Podcasts about Kawasaki

Send us a textThis is probably the single best episode of any podcast ever. Past or Present. Dr Mike actually speaks into the Mic for a lot of this episode and Pete is very grateful for that. Join the Patreon so we can buy him a condenser mic and have this more often.best bike worst bikeSupport the showSend emails to contact@nocomotopodcast.com, it doesn't have to be important. Check out our Patreon Or join the Discord Check out these other awesome Motorcycle Podcasts Creative Riding- Our Sister Show on the Moto1 Podcast Network! Moto Hop - Our friends Matt and Missy make T shirts, stickers, and this quality podcast. They are quick to point out our inaccuracies. Thanks guys. Cleveland Moto - Probably the most knowledgeable group of riders with a podcast. When it comes to motorcycles anyway. You're Motorcycling Wrong - Remember Lemmy from Revzilla? Of course you do, you could never forget. He and his friends make this awesome show. Motorcycles and Misfits - A podcast starring Bagel

(0:00) Welcome to Title 24.(0:58) Congratulations to the 2025 WMX Champion Lachland "Lala" Turner.(4:21) Haiden Deegan wins 2nd Pro Motocross championship.(7:09) Do mechanics get any win bonuses from their rider? Similar to golf caddies?(9:38) Haiden Deegan mind games in qualifying and podium interviews.(17:39) RV and RC were both rising stars in the 250's, what was you guys most humbling XP?(20:16) RC "I like what I saw from Cole (Davies)".(22:58) Jo Shimoda recalls an interesting conversation with Haiden Deegan after moto 1.(28:51) SMX Playoff preview for the 250 division.(30:46) "I believe we should do away with hole shot devices to put the starts more into the riders hands? What do you say?" (35:04) Quick recap of the 450s at Budds Creek.(38:25) What is the most surprising thing in the 450 outdoors this year? Hampshire being super consistent? Prado and the way he gels with Kawasaki? Justin Cooper being #1 seed going into the playoffs?(46:09) SMX Playoff preview for the 450 division.

Save at FXRRacing.com with Pulpmx30 code and also thanks to Firepower Parts and Maxxis Tires. We talk to the factory Kawasaki engine specialist about his job now, Prado stuff, his New Mexico roots, getting started in the industry, RCH days, working for Pro Circuit, stories of riders past and present and more.

Keefer goes over the 2026 KX450 and why this bike may be best for you. With deals going on at your local Kawasaki dealer, this KX450 may be the right fit. Listen as KK goes over the engine delivery, any misnomers that you may have heard about the KX450, how the chassis can help you corner better as well as reliability talk. Get the straight scoop on the green machine here.

We talk about an easy tiki drink, hanging out with ClevelandMoto, upgrades on the way for our Royal Alloy, a twin (maybe 750cc) Himmy, they got a Cybertruck stuck where?, Kawasaki is resurrecting a bike, a touch of power lifting, and more...Check out our shirts & stickers! Recalls: 2025 BMW F800 GS, F 900 GS, R 1300 GS, R 1300 GS Adventure, S 1000 R, S 1000 RR, K 1600 GT eCall system may have been inadvertently deactivated 2020 SUZUKI GSX-S1000S Katana, 2024 SUZUKI GSX-S1000S Katana, and 2020-2025 SUZUKI DL1050 V-Strom 1050 headlight is too bright News: New details on the Himalayan twin QJMotor SRT400X on the way Cybertruck was stuck on Rubicon Trail Kawasaki is brining back the Ninja 300? Buell Super Cruiser maybe getting closer to actual production.. began “final” multi-week test MotoAmerica goes to Mid-Ohio this weekend - Aug 15-17 Weird News: ~$9,000 BMW R18 Espresso Machine~~~~~~~~~Email us at podcast@motohop.coWebsite: https://motohop.coMerch: https://motohop.co/merchInstagram: @motohop_ & @ms.motohop=========Our Favorite Podcasts:Cleveland MotoMotorcycles & MisfitsNoco Moto=========Find the best AMSOIL products for your vehicles: https://motohop.co/oil

Send us a textbest bike in the world this week: anything with a piranha 140worst bike in the world this week: honda cb350Support the showSend emails to contact@nocomotopodcast.com, it doesn't have to be important. link to discordhttps://discordapp.com/channels/456680224461946882/456680224461946884

This week, we talk about the Corvette dethroning the Mustang at Nürburgring, Kawasaki's absurd off-road monster, and the Tesla Diner that gives priority to Tesla owners — and cold food to everyone else. Plus, vise grip disasters and a heartfelt goodbye to Speed Demon Racing legend Chris Raschke.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

En nuestro canal “hermano”, Garaje Hermético, hice este video por supuesto refiriéndome a coches… he probado menos motos que coches, pero algunas me han asustado. Y mucho. Estas son las 10 que más me asustaron por un motivo u otro. Con casi todas me reconcilié y acabé rodando a gusto con ellas… con casi todas, ya os diré cuáles no. Es curioso que hay dos Kawasaki y dos Yamaha… Lo de Kawa tiene su lógica, pues siempre ha hecho motos muy “bestias”. Muchas de ellas las probé más como aficionado que como probador… pero en el fondo es lo mismo, te asustan igual sea cual sea el motivo por el que te “acercas” a ellas. Las he ordenado por orden alfabético con una excepción… ya veréis el motivo. Vamos a verlas y ya me diréis vuestra opinión. Aprilia XRV 550. ¿Una moto de enduro bicilíndrica? Pues sí, Aprilia se atrevió… La moto era una joya de excelente chasis de aluminio y un motor en V a 77 grados con 449 cm3 primero y luego 549 cm3, que fue la que probé. Es una moto que me sedujo, pero nunca me gustó para enduro… para supermotard, me pareció perfecta. BMW K75. Probé la K75 después de comprarla… con un par… Pero el día del estreno, cuando iba hacia casa, afortunadamente solo, en una curva incline bastante, pise una irregularidad leve y la moto comenzó a cabecear de un lado a otro que daba miedo. Me asusté la verdad. Cagiva Freccia 125. Muchas pensareis “¿Te asustó una 125?” Pues no, una 125 no, esta 125 sí. La que probé era la última de C12R que estuvo en el mercado hasta 1990 y que daba la bonita cifra de 29 CV. Ducati Monster. Que nadie se ofenda: para mí un verdadero “Monstruo”. Era 1991 o 1992 cuando se empeñaron que probase una Monster en un cursillo en el circuito del Jarama, en Madrid. Pero llovió. Y el dichoso motor arriba corría demasiado, abajo coceaba demasiado y me daba miedo que me llevase al suelo y llevarlo en medios era para mí una obsesión. Honda CR250R. En 1997, Honda da un puñetazo en la mesa y presenta la primera moto de off road con chasis perimetral de aluminio, la CR250R. En esos tiempos corría con una Suzuki RM de la que estaba encantado, pero quise probar esta Honda. Pero esta moto, sencillamente, me horrorizo. Me pareció excesivamente rígida, dura, indomable, poco progresiva… Kawasaki ZZR1100. Con esta moto descubrí que ser buen periodista no conlleva que seas buena persona. Pero leí la prueba de esta moto escrita por un buen periodista… insisto, buen periodista… y al día siguiente llamé a Kawasaki para comprar una. Sin verla al natural y sin probarla. Kawasaki H2R. He alterado deliberadamente el orden alfabético que habría puesta esta moto delante de la ZZR. Y es que esta moto me brindo parecidas sensaciones cuando la probe: El modelo de 2022 daba ¡310 CV! Para un peso de poco más de 200 kg. Si en la ZZR el gas parecía el botón del hiperespacio en esta moto “era” realmente el botón del hiperespacio. Harley Davidson Sportster 1200. En el verano de 1990 estaba en la terraza de mi chalecito adosado hablando con un colega probador de motos y salió el tema de Harley Davidson… le confesé que jamás había probado una. Me dijo: “Estas de suerte, he traído una Sportster 1.200, ¿no damos una vuelta?” ¿Sabéis que me pareció? Por favor, no os enfadéis los “harlistas” pero me pareció lenta, pesada, torpe, que no corría nada, que vibraba como un demonio y que era incomodo con ganas. Pero al llegar la primera curva cerrada es cuando me asusté… ¡no frenaba nada! Sencillamente, no soy un hombre “Harley”. Yamaha GTS 1000. Más o menos un año después de su presentación oficial pude sentarme y probar una GTS 1000, moto que me seducía por su refinada y avanzada tecnología con su suspensión tipo RADD que no era una horquilla convencional sino un doble brazo. Pero la suspensión me decepciono. Me daba la sensación de “no sentir” lo que ocurría entre el neumático delantero y el asfalto y a poco viento que hubiese, no sé si por la suspensión, por la aerodinámica, por el reparto de pesos, o por todo junto, no daba sensación de seguridad. Honestamente pensé que mi vieja FJ1200 iba mucho mejor… Yamaha RD 350 YPVS. Esta moto la probé siendo ya casi una clásica y sabiendo lo que probaba. Aun así me sorprendió por algo muy sencillo: Creo que el motor de esta moto estaba muy por encima de las cualidades del bastidor. A lo mejor 60 CV no te parecen muchos, pero esta moto, con sus 145 kg aceleraba como un misil, pero ni el bastidor ni los frenos ofrecían la confianza que el motor exigía… al menos esta es mi opinión. Conclusión. A veces lo que te asusta, te gusta. Otras no. Hay motos de esta lista que me asustaron pero que me cautivaron. Y hay otras que no volvería a probar ni, aunque me las ofreciesen… cada uno tenemos nuestros fantasmas... ¿no os parece?

