Podcasts about Sword

Last time we spoke about the beginning of the battle of lake Khasan. On a frost-bitten dawn by the Chaun and Tumen, two empires, Soviet and Japanese, stared at Changkufeng, each certain the ridge would decide their fate. Diplomats urged restraint, but Tokyo's generals plotted a bold gamble: seize the hill with a surprise strike and bargain afterward. In the Japanese camp, a flurry of trains, orders, and plans moved in the night. Officers like Sato and Suetaka debated danger and responsibility, balancing "dokudan senko", independent action with disciplined restraint. As rain hammered the earth, they contemplated a night assault: cross the Tumen, occupy Hill 52, and strike Changkufeng with coordinated dawn and night attacks. Engineers, artillery, and infantry rehearsed their movements in near-poetic precision, while the 19th Engineers stitched crossings and bridges into a fragile path forward. Across the river, Soviet scouts and border guards held their nerve, counting enemy shadows and watching for a break in the line. The clash at Shachaofeng became a lightning rod: a small force crossed into Manchurian soil in the restless dark, provoking a broader crisis just as diplomacy teetered.   #179 From Darkness to Crest: The Changkufeng Battle 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. As remarked in the 19th division's war journal "With sunset on the 30th, the numbers of enemy soldiers increased steadily. Many motor vehicles, and even tanks, appear to have moved up. The whole front has become tense. Hostile patrols came across the border frequently, even in front of Chiangchunfeng. Tank-supported infantry units were apparently performing offensive deployment on the high ground south of Shachaofeng." Situation maps from the evening indicated Soviet patrol activity approaching the staging area of Nakano's unit near the Tumen, moving toward Noguchi's company to the left of Chiangchunfeng, and advancing toward Matsunobe's unit southwest of Shachaofeng. Russian vessels were depicted ferrying across Khasan, directly behind Changkufeng, while tanks moved south from Shachaofeng along the western shores of the lake. The 19th division's war journal states "Then it was ascertained that these attack forces had gone into action. All of our own units quietly commenced counteraction from late that night, as scheduled, after having systematically completed preparations since nightfall." Meanwhile, to the north, the Hunchun garrison reinforced the border with a battalion and tightened security. All evidence supported the view that Suetaka "in concept" and Sato"(in tactics" played the main part in the night-attack planning and decisions. Sato was the only infantry regimental commander at the front on 30 July. One division staff officer went so far as to say that Suetaka alone exerted the major influence, that Sato merely worked out details, including the type of attack and the timing. Intertwined with the decision to attack Changkufeng was the choice of an infantry regiment. The 76th Regiment was responsible for the defense of the sector through its Border Garrison Unit; but the latter had no more than two companies to guard a 40-mile border extending almost to Hunchun, and Okido's regimental headquarters was 75 miles to the rear at Nanam. T. Sato's 73rd Regiment was also at Nanam, while Cho's 74th Regiment was stationed another 175 miles southwest at Hamhung. Thus, the regiment nearest to Changkufeng was K. Sato's 75th, 50 miles away at Hoeryong. Although Suetaka had had time to shuffle units if he desired, Sasai suggested that troop movements from Nanam could not be concealed; from Hoeryong they might be termed maneuvers. Suetaka undoubtedly had favorites in terms of units as well as chiefs. K. Sato had served longest as regimental commander, since October 1937; Okido's date of rank preceded K. Sato's, but Okido had not taken command until 1938. He and Cho were able enough, but they were unknown quantities; T. Sato and Cho were brand-new colonels.  Thus, K. Sato was best known to Suetaka and was familiar with the terrain. While he did not regard his regiment as the equal of units in the Kwantung Army or in the homeland, K. Sato's training program was progressing well and his men were rugged natives of Nagano and Tochigi prefectures. From the combat soldier's standpoint, the Changkufeng Incident was waged between picked regulars on both sides. The matter of quantitative regimental strength could have played no part in Suetaka's choice. The 74th, 75th, and 76th regiments each possessed 1,500 men; the 73rd, 1,200. Even in ordinary times, every unit conducted night-attack training, attended by Suetaka, but there was nothing special in July, even after the general inspected the 75th Regiment on the 11th. It had been said that the most efficient battalions were selected for the action. Although, of course, Sato claimed that all of his battalions were good, from the outset he bore the 1st Battalion in mind for the night attack and had it reconnoiter the Changkufeng area. Some discerned no special reasons; it was probably a matter of numerical sequence, 1st-2nd-3rd Battalions. Others called the choice a happy coincidence because of the 1st Battalion's 'splendid unity' and the aggressive training conducted by Major Ichimoto, who had reluctantly departed recently for regimental headquarters. Coming from the 75th Regiment headquarters to take over the 1st Battalion was the 40-year-old aide Major Nakano. By all accounts, he was quiet, serious, and hard-working, a man of noble character, gentle and sincere. More the administrative than commander type, Nakano lacked experience in commanding battalions and never had sufficient time to get to know his new unit (or they, him) before the night assault. He could hardly be expected to have stressed anything particular in training. Since there was no battalion-level training, the most valid unit of comparison in the regiment was the company, the smallest infantry component trained and equipped to conduct combat missions