote, the big guy who's getting a cut from the Burisma money or whatever, from Hunter. But Joe, according to his actual, you know, disclosure reports, really wasn't all that wealthy compared to most of these politicians until he left the vice presidency. And then he had about three years where he really cashed in. He made about $15 million off of, you know, the usual boring stuff, speeches, book deals, being a adjunct professor, that kind of thing. But the one thing that is clear is that Biden has a long history of his family cashing in on on his name. And it's not just Hunter, it's James and Frank, I think it is, who've been doing this. And, you know, I found that way back in 1988, the first time Biden ran for president. He raised about $11 million. There's a lot of money. In 1988, he raised $11 million, and 20% of that money went to the Biden family or companies that employed the Biden family. So this thing of him spreading the money around to his family has been going on for 25 or 30, I guess 35 years something.Chuck Warren: Yeah. So in 1988, if you go and say, what's the dollar value, then that's worth about 5.1 million today. Yeah, I mean, it's real money. Sam, what are your what's your family doing for you?Sam Stone: I I've got to run for something more significant than city council is what you're saying. Chuck Yeah.Chuck Warren: Matt Let me ask you a question and Sam Biden Biden stuff, but I want to ask you a question. I, I heard you on an interview and I thought this was really interesting. And folks, Matt has just a wonderful wife. And the thing I love about Erin is she is so dang blunt. And you were talking to her about maybe on a walk running for Congress. Would you tell I want to understand really how hard this is to do, first of all, and why there is a certain wealth factor involved with it. I don't think they quite understand. You know, I have a congressional candidate friend who's running right now. He's put 300 grand on his race and just he just said it doesn't seem like it's enough. And that's what I have. That's what it is. Right. Would you explain your conversation and why this is so hard and why we are getting a certain amount of people in office?Matt Lewis: Totally. And this was eye opening for me as someone who's been, you know, in politics for decades, even for me, I had to kind of grapple with this realization. So but so my wife, as you know, Chuck, my wife is a Republican political fundraiser. And while I was writing this book, you know, we went out for a walk and we were talking and I was you know, I live in West Virginia and my congressman is running for Senate against Joe Manchin. And so we were walking. I said, you know, if things were a little different, maybe I someday I could run for Congress. And she's like, oh, you don't have enough money. And I said like, well, what are you talking about? Like, number one, I've been in you know, I know a lot of people. I've been in journalism for a couple of decades and I've got a good network and I'm like, number two, I'm married to a professional Republican fundraiser. Surely I could run for Congress in West Virginia. And she was like, Well, let me put it to you this way. If I didn't know you and you approached me and you wanted to hire me, I would say, come back to me. When you've either donated $300,000 or raise $300,000 from your personal Christmas card list, and then and only then would I introduce you to political action committees and high dollar donors. And that's when it hit me that even I who wrote on the Straight Talk Express with John McCain could not win a congressional seat in West Virginia because I'm not rich enough.Chuck Warren: Well, you need better friends. Yeah.Sam Stone: Yeah. Chuck and I are not going to be able to help you that much there. Matt Lewis, we want to thank you again for joining us. We have just about 30s before we end the segment here, we really appreciate having you on. How do folks stay in touch with all of your work?Matt Lewis: Oh, awesome. Well, first, get filthy rich politicians. Follow me on Twitter at Matt K Lewis and check me out at The Daily Beast.Sam Stone: Perfect. Thank you so much. Once again, Matt, we always love having you on the program. Looking forward to the next round breaking battlegrounds. Back in just a moment.Advertisement: At Overstock. We know home is a pretty important place and that's why we believe everyone deserves a home that makes them happy. Whether you're furnishing a new house or apartment or simply looking to update and refresh a few rooms. Overstock has every day free shipping and amazing deals on the beautiful high quality furniture and decor. You need to transform any home into the home of your dreams. Overstock Making Dream homes Come True.Sam Stone: Welcome back to Breaking Battlegrounds with your host, Sam Stone in studio with me today. Kiley Kipper dragged reluctantly onto the mic once again back.Kiley Kipper: By popular demand. I'm just.Sam Stone: Kidding. People love you, Kiley. They are always happy to talk to you. And you know what else makes people happy? Earning a really high rate of return on their investments. That makes almost everybody I know happy. And folks, if you haven't checked out our friends at Invest Refy.com, you need to do that right now. Go to invest the letter Y then refy.com you can earn up to a 10.25% fixed rate of return. The market goes up, the market goes down, your rate of return stays the same. It is a tremendous opportunity and we highly encourage you to check it out. So again, go on their website, invest y refy.com or give them a call at 888 y refy 24 and tell them Chuck and Sam sent you. Now, our next segment up, we have a returning guest, someone we really enjoyed having on the program last time, Congressman James Moylan of Guam. And we have something actually this is coming out on Saturday, the 22nd. We record on the 21st. And folks, the 21st is a very special day. July 21st is a special day in Guam. Congressman, tell us what's going on.Congressman James Moylan: Sure. I'll be happy to. Hi there, Sam. And hi, Kiley. And we as we greet folks from Guam, we say half a day. So half a day to you both.Sam Stone: And half a day to you as well, sir.Congressman James Moylan: Thank you. So we I was just on the floor today and gave a five minute speech for Congressional Record announcing the celebration of Guam's 79th Liberation Day 79 years ago. Guam was liberated and from during World War two. We also had a ceremony at the war. Let me see. World War II Memorial on July. July 13th here, where we had a wreath laying presentation on the monument at the War Memorial with Guam on it. This is a tradition that has been long ongoing for for quite some time. And we've joined in with our Guam Society of America, the oldest tomorrow group in the nation. We have so many different tomorrow groups throughout the nation, but this is the first and the oldest. We also had other members of Congress that were present. We had the undersecretary of the United States Air Force, Christine Christine Jones, and we also had the commandant of the United States Marine Corps, General Eric Smith, also do a presentation. So what's really happening is to remember this day for celebration. 79 years ago, on July 21st, 19, 1944, Guam, after two years of occupation by the Japanese Imperial Army military, the United States service members landed on our south west part of Guam, to liberate over 20,000 tomorrows and Americans from the occupation of Guam.Congressman James Moylan: The actual the war in World War II were not. Many people know that Guam was actually occupied by the Japanese soldiers, and that day came as an invasion on December 8th of 1941. This is a special day for Guam because we were celebrating the feast of Santa Maria Kamalen, and that's Guam's patron saint. And after people were coming out of church, the sounds of bombs were just dropping and planes flying overhead. And and it drowned out what was a peaceful neighborhood and a great celebration of of of our services there. And that's what started the occupation on Guam. So we're very thankful 79 years later for the liberation Day of Guam, when the Marines came on back on July 21st, 1944. So that's our celebration. And we we're very patriotic and we're we're rededicating ourselves to chorus. And Guam is even even just as important then as it is even more so now with the Indopacom situation and the Communist Chinese party threat for national security and our sister nations out there who are supporting us as well, with the U.S taking the.Sam Stone: Lead that has I mean, that is something that I think is so almost incomprehensible, Congressman, to any American right to you're stepping out of out of a services or a celebration in your country is being bombed around you. And there have to be people there who who lived through that experience, who still have that direct memory. Yes. And that has.Congressman James Moylan: In fact.Sam Stone: Never leave you.Congressman James Moylan: Right. And many of war survivors still tell the stories. And we did have a war survivor here for a celebration here in Washington, DC at the Pacific Memorial. So but my mother was also one. So my mother had told me this story and she was 12 years old at the time. She was coming out of the cathedral with her grandfather. And she she explained the story in this way, that as they were exiting and they see the Japanese zeros flying over and the bombs were coming on down and she's yelling at her grandfather, too, Grandpa, we got to go. We got to go. Let's run, run, run. As an older man, he said, No, just leave me here. And she started she had to pull him so they can run, run for protection and run and hide and get back home to their family. So them with my mother's explanation. And and by the way, my father was in Pearl Harbor at the time of the bombing in Pearl Harbor, too. So every everybody's generations and generations, families have been affected. And the war stories continue to the brutality that was taken against forced labor, forced marches, beheadings, stabbings, grenades and and caves where where locals were were killed and massacred. And it was it was tremendous loss of innocent lives. But that's why we celebrate the. With the Liberation Day coming out, with the Marines, coming out back with US soldiers, with the United States Navy there to re reclaim Guam and give us our freedom back.Congressman James Moylan: And my mother was part of that as well. There was what they called the Bennington Force march, where the Japanese troops used the local residents as a shield, As the Americans were coming onto the shore and coming inland, the Japanese were marching that direction, but using the local folks as a barrier. But of course, you know, the US is not going to kill innocent citizens. And my mom would explain to me as she's climbing up the hills in Menningen when they see the star on on the army, I believe it was an army tank or an army jeep. Then the soldiers would call them over and tell them to keep quiet, keep quiet, just come this way, come this way. And they felt so, so relieved to see the US, see Americans, see the military there. And it was a joyful celebration. And that's why this this has continued in celebrating and remembering in memory of this throughout the nation. We have Guam societies that we have calendars of events for just about every state where there's Guam residents. And they establish their organization and they celebrate to to remember those that have died, that have sacrificed. And if there are survivors to celebrate their lives as well for what we consider the greatest generation.Sam Stone: Congressman, one of the things I think people know from, you know, books and movies like Unbroken a little bit, some of the experience that, for instance, American POWs went through. But I don't think they know enough about what the people of the occupied islands of the Pacific, including Guam, went through. You were just, you know, referencing some of it right there. But that occupation was just absolutely brutal in every regard and with with really little consideration for the humanity of the people of Guam or any of the other islands of the Pacific.Congressman James Moylan: Very true. And and not all were able to talk about it some more. Chose to to forget my my mother's father was imprisoned in Japanese in Japan as well. And then when he came back to the to Guam after the war was over, he died shortly thereafter just from lack of lack of nutrition. So it was very it was it was brutal. And and the rules of war and Geneva Convention, there was there's nothing like that. The forced labor that was placed upon the people, the beheading of of local folks and the fights that went on and and what they had to endure. And you had to bow also to the imperial Japanese Army. And if you didn't, you're whipped and beaten. It was it was a sad day for those almost two and a half years of occupation. And that's why when the Americans came back, it was a great celebration. And since that time, of course, we've grown and we had we're considered per capita, the highest enlistment in the nation, where people joining the military, because of our commitment and the happiness and the joy that the United States came back to claim that U.S territory, which was the U.S territory at the time.Sam Stone: So there are few, few populations on the planet that love America and the ideals of America like the people of Guam.Congressman James Moylan: Yes. And I'm happy to represent as the delegate here. And there's a couple of committees that we were able to get ourselves on. And one is the House Armed Services Committee, which I play a great role in the readiness and also the personnel part. And I focus on on Guam and the Northern Marianas and and the Indopacom region. So we've had also we're able to have within the first quarter, a congressional delegation come through Guam. Second quarter, we just had another one, the House committee, House Armed Services Committee, to include the chairman and several other members of the House to come on up over an experience of what Guam is and what the role was and what it is now for the Indopacom region to defend against communist Chinese threat. And then we're going to have another one through the Natural Resources Committee, Department of Interior Affairs, which I'm a part of also, and the subcommittee specifically regarding our nation's Republic of Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Marshall Islands as well. All these nations joining in so we can protect freedom and democracy. Right. And we are against the Communist Chinese party. So I'm very fortunate to represent Guam in these two committees that have a great impact in the Indopacom region. And we're I believe the United States will be here for a long, long time to ensure that the Chinese threat is is deterred by our show of strength with all our other countries that are involved with our democracy.Sam Stone: And people folks out there may not realize that as a territory. Guam, obviously, we're talking to their congressman member right now. Congressman, you don't have a vote on the House floor, but you do have a vote on committee. And I think most people don't recognize that what happens on the House floor is often kind of a dog and pony show, that the actual sausage gets made in those committees that dictates what's actually going to be voted on and how those bills, you know, interact with with the intent of the authors.Congressman James Moylan: Exactly. And we just were discussing the National Defense Authorization Act, the NDAA, which is the one of the biggest budget for the defense of the nation, and so much billions of dollars going into the Indo-Pacific region. Our influence there, we were able to double what we received last last fiscal year for for the island defense. So that's a great influence there. So in committee, yes, we do this and pardon me.Sam Stone: Sorry, we had a little technical glitch right there. Apologize for that. Let's just keep going here. I want to switch up topics just a little bit. We have only two minutes left. Are there any traditional celebrations, the traditional foods like here, obviously July 4th, Independence Day, it's hot dogs, hamburgers, fireworks. Are there celebratory traditions around Guam's Independence Day, their liberation day?Congressman James Moylan: Yes. Unfortunately, this year we didn't have it because we were hit with Super Typhoon Marwar. So we're still recovering from that. However, we'll we get back to our traditions. We usually have a parade with all the branches of the military, all our department agencies and a lot of villages are also represented with floats. It's it's it's a beautiful parade that goes down what's known as Marine Corps Drive. That's our main road on Guam. In addition, people overnight on the sides of the roads and they picnic because it's right next to the beach and they barbecue. We love our fiesta. We call it Fiesta food. We have what's called red rice barbecue chicken, barbecue ribs. And our marinade is delicious. We have a sauce called Vinodhini, which is our hot sauce. And we have something special called Chicken Kelaguen that everybody loves. So.Sam Stone: Congressman, I think we I think we need to check the weather and make some plans for next year to come. There.Congressman James Moylan: There you go. You're more than welcome and you're invited. Please come on down. It's going to be the 80th. And that's where you should have your show coming out of. That'd be great.Sam Stone: I think that sounds like an absolutely fantastic plan. Congressman James Moylan of Guam, thank you so much for joining us once again. We really appreciate having you on the program, folks. Stay tuned for our podcast only segment. You're not going to want to miss this one. Breaking battlegrounds. Back in just a moment.Speaker1: The 2022 political field was intense, so don't get left behind in 2024. If you're running for political office, the first thing on your to do list needs to be securing your name on the web with a your name Web domain from GoDaddy.com. Get yours now.Sam Stone: Welcome to the podcast. Only segment of breaking battlegrounds. In studio with me today the irrepressible haven't broken that out in a while the irrepressible Kiley Kipper. She remains irrepressible folks. She is our producer. She does a fantastic job. We've got Jeremy in the booth, as always, doing a beautiful job on all our audio and on the line. Now, I saw this come out a little while ago and it kind of blew me away. We have Senator Shannon Grove from California's 12th Senate District. Senator Grove has served in the US Army and had the amazing. It had to be amazing. Senator, the experience in Frankfurt, Germany, of watching the fall of the Berlin Wall. She's an advocate for small business school choice, the developmentally disabled farmers and families, and we're having her on today to discuss her proposed amendment to Assembly Bill 2167. Senator, thank you so much for joining us today. We really appreciate having you on the program. Tell us what this amendment was. First, I think this is news that was so much going on in the country, escaped a lot of people, but it really blew me away when I heard about your bill. I'm shocked California didn't have something like this already on the books and then shocked and disheartened at the Democrats response to it.Senator Shannon Grove: No.Senator Shannon Grove: And I appreciate you guys covering this subject matter. I really do. And thank you for having me on. Sb 14 was a simple solution that would just allow us individuals who sell children for sex, sex trafficking, minor children, 0 to 17in age group. It would make it a serious felony in the state of California right now, there's two subsections that deal with this subject matter. And selling a child for sex does not automatically make it a serious felony unless there's coercion, torture, violence, you know, all these different things that go along with it, then it can be considered serious. But I want the actual act of selling the child to be a serious felony.Sam Stone: And it shocks I mean, honestly, it we're sitting here in Arizona, obviously, we've had Republican leadership for a long time. So it's a very different environment. Obviously, every state is different. But this should be a no brainer, right? I mean, so much of the problem and we've dealt with the issue of sex trafficking and child sex trafficking here quite a bit. Obviously, with the border. Arizona is also another hub of that activity, just like California is, unfortunately. But a lot of times it's very difficult to prove those if you can prove any element of it at all. It's really difficult to prove those other elements. This has got to be just hamstringing prosecutors, this current law.Senator Shannon Grove: It really is hamstringing prosecutors. And that's why we work together with our district attorneys, including all the statewide district attorneys, with the exception of 3 or 4. But specifically Nancy O'Malley, the former district attorney of Alameda County, who established the heat unit, the human trafficking exploitation unit. And what happened is, is that that was the first unit set up like that in the nation that was victim centered. She's prosecuted over 850 cases of human trafficking. And one of the big issues that she has is that you can't convict these individuals because this particular bill, SB 14, the language is not on the books. When we first introduced the language, we wanted to make sure everybody was encompassed, that everybody in sex trafficking, labor trafficking were all included. But to get it out of the Senate, we had to narrow it to minors only. So we moved the football a little bit. We got a unanimous vote in the Senate. 40 senators in the state of California, all 40 voted I no abstentions and no no's. Fast forward to the Assembly Public Safety Committee, where the bill dies.Sam Stone: Oh.Sam Stone: I it stuns me. What was to hear that? I mean, it's sort of it's just gross. I mean, quite frankly, it's just gross. They clearly killed it when they they figured it wouldn't draw much attention by killing it in committee. But, my goodness, how how did what did they what did they say? How did these Democrats look at themselves in the mirror?Kiley Kipper: That's what I want to know, is what is their response when you're trying to have these conversations with the people that you work with?Senator Shannon Grove: So, yeah, no. So I did I was, you know, they requested me leadership, requested me to meet with the chair of the committee after it was killed and he wanted me to take an amendment. So let me explain the bill just a little bit more so people get a full grasp of it. If you sex trafficking a minor child in the state of California and you get caught and you get prosecuted, you get sentenced to either four, 8 or 12 years, let's just take the maximum 12 years with California's criminal justice reform laws. You go to school, you go to classes, you're a good behavior in prison. You can get out in less than four years. So let's just take that scenario, which happens quite often. You get out in four years and then you go back to sex trafficking a minor. That's when my bill kicks in and creates a strike offense that when you get busted on your second offense for selling a child for sex, then you have to serve your full 12 years and you have a strike against you, which could, if you continue your bad behavior, you could end up with life in prison. The chair wants me to take an amendment to allow the second offense of sex trafficking, not the first one. When you get convicted, you go to prison. You get out in four years, but then you get out again and you sex trafficker minor do or do another bad felony, something that's listed as a serious or violent felony. He wants me to take an amendment to allow the perpetrator to plea bargain down. I said no. So that's why the bill died.Sam Stone: That that is that is Kiley. That is stunning to me.Kiley Kipper: Just sitting here shaking our heads.Sam Stone: Yeah, My mouth is my mouth is on the bottom of this table right now because can you even.Senator Shannon Grove: Believe we're having this conversation?Sam Stone: No, no, no. Senator, we're talking to Senator Shannon Grove of California's 12th Senate District. She proposed this bill that would have made it a serious and violent felony to traffic minor children for the purposes of sex. That's a really narrow thing. I mean, trafficking any person should be a serious and violent felony. I like your original intent, but I understand cutting it back. You have to make a deal. I cannot comprehend the inhumanity that it takes to not move this out of committee.Senator Shannon Grove: Well, I think it just, you know, with the the media engaging the way they did and Californians raising up their voices and, you know, with the the the exposure that the bill got from dying caused the Public Safety Committee to reverse their decision, you know, 24 hours later. So it still is moving through the building. They are still pushing for amendments. You know, the public safety chair voted for the bill. We got it out of public safety. And now he's on, you know, TV. Every time he turns around going the bill is still flawed. I have to fix this bill. There's nothing wrong with my bill. It says that if you it just simply says you can't. It's a serious felony to to sex traffickers sell a child for sex. It's just ridiculous that you wouldn't be able to get this passed with flying colors. And what's interesting is, is that, like I said, every senator voted for it, including Scott Wiener out of San Francisco, The San Francisco Chronicle, and I'm talking about San Francisco, not normal California, but San Francisco. The San Francisco Chronicle even did an article, you know, against the chair's arguments like like you mean sex trafficking. The minor isn't enough like that. They have to brutalize them. You know, there's a whole list of things that they have to do in order to make it a strike or a default to life in prison. But I mean, branding them with a branding iron instead of tattooing all these different things in the details that will allow you to make it a fallback for the strike able offense. I just want to make it a strike able offense for sex trafficking. A minor like you shouldn't need all these other things. I think sex trafficking, a minor like my witness said it and it's kind of gross, but you have to get this vision in your head. Grown men all over a ten year old child, that in itself should be a serious felony.Sam Stone: Okay. I'm glad to be here. We are, folks, we are recording this just before lunchtime and I started the intermittent fasting thing. And I'm right now really glad that I don't start eating anything till noon because I think I would have thrown up right there. I mean, that's just.Senator Shannon Grove: This is disgusting. It's the hardest bill I've ever. I met parents that whose daughter was trafficked. And I said, How did you find out? You know, you know, tell me your story. She got a text message, a video. She clicked on the video and it was five guys gang raping her daughter. I met a and it's it's disproportionately does affect black women and people of color. If you look at Figueroa Street, the National Coalition of Human Trafficking down there says that 70% of the women that are in their shelters are are black or brown. And then also 55% of them on the streets are black or brown. So for them to say that this disproportionately affects black people, I agree with them in that portion only. They are concerned about the black people that could possibly go to prison for perpetrating these crimes against black women. And I to me, I don't care what color your skin is, I, I don't care what I was in the military. Everybody's green, but I don't care what color your skin is. If you're sex trafficking minors, I do want you to go to prison for a long time. Yeah.Sam Stone: I mean, this this hesitation on their part, it's protecting the evil people and not protecting the innocent ones. And who gives a darn about skin color? That just makes no sense at all.Senator Shannon Grove: But when they can't make an argument on the substance, they always throw in race. And they always do that. They always throw in race. And then you've got these people out there doing the q-anon thing. If they can't make an argument on the substance, they try to distract from the substance. And I keep saying the bill is very simple. If you sex trafficking a minor 0 to 17, you should go to prison.Sam Stone: Well, and part of the backstory behind some of their opposition, I imagine, is what they've been trying to do to essentially legalize or decriminalize however you want to put it, prostitution. But they present it as as a choice for the people that are engaging in that activity. This is not a choice. I mean, this is not somebody. Yeah. Who's who's making a decision about their own life. This is somebody who's being abused in the worst way possible.Senator Shannon Grove: You're exactly right. But when you get into the details, I guess you'd say the the the serious felony doesn't kick in when you traffic a minor because, you know, you just you have to imagine somebody's going, come on, you know, like a family member or do this for dad, do this for mom. You know, whatever a neighbor come on, just do this one time. Well, they're not they're not beating her into submission. They're not. So it doesn't count, right? It just doesn't count. So there are there are it is very, very hard to prosecute a serious felony in the state of California for this because the girls are scared. They're young. They they they're afraid to turn someone in. And so basically, they have to have all these additional things that happen once you sex traffic the minor. And that's why I was trying to make it simple that that selling the child or sex trafficking the child should be enough alone by itself as a serious felony.Sam Stone: I, I.Sam Stone: Would agree, Kylie, in part because when you talk to experts about this, about sex trafficking, particularly a minor, children, you know, even regardless of the physical abuse, what they're using is mental abuse and mental torture to to keep these these young people in a position where they can continue to be exploited. They're tearing their mind apart. Yeah.Kiley Kipper: And it'll never be recovered. Obviously, their life will never be the same.Senator Shannon Grove: I mean, Kiley, you're absolutely right when you think about it. You know, even my survivors that have gone on to have families and you know that I have Odessa Perkins, if you haven't watched her testimony, she really nailed them with her responses. But she was she was trafficked as a minor and went through the anger stage, the criminal stage, the whole bit where she was, you know, didn't function right in society because of the trauma in her. And then you become a survivor versus a victim. Right. And now she's an interventionist. She's a speaker and author. She has a nonprofit where she rescues at risk kids and deters at risk kids and rescues people out of human trafficking. So there is a is a road to recovery. But that doesn't mean that she doesn't deal with this trauma that affected her as a child all of her life, every single day. And the same with Jenna McKay, who does the Jenna McKay Foundation. And you know what's interesting about these two individuals, Odessa is a black a black woman trafficked as a child in a in a poor socioeconomic disadvantaged neighborhood. But Jenna McKay came from a Christian home, no divorce, got a full ride scholarship to Vanguard University and was lured out of that by someone who said they loved her. She fell in love. She thought she they'd been dating for a few months. He asked her to go to Vegas, knock on the door. When they get to Vegas, they exchanged money and men came in and raped her.Kiley Kipper: Wow.Senator Shannon Grove: So there's different stories in this human trafficking realm.Sam Stone: And it takes an enormous amount of courage to be able to come out and tell those stories. But it takes as much courage in the moment to be able to go and tell that story to police. And it just sounds like this, you know, anything you do that adds barriers, that makes it more difficult for them to have the the the resolution in part, I guess, of having their assailant be actually placed in bars and behind bars and face real penalties. That has to be part of the healing process for a lot of them. Right. Is is seeing justice actually happen. And this is this this hesitation by some California Democrats is really denying that.Senator Shannon Grove: It really is. And that's a perfect way to explain it, too. So we're trying to remove barriers. There's barriers now to testimony which you just said. So this bill would remove barriers. It just the act of selling the child for sex would be a serious felony. So there wouldn't be any barriers where you have to meet a certain level or did they beat you? Did they sodomise you? Did they I mean, all these crazy things, right? So just the act. So we're trying to remove the barriers for these these kids to testify. So that's a very good way to put it. Thank you for phrasing it that way.Sam Stone: Fantastic. Senator, anything else that we should be focusing, you know, people should be paying attention to around this upcoming hearings or anything like that. And then secondly, how can they support you in the work you're doing? Because I got to say, especially in California, you're you're swimming upstream in a big way. But they need more voices like yours who provide some balance.Senator Shannon Grove: I appreciate that. So the bill did get out of public safety. It quieted the media down a little bit. So now everybody's off on their what they call summer break. We come back on August 14th and the bill will go before the Appropriations Committee in order to get through one more committee, the opposition, the Democrats that killed the bill originally in public safety and then re voted for the bill two days later or a day and a half later. They are still saying that I they are going to fix this bill and they're going to make me take amendments. There is nothing to fix in this bill, so please stay engaged in the process. You can follow me at Shannon Grove, CA on Instagram, Shannon Grove, CA on Twitter, Shannon Grove, CA on Facebook, or Senator Shannon Grove on Facebook. But and we'll post the, you know, the day that the hearing is going to take place. We'll keep everybody updated on social media. So please stay engaged and to pray for this process because it really is just just a mess the way that the California state legislature operates. And then also, you know, participate in the hearing process. They still allow call ins. You can call in, you can write in, you can you can just participate to support the bill. So thank you, folks.Sam Stone: We have a lot of listeners out there right now who are listening to this who are in California. Make your voice heard. You know, make stand up, exercise your right as a citizen. I think that's incredibly important in this case. They need to hear from voices outside the political process and where people really stand, because I don't see. Senator, thank you so much for joining us. Senator Shannon Grove. I don't see anything at all that needs to be amended in this bill. This needs to pass.Senator Shannon Grove: I agree. Thank you so much for taking the time to interview me and get the message out there. I really appreciate it.Sam Stone: All right. Fantastic. Folks, remember to tune in every week to Breaking Battlegrounds. We're on all your favorite Salem network stations. And you can also download us wherever you find your podcasts, Substack, Spotify. Apple Podcasts. I think we still even post to YouTube, although I've never I've never actually been on our YouTube site. Kiley To find out what's up. It's up. Okay, folks, make sure you're tuning in. That's how we keep the lights on here in this studio. That's how we pay the bills and that's how we continue to bring you stories about what's going on around the country that maybe aren't getting enough coverage like this one. Again, thank you to all of our guests today and particular thanks to our final guest, Senator Shannon Grove of California. It is, as always, been an enlightening and and not always easy journey here with breaking battlegrou