Last time we spoke about Operation Downfall. The Allies, under General Krueger, initiated a decisive campaign to clear the Japanese from Luzon. As they faced the entrenched Shobu Group, challenges included treacherous terrain and a resilient enemy. Simultaneously, Japan braced for an invasion, mobilizing reinforcements and devising defensive strategies to ward off the impending Allied assault. As July approached, General Yamashita's forces prepared to execute a final breakout, but progress was hampered by relentless guerrilla attacks and adverse weather conditions. With Operation Downfall looming, Allied troops focused on strategic landings in Kyushu and Honshu, driven by a relentless determination to defeat the Japanese militarily. The intense battles of Luzon became a precursor to this monumental operation, marking a turning point in the Pacific War.  This episode is The Siege of Japan Welcome to the Pacific War Podcast Week by Week, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about world war two? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on world war two and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel you can find a few videos all the way from the Opium Wars of the 1800's until the end of the Pacific War in 1945.  Boy I have been waiting a long time to come to this point. One of the most significant events in human history that deeply affects us to this very day. Nuclear war is as much a threat today as it was during the cold war. The dropping of the Atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were deeply complicated events fraught with issues of morality. It goes without saying whether or not the bombs needed to be dropped, their actual impact on the surrender of Japan and so forth are still issues hotly debated to this very day. I have spoken on the issue countless times on my personal channel and podcast, but I figure to do this subject justice I will create a full episode for it. Thus in this episode we are going to just cover what happened, but rest assured I will come back to this later on. As we last explored, following the successful invasion of Luzon in the Philippines, along with the fall of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, American forces began preparing for the final invasion of the Japanese Home Islands. This operation was codenamed Operation Downfall. One key initiative leading up to this invasion was a comprehensive air-sea blockade and bombardment campaign against Japan itself. Previously, we detailed the extensive firebombing and precision bombing efforts executed by General LeMay's 21st Bomber Command. However, during this crucial period, the B-29 Superfortress bombers undertook a distinct operation under the codename Starvation. This single operation would be one of the largest factors that contributed to the surrender of Japan and its one most people have never heard of. In July 1944, Admiral Chester W. Nimitz proposed a bold plan to use B-29 Superfortress bombers to mine the waterways surrounding the Japanese Home Islands. Although Generals Henry H. Arnold and Walter Hansell expressed concerns that this mining campaign could distract from the B-29's primary role as a strategic bombardment aircraft, they eventually agreed to assign one bomber group to focus on aerial mining when conditions permitted. On December 22, Hansell's 21st Bomber Command was directed to formulate a naval mining program aimed at executing between 150 to 200 sorties each month, which was set to begin in April 1945. However, by this time, General Curtis LeMay had taken command of the 21st Bomber Command. LeMay was notably enthusiastic about the idea and successfully recommended to Washington an upgraded mining program that aimed to deploy up to 1,500 mines each month using a full B-29 wing. LeMay viewed aerial mining in a different light than Arnold or Hansell, seeing it as a vital extension of strategic bombing. He recognized that most of Japan's war production materials, as well as a significant portion of its food supplies, were imported from regions such as China, Southeast Asia, and the Dutch East Indies. Japan's industrial heartland is primarily found on Honshu, its largest and most industrialized island, while Shikoku, another island, also lacks essential resources such as iron ore and high-quality coal. These crucial materials were sourced from Kyushu and Hokkaido, both of which are other Japanese islands. All these resources were transported by sea, so without easy access to raw materials, Japan's industrial output would come to a grinding halt. The only aircraft capable of deploying mines effectively where they were needed were the B-29s. Areas such as the Inland Sea, the Sea of Japan, and the Korean Peninsula were out of reach for other Allied aircraft. Additionally, Allied submarines could only venture into these perilous waters with great risk. Notably, about 80% of Japan's merchant fleet utilized the Shimonoseki Strait, a critical waterway that separates Kyushu from Honshu. Understanding the strategic advantage of closing this strait, LeMay decided to allocate an entire wing of B-29s specifically to mine this vital route. Brigadier General John Davies commanded the 313th Bombardment Wing, tasked with deploying approximately 2,000 naval mines each month into Japanese waters. The primary goals of this operation were to prevent essential raw materials and food supplies from reaching the Home Islands, hinder the supply and mobilization of Japanese military forces, and disrupt transportation routes in the Inland Sea of Japan. Between March 27 and April 12, Davies' bombers targeted key enemy shipping bases located in Kure, Sasebo, and Hiroshima. They also focused on the Shimonoseki Strait, a narrow and strategically important waterway that links the Inland Sea with the Tsushima Strait. Notably, after these attacks, this strait was successfully closed for two weeks. On May 3 and 5, the 313th Bombardment Wing laid down a total of 1,422 mines in the waters surrounding the Shimonoseki Strait, as well as near major urban centers like Tokyo, Nagoya, Kobe, and Osaka. These efforts aimed to severely disrupt maritime commerce between Japan's major industrial areas. Just a week later, the minefields expanded from the Shimonoseki Strait to include Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan's four main islands, and northwest Honshu, the largest island containing Tokyo. By the end of that month, these mines were proving remarkably effective, accounting for the sinking of more ships than Japanese submarines. In fact, within the Shimonoseki Strait alone, 113 ships had been sunk. Between June 7 and July 8, American forces expanded and fortified minefields along the western coast of Japan while also replenishing the existing minefields in the Shimonoseki Strait and the Inland Sea. During this effort, they successfully laid a total of 3,542 mines across 14 missions. The "total blockade" officially commenced on July 9 and continued until the end of the war. Throughout this period, American forces executed 474 sorties, dropping another 3,746 mines that replenished existing minefields and extended coverage to harbors in Korea. In total, Brigadier General Davies conducted 46 missions that laid down 26 minefields containing 12,135 mines. Remarkably, only 15 B-29s were lost during these operations. In turn, the mines accounted for the sinking or damaging of 670 Japanese ships, with a total loss of 1.25 million tons. This mining campaign effectively strangled Japanese industry, as the denial of essential raw materials to factories proved more disruptive than the direct bombing of the plants themselves.  Despite the clear vulnerability of Japan's economy to disruptions in coastal shipping, Japanese authorities were alarmingly unprepared to address the threat posed by air-dropped mines. By August 1945, Japan had committed 349 ships and 20,000 personnel to counter the Starvation campaign, but these efforts were overwhelmingly ineffective. The shipping crisis escalated to such a degree that searchlights and anti-aircraft batteries were redeployed from urban centers to defend expected mining targets. Additionally, suicide boats were employed in desperate attempts to clear the minefields. Royal Navy historian S.W. Roskill commented on the situation, stating, “The blockade had, in fact, been far more successful than we realized at the time. Although submarines initially played a critical role in enforcing the blockade, it was the air-laid mines that ultimately strangled Japan.” Japanese officials shared this assessment. A director from a Tokyo steel company reflected on the situation, noting that the denial of essential raw materials to factories caused far greater disruption than the direct bombing of the plants themselves. This contradicted the views of US Army Air Forces experts back in Washington. In a striking remark after the war, a Japanese minesweeping officer told American forces, “The result of B-29 mining was so effective against shipping that it eventually starved the country. You could have likely shortened the war by starting this campaign earlier.” Meanwhile, General LeMay continued his firebombing campaign against Japan. By the end of May, urban areas around Tokyo Bay had been devastated, prompting the 21st Bomber Command to shift focus westward toward the densely populated industrial complexes lining Osaka Bay. On June 1, 521 B-29s were dispatched to bomb industrial targets situated along the Yodo River, with an escort of 148 P-51 fighters. Unfortunately, an undetected thunderstorm struck en route, which meant only 27 P-51s reached Osaka, while another 27 crashed, and the remaining fighters had to return to Iwo Jima. Despite these complications, the B-29s bombed from altitudes ranging between 18,000 and 28,500 feet, successfully dropping 2,788 tons of incendiary bombs on Osaka. The attack resulted in the burning of 3.15 square miles, destroying 136,107 houses and 4,222 factories. Four days later, on June 3, 530 unescorted B-29 Superfortresses launched a bombing raid on the city of Kobe. Of those, 473 aircraft targeted the city, resulting in the destruction of 4.35 square miles. This devastating strike led to the demolition of 51,399 buildings, while another 928 suffered significant damage. The raid, however, came with losses, as 11 bombers were downed, and 176 were damaged in the operation. On June 7, 449 B-29s returned to Osaka. Despite facing heavy cloud cover that restricted visibility, they managed to burn an additional 2.21 square miles of the city, destroying another 55,333 buildings.  By the conclusion of General Curtis LeMay's maximum-effort area bombing campaign, the six most significant industrial cities in Japan, Tokyo, Nagoya, Kobe, Osaka, Yokohama, and Kawasaki, had been left in ruins. Major factories were either destroyed or severely damaged, while thousands of smaller household and feeder industrial units were consumed by flames. Casualty figures surged into six figures, leaving millions of people homeless. The evacuation of survivors further complicated efforts to secure labor for the factories that remained operational. Japan's air-raid protection system proved woefully inadequate to withstand a protracted siege by very heavy bombers. The system lacked sufficient organization, trained personnel, shelters, fire-fighting equipment, and facilities for relief and evacuation. Additionally, there was a significant deficiency in civilian indoctrination regarding emergency procedures. Under the relentless pressure of repeated major attacks, local Air Raid Precaution organizations collapsed, adding strain to an already overburdened imperial government. Japanese civilians, who had been conditioned by victory propaganda, displayed little of the discipline that helped German citizens endure years of aerial bombardment. As news of military defeats and the impact of B-29 precision strikes filtered into the great cities, residents began to lose confidence in their leaders' ability to protect them or care for the victims of the attacks. Abe Motoki, the Minister of Home Affairs at the time, later remarked, “I believe that after the raids on Tokyo on May 23-24, 1945, civilian defense measures in that city, as well as in other parts of Japan, were considered a futile effort.” Regarding the operational cost of this campaign for the 21st Bomber Command, it was not considered excessively burdensome. Over the course of 17 maximum-effort incendiary attacks, LeMay dispatched a total of 6,960 B-29s, which dropped 41,592 tons of bombs. The losses amounted to 136 B-29s, averaging only 1.9% of the sorties, a rate significantly lower than what had been endured in earlier months, and quite acceptable by the standards of conventional strategic bombing. Meteorologists predicted that the summer monsoon would keep Japan's skies covered with clouds for most of the upcoming months, from June to August. As a result, LeMay shifted strategies under what became known as the Empire Plan. This approach prioritized targeting industrial and military sites during daylight hours when the weather permitted, while secondary cities that had sufficient industrial capability became targets for nighttime area attacks. This change meant that since no single target warranted a full four-wing maximum effort, multiple missions could be scheduled in a single day. Accordingly, on June 9, 110 B-29s attacked three aircraft factories located in Narao, Atsuta, and Akashi. The strikes successfully destroyed the factories in Narao and Atsuta, but an unfortunate miscalculation led to the bombing of the town near Akashi. The following day, June 10, a force of 280 B-29s, escorted by 107 P-51 Mustang fighters, targeted six distinct sites in the Tokyo Bay area. The mission yielded significant results, with all targets sustaining heavy damage. Finally, on June 15, 516 B-29s were dispatched for one last firebombing raid against Osaka and the neighboring city of Amagasaki. In this combined assault, 444 bombers dropped over 1,350 tons of incendiary bombs, incinerating an additional 1.9 square miles in Osaka and more than half a square mile in Amagasaki. Starting on June 17, General Curtis LeMay's firebombing campaigns began to focus on medium-sized secondary cities across Japan. On that day, 477 B-29 Superfortresses targeted the cities of Omuta, Hamamatsu, Yokkaichi, and Kagoshima, burning a combined total of six square miles in these urban areas. The success of this initial multi-target mission ensured the continuation of the program, establishing an operational pattern that would remain standard during the final weeks of the war. In total, multiple incendiary attacks were conducted on sixteen occasions, averaging about two missions per week. Between June 17 and August 14, American forces carried out 8,014 sorties, dropping a staggering 54,184 tons of incendiaries across 58 secondary cities. On June 22, 446 B-29s were dispatched to strike six targets located in southern Honshu, including the crucial Kure Naval Arsenal. In this mission, 382 bombers released 2,103 tons of bombs, inflicting heavy damage to these essential manufacturing facilities. Just four days later, on June 26, a force of 510 B-29s, accompanied by 148 P-51 Mustang escorts, targeted locations in southern Honshu and the nearby island of Shikoku. However, dense clouds over much of the area complicated assembly and forced many aircraft to attack targets of opportunity individually or in small groups. As a result, adverse weather conditions would delay subsequent daytime raids until July 24.  In the coordinated strike program that commenced in June, the decision to focus on either the Empire Plan or urban industrial targets was largely influenced by weather conditions. As the program took shape, the 315th Bombardment Wing (VH) became available for combat operations. This wing operated somewhat independently from the other bomber units, with its activities significantly guided by the specialized equipment of its aircraft. Authorized for deployment in the Pacific in December 1944, the 315th settled at Northwest Field, Guam, during May and June. Its commander, Brigadier General Frank A. Armstrong, Jr., was a seasoned veteran of the strategic air offensive against Germany. The B-29s of the 315th Wing differed in two key respects from those of other units. They were equipped with the AN/APQ-7 (Eagle) radar, a sophisticated radar system designed for bombing, instead of the conventional AN/APQ-13 radar. The latter had primarily served as a navigational aid. While crews had become adept at using the AN/APQ-13 for night or poor-weather bombing, it lacked the precision necessary for accurate strikes. The Eagle radar, however, offered significantly greater definition and, although it required a long bomb run averaging seventy miles, this was not considered a serious hindrance in the tactical context of Japan. To further enhance its night-bombing capabilities, the Superfortresses had been stripped of all armament except for the tail gun. This modification, along with the Eagle radar, clearly marked the 315th as a dedicated night-bombing unit. There were various proposals for the use of these specially equipped B-29s, including high-altitude bombing, area bombing, and aerial mining. However, by the time the 315th Wing was ready for combat, the 313th Bombardment Wing had already gained proficiency in aerial mining, while all wings had become adept at area bombing using the AN/APQ-13. Training for the 315th had focused heavily on night radar tactics, with less emphasis on visual bombing and daytime formation flights. It was evident that if the Eagle radar was to undergo a thorough scientific evaluation, it should be tested against a specific set of targets that were preferably large in size and located along the coastline. In the view of the 21st Bomber Command, the oil industry met these requirements perfectly. The 315th Bombardment Wing initiated its specialized campaign on June 26 with a targeted strike against the Utsube Oil Refinery in Yokkaichi, the top-priority target. By August 14, the wing had conducted 15 additional missions against a total of 10 targets, which included various petroleum refineries and synthetic plants, such as the Maruzen Oil Company in Wakayama, Mitsubishi Oil Company in Kawasaki, and Nippon Oil Company plants spread across Akita, Kansai, Kudamatsu, and Amagasaki, as well as the Imperial Fuel Industry Company in Ube and Toa Fuel Industry in Wakayama. During the campaign, the 315th Wing dispatched a total of 1,200 B-29s, 1,095 of which successfully bombed their primary targets, dropping 9,084 tons of 500-pound general-purpose bombs deemed particularly effective against the scattered installations. The increase in bomb load capacity was made possible by stripping the planes of unnecessary equipment and conducting bombing missions individually at night. As the crews gained experience, they were able to increase the average weight carried from 14,631 pounds during the first mission to 20,684 pounds by August 9. Despite concerns about safety from removing most of the aircraft's armaments, only four planes were lost and 66 sustained damage throughout the campaign. The 20th Air Force estimated that the B-29 attacks led to the destruction of approximately 6 million barrels of tank storage capacity, and the United States Strategic Bombing Survey (USSBS) reported that refining capacity had been reduced from 90,000 barrels a day in December 1941 to around 17,000 barrels. However, the strategic impact was more apparent than real, as many storage tanks were empty and refinery production had fallen to just 4% of capacity before the very heavy bomber campaign began. The lack of precise intelligence regarding the state of Japan's economy had justified the emphasis on the oil program as a form of reinsurance. Nevertheless, the blockade had effectively severed the nation's oil resources, resulting in tankers remaining idle at the docks. On July 1, Admiral Halsey's 3rd Fleet departed San Pedro Bay to initiate the first preliminary strikes in preparation for Operation Olympic. This operation involved battleships and heavy cruisers conducting surface bombardments of industrial targets in eastern Japan, while lighter forces performed anti-shipping sweeps along the coast. Additionally, a fleet of submarines advanced ahead of Admiral McCain's Task Force 38 to eliminate picket boats and establish lifeguard positions. At 18:15 on July 9, the force began its 25-knot approach toward the Home Islands, launching its first strikes against the Tokyo area at 04:00 on July 10. A total of 1,732 sorties were executed, targeting locations from Koriyama to Hamamatsu, dropping 454 tons of bombs and 1,648 rockets over Honshu with negligible opposition. American airmen reported the destruction of 109 enemy aircraft and damage to 231 during these strikes.   Following this, Halsey's fleet moved north to bombard Hokkaido and northern Honshu, which were beyond the effective range of the B-29s and had previously evaded attack. At 05:59 on July 14, Rear-Admiral John Shafroth's Bombardment Group Able, consisting primarily of three battleships and two heavy cruisers, was tasked with attacking the Kamaishi Works of the Japan Iron Company. By midday, Shafroth's forces had opened fire on Kamaishi, marking the first surface bombardment of Japan by a hostile fleet in over 80 years. Between 12:10 and 14:19, a total of 802 16-inch shells, 728 8-inch shells, and 825 5-inch shells were expended, setting the town ablaze as key industrial and residential targets were hit and resulting in the sinking of one oil tanker, two barges, and one small ship in the harbor. Simultaneously, McCain's carriers closed to within 80 nautical miles of Japan, launching 1,391 sorties against Hokkaido and northern Honshu to target railways, shipping, and airfields, again facing only light resistance. In the ensuing strikes, American planes sank over 50,000 tons of shipping and naval craft, including the destroyer Tachibana, four minesweepers, eight naval auxiliaries, and around 20 merchant vessels, with significant losses occurring at Muroran and Hakodate. In addition, 25 enemy planes were destroyed, while American losses totaled 24 aircraft and 17 airmen, about half of whom were lost in combat. Task Force 38 launched another assault on July 15, executing 966 combat sorties that dropped 355 tons of bombs and expended 2,093 rockets. This operation resulted in the sinking of 65 vessels and damaging 128 others, as well as the destruction of 48 locomotives and damage to 28. Widespread destruction was inflicted on several facilities, particularly the Aomori–Hakodate railcar ferry system, which transported 30% of the coal between Hokkaido and Honshu. The strikes devastated the ferry system, sinking eight ferries, beaching eight more, and damaging two. In total, 70 auxiliary sailing colliers were sunk, and 11 were damaged, along with 10 steel freighters lost and 7 damaged. The ferry strikes were the brainchild of Halsey's operations officer, Captain Ralph “Rollo” Wilson. “When the first action reports began to sift in,” Halsey related: He snatched them up and pored over them; the ferries were not mentioned. Later reports also ignored them. Rollo was sulking and cursing when the final reports arrived. I heard him whistle and saw him beam. “Six ferries sunk!” he said. “Pretty soon we'll have ‘em moving their stuff by oxcarts and skiffs!”  