independently. Sato valued combat experience among subordinates; Nakano's 1st Battalion was considered a veteran force by virtue of its old-timer company commanders. All but one had come up through the ranks; the exception, young Lieutenant Nakajima, the darling of Sato, was a military academy graduate. For assault actions synchronized with those of the 1st Battalion, Sato selected Ito, the one line captain commanding the 6th Company of the 2nd Battalion, and Takeshita, 10th Company commander, one of the two line captains of the 3rd Battalion. In short, Sato had designated five veteran captains and a promising lieutenant to conduct the night-attack operations of 30-31 July, the first Japanese experience of battle against the modern Red Army. During the last two weeks of July, numerous spurious farmers had gambled along the lower reaches of the Tumen, reconnoitered the terrain, and prepared for a crossing and assault. Scouts had operated on both the Manchurian and Korean sides of the river. Major Nakano had conducted frequent personal reconnaissance and had dispatched platoon and patrol leaders, all heavy-weapons observation teams, and even the battalion doctor to Sozan Hill, to Chiangchunfeng, and close to enemy positions. In Korean garb and often leading oxen, the scouts had threaded their way through the Changkufeng sector, sometimes holing up for the night to observe Soviet movements, soil and topography, and levels of illumination. From this data, Nakano had prepared reference materials necessary for an assault. Hirahara, then located at Kucheng BGU Headquarters, had established three observation posts on high ground to the rear. After Chiangchunfeng had been occupied, Hirahara had set up security positions and routes there. Regarding Changkufeng, he had sought to ensure that even the lowest private studied the layout. Formation commanders such as Takeshita had volunteered frequently. Sato had also utilized engineers. Since the order to leave his station on 17 July, Lieutenant Colonel Kobayashi had had his regiment engage in scouting routes, bridges, and potential fords. Sato's 1st Company commander had prepared a sketch during 3% hours of reconnaissance across from Hill 52 during the afternoon of 18 July. Captain Yamada's intelligence had contributed to the tactical decisions and to knowledge of Russian strength and preparations. The most important information had been his evaluation of attack approaches, suggesting an offensive from the western side, preferably against the right flank or frontally. This concept had been the one applied by the regiment in its night assault two weeks later; Yamada had died on the green slopes he had scanned. Cloudy Saturday, 30 July, had drawn to a close. The moment had been at hand for the 75th Regiment to storm the Russians atop Changkufeng. Setting out from Fangchuanting at 22:30, Nakano's battalion, about 350 strong, had assembled at a fork one kilometer southwest of Changkufeng. The roads had been knee-deep in mud due to intermittent rain and downpours on 29–30 July. Now the rain had subsided, but clouds had blotted out the sky after the waning moon had set at 22:30. Led by Sakata's 1st Platoon leader, the men had marched silently toward the southern foot of Changkufeng; the murk had deepened and the soldiers could see no more than ten meters ahead. It had taken Sakata's men less than an hour to push forward the last 1,000 meters to the jump-off point, where they had waited another two hours before X-hour arrived. Scouts had advanced toward the first row of wire, 200–300 meters away. Platoon Leader Amagasa had infiltrated the positions alone and had reconnoitered the southeastern side of the heights. Sakata had heard from the patrols about the entanglements and their distance and makeup. While awaiting paths to be cut by engineer teams, the infantry had moved up as far as possible, 150 meters from the enemy, by 23:30. Although records described Changkufeng as quite steep, it had not been hard to climb until the main Russian positions were reached, even though there were cliffs. But as the craggy peak had been neared, the enemy defenses, which had taken advantage of rocks and dips, could not have been rushed in a bound. It had been 500 meters to the crest from the gently sloping base. The incline near the top had been steep at about 40 degrees and studded with boulders. Farther down were more soil and gravel. Grass had carpeted the foot. Japanese Army radio communications had been in their infancy; wire as well as runners had served as the main means of linking regimental headquarters with the front-line infantry, crossing-point engineers, and supporting guns across the Tumen in Korea. From Chiangchunfeng to the 1st Battalion, lines had been installed from the morning of 29 July. Combat communications had been operated by the small regimental signal unit, 27 officers and men. In general, signal traffic had been smooth and reception was good. Engineer support had been rendered by one platoon, primarily to assist with wire-cutting operations. Nakano had ordered his 1st Company to complete clearing the wire by 02:00. At 23:30 the cutters had begun their work on the right with three teams under 1st Lieutenant Inagaki. Since the proposed breach had been far from the enemy positions and there were no outposts nearby, Inagaki had pressed the work of forced clearing. The first entanglements had been breached fairly quickly, then the second. At about midnight, a dim light had etched the darkness, signaling success. There had been two gaps on the right. On the left side, Sakata's company had hoped to pierce the barbed wire in secrecy rather than by forced clearing. Only one broad belt of entanglements, actually the first and third lines, had been reconnoitered along the south and southeastern slopes. Sakata had assigned one team of infantry, with a covering squad led by Master Sergeant Amagasa, to the engineer unit under 2nd Lieutenant Nagayama. Covert clearing of a pair of gaps had begun. The Russian stakes had been a meter apart and the