It's our Podcast series 7 finalé and our guest this week is a friend of ours Dr Rebecca Walker, she is an experienced GP with expertise in Menopause care, Migraine and Headache medicine, we talk all things migraine and Dr Becky de-bunks myths surrounding migraines. Find out how a migraine is diagnosed, and could your dizzy spells be vestibular migraine? Dr Becky tells us about the newest migraine medication and how migraines can develop or worsen in peri menopause. We ask if different HRT preparations affect different types of migraine. And do you think a migraine is always a headache? The answer may surprise you. Dr Walker works as an NHS GP in Devon and is part of a team of specialist GPs at the Exeter Headache Clinic, a National Health service for people with complex headache conditions. Becky is also a senior clinician with the National Migraine Centre, a specialist charity supporting people with migraine. As if that's not enough she is part of the team at Myla Health who provide individualised private menopause support. Dr Walker enjoys sharing her learning and teaches on Headache Medicine and Menopause to GPs, and to students at Exeter Medical School. She has also written articles on menopause and migraine. We've been fortunate enough to meet with Becky several times in the past few months since she moved to Devon, and what a pleasure it has been so we asked her to join us on the podcast to talk about migraines and hormones, particularly in menopause. You can watch the full interview on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFgmHLcdx28eco-XlkWYwUA   Have you heard of the Malaya Lola's? These were a group of teens and children snatched from their homes and imprisoned and raped during WW2. These girls were called ‘comfort women' and were abused by Japanese soldiers in the Japanese Imperial Army. Jinty uncovers the Filipino women's story.   Foodie - as we conclude our theme for this month we have a traditional shortbread recipe from Sainsbury's. Click the link for the full recipe: https://www.sainsburysmagazine.co.uk/recipes/baking/classic-shortbread Find out how Lou got it so very wrong!   Book Collective we announce our book for series 8 and it's from the wonderful Caro Giles: Twelve Moons. A Year Under A Shared Sky published by Harper Collins.   There's a new WI that you can get involved in, there's an inspirational quote from Jinty and have you ever experienced an eargasms? It's another episode brimming with chat, your comments, and all the usual shenanigans. So, settle in for this hour(ish) podcast full of meaningful chat.   Our campaign for a Menopause Clinic in Devon is moving closer but we still need signatures on our petition: https://www.change.org/p/wheresmyclinic Or to send your testimonials please email us: menopauseclinicdc@gmail.com And finally, if you would like the templates to send to your MP or CCG please visit our website: https://menopauseclinicfordevon.co.uk   Dr Rebecca Walker: I: dr_rebeccawalker W: https://www.nationalmigrainecentre.org.uk/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/womenkindcollectivepodcast/message