Additionally, 20 city blocks in Kushiro were razed. The most significant outcome of these operations was the virtual severance of Hokkaido from Honshu. By the end of the raids, Halsey's 3rd Fleet had achieved the sinking of 140 ships and small craft, damaging 235 others, and destroying 38 planes while damaging 46. Meanwhile, Rear-Admiral Oscar Badger's Bombardment Group Baker, composed of three battleships, two light cruisers, and eight destroyers, was assigned to bombard Muroran. Between 09:36 and 10:25, this group fired 860 16-inch shells at the Nihon Steel Company and the Wanishi Ironworks, targeting both the coal liquefaction plant and coke ovens. This bombardment inflicted severe damage on those facilities and resulted in the destruction or damage of 2,541 houses in Muroran. As Hasley recalled “These sweeps and bombardments accomplished more than destruction. they showed the enemy that we made no bones about playing in his front yard. From now on, we patrolled his channels and shelled his coast almost every night that the weather permitted.” Additionally, Rear-Admiral James Cary Jones' four light cruisers conducted a sweep along the east coast of Honshu to hunt for Japanese shipping; however, they reported no contacts during their mission. Early on July 16, Task Force 38 retired east of Honshu to begin refueling and rendezvoused with Admiral Rawlings' Task Force 37, which agreed to operate closely as an additional task group for Admiral Halsey. At 03:50 on July 17, the two task forces began launching strikes against central Honshu despite adverse weather conditions. The American forces executed 205 sorties targeting the Mito area, while British aircraft flew 87 sorties against airfields and railyards along the northwest coast of Honshu. Despite the bad weather, several small craft and locomotives were destroyed, though the operation resulted in the loss of nine aircraft and four airmen. Later that afternoon, Halsey detached Badger's augmented Bombardment Group to attack Hitachi, a significant industrial and electronics-producing city. The 53-minute bombardment commenced in fog and rain at 23:14, during which 1,207 16-inch shells, 267 14-inch shells, and 292 6-inch rounds were expended against the Tago and Mito Works of the Hitachi Manufacturing Company, as well as the Yamate Plant and copper refining facilities of Hitachi Mine, resulting in severe devastation. On July 18, McCain's two leading carriers launched a total of 592 sorties against Yokosuka, specifically targeting the heavily camouflaged battleship Nagato at the naval base. The attacks resulted in the sinking of one old cruiser, one minesweeper, one submarine, one incomplete destroyer, and three patrol vessels, in addition to damaging one subchaser, one old destroyer, and one old battleship. Although Nagato was hit multiple times and suffered heavy damage, it managed to stay afloat. Meanwhile, three carriers also targeted airfields and other opportunities in Tokyo, while Task Force 37 attacked a seaplane base at Kitaura and airfields at Nobara, Naruto, Chosi, Kanoike, Natori, and Kitakawa. The recent raids resulted in the destruction of 43 enemy planes and damage to 77 others on the ground, along with the destruction of three locomotives and the derailing of four electrified train cars by rockets. However, the American forces incurred losses of 14 aircraft and 18 aircrew, as the 3rd Fleet flyers reported encountering the fiercest anti-aircraft fire they had yet experienced. Additionally, Rear-Admiral Carl Holden's four light cruisers were detached during the night to sweep shipping off Sagami Bay and to target the radar site at Cape Nojima. On July 21, Captain Thomas Hederman's Destroyer Squadron 61, consisting of nine destroyers, was assigned to conduct another anti-shipping sweep off Sagami Bay. Pursuing four radar contacts, the destroyers engaged targets at midnight on July 22, firing guns and torpedoes from 7,000 yards. This action resulted in the sinking of the 800-ton freighter No.5 Hakutetsu Maru and damaging the 6,919-ton Enbun Maru. In response, Japanese coastal artillery, the minesweeper W-1, and subchaser Ch-42 returned fire, but Hederman's squadron successfully retired without damage. Although minor in scale, the Battle of Sagami Bay would ultimately be the last surface action of the war. Meanwhile, as part of Operation Barney, a planned submarine penetration of the Sea of Japan, nine submarines succeeded in sinking 27 Japanese merchant vessels and one submarine, totaling 54,786 tons.  On June 8, the submarine Barb commenced her twelfth patrol, tasked with terrorizing the Sea of Okhotsk using her newly installed 5-inch rocket launchers. Over the following weeks, Skipper Commander Eugene “Luckey” Fluckey executed successful rocket bombardments on Shari, Hokkaido, and targets in Shikuka, Kashiho, and Shiritoru on Karafuto (southern Sakhalin), also employing the submarine's deck guns to destroy 35 sampans in the town of Kaihyo To. Observing Karafuto trains transporting military supplies to ports, Fluckey devised a plan to intercept these trains. Engineman Third Class Billy Hatfield recalled how, as a child, he had placed nuts on railroad ties and watched as the weight of passing trains cracked them between rail and tie. Realizing this principle could be adapted, he suggested rigging an automatic detonator. Fluckey had many volunteers for the mission, including a Japanese POW, and carefully selected Hatfield and seven others, deciding against leading the shore party himself. Just after midnight on July 23, 1945, Fluckey maneuvered Barb to within 950 yards of the Karafuto coast. Led by Lieutenant William Walker, the team launched two rubber rafts at 00:30. Before they left, Fluckey instructed them, “Boys, if you get stuck, head for Siberia, 130 miles north, following the mountain ranges. Good luck.” Upon reaching the shore, the Americans located the tracks and buried a 55-pound scuttling charge and battery beneath the rails, positioning it under a water tower they planned to use as a lookout. As Motor Machinist's Mate First Class John Markuson climbed up, he unexpectedly found he was scaling a sentry tower, causing him to retreat without alerting the sleeping guard. When a train passed, the team dove for cover before resuming their work after it had gone by. Shortly after 01:30, Walker's team signaled their return to Barb, which was now just 600 yards offshore. Fifteen minutes later, while the boats were halfway back, Fluckey heard the rumble of an approaching train. He hoisted a megaphone and urged the crew to “Paddle like the devil, boys!” At 01:47, a 16-car Japanese train struck Hatfield's detonator, resulting in a massive explosion that sent debris soaring 200 feet into the air and reportedly killed 150 Japanese. Minutes later, all eight Americans were safely aboard Barb, which then slipped back into the night, having successfully executed the only amphibious invasion of Japan during World War II. Returning to the main action, Halsey aimed to eliminate the remnants of the Combined Fleet at the heavily fortified Kure Naval Base. Consequently, Task Force 38 began launching the first of 1,363 sorties against ships and airfields in Kyushu, Shikoku, and Honshu, ringing the Inland Sea at 04:40 on July 24. A total of 599 tons of bombs and 1,615 rockets were unleashed over Kure, resulting in the sinking or damaging of 22 warships, which totaled 258,000 tons. Among the affected vessels were the battleships Hyuga, Ise, and Haruna; fleet carriers Amagi and Katsuragi; the escort carrier Kaiyo; heavy cruisers Tone and Aoba; as well as light cruisers Oyodo and Kitakami. In addition, another 53 vessels amounting to 17,000 tons were sunk at various locations, including Hiroshima Bay, Niihama, Bungo Channel, and Kii Channel. At Kobe, the incomplete fleet carrier Aso was also attacked and damaged. American Hellcats and Corsairs effectively swept aside Japanese aerial opposition, shooting down 18 enemy planes while destroying 40 aircraft and damaging another 80 on the ground. Furthermore, around the Inland Sea, 16 locomotives were destroyed and five were damaged, while 20 hangars sustained damage. Three oil tanks were set ablaze at Kure and one at Tano. Additionally, four electric trains and a roundhouse were strafed at Hamamatsu, and various military installations, including barracks, warehouses, power plants, and factories around the airfields, received significant damage. Simultaneously, Rear-Admiral Rawlings' Task Force 37 conducted 257 sorties against targets in Japan and the surrounding offshore areas, sinking the escort carrier Shimane Maru in Shido Bay, along with a number of destroyers, small escorts, and coasters. Meanwhile, Jones' light cruisers swept through the Kii Channel before bombarding the Kushimoto seaplane base and airfields at Cape Shionomisaki during the night. Supporting these efforts, General LeMay dispatched 625 B-29s against seven targets in the Nagoya and Osaka areas, successfully inflicting heavy damage on all of them despite the spotty weather, marking this as the last major attack on the Japanese mainland during the war, as two weeks of cloudy weather ensued. In the early hours of July 25, McCain's aircraft carriers resumed launching strikes against airfields and shipping in the Inland Sea and the Nagoya-Osaka areas. During this operation, they executed a total of 655 sorties, expending 185 tons of bombs and 1,162 rockets, successfully sinking nine ships totaling 8,000 tons and damaging another 35 vessels. The strikes also resulted in the downing of 21 Japanese planes, with an additional 61 aircraft destroyed on the ground and 68 damaged. After refueling on July 27, Halsey's carrier forces moved to launch points located 96 nautical miles off Shikoku. At 04:43 on July 28, they resumed strikes over the Inland Sea, focusing on targets from northern Kyushu to Nagoya, as well as airfields across Honshu along the Sea of Japan. This resulted in McCain flying a total of 1,602 sorties, dropping 605 tons of bombs and expending 2,050 rockets. These attacks sank 27 ships, amounting to 43,000 tons, including the battleships Ise and Haruna, the fleet carrier Amagi, and the Combined Fleet flagship Oyodo. Additionally, 78 vessels totaling 216,000 tons were reported damaged, among them the fleet carrier Katsuragi, heavy cruiser Tone, and light cruiser Kitakami. American pilots reported the destruction of 21 Japanese aircraft in the air and claimed 115 destroyed on the ground across 30 area airfields. They also successfully destroyed 14 locomotives, four oil cars, two roundhouses, three oil tanks, three warehouses, one hangar, and a transformer station. In support of these efforts, Task Force 37 conducted 260 sorties against the eastern Inland Sea, targeting the dockyard at Harima and sinking or severely damaging four corvettes at Maizuru. Meanwhile, the 7th Air Force's 11th and 494th Bombardment Groups carried out a day-long raid on Kure, successfully sinking the heavy cruiser Aoba. By sunset that evening, the Imperial Japanese Navy had effectively ceased to exist, though the cost for the Americans was steep, with losses amounting to 101 planes and 88 men since July 24. As Halsey moved east to target the Osaka-Nagoya area, Shafroth's reinforced Bombardment Group was detached on July 29 to bombard Hamamatsu. During the night, they successfully unloaded 810 16-inch shells, 265 14-inch shells, and 1,035 8-inch shells, damaging the Imperial Government Railway locomotive works, igniting a blaze at the Japanese Musical Instrument Company, and wreaking havoc on infrastructure along the critical Tokaido main line. The following day, McCain's carriers conducted 1,224 sorties against airfields in Osaka, Kobe, Maizuru, and Nagoya, expending 397 tons of bombs and 2,532 rockets. These strikes resulted in the sinking of 20 vessels totaling 6,000 tons and damaging another 56 ships. The pilots also claimed destruction of 115 enemy aircraft on the ground, while inflicting severe damage on numerous industrial targets, including aircraft factories and naval docks in Maizuru. In Miyazu Bay, the destroyer Hatsushino struck an air-dropped naval mine, marking the final loss of 129 Japanese destroyers sunk during the war. That night, seven destroyers advanced deep into Suruga Bay, unleashing 1,100 5-inch shells on Shimizu within seven minutes, successfully destroying or damaging 118 industrial buildings. Typhoon weather would impede the operations of the 3rd Fleet for the next two weeks, as Admiral Nimitz ordered Halsey to steer clear of southern Japan, which was set to become the target of a new and deadly weapon: the atomic bomb. The U.S. Army had begun its project to develop an atomic bomb on August 16, 1942, under the auspices of the Manhattan Project. The project was directed by Major-General Leslie Groves and involved renowned scientists such as Robert Oppenheimer, Enrico Fermi, Niels Bohr, Richard Feynman, and Albert Einstein. Over time, it expanded to include a design center at Los Alamos and two production facilities at Hanford and Clinton. By August 1945, the teams at Los Alamos had successfully designed, developed, and built a gun-type atomic bomb capable of forcing five pounds of uranium-235 against another 17 pounds at high speed, thereby achieving critical mass and releasing immense heat, light, blast, and radiation. The team was also experimenting with an even more powerful device: the plutonium bomb, which utilized an implosion method whereby a sphere of plutonium was compressed by conventional explosives to reach criticality. By early August, scientists had managed to produce enough nuclear material to create only one uranium device, known as Little Boy, and one plutonium bomb, referred to as Fat Man. Each weapon had the potential to annihilate an entire city, and American leaders were prepared to use them if it could compel the Japanese Empire to surrender without necessitating an invasion of Japan. A Targeting Committee led by Groves, consisting of Manhattan Project and Air Force personnel, recommended Hiroshima, Niigata, Kokura, and Nagasaki as primary targets.  Groves' Targeting Committee employed several criteria to select sites for atomic bomb targets. The chosen targets had to possess strategic value to the Japanese and be situated between Tokyo and Nagasaki. Additionally, the target needed to feature a large urban area with a minimum diameter of three miles and must be relatively untouched by previous bombings, ironically spared for potential atomic destruction at a later stage. A crucial condition was that, to the best of their knowledge, these areas should harbor no concentrations of Allied prisoners of war. However, this requirement was challenging to ascertain accurately due to a lack of reliable information about the locations of prisoners. Initially, the committee considered 17 candidates and selected five primary targets: Hiroshima, Yokohama, Kokura, Niigata, and Kyoto. On May 28, they narrowed the list to three: Kyoto, Niigata, and Hiroshima. Hiroshima was significant as it housed Hata's 2nd General Army headquarters and featured a large shipyard, while Niigata was a major industrial city with an important port. Moreover, Kyoto held considerable cultural and religious significance for the Japanese. Secretary of War Stimson, having previously cautioned General Arnold about the humanitarian consequences of targeting cities with incendiary bombings, insisted on removing Kyoto from the list after intense discussions with Groves. On July 21, President Truman concurred with Stimson during their meetings in Potsdam, deciding that Kyoto should be spared. Subsequently, Kokura, known for its large arsenal and ordnance works, replaced Kyoto. Additionally, LeMay's staff reportedly included Nagasaki as an alternate target due to potential weather issues, as it was home to Mitsubishi's arms factories, electric production facilities, ordnance works, and extensive dockyards, making it a valuable target. Meanwhile, a high-level civilian Interim Committee, under Secretary of War Henry Stimson, ultimately advised President Truman on the use of nuclear weapons, reasoning that their deployment would be no worse than the current incendiary bombing campaigns against Japan. The committee also recommended that an atomic bomb be deployed as soon as possible, without warning, to maximize shock value and target a "war plant… surrounded by workers' houses." Following a successful operational test of the experimental plutonium bomb conducted at Trinity on July 16, President Truman authorized General Spaatz to prepare for the bomb drops before August 3. Colonel Paul Tibbets' 509th Composite Group had been specially organized in secret since September 1944 to deliver nuclear weapons, and by June, it had arrived at Tinian under the command of LeMay's 21st Bomber Command. General Twinning replaced LeMay as commander of the 21st on August 1, and he would ultimately issue the direct orders for Tibbets to drop the atomic bomb. The atomic bomb mission had a convoluted command structure. The Joint Chiefs of Staff were largely left out of the chain of command. LeMay was Tibbet's nominal commander; however, Groves still had extensive control over the operation through his deputy Brigadier General Thomas Farrell on Tinian. The 21st Bomber Command would determine when the atomic bomb mission was launched, based on suitable weather conditions. Even at this stage, General of the Air Force Henry "Hap" Arnold and LeMay were still skeptical about the Manhattan Project; they thought B-29 incendiary and high-explosive bombing operations would suffice to end the war soon. LeMay even questioned the 509th CG pilots' ability to conduct the mission; he wanted seasoned Pacific B-29 veteran crews to drop the nuclear cargo. While the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) and Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) prepared for an impending invasion, the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) continued its bombing campaign against Japan. The crews of the 509th Composite Group needed to acclimate to the navigational challenges, varied weather conditions, extensive distances, and the geography of the region, all while becoming accustomed to combat situations. Training commenced at Tinian on June 30, with conventional operational missions over Japan beginning on July 20. To prepare for their atomic missions, the crews trained with "pumpkins," which were specially constructed bombs designed to mimic the appearance and weight of nuclear weapons. This allowed them to practice handling and releasing the bombs. They also rehearsed navigational procedures, visual bomb release techniques, and dropping the weapon at an altitude of approximately 30,000 feet. Following the drop, the crew conducted high-speed, radical turns to evade the nuclear effects after detonation. During their first mission, a B-29 from the 509th sought an alternative target in Tokyo. The crew aimed to drop their 10,000-pound "pumpkin" on the Imperial Palace, but unfortunately, they missed their target. Had they succeeded in killing the emperor, it could have significantly impacted Japan's decision-making process, potentially fortifying the Japanese people's resolve to continue the war. Military leaders might have seized control in the aftermath, pushing their forces to keep fighting. Throughout their training, the units of the 21st Bomber Command intentionally avoided targeting Hiroshima, Niigata, Kokura, and Nagasaki during these practice runs. In total, Tibbets directed his crews on numerous combat missions that targeted 28 cities and involved the dropping of 49 "pumpkins." Remarkably, the 509th lost no aircraft during these operations. While Tibbets focused on perfecting the delivery method, the weapons Little Boy and Fat Man were being transported to Tinian. Some weapon assemblies were delivered by C-54 and B-29 aircraft from Kirtland Field near Albuquerque, while the cruiser Indianapolis delivered the fissionable material for Little Boy from San Francisco on July 26. Four days later, the submarine I-58 unexpectedly attacked the Indianapolis with six torpedoes while the cruiser was en route to Guam, successfully sinking it. Of the crew, 850 Americans survived the sinking, and another 316 were belatedly rescued by August 8. By July 31, most of the assembly of Little Boy had been completed. However, a detonation expert would need to emplace the cordite charges to fire the uranium "bullet" through the gun device to the uranium core after take-off, minimizing the risk of an inadvertent nuclear explosion in the event of a B-29 crash. Additionally, the crew carrying the atomic bomb had to exercise caution when descending once Little Boy was armed because the primary radar or a backup barometric fuse could potentially trigger an explosion if the aircraft descended too rapidly with the fuses in place. On August 2, B-29 crews arrived at Tinian with the assemblies for Fat Man. On that same day, General Twinning and President Truman approved the plan to bomb Hiroshima. Two days later, Colonel Tibbets briefed the crews about the mission, confirming that he would pilot the aircraft carrying the atomic bomb. Tibbets' B-29 No. 82, later named Enola Gay, was supported by three weather reconnaissance aircraft that reported conditions at Hiroshima, Kokura, and Nagasaki, as well as two additional B-29s assigned to conduct scientific and photographic missions. At 02:45 on August 6, Enola Gay took off from Tinian, with diversionary attacks by 604 B-29s throughout Japan also scheduled for that day, as coordinated by Twinning. After passing through Iwo Jima at approximately 05:55, Captain William Parsons and Second-Lieutenant Morris Jeppson armed the bomb at 07:30. Throughout the journey, the B-29s ascended slowly, reaching an altitude of over 30,000 feet as they crossed Shikoku and Honshu, finally reaching Hiroshima at 31,060 feet. At 09:12, Tibbets executed his final approach from the 'initial point', flying east-west over the city towards the intersection of the Ota and Motoyasu Rivers. Approximately at 09:15, Little Boy was released, and Enola Gay immediately began its turn away to escape the impending explosion. However, the bomb mistakenly descended towards the Shima Surgical Hospital rather than the intended target, the Aioi Bridge. At 09:16, Little Boy detonated at an altitude of 1,890 feet, just as Tibbets was about six miles away from the blast point. As a result of the atomic blast, the immediate area around the epicenter was heated to an astonishing 1 million degrees Celsius, instantly incinerating or vaporizing all people, animals, buildings, and other items within that zone. Hiroshima police officials estimated that immediate casualties amounted to 71,379 individuals who were either killed or reported missing. In the surrounding areas, the blast effects crushed unreinforced structures before igniting them, resulting in an additional 68,023 wounded, with 19,691 of those injuries classified as serious. Subsequent assessments, potentially incorporating the impacts of radiation sickness or more precise accounting, recorded 30,524 individuals as seriously wounded and 48,606 as slightly wounded. Just two minutes after detonation, a growing mushroom cloud of highly radioactive dust and debris soared to a height of 20,000 feet. Within eight minutes, Tibbets' crew could observe the mushroom cloud from 390 miles away. Ultimately, the dust cloud peaked at approximately 60,000 feet in altitude. Soon after, a thick, black, radioactive rain fell upon the areas beneath the cloud. The center of the city was utterly devastated; over four square miles of the urban center, which encompassed seven square miles in total, were completely flattened, resulting in about 60% of the city's area being destroyed. An additional 0.6 square miles suffered damage, while more than 75% of the city's 90,000 buildings were obliterated. The ensuing fires compounded the devastation, contributing to countless deaths and injuries. Tragically, some American prisoners of war were present in Hiroshima and lost their lives in the explosion. Meanwhile, Enola Gay safely returned to Tinian at 14:58, where Tibbets was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, while the rest of the crew received Distinguished Flying Crosses for their participation in the mission. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. Japan was broken. To be perfectly honest she had been broken long ago. Her leadership had been spending months trying to figure out the best possible way to surrender, while the civilians and troops were suffering horribly. Aerial mining strangled her of food, high explosive and incendiary bombs, killed untold scores of people, and then the Atomic weapons were let loose upon her. It was over.

