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Last time we spoke about the beginning of the Nomohan incident. On the fringes of Manchuria, the ghosts of Changkufeng lingered. It was August 1938 when Soviet and Japanese forces locked in a brutal standoff over a disputed hill, claiming thousands of lives before a fragile ceasefire redrew the lines. Japan, humiliated yet defiant, withdrew, but the Kwantung Army seethed with resentment. As winter thawed into 1939, tensions simmered along the Halha River, a serpentine boundary between Manchukuo and Mongolia. Major Tsuji Masanobu, a cunning tactician driven by gekokujo's fire, drafted Order 1488: a mandate empowering local commanders to annihilate intruders, even luring them across borders. Kwantung's leaders, bonded by past battles, endorsed it, ignoring Tokyo's cautions amid the grinding China War. By May, the spark ignited. Mongolian patrols crossed the river, clashing with Manchukuoan cavalry near Nomonhan's sandy hills. General Komatsubara, ever meticulous, unleashed forces to "destroy" them, bombing west-bank outposts and pursuing retreats. Soviets, bound by pact, rushed reinforcements, their tanks rumbling toward the fray. What began as skirmishes ballooned into an undeclared war.   #189 General Zhukov Arrives at Nomohan Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. Though Kwantung Army prided itself as an elite arm of the Imperial Japanese Army, the 23rd Division, formed less than a year prior, was still raw and unseasoned, lacking the polish and spirit typical of its parent force. From General Michitaro Komatsubara downward, the staff suffered a collective dearth of combat experience. Intelligence officer Major Yoshiyasu Suzuki, a cavalryman, had no prior intel background. While senior regimental commanders were military academy veterans, most company and platoon leaders were fresh reservists or academy graduates with just one or two years under their belts. Upon arriving in Manchukuo in August 1938, the division found its Hailar base incomplete, housing only half its troops; the rest scattered across sites. Full assembly at Hailar occurred in November, but harsh winter weather curtailed large-scale drills. Commanders had scant time to build rapport. This inexperience, inadequate training, and poor cohesion would prove costly at Nomonhan. Japan's army held steady at 17 divisions from 1930 to 1937, but the escalating China conflict spurred seven new divisions in 1938 and nine in 1939. Resource strains from China left many under-equipped, with the 23rd, stationed in a presumed quiet sector, low on priorities. Unlike older "rectangular" divisions with four infantry regiments, the 23rd was a modern "triangular" setup featuring the 64th, 71st, and 72nd. Materiel gaps were glaring. The flat, open terrain screamed for tanks, yet the division relied on a truck-equipped transport regiment and a reconnaissance regiment with lightly armored "tankettes" armed only with machine guns. Mobility suffered: infantry marched the final 50 miles from Hailar to Nomonhan. Artillery was mostly horse-drawn, including 24 outdated Type 38 75-mm guns from 1907, the army's oldest, unique to this division. Each infantry regiment got four 37-mm rapid-fire guns and four 1908-era 75-mm mountain guns. The artillery regiment added 12 120-mm howitzers, all high-angle, short-range pieces ill-suited for flatlands or anti-tank roles. Antitank capabilities were dire: beyond rapid-fire guns, options boiled down to demolition charges and Molotov cocktails, demanding suicidal "human bullet" tactics in open terrain, a fatal flaw against armor. The division's saving grace lay in its soldiers, primarily from Kyushu, Japan's southernmost main island, long famed for hardy warriors. These men embodied resilience, bravery, loyalty, and honor, offsetting some training and gear deficits. Combat at Nomonhan ramped up gradually, with Japanese-Manchukuoan forces initially outnumbering Soviet-Mongolian foes. Soviets faced severe supply hurdles: their nearest rail at Borzya sat 400 miles west of the Halha River, requiring truck hauls over rough, exposed terrain prone to air strikes. Conversely, Hailar was 200 miles from Nomonhan, with the Handagai railhead just 50 miles away, linked by three dirt roads. These advantages, plus Europe's brewing Polish crisis, likely reassured Army General Staff and Kwantung Army Headquarters that Moscow would avoid escalation. Nonetheless, Komatsubara, with KwAHQ's nod, chose force to quash the Nomonhan flare-up. On May 20, Japanese scouts spotted a Soviet infantry battalion and armor near Tamsag Bulak. Komatsubara opted to "nip the incident in the bud," assembling a potent strike force under Colonel Takemitsu Yamagata of the 64th Infantry Regiment. The Yamagata detachment included the 3rd Battalion, roughly four companies, 800 men, a regimental gun company, three 75-mm mountain guns, four 37-mm rapid-fires, three truck companies, and Lieutenant Colonel Yaozo Azuma's reconnaissance group, 220 men, one tankette, two sedans, 12 trucks. Bolstered by 450 local Manchukuoan troops, the 2,000-strong unit was tasked with annihilating all enemy east of the Halha. The assault was set for May 22–23. No sooner had General Komatsubara finalized this plan than he received a message from KwAHQ: "In settling the affair Kwantung Army has definite plans, as follows: For the time being Manchukuoan Army troops will keep an eye on the Outer Mongolians operating near Nomonhan and will try to lure them onto Manchukuoan territory. Japanese forces at Hailar [23rd Division] will maintain surveillance over the situation. Upon verification of a border violation by the bulk of the Outer Mongolian forces, Kwantung Army will dispatch troops, contact the enemy, and annihilate him within friendly territory. According to this outlook it can be expected that enemy units will occupy border regions for a considerable period; but this is permissible from the overall strategic point of view". At this juncture, Kwantung Army Headquarters advocated tactical caution to secure a more conclusive outcome. Yet, General Michitaro Komatsubara had already issued orders for Colonel Takemitsu Yamagata's assault. Komatsubara radioed Hsinking that retracting would be "undignified," resenting KwAHQ's encroachment on his authority much as KwAHQ chafed at Army General Staff interference. Still, "out of deference to Kwantung Army's feelings," he delayed to May 27 to 28. Soviet air units from the 57th Corps conducted ineffective sorties over the Halha River from May 17 to 21. Novice pilots in outdated I 15 biplanes suffered heavily: at least 9, possibly up to 17, fighters and scouts downed. Defense Commissar Kliment Voroshilov halted air ops, aiding Japanese surprise. Yamagata massed at Kanchuerhmiao, 40 miles north of Nomonhan, sending patrols southward. Scouts spotted a bridge over the Halha near its Holsten junction, plus 2 enemy groups of ~200 each east of the Halha on either Holsten side and a small MPR outpost less than a mile west of Nomonhan. Yamagata aimed to trap and destroy these east of the river: Azuma's 220 man unit would drive south along the east bank to the bridge, blocking retreat. The 4 infantry companies and Manchukuoan troops, with artillery, would attack from the west toward enemy pockets, herding them riverward into Azuma's trap. Post destruction, mop up any west bank foes near the river clear MPR soil swiftly. This intricate plan suited early MPR foes but overlooked Soviet units spotted at Tamsag Bulak on May 20, a glaring oversight by Komatsubara and Yamagata. Predawn on May 28, Yamagata advanced from Kanchuerhmiao. Azuma detached southward to the bridge. Unbeknownst, it was guarded by Soviet infantry, engineers, armored cars, and a 76 mm self propelled artillery battery—not just MPR cavalry. Soviets detected Azuma pre dawn but missed Yamagata's main force; surprise was mutual. Soviet MPR core: Major A E Bykov's battalion roughly 1000 men with 3 motorized infantry companies, 16 BA 6 armored cars, 4 76 mm self propelled guns, engineers, and a 5 armored car recon platoon. The 6th MPR Cavalry Division roughly 1250 men had 2 small regiments, 4 76 mm guns, armored cars, and a training company. Bykov arrayed north to south: 2 Soviet infantry on flanks, MPR cavalry center, unorthodox, as cavalry suits flanks. Spread over 10 miles parallel to but east of the Halha, 1 mile west of Nomonhan. Reserves: 1 infantry company, engineers, and artillery west of the river near the bridge; Shoaaiibuu's guns also west to avoid sand. Japanese held initial edges in numbers and surprise, especially versus MPR cavalry. Offsets: Yamagata split into 5 weaker units; radios failed early, hampering coordination; Soviets dominated firepower with self propelled guns, 4 MPR pieces, and BA 6s, armored fighters with 45 mm turret guns, half track capable, 27 mph speed, but thin 9 mm armor vulnerable to close heavy machine guns. Morning of May 28, Yamagata's infantry struck Soviet MPR near Nomonhan, routing lightly armed MPR cavalry and forcing Soviet retreats toward the Halha. Shoaaiibuu rushed his training company forward; Japanese overran his post, killing him and most staff. As combat neared the river, Soviet artillery and armored cars slowed Yamagata. He redirected to a low hill miles east of the Halha with dug in Soviets—failing to notify Azuma. Bykov regrouped 1 to 2 miles east of the Halha Holsten junction, holding firm. By late morning, Yamagata stalled, digging in against Soviet barrages. Azuma, radio silent due to faults, neared the bridge to find robust Soviet defenses. Artillery commander Lieutenant Yu Vakhtin shifted his 4 76 mm guns east to block seizure. Azuma lacked artillery or anti tank tools, unable to advance. With Yamagata bogged down, Azuma became encircled, the encirclers encircled. Runners reached Yamagata, but his dispersed units couldn't rally or breakthrough. By noon, Azuma faced infantry and cavalry from the east, bombardments from west (both Halha sides). Dismounted cavalry dug sandy defenses. Azuma could have broken out but held per mission, awaiting Yamagata, unaware of the plan shift. Pressure mounted: Major I M Remizov's full 149th Regiment recent Tamsag Bulak arrivals trucked in, tilting odds. Resupply failed; ammo dwindled. Post dusk slackening: A major urged withdrawal; Azuma refused, deeming retreat shameful without orders, a Japanese army hallmark, where "retreat" was taboo, replaced by euphemisms like "advance in a different direction." Unauthorized pullback meant execution. Dawn May 29: Fiercer Soviet barrage, 122 mm howitzers, field guns, mortars, armored cars collapsed trenches. An incendiary hit Azuma's sedan, igniting trucks with wounded and ammo. By late afternoon, Soviets closed to 50 yards on 3 fronts; armored cars breached rear. Survivors fought desperately. Between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m., Azuma led 24 men in a banzai charge, cut down by machine guns. A wounded medical lieutenant ordered escapes; 4 succeeded. Rest killed or captured. Komatsubara belatedly reinforced Yamagata on May 29 with artillery, anti tank guns, and fresh infantry. Sources claim Major Tsuji arrived, rebuked Yamagata for inaction, and spurred corpse recovery over 3 nights, yielding ~200 bodies, including Azuma's. Yamagata withdrew to Kanchuerhmiao, unable to oust foes. Ironically, Remizov mistook recovery truck lights for attacks, briefly pulling back west on May 30. By June 3, discovering the exit, Soviet MPR reoccupied the zone. Japanese blamed:  (1) poor planning/recon by Komatsubara and Yamagata,  (2) comms failures,  (3) Azuma's heavy weapon lack. Losses: ~200 Azuma dead, plus 159 killed, 119 wounded, 12 missing from main force, total 500, 25% of detachment. Soviets praised Vakhtin for thwarting pincers. Claims: Bykov 60 to 70 casualties; TASS 40 killed, 70 wounded total Soviet/MPR. Recent Russian: 138 killed, 198 wounded. MPR cavalry hit hard by Japanese and friendly fire. Soviet media silent until June 26; KwAHQ censored, possibly misleading Tokyo. May 30: Kwantung Chief of Staff General Rensuke Isogai assured AGS of avoiding prolongation via heavy frontier blows, downplaying Soviet buildup and escalation. He requested river crossing gear urgently.   This hinted at Halha invasion (even per Japanese borders: MPR soil). AGS's General Gun Hashimoto affirmed trust in localization: Soviets' vexations manageable, chastisement easy. Colonel Masazumi Inada's section assessed May 31: 1. USSR avoids expansion.  2. Trust Kwantung localization.  3. Intervene on provocative acts like deep MPR air strikes. Phase 1 ended: Kwantung called it mutual win loss, but inaccurate, Azuma destroyed, heavy tolls, remorse gnawing Komatsubara. On June 1, 1939, an urgent summons from Moscow pulled the young deputy commander of the Byelorussian Military District from Minsk to meet Defense Commissar Marshal Kliment Voroshilov. He boarded the first train with no evident concern, even as the army purges faded into memory. This rising cavalry- and tank-expert, Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov, would later help defend Moscow in 1941, triumph at Stalingrad and Kursk, and march to Berlin as a Hero of the Soviet Union.Born in 1896 to a poor family headed by a cobbler, Zhukov joined the Imperial Army in 1915 as a cavalryman. Of average height but sturdy build, he excelled in horsemanship and earned the Cross of St. George and noncommissioned status for bravery in 1916. After the October Revolution, he joined the Red Army and the Bolshevik Party, fighting in the Civil War from 1918 to 1921. His proletarian roots, tactical skill, and ambition propelled him: command of a regiment by 1923, a division by 1931. An early advocate of tanks, he survived the purges, impressing superiors as a results-driven leader and playing a key role in his assignment to Mongolia. In Voroshilov's office on June 2, Zhukov learned of recent clashes. Ordered to fly east, assess the situation, and assume command if needed, he soon met acting deputy chief Ivan Smorodinov, who urged candid reports. Europe's war clouds and rising tensions with Japan concerned the Kremlin. Hours later, Zhukov and his staff flew east. Arriving June 5 at Tamsag Bulak (57th Corps HQ), Zhukov met the staff and found Corps Commander Nikolai Feklenko and most aides clueless; only Regimental Commissar M. S. Nikishev had visited the front. Zhukov toured with Nikishev that afternoon and was impressed by his grasp. By day's end, Zhukov bluntly reported: this is not a simple border incident; the Japanese are likely to escalate; the 57th Corps is inadequate. He suggested holding the eastern Halha bridgehead until reinforcements could enable a counteroffensive, and he criticized Feklenko. Moscow replied on June 6: relieve Feklenko; appoint Zhukov. Reinforcements arrived: the 36th Mechanized Infantry Division; the 7th, 8th, and 9th Mechanized Brigades; the 11th Tank Brigade; the 8th MPR Cavalry Division; a heavy artillery regiment; an air wing of more than 100 aircraft, including 21 pilots who had earned renown in the Spanish Civil War. The force was redesignated as the First Army Group. In June, these forces surged toward Tamsag Bulak, eighty miles west of Halha. However, General Michitaro Komatsubara's 23rd Division and the Kwantung Army Headquarters missed the buildup and the leadership change, an intelligence failure born of carelessness and hubris and echoing May's Azuma disaster, with grave battlefield