Unit 731 - Part OneAt least 3,000 people, not just Chinese but also Russians, Mongolians and Koreans, died from the experiments performed by Unit 731 between 1939 and 1945. No prisoner came out alive of the Unit's gates.During the war, the Japanese Imperial Army used biological weapons developed and manufactured by Unit 731's laboratory in Harbin throughout China, killing or injuring an estimated 300,000 people.In Unit 731, live subjects were induced with frostbite until their limbs froze off, injected with fatal diseases and then had live operations performed on them without anesthesia, forced at gunpoint to be raped by syphilis-infected men, shot with bullets or stuck with bayonets or scorched with flamethrowers while tied to stakes, placed in centrifuges and spun to death, shoved inside pressure chambers until their eyes popped out, crushed with heavy objects, and buried alive.Music "Vanquish" by Independent Music Licensing Collective (IMLC) Ketsa 2Check us out!Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/STATpodcastFacebook - STAT! Shocking Traumas and Treatments https://www.facebook.com/groups/1976085945958667/Instagram - stattales

The US invasion of Iwo Jima, known as ‘Operation Detachment', led to five weeks of fierce fighting between around 21,000 Japanese troops and 110,000 ...

Warning: This episode features the difficult topic of sexual slavery during World War II. Producer Willa Seidenberg talks with recent graduate Hanyu Chen about her thesis, Our Bodies, Their Battlegrounds: The Conservation of Comfort Stations in China. Before and during World War II, the Japanese Imperial Army forced women and girls into sexual slavery for the military in its occupied territories. Their captors called them "comfort women" and their prisons "comfort stations." Two of the few remaining former comfort stations are in Hanyu's hometown.In this episode, Hanyu discusses how the "comfort women" system developed, why these crimes took so long to reach the public eye, and why conserving the few former stations is critical to reclaiming these women's stories.See episode page for transcript, photos, and linksConnect with us @saveasnextgen on Instagram and Facebook

Why does a Japanese man work his way across the entire United States to study Christianity in Columbia, South Carolina? Once in Columbia, how does he become an influential reformer of one of the most notorious prisons in American history? This is the story of Frankie San: soldier in the Japanese Imperial Army, friend to a cowboy, Lutheran pastor, educator, librarian, and minister to those on death row. Matt Simmons is joined by Shannon Smith and Scott Reeves of the James R. Crumley, Jr. Archives to discuss this fascinating story of humility, faith, social justice, and belonging. The Frankie San Project

Foul Lady Fortune, the first in a duology, is a speculative historical noir surrounding the events of Imperial Japan's expansion into China in the 1930s. It's 1931 in Shanghai, and the stage is set for a new decade of intrigue. Four years ago, Rosalind Lang was brought back from the brink of death, but the strange experiment that saved her also stopped her from sleeping and aging—and allows her to heal from any wound. In short, Rosalind cannot die. Now, desperate for redemption from her traitorous past, she uses her abilities as an assassin for her country. Code name: Fortune. But when the Japanese Imperial Army begins its invasion march, Rosalind's mission pivots. A series of murders is causing unrest in Shanghai, and the Japanese are under suspicion. Rosalind's new orders are to infiltrate foreign society and identify the culprits behind the terror plot before more of her people are killed. To reduce suspicion, however, she must pose as the wife of another Nationalist spy, Orion Hong, and though Rosalind finds Orion's cavalier attitude and playboy demeanor infuriating, she is willing to work with him for the greater good. But Orion has an agenda of his own, and Rosalind has secrets that she wants to keep buried. As they both attempt to unravel the conspiracy, the two spies soon find that there are deeper and more horrifying layers to this mystery than they ever imagined.

Ben Steele, American is a documentary podcast limited series inspired by the book "Tears in the Darkness - The story of the Bataan Death March", hosted by Alec Baldwin.  American forces were unprepared for what lay ahead in their looming battle with the Japanese Imperial Army. What were the historical influences that made the Japanese soldier such a terrorizing force? Did Americans even know what had happened to the Chinese in Nanjing? Listen to Ben Steele, American on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-ben-steele-american-98570427/ Produced by Jan Thompson, Zach McNees, and Alec Baldwin. Jan Thompson is our writer and editor.  Zach McNees is our mixer, and post production supervisor. Ben Steele American is inspired by the book Tears in the Darkness by Elizabeth and Michael Norman. The cover art for each episode features original art by Ben Steele himself with graphic design by Ben Dunmore.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

American forces were unprepared for what lay ahead in their looming battle with the Japanese Imperial Army. What were the historical influences that made the Japanese soldier such a terrorizing force? Did Americans even know what had happened to the Chinese in Nanjing? Produced by Jan Thompson, Zach McNees, and Alec Baldwin. Jan Thompson is our writer and editor.  Zach McNees is our mixer, and post production supervisor. Ben Steele American is inspired by the book Tears in the Darkness by Elizabeth and Michael Norman. The cover art for each episode features original art by Ben Steele himself with graphic design by Ben Dunmore.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

State of the Arts Episode 81: The Father's Day Special just published! This week I am joined by my mother Caroline Osborne as we pay homage to my grandfather Sing Leung Lam. His unsung heroism during World War II, his breathtaking talent for calligraphy, his dedication to his career as a corporate executive in the British shipping industry, his knack for captivating storytelling, his respectful consideration towards all human beings and his touching devotion to his family will forever be etched into our family's hearts. Going way back into his family history, he descended from a long line of high ranking Chinese military officers. His father, my great-grandfather Lam, was an engineer in Hong Kong who designed luxury ocean liners. His mother was a lovely heiress who sadly passed away when my grandfather was only four years old. Growing up around a father with such an exquisite talent for design, my grandfather quickly picked up the craft of calligraphy. Extremely intelligent in all subjects and boldly artistic, he excelled in school. Right before World War II broke out, he graduated from Kings College with a degree in education. With a compassionate heart, he happily accepted a position as a teacher in an orphanage. This was where he met my grandmother, who was also a teacher there. During World War II, my grandparents fled with their orphan students, escaping the Japanese Imperial Army, one step at a time. They hid on mountains, in small towns and in the wilderness of mainland China. Kind-hearted locals provided them with food. There were some frightening close-calls. But, my grandparents managed to keep all of the children in their care alive and safe. At one point when my grandfather knew that his co-workers and his students were in an extremely safe location. So, he left them briefly to rush to a family matter. He received word that his stepmother, out of desperation, fear of the enemy and of starvation, made the horrific choice of selling his two sisters as child brides. Immediately he hurried to the farming village where they were forced to go to wed their much older husbands. On the way towards his rescue mission, he was kidnapped by Imperial soldiers and forced into excruciating manual labor for three days. In the darkness of a fateful evening, he managed to bribe a greedy soldier with his expensive watch to gain his freedom. Ultimately he reached his two enslaved sisters and snuck them away from their abusers. In two giant wicker baskets he smuggled the young girls out of the farming village to safety. He was eager to rejoin his coworkers and students. At one point an Imperial plane flew over his head. He had two possible places to take cover. In a split-second decision, he dove into one of them. The location he did not choose was the one that was bombed. After all this turmoil, terror and sheer hell-on-earth was over, he proposed to his courageous colleague, my grandmother Pak Sau Lam. Thoroughly impressed with him, a British shipping company, of both cruise and cargo ships, offered him a position in management. He ascended to be the highest ranking Chinese senior executive in the entire company. By the time he was retired many of his sons and daughters had moved to the United States. He and my grandmother joined them eventually. I'll never forget the outrageous stories he told of mystical creatures from Chinese folklore. I can still recite an ancient Chinese poem he taught me and sing the chorus from classic Chinese songs. When I have to multiply something I can only do it in Cantonese. He played two spoons as instruments while he sang the times table to help me learn. He set a great example. He would treat a custodian with the same respect he would treat a CEO. He imparted to me the value of believing in myself. Courageous, caring, organized, intelligent, patient, wise, resilient and encouraging. My hero, my role model. My grandfather. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

We all know that World War II ended in 1945. However for one Japanese soldier Hiro Onada he would continue fighting for nearly 30 years. Was this an ignorant attempt by him to not dishonor his country? Or was this a direct attempt to resurrect the Japanese Imperial Army? --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In Manchuria (Northeast China), before and during the second world war, the Japanese Imperial Army conducted numerous, and quite horrific, biological warfare experiments on live human beings. Most of these projects were led by one man: Dr Shiro Ishii. Please consider donating to patreon.com/societyofstrife or buymeacoffee.com/societyofstrife. You can also follow this podcast on Instagram @societyofstrifepodcast.