Gerade wird in Japan um Titel gesprungen – bei der Rope Skipping WM in Kawasaki. Bei dieser Variante des professionellen Springseil-Sports hat sich der TV Roringen für das Turnier qualifiziert. Für das StadtRadio hat sich Nico Mader über den Stand des Turniers informiert. Dabei ist er erstaunt, wie schnell die Rope-Skipper so ein Springseil drehen können.

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Este libro ofrece una guía completa para el emprendimiento en el mundo 2.0, enfatizando que el éxito no radica en grandes ambiciones, sino en resolver problemas sencillos que mejoran el mundo. La obra aborda la creación de productos significativos, la importancia del posicionamiento de marca y los modelos de negocio. Además, proporciona consejos prácticos sobre la superación de miedos, la financiación a través del bootstrapping y el crowdfunding, y la preparación de presentaciones impactantes. Finalmente, detalla estrategias para el liderazgo efectivo, la gestión de equipos y contratación, el arte de socializar y evangelizar un producto, y la creación de asociaciones sólidas y un ecosistema de apoyo. Puedes comprar el libro “El arte de empezar 2.0” con descuento desde https://amzn.to/405XoW7 Únete gratis a la Newsletter Nº1 sobre Marketing Radical desde https://borjagiron.comThis content is under Fair Use: Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act in 1976; Allowance is made for "Fair Use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship and research. Fair Use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. I do not own the original content. All rights and credit go to its rightful owners. No copyright infringement intended. Conviértete en un seguidor de este podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/grandes-aprendizajes--5720587/support.

Frenkie is amper 4 maanden oud en komt te overlijden door de ziekte Kawasaki. De ouders Dirkje en Thom zijn kapot van verdriet. Zoals moeder zelf zegt: dit had voorkomen kunnen worden. Hoe kan het dan dat Frenkie toch met 4 maanden kwam te overlijden? Probeer Podimo 30 dagen gratis! https://Podimo.com/s/n5xvzRHMSupport: www.podcastbijsuus.nlWil je meehelpen? https://steunemma.kentaacare.nl/fundraisers/lichtvoorfrenkie-hoopvoorandereInstagram Dirkje: https://www.instagram.com/dirkjesophiajol?igsh=MWRja2hxcGlzeWt3ag==Contact: podcastbijsuus@outlook.comMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/torus/unsolvedLicense code: QORF0LVHVYVSPX8S

白井秀征容疑者川崎市でアルバイト岡崎彩咲陽さんの遺体が元交際相手宅から見つかった事件で、神奈川県警は１２日、岡崎さんを殺害したとして、元交際相手の無職白井秀征容疑者を殺人容疑で再逮捕した。 Japanese police arrested a man on Saturday for allegedly murdering his former girlfriend, whose body was found at his house in the city of Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, adjacent to Tokyo, in late April.

Send us a textThe boys are back. In a NEW building this week, and they're bringing all the chaos with them. They kick things off with a wild recap of the 4th of July—Joey Chestnut crushed another hot dog contest, Pittsburgh had its share of firework fails, and someone even sent in a video of a guy celebrating the holiday way too hard. Eagle Tits finally watched The Godfather, and we've got an update on the drama surrounding Tim and Cheryl's Bucco Board message saga. Plus, Pittsburgh Scanner delivers again with collapsing stairs, missing bar regulars, and a mystery robot dog on someone's porch.In the news, Diddy beat the big charges but still faces years behind bars, Rush Hour gets a content warning, and exploding birds in California have everyone confused. The fellas debate eyelash trimming for dudes, Paris Hilton's earthquake mix-up, and whether they'd ride Kawasaki's new four-legged robot horse. We also talk Chuck E. Cheese launching adult arcades, a guy leaving free beer on a street corner, and how guys are shaving their eyebrows to look more manly?All that and more on this week's episode of Greenfield's Finest Podcast.Check out our upcoming events, social media, and merch sale at the link below ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/GFP Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/7viuBywVXF4e52CHUgk1i5 Produced by Lane Media ⁠https://www.lanemediapgh.com/

We gave Gary Sutherlin our 2025 KX450SR to race the vet weekend up at Mammoth Mountain MX so we ring him up to go over the details of the build as well as the race. What did Gary do to the bike? How was the durability of the KX450SR? Did it have enough power up in elevation? Hear it all on this show!

A Cris sonhava em ter uma família, mas grávida e às vésperas do casamento, ela flagrou a traição do noivo com sua amiga. Seu mundo caiu, mas ela seguiu com a gestação sozinha. O Arthur nasceu saudável, mas aos 3 anos, ele foi vítima de uma negligência médica e quase partiu. Arthur recebeu o diagnóstico de Síndrome de Kawasaki, uma doença rara. Com fé, uma promessa a Deus e muita luta, ele se curou, e Cris raspou o cabelo em agradecimento. Hoje, mãe e filho são inseparáveis e encontram força um no outro para seguir em frente.

Antonio Cairoli is headed stateside to debut the Ducati Desmo 450 at Red Bud and we are amped to talk to him about his expectations and goals. RJ Hampshire has made the move to the 450 and we talk to him about his infamous wrist, the bigger bike and how he thinks the transition is going for him so far. Phil calls in to talk more Canadian motocross and how his series is going up north as well as his thoughts on Southwick. Kris Keefer is on to talk about the tragic passing of Aidan Zingg who lost his life in a crash at Mammoth Mountain MX this past weekend, just brutal. Broc Tickle is on to talk Kawasaki, Jorge Prado, and other things green. Jumpin, Jammin, Jake Wiemer is in studio, GREAT SHOW!!

2025 Southwick National in the books! Travis stopped by on friday to watch some press day. Nick gives his thoughts on how his day went on Saturday. Travis took on round 3 of the Canadian Nationals on Sunday. We also get Kyle Murdoch on to talk about his day at the Southwick National and he switch to Kawasaki and more!

Johnny Hopper joins us in studio once again, and this time we dive into some controversy. At the post-race press conference after Round 4 at High Point, Johnny asked Aaron Plessinger a question about Eli Tomac's potential switch to KTM — a moment that sparked backlash across the industry. Some loved the question, others hated it, and we break it all down, including Steve Matthes' reaction.We also discuss whether Supercross should start a feeder series, if scoop tires should be regulated, whether Jorge Prado can figure out the Kawasaki, and how Chase Sexton might adjust to that platform if he makes the switch. This one's full of drama — don't miss it! Gypsy Gang — if you liked this chapter, remember to like, subscribe, and hit that notification bell so you never miss a new drop!SPONSORS:

Send us a textBest bike in the world this week: Dyna Wide GlideWorst Bike in the world this week: 2025 KTM RC16Support the showSend emails to contact@nocomotopodcast.com, it doesn't have to be important. link to discordhttps://discordapp.com/channels/456680224461946882/456680224461946884

In Part 2 of our Japanese soccer series, journalist Dan Orlowitz returns to help us explore how Japan's soccer scene is making waves across the globe! We dive into Samurai Blue's international success, Japanese players shining abroad, and the flow of global talent into the J.League. Plus — how can fans outside Japan actually watch the matches? We've got that covered, too.If you've ever cheered for Japan in the World Cup or wanted to follow J.League stars in Europe, this episode is for you!------ About the Krewe ------The Krewe of Japan Podcast is a weekly episodic podcast sponsored by the Japan Society of New Orleans. Check them out every Friday afternoon around noon CST on Apple, Google, Spotify, Amazon, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.  Want to share your experiences with the Krewe? Or perhaps you have ideas for episodes, feedback, comments, or questions? Let the Krewe know by e-mail at kreweofjapanpodcast@gmail.com or on social media (Twitter: @kreweofjapan, Instagram: @kreweofjapanpodcast, Facebook: Krewe of Japan Podcast Page, TikTok: @kreweofjapanpodcast, LinkedIn: Krewe of Japan LinkedIn Page, Blue Sky Social: @kreweofjapan.bsky.social, & the Krewe of Japan Youtube Channel). Until next time, enjoy!------ Support the Krewe! Offer Links for Affiliates ------Use the referral links below & our promo code from the episode!Support your favorite NFL Team AND podcast! Shop NFLShop to gear up for football season!Zencastr Offer Link - Use my special link to save 30% off your 1st month of any Zencastr paid plan! ------ Past KOJ Sports-Related Episodes ------Meet the J.League ft. Dan Orlowitz (S6E4)Kendo: The Way of the Sword ft. Alexander Bennett, 7th Dan in Kendo (S4E16)The Life of a Sumotori ft. 3-Time Grand Champion Konishiki Yasokichi (S4E10)Talking Sumo ft. Andrew Freud (S1E8)------ About Dan Orlowitz ------Dan's Socials & WritingsJ-Talk Podcast------ JSNO Upcoming Events ------JSNO Event CalendarJoin JSNO Today!