consequences. Early June remained relatively quiet: the Soviet MPR expanded the east-bank perimeter modestly; there was no major Japanese response. KwAHQ's Commander General Kenkichi Ueda, hoping for a quick closure, toured the Fourth Army from May 31 to June 18. Calm broke on June 19. Komatsubara reported two Soviet strikes inside Manchukuo: 15 planes hit Arshan, inflicting casualties on men and horses; 30 aircraft set fire to 100 petroleum barrels near Kanchuerhmiao. In fact, the raids were less dramatic than described: not on Kanchuerhmiao town (a 3,000-person settlement, 40 miles northwest of Nomonhan) but on a supply dump 12 miles south of it. "Arshan" referred to a small village near the border, near Arshanmiao, a Manchukuoan cavalry depot, not a major railhead at Harlun Arshan 100 miles southeast. The raids were strafing runs rather than bombs. Possibly retaliation for May 15's Japanese raid on the MPR Outpost 7 (two killed, 15 wounded) or a response to Zhukov's bridgehead push. Voroshilov authorized the action; motive remained unclear. Nonetheless, KwAHQ, unused to air attacks after dominating skies in Manchuria, Shanghai (1932), and China, was agitated. The situation resembled a jolt akin to the 1973 North Vietnamese strike on U.S. bases in Thailand: not unprovoked, but shocking. Midday June 19, the Operations Staff met. Major Masanobu Tsuji urged swift reprisal; Colonel Masao Terada urged delay in light of the Tientsin crisis (the new Japanese blockade near Peking). Tsuji argued that firmness at Nomonhan would impress Britain; inaction would invite deeper Soviet bombardments or invasion. He swayed Chief Colonel Takushiro Hattori and others, including Terada. They drafted a briefing: the situation was grave; passivity risked a larger invasion and eroded British respect for Japanese might. After two hours of joint talks, most KwAHQ members supported a strong action. Tsuji drafted a major Halha crossing plan to destroy Soviet MPR forces. Hattori and Terada pressed the plan to Chief of Staff General Rensuke Isogai, an expert on Manchukuo affairs but not operations; he deferred to Deputy General Otozaburo Yano, who was absent. They argued urgency; Isogai noted delays in AGS approval. The pair contended for local Kwantung prerogative, citing the 1937 Amur cancellation; AGS would likely veto. Under pressure, Isogai assented, pending Ueda's approval. Ueda approved but insisted that the 23rd Division lead, not the 7th. Hattori noted the 7th's superiority (four regiments in a "square" arrangement versus the 23rd's three regiments, with May unreliability). Ueda prioritized Komatsubara's honor: assigning another division would imply distrust; "I'd rather die." The plan passed on June 19, an example of gekokujo in action. The plan called for reinforcing the 23rd with: the 2nd Air Group (180 aircraft, Lieutenant General Tetsuji Gigi); the Yasuoka Detachment (Lieutenant General Masaomi Yasuoka: two tank regiments, motorized artillery, and the 26th Infantry of the 7th). Total strength: roughly 15,000 men, 120 guns, 70 tanks, 180 aircraft. KwAHQ estimated the enemy at about 1,000 infantry, 10 artillery pieces, and about 12 armored vehicles, expecting a quick victory. Reconnaissance to Halha was curtailed to avoid alerting the Soviets. Confidence ran high, even as intel warned otherwise. Not all leaders were convinced: the 23rd's ordnance colonel reportedly committed suicide over "awful equipment." An attaché, Colonel Akio Doi, warned of growing Soviet buildup, but operations dismissed the concern. In reality, Zhukov's force comprised about 12,500 men, 109 guns, 186 tanks, 266 armored cars, and more than 100 aircraft, offset by the Soviets' armor advantage. The plan echoed Yamagata's failed May 28 initiative: the 23rd main body would seize the Fui Heights (11 miles north of Halha's Holsten junction), cross by pontoon, and sweep south along the west bank toward the Soviet bridge. Yasuoka would push southeast of Halha to trap and destroy the enemy at the junction. On June 20, Tsuji briefed Komatsubara at Hailar, expressing Ueda's trust while pressing to redeem May's failures. Limited pontoon capacity would not support armor; the operation would be vulnerable to air power. Tsuji's reconnaissance detected Soviet air presence at Tamsag Bulak, prompting a preemptive strike and another plan adjustment. KwAHQ informed Tokyo of the offensive in vague terms (citing raids but withholding air details). Even this caused debate; Minister Seishiro Itagaki supported Ueda's stance, favoring a limited operation to ease nerves. Tokyo concurred, unaware of the air plans. Fearing a veto on the Tamsag Bulak raid (nearly 100 miles behind MPR lines), KwAHQ shielded details from the Soviets and Tokyo. A June 29–30 ground attack was prepared; orders were relayed by courier. The leak reached Tokyo on June 24. Deputy Chief General Tetsuzo Nakajima telegrammed three points: 1) AGS policy to contain the conflict and avoid West MPR air attacks;  2) bombing risks escalation;  3) sending Lieutenant Colonel Yadoru Arisue on June 25 for liaison. Polite Japanese diplomatic phrasing allowed Operations to interpret the message as a suggestion. To preempt Arisue's explicit orders, Tsuji urged secrecy from Ueda, Isogai, and Yano, and an advanced raid to June 27. Arisue arrived after the raid on Tamsag Bulak and Bain Tumen (deeper into MPR territory, now near Choibalsan). The Raid resulted in approximately 120 Japanese planes surprising the Soviets, grounding and destroying aircraft and scrambling their defense. Tsuji, flying in a bomber, claimed 25 aircraft destroyed on the ground and about 100 in the air. Official tallies reported 98 destroyed and 51 damaged; ground kills estimated at 50 to 60 at Bain Tumen. Japanese losses were relatively light: one bomber, two fighters, one scout; seven dead. Another Japanese bomber was shot down over MPR, but the crew was rescued. The raid secured air superiority for July.   Moscow raged over the losses and the perceived failure to warn in time. In the purge era, blame fell on suspected spies and traitors; Deputy Mongolian Commander Luvsandonoi and ex-57th Deputy A. M. Kushchev were accused, arrested, and sent to Moscow. Luvsandonoi was executed; Kushchev received a four-year sentence, later rising to major general and Hero. KwAHQ celebrated; Operations notified AGS by radio. Colonel Masazumi Inada rebuked: "You damned idiot! What do you think the true meaning of this little success is?" A withering reprimand followed. Stunned but unrepentant, KwAHQ soon received Tokyo's formal reprimand: "Report was received today regarding bombing of Outer Mongolian territory by your air units… . Since this action is in fundamental disagreement with policy which we understood your army was taking to settle incident, it is extremely regretted that advance notice of your intent was not received. Needless to say, this matter is attended with such farreaching consequences that it can by no means be left to your unilateral decision. Hereafter, existing policy will be definitely and strictly observed. It is requested that air attack program be discontinued immediately" By Order of the Chief of Staff  By this time, Kwantung Army staff officers stood in high dudgeon. Tsuji later wrote that "tremendous combat results were achieved by carrying out dangerous operations at the risk of our lives. It is perfectly clear that we were carrying out an act of retaliation. What kind of General Staff ignores the psychology of the front lines and tramples on their feelings?" Tsuji drafted a caustic reply, which Kwantung Army commanders sent back to Tokyo, apparently without Ueda or other senior KwAHQ officers' knowledge: "There appear to be certain differences between the Army General Staff and this Army in evaluating the battlefield situation and the measures to be adopted. It is requested that the handling of trivial border-area matters be entrusted to this Army." That sarcastic note from KwAHQ left a deep impression at AGS, which felt something had to be done to restore discipline and order. When General Nakajima informed the Throne about the air raid, the emperor rebuked him and asked who would assume responsibility for the unauthorized attack. Nakajima replied that military operations were ongoing, but that appropriate measures would be taken after this phase ended. Inada sent Terada a telegram implying that the Kwantung Army staff officers responsible would be sacked in due course. Inada pressed to have Tsuji ousted from Kwantung Army immediately, but personnel matters went through the Army Ministry, and Army Minister Itagaki, who knew Tsuji personally, defended him. Tokyo recognized that the situation was delicate; since 1932, Kwantung Army had operated under an Imperial Order to "defend Manchukuo," a broad mandate. Opinions differed in AGS about how best to curb Kwantung Army's operational prerogatives. One idea was to secure Imperial sanction for a new directive limiting Kwantung Army's autonomous combat actions to no more than one regiment. Several other plans circulated. In the meantime, Kwantung Army needed tighter control. On June 29, AGS issued firm instructions to KwAHQ: Directives: a) Kwantung Army is responsible for local settlement of border disputes. b) Areas where the border is disputed, or where defense is tactically unfeasible, need not be defended. Orders: c) Ground combat will be limited to the border region between Manchukuo and Outer Mongolia east of Lake Buir Nor. d) Enemy bases will not be attacked from the air. With this heated exchange of messages, the relationship between Kwantung Army and AGS reached a critical moment. Tsuji called it the "breaking point" between Hsinking and Tokyo. According to Colonel Inada, after this "air raid squabble," gekokujo became much more pronounced in Hsinking, especially within Kwantung Army's Operations Section, which "ceased making meaningful reports" to the AGS Operations Section, which he headed. At KwAHQ, the controversy and the perception of AGS interference in local affairs hardened the resolve of wavering staff officers to move decisively against the USSR. Thereafter, Kwantung Army officers as a group rejected the General Staff's policy of moderation in the Nomonhan incident. Tsuji characterized the conflict between Kwantung Army and the General Staff as the classic clash between combat officers and "desk jockeys." In his view, AGS advocated a policy of not invading enemy territory even if one's own territory was invaded, while Kwantung Army's policy was not to allow invasion. Describing the mindset of the Kwantung Army (and his own) toward the USSR in this border dispute, Tsuji invoked the samurai warrior's warning: "Do not step any closer or I shall be forced to cut you down." Tsuji argued that Kwantung Army had to act firmly at Nomonhan to avoid a larger war later. He also stressed the importance, shared by him and his colleagues, of Kwantung Army maintaining its dignity, which he believed was threatened by both enemy actions and the General Staff. In this emotionally charged atmosphere, the Kwantung Army launched its July offensive. The success of the 2nd Air Group's attack on Tamsag Bulak further inflated KwAHQ's confidence in the upcoming offensive. Although aerial reconnaissance had been intentionally limited to avoid alarming or forewarning the enemy, some scout missions were flown. The scouts reported numerous tank emplacements under construction, though most reports noted few tanks; a single report of large numbers of tanks was downplayed at headquarters. What drew major attention at KwAHQ were reports of large numbers of trucks leaving the front daily and streaming westward into the Mongolian interior. This was interpreted as evidence of a Soviet pullback from forward positions, suggesting the enemy might sense the imminent assault. Orders were issued to speed up final preparations for the assault before Soviet forces could withdraw from the area where the Japanese "meat cleaver" would soon dismember them. What the Japanese scouts had actually observed was not a Soviet withdrawal, but part of a massive truck shuttle that General Grigori Shtern, now commander of Soviet Forces in the Far East, organized to support Zhukov. Each night, Soviet trucks, from distant MPR railway depots to Tamsag Bulak and the combat zone, moved eastward with lights dimmed, carrying supplies and reinforcements. By day, the trucks returned westward for fresh loads. It was these returning trucks, mostly empty, that the Japanese scouts sighted. The Kwantung interpretation of this mass westbound traffic was a serious error, though understandable. The Soviet side was largely ignorant of Japanese preparations, partly because the June 27 air raid had disrupted Soviet air operations, including reconnaissance. In late June, the 23rd Division and Yasuoka's tank force moved from Hailar and Chiangchunmiao toward Nomonhan. A mix of military and civilian vehicles pressed into service, but there was still insufficient motorized transport to move all troops and equipment at once. Most infantry marched the 120 miles to the combat zone, under a hot sun, carrying eighty-pound loads. They arrived after four to six days with little time to recover before the scheduled assault. With Komatsubara's combined force of about 15,000 men, 120 guns, and 70 tanks poised to attack, Kwantung Army estimated Soviet-MPR strength near Nomonhan and the Halha River at about 1,000 men, perhaps ten anti-aircraft guns, ten artillery pieces, and several dozen tanks. In reality, Japanese air activity, especially the big raid of June 27, had put the Soviets on alert. Zhukov suspected a ground attack might occur, though nothing as audacious as a large-scale crossing of the Halha was anticipated. During the night of July 1, Zhukov moved his 11th Tank Brigade, 7th Mechanized Brigade, and 24th Mechanized Infantry Regiment (36th Division) from their staging area near Tamsag Bulak to positions just west of the Halha River. Powerful forces on both sides were being marshaled with little knowledge of the enemy's disposition. As the sun scorched the Mongolian steppes, the stage was set for a clash that would echo through history. General Komatsubara's 23rd Division, bolstered by Yasuoka's armored might and the skies commanded by Gigi's air group, crept toward the Halha River like a predator in the night. Fifteen thousand Japanese warriors, their boots heavy with dust and resolve, prepared to cross the disputed waters and crush what they believed was a faltering foe. Little did they know, Zhukov's reinforcements, tanks rumbling like thunder, mechanized brigades poised in the shadows, had transformed the frontier into a fortress of steel. Miscalculations piled like sand dunes: Japanese scouts mistook supply convoys for retreats, while Soviet eyes, blinded by the June raid, underestimated the impending storm. Kwantung's gekokujo spirit burned bright, defying Tokyo's cautions, as both sides hurtled toward a brutal reckoning. What began as border skirmishes now threatened to erupt into full-scale war, testing the mettle of empires on the edge. 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. Patrols in May led to failed Japanese offensives, like Colonel Yamagata's disastrous assault and the Azuma detachment's annihilation. Tensions rose with air raids, including Japan's June strike on Soviet bases. By July, misjudged intelligence set the stage for a major confrontation, testing imperial ambitions amid global war clouds.