On this day in 1972, a former soldier in the Japanese Imperial Army was discovered hiding in the jungles of Guam, unaware that World War II had ended nearly three decades earlier. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Kim Hak-Sun was the first Korean comfort woman to break her silence about the atrocities committed by the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II. Her story is difficult but important. Content warning for sexual violence, physical violence, war, suicide and substance abuse. Take care of yourself. https://linktr.ee/idkher_podcast

Episode 6 of Part 6 has brought us back and given us all the answers(?), which means it's Tea Time once again, Lupintic folks! Drew, Chris, Natalie, and Jay discuss the conclusion of the two-part caper, "The Imperial City, Dreams of Thieves - Part 2." They ask a numerous amount of questions. What exactly is going on here? Who's behind all this? Why is some of this episode kinda uncomfortable? Are we overthinking this a bit? How long does Lupin last in No Nut November? Then, our debonair co-host Guillaume discusses why every question shouldn't be answered, the referential circle, Edogawa Ranpo recommendations, and much more! We'll be covering every episode of Part 6 as it airs. Join us on our journey as we react to all the twists and turns of the Lupin gang's latest caper! Review from Lupin Central, with comments on the presentation of the Japanese Imperial Army: https://www.lupincentral.com/home/review-part-6-episode-5-and-6 Twitter: https://twitter.com/lupinpod SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/lupinpod iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sideburns-cigarettes-a-lupin-iii-podcast/id1478541296 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1BP4ku5resMwg6CkjHcmMB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lupinpod/

This History Podcast is about the Siege of Tsingtao when the German Empire and Empire of Japan fight during WW1 in Asia. It is followed by a discussion between Justin and Craig. ➡️ When WW1 broke out in Europe, Britain requests assistance from the Empire of Japan to help defeat the German Empire. This led the Japanese to siege Tsingtao in Shandong province. ➡️ The German defenders of Tsingtao would fight gallantly against the Japanese Imperial Army. This episode will cover the entire Siege of Tsingtao, from the naval battles, land battles and air battles. This episode will also cover the incredible story of German pilot Gunther Plüschow and how he participated in the Siege of Tsingtao. ➡️ Come learn about how Japan entered WW1 and how it affected China. What was the fate of the German POW's after the Siege of Tsingtao? How and why did WW1 affect Asia in general? ➡️ This video is one of a four part series for WW1 in Asia.

The War Still Within is Tanya Ko Hong's fifth book, and contains 36 poems (25 of which are reprinted from a range of literary venues). This collection also includes "Comfort Woman," her well researched and vividly imagined sequence of six poems based on the experiences of the Korean "comfort women" who were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II. _______________________________________________   Produced by Maddie Gobbo, Lance Morgan, Natalie Freeman, & Michael Kowaleski. Theme: "I Love All My Friends," an unreleased demo by Fragile Gang. Visit https://www.skylightbooks.com/event for future offerings from the Skylight Books Events team.

Tanya (Hyonhye) Ko Hong is a bilingual Korean American poet and translator. She has an MFA in poetry from Antioch University. Tanya is the author of four poetry collections, most recently The War Still Within: Poems of the Korean Diaspora(KYSO Flash Press, 2019), written primarily in English. Before that, she published Mother to Myself (Prunsasang Press, 2015) in Korean, Yellow Flowers on a Rainy Day (Oma Books of the Pacific, 2003) in English, and Generation One Point Five (Esprit Books, 1993) in Korean with English translations. Her poetry appears in Rattle, Beloit Poetry Journal, Entropy, Cultural Weekly, WSQ: Women's Studies Quarterly (published by The Feminist Press), the Choson Ilbo, The Korea Times, and the Aeolian Harp Series Anthology, among others.  Tanya was the first Korean-American recipient of the Yun Doon-ju Korean-American Literature Award. Her segmented poem, “Comfort Woman,” won the 11th Moon Prize from Writing in a Woman's Voice and received an honorable mention from the Women's National Book Association. She was a finalist for Frontier's Chapbook Contest and the Ko Won Literature Award, and a semi-finalist in the Jack Grapes Poetry Contest. She has received grants from the Korean Cultural Center, the Daesan Foundation, and Poets & Writers. Weaving together two cultures, Tanya's poetry gives voice to multiple generations of Korean and Korean-American women. Her most recent collection, The War Still Within includes a well-researched and vividly imagined sequence of poems based on the experiences of the Korean “comfort women” who were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II.    

Content Warning: War Crimes. The bad ones. From December 1937, during the Second Sino-Japanese War, an atrocity carried out by the Japanese Imperial Army took place over about 7 weeks. Even within a century that saw some of the worst and most far-reaching crimes against humanity, the event that came to be known as the Rape of Nanking would still be seen as exceptionally horrifying. Today's guest is Hannah Lane! You can find her via her Instagram page, and she is also the co-host of our horror movie review podcast that we do together, Not Another Film podcast. For more content follow me on @hikikomoripodcast on Instagram where I'll be posting photos relevant to this episode! You can also find me on Twitter @sequencepod, or you can listen to my other podcasts Final Fanservice and Not Another Film on any big podcast app. Sources: The Rape of Nanking, by Iris Chang (1997) In the Name of the Emperor, by Christine Choi (1995) The Impossible Task of Remembering the Nanking Massacre, by Simon Han The Longest Theatre Of World War II, by Timeline Survivor Testimonies, Facing History The last survivors: Living testimony of Nanjing Massacre, CGTN The Nanking Massacre Project: Photographs and Films, Yale University Wikipedia 

This week we take an international trip back in time to China during World War II. The Japanese Imperial Army invades China, capturing thousands of civilians so that doctors and researchers can force them to endure the most sadistic human experimentation in history. From bubonic plague flea bombs to invasive surgeries, this episode depicts some of the worst medical crimes the world has to offer.For a full list of all episode references, visit our case files and pictures page! https://www.ethicalsideeffects.com/episode-case-filesBuy Merch, Subscribe, & Follow Us!https://linktr.ee/EthicalSideEffects Go to https://partner.canva.com/ESEFFECTS to get started with a one-month free trial of Canva Pro today! Stop scrolling and starting listening now, with Newsly! Use promo code ESEFFECT at newsly.me and receive a 1-month free premium subscriptionSupport the show

A Harvard Law School professor has published an article claiming that the hundreds of thousands of Asian women whom the Japanese Imperial Army forced into being sex slaves were actually paid prostitutes willingly who signed up to be dehumanized, tortured, and even killed. Boston attorney Linda Champion, who is Korean and Black, is one of the many who are speaking out against this ridiculous assertion.

Unlike World War 1 which was fought on distant shores, for the first time, World War 2 brought global conflict to Australian shores. Fearing a potential invasion by the Japanese Imperial Army, the Australian home front rallied in a variety of ways to meet this challenge. Historians Dr Karl James and Dr Aaron Pegram from the Australian War Memorial, discuss how the Australian home front responded during World War 2.   Presenter: Adam Blum Guests: Dr Karl James & Dr Aaron Pegram Editor: Kyle Watkins Academic Adviser: Margaret Strike

At 9am on the 26th March 1945, the Battle of Iwo Jima ended as US Marines officially secured the island from the Japanese Imperial Army during the War in the ...

On this episode, Pat and Henry want to ask you a few questions. Have you ever wanted more testicles in your life? Have you ever mysteriously contracted syphilis only after having been guaranteed free healthcare by a doctor? Then you might be an American citizen. Trust us...that's always better than being a Chinese citizen receiving healthcare from the Japanese Imperial Army. Trust us. Send us an email at Aliensdefinitely@gmail.com --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/pat-and-jim/support

March 8 is International Women's Day, a day that helps nations celebrate the elimination of discrimination against women. Listen to Cheryl Diaz Meyer, a Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist as she shares intimate details and the inspiration for her recent project with NPR that shines light on the last living "Comfort Women" of the Philippines. The "Comfort Women" story was supported by the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and the Yunghi Kim Grant. To learn more about Cheryl, her work and future exhibits, visit her website. View Cheryl's photos and read the NPR article on the last living "Comfort Women" of the Philippines. Filipina Comfort Women Photos by Cheryl Diaz Meyer All over the Philippines, in grandiose mansions, schools, hospitals -- churches even -- women and girls were systematically raped and tortured in military brothels, some as young as 8 years old, as part of Japan's effort to keep the Japanese Imperial Army soldiers from rebelling during World War II. Assaulted by up to 30 men daily, three quarters of the women did not survive their abuse. Of the estimated 1,000 comfort women in the Philippines, some 40 are still living. Most are physically frail, and some have succumbed to dementia. These portraits and quiet moments capture a story of survivors. Lola Pilar Galang is one of the last living Comfort Women of the Philippines. On November 23, 1944, Galang and some 100 other girls and women were taken to the Bahay Na Pula, also known as the Red House, and were systematically raped by the Japanese Imperial Army as they retreated from the country at the end of World War II. Galang was 9 years old at the time of the assaults. Photo taken in Pampanga, Philippines, on Sunday, May 19, 2019. Lolas Remedios Tecson, Estela Adriatico, Narcisa Claver’a, Felicidad delos Reyes and Estelita Dy, left to right, were only teenagers when they were sexually enslaved by the Japanese Imperial Army soldiers in the Philippines during World War II. Some 1,000 women and girls were used as Comfort Women in the Philippines, while in occupied countries throughout Asia there were 200,000. Three quarters of the women did not survive their harrowing abuse. Photo taken on Sunday, April 28, 2019. Lola Maria Estadio Arroyo, 87, was 12 years old when she was sexually enslaved for three months in Roxas City, Philippines, by the Japanese Imperial Army soldiers during World War II. She eventually married David Arroyo and had seven children with him, but he became abusive in his later years, beating her with wooden planks or his fists, until his passing in 1997. In her old age, Arroyo is frail and cared for by her daughter Lolita Arroyo Acuyong. She suffers from a Herpes infection that has destroyed most of her hearing. Photo taken on Tuesday, May 28, 2019. "When we arrived to the Red House, I was pushed so hard that I lost consciousness so I don't recall what happened to me...but even today, I feel the pain in my body," said Lola Maria Lalu Quilantang, 83, who was 9 years old when her village of Mapaniqui in Pampanga, Philippines, was attacked by the Japanese during World War II. All the men were killed and the women and girls were forced to walk to the Red House carrying the loot that the Japanese soldiers stole from them. The once regal mansion owned by a Filipino doctor was used as a garrison and "comfort station" where the women and girls, some as young as eight, were raped all night by the Japanese Imperial Army. Photo taken on Sunday, May 19, 2019. Lolas Pilar Galang and Belen Alarcon Culala, left and right, support each other as they walk through the Bahay na Pula, also known as the Red House. The women were children when their village of Mapaniqui in Pampanga, Philippines was attacked by the Japanese Imperial Army. All the men and boys were killed and the women and girls were forced to walk to the Bahay na Pula, also known as the Red House,

Admiral Yamamoto (2011) recounts the final years of the admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, who was the commander-in-chief of the joint fleet of the Japanese Imperial Navy during WWII. He disagreed with many of the decisions of the Japanese Imperial Army and attempted to prevent a conflict with the United States. It delves into the life of a man conflicted with his opposition to the war with United States and the pressures from his superiors to carry out the first blow. Asian War Film Series: 1) The Battle: Roar to Victory (2019) 2) Taegukgi (2004) 3) Admiral Yamamoto (2011) 4) Ichiban Densha Ga Hashitta (2015) Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzMwCEPYI47Mq7W997iJkbg?view_as=subscriber Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastthesubtitles?fan_landing=true Instagram: @pastthesubtitles --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/gps1/support

On this episode, Cyrus is joined by the fascinating man that is Amish Tripathi. Amish is a bestselling author and diplomat who has just released his latest book 'Dharma: Decoding the Epics for a Meaningful Life' co-authored by Bhavna Roy. Cyrus and Amish talk about how London and England are doing with the pandemic as compared to India, the city of London having more cases per day than all of India, government efficiency, ancient cultures and how they approached life and faith, why our history textbooks need to talk more about Indian rulers from other parts of the country and not concentrate just on the Delhi rulers like the Delhi Sultanate or the Mughals; a restaurant in Bath, UK sending a samosa into space, why Nazi Germany's war crimes are more widely known as opposed to those of other armies like the Japanese Imperial Army, and lots more. Tune in for a highly interesting conversation.Follow Amish on Twitter & Instagram: https://twitter.com/authoramish and https://instagram.com/authoramishYou can follow Antariksh on Instagram @antariksht.Do send in AMA questions for Cyrus by tweeting them to @cyrussaysin or e-mailing them at whatcyrussays@gmail.comDon't forget to follow Cyrus Broacha on Instagram @cyrus_broacha (https://www.instagram.com/boredbroacha)In case you're late to the party and want to catch up on previous episodes of Cyrus Says you can do so at: www.ivmpodcasts.com/cyrussays

Meet Wang Xuan, a woman who is working tirelessly to seek justice for victims of biological weapons of Unit 731. Born in 1952 in Shanghai, China, Wang Xuan graduated from a university in China and worked as an English teacher for over ten years. In 1993 she received a Master's Degree in Education with distinction from the University of Tsukuba in Japan. In 1995, she discovered by chance what would turn out to be the cause to which she would dedicate her life's work. From a news article in an English newspaper about the First International Symposium on Unit 731 held in Harbin, China, she learned that Japanese peace activists had been reported going to Chongshan Village, Yiwu, Zhejiang Province, China, to investigate the plague epidemic caused by Unit seven three one's bacterial warfare in World War II. This cause had been special in Wang Xuan's heart as her family was from Zhejiang. During WWII, Zhejiang was of strategic importance, as several airfields in the area were used as Allied bases. The Zhejiang Jiangxi Railway also was viewed as an important supply line. The Imperial Japanese Army then launched strategic attacks on the railway from May to September of 1942. This was also directed at the allies in retaliation for the "Doolittle" air raids on Tokyo by the U.S. bombers. Due to the number of ground troops in the area, the Japanese Imperial Army considered it considerably more cost effective to use biological weapons than any other method. If you like this type of content, please consider subscribing to our channel. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/pacific-atrocities-education/support

In December of 1941 Christmas Island was about be occupied by the Japanese Imperial Army. What happened next surprised the British who then possessed the Island.