We talk about drinking some coolaid, AMA Vintage Days prep, state of car repairs, Royal Enfield imported a whole year worth of bikes to the US, spy shots of the electric Himalayan, Kawasaki and the Tour de France, Benda developing a bike with a better name, and more... Recalls:None? Better go check the NHTSA site to be sure. News:Royal Enfield imported a year worth of bikes into the USProduction ready electric Himalayan spy shots Kawasaki & Tour de France Ducati developing auto-clutch Benda Graystone .. or Rock 707 Isle of Man results Amazon picks up Isle of Man TT series and feature film Weird News: Wheelies Vespa 4.5km, up a mountain, while blindfolded… What happened to ALTA Motors documentary by Krankit - Pt 1 What happened to ALTA Motors documentary by Krankit - Pt 2 Reference Photos/Links: Magic City Brewing Company Electric Tuk-Tuk~~~~~~~~~Email us at podcast@motohop.coWebsite: https://motohop.coMerch: https://motohop.co/merchInstagram: @motohop_ & @ms.motohop=========Our Favorite Podcasts:Cleveland MotoMotorcycles & MisfitsNoco Moto=========Find the best AMSOIL products for your vehicles: https://motohop.co/oil

The Krewe is kicking off a 2-part series on Japanese soccer! In Part 1, journalist Dan Orlowitz joins the Krewe to break down Japan's domestic soccer scene — the J.League. From league structure and top teams to standout players making waves right now, this episode is your perfect deep dive into the beautiful game, Japan-style. Whether you're new to Japanese soccer or a longtime fan, you'll come away with fresh insights and maybe even a new favorite club! Don't miss Part 2, where we go global with Japan's national teams and international impact!------ About the Krewe ------The Krewe of Japan Podcast is a weekly episodic podcast sponsored by the Japan Society of New Orleans. Check them out every Friday afternoon around noon CST on Apple, Google, Spotify, Amazon, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.  Want to share your experiences with the Krewe? Or perhaps you have ideas for episodes, feedback, comments, or questions? Let the Krewe know by e-mail at kreweofjapanpodcast@gmail.com or on social media (Twitter: @kreweofjapan, Instagram: @kreweofjapanpodcast, Facebook: Krewe of Japan Podcast Page, TikTok: @kreweofjapanpodcast, LinkedIn: Krewe of Japan LinkedIn Page, Blue Sky Social: @kreweofjapan.bsky.social, & the Krewe of Japan Youtube Channel). Until next time, enjoy!------ Support the Krewe! Offer Links for Affiliates ------Use the referral links below & our promo code from the episode!Support your favorite NFL Team AND podcast! Shop NFLShop to gear up for football season!Zencastr Offer Link - Use my special link to save 30% off your 1st month of any Zencastr paid plan! ------ Past KOJ Sports-Related Episodes ------Kendo: The Way of the Sword ft. Alexander Bennett, 7th Dan in Kendo (S4E16)The Life of a Sumotori ft. 3-Time Grand Champion Konishiki Yasokichi (S4E10)Talking Sumo ft. Andrew Freud (S1E8)------ About Langston Hill ------Dan's Socials & Writings------ JSNO Upcoming Events ------JSNO Event CalendarJoin JSNO Today!

Join host Jared Christie, Polaris Adventures Content Manager, as he sits down with Polaris CEO Mike Speetzen to discuss Polaris Adventures and to celebrate a major milestone. Book your next adventure @ www.adventures.polaris.com Honda® is a registered trademark of Honda Motor Company, Ltd.Can-Am® is a registered trademark of Bombardier Recreational Products Inc.Kawasaki® and Mule® are registered trademarks of Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.Unless noted, trademarks are the property of Polaris Industries Inc. © 2025 Polaris Industries Inc.

Alessi wins a moto on a 350! Reed wins the OA on a Kawasaki and more weirdness from this race. Weege, Rarick and Matthes get into this 2010 MX season opener and everything that happened and Chad Reed even joins the crew to ask about how he ended up at Kawasaki, his 2009 450MX title and more.

Send us a textHopefully we get our shit together for the you tube video on this one. please check for it and check out the channel and patreon.Best bike in the world this week: Rebel 1100 Again?Worst Bike in the World This week: Harley Davidson Golf Carts and their stupid CL polluting ListingSupport the showSend emails to contact@nocomotopodcast.com, it doesn't have to be important. link to discordhttps://discordapp.com/channels/456680224461946882/456680224461946884

Apple, like all successful companies, became successful by maximizing profits and minimizing costs. However, to achieve this, they sold their soul to America's biggest adversary: the Chinese Communist Party. The story of how this transpired is chronicled in exceptional detail by my guest, Patrick McGee, who joins me to discuss his book “Apple in China: The Capture of the World's Greatest Company” and explains whether or not he believes Trump can return manufacturing to America. - - -  Today's Sponsor: Balance of Nature - Go to https://balanceofnature.com and use promo code KLAVAN for 35% off your first order PLUS get a free bottle of Fiber and Spice.

Takeshi Katsuya joins us for Chapter 363! Taka is one of the key people behind the development of Kawasaki motorcycles—working on both the production side and the race team side. If you've ridden a newer Kawasaki and liked the changes, Taka is one of the guys to thank. A 4x Japanese Motocross Champion, Taka brings over 20 years of testing experience, starting with Factory Honda and now playing a major role at Factory Kawasaki. If you're curious about how bikes are developed and how that R&D translates into race wins at the highest level, this is the chapter is for you.Enjoy the show—and don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell so you never miss a new drop!

Dave Roper has been racing motorcycles for more than half a century. The New England native is probably best known for campaigning exotic vintage machinery under the Robert Iannucci-led Team Obsolete banner. He's fast, too. In fact, Roper won more than half of the races he entered on Iannucci's 1959 Matchless G50, including, famously, the 1984 Senior Historic TT at the Isle of Man.“We lived relatively close to Lime Rock Park in northwest Connecticut,” Roper tells “Driven to Ride” host Mark Long. “We used to go up there and watch the sports cars. That's what I thought I wanted to do.” Once he found motorcycling, however, Roper was immediately hooked. “Motorcycles are more accessible,” he explains. “They're cheaper, they're smaller, they're easier to work on.”Now in his 70s, Roper has been the subject of many editorial projects, including a documentary film, “Motorcycle Man.” “I don't feel like I'm all that special as a racer,” he says. “I've had some success. I've arranged my life so I can continue doing it; I'm not married, I don't have any children. I love the social aspect of it, traveling and seeing people who you share a very special thing with.” Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