Bei dem jüngsten Militärtreffen in Peking wurden die tiefgreifenden Säuberungen innerhalb der chinesischen Militärführung sichtbar. Die Abwesenheit aller Vier-Sterne-Generäle deutet auf eine andauernde Führungskrise sowie interne Machtkämpfe hin. Beobachter sehen darin mögliche Anzeichen für Spannungen zwischen der Parteiführung und dem militärischen Oberkommando.

Zwei Jahrzehnte lang war Hu Anyan einer von 300 Millionen chinesischen Wanderarbeitern. In „Ich fahr Pakete aus in Peking“ erzählt er von seinen 19 Jobs im Billiglohnsektor.

Seit fast zwei Jahrzehnten berichtet Markus Ackeret als Auslandskorrespondent aus Russland – mit Stationen in Moskau, Peking und Berlin. In dieser Samstagsausgabe von «NZZ Akzent» spricht er über Überwachung, bürokratische Hürden und persönliche Begegnungen im zunehmend repressiven System Putins – besonders seit dem Angriff auf die Ukraine 2022. Ackeret erzählt von biometrisch registrierten SIM-Karten, verkürzten Visa, gezielter Einschüchterung in der Provinz und einem Vorfall in Jekaterinburg. Er schildert auch eindrückliche Szenen aus Burjatien, wo er Beerdigungen gefallener Soldaten beobachtete – und reflektiert über Hoffnung, Loyalität und den Glauben vieler Menschen an Wladimir Putin. Gast: Markus Ackeret, Korrespondent für Russland Host: Simon Schaffer Das digitale Archiv der NZZ – zurücklesen bis 1780. Das geht auch mit einem [Probeabo](https://abo.nzz.ch/25077808-2). Hier ein eindrücklicher Text von Markus zur [Schliessung des Gulag-Museums in Moskau](https://www.nzz.ch/international/russland-schliessung-des-gulag-museums-ist-ein-politisches-signal-ld.1858422). Hier der Text zur [Beerdigung in Burjatien](https://www.nzz.ch/international/ukraine-krieg-in-burjatien-gelten-die-gefallenen-als-helden-ld.1687018).

Wenige Wochen vor dem Volkskongress in Peking, auf dem die Staats- und Parteiführung den neuen Fünf-Jahresplan auf den Weg bringen wird, werfen wir zusammen mit Volkmar Baur einen tiefen Blick in die Daten der zweitgrößten Volkswirtschaft der Welt.