In contingent with the bombing of Pearl Harbor in the last month of 1941, the Japanese Imperial Army marched into Southern Thailand from Malaysia, calling for free passage into the country. ​Phibun Songkhram, both Commander and Chief of the Royal Thai Army and the Prime Minister at the time, allowed Japanese entry, vowing to maintain Thai independence in lieu of Japan's colonial activities enacted against neighboring Southeast Asian countries. As Japanese troops within the country and demands to utilize Thai facilities and resources increased, Thailand was now fully engulfed by the war. By January 1942, Bangkok declared war on Great Britain and the United States. Book Siamese Sovereignty: Thailand's Strategy of Political Duality During World War II References ​1. https://www.cia.gov/news-information/featured-story-archive/2008-featured-story-archive/free-thai-movement.html 2. The Thai Resistance Movement During The Second World War, John B. Haseman, Chalermnit Press, Bangkok. 3. http://www.insigne.org/OSS-Thai.htm 4. https://th.usembassy.gov/ambassador-davies-visits-phrae/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/pacific-atrocities-education/support

Korea24 – 2020.08.26. (Wednesday) - News Briefing Part 1: Dr. Axel Timmermann, director of the IBS center for climate physics (ICCP) at Pusan National University, gives the latest updates on the fast-approaching Typhoon Bavi, feared to be one of the strongest typhoons Korea has seen on record. - News Briefing Part 2: South Korea saw the number of daily COVID-19 cases top 300 after two days due to a continuous surge in infections in the Seoul metropolitan area. (Sam Len) - In-Depth News Analysis: Veteran journalist William Pesek calls in from Tokyo to discuss Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's health status, as speculations surround the Japanese PM's condition as he visited the hospital for the second time in just eight days. - Korea Trending with Jacco Zwetsloot: A survey reveals how South Koreans would feel about a second COVID-19 relief payout(2차 재난지원금), a soldier's death is linked to hantavirus(한타바이러스), and BTS's all-English single "Dynamite" rakes in 200 million views in just four days. - Korea Book Club: Anton Hur shares "Once You Fall for Dok Go-sum(독고솜에게 반하면)" by Hur Jin-hee(허진희). He talks about how this award-winning fantasy/Young Adult Novel addresses teenage classroom dynamics, politics, and bullying through the eyes of both protagonist and antagonist. - Morning Edition Preview with Mark Wilson-Choi: Mark shares a Korea Times article that talks about experts calling for better regulations of wild animals within South Korea, and an article in the Korea Herald that features Emily Jungmin Yoon, who wrote a book of poems to inform North American readers about the military sex slaves of the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II.

As the name itself implies, The Rape of Nanking is no light subject. It is one of many of Japan's extended list of war crimes committed by commanders and their troops during World War II. Throughout the seven-week pillaging of what was once Nanking, an estimate of 20,000 to 80,000 Chinese women raped and forced into a life of prostitution as “comfort women”, and 50,000 to 300,000 Chinese civilians were brutalized and savagely murdered. ​Despite the fact that the massacre was carried out by the Japanese, the Chinese government could partially be blamed as well, due to the Nationalist leader, Chiang Kai-Shek's inadequate handling of the event, and Communist leader Mao Zedong's following coverup. The Rape of Nanking has been a topic of debate for historians in the past few decades as no one can seem to pinpoint the exact amount of people decimated, the extent of the acts committed by the Japanese Imperial Army, and whether it was comparable to the Holocaust. Books Battle of Shanghai: The Prequel to the Rape of Nanking References 1. Chang, Iris. The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II. Basic Books, 1997. 2. “Statement by the Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Konoon the Result of the Study on the Issue of ‘Comfort Women.'” MOFA, www.mofa.go.jp/policy/women/fund/state9308.html. 3. Tanaka, Masaaki. What Really Happened in Nanking: The Refutation of a Common Myth. Sekai Shuppan, Inc., 2001. 4. Fingleton, Eamonn. “70 Years Later, Struggle for Nanking Massacre Justice Continues.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 26 May 2011, www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/05/70-years-later-struggle-for-nanking-massacre-justice-continues/239478/. 5. Yamamoto, Masahiro. Nanking: Anatomy of an Atrocity. Praeger, 2000. 6. Editors, History.com. “Nanking Massacre.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 9 Nov. 2009, www.history.com/topics/japan/nanjing-massacre. 7. Fish, Isaac Stone. “Why Did China Downplay the Nanjing Massacre?” Foreign Policy, Foreign Policy, 23 Feb. 2012, foreignpolicy.com/2012/02/23/why-did-china-downplay-the-nanjing-massacre/. 8. “Statement by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (Speeches and Statements by the Prime Minister).” Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet, japan.kantei.go.jp/97_abe/statement/201508/0814statement.html. 9. Wakabayashi, Bob Tadashi. The Nanking Atrocity, 1937-38 Complicating the Picture. Berghahn Books, 2017. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/pacific-atrocities-education/support

Eight hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese Imperial Army launched an invasion plan for Southeast Asia, including Hong Kong. Since Hong Kong was a British Colony at the time, soldiers from British colonies including India and Canada fought alongside Chinese guerrilla fighters. However, soldiers defending the city at the time were largely unprepared and Japan claimed its victory within 18 days. During the Christmas of 1941, the governor of Hong Kong, Mark Aitchison Young surrendered Hong Kong and started the 3 years 8 months of the Japanese Imperial Army's occupation of Hong Kong. Civilians were raped and tortured during the occupation. Instead of caring for the citizens' experiences at the end of WWII, people cared about the ownership of Hong Kong as England and China raced to reach the city. The book tells the stories of the Battle for Hong Kong, daily civilian lives, Hong Kong mafia's collaboration with the Japanese Imperial Army, and the POWs camp in Hong Kong during the occupation. ​Three Years Eight Months: ​The Forgotten Struggle of Hong Kong's WWII --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/pacific-atrocities-education/support

Fought on Australia's northern doorstep, the Dutch New Guinea campaign 1942-1945 featured some of the most brutal fighting Australian forces were to endure during the Pacific War. In this episode of True Blue History, Adam and leading World War II historian, David Howell discuss the vital importance of this campaign to the Allies and the Japanese Imperial Army. They explore why this campaign is not as well known or understood, particularly by Australians, as other more famous World War II theatres of war. Presenter: Adam Blum Guest: David Howell  Editor: Kyle Watkins for more great episodes visit TrueBlueHistory.com or subscribe to our YouTube channel TrueBlueHistory.

Episode 34: Bootleg Bitters Welcome to Deeply Disturbing Things!  This week Macie gets her hands pooped on and thinks about mass extinction. Naomi shares the stories of "comfort women" who were sold as sex slaves to the Japanese Imperial Army before and during World War II. We also received our first ever official fan mail with a gift of Bootleg Bitters and USPS secret juice!! Until next time...   Catch us Live on Monday evenings 7:10 pm Pacific standard time

It's the symbol of evil. Japan's Rising Sun flag is now allow to be shown in 2020 Olympic. Spokesman defended its stance on “Swinging flag is not a political statement”. Referencing to nation wide use of the flag, which is not quite right. Last Friday, Tokyo Olympic organizers said that the display of Japan's “Rising Sun” does not constitute a political statement and a spokesman said there were no plans to ban the controversial banner, as demanded by South Korea. The “Rising Sun” flag was adopted in 1870 as the flag of the Japanese Imperial Army. In 1889 it became the navy ensign. It was then adopted as the ensign of the Maritime Self-Defence Force, as Japan's navy is known, when the MSDF was established as part of Japan's Self-Defense Forces in 1954. South Korea's Sports Ministry last week have asked the International Olympics Committee to prohibit any use of the flag, which it likened to the Nazi's use of the swastika. Reuters reported. FIFA international foot ball association banned Rising flag at its championship tournament in 2017. The precedent explains how the flag disgrace on South Korean people. In its letter to the IOC, South Korea's sports ministry likened the flag to the Nazi swastika and said it was a symbol of the “historic scars and pain” inflicted on the Korean peninsula by imperial Japan. The letter also expressed Seoul's “deep disappointment and concern” over Tokyo's earlier refusal to ban the flags and pointed out that Fifa, the governing body of world football, banned the flag from international matches. South China Morning Post reported. Do you want to swing the flag? If you want to. How dare you. It reminds people Japan's invasions, imperialism and brutal military. I made and podcast how Japanese people rationalised wartime's crimes. Please listen if you don't know about Japanese military's historical massacre and how imperialism ignore basic human rights. South Koreans were discriminated by homogenous Japanese “good” citizens in Korean Peninsula and mainland Japan. For example, when the earth quake hit Kant region in 1923, Japan's police, military and the vigilante killed 6,000 Korean people. The comparison between Japan's Imperialism and German's nazism is understandable. Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-southorea-japan-olympics-flag/tokyo-olympic-organizers-say-no-plans-to-ban-rising-sun-flag-despite-south-korean-demand-idUSKCN1VY0W9 SCMP https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3026889/south-koreas-complaints-about-rising-sun-war-crime-flag-fall NYT https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2019/09/13/sports/olympics/13reuters-southorea-japan-olympics-flag.html

In Emily Jungmin Yoon's arresting and urgently relevant debut collection, A Cruelty Special to Our Species, she confronts the histories of sexual violence against women, focusing in particular on so-called “comfort women,” the majority of whom were Korean and who were forced into sexual labor to serve the Japanese Imperial Army in the Pacific theater of World War II. In wrenching language, A Cruelty Special to Our Species unforgettably describes the brutalities of war and the fear and sorrow of those whose lives and bodies were swept up by a colonizing power, bringing powerful voice to an oppressed group of people whose histories have often been erased and overlooked. “What is a body in a stolen country?” Yoon asks. “What is right in war?” In an author's note, Yoon explains that her poetry “does not exist to answer, but rather to continue asking, questions about my immigrant, ESL, Korean, and womanly experiences, or the violent history of twentieth-century Korea.” In taking on poetry about the comfort women,” she writes that "I'd like my poetry to serve to amplify and speak these women's stories, not speak for them.” Yoon is joined in conversation by Muriel Leung and Morgan Parker.

The United States formally entered World War II in December 1941, following Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Six months later, Bush enlisted into the U.S. Navy immediately after he graduated from Phillips Academy on his eighteenth birthday. He became a naval aviator, taking training for aircraft carrier operations aboard USS Sable. After completing the 10-month course, he was commissioned as an ensign in the United States Naval Reserve at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi on June 9, 1943 (just three days before his 19th birthday), which made him the youngest naval aviator to that date. In September 1943, he was assigned to Torpedo Squadron 51 (VT-51) as the photographic officer. The following year, his squadron was based in USS San Jacinto as a member of Air Group 51, where his lanky physique earned him the nickname "Skin". During this time, the task force was victorious in one of the largest air battles of World War II: the Battle of the Philippine Sea. After Bush's promotion to lieutenant (junior grade) on August 1, 1944, San Jacinto commenced operations against the Japanese in the Bonin Islands. Bush piloted one of four Grumman TBM Avengers of VT-51 that attacked the Japanese installations on Chichijima. His crew for the mission, which occurred on September 2, 1944, included Radioman Second Class John Delaney and Lt.(jg) William White. During their attack, the Avengers encountered intense anti-aircraft fire; Bush's aircraft was hit by flak and his engine caught fire. Despite the fire in his aircraft, Bush completed his attack and released bombs over his target, scoring several damaging hits. With his engine ablaze, Bush flew several miles from the island, where he and one other crew member of the TBM bailed out; the other man's parachute did not open. Bush waited for four hours in an inflated raft, while several fighters circled protectively overhead, until he was rescued by the submarine USS Finback, on lifeguard duty. For the next month, he remained in Finback and participated in the rescue of other aviators. Several of those shot down during the attack were executed, and their livers were eaten by their captors. A radio operator from the Japanese unit which shot down the Bush plane was American citizen Nobuaki Iwatake, a Japanese American who had settled in Japan six months before Pearl Harbor and was drafted into the Japanese Imperial Army in 1943. This experience shaped Bush profoundly, leading him to ask, "Why had I been spared and what did God have for me?" In November 1944, Bush returned to San Jacinto and participated in operations in the Philippines until his squadron was replaced and sent home to the United States. Through 1944, he flew 58 combat missions for which he received the Distinguished Flying Cross, three Air Medals, and the Presidential Unit Citation awarded to San Jacinto. Bush was then reassigned to a training wing for torpedo bomber crews at Norfolk Navy Base, Virginia. His final assignment was to a new torpedo squadron, VT-153, based at Naval Air Station Grosse Ile, Michigan. Bush was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy in September 1945, one month after the surrender of Japan.