Last time we spoke about the breakthrough on Okinawa. Despite relentless attacks on critical positions like Sugar Loaf Hill and Wana Ridge, American Marines encountered heavy casualties. Yet, they persisted, inching forward against tenacious resistance. As mid-May approached, the situation for Japanese commanders deteriorated. Encircled and suffering significant losses, they began plotting a retreat to more defensible positions. On the ground, Marines battled through mud and enemy fire, showcasing incredible resolve amidst dire circumstances. Communication crumbled, supplies dwindled, and morale waned, yet the determination of both sides was undeniable. By late May, the tides shifted further in favor of the Allies, marking pivotal breakthroughs despite the challenges. Amidst ruin and chaos, the relentless struggle for control over Okinawa symbolized the brutal nature of war and the unwavering spirit of those fighting on both sides, setting the stage for an eventual Allied victory.  This episode is the Fall of Shuri Welcome to the Pacific War Podcast Week by Week, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about world war two? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on world war two and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel you can find a few videos all the way from the Opium Wars of the 1800's until the end of the Pacific War in 1945.  As we last left off, the battle for Okinawa was reaching a critical juncture. General Buckner's 10th Army had made significant gains, successfully breaking through the fortified Japanese defenses on both flanks. The 6th Marine Division, under General Shepherd, had effectively established control over the Naha area, while General Arnold's 7th Division achieved an impressive penetration at Yonabaru. However, despite these advancements, the remainder of the American forces faced formidable obstacles. They were grappling with relentless rain, fierce enemy resistance, and severe supply shortages, which left them effectively stalled in front of Shuri. In response to the encroaching American forces, General Ushijima had dispatched General Fujioka's 62nd Division to launch a counter-offensive aimed at driving the invaders out of Yonabaru. Meanwhile, Ushijima was preparing his 32nd Army for a strategic withdrawal south to the Kiyamu Peninsula. Fortunately for the Americans, they had caught wind of the defenders' intentions. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, on May 27, General Buckner ordered his troops to apply strong and unrelenting pressure on the enemy. The goal was clear: keep the Japanese forces off balance and prevent an easy transition to new defensive positions. Although the continuing downpour hindered the possibility of a large-scale, coordinated army-wide attack, it did not deter Buckner's strategy. Instead, he initiated a series of strong combat patrols along the front lines, which immediately encountered stiff resistance from Japanese troops that had not yet begun their withdrawal. On the west coast, as patrols from Colonel Roberts' 22nd Marines scouted the area, they discovered that the Japanese had largely abandoned Naha. This news spurred the 2nd Battalion into action. They crossed the Asato River, moved through the lines established by Shepherd's Reconnaissance Company, and pressed deeper into the western part of Naha. Simultaneously, Colonel Shapley's 4th Marines made their last desperate push to extend American control into eastern Naha, fighting valiantly against the entrenched enemy. Farther east, Colonel Finn's 32nd Regiment once again faced fierce resistance from the hastily committed 62nd Division, which staunchly defended its position. However, not all was lost; patrols from Colonel Green's 184th Regiment managed to reach Inasomi, meeting only scattered resistance. This breakthrough provided a crucial indication that the enemy had no intention of withdrawing into the Chinen Peninsula. As the clocks struck midnight, a significant yet largely unnoticed transition occurred in the waters off Okinawa: Admiral Halsey's 3rd Fleet relieved Admiral Spruance's 5th Fleet. For the troops ashore, this change in command went by without a hint of recognition. The same ships and task groups continued their crucial support for ground operations, now operating under new numerical designations and leadership. However, Halsey faced an immediate challenge as Admiral Ugaki launched an extensive Kikisui attack, a large-scale kamikaze assault involving 110 enemy aircraft. The day of May 27 proved costly, with three destroyers, one destroyer minesweeper, two transports, one subchaser, and two auxiliary ships all suffering damage. The following morning brought clear skies, which only heightened the danger for American naval forces. Several kamikaze aircraft succeeded in sinking the destroyer USS Drexler, while also inflicting damage on a transport ship, three freighters, and a landing craft throughout the day. Meanwhile, on land, Colonel Whaling's rehabilitated 29th Marines took over from the battered 4th Marines along the west coast. The 1st Battalion executed a concerted attack alongside the 22nd Marines, advancing successfully by 250 yards through the rubble-strewn city of Naha. In an impressive display of momentum, Roberts' men pushed forward unopposed toward the Kokuba estuary, eventually encountering resistance near Ono-Yama Island. To the east, the improvement in weather allowed Colonel Mason's 1st Marines to launch a coordinated offensive. The 2nd Battalion fought valiantly, climbing to the peak of 110 Meter Hill. The forward elements of Company E gained the hill crest but were forced to withdraw by vicious enemy fire which raked their positions. Lieutenant Colonel Magee felt that his depleted battalion, down to a total strength of 277 men in the rifle companies, might recapture the hill, but "it could not possibly hold it against a strong enemy counterattack." Although new replacements were available to regiments for training or other use, a division order prevented their being sent to front line units during a battle situation that called for the utmost in skill and knowledge of veterans. Throughout most of the morning and all of the afternoon, 2/1 concentrated the fire of its supporting weapons on the reverse slopes of 110 Meter Hill and engaged the Japanese in a fierce and continuous fire fight. Nightfall brought no cessation of enemy resistance, and many infiltrators were killed in the battalion's lines. In contrast, the 3rd Battalion experienced relatively little opposition, allowing some patrols to penetrate into Wana Draw. At the same time, Colonel Griebel's 3rd Battalion effectively moved its front line to the Asato River, while his 1st Battalion achieved a significant milestone by capturing Beehive Hill. However, despite the break in the rain, the conditions on the ground rendered large-scale movements impractical, stalling further advances across the battlefield. Despite Arnold's determined efforts to push west through Fujioka's blocking positions, progress was minimal. Nevertheless, he was able to consolidate his grip on the Ozato hill mass as Green's 2nd Battalion advanced to a position within 1,000 yards of Shinazato, strategically located at the neck of the Chinen Peninsula. The lack of success from the 62nd Division in driving back the breaching American forces reinforced General Ushijima's resolve to evacuate Shuri while the opportunity still existed. In light of this, he ordered the withdrawal to commence the following evening. On May 29, while the 7th Reconnaissance Troop managed to scout a significant portion of the Chinen Peninsula without incident, the 7th and 96th Divisions faced fierce resistance as they attacked toward the road network south of Shuri. The enemy's resolute defense resulted in only minimal gains for the American assault units. General Bruce's 77th Division, after what can be described as "a day almost entirely spent in hand-to-hand combat," found itself unable to penetrate the intense cordon of defensive fire that protected the Japanese positions. In stark contrast, to the west, Griebel's 1st Battalion made a rapid advance, quickly gaining the crest of Shuri Ridge. They launched a bold assault on Shuri Castle. On May 25, as part of the final stages of the Okinawa campaign, the American battleship USS Mississippi bombarded the castle for three days, and by May 27, it was engulfed in flames. That night, the Japanese forces retreated, abandoning Shuri while US troops pursued them southward. The 1st Battalion of the 5th Marines had started its attack on 29 May with Companies B and C in assault and Company A following in trace of Company C. The Marines quickly gained the crest of Shuri Ridge and Lieutenant Colonel Shelburne requested permission for one of his companies to storm Shuri Castle which commanded his position. Although the castle was in the zone of action of the 77th Infantry Division, General del Valle gave his assent to the request in view of the great danger of enemy action from the strong point. The 1st Marine Division commander felt that "at that time the position of the 77th Division was such that it would have taken several hard day's fighting through enemy resistance" before the castle could be taken. Company A drove east along the muddy ridge line, overwhelming the few Japanese in its path, and by 1015 the castle, core of the Shuri bastion, had been secured. The Marine unit entered Shuri through a gap in the covering forces caused by the withdrawal of the 3d Battalion, 15th Independent Mixed Regiment of the 44th Independent Mixed Brigade, in the course of the Japanese retreat from Shuri. This seems to have been the only notable instance of confusion and mistake in the Japanese withdrawal operation as a whole. Everywhere else around Shuri the Japanese still held their covering positions in the front lines. The 77th Division, which had scheduled air strikes and a heavy artillery bombardment on the castle heights for 29 May, received little prior warning of the Marines' assault and "was barely able to avert [its] called strikes in time." Without taking any credit away from Company A of the 5th Marines for its feat of capturing Shuri Castle, its success was clearly the result of the combined effort of all the assault and support troops of Tenth Army which had maintained relentless pressure on the enemy defenses and paved the way for the breakthrough.  Capitalizing on this momentum, General Del Valle swiftly reorganized his forces to bypass Wana Draw and consolidate these crucial gains. Meanwhile, Griebel's 3rd Battalion maneuvered down the division boundary, reaching a position just 2,000 yards from the village of Kokuba, prompting Whaling's 3rd Battalion to push their lines forward by approximately 600 yards. In a coordinated effort, the 29th Marines executed a wheeling assault on 29 May with 1/29 pivoting on 3/29 and attacking south and then east to bring the regiment on line with the 22d Marines. The ultimate objective of the 1st Battalion's attack was the high ground northwest of Shichina. The approach to the objective was over low and open terrain which drew the comment from regiment that it was "about as suitable to fighting as a billiard table." Fire from strong points in tombs and caves on the small hills and ridges to the front kept the advance to a slow pace, and the assault companies, A and C, dug in slightly to the left rear of the positions of the 22d Marines at nightfall. On another front, Roberts' 1st Battalion successfully crossed the Kokuba River and advanced toward Telegraph Hill in east Naha. However, despite their efforts, intense fighting erupted throughout the day without yielding any significant gains. Back at sea, the threat of kamikaze attacks returned with ferocity, yet this time, American defenses held strong, resulting in only a single destroyer and one transport sustaining damage. As night fell, the Japanese began their long-anticipated withdrawal. General Amamiya's 24th Division commenced disengagement, moving southward while leaving a small force, including the 22nd Independent Battalion, to cover their retreat at Shuri. Meanwhile, General Suzuki's 44th Independent Mixed Brigade held their defensive lines outside Naha, and the 62nd Division maintained its positions near Chan and Karadera. By dawn on May 30, the bulk of the 32nd Army had successfully evacuated the Shuri lines, slipping away from the flanking maneuvers of Buckner's 10th Army. Thanks to a continuous curtain of rain, General Ushijima executed a meticulously planned "properly deft withdrawal." His covering forces were strategically positioned to provide him with the necessary time to organize a defensive stance on the Kiyamu Peninsula. However, the Americans, ever vigilant, were quick to capitalize on the enemy's disarray, maintaining relentless pressure on the faltering Japanese front. On the west coast, Roberts' 2nd and 3rd Battalions crossed the canal, seamlessly moving through the 1st Battalion to take up the assault. They pushed forward tenaciously until they captured the entire area encompassing Telegraph Hill and Hill 27. A network of Japanese machine gun positions hidden in the clusters of tombs on the low hills to the Marines' front made progress slow and costly. Enemy machine guns emplaced in burial tombs on Hill 27 in east Naha temporarily checked the infantry. Heavy sniper fire whipped the lines and killed Lieutenant Colonel Woodhouse of 2/22 who was forward controlling his battalion's attack. Major John G. Johnson, the executive officer, took command immediately and continued a steady pressure. During most of the day tanks were unable to reach the position, but in the afternoon three worked their way along the road north of the hill, and their direct fire enabled the marines to seize it. The advance consisted of a series of local assaults and mop-up actions that brought the battalion to secure hill positions overlooking the Kokuba Estuary and the rail line leading to the north by nightfall. Lieutenant Colonel Shisler's 3d Battalion passed through 1/22 during the morning's attack and behind a screen of artillery, mortars, naval gunfire, and rockets drove onto the high ground at the eastern outskirts of Naha. By means of a series of holding attacks and flank assaults, Shisler was able to move his companies into the maze of enemy defenses where close quarter grenade and small-arms exchanges decided the issue. Once the dominating ground was won, the battalion was subjected to intense artillery and mortar fire. At the same time, Whaling's 1st Battalion joined the offensive, encountering fierce resistance as they pressed through 600 yards of enemy territory. To the east, the Marines under Del Valle shifted their focus to vigorous patrolling, as the supply situation gradually improved thanks to dedicated carrying parties and aerial air drops. Despite their efforts, the 306th Regiment's assault on 110 Meter Hill encountered heavy opposition once again. However, Colonel Hamilton's 307th Regiment finally achieved a breakthrough, seizing the strategic Three Sisters. Dorothy Hill, a fortress directly east of Shuri and a tower of strength in the enemy's inner line for the past two weeks, was attacked by the 3d Battalion, 307th Infantry, 77th Division. The first platoon to reach the base of the hill was pinned down by heavy fire, the platoon leader and all noncommissioned officers being wounded. Other platoons maneuvered into position and finally one squad reached the crest at the right end. This entering wedge enabled two companies to reach the top, from which they discovered three levels of caves on the reverse slope. They went to work methodically, moving from right to left along the top level, burning and blasting each cave and dugout, the flame-thrower and satchel-charge men covered by riflemen. When work on the top level was finished, the second level of caves and tunnels received similar treatment, and then the third and lowest level. That night fifteen Japanese who had survived the day's fighting crawled out of the blasted caves and were killed by Americans from their foxholes. A great amount of enemy equipment, including ten destroyed 150-mm- guns and twenty-five trucks, was found on the south (reverse) side of Dorothy Hill, testifying to the enemy fire power at this strong point. On 30 May, the 77th Division also took Jane Hill on its left flank and then almost unopposed took Tom Hill, the highest point of ground in the Shuri area, by 1700. This critical victory paved the way for Colonel Smith's forces to advance into the northern outskirts of Shuri through Ishimmi. In a remarkable display of coordination, Colonel Dill's 382nd Regiment finally secured the strategic Hen Hill and Oboe Hill areas, while also capturing Hector Hill on their left flank. For nine days elements of the 96th Division had been stalemated at the base of Hen Hill, just northeast of Shuri. On the 30th, Company F and one platoon of Company G, 382d Infantry, resumed the attack on Hen Hill. Pfc. Clarence B. Craft, a rifleman from Company G, was sent out ahead with five companions to test the Japanese positions. As he and his small group started up the slope, they were brought under heavy fire from Japanese just over the crest, and a shower of grenades fell on them. Three of the men were wounded and the other two were stopped. Craft, although a new replacement and in his first action, kept on going, tossing grenades at the crest. From just below the crest he threw two cases of grenades that were passed up to him from the bottom, those of the enemy going over his head or exploding near him. He then leaped to the crest and fired at point-blank range into the Japanese in a trench a few feet below him. Spurred by Craft's example, other men now came to his aid. Reloading, Craft pursued the Japanese down the trench, wiped out a machine gun nest, and satchel-charged the cave into which the remaining Japanese had retreated. Altogether, in the taking of Hen Hill as a result of Craft's action, about seventy Japanese were killed, at least twenty-five of whom were credited to Craft himself. This daring action won him the Congressional Medal of Honor. To the left (east), Company F at the same time engaged in a grenade battle for Hector Hill, using ten cases of grenades in the assault on the crest. It was finally won after a satchel charge was hurled over the top and lit in the enemy trench on the other side, parts of Japanese bodies and pieces of enemy equipment hurtling into the sky in the blast. Hen and Hector Hills had fallen by 1400. Southeast of their position, Colonel May's 2d Battalion, 383d Infantry, reached Love Hill and dug in, although scattered fire was still received from a machine gun in a nook of Charlie Hill and there were a few live Japanese on Love itself. In the afternoon the 3d Battalion, 383d Infantry, left its foxholes on Oboe, where it had experienced so great an ordeal, and proceeded down the reverse slope of the hill, finding only a few scattered Japanese. That night the 383d Infantry expressed a heartfelt sentiment when it reported "infinite relief to have Conical Hill behind us." Although there had been suicidal stands in a few places by the last of the holding force, the advances had been rapid. Simultaneously, Colonel Halloran's 381st Regiment effectively reduced the Conical Hill-Cutaway area and seized Roger Hill, both regiments then advancing toward the vital Naha-Yonabaru road. At the same time, the 32nd Regiment launched a coordinated offensive that allowed them to successfully capture Oak, Ella, and June Hills. This advance brought Finn's troops directly into confrontation with Mabel and Hetty Hills, facing the formidable defenses of Chan. Meanwhile, strong patrols from the 184th Regiment ventured into the Chinen Peninsula's strongholds, encountering only light enemy resistance, a turn of events that buoyed American morale. As night fell, the 44th Independent Mixed Brigade and the 24th Division began their long-anticipated evacuation from Shuri. They pulled back behind the second line of blocking positions north of Tsukasan, executing their withdrawal amidst a progressively decreasing barrage of artillery and mortar fire. Consequently, when Buckner's assault troops launched their offensive against the Shuri positions on the morning of May 31, they were met with an eerie silence, the stillness only interrupted by sporadic sniper fire and the distant crack of machine guns.The 77th Division swiftly took 110 Meter Hill and advanced into Shuri with little to no resistance. Concurrently, Mason's units surrounding Shuri Castle moved north unopposed, aiding in the occupation of the battered ruins and the troublesome Wana Draw.  Shuri, the second town of Okinawa, lay in utter ruin. There was no other city, town, or village in the Ryukyus that had been destroyed so completely. Naha too had been laid waste. Certain villages which had been strong points in the enemy's defense, such as Kakazu, Dakeshi, Kochi, Arakachi, and Kunishi, had been fought over and leveled to the ground. But none of these compared with the ancient capital of the Ryukyus. It was estimated that about 200000 rounds of artillery and naval gunfire had struck Shuri. Numerous air strikes had dropped 1000-pound bombs on it. Mortar shells by the thousands had arched their way into the town area. Only two structures, both of concrete, the big normal school at the southwestern corner and the little Methodist church, built in 1937, in the center of Shuri, had enough of their walls standing to form silhouettes on the skyline. The rest was flattened rubble. The narrow paved and dirt streets, churned by high explosives and pitted with shell craters, were impassable to any vehicle. The stone walls of the numerous little terraces were battered down. The rubble and broken red tile of the houses lay in heaps. The frame portion of buildings had been reduced to kindling wood. Tattered bits of Japanese military clothing, gas masks, and tropical helmets-the most frequently seen items-and the dark-colored Okinawan civilian dress lay about in wild confusion. Over all this crater of the moon landscape hung the unforgettable stench of rotting human flesh. To  the west, Griebel's 1st Battalion built upon Mason's gains, but it was the 3rd Battalion that led the main effort, successfully pushing to the hills just north of Shichina.Meanwhile, General Bradley's advancing battalions moved rapidly toward their assigned objectives, spending much of the day mopping up isolated enemy holdouts. This relentless advance effectively pinched off the 77th Division, further consolidating American control in the region. On the extreme left flank, Halloran's 1st Battalion faced enemy forces defending the Tsukasan line, marking the only area where the 96th Division failed to reach the corps boundary. However, the Shuri area had now been completely secured, and contact was made with Del Valle's Marines in the center. On the flanks, though, Buckner's units continued to encounter fierce resistance from the tenacious Japanese defenders. The 32nd Regiment, battling bravely through a series of heavily fortified strongpoints held stubbornly by Fujioka's troops, managed to seize Duck Hill, consolidate its positions on Turkey Hill, and capture the forward face of Mabel. Ultimately, they halted their advance just short of Chan. Meanwhile, on the west coast, Shepherd's Marines pushed forward with support from tanks and artillery, targeting the strategic high ground west of Shichina and Kokuba. However, their advance was stalled by intense enemy fire emanating from Hill 46. During the night, the battered 44th Independent Mixed Brigade executed a withdrawal southeast towards the Kiyamu Peninsula, covered by the 62nd Division, which quickly established a new defensive line along the Kokuba River and around Tsukasan. With the fall of Shuri and the withdrawal of Japanese forces, Buckner's troops had emerged victorious in one of the most difficult and bloody battles of the Pacific War. By the end of May, reports indicated that approximately 62,548 Japanese soldiers had been confirmed killed, with another estimated 9,529 thought to have perished, 64,000 of whom were believed to have fallen in the fierce fighting within the Shuri fortified zone alone. While these casualty figures may be somewhat exaggerated, there is little doubt that Japanese forces, especially their infantry combat units, had suffered severe depletion. In contrast, General Geiger's 3rd Amphibious Corps recorded significant losses of its own, with 1,718 killed, 8,852 wounded, and 101 missing during the fighting around Shuri. Additionally, the losses for General Hodge's 24th Corps over two months of combat totaled an alarming 26,044 casualties. On June 1, the American forces faced surprisingly little opposition from the enemy. A frustrated General Buckner, who had hoped to trap the defenders at Shuri, ordered his troops to advance rapidly in pursuit of the retreating Japanese units. With the 77th Division methodically mopping up remnants in the Shuri zone, General Hodge made a strategic decision. He shifted the 7th Division toward the east and ordered the 96th Division to move south to relieve the 32nd Regiment, taking up the western end of the Corps line. This strategic relief enabled Arnold to immediately push south with both the 17th and 184th Regiments in assault, managing to advance approximately 1,100 yards toward Okota and Batan despite increasingly stiff resistance from smaller enemy units. To the northwest, a coordinated attack by the Marine divisions successfully secured all high ground overlooking the primary east-west road in the Kokuba Valley. The 5th Marines anchored their position on the hills east of Shichina, while Shepherd's regiments seized the dominating heights north of Kokuba. Recognizing the strategic importance of the Oroku Peninsula, General Geiger planned a shore-to-shore landing there. To gather intelligence, Shepherd dispatched his Reconnaissance Company to conduct an amphibious reconnaissance of the peninsula that evening. Their findings confirmed that the peninsula was not fortified with significant enemy strength. The following day, Colonel Snedeker's 7th Marines advanced to relieve the 6th Marine Division on the west coast. The 2nd Battalion continued the momentum by crossing the Kokuba River, moving into the hills on the south bank. Meanwhile, to the east, the 5th Marines also crossed the upper branch of the river and pressed forward to secure the ridgeline that controlled the approaches to Tsukasan. This maneuver effectively placed the entire Naha-Yonabaru road firmly in American hands, further tightening their grip on the battlefield. That evening, Shepherd dispatched his Reconnaissance Company to conduct an amphibious reconnaissance of the Oroku Peninsula. Their mission revealed that the peninsula was not heavily defended, opening up opportunities for American forces. Further east, the 383rd Regiment successfully cleared out Chan and seized the high ground just north of Tera and Kamizato. Meanwhile, the 381st Regiment conducted repeated assaults on hill positions that impeded its advance, ultimately managing to penetrate to Karadera. The 7th Division maintained relentless pressure on the retreating garrison of the Chinen Peninsula, advancing its lines by 2,400 yards toward Itokazu and Kerabaru. Now, it's time to shift our focus away from Okinawa and examine the latest operations of General LeMay's 21st Bomber Command. Since the invasion of Okinawa, Admiral Nimitz had requested that the B-29 Superfortress heavy bombers assist his naval forces in countering the deadly kamikaze attacks. In response, LeMay dispatched 53 bombers to target airfields at Kanoya on April 8, although the city of Kagoshima ended up being bombed instead. On April 17, 134 B-29s were sent against Kyushu, successfully neutralizing enemy airfield operations for 18 hours. However, as we've observed, the Japanese continued to launch both scattered and mass kamikaze attacks. To address this ongoing threat, the 21st Bomber Command, bolstered by the arrival of Brigadier General Roger Ramey's 58th Bombardment Wing, dedicated 75% of its combat effort to providing direct tactical support for the Okinawa campaign up to May 11. During this period, they flew a total of 2,104 sorties against 17 airfields in Kyushu and Shikoku. Although they did not fully neutralize these targets, significant damage was inflicted on enemy storage, maintenance, and repair facilities. The bombers also served to keep the Japanese off balance, significantly disrupting their ability to plan and execute large, coordinated attacks. In total, 24 B-29s were destroyed and 233 damaged during these operations, while 134 enemy interceptors were shot down. Between the strikes on Kyushu, General LeMay managed to fit in several medium-strength precision attacks against the Japanese aircraft industry, along with two large-scale night incendiary missions in the Tokyo Bay area. The first of these missions took place on April 13, when 327 B-29s dropped an impressive 2,139 tons of ordnance on the arsenal district of Tokyo, located northwest of the Imperial Palace. The resulting fires consumed 11.4 square miles of this crucial industrial zone, destroying arsenal plants responsible for manufacturing and storing small arms, machine guns, artillery, bombs, gunpowder, and fire-control mechanisms. Just two nights later, on April 15, 303 bombers executed another incendiary attack, dropping 1,930 tons of explosives with equal success. This raid devastated 6 square miles in Tokyo, 3.6 square miles in Kawasaki, and 1.5 square miles in Yokohama, which suffered collateral damage from the fire spills. Cumulatively, these two raids resulted in the destruction of 217,130 buildings in Tokyo and Yokohama and 31,603 in Kawasaki. On April 24, 131 B-29s conducted a highly successful precision strike against the Tachikawa plant of the Hitachi Aircraft Corporation. Although the next planned attack was thwarted by inclement weather, 148 B-29s struck Kure on May 5, delivering devastating damage. After being relieved from support for the Okinawa operation on May 11, LeMay initiated a month of heavy fire raids to complete the campaign that had begun in March, while also addressing top-priority precision targets as opportunities arose. Accordingly, on May 14, 529 B-29s were dispatched to strike northern Nagoya, with 472 successfully dropping 2,515 tons of munitions, resulting in the burning of 3.15 square miles and inflicting significant damage to Mitsubishi's No. 10 engine works. Just two nights later, 522 bombers returned to Nagoya, with 457 of them effectively delivering 3,609 tons over the dock and industrial areas in the southern part of the city, burning 3.82 square miles and causing extensive damage to Mitsubishi's No. 5 aircraft works. These two incendiary attacks finished Nagoya as an objective for area attacks. Good targets remained in the city, and the command was to return six more times for precision attacks before V-J Day. But the industrial fabric of the city had been ruined in the earlier precision attacks and in the fire raids that had burned out twelve square miles of a total built-up urban area of about forty square miles. In all, 113460 buildings had been destroyed, 3866 persons had been killed and 472701 rendered homeless. The displacement of workers aggravated the difficulties caused by physical damage and had an important effect on civilian morale.  After a week of respite, temporarily interrupted by a 318-plane precision attack on the Tachikawa Aircraft Company, 562 B-29s were dispatched to strike Tokyo once more on May 23. Out of these, 520 bombers reached their target, dropping an impressive 3,646 tons of explosives over the district stretching southward from the Imperial Palace along the west side of Tokyo Harbor. Despite encountering strong opposition, this attack resulted in the destruction of 5.3 square miles of area. Two nights later, 502 B-29s returned to Tokyo, targeting the area just north of their previous hit. They faced heavy resistance again, dropping 3,262 tons of incendiaries on the city, which resulted in the destruction of 16.8 square miles, marking the largest area devastated in a single Tokyo raid. In light of the heavy casualties suffered during these last two strikes, General LeMay decided to assign P-51s from Iwo Jima to escort future attacks. As a result, on May 29, 517 B-29s were escorted by 101 P-51 fighters during an assault on Yokohama. These bombers successfully dropped 2,570 tons of munitions, burning out 6.9 square miles while the escorting fighters engaged in fierce battles against about 150 aggressive interceptors. Meanwhile, General Whitehead's 5th Air Force was conducting an extensive program of area bombing against Formosa, experimenting with various types of bombs and tactics in preparation for future attacks on the Japanese mainland. Taihoku, the capital and political and financial center of Taiwan, was subjected to constant aerial bombardment. The largest strike against modern-day Taipei, known as the Taihoku Air Raid, occurred on May 31, when units of the Fifth Air Force consisting of 117 Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bombers were sent to conduct the largest air raid ever on Taiwan. The bombing began from around ten o'clock in the morning and lasted until one o'clock in the afternoon, during which the attack was non-stop. The Americans met virtually no resistance from the Japanese, mainly due to the attrition the Japanese air forces had suffered in the Aerial Battle of Taiwan-Okinawa, which completely exhausted Japan's fighter units in Taiwan. They successfully dropped approximately 3,800 bombs targeting military units and governmental facilities. The Office of the Governor-General of Taiwan suffered a direct hit, in spite of the building being heavily camouflaged to avoid being targeted. The building suffered extensive damage from fire caused by the bombs and almost collapsed on itself; it was rendered unoccupiable and was not repaired until the Nationalist Chinese takeover. Other facilities hit during the bombing included the residence of the Assistant Governor-General, Taiwan Railway Hotel, Office of Governor-General Library, Army Headquarters, Taihoku Imperial University, Taihoku Station, Bank of Taiwan, Taihoku High Court, Taihoku New Park, and many other facilities. Many civilian installations were damaged, including Taihoku Prefectural Taihoku First Girls' High School, Huashan Catholic Church of Taihoku, and the famous Lungshan Temple of Manka, which was hit in the main building and the left corridor; many precious artifacts and art works in the temple were lost in the ensuing fire. As a result of the extensive bombing campaigns, more than 3,000 civilians lost their lives. Tens of thousands were displaced or left homeless, and countless buildings were destroyed, either directly by the attacks or by the fires they ignited. This devastation left a profound impact on the local population and infrastructure, marking yet another tragic chapter in the toll of the war. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. In the midst of the brutal Battle of Okinawa, American Marines faced relentless resistance as they pushed towards Shuri. Despite heavy casualties and daunting conditions, the tide turned when General Buckner ordered aggressive assaults that outmaneuvered the encircled Japanese forces. After days of relentless combat, they captured the stronghold, leading to the collapse of Japanese defenses. As the dust settled, Shuri lay in ruins, marking a pivotal moment in the Pacific War and showcasing the indomitable spirit of both American and Japanese soldiers.