VRT-journalist Tom Van De Weghe woonde en werkte vijf jaar als VRT-correspondent in China en vier jaar in Washington. Vandaag maakt hij de podcast ‘Voorbij De Muur' en sindskort is hij  co-host van de podcast Fixing Europe.  Hij keerde terug  voor zijn boek Terug naar China. Voor ik het las, was China (en zijn inwoners) Chinees voor mij: Groot, ver en allemaal hetzelfde. Tom vertelt over het leven als Vlaams gezin in Peking en hoe het was om er vandaag terug te komen.Honger gekregen na het luisteren en zin in FOODBAG? Met de code FRIETCAST krijg je bij de eerste 3 bestellingen 20 euro korting! Meer info vind je  hier    Hier kan je je een Frietcast-sweater bestellen! Holy Friet! Benieuwd? Kilk hier Abonneer je bij Frietcast via andere kanalen: Abonneer je op Frietcast op Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4AxRpCjJJYjx5UBstbKfvM?utm_medium=share&utm_source=linktreeof via Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/be/podcast/frietcast/id1649044752  Volg Frietcast via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frietcast/ Volg Petra De Pauw op Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/petra_de_pauw Contact: voor samenwerkingen of boekingen: info@frietcast.be 

Studio Allsvenskan är sponsrade av Snabbare – det okrångliga spelbolaget!Köp en andel till vårt andelsspel på SnabbTipset hos Snabbare.https://www.snabbare.com/snabbtipset-studioallsvenskan18+ | Stödlinjen.se | Spela AnsvarsfulltÅrets bästa sportdealar är här! TV4 Play och Studio Allsvenskan har ett samarbete där du kan se vinter-OS, Superettan, La Liga och Serie med ett galet vasst erbjudande – för enbart 69 kronor kronor i månaden för tre månader! Nedsatt från 249 kronor i månaden. Gå in på https://www.tv4play.se/kampanj/studioallsvenskan för att ta del av erbjudandet! Dessutom har vi nu även hockeypaketet där du kan se SHL och Hockeyallsvenskan till halva priset hos TV4 Play – men även halva priset på Sport Total-paketet där du får tillgång till ALLT innehåll. Klickan på länken för mer info: https://www.tv4play.se/kampanj/studiohockeyTim och Hugo har begett sig till Estepona där Häcken bor under sitt träningsläger för att sätta oss ned med huvudtränare Jens Gustafsson.Jens gästade Studio Allsvenskan när han var tränare i IFK Norrköping och har ju varit med om en hel del sedan han lämnat Peking.Vi går igenom tiden i Hajduk Split. Hur var det där? Hur hanterar man så stora stjärnor? Och så stora förväntningar och krav från supportrar och ledning?Även Jens sejour i Polen, hur bra är den polska ligan? Hur gick det till när Al Fateh köpte loss honom från sitt kontrakt? Och hur är nivån i Saudi?Det blir förstås en hel del om Häcken. Var förra året en floppsäsong eller en succé? Jens förklarar för oss hur han ser på det.Och så går vi igenom hur truppen ser ut nu och vad som förväntas av Häcken i år?Missa inte när Jens Gustafsson gästar Studio Allsvenskan.Studio Allsvenskan finns även på Patreon, där du får ALLA våra avsnitt reklamfritt direkt efter inspelning. Dessutom får du tillgång till våra exklusiva poddserier där vi släpper avsnitt tisdag till fredag varje vecka. Bli medlem här!Följ Studio Allsvenskan på sociala medier: Twitter!Facebook!Instagram!Youtube!• TikTok! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trauma überwunden, Traum erfüllt: Julia Taubitz heißt die neue Rodel-Olympiasiegerin. Dabei ist die 29-jährige Weltklasse-Athletin aus dem Erzgebirge bei der Entscheidung im Eiskanal von Cortina d'Ampezzo alles - nur nicht Favoritin. Anders vor vier Jahren bei den Winterspielen in Peking war es genau andersherum. Und damals wie diesmal dabei: der Wintersportpodcast „Dreierbob“ von Sächsische.de und RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (RND). Damals stürzte Taubitz, diesmal fuhr sie allen davon und gewann mit einem Rekord-Vorsprung. Am Podcast-Mikrofon erzählt die Weltklasse-Rodlerin, wie sie das Trauma verarbeitet hat und damit ihr Kindheitstraum überhaupt noch wahr werden konnte. Für das Gespräch trifft sie sich mit Dreierbob-Co-Host und SZ-Sportchef Tino Meyer im Deutschen Haus. Zu diesem Zeitpunkt ist der Triumph gerade einmal gut zwölf Stunden her. Sie sagt: „Es ist irgendwie immer noch so ein bisschen unreal, muss ich ehrlich sagen.“ Die Medaille hängt um ihren Hals, 506 Gramm ist sie schwer, dennoch muss sich das Olympiasiegergefühl erst noch richtig einstellen. „So ein wenig realisiert habe ich es, aber es ist noch nicht ganz angekommen.“ Taubitz schildert in dem Gespräch noch einmal ihre Erlebnisse aus dem entscheidenden vierten Lauf. In diesem Moment, so beschreibt sie es auch, habe sich nicht nur ihr Traum erfüllt, sondern es sei eine Art Wiedergutmachung passiert. Sie erzählt, wie sie sich nach einem Sturz bei den Spielen 2022 von diesem bitteren Erlebnis erholt habe und wie sie gelernt habe, aus Niederlagen Kraft zu ziehen. „Du lernst nur, wenn du irgendwann mal auf den Mund fällst“, sagt sie jetzt. Emotionale, einordnende und sehr wertschätzende Worte findet auch Bundestrainer Patric Leitner. Auch er erinnert noch mal an die Szenerie bei Olympia 2022. Und: Leitner spricht Merle Fräbel Mut zu. Die 22-Jährige hat am Dienstag das erlebt, was Taubitz vor vier Jahren durchgemacht hat. In aussichtsreicher Position liegend und mit Siegchancen unterlief ihr ein Fehler. Der Olympiatraum zerplatzte im dritten Lauf. Leitner sagt: „Krone richten, Kopf hoch, deine Zeit wird noch kommen.“

Panamas Oberstes Gericht erklärte die Verträge der Firma CK Hutchison für den Betrieb von zwei Häfen am Panamakanal für nichtig. Der Konzern leitete ein Schiedsverfahren ein, während Panama die Entscheidung konsequent umsetzt. Die Regierung weist politischen Druck aus Peking entschieden zurück.

HEADLINE: Charles Lieber and the CRISPR Threat. GUEST: Brandon Weichert. SUMMARY: Weichert highlights Charles Lieber's conviction and He Jiankui's unethical gene experiments, illustrating how China exploits dual-use biotechnology to advance military goals and defeat Western rivals.PEKING 1904

Trumps återkomst har gett Peking ett gyllene tillfälle att utmana dollarn. Kina pratar nu om ett multipolärt valutasystem. Lyssna på alla avsnitt i Sveriges Radios app. Kina har under lång tid flyttat fram sin ekonomiska position med en ambition om att göra sig oberoende av och utmana USA. Kan renminbi, ”folkets valuta”, vinna mark när Trumps tullpolitik och geopolitiska drag skakar om den finansiella världsordningen? Mycket talar för det när flera länder vänder sig tydligare mot Peking.Amerikanska dollarn har sedan andra världskriget varit den valuta som dominerat globalt. Kommer vi se tillbaka på Rysslands fullskaliga invasion av Ukraina som vändningen som gjorde det möjligt för Kina att kliva fram, och vad krävs för att Kina på allvar ska utmana dollarns ställning i världen?Medverkande: Sveriges Radios Kinakorrespondent Moa Kärnstrand, Ekots Kinareporter Hanna Sahlberg och Sveriges Radios ekonomikommentator Knut Kainz RognerudProgramledare: Björn DjurbergProducent: Therese RosenvingeResearch: Oskar SellströmLjudklipp: Bloomberg, DWS news (Youtube).

Zdravo. Tokrat začnemo v Cutty Sarku, se preselimo v Cutty Sark, ugotovimo da cene v mehiških restavracijah niso prav nič mehiške, načrtujemo izlet v Islington, napovemo prvi letošnji retrogradni Merkur, povemo dobro novico ali dve in obiščemo srebrnohrbto gorilo v njegovi dnevni sobi. Sklenemo, da so namere nesramno bogatih Zemljanov, ki bi radi kolonizirali druge planete, še najbolj podobne begu iz slabega odnosa. Namesto da bi se trudili popraviti napake, je pač lažje zbežati in upati, da tam ni davkov. Spomnimo se tudi stare modrosti, znižanja, delo, Latvijo in 300.

#337: Let the Games begin!

Frank Sieren ist einer der bekanntesten China-Experten im deutschsprachigen Raum. Er lebt seit über 30 Jahren in Peking, berät internationale Unternehmen bei ihrer China-Strategie und ist Bestsellerautor, unter anderem mit seinem aktuellen Buch „Der Autoschock: Wie China uns abhängen konnte und was das für unsere Zukunft bedeutet - Ein Blick hinter die Kulissen der chinesischen Innovationskraft“. In dieser Podcast-Folge analysiert Sieren, warum China Europas Autoindustrie in zentralen Zukunftsfeldern wie Elektromobilität, autonomes Fahren und digitale Vernetzung überholt hat. Er erklärt, weshalb Europa die technologische Dynamik lange unterschätzt hat, wie China den Technologiesprung strategisch vorbereitet hat und warum Geschwindigkeit, Konsequenz und emotionale Marktbindung heute über Wettbewerbsfähigkeit entscheiden. Live aufgezeichnet beim Event „Familienvermögen in Krisenzeiten“ ordnet Sieren Chinas Wandel vom Produktionsstandort zum globalen Innovations- und Technologietreiber ein. Er zeigt, warum chinesische Konsumenten zunehmend chinesische Marken bevorzugen, wie schnell deutsche Premium-Marken an Strahlkraft verloren haben und weshalb Europa jetzt vor einer strategischen Weggabelung steht. Im Gespräch mit Podcast Produzentin Timothea Imionidou geht es außerdem um langfristiges Denken, kulturelle Unterschiede zwischen Europa und China sowie um die Frage, wie Unternehmer und Unternehmerfamilien ihr Vermögen und ihre Unternehmen in einer zunehmend von China geprägten, multipolaren Welt strategisch absichern können. Themen wie Diversifikation, Standortwahl und geopolitische Abhängigkeiten werden klar, verständlich und praxisnah eingeordnet. Ein Podcast für alle, die verstehen wollen, wie China Märkte verändert – und was das konkret für unternehmerische Entscheidungen in Europa bedeutet.