John & David are joined by Prof. Purnendra Jain, internationally renowned Japan scholar & Northeast Asian security expert from the University of Adelaide, Dept. of Asian Studies Following is a list of some useful factoids regarding our Northeast Asian security special for those unfamiliar with some of the terms used: KOREA UNDER JAPANESE RULE - 1910-45 the Korean Peninsula was one indivisible territory under Japanese imperial rule. It has been considered an ambivalent period. While Japanese rule was often considered extremely harsh, it did bring with it a degree of social and economic modernity to the Korean people. COMFORT WOMEN - Between 1932-45 Japanese military conquests in Asia brought about the systemic exploitation of women from occupied territories - many forced into prostitution, but more properly, sexual slavery, to satisfy the requirements of the Japanese Imperial Army. Japan has failed to fully recognise this atrocity or adequately atone for it. DIVIDED KOREA - In 1945 Korea was divided into Soviet and American occupation zones. By 1948 the Soviets and Americans failed to reach an agreement on reunifying the country. Two forms of government, one communist, one non-communist were declared, each one stating that it was the legitimate voice of the Korean people. KOREAN WAR - 1950-53. Ended in a stalemate. ABDUCTION ISSUE - Between 1976-83, North Korean agents abducted a number of Japanese citizens. Officially acknowledged figures are low (in the teens), though unofficially there may have been hundreds of Japanese abductees. These people were allegedly brought to North Korea to teach Japanese to North Korean spies. Former North Korean leader, Kim Jong Il, father of current leader Kim Jong-un admitted to 13 Japanese abductees and apologised for this. Some 5 of the 13 admitted Japanese abductees returned to Japan in 2004. Issues surrounding compensation and the full disclosure of this North Korean activity remains a sore point between Tokyo & Pyongyang. HUBS & SPOKES - This wheel-like analogy describes the network of US alliances that keep the contemporary strategic balance of power in Northeast Asia. For example, the United States being the largest strategic power in the Pacific is considered 'the hub' while America's smaller Asia-Pacific allies, such as South Korea, Japan & Australia are considered the spokes. 1994 AGREED FRAMEWORK - A Clinton era initiative designed to smooth North Korea-US relations by promising energy aid to North Korea in return for North Korea freezing its nuclear program. This agreement ended in 2002 after North Korean and American officials accused each other of violations. 6 PARTY TALKS - Established in 2003, this multilateral forum between North Korea, China, Russia, the US, Japan and South Korea was created to move forward the idea of dismantling North Korea's nuclear program. North Korea pulled out of this forum in 2009. NORTH KOREA - Becomes a nuclear power in 2006. It test-fired its first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) 4 July 2017. RSS feed: http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users: 141166782/sounds.rss STRATEGIKON can also be found on the SAGE International Australia (SIA) website: www.sageinternational.org.au For more information from SAGE International Australia, follow SIA on Facebook, Twitter & LinkedIn. If you are enjoying our podcast, please help us out by liking us on our various social media and podcasting platforms and by telling your friends and colleagues about STRATEGIKON. Many thanks! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John & David are joined by Prof. Purnendra Jain, internationally renowned Japan scholar & Northeast Asian security expert from the University of Adelaide, Dept. of Asian Studies Following is a list of some useful factoids regarding our Northeast Asian security special for those unfamiliar with some of the terms used: KOREA UNDER JAPANESE RULE - 1910-45 the Korean Peninsula was one indivisible territory under Japanese imperial rule. It has been considered an ambivalent period. While Japanese rule was often considered extremely harsh, it did bring with it a degree of social and economic modernity to the Korean people. COMFORT WOMEN - Between 1932-45 Japanese military conquests in Asia brought about the systemic exploitation of women from occupied territories - many forced into prostitution, but more properly, sexual slavery, to satisfy the requirements of the Japanese Imperial Army. Japan has failed to fully recognise this atrocity or adequately atone for it. DIVIDED KOREA - In 1945 Korea was divided into Soviet and American occupation zones. By 1948 the Soviets and Americans failed to reach an agreement on reunifying the country. Two forms of government, one communist, one non-communist were declared, each one stating that it was the legitimate voice of the Korean people. KOREAN WAR - 1950-53. Ended in a stalemate. ABDUCTION ISSUE - Between 1976-83, North Korean agents abducted a number of Japanese citizens. Officially acknowledged figures are low (in the teens), though unofficially there may have been hundreds of Japanese abductees. These people were allegedly brought to North Korea to teach Japanese to North Korean spies. Former North Korean leader, Kim Jong Il, father of current leader Kim Jong-un admitted to 13 Japanese abductees and apologised for this. Some 5 of the 13 admitted Japanese abductees returned to Japan in 2004. Issues surrounding compensation and the full disclosure of this North Korean activity remains a sore point between Tokyo & Pyongyang. HUBS & SPOKES - This wheel-like analogy describes the network of US alliances that keep the contemporary strategic balance of power in Northeast Asia. For example, the United States being the largest strategic power in the Pacific is considered 'the hub' while America's smaller Asia-Pacific allies, such as South Korea, Japan & Australia are considered the spokes. 1994 AGREED FRAMEWORK - A Clinton era initiative designed to smooth North Korea-US relations by promising energy aid to North Korea in return for North Korea freezing its nuclear program. This agreement ended in 2002 after North Korean and American officials accused each other of violations. 6 PARTY TALKS - Established in 2003, this multilateral forum between North Korea, China, Russia, the US, Japan and South Korea was created to move forward the idea of dismantling North Korea's nuclear program. North Korea pulled out of this forum in 2009. NORTH KOREA - Becomes a nuclear power in 2006. It test-fired its first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) 4 July 2017. RSS feed: http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users: 141166782/sounds.rss STRATEGIKON can also be found on the SAGE International Australia (SIA) website: www.sageinternational.org.au For more information from SAGE International Australia, follow SIA on Facebook, Twitter & LinkedIn. If you are enjoying our podcast, please help us out by liking us on our various social media and podcasting platforms and by telling your friends and colleagues about STRATEGIKON. Many thanks! Support the show.

Sex Slaves denied compensation by Japan’s Supreme Court.During World War II, the Japanese Imperial Army held approximately 200,000 women as sex slaves to service Japanese soldiers. Most of the women, aged 12 to 21, were Chinese and Korean, although many women came from Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia and Japan. The military set up “comfort stations” throughout Japanese war territories and researchers estimate there were 160 in Shanghai alone. These girls and women were forced into sex with up to 50 men per day and those that survived were badly beaten and unable to have children. They lived silently with the horrible shame until in the early 1990s, the South Korean government urged them to come forward. In 1993, Japan’s chief cabinet secretary acknowledged that the military had been involved in forcing some women into prostitution. The government considered this an apology, but the victims and their families did not. Some of the women became more strident in wanting an official apology from Japan’s Parliament – holding vigils, protests and telling their gruelling stories. At various times government officials and even prime ministers offered personal apologies and compensation to individuals, but the tide turned back when Prime Minister Shinzo denied the military’s involvement and only backtracked somewhat to stem the controversy during his first official visit to the United States in April 2007. At the same time, on April 27, 2007, the Japanese Supreme Court rejected claims for compensation of sex slaves while acknowledging the military’s direct involvement in one particular case. In June 2007, 44 Japanese members of Parliament bought a full-page ad in the Washington Post alleging the women were well paid prostitutes. The surviving women continue to press for action. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

“One could not choose a worse place for fighting the Japanese,” said Winston Churchill of northern Burma, but it was there that the fledgling Office of Strategic Services conducted its most successful combat operations of World War II. Troy Sacquety, an Historian for the US Army’s Special Operations Command, ventures into Burma’s steaming jungles in the first book to fully cover the exploits and contributions of the OSS’s Detachment 101 against the Japanese Imperial Army. In this Author Debriefing, Sacquety describes how Detachment 101 succeeded and created a prototype for today’s Special Forces. This event took place on May 13, 2013. Get the book: http://www.spymuseumstore.org/oss-burma-book.html#.Vxk39JMrJTY