The Kawasaki Ki-45 "Nick" finds its niche tangling with B-29s over Tokyo. Links to other episodes mentioned: B-17 Part 4 "Punchboard" P-40 Warhawk Corsair Part 1 Connect with me! I love comments! patreon.com/WorldofWarbirds https://www.facebook.com/WorldofWB Twitter (X): @WorldofWarbird Tanner's Twitter (X): jet jockey Threads: world_of_warbirds_podcast Insta: world_of_warbirds_podcast bpearce29@gmail.com

Welcome to the Motos and Friends Podcast. This week's episode is brought to you by Insta360, a leader in 360-degree action camera technology. Check out their latest 360-degree camera, the Insta360 X5, that shoots in all directions at once in incredible 8K30 resolution. This translates into epic motorcycling shots without even aiming the camera. Just hit record, focus on your ride, and then find the best angles in the edit with Insta360's mobile app—it's easy, smooth, and packed with AI tools to make it easy and fast. See more of your handlebars with an immersive POV, or film third-person shots of you and your bike—the X5 is every camera you'll need. Plus, X5's huge sensors, triple AI chip, and dedicated low-light shooting mode deliver unmatched detail and image quality even at night. The X5 is waterproof, reliable, and features Insta360's toughest-ever replaceable lenses and lens guards. To bag a free invisible selfie stick worth US$24.99 with your X5 purchase, head to store.insta360.com and use the promo code "ULTIMATE", available for the first 30 purchases only. Or click here *  *  *  *  * This first segment features myself, Arthur Coldwells, and I chat with Matt Ayhan about the new Kawasaki Z900 SE. The Kawasaki Z900 is an inline-4 first launched in 2017, although of course its DNA can be traced all the way back to the original Midnight Prowler Z1 from the 1970s. I'm proud to say that I've owned both of these machines—the original 1976 Z900 back when I lived in England, and subsequently, I also owned a 2019 Z900 now that I'm an American. That latter model was inexpensive but also fairly basic. However, it was impressive; an excellent street bike that suited my needs at the time. Having said that, it did need a few upgrades. Well, it seems Kawasaki agree, and recently launched the Z900 SE edition—and I believe it fits the bill nicely. Matt Ayhan went to the launch, and gives us the low down. *  *  *  *  * Hey, adventure riders, are you ready to take your rides to the next level? Introducing the SCHUBERTH E2—the second generation of SCHUBERTH's legendary adventure helmets! Whether you're riding hard on the roads or tackling the trails, the E2 has you covered with cutting-edge safety and comfort. The E2 has a 2-position top vent ventilation system ensures a fresh airflow, while its fog-resistant visor keeps your view crystal clear in cold conditions. Plus, the SCHUBERTH E2 features a new enlarged spoiler for better aerodynamics and an air extractor for a quieter, more comfortable ride. The SCHUBERTH E2 meets the highest safety standards. The E2 also comes with a pre-installed comms system, so you can stay connected on the go. Visit SCHUBERTH.com to check out the E2 and explore more options for your next adventure. *  *  *  *  * Today's Snippet brings you the newly launched X5 camera from Insta360, a leader in 360-degree action camera technology. Matt Ayhan also went to the launch of the new Insta360 X5 camera at Inde Motorsports Ranch in Arizona. Our friends from the Yamaha Champions Riding School were there with riding tips and the awesome fleet of Yamahas they provide. Matt gives me his impressions of the new X5 camera and why it is making such a splash in the world of action cameras.  To bag a free invisible selfie stick worth US$24.99 with your Insta360 X5 purchase, head to store.insta360.com and use the promo code "ULTIMATE", or click here Insta360  available for the first 30 purchases only. *  *  *  *  * Our guest this episode is lady racer and now team owner Melissa Paris. Melissa was a fierce and fearless competitor when she was racing full-time. She broke barriers in a male-dominated sport, and made history as the first woman to qualify for a World Supersport race, and also achieved the highest female finish in the Daytona 200 that year finishing in the top 10. Other career highlights include winning the Lightweight GP National Championship, and earning multiple top-10 finishes in the MotoAmerica Supersport class. Melissa was also part of the first all-female team to complete the Bol d'Or 24 Hour World Endurance Championship race, and repeated that feat at LeMans a year later. Now she's translated her competitive skills to her Moto America race team named MP13. The team now competes in the Supersport and Super Twins categories. Married to five-time AMA Superbike champion Josh Hayes, this amazing and inspirational lady manages to balance her and Josh's racing exploits while they raise their two kids as well. Instagram MP13 Facebook MP13 *  *  *  *  * Here's a quick reminder to leave us your comments on our social media—we're on all the usual platforms at Ultimate Motorcycling. We love hearing your feedback… so good or bad, please let us know what you think. If there's something you'd like us to cover, we'd love to hear those ideas too!   @ultimatemotorcycling  @UltimateMotoMag  @UltimateMotorcycling  producer@ultimatemotorcycling.com

Keefer dives deep into your questions on this special Q&A episode. Learn about triple clamp designs, dual injector systems, the effect of dynos, Kawasaki reliability, Training for motocross while working full time, how to get into moto photography and more in this episode.

Jonny and Ben flip the script and go from bottom to top on this week's episode, running through (almost) all positive results for the bottom six at the start of the matchday in Part 1 (to 45:45), before Neil Debnam joins the pod to chat about Kawasaki's ACL Elite adventure, and their defeat on Sunday at the hands of Kashima (to 1:13:08). Finally, your co-hosts round up the final two games, before previewing J1 Matchday 17.

The One Moto Show in Portland is one of the best motorcycle shows ever, and we can't wait every year for it to come around. With the perfect blend of bikes, music, art and food, you can spend days here and still find some new interesting thing you somehow missed before. And the bikes are a true testament to the love of all things 2 wheeled (and three, four and maybe six). We got some great interviews with bike builders Carey Hart, Don Neely and Doug McMahon, reps from Gates, Kawasaki and Icon, and painter Theresa Contreras. Check it out and enjoy! With Liza, Bagel, Neal and Stumpy John. www.motorcyclesandmisfits.com motorcyclesandmisfits@gmail.com www.patreon.com/motorcyclesandmisfits www.zazzle.com/store/recyclegarage www.youtube.com/channel/UC3wKZSP0J9FBGB79169ciew adifferentagenda.com/products/the-lost-tribe-25 motorcyclesandmisfits.com/shop Join our Discord at discord.gg/hpRZcucHCT

Jonny and Ben begin by commiserating with Kawasaki after their ACL Elite final defeat, then review all eight games played on Saturday in J1 Matchday 14.

MAY 1. 2025 -- We know it's been a little quiet the last few months but we've got lots of news and updates! More RUST IS GOLD RACING PODCASTS are on the way - bigger and better with some great new guests and more video.  We're back from Biltwell 100 in Ridgecrest, CA we'll be dropping lots of new content May 7, 2025. 

Jonny and Ben return with a midweek special, to round up the eight games played from J1 Matchday 13 on Tuesday. After beginning the episode with a quick look back at Kawasaki's ACL Elite quarter final win (Spoiler Alert: They won their semi final, too!), we begin our J1 wrap with the game Jonny was at: Gamba Osaka's win over incumbent leaders Kyoto (to 14:45). Then we move on to Kashima going top, and Kashiwa second, with away wins (to 23:10), Shimizu and Machida both moving up after also winning on the road (to 30:50), Tokyo Verdy's second straight win, and Hiroshima Crisis Watch after their home defeat at the hands of Niigata, plus the only draw between Shonan and Fukuoka.

From a teenage pizza-slinging street racer to a professional National Hot Rod Association-winning Pro Stock Motorcycle drag racer, Steve Johnson understands the value of humble beginnings. He also knows exactly how it feels to reach 200 mph in less than 7 seconds. “I always tell everybody it's like hanging on to a bullet after it's been shot out of a gun.”“First to 500” is Johnson's career calling card. “If you go to all the races in the year that the sanctioning body puts on,” he explains to host Mark Long on this episode of the “Driven to Ride” podcast, “and if you do it for 38 years, you'll have 500, too.” That is a competition milestone no other NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle racer has ever reached. In fact, no one has even come close.Rather than focus on his many racing successes, however, Johnson would rather talk about his off-track efforts. A California native who now calls Alabama home, Johnson is big on helping students achieve their goals. To that end, he founded the BAT-man Scholarship Program (“BAT” is an acronym for “Be A Technician”), awarded at high schools and technical colleges across the U.S. Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

Save at FXRRacing.com with Pulpmx30 code and also thanks to Firepower Parts and Maxxis Tires. We talk to Kawasaki crew chief for Jorge Prado about him getting back on the bike, setting the bike up for MX, perceptions about Kawasaki, his own career in the sport and more.