Vom 06. bis zum 22. Februar 2026 finden in Mailand und Cortina d'Ampezzo die XXV. Olympischen Winterspiele statt. Wir begeben uns zur Vorbereitung mit Holger Gertz von der Süddeutschen Zeitung auf die lange Reise von Innsbruck 1976 bis zu den Spielen in Peking. Mit Goldmedaillen-Gewinnern wie Toni Innauer, Schorsch Hackl, Leonhard Stock, Christoph Langen, Michaela Dorfmeister, Michael Greis, Felix Loch - and many more …

Ustanovitev urada za izgone migrantov, ki jo je včeraj napovedal opozicijski poslanec Žan Mahnič v primeru vlade pod vodstvom SDS-a, nova varuhinja človekovih pravic Simona Drenik Bavdek vidi skozi prizmo predvolilnega dogajanja. Kot dodaja, je naša država na tem področju vezana na evropski pravni red, izven katerega ne vidi možnosti delovanja. Druge teme: - Nenadzorovane migracije so med Slovenci na prvem mestu zaskrbljenosti zaradi varnostnih vprašanj, drugod v Evropski uniji pa na petem. Državljane povezave sicer najbolj skrbijo konflikti in vojne v bližini. Za končanje tiste v Ukrajini so se njeni, ruski in ameriški predstavniki znova sešli v Abu Dabiju. - Bela hiša in Kremelj, pa tudi Peking, sicer ogrožajo mednarodni red, menijo v človekoljubni organizaciji Human Rights Watch. Demokratične države, ki spoštujejo človekove pravice, zato pozivajo k oblikovanju strateškega zavezništva v boju proti šrijenju avtoritarnega vala. - Čeprav prispevek za dolgotrajno oskrbo že več kot pol leta plačujemo vsi, so zneski na položnicah prebivalcev domov za starejše nižji samo za tiste, ki so že vstopili v sistem. Za številne, ki še vedno čakajo na odločbe, pa so še vedno visoki. Za pomoč prosijo v centrih za socialno delo.

Vom 06. bis zum 22. Februar 2026 finden in Mailand und Cortina d'Ampezzo die XXV. Olympischen Winterspiele statt. Wir begeben uns zur Vorbereitung mit Holger Gertz von der Süddeutschen Zeitung auf die lange Reise von Innsbruck 1976 bis zu den Spielen in Peking. Mit Goldmedaillen-Gewinnern wie Toni Innauer, Schorsch Hackl, Leonhard Stock, Christoph Langen, Michaela Dorfmeister, Michael Greis, Felix Loch - and many more …

Am 2. Februar 1421 weiht Kaiser Yongle sein neues Machtzentrum in Peking ein. Der prachtvolle Palastkomplex wird für fast 500 Jahre Sitz der chinesischen Kaiser sein. Von Andrea Klasen.

Het Magic Kingdom heeft een nieuwe prins nodig om zijn kasteel te verdedigen, maar wie wordt het? Dat was de onbesproken vraag rond de prachtige cijfers van Disney vandaag. Niet dat die blinkende cijfers het aandeel omhoog hielpen. Beleggers renden massaal naar de uitgang omdat een boze koning in het bladgouden Witte Huis de toeristen wegjaagt. We bespreken welke prins Mickey Mouse moet komen redden. Over goud gesproken. De glans is er wel een beetje vanaf nu edelmetalen van een historische klif vielen dit weekend én maandag. Maar waar kwam het nou door: meer vertrouwen in de dollar vanwege een nieuwe Fed-voorzitter? Speculatie die de prijzen gewoon te hard op had gestuwd? Of toch centrale banken die wat minder kopen, terwijl ze zich juist suf kochten sinds de oorlog in Oekraïne? Verder besteden we nog éven de aandacht aan het coalitieakkoord en box 3. Er is nog tijd om voor 15 maart wat aan te passen, zegt Nico, maar de tijd dringt voor de Kamerleden die het beleggersdrama van 2028 willen voorkomen. Verder in de spotlights: Indonesië dreigt de status van 'opkomende markt' te verliezen Verkoopcijfers BYD voor de vijfde maand op rij gedaald Juice incoming: Jensen Huang (Nvidia) trashtalkt Sam Altman (OpenAI) Steeds meer risicovolle ETF's Europese olie- en gasreuzen kopen minder eigen aandelen in Te gast: Nico Inberg van De Aandeelhouder BNR Beurs is een journalistiek onafhankelijke productie, mede mogelijk gemaakt door Saxo. Over de makers: Jelle Maasbach is presentator van BNR Beurs en freelance financieel journalist. Zijn favoriete aandeel om over te praten is Disney, maar daar lijkt hij de enige in te zijn. Sinds de eerste uitzending van BNR Beurs is 'ie er bij. Maxim van Mil is presentator van BNR Beurs en journalist bij BNR, waar hij zich focust op de financiële markten en ontwikkelingen in de tech-wereld. Je krijgt hem het meest enthousiast als hij kan praten over ASML, of oer-Hollandse bedrijven zoals Ahold of ABN Amro. Jorik Simonides is presentator van BNR Beurs, economieredacteur en verslaggever bij BNR. Hij wordt er vooral blij van als het een keer níet over AI gaat. Milou Brand is presentator van BNR Beurs, freelance podcastmaker en columnist bij het Financieele Dagblad. Jochem Visser is presentator van BNR Beurs, maakt Beursnerd XL en is redacteur bij BNR Zakendoen en de podcast Onder Curatoren. Vraag hem naar obscure zaken op financiële markten en hij vertelt je waarom het eigenlijk nóg leuker is dan je al dacht. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kurz vor dem China-Besuch von Premierminister Keir Starmer erschüttern neue Enthüllungen über eine groß angelegte chinesische Spionagekampagne die britische Politik. Laut US-Geheimdiensten gab es jahrelange Cyberangriffe auf Mobiltelefone hochrangiger Regierungsmitarbeiter, die bis in die Downing Street hineinreichen. Trotzdem zeigt Starmer eine Kuschelpolitik in Peking.

Das Mullah-Regime kämpft mit brutaler Gewalt ums Überleben. Den „Tagesanbruch" gibt es auch zum Nachlesen unter [t-online.de/tagesanbruch](https://www.t-online.de/tagesanbruch) Anmerkungen, Lob und Kritik gern an podcasts@t-online.de Den „Tagesanbruch“-Podcast gibt es immer montags bis freitags ab 6 Uhr zum Start in den Tag vorgelesen von einer freundlichen KI-Stimme – am Wochenende mit einer tiefgründigeren Diskussion. Verpassen Sie keine Folge und abonnieren Sie uns bei [Spotify] https://open.spotify.com/show/3v1HFmv3V3Zvp1R4BT3jlO?si=klrETGehSj2OZQ_dmB5Q9g), [Apple Podcasts](https://itunes.apple.com/de/podcast/t-online-tagesanbruch/id1374882499?mt=2), [Amazon Music](https://music.amazon.de/podcasts/961bad79-b3ba-4a93-9071-42e0d3cdd87f/tagesanbruch-von-t-online) oder überall sonst, wo es Podcasts gibt. Wenn Ihnen der Podcast gefällt, lassen Sie gern eine Bewertung da.