Introduction: The Weak and the Strong This morning we're looking at Romans 15:1-3, and we're looking here at the issue of how the strong should minister to the weak. Two of the greatest ideological enemies, of Christianity in the 20th century, were communism and Darwinism and both parted company with Christianity on the issue of how the strong should relate to the weak. First communism in 1875, German philosopher Karl Marx summed up the communist ideology with this phrase, "from each according to his ability to each according to his need". What people don't realize is how rooted in Christianity that idea is. One professor at Southeastern called communism a Christian cult or heresy, and it is with God removed. The ethos of Christianity of taking from the strong and giving to the weak. The only problem is, it was coercive enforced by the government, not given freely. From each according to his ability, to each according to his need. Provision and Sharing in the Old Testament You see at first in the time of the Exodus, when the manna came, bread from heaven laying all over the ground. How easy would that be? Those of you struggling with your jobs, you don't have to do it, you just go out and collect dinner from the ground. Of course, it's the same for 40 years, but it was still an open provision of God, and God commanded that they go out and collect as much as they needed just for the day. And it says in Exodus 16, "This is what the Lord has commanded, 'each one is to gather as much as he needs. Take an omer for each person that you have in your tent.' And the Israelites did as they were told, some gathered much and some gathered little. And when they measured it by the omer, he who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little." The idea is this, the young strapping Israelite men, would go out and collect far more than they needed and they could bring it back to grandma or grandpa, the weak in the tent. And there would be plenty in the tent for everybody, they didn't need to worry about tomorrow for God will provide again tomorrow. And so, he who gathered much didn't hoard it. They didn't keep it for themselves, but they used it freely and openly for the weak in their own tents and the weak in the community, and so the strong ministered to the weak, they gathered as much as everyone needed, and the next day there was more provision. And so he who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little. Provision and Sharing in the New Testament Church Paul used the same principle in urging the Corinthians financially. As he said, "God has been abundant to you and given you more than you need. The saints in Jerusalem, or the church at Jerusalem, they don't have enough. And so there should be equality. He who gathers much, shouldn't have too much, and he gathers little should not have too little." But the basic idea is that the strong are using their strength, the resources that God has given them in service of those that don't have, in service of those that are weak. And so, we get a glimpse into the life of the early church, their life together. So beautiful in Acts 2:44 and 45. "All the believers were together and had everything in common, selling their possessions and goods they gave to anyone as he had need." Now, some people say that sounds like communism. The difference is they wanted to, they delighted to do it. They did it because they wanted to build up the strong or the weak and make them strong, that they wanted to take their needs, whatever they had and make them available to those that had needs. It was voluntary. So also in Acts 4:32, "All the believers were one in heart and mind." See that's different than communism. There it's forced on you or you going to jail if you resist. But there, they said, We wanted to do it. They were one in heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. And Paul set the example on how the strong should be ministering to the weak. In his farewell address to the Ephesian elders, he said, "You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself has said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" So what is the context of this teaching in Romans 15:1-3, on the strong and the weak. Well it's in the Book of Romans and in 11 chapters Paul lays out that magnificent doctrine, the Gospel of our salvation, whereby sinners like us can be made just in the sight of God, and then can be sanctified by the ministry of the Spirit for the rest of our lives until at last we are glorified, and fully saved in his presence. Sin no longer has any touch on us, we will be in redeemed bodies, we will be living in a new heaven a new earth, the full glorious salvation. "Oh, the depth of the riches, the wisdom, and the knowledge of God. How unsearchable his judgments Paul says, and his path beyond tracing out." Romans 1-11, the glorious doctrine of our salvation. Then Romans 12-16 is the application. How then shall we live? And we've been seeing again and again the issue is how Christians should be treating other people. There's a horizontal aspect here. How we should be dealing with those outside the church, how we should be dealing with those inside the church, and all of it to the glory of God. Now, as we've been looking at Romans 14, and now into chapter 15, it's amazing, we will find that Paul gives almost a chapter and a half to the issue of how strong faith-filled understanding Christians should deal with those who haven't arrived yet, on the issue of disputable matters, and his yearning is to keep the church united. A spirit-filled, holy fruitful church, not fracturing, not dividing or fragmenting, nor rumbling into different factions and groups that have different views on debatable issues. But rather that they should stay together. And why? Because this is the ordained instrument of Almighty God for the destruction of Satan's empire and Satan would love nothing better than infiltrate the local church and get it squabbling and bickering on debatable issues, so that they cannot do the glorious ministry God has in mind for them to do. And so we have this church at Rome. The church at Rome was a mixed church. There were Jews and Gentiles, both believing in Christ, both loving Christ. But they were having a hard time it seems, reading between the lines, having a hard time staying together. The issue with the laws of Moses, the Jewish lifestyle, the Jewish culture and the ceremonial laws. How much was that going to be part of the church's life? And Paul desires the strong Christians to help the weak, and not allow any, not one of Christ's precious ones to slip through the cracks. There they were in Rome, in the imperial city surrounded by all the trappings of worldly power and success, surrounded by the imperial majesty of Rome, surrounded by paganism, and wickedness. And there were the Jews with the lure always to go back to the synagogue, the old covenant lifestyle. And so there were forces pulling on that church to just crumble and fall back into what they had been before. It would have been so easy for this fragile coalition of Jew and gentile church to fragment and for pieces of the crumbling structure to fall away and be lost forever. And so he's writing about the issue of the strong and the weak. In Romans 15:1, he says, "We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves." I. Darwinism vs. Christianity: The Strong and the Weak Now, that second great attack on Christianity was Darwinism. You've heard of the slogan connected with Darwinism, the survival of the fittest. It's not something that you find in the origin of the species is something rather that British economist Charles Spencer, after reading Darwin's work came to. He came to understand this concept of the survival of the fittest. And Darwin embraced it. He thought the law of natural selection, a little hard to grab on to, and so that was a good slogan, a fit slogan for his views. The survival of the fittest. Now this economist Spencer apply the idea to all areas of life, but especially to his area, economics. And what he was saying is, in the principal of economics companies which offer better goods and services survive better in the marketplace and tend to accumulate an ever-growing market share, poorly adapting companies will be forced out by better adapting ones. They will be killed by the competition. Have you seen some of those ads in which there are people sitting around as dinosaurs? They're literally dinosaurs. And the idea is, if you don't stay with the program technologically, you will become obsolete. It's the idea of the survival of the fittest, it's a dog-eat-dog world out there. The powerful and the strong rip to shred the weak and the infirm, and leave them for dead. It's a brutal world out there, the brutal world of nature. Alfred, Lord Tennyson when he was writing some poems was grieving over the early death of a friend, a young man, and he was grieving over it. And he was talking about and used a very famous expression, talking about nature red in tooth and claw. There's a sense of viciousness out there in the world, the strong devour of the weak. Evolutionary thinking that links humanity to brutal domination of the weak at every level. A little boy torments a spider, he in turn is tormented by his bigger brother. They in turn perhaps abused by their parents, maybe the wife abused by the husband. At societal levels, one society is stronger economically, more powerful militarily, they're going to invade and start building an empire and so it is in the world, the strong devour the weak. They crush them and destroy them. The Vision of Daniel and World History And so, Daniel in Daniel 7 sees a vision of all of world history, and he looks out and he sees the great sea and the Four Winds tormenting the surface of the sea, churning it up. And up out of the sea, come four great beasts and these are empires and the fourth of those beasts we interpret to be Rome. And up it came out of the ocean, a great beast. Daniel 7:7. After that, in my vision at night, I looked and there before me was a fourth beast terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron teeth, it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled under foot whatever was left. That was Rome. And that's what these people lived with, that's what they understood, the power that was Rome. It was a beast, and at the center of it all was the city of Rome. Rome was the eternal picture of might makes right, of the beast of government crushing and devouring whatever is weak. And so the world for 500 to 1000 years, East and West lay trembling in chains at the feet of this beast. That's what the world does with its strength, that's what the world does with its power. It uses it to dominate the weak. That is natural my friends, but God is calling the church to be supernatural. God is calling the church to look at strength and weakness very differently. And so we have to look at Romans 15:1-3 as a call from God Almighty to the church to think differently about power and about strength. Christian obligation then is the strong need to bear the weak. Now from the very beginning, God intended that we, the human race dominating because of our intelligence, not because of our physical strength, there are animals stronger than us. The Powerful are Called to Protect the Weak, not Dominate But because we are created in the image of God, he intended us to take a position over the physical creation similar to his own. We create in the image of God, and so God called on Adam to serve and protect the Garden of Eden. Genesis 2:15 in the Hebrew, that's what he's there to do. He's to help the garden be everything it can be. To put his strength and his power at the disposition of physical creation, and enhance and nurture it, not destroy it. And this is exactly how God is with us, isn't it? The Almighty God omnipotent creator and what does he do with his power except serve us? I love it in Isaiah 40, probably one of my favorite chapters in the Old Testament. What an incredible chapter, in Isaiah 40:10-12, it says, "See, the sovereign Lord comes with power, and his arm rules for him. Behold, his reward is with him and his recompense accompanies him." That's the almighty power of God, omnipotence on the move, that's God. But the very next verse says this, "he tends his flock like a shepherd. He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart. He gently leads those that have young." The tenderness of God, it's harnessed power applied to the benefit of his people. And then the very next verse, we go back to omnipotence, "who has marked off, measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket or weigh the mountains and the scales or the hills in the balance." This is amazing, here's almighty, omnipotent God and he's carrying you gently like a lamb in his arms, that's the way God is. So Paul is teaching in line with the consistent pattern of the Bible, strength and power are meant to serve and to protect the weak not to dominate. And so we have a developed... In the Bible, a developed theology of strength and weakness. The word weakness here, that's in this verse, has a powerful heritage in the New Testament. Frequently translated sickness or frailty, it relates to humanity and sin, all the effects of sin on us. All human beings are weak and sick because of sin. Jesus said, "It's not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick, I'm not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." And it says so beautifully in Romans 5:6. "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly." Do you think of yourself today as mighty and strong and powerful? Well you're not. You're not. And neither am I. We were at one time powerless, and when we were powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. That's what it says, same word. This is precisely why Christ came into the world to carry our weaknesses. The same Greek word is used in Matthew 8:16, 17, speaking of Jesus' miraculous ministry. When evening came, it says many who were demon-possessed were brought to him and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. That word sick is the same one we're dealing with here. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet, Isaiah, he took up our infirmities and carried our diseases. Do you see that the same idea of carrying of picking it up and carrying it? "We who are strong ought to bear the frailties of the weak and not to please ourselves." That's the picture of Christ, the very thing he did. Jesus' healing ministry was therefore a visible picture of his spiritual work of salvation from the weakness and disease of sin, itself. The blind cannot see, the deaf cannot hear, the mute cannot speak, the lame cannot walk, the dead cannot do anything. The picture of our inability and weakness, that's what Jesus chose for the canvas on which he's painting his omnipotence, he could have done all kinds of miracles, but instead it's in the context of our weakness, his power is made perfect. And so he heals. Now, even after we've come to faith in Christ, we're still weak aren't we? Anyone want to come up and testify otherwise? You want to come up and say I'm mighty and strong and have no need of Christ any longer, I can make it from here. How long do you think you'd last? But the demons come. I don't need anything from God, I'm fine, whatever the devil wants to do to me, I can make it from here. You really want to say that we are still frail and weak even still, we still have the flesh, don't we? There's that fleshly yearning after wickedness, it's still in us. And Christ is our merciful and faithful high priest and he went through a bodily life so he could help us in our weakness. He could intercede for us and point the way to holiness. Someday however, oh, isn't someday a wonderful day for a Christian? Someday we'll be free from all weakness. That which is sown in weakness will be raised in power and we'll be done forever with sin. We'll be done forever with temptation. What a glorious thing that is. In the meantime, it seems good for us to know how weak we are. Don't you think? Doesn't it seem good for us to be reminded consistently how weak we are? And so the apostle Paul, even makes a whole theology of weakness in 2 Corinthians, in 12:10, he says, "When I'm weak then I'm strong." You know why? Because when I'm weak then I realize I can't do it on my own. I must have Christ, I'm totally dependent on him, he's the vine I'm the branch, I must have him. "When I'm weak then I'm strong." What is Paul saying in Romans 15:1-3? But let's make it collective. When we are weak, then we're strong. When we bring our weaknesses together, and somebody else' strength compensates for somebody else' weakness. The body is bound together. But if the strong despise the weak and say, "You can't carry my shoes, I can't believe you don't have the New Covenant figured out by now. Why don't you come back when you get it figured out. In the meantime, we're moving on." Oh, it will fragment. It will fragment. And how arrogant is it to not realize it's not going to be long before you're the weak one and you need some strong one to come help you. And so Paul is in effect saying, this idea of weakness and strength is to bind the church together. Now who are the strong and weak in this passage, what are we talking about? Well, I think the strong are mature Christians who have fully understood the balance that I was preaching about in Romans 14, who understand Gospel freedom from legalism. They don't need to follow all those rules and regulations, any longer. Not talking about immoral issues, not talking about wickedness, or sin. But we are talking about debatable issues, they've got it, they understand. They know, they have understood the message of Galatians. They understand Gospel freedom. They also understand Gospel purity, they're not lurching off into sin, they're walking holy and godly and upright lives. But Paul is urging them to add a third thing, understand Gospel unity understand it's not enough just for you to be the strong one for you to have a good grasp on those things. What about your brother, what about your sister? Help them, stay with them, don't give up on them, keep them together. That's what he's doing. Now notice Paul includes himself isn't that wonderful? "We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the week." He's including himself. And that's a reasonable. He was arguing from that perspective in Romans 14, he knows that he can eat anything. He understands the ceremonial law, he wrote the Book of Galatians, he understands freedom, he's including himself in the strong, but he's saying, "We ought to bear with the weak." Not called to merely “put up with” the Weak, but Rather to Carry The Failings of the Weak Now literally, this word "bear with your," it doesn't mean put up with, that's not what we're talking about, "we who are strong not to put up with the failings of the weak." The NIV's translation is a little unhelpful here. There's one little word here that I think ought to be removed. And in other translations it is, in the New American Standard it's not there. Because I think it's a better translation in this case. In Romans 15:1 says, "Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves." Not bear with, bear them. Pick them up and carry them. That's what it means, carry them. Not bear with. Not put up with. March of 1942, the Japanese Imperial Army was in the process of conquering the Philippines, they captured some 70,000 American and Filipino troops in Bataan and forced them to march through horrendous conditions over 65 miles to a railway depot where they'd have probably one of the most horrific railway rides in history. Was an awful time and it came to be known as the Bataan Death March. The heat was scorching. Many of the soldiers marching had tropical fevers or dysentery. The Japanese guards refused them any water, no water at all. And diseased and weakened man began to stagger, fall behind or collapse in the searing heat. And this only infuriated the Japanese guards more who had no respect for them at all. Japanese soldiers hardly ever surrendered and so they had no respect for a soldier that would surrender. And so for them, as far as they were concerned, they were dead men already. And so if they would stagger or fall out, they would just be bayoneted, immediately. Well, it wasn't long before the soldiers recognized that if a buddy is staggering and weak, you got to hold them up, you got to carry him basically. And so they'd have arm and arm and they would basically drag some people who barely could stand up. Because they knew if they would let him go, they're dead. Are the stakes any less for the church? Are they any less? Do we have any less vicious enemies of the temptations, any less for us, should our concern for each other be any less? We're supposed to strengthen the feeble knees. And the arms that are about to give way it says in the Book of Hebrews. We're supposed to care about each other. Jesus didn't come to save 90% of the elect, my friends. He said that all that the Father gives him will come to him. And of all that come to him, he will lose none, "but raise them all up at the last day." And he includes us in that work. We're supposed to notice how people are doing, it's supposed to matter if somebody's staggering and falling. What's going on in their lives? We're supposed to watch over one another in brotherly love. Who Are the Strong and Weak Here? Now, it's interesting how we play the different roles for each other at different times. Who are the strong and the weak here? Well, probably, the majority of the strong were Gentiles who understood the New Covenant, they understood what Christ had done, they understood the law of Moses, they understood because there really wasn't a big issue for them. "Oh, so I don't need to do all that stuff that I've never really been doing?" Okay, well good, good news, that's wonderful. But what about the Jews? "You mean I don't do that anymore? I've been doing it all my life." What a struggle for them. But what's so interesting is the whole idea of bearing the weak was reversed back in Romans 11. Remember there the analogy of the olive tree and there's a root structure there. And the root structure is Jewish, my friends. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And he's talking there to the Gentiles sating, "Look, don't be arrogant about the branches that have been stripped of. If you do, consider this, you [Gentiles] do not support [or 'bear' same Greek word] the root, but the root supports you." And so I began to meditate on this whole thing and now I thought sometimes we play one role and sometimes we play another. And it is arrogant to think you're only ever strong helping these weak people around who just don't seem to get it. If you have that attitude, it's not going to be long before you will need some ministry from a strong person. God will humble you. We are to be together, we are to help each other make it through this world. That's exactly what's going on here. II. A Life of Pleasing God by Pleasing Others And so how do we do that? Well, we do it by living a life of pleasing others. Specifically, pleasing God by pleasing others. Look at these three verses, "We who are strong ought to bear the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves." See the word "please" there? "Each of us should please his neighbor for his good to build them up for even Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, 'the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.'" So the theme here of these verses is, "Who are you living to please? Who are you seeking to please?" That's what it's about. Now, that brings us into the area of pleasure, the area of pleasure, we're talking now about pleasure. We have a great struggle with pleasure, don't we? We're struggling with it, it's a fight for us. America is a pleasure crazed nation. Industrial Revolution, technological advances created multiple labor-saving devices. One thing Karl Marx said that I found interesting, "A society that makes useful things makes useless people." I found that interesting. And so as technology advances after a while you find yourself with lots of time on your hands. Labor-saving devices produces lots of time. What are you going to do with that? Well, technology has the answer to that too. I find it amazing when younger people can't find a way to get through a beautiful afternoon without doing something electronic. Don't you find that amazing? I remember when I was a kid, there was nothing electronic. Alright? There were things electric, but we weren't allowed to use them. You know, TV and all that. Go outside, it's a beautiful day. But it's a problem for us, not just for the kids, for everybody. As a result, recreation then becomes a purpose in the center of everything. Living for the weekend. Result of this is an attitude of extreme selfishness. Every person relentlessly seeking their own pleasure. And some of this pleasure craze sadly has seeped into the church decades ago. AW Tozer wrote this, "The abuse of harmless things," by that he means lawful things that you're allowed to do. That's a Romans 14 issue. "The abuse of harmless things is the essence of sin. The growth of the amusement phase of human life to such fantastic proportions is a portent, a threat to the souls of modern men. It has been built into a multi-million dollar racket with greater power over human minds and human character than any other educational influence on Earth. For centuries the Church stood solidly against every form of worldly entertainment recognizing it for what it was, a device for wasting time, a refuge from the disturbing voice of conscience, a scheme to divert attention from moral accountability. For this, she got herself abused roundly by the sons of this world. But, of late, she has become tired of the abuse and has given over the struggle. She appears to have decided that if she cannot conquer the great God entertainment she may as well join forces with him and make what use she can of his power. So today we have the astonishing spectacle of millions of dollars being poured into the unholy job of providing earthly entertainment for the so called sons of heaven." AW Tozer, decades ago. What would he say now? There's a whole movement, the Church Growth Movement, of which Willow Creek and their model is leading the way. And if you go to that kind of a church you can find a cappuccino bar, you might find a food court in a church. Can you imagine a food court in a church? But it's there. I was reading about one church and actually went to their website and watched some of their worship service. Granger Community Church in Indiana. Begins with about a five or seven minute rock concert and then after that laser light shows, they give away iPods. This guy, the pastor, walks around with one of those things at a ball game that fires out T-shirts into the crowd. I'm not doing that, it's not going to happen. I don't know what I would hit anyway. Tertullian during the time of Roman persecution said, "The blood of martyrs is seed for the church." Church Growth Movement said, "No, entertainment is seed for the church. That's how it grows." Well, I'm not sure what you're going to grow with that. Are you going to grow people that are really denying themselves, taking up their cross and following Jesus? That's genuine discipleship, genuine conversion. I worry about it both in terms of evangelism and discipleship afterwards. What are we showing to the church? God is not Against Pleasure Now, let's talk about it for a minute. The issue here is first and foremost not about pleasure itself. There's nothing wrong with pleasure itself. May I say to you that God is the ultimate pleasure being in the universe? You may be surprised about that, but did you know that God does everything after his own pleasure? It says in Psalm 1:15, verse 3, "Our God is in heaven, he does whatever pleases him." That means he's pleased about everything he's doing. So pleasure's not wrong. Our God is a God of delight, of joy, of rejoicing, of celebrating. Like when the prodigal son comes back, how many parties did they have in heaven? Lots of people being converted right now. And God is leading the way, there's more joy in the presence of the angels of heaven over one sinner. God's doing the rejoicing. He is the heavenly Father saying, "Quick do this... We got to celebrate." God is a God of pleasure, we should not think he's not. Our own salvation brings him great pleasure. Meditate on that. Luke 12:32, "Fear not little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." he delights in it, he enjoys saving people. And salvation itself for you and me culminates, Psalm 16 verse 11, "You have made known to me the path of life, you will fill me with joy in your presence, eternal pleasures at the right hand of God." Oh, God is not a God against pleasure, not at all. As a matter of fact it's because he wants you to have real pleasure at his right hand that he wants you to be stripped of all these worldly lusts which do not provide ultimate pleasure. They're a dead end, they kill pleasure in the end. And that's the nature of idolatry, taking a good gift from God and worshipping it so it becomes the center of your life. Romans 12:25, they "worshiped and serve created things more than the Creator who's forever praised, Amen." And so there are repeated warnings in Scripture against giving yourself over to earthly pleasures. It's idolatry. In James 5 it says, "Come now you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you, you have lived on earth in luxury and in pleasure, you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter." 2 Timothy 3:4 warns about being lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. Hebrews 11 talks about Moses who chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. And so the solution here is to recognize that God himself is the ultimate pleasure. And all of the good gifts of God can come or go as he pleases. But God is our reward, he is our pearl of great price. He's our reward at the end of the Christian life, God himself. So God's not against pleasure, that's not it. The issue is not pleasure itself. Pleasing Others Is a Higher Priority than Pleasing Ourselves Secondly, the issue here is not pleasing others versus pleasing God. Now that's wrong, it's called being a people pleaser. You know what I'm talking about? Being a people pleaser there is having other people as your audience and you're going horizontal and you're trying to live to please them forgetting what God thinks. That's the danger of legalism by the way. When you start getting into a legalistic lifestyle, it's like, "Hey, somebody noticed what I've done. I was wholly over here. Did you see it? I gave a bunch of money to the poor." There's an announcing with trumpets. It's the whole problem with legalism, it's very horizontal. Your audience is other people. So Paul talked very plainly against this in Galatians 1 verse 10 where he says, "Am I now trying to win the approval of men or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." Now, that's not contradictory of what he's teaching here in Romans 15. That's not the issue either. It's not that we're going to please others at the expense or rather than pleasing God, that's not it. Well, what is it then? Well, the issue is pleasing ourselves rather than pleasing others, that's the issue. The issue is, will you live a life that feeds your own desires to the expense of what it's doing to your brother or sister? That's the question. Selfishness is the enemy of Christian unity that Paul is seeking to destroy here. Christian freedoms can be selfish things, selfish pleasures. And so Paul's calling on Christians to be willing to please others for their sake. Look at verse 2, "Each of us should please his neighbor for his good to build them up." This is a call to deny personal pleasures and freedoms and privileges for the sake of Christian unity. It is the call of the cross. "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life in this world will lose it." It's the Christian life, it's the call of the missionary life. First Corinthians 9:19. Paul says, "Though I am free and belong to no man I make myself a slave to everyone to win as many as possible." You've heard perhaps the story of those Moravian young men in the 18th century who wanted to reach some slaves on a West Indian sugar plantation and willingly voluntarily gave up all their freedoms, sold themselves into slavery and worked alongside these slaves out in the field to win them to Christ. Put that picture in your mind, giving up on pleasing yourself so that you can please others. III. Christ the Ultimate Example Now obviously, Christ is the ultimate example. Christ did not please himself. Look at Verse 3, "For even Christ did not please himself." Christ is the powerful one. We, the weak ones, he, the strong one. Used his strength to help the weak. Christ, the perfect example. Now don't misunderstand, don't think Christ was displeased to save us. God the Father, pleased; Christ disgruntled. Don't get that picture. Actually it says in Psalm 40, "Here I am, I delight to do your will oh God." He says, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and finish his work." He delighted in it, he delighted in saving us. It says in Hebrews 12:2, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of God." He delighted to save us. That's not it and that's not what we're saying here. Don't think of Christ as reluctant or opposed to the will of God, the Father in the salvation world. He delights in it, but above all things he's setting his pleasure aside so that he can please God and please us. That's the point. And he says in John 6, "I've come down from heaven not to do my own will, but to do the will of him who has sent me. And this is the will of God that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day." He was there to do the Father's will. And the culmination of that we see so beautifully in Gethsemane, don't we? When Jesus falls on his face with blood coming off of his face praying with intensity that we cannot even calculate saying, "Father, if it is possible, let this cup be taken from me, yet not what I will, but what you will." Again don't think of Christ as unwilling, but he's setting his own pleasure and his own will aside to serve the father. And notice how it says, "even Christ did not please himself." One of my favorite Christmas songs is, "I wonder as I wander." Ever heard that one? It's a beautiful song, very sweet, sweet song. Came right from, I think, the state, North Carolina. It's a folk song. Beautiful and one of the verses said this, "If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing, star in the sky or bird on the wing. Or of all God's angels in heaven for to sing, he surely could've had it, 'cause he was the king." So if Jesus had come down from heaven and reclined on silk pillows like a Turkish Sultan and demanded that we human beings wait on him hand and foot, he would've deserved it. He deserved it, he's the son of God. But even Christ did not please himself. It's the very same thing that Jesus said, he put the word "even" in there. "Even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many." Christ did not please himself. Rather he came to serve we who are weak and needy. He could have used his power to serve himself. Like in the desert after fasting 40 days and 40 nights. If you're the son of God, turn these stones into bread. He wouldn't do it. He didn't use his miraculous power to save himself. He didn't get down off the cross when they called them to prove himself. He did not use his miraculous power to please himself, he didn't use his teaching ministry ability to please himself, he was the greatest teacher in history. No one ever spoke the way that that man did. He was spellbinding in his preaching. And what does he do with it? Well, he purposefully teaches things that will offend the vast majority of his hearers so they just go away and stop wasting his time and theirs. In John 6, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you have no life in you." Oh boy, can you imagine someone believing... Person taking him aside and saying, "Jesus, you know you've been doing really well up until today. That was bad teaching right there. What are you doing?" Even the disciples, the apostles, they did not understand what he was saying. Jesus didn't please himself for this teaching ministry nor did he please himself when he died on the cross and nor did he please himself even in his resurrection. He came back and gave many convincing proofs to his disciples that he was alive for their benefit, for their sake's. Christ's focus here is accepting abuse meant for God and for God's people. Look at verse 3, "For even Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me." Psalm 69, as it is written, it's clearly a Messianic Psalm with many prophecies about Christ. John 2 quotes this when Jesus was cleansing the temple. And it said, "for zeal for your house has consumed me and the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me." Do you know what the effect of his cleansing of the temple was? Well, at one level, the effect was to get the Jewish mafia, the high priest and his family and all that that were making huge money on the temple concessions. So enraged with Jesus, they wanted to kill him. Did Jesus not know that would happen? No, he knew very well that if he cleansed the temple, the insults of those who insulted God would fall on him and kill him. And not only that, but he sends it out to us. The insults we deserved even from God himself for our sin fall on him, he is our substitute. He dies in our place and takes our abuse. But it doesn't even end there, even for the redeemed, whenever a non-Christian persecutes a Christian, it's him they're persecuting. And so he says, on the road to Damascus, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" "Who are you, Lord?" "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting." The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me. The unity between the Son and the Father, the unity between the Son and the church, that's the idea. It's getting out of yourself and caring about the glory of God and what's happening to your brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ, that's why he quotes this. Now, what application can we take to this message? IV. Application First, can I urge you to assess yourself on the issue of the strong and the weak? First of all, do you see yourself as weak? Do you see yourself that way? I mean relative to Christ, needy of his ministry every moment. Secondly, when you are strong relative to other believers, are you using your strength to minister to them? Are you using your spiritual gift to build them up? When you see someone discouraged you pat them quick on the back, "Well, pray for you." And off you go. Or do you sit down and invest in their lives? Do you care enough to know what's happening to your brothers and sister spiritually? "We who are strong ought to bear the failings of the weak and not please ourselves." We come now to a time of the Lord's Supper. To me this is a time for us to remember how weak we were apart from Christ. To look backward at what Jesus did on the cross and how he gave his life. This celebration is for Christians. For those who have made a profession of faith in Christ testified to it by water baptism. If you have not come to faith in Christ yet, don't take from the Lord's Supper, but while the Lord Supper's going on, cry out to Christ. He is very merciful, he will save you from your sins. Look to the cross, look to the blood of Christ, look to him and be saved, trust in him. The rest of you who are believers, as you're preparing your hearts, think about how you're living toward the body of Christ. Are you out of fellowship with anyone? Is there a relationship that needs fixing? Are you using your spiritual gifts to build the body of Christ? One of the ideas of the Lord Supper is we all take from the same loaf there's one body together, we are all partakers of Christ. Look horizontally and then look to the future, the time when your weakness will be swallowed up in victory, when Christ will come again and all of his saving work will be finished. Close with me in prayer.