Motorcycle giant Kawasaki is developing two piston aircraft engines, New York Helicopter Inc. is grounded after the fatal crash, the FAA's shut down of remote communication networks affects Flight Service Stations too, and your input is needed for unleaded fueling ops. Plus hear from Big South Fork Airpark pilot Bill Armstrong.

Google's AI efforts & Gemini Pro 2.5 take a major step forward with updates to Deep Research, new Agent2Agent protocol (A2A) & more. Sadly, OpenAI teases o3 and o4 but delays GPT-5.  Plus, Meta's new Llama 4 models are out but have issues, Midjourney v7's debut, John Carmack's smackdown of an AI video game engine hater, Gavin's deep dive into OpenAI 4o Image Generation formats & the weirdest robot horse concept you've ever seen.  WE'RE DEEP RESEARCHING OUR ENTIRE LIVES RIGHT NOW  Join the discord: https://discord.gg/muD2TYgC8f Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AIForHumansShow AI For Humans Newsletter: https://aiforhumans.beehiiv.com/ Follow us for more on X @AIForHumansShow Join our TikTok @aiforhumansshow To book us for speaking, please visit our website: https://www.aiforhumans.show/   // Show Links // Google Cloud 25 Live Stream “A New Way To Cloud!” https://youtu.be/Md4Fs-Zc3tg Google Cloud Blog Post https://blog.google/products/google-cloud/next-2025/ Upgraded Deep Research Out Preforms OpenAI Deep Research https://x.com/GeminiApp/status/1909721519724339226 Google's Deep Research Vs OpenAI Deep Research https://x.com/testingcatalog/status/1909727195402027183 New Ironwood TPUs https://blog.google/products/google-cloud/ironwood-tpu-age-of-inference/ Gavin's Experiences Google Gemini Deep Research: Baltro Test: https://x.com/AIForHumansShow/status/1909813850817675424 KP Biography: https://g.co/gemini/share/7b7bdb2c400e Agent2Agent Protocol https://developers.googleblog.com/en/a2a-a-new-era-of-agent-interoperability/ Google Paying Some AI Stuff To Do Nothing Rather Than Work For Rivals https://x.com/TechCrunch/status/1909368948862181584 Solar Glow Meditations on AI http://tiktok.com/@solarglowmeditations/video/7491038509214518559?_t=ZT-8vNNgF7QpyM&_r=1 o4-mini & o3 coming before GPT-5 in shift from Sam Altman https://x.com/sama/status/1908167621624856998 OpenAI Strategic Deployment Team (new role to prep for AGI) https://x.com/aleks_madry/status/1909686225658695897 AI 2027 Paper https://ai-2027.com/ Llama 4 is here… but how good is it? https://ai.meta.com/blog/llama-4-multimodal-intelligence/ Controversy Around Benchmarks: https://gizmodo.com/meta-cheated-on-ai-benchmarks-and-its-a-glimpse-into-a-new-golden-age-2000586433 Deep dive on issues from The Information  https://www.theinformation.com/articles/llama-4s-rocky-debut?rc=c3oojq&shared=3bbd9f72303888e2 Midjourney v7 Is Here and it's… just ok? https://www.midjourney.com/updates/v7-alpha John Carmack Defends AI Video Games https://x.com/ID_AA_Carmack/status/1909311174845329874 Tim Sweeney Weighs In https://x.com/TimSweeneyEpic/status/1909314230391902611 New Test-time-training = 1 Min AI Video From a Single Prompt https://x.com/karansdalal/status/1909312851795411093 Kawasaki's Robot Horse Concept https://futurism.com/the-byte/kawasaki-rideable-horse-robot VIDEO: https://youtu.be/vQDhzbTz-9k?si=2aWMtZVLnMONEjBe Engine AI + iShowSpeed https://x.com/engineairobot/status/1908570512906740037 Gemini 2.5 Pro Plays Pokemon https://x.com/kiranvodrahalli/status/1909699142265557208 Prompt-To-Anything Minecraft Looking Game  https://x.com/NicolasZu/status/1908882267453239323 An Image That Will Never Go Viral https://www.reddit.com/r/ChatGPT/comments/1jth5yf/asked_for_an_image_that_will_never_go_viral/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button How Toothpaste Is Made https://www.reddit.com/r/aivideo/comments/1jujzh2/how_toothpaste_is_made/ 90s Video Game 4o Image Gen Prompt https://x.com/AIForHumansShow/status/1908985288116101553 1980s Japanese Posters https://x.com/AIForHumansShow/status/1909824824677192140 Buff Superbad  https://x.com/AIForHumansShow/status/1909402225488937065  

In this episode of TechMagic, hosts Lee Kebler and Adam Davis-McGee break down the most significant shifts in tech, from Nintendo's Switch 2 delays to the EU's bold €20B AI infrastructure push. They unpack Honor's deepfake detection breakthroughs, Kawasaki's quadrupedal robot horse, and tariffs disrupting major product launches. With a live update from Cathy Hackl from TED2025, the episode also explores the future of AR wearables and why four-legged robots might outpace their humanoid counterparts. Whether you're into cutting-edge gadgets or global tech policy, this episode offers a sharp, fast-paced look at what's shaping our digital future.What you will learn:Why Nintendo's Switch 2 anti-scalping measures represent a new approach How the EU's €20 billion AI gigafactory initiative signals a shift in global tech The evolution of deep fake detection technology into a $15.7 billion market by 2026Why Kawasaki's robotic horse represents a practical approach to autonomous mobility The significance of Honor's AI deep fake detection technology Why quadrupedal robots may prove more practical than bipedal designs How companies like Meta and Google are approaching AR glasses development Come for the tech and stay for the magic!Key Discussion Topics:00:00 Welcome to Tech Magic with Lee Kebler03:20 Nintendo Switch 2: Fighting Scalpers with Smart Pre-Orders13:02 Gaming Price Evolution: From Game Boy to $80 Games15:15 Valve's New VR Headset: The $1200 Deckard Revolution22:37 Google Debuts AR Glasses at TED: Meta's New Competition34:42 EU's €20B AI Investment: Building Europe's Tech Future38:21 Honor's AI Deep Fake Detection Goes Global44:05 Kawasaki's Robo-Horse: The Future of Quadruped Robotics56:06 Wrap-Up: Next Week with Cathy Hackl Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump's Medicine Madness: 5 Years Later History Rhymes     He shrugs, 'Take your medicine,' blaming 'stupid leaders' for jobs fleeing to Mexico and China. But wait—wasn't he the mastermind behind USMCA? It's flaming hypocrisy as his flip-flopping tariffs spark an 'earthquake' of hidden damage—broken markets, shattered foundations, and a $37 trillion debt he won't touch!       Meanwhile, The chaos & uncertainty are more damaging than his “medicinal” tariffs as he locks down the economy       Trump's ‘medicine', focused on countries not industries, are sanctions by another name—while the real enemy, government debt and control, lurks in the shadows Trump's China War: Both Sides Escalate Sanctions Called “Tariffs"       Sanctions are piling up faster than a house of cards—54% here, 104% there—Trump is poking the Chinese dragon       From rare earth mineral shut down to supply chain chaos, this isn't just a trade spat—it's a trade war that could lead to a hot war. CDC Lies About Thimerosal & Autism Exposed    Sheryl Atkinson exposes the government's thimerosal fraud — YES, they knew it was connected to autism and other neurodegenerative diseases and NO, they did NOT stop it in 2001.    Meanwhile, RFKj shows he's perfectly suited to manage this gang of criminals as he ditches his own crusade to peddle MMR and push measles fear in Texas. Robot Horses, Unicorns, Dogs — But Humanoids Population Boom is Here to Replace YouRevealed at a Japanese trade show, a jaw-dropping, hydrogen-powered robotic horse straight out of a sci-fi blockbuster, promising to gallop over mountains with its four-legged, rubber-footed fury. Kawasaki may be trolling us with vapor-bot that's 25 yrs in the future but Tesla and a Chinese company are in competition to each roll out an army of humanoid robots this year. Trump Meme Coin Tanks as Stablecoin Plot Threatens Your Privacy & Liberty     Trump's meme coin's a $9 dumpster fire—88% gone in a tariff-triggered nosedive!     Maxine Waters smells the stablecoin grift, but misses the surveillance state jackpot. UK's BlackRock-backed “SovCorp” and America's “GovCorp” Govt & Corporate fusion of power into a fascist nightmare. Trump, Trudeau, Starmer—all puppets in a globalist merger of government and corporations! Stagflation Storm Brewing: Will Trump's Tariff Trigger the Shaky House of Cards Government Has Built?Dr. Jonathan Newman, Mises Institute Mises.org, on the fear of stagflation—a toxic mix of soaring prices and a crumbling economy From government overspending to the Fed's reckless money-printing, Newman rips the veil off the real culprits behind our shaky economy. And, how do we train the young on economics and critical thinking?  We look at Dr. Newman's books for children, “The Broken Window”, “Ludwig the Builder”, “What has the Government Done to Our Money?”, the last available for free at Mises.org/MyMoneyIf you would like to support the show and our family please consider subscribing monthly here: SubscribeStar https://www.subscribestar.com/the-david-knight-show Or you can send a donation throughMail: David Knight POB 994 Kodak, TN 37764Zelle: @DavidKnightShow@protonmail.comCash App at: $davidknightshowBTC to: bc1qkuec29hkuye4xse9unh7nptvu3y9qmv24vanh7Money should have intrinsic value AND transactional privacy: Go to DavidKnight.gold for great deals on physical gold/silverFor 10% off Gerald Celente's prescient Trends Journal, go to TrendsJournal.com and enter the code KNIGHTFor 10% off supplements and books, go to RNCstore.com and enter the code KNIGHTBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-david-knight-show--2653468/support.

Trump's Medicine Madness: 5 Years Later History Rhymes     He shrugs, 'Take your medicine,' blaming 'stupid leaders' for jobs fleeing to Mexico and China. But wait—wasn't he the mastermind behind USMCA? It's flaming hypocrisy as his flip-flopping tariffs spark an 'earthquake' of hidden damage—broken markets, shattered foundations, and a $37 trillion debt he won't touch!       Meanwhile, The chaos & uncertainty are more damaging than his “medicinal” tariffs as he locks down the economy       Trump's ‘medicine', focused on countries not industries, are sanctions by another name—while the real enemy, government debt and control, lurks in the shadows Trump's China War: Both Sides Escalate Sanctions Called “Tariffs"       Sanctions are piling up faster than a house of cards—54% here, 104% there—Trump is poking the Chinese dragon       From rare earth mineral shut down to supply chain chaos, this isn't just a trade spat—it's a trade war that could lead to a hot war. CDC Lies About Thimerosal & Autism Exposed    Sheryl Atkinson exposes the government's thimerosal fraud — YES, they knew it was connected to autism and other neurodegenerative diseases and NO, they did NOT stop it in 2001.    Meanwhile, RFKj shows he's perfectly suited to manage this gang of criminals as he ditches his own crusade to peddle MMR and push measles fear in Texas. Robot Horses, Unicorns, Dogs — But Humanoids Population Boom is Here to Replace YouRevealed at a Japanese trade show, a jaw-dropping, hydrogen-powered robotic horse straight out of a sci-fi blockbuster, promising to gallop over mountains with its four-legged, rubber-footed fury. Kawasaki may be trolling us with vapor-bot that's 25 yrs in the future but Tesla and a Chinese company are in competition to each roll out an army of humanoid robots this year. Trump Meme Coin Tanks as Stablecoin Plot Threatens Your Privacy & Liberty     Trump's meme coin's a $9 dumpster fire—88% gone in a tariff-triggered nosedive!     Maxine Waters smells the stablecoin grift, but misses the surveillance state jackpot. UK's BlackRock-backed “SovCorp” and America's “GovCorp” Govt & Corporate fusion of power into a fascist nightmare. Trump, Trudeau, Starmer—all puppets in a globalist merger of government and corporations! Stagflation Storm Brewing: Will Trump's Tariff Trigger the Shaky House of Cards Government Has Built?Dr. Jonathan Newman, Mises Institute Mises.org, on the fear of stagflation—a toxic mix of soaring prices and a crumbling economy From government overspending to the Fed's reckless money-printing, Newman rips the veil off the real culprits behind our shaky economy. And, how do we train the young on economics and critical thinking?  We look at Dr. Newman's books for children, “The Broken Window”, “Ludwig the Builder”, “What has the Government Done to Our Money?”, the last available for free at Mises.org/MyMoneyIf you would like to support the show and our family please consider subscribing monthly here: SubscribeStar https://www.subscribestar.com/the-david-knight-show Or you can send a donation throughMail: David Knight POB 994 Kodak, TN 37764Zelle: @DavidKnightShow@protonmail.comCash App at: $davidknightshowBTC to: bc1qkuec29hkuye4xse9unh7nptvu3y9qmv24vanh7Money should have intrinsic value AND transactional privacy: Go to DavidKnight.gold for great deals on physical gold/silverFor 10% off Gerald Celente's prescient Trends Journal, go to TrendsJournal.com and enter the code KNIGHTFor 10% off supplements and books, go to RNCstore.com and enter the code KNIGHTBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-david-knight-show--5282736/support.

The Denver Nuggets fired head coach Michael Malone, and now I'm confused. Will Nikola Jokic lose the MVP to SGA due to voter fatigue? Connery DeHuff has a spat with Macho Man DeHuff. Dire Wolves are back thanks to Colossal Biosciences. Ben Lamm is the founder and CEO of Colossal Biosciences - he talked with Joe Rogan about it. A woman in Silverthorn, Colorado called the police because someone was throwing dog poop on her lawn. But there's a logical reason this is happening. Someone was trapped under a restaurant table, so the police had to step in to help. Kawasaki is making a robotic horse for some reason.

Kris and Aden Keefer sit down to talk about their latest 2025 KX250 Garage Build. This build is meant to go amateur motocross racing so if you want to get the ins and out of what is done to this Team Green machine, listen as both Keefers break it down along with special guest, Jamie Ellis.

Save at FXRRacing.com with Pulpmx30 code and also thanks to Firepower Parts and Maxxis Tires. Monster Energy Kawasaki team manager Dan Fahie talks to Matthes about Jason Anderson's season, Prado's injury, building a winning team, race bike adjustments, Kawasaki and the MXDN and more