300 hundred restaurants in 22 countries might not sound like a billion dollar empire, but you would be wrong. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and storyteller. I’m Stephen’s sidekick and business partner, Dave Young. Before we get into today’s episode, a word from our sponsor, which is… Well, it’s us, but we’re highlighting ads we’ve written and produced for our clients, so here’s one of those. [OG Law Ad] Dave Young: Welcome back to the Empire Builders Podcast. I’m Dave Young. Stephen Semple is here, and we’re going to talk about the building of another empire. And I’ve got to admit, I don’t know a whole lot about this one. I’ve maybe… Stephen Semple: Oh, wow. That’s exciting. Dave Young: We’re going to talk about P.F. Chang’s. I’ve maybe eaten at one of them, I would say less than half a dozen times in my life. Stephen Semple: Okay. Dave Young: And I think it’s just more of a convenience and proximity issue. I’m never really near any of them. Stephen Semple: So while they’re big, they’re not massive. They’re 300 restaurants in 22 countries, so they’re not like many of the other things we’ve talked about where there’s thousands of them. Dave Young: Right. Stephen Semple: So no, they’re not as prevalent. But look, 300 restaurants is still pretty successful. Dave Young: Yeah, that’s a lot. How did they get started? I’m not going to guess. I’m going to let you tell me. Stephen Semple: Okay. The business was founded by Philip Chiang and Paul Fleming. And Paul Fleming, you might recognize because he’s of Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse fame. Dave Young: Oh, okay. Stephen Semple: They got together, and they founded P.F. Chang in Scottsdale, Arizona- Dave Young: That makes a lot of sense. Stephen Semple: … in 1993. Now, Philip spells his last name C-H-I-A-N-G. So at a certain point, he changed his spelling just to make it easier. Drop the I and make it easier. Dave Young: Drop the I and made it just… Spell it the way it sounds. Stephen Semple: … Spell it the way it sounds, make it easier for the U.S. market. And the company has been bought and sold a few times over the years, but the first acquisition from the founders, from Philip and Paul, happened in 2012 by Centerbridge Partners in a deal worth a little bit over a billion dollars. Dave Young: Wow. Stephen Semple: They did okay. They walk away with some cash. Dave Young: Now, was it before or after they started putting it in supermarkets? Stephen Semple: I do not know the answer to that question. Dave Young: Probably predates. Stephen Semple: I’m going to suspect after. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: But the story starts with Philip’s mother, Cecilia Chiang. Cecilia was born in Beijing in 1920 to a really wealthy family. She grew up in a palace in China, ate high-end food, full staff, chefs, the whole nine yards, part of the aristocracy. And during the Chinese Civil War and the Japanese occupation, her family fled China and relocated in Japan, and there, the family opened a restaurant. Now in the 1960s, she travels to the U.S. Cecilia travels to U.S. to help her sister who came to America because of the economic challenges in Japan, and her sister had opened a restaurant in San Francisco and needed help- Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: … and Cecilia came over to help her. But that venture failed, but Cecilia still remained in the U.S. And look, Chinese food in America at that time was not good. If you look at just about every food that has come to United States, the first people who brought it, whether it was Italian, whether it was Mexican, whether it was Chinese, the first immigrants were the people who were poor. Dave Young: Yeah. What years are we talking about here? Stephen Semple: 1960. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: So the first immigrants who came were the people who were poor, so therefore, typically the food is not the great food, it’s not made with the great ingredients. And so here she is, she’s looking around and she’s saying, “Look, there’s this poor Chinese food, all basically from the Canton region.” And most of it has been also turned into an American version, because basically, again, people were making it with whatever was available, so it really became very Americanized. Dave Young: Right. Stephen Semple: And Cecilia saw that, and what she wanted to do was introduce America to a more refined Chinese food, what she had experienced growing up as a wealthy person in China. So in 1961, she opens a sit-down restaurant with food from Northern China called The Mandarin. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: And it opens not in Chinatown, because here’s the thing that she recognized, context is everything. If she opened it in Chinatown, people’s expectation would be it would be the same as all the Chinese restaurants in Chinatown. Dave Young: All of them. Right, right. Stephen Semple: So what she did, she opened it on Polk Street, not far from Pacific Heights in San Francisco. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: Bit of a bold move, but she wanted to be seen as different, and that was how you did it. Dave Young: Makes sense. Stephen Semple: Now, the menu had some things that were unfamiliar, like pigeon, and it did not have some things that were expected like chow mein. And she struggled initially, because America was not really ready to try new things. Now, after two years of struggle came her breakout moment. The restaurant was visited by a guy by the name of Herb Kane, who was the most influential columnist in San Francisco history. He was a writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. But here’s the interesting thing, not a food critic. And he comes in the restaurant, falls in love with it, and gives it a great review. And overnight, the place becomes famous. You couldn’t get into it. It was visited by the likes of Julia Child, James Beard. It was totally on the radar. And I actually think the review may have even been more powerful because he was not a food critic. Dave Young: Sure. Yeah. Stephen Semple: But it also goes to show you… We talk about influencers, influence and all these other things, most restaurants be like, “We’ve got to get the food critics in here.” This guy was just a columnist who came in to try out their food- Dave Young: Right. Stephen Semple: … and it made them famous. And one of the things he loved was Peking duck, and so today Peking duck is pretty normal, it was really new back then. And suddenly, authentic Chinese food started to pop up. This really started it. In the late 1960s, Chinese restaurants in the United States doubled to about 10,000 of them. 1966, the first sushi restaurant opens. She opens the second restaurant, and Philip… And we’re talking about Philip Chiang? Dave Young: Right, right. Stephen Semple: Philip, her son, joins the business, and opens The Mandarin Cafe in LA, where he starts modernizing Chinese dishes for American diners, so starts doing a bit more of a fusion, right? Dave Young: Mm-hmm. Stephen Semple: Now, it’s here that Philip meets Paul Fleming, from Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. Dave Young: Right. Stephen Semple: And Philip starts to build a bit of a friendship with Paul, and wants to work with Paul, wants to leverage his knowledge. Because after all, Ruth Chris is an upscale restaurant, and there’s this rise of casual chains, but Paul is not super excited, because none of them are Chinese, nor is Cecilia. She’s like, “I don’t really want to do this.” Philip is determined, he stays in touch with Paul. So 1979, things really start to change, because the restaurant called China Coach is opened by Wolfgang Puck, and it grows very quickly to 50 restaurants. And it’s the early ’90s, and Cecilia is ready to sell the restaurants. Dave Young: Stay tuned, we’re going to wrap up this story and tell you how to apply this lesson to your business right after this. [Using Stories To Sell Ad] Let’s pick up our story where we left off, and trust me, you haven’t missed a thing. Stephen Semple: And it’s the early ’90s, and Cecilia is ready to sell the restaurants, which basically frees Philip to make the changes he wants to do. He cycles back to Paul. Paul’s now looking at it going, “Well, there is this place for this growth and all of this.” So they decide to start something new. And Philip wants to bring other Asian cuisines, he wants to take it beyond Chinese. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: So he wants to add other Asian foods to it. So he spends three years developing the menu, and they changed the spelling of his last name to make it easier. And in 1993, here’s the other thing I found really, really interesting, they chose to open in Scottsdale in 1993. And here’s where Philip learned something from Cecelia, she did not open in Chinatown, she opened somewhere where there was not Chinese restaurants. At the time in Scottsdale, it’s described as a Chinese food desert at the time. Virtually no Chinese restaurants in 1993. Now, many people would go, “Well, you want to open up somewhere…” Nope, open it in Scottsdale. Opening weekend, they had 1,000 people, some waited for hours. Dave Young: Wow. Stephen Semple: Lined up around the block. Now, what really made them successful is Paul brought his ability to be able to scale a business, upscale dining, and really grow the business. And this is what allowed them to quickly… They quickly drove to 200 locations in a few years. And in 2012, 19 years later, they sold it for $1.1 billion. Dave Young: A billion bucks. Stephen Semple: Yeah. And there was also a point in there where they went public, gave them a bump, and then they were sold, and business was taken private, and it’s changed hands a few times. Dave Young: Well, one thing I’ve always known is that they’re not like every Chinese restaurant you’ve ever been in. Even every small town in America has a Chinese restaurant that they always seem to almost even share the same menus. Stephen Semple: Same thing here. Dave Young: Right. And- Stephen Semple: No matter how tiny the community is, there’s a Chinese restaurant. Dave Young: And- Stephen Semple: But it would have those things like chow mein, and- Dave Young: [inaudible 00:11:43], and Kung Pao chicken, and… Stephen Semple: Yeah. Dave Young: Sure. Stephen Semple: She took those things that were very common and very familiar and left them off of her menu, which was a bold move as well. Dave Young: Yeah, because otherwise we’d all be going in there ordering the Kung Pao chicken. Stephen Semple: We wouldn’t be having the Peking duck. Right. We wouldn’t be having the Peking duck. Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: So it was really interesting what she did, she leaned in to the difference in terms of opening it, because her mission was to bring this food, didn’t open in Chinatown, and left some popular things out, added some interesting things. But let’s face it, she struggled, and then there was the breakout moment. But here’s the part about all of this, now sometimes the trick is you have to be able to survive. If you’re able to survive, and you’re doing something truly remarkable, that breakout moment often happens. Now, advertising and promotion can accelerate that breakout moment, because it exposes people to this new idea, and entices them to come in. But if you do something… But it really and truly has to be remarkable. If you do something remarkable, and you do it really well, and if you can survive through the slow times, you get those breakout moments. Dave Young: Yeah. Yeah. It’s a really cool story. And the place has always felt… Yes, it’s Chinese, but no, it’s different. Stephen Semple: Yeah. Well- Dave Young: You can see the Ruth’s Chris DNA in the place, right? The- Stephen Semple: It’s funny, I had no… And I’ve been in a couple of P.F. Chang’s, and I had no idea the relationship with it. And as soon as I read that, I was like, “Oh, that makes…” It was sort of one of those. As soon as it’s presented that he was involved, it was like, “Oh, that makes so much sense, and I can see it.” It’s sort of funny how you didn’t see it, a lot of these things, hidden, and then it’s revealed, and suddenly it’s obvious, right? Dave Young: Yeah. In the last episode we talked about… I think it was one of the last episodes, we talked quite extensively about brand extension. Stephen Semple: Yes. Dave Young: And this is another good example of what we know would not have worked, and that would’ve been a Chinese restaurant by Ruth Chris. Stephen Semple: Correct. Correct. That’s a great observation. Yes. It would not have worked. Dave Young: Ruth’s Chris Chinese would not have worked. Stephen Semple: Right. Dave Young: You couldn’t leverage the good name of a steakhouse into a Chinese restaurant. Stephen Semple: No. Dave Young: Because that would not work. But you can take the DNA from the steakhouse, the high-end ritzy steakhouse, and apply it in measured ways to a high-end Chinese restaurant. And that’s exactly what they did, they took the luxury part of it, and made a luxury Chinese restaurant. Stephen Semple: Yeah. How the food is presented, how the place is decorated, although it would be decorated regionally different, and how the staff are trained, and all of those… And how the kitchen is run. I bet you if you walk into the two kitchens, you’d go, “Oh, I totally see…” I bet you the methodology in terms of how the kitchen is managed and all those other things is probably exactly the same. Yeah, so you’re right. You’re taking the DNA, and then basically modifying the presentation of that DNA to fit that thing, and giving it its own identity. And the problem that people make is they’ll look at it, go, “Well, the DNA is the same, so why can’t you just name it same?” And it’s, again, it’s like you talked about before, those hidden barriers. We think about the places of steakhouse, what’s the expectation? The expectation is steak, fine wines, potatoes, shrimp, lobster. Yes, there’ll be also vegetables, and grilled things, and all this other stuff, right? Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: You could even put in an appetizer of Peking duck and it would be fine, but you can’t make it a Chinese restaurant. Dave Young: Yeah, I think- Stephen Semple: Just like you couldn’t go the other way. Dave Young: You and I should buy Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. Stephen Semple: Why should we do that? Dave Young: Just so we could change the name to Dave’s Steve’s Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. Stephen Semple: Yeah, I’m going to pass. As awesome in ideas that sounds, as amazing as we would be at running- Dave Young: Another brand violation. I can see it now. Stephen Semple: Is this like a restaurant? Dave Young: All right. Well, thank you for sharing the P.F. Chang story. Now I’ve got to find one near me, and… I don’t want the bag of frozen stuff from the restaurant, I want to go in. Stephen Semple: God, no. You want to go and do the restaurant. Dave Young: Yeah, I want the experience. Stephen Semple: And they are good. They are fine. Dave Young: Yeah, yeah, every time I’ve been, but I just haven’t been very many times. Stephen Semple: Right. Dave Young: All right. Thank you. Stephen Semple: All right. Awesome. Thanks, David. Dave Young: Thanks for listening to the podcast. Please share us. Subscribe on your favorite podcast app, and leave us a big, fat, juicy five-star rating and review at Apple Podcasts. And if you’d like to schedule your own 90-minute empire-building session, you can do it at empirebuildingprogram.com.

Wake up with Talk Breakfast in full on YouTube, DAB+ radio, Freeview 280, Fire TV, Samsung TV Plus or the Talk App on your TV from 6am every morning. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vom 06. bis zum 22. Februar 2026 finden in Mailand und Cortina d'Ampezzo die XXV. Olympischen Winterspiele statt. Wir begeben uns zur Vorbereitung mit Holger Gertz von der Süddeutschen Zeitung auf die lange Reise von Innsbruck 1976 bis zu den Spielen in Peking. Mit Goldmedaillen-Gewinnern wie Toni Innauer, Schorsch Hackl, Leonhard Stock, Christoph Langen, Michaela Dorfmeister, Michael Greis, Felix Loch - and many more …

Kanadas omsvängning mot Kina blev en världsnyhet, i spåren av nya handelshot från USA. Lyssna på alla avsnitt i Sveriges Radios app. Kina och Kanada har länge haft dåliga relationer. Men i och med premiärminister Mark Carneys besök i Peking häromveckan gjorde Kanada en rejäl omsvängning. Därefter fick Carneys tal på världsekonimiskt forum i Davos ordentligt med uppmärksamhet.Utvecklingen sker efter USA:s president Donald Trumps många handelshot – senast i samband med Grönlandskrisen – och upprepade uttalanden om att Kanada borde vara ytterligare en av USA:s delstater. Men Kanada är inte det enda landet som ser ut att närma sig Kina efter att den forna världsordningen har börjat spricka.Vilka andra länder går i samma tankar, vad betyder det för den globala elbilsmarknaden och var ställer sig Sverige i allt det här?Medverkande: Sveriges radios Kinakorrespondent Moa Kärnstrand och Ekots Kinareporter Hanna Sahlberg.Programledare: Björn DjurbergProducent: Åsa WelanderKällor ljudklipp: Global News, Al Jazeera, CBC, DW, WEF Davos, Prime Minister of Canada.

Vom 06. bis zum 22. Februar 2026 finden in Mailand und Cortina d'Ampezzo die XXV. Olympischen Winterspiele statt. Wir begeben uns zur Vorbereitung mit Holger Gertz von der Süddeutschen Zeitung auf die lange Reise von Innsbruck 1976 bis zu den Spielen in Peking. Mit Goldmedaillen-Gewinnern wie Toni Innauer, Schorsch Hackl, Leonhard Stock, Christoph Langen, Michaela Dorfmeister, Michael Greis, Felix Loch - and many more …

25.1.1981: In China fällt das Urteil gegen die "Viererbande" um Maos Witwe. Gerechtigkeit für die Opfer der Kulturrevolution - oder ein Schauprozess mit Sündenböcken? Von Andrea Kath.

Vom 06. bis zum 22. Februar 2026 finden in Mailand und Cortina d'Ampezzo die XXV. Olympischen Winterspiele statt. Wir begeben uns zur Vorbereitung mit Holger Gertz von der Süddeutschen Zeitung auf die lange Reise von Innsbruck 1976 bis zu den Spielen in Peking. Mit Goldmedaillen-Gewinnern wie Toni Innauer, Schorsch Hackl, Leonhard Stock, Christoph Langen, Michaela Dorfmeister, Michael Greis, Felix Loch - and many more …

Rommy Arndt im Gespräch mit Philipp Gut, Jonas Greindberg und Martin Steiner. Kontrafunk-Kommentar: Kommentar Markus Vahlefeld US-Präsident Donald Trump hat in Davos gesprochen. Es ging um Grönland, die NATO, die Ukraine und viele andere Aspekte. Wir analysieren die Rede mit unserem Schweizer Kontrafunkkollegen Philipp Gut. Laut Donald Trump gibt es eine Bedrohung Grönlands durch Russland und China. Stimmt das? Welche Interessen verfolgt Peking in Bezug auf Grönland und die Arktis? Das ist das Thema des Gesprächs mit unserem China-Experten Jonas Greindberg. Im Kommentar des Tages beleuchtet Markus Vahlefeld von allen Seiten das lächerliche Bild, dass die deutsche Politik derzeit abgibt. Und zum Schluss der Sendung werfen wir einen genaueren Blick auf E-Fahrzeuge im Winter. Wie zuverlässig sind sie, wenn die Temperaturen unter Null sinken?

Vom 06. bis zum 22. Februar 2026 finden in Mailand und Cortina d'Ampezzo die XXV. Olympischen Winterspiele statt. Wir begeben uns zur Vorbereitung mit Holger Gertz von der Süddeutschen Zeitung auf die lange Reise von Innsbruck 1976 bis zu den Spielen in Peking. Mit Goldmedaillen-Gewinnern wie Toni Innauer, Schorsch Hackl, Leonhard Stock, Christoph Langen, Michaela Dorfmeister, Michael Greis, Felix Loch - and many more …

Send us a textDrew flew to SFO for happy hour and Doug did AF mission planning which didn't go as planned. We discuss:Iran AirspaceOur 2026 predictionsAircraft emergency FAA tower alertsDelta finally orders the 787Allegiant merges with Sun Country Africa's biggest airport begins constructionListener comments2026 Next Trip PredictionsDoug:Geopolitical issues/airspace closures become the normBig E2 orders. (Maybe United)Alliance changes (does EK finally join)Airbus hints at a new plane ahead of Boeing Drew More 787-10s. American and United increase orders Indigo recovers from crew scheduling and expands internationallySouthwest orders 787s for international flights. BWI-LHR, OAKHND797 is introduced….mini 787United makes good on A350 order with 50 -1000sLinks from the show - Drew's recommendation for Peking duck in San Francisco:Z and Y Peking DuckJoin the Network! https://www.nexttripnetwork.com/

Vom 06. bis zum 22. Februar 2026 finden in Mailand und Cortina d'Ampezzo die XXV. Olympischen Winterspiele statt. Wir begeben uns zur Vorbereitung mit Holger Gertz von der Süddeutschen Zeitung auf die lange Reise von Innsbruck 1976 bis zu den Spielen in Peking. Mit Goldmedaillen-Gewinnern wie Toni Innauer, Schorsch Hackl, Leonhard Stock, Christoph Langen, Michaela Dorfmeister, Michael Greis, Felix Loch - and many more …

Vom 06. bis zum 22. Februar 2026 finden in Mailand und Cortina d'Ampezzo die XXV. Olympischen Winterspiele statt. Wir begeben uns zur Vorbereitung mit Holger Gertz von der Süddeutschen Zeitung auf die lange Reise von Innsbruck 1976 bis zu den Spielen in Peking. Mit Goldmedaillen-Gewinnern wie Toni Innauer, Schorsch Hackl, Leonhard Stock, Christoph Langen, Michaela Dorfmeister, Michael Greis, Felix Loch - and many more …

Vom 06. bis zum 22. Februar 2026 finden in Mailand und Cortina d'Ampezzo die XXV. Olympischen Winterspiele statt. Wir begeben uns zur Vorbereitung mit Holger Gertz von der Süddeutschen Zeitung auf die lange Reise von Innsbruck 1976 bis zu den Spielen in Peking. Mit Goldmedaillen-Gewinnern wie Toni Innauer, Schorsch Hackl, Leonhard Stock, Christoph Langen, Michaela Dorfmeister, Michael Greis, Felix Loch - and many more …

Kina har haft starka band till Maduros regim. Men nu vill Trump ta tillbaka oljan och USA gör tydligt att man vill mota bort Kina från Latinamerika. Kommer Peking acceptera det? Lyssna på alla avsnitt i Sveriges Radios app. USA:s ingripande i Venezuela där landets auktoritäre ledare Nicolás Maduro fördes bort skedde bara timmar efter att en kinesisk delegation besökt Maduro i Caracas. Kina har sedan länge ett tajt samarbete med Maduros Venezuela och såväl ekonomiska som strategiska intressen i landet. Exempelvis har Kina köpt nästan all venezuelansk olja som gått på export. Men nu gör Trump-administrationen tydligt att USA inte kommer acceptera konkurrens i vad man ser som sin bakgård och maktsfär. Peking har hittills svarat med att i hårda ordalag fördöma USA:s räd, men frågan är om Pekings svar stannar där. Hör vad står på spel om Latinamerika härmed blir den nya skärningspunkten i stormaktsrivaliteten mellan Kina och USA. Samtidigt väcker USA:s agerande i Venezuela oro för att Peking kan rättfärdiga ett eget militärt ingripande i Taiwan.Medverkande: Moa Kärnstrand, Kinakorrespondent. Hanna Sahlberg, Ekots Kinareporter.Programledare: Björn DjurbergProducent: Therese RosenvingeKällor ljudklipp: CGTN, Nicolás Maduros Facebook-sida, Vita huset (Youtube), CNN.

Vom 06. bis zum 22. Februar 2026 finden in Mailand und Cortina d'Ampezzo die XXV. Olympischen Winterspiele statt. Wir begeben uns zur Vorbereitung mit Holger Gertz von der Süddeutschen Zeitung auf die lange Reise von Innsbruck 1976 bis zu den Spielen in Peking. Mit Goldmedaillen-Gewinnern wie Toni Innauer, Schorsch Hackl, Leonhard Stock, Christoph Langen, Michaela Dorfmeister, Michael Greis, Felix Loch - and many more …

Vom 06. bis zum 22. Februar 2026 finden in Mailand und Cortina d'Ampezzo die XXV. Olympischen Winterspiele statt. Wir begeben uns zur Vorbereitung mit Holger Gertz von der Süddeutschen Zeitung auf die lange Reise von Innsbruck 1976 bis zu den Spielen in Peking. Mit Goldmedaillen-Gewinnern wie Toni Innauer, Schorsch Hackl, Leonhard Stock, Christoph Langen, Michaela Dorfmeister, Michael Greis, Felix Loch - and many more …

Wie reagiert China auf die Veränderungen in der Weltordnung? Die USA übernehmen die Kontrolle über Venezuela – und damit verliert Peking auch an Einfluss in Südamerika.Welche Kerninteressen verfolgt China in der neuen geopolitischen Lage?Julia Fiedler und Angela Köckritz diskutieren über die chinesische Strategie in einer sich verändernden Welt.Hier geht es zur Anmeldung für den Space.TableTable Briefings - For better informed decisions.Sie entscheiden besser, weil Sie besser informiert sind – das ist das Ziel von Table.Briefings. Wir verschaffen Ihnen mit jedem Professional Briefing, mit jeder Analyse und mit jedem Hintergrundstück einen Informationsvorsprung, am besten sogar einen Wettbewerbsvorteil. Table.Briefings bietet „Deep Journalism“, wir verbinden den Qualitätsanspruch von Leitmedien mit der Tiefenschärfe von Fachinformationen. Professional Briefings kostenlos kennenlernen: table.media/testenHier geht es zu unseren WerbepartnernImpressum: https://table.media/impressumDatenschutz: https://table.media/datenschutzerklaerungBei Interesse an Audio-Werbung in diesem Podcast melden Sie sich gerne bei Laurence Donath: laurence.donath@table.media Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From convenience store pork chops to a distinct take on Peking duck, KQED food editor Luke Tsai discovered a lot of great dishes over the year. He joins us to dish on the best things he ate in 2025 and recommend places you might want to try in the new year. Despite continued restaurant closures, the Bay Area continues to offer amazing culinary options from all over the world, so how do you decide? We'll hear from Tsai and other local food writers, Lauren Saria of The SF Standard and freelancer Octavio Peña, on their picks for what  you should nosh on in 2026. Guests: Luke Tsai, food editor, KQED Arts and Culture Lauren Saria, food editor, The SF Standard Octavio Peña, food writer and contributor, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Peking und Caracas sprachen einst von „Allwetterpartnerschaft“ und „eiserner Freundschaft“. Doch diese blumigen Beschreibungen der Beziehungen zwischen China und Venezuela sind für Peking zu einer heißen Kartoffel geworden. Das kommunistische Regime Chinas gerät nach Maduros Verhaftung durch die USA wirtschaftlich, militärisch sowie politisch unter Druck.

Im Gespräch mit Host Stefan Kaltenbrunner schildert Martin Weiss zunächst die außenpolitischen Tabubrüche der USA – etwa das Vorgehen in Venezuela, die Drohung einer Annexion Grönlands und das Aufbringen eines russischen Tankers – und ordnet sie als neue Qualität US-amerikanischer Machtpolitik ein. Er erklärt, warum diese Schritte zwar an historische Konstanten wie die Monroe-Doktrin anschließen, aber in Tempo, Brutalität und Völkerrechtsbruch eine neue Dimension darstellen.
Aus europäischer Perspektive beschreibt Weiss, wie sehr die Sicherheitsarchitektur unter Druck steht, weil Trump die Beistandspflicht der NATO de facto infrage stellt und Europa militärisch wie politisch lange im Windschatten der USA gelebt hat. Gleichzeitig sieht er in dieser Krise die Chance, dass die EU endlich entscheidungsfähig wird, in der Verteidigungspolitik aufholt und gegenüber Washington aus einer stärkeren Position auftritt.
Im Gespräch zur Ukraine betont Weiss, dass Russland militärisch weit weniger Geländegewinne erzielt hat, als oft angenommen, aber der Westen dennoch seine Glaubwürdigkeit verspielt, sollte die Ukraine politisch oder militärisch vollständig unterliegen. Er hält ein mögliches Waffenstillstands- oder Arrangementszenario rund um 2026 für denkbar, weil sowohl Russland als auch die Ukraine und ihre Unterstützer unter der immensen Last des Krieges ächzen.
Mit Blick auf China warnt Weiss vor einer Fehleinschätzung der USA: Wenn Peking aus Ukraine, Venezuela und anderen Konflikten lernt, dass Fakten schaffen belohnt wird, könnte ein Angriff auf Taiwan eine globale Eskalation auslösen. Parallel dazu skizziert er, wie innenpolitisch viele Amerikaner Außenpolitik nur am Rand interessiert, während steigende Lebenshaltungskosten Trumps Popularität massiv unter Druck setzen.
Weiss beschreibt Bruchlinien innerhalb der Republikaner, die Loyalität zu Trump gegen ihren eigenen Ruf abwägen müssen, und schildert, wie der Präsident trotz seiner harten Linie zunehmend zur „lame duck“ werden könnte – vor allem bei krachend verlorenen Midterms. Auf demokratischer Seite nennt er unter anderem Kaliforniens Gouverneur Gavin Newsom als Beispiel dafür, wie sich mögliche Gegenkandidaten zu Trump inhaltlich und strategisch positionieren.
Im Nahen Osten sieht Weiss den Iran in einer existenziellen Krise: Verbündete wie Hisbollah und Hamas seien geschwächt, wirtschaftliche Probleme und Wassermangel verschärften den innenpolitischen Druck, wodurch auch dort bis 2026 dramatische Umbrüche möglich erscheinen. Insgesamt zeichnet er das Bild einer multipolaren Welt ohne stabile Ordnung, in der Fehler der Großmächte – von Washington über Moskau bis Peking – jederzeit in einen Flächenbrand münden könnten, während Europa versucht, zwischen Eigenständigkeit und Abhängigkeit seinen Platz neu zu definieren.Links zur Folge:Salzburg Global Wir würden uns sehr freuen, wenn Du "Ganz offen gesagt" auf einem der folgenden Wege unterstützt:Werde Unterstützer:in auf SteadyKaufe ein Premium-Abo auf AppleKaufe Artikel in unserem FanshopSchalte Werbung in unserem PodcastFeedback bitte an redaktion@ganzoffengesagt.atTranskripte und Fotos zu den Folgen findest Du auf podcastradio.at

Vom 06. bis zum 22. Februar 2026 finden in Mailand und Cortina d'Ampezzo die XXV. Olympischen Winterspiele statt. Wir begeben uns zur Vorbereitung mit Holger Gertz von der Süddeutschen Zeitung auf die lange Reise von Innsbruck 1976 bis zu den Spielen in Peking. Mit Goldmedaillen-Gewinnern wie Toni Innauer, Schorsch Hackl, Leonhard Stock, Christoph Langen, Michaela Dorfmeister, Michael Greis, Felix Loch - and many more …

Peking führt eine zweitägige Militärübung in der Taiwanstraße durch und betont damit erneut, dass Taiwan Teil Chinas sei. Laut einem neuen Pentagon-Bericht sind Pläne für eine Invasion bis Ende 2027 möglich.

Vom 06. bis zum 22. Februar 2026 finden in Mailand und Cortina d'Ampezzo die XXV. Olympischen Winterspiele statt. Wir begeben uns zur Vorbereitung mit Holger Gertz von der Süddeutschen Zeitung auf die lange Reise von Innsbruck 1976 bis zu den Spielen in Peking. Mit Goldmedaillen-Gewinnern wie Toni Innauer, Schorsch Hackl, Leonhard Stock, Christoph Langen, Michaela Dorfmeister, Michael Greis, Felix Loch - and many more ...

PREVIEW CHINA'S ECONOMIC DESCENT AND TRADE WAR UNCERTAINTY Colleague Anne Stevenson-Yang. Discussing the "lose-lose proposition" of the current trade war, Anne Stevenson-Yang analyzes the Chineseeconomy's decline. She points to erratic signals regarding tariff exemptions and the difficulty of predicting market outcomes, noting the massive challenges facing China's export-driven model amidst this instability. 1906 PEKING

Diese Folge ist ursprünglich am 6. Juni 2025 erschienen. Im Rahmen des aktuellen Highlight-Programms während der Winterpause von »Acht Milliarden« veröffentlichen wir sie hier noch einmal. Immer wieder tauchen Berichte über den Einsatz von Uiguren als Zwangsarbeiter in China auf. Neue Recherchen des SPIEGEL zeigen nun das tatsächliche Ausmaß: Uiguren werden systematisch aus ihrer Heimatprovinz Xinjiang in andere Landesteile gebracht, wo sie unter teils prekären Bedingungen arbeiten müssen. Den Betroffenen drohen willkürliche Inhaftierungen, sie stehen unter ständiger Überwachung und sind oftmals in Wohnheimen untergebracht, die sie kaum verlassen dürfen. In der aktuellen Folge des SPIEGEL-Podcasts »Acht Milliarden« spricht Host Juan Moreno mit Christoph Giesen, SPIEGEL-Korrespondent in Peking. In einer langwierigen Recherche in Kooperation mit der »New York Times« und dem Londoner »The Bureau of Investigative Journalism« fanden Giesen und seine Kollegen 75 Werke in elf Provinzen, in denen Angehörige der muslimischen Minderheit arbeiten müssen. Zu den Profiteuren zählen mutmaßlich auch deutsche Unternehmen, da sie direkt oder indirekt von dieser Form der Ausbeutung profitieren könnten. Mehr zum Thema: (S+) Der VW-Konzern wollte beweisen, dass es in seinem umstrittenen Werk in Xinjiang keine Zwangsarbeit gibt. SPIEGEL-Recherchen belegen: Der Prüfbericht enthält Mängel, die Prüfer scheinen zweifelhaft: https://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/volkswagens-bluff-mit-den-menschenrechten-fragwuerdige-fabrik-in-xinjiang-a-cf3028b4-6c27-4caf-8277-47603c650a92 (S+) Der chinesische Staat soll in Umerziehungslagern rund eine Million Uiguren interniert haben: Die Xinjiang Police Files geben diesem System nun Namen und Gesichter: https://www.spiegel.de/ausland/xinjiang-police-files-einblick-in-chinas-brutales-lagersystem-a-6e85c81a-43c5-4a7b-85ad-8c70b22179a2 Abonniert »Acht Milliarden«, um die nächste Folge nicht zu verpassen. Wir freuen uns, wenn ihr den Podcast weiterempfehlt oder uns eine Bewertung hinterlasst.+++ Alle Infos zu unseren Werbepartnern finden Sie hier. Die SPIEGEL-Gruppe ist nicht für den Inhalt dieser Seite verantwortlich. +++ Den SPIEGEL-WhatsApp-Kanal finden Sie hier. Alle SPIEGEL Podcasts finden Sie hier. Mehr Hintergründe zum Thema erhalten Sie mit SPIEGEL+. Entdecken Sie die digitale Welt des SPIEGEL, unter spiegel.de/abonnieren finden Sie das passende Angebot. Informationen zu unserer Datenschutzerklärung.

Gestur Aukakastsins í desember er silfurdrengurinn Sverre Andreas Jakobsson. Sverre fer yfir uppvaxtar árin sín, afrekin á körfuboltavellinum og lífið fyrir norðan. Hvernig var að vera í KA í pakkfullu húsi og þegar hann hætti í handboltanum. Ævintýrið í Peking 2008 og lífið í atvinnumennskunni. Þetta og svo miklu miklu meira í nýjasta þætti Aukakastsins.

China's Property Crisis Deepens as State-Owned Giant Vanke Plunges; Export Model Creates International Friction — Fraser Howie — Howie documents the deepening property market crisis, evidenced by the financial collapse of state-owned developer Vanke. The central government avoids massive bailout commitments, converting acute sectoral problems into chronic structural drags that leave municipal and regional banks dangerously exposed. Howie notes that the government's current strategy—relying on massive export volumes—is generating significant international friction and pushback, as other nations fear being "swamped by cheap Chinese imports" and demand market access reciprocity. 1947 PEKING

Geopolitics of the Gulf and Eurasia: US-Saudi Relations and China's Global Strategy — Victoria Coates, Vice President, Heritage Foundation — Victoria Coates addresses U.S.-Saudi relations, noting that technology transfer risks from China exist but remain manageable through export-controlled F-35 versions. She argues that Russia is dependent on Beijing in the Ukraine war, which serves China's strategic objective of distracting the West from Indo-Pacific developments. A perceived Russian victory would embolden China toward aggression in East Asia. Coates identifies security guarantees and Saudi openness to the Abraham Accords as key priorities for regional stability.  1922 PEKING

Xi Jinping's Exile and Family Betrayal. Joseph Turigian describes how political torment extended to Xi Zhongxun's family, forcing Xi Jinping's mother to denounce her teenage son when he fled incarceration, a difficult moral judgment made to protect the remaining siblings. During the Cultural Revolution, Xi Jinping was exiled to the countryside near Yanan, a sacred site of Chinese Communist Party history. This mass "sending down" of youth was intended to toughen them up and instill revolutionary spirit, becoming a deeply formative experience for Xi Jinping. Xi Zhongxun spent years in prison writing unanswered, plaintive letters seeking relief and reconsideration from the leadership. Guest: Joseph Turigian. 906 PEKING