teams cut at the center of each section, making breaches wide enough for a soldier to wriggle through. To the rear, the infantry had crouched expectantly, while from the direction of Khasan the rumble of Soviet armor could be heard. At 00:10, when the first line of wire had been penetrated and the cutters were moving forward, the silence had been broken by the furious barking of Russian sentry dogs, and pale blue flares had burst over the slopes. As recalled by an engineer "It had been as bright as day. If only fog would cover us or it would start to rain!" At the unanticipated second line, the advancing clearing elements had drawn gunfire and grenades. But the Russians had been taken by surprise, Sakata said, and their machine guns had been firing high. Two engineers had been wounded; the security patrol on the left flank may have drawn the fire. Sakata had crawled up to Lieutenant Nagayama's cutting teams. One party had been hiding behind a rock, with a man sticking out his hand, grasping for the stake and feeling for electrified wire. Another soldier lay nearby, ready to snip the wire. The enemy had seemed to have discerned the Japanese, for the lieutenant could hear low voices. Although the cutters had been told to continue clearing in secrecy, they had by now encountered a line of low barbed wire and the work had not progressed as expected. Forced clearing had begun, which meant that the men had to stand or kneel, ignoring hostile fire and devoting primary consideration to speed. The infantrymen, unable to delay, had crawled through the wire as soon as the cutters tore a gap. Ten meters behind the small breaches, as well as in front of the Soviet positions, the Japanese had been troubled by fine low strands. They had resembled piano-wire traps, a foot or so off the ground. The wires had been invisible in the grass at night. As one soldier recalled "You couldn't disengage easily. When you tried to get out, you'd be sniped at. The wires themselves could cut a bit, too." Sakata had kept up with the clearing teams and urged them on. On his own initiative, Amagasa had his men break the first and third lines of wire by 01:50. Meanwhile, at 01:20, Nakano had phoned Sato, reporting that his forces had broken through the lines with little resistance, and had recommended that the attack be launched earlier than 2:00. Perhaps the premature alerting of the Russians had entered into Nakano's considerations. Sato had explained matters carefully, that is, rejected the suggestion, saying Changkufeng must not be taken too early, lest the enemy at Shachaofeng be alerted. The entire battalion, redeployed, had been massed for the charge up the slope. In an interval of good visibility, the troops could see as far as 40 meters ahead. A little before 02:00, Nakano had sent runners to deliver the order to advance. When the final obstructions had been cut, Nagayama had flashed a light. Then a white flag had moved in the darkness and the infantry had moved forward. Sakata's company, heading directly for Changkufeng crest, had less ground to traverse than Yamada's, and the point through which they penetrated the wire had been at the fork, where there appeared to have been only two lines to cut. The soldiers had crawled on their knees and one hand and had taken cover as soon as they got through. It had been 02:15 when the battalion traversed the barbed wire and began the offensive. The Japanese Army manual had stated that unaimed fire was seldom effective at night and that it had been imperative to avoid confusion resulting from wild shooting. At Changkufeng, the use of firearms had been forbidden by regimental order. Until the troops had penetrated the wire, bayonets had not been fixed because of the danger to friendly forces. Once through the entanglements, the men had attached bayonets, but, although their rifles had been loaded, they still had not been allowed to fire. The men had been traveling light. Instead of the 65 pounds the individual rifleman might ordinarily carry, knapsack, weapons and ammunition, tools, supplies, and clothing, each helmeted soldier had only 60 cartridges, none on his back, a haversack containing two grenades, a canteen, and a gas mask. To prevent noise, the regulations had prescribed wrapping metal parts of bayonets, canteens, sabers, mess kits, shovels, picks, and hobnails with cloth or straw. The wooden and metal parts of the shovel had been separated, the canteen filled, ammunition pouches stuffed with paper, and the bayonet sheath wrapped with cloth. Instead of boots, the men had worn web-toed, rubbersoled ground socks to muffle sound. Although their footgear had been bound with straw ropes, the soldiers occasionally had slipped in the wet grass. Considerations of security had forbidden relief of tension by talking, coughing, or smoking. Company commanders and platoon leaders had carried small white flags for hand signaling. In Sakata's company, the platoons had been distinguished by white patches of cloth hung over the gas masks on the men's backs, triangular pieces for the 1st Platoon, square for the second. Squad leaders had worn white headbands under their helmets. The company commanders had strapped on a white cross-belt; the platoon leaders, a single band. Officer casualties had proven particularly severe because the identification belts had been too conspicuous; even when the officers had lay flat, Soviet illuminating shells had made their bodies visible. On the left, the 2nd Company, 70–80 strong, had moved up with platoons abreast and scouts ahead. About 10 meters had separated the individual platoons advancing in four files; in the center were Sakata and his command team. The same setup had been used for Yamada's company and his two infantry platoons on the right. To the center and rear of the lead companies were battalion headquarters, a platoon of Nakajima's 3rd Company, and the Kitahara Machine-Gun Company, 20 meters from Nakano. The machine-gun company had differed from the infantry companies in that it had three platoons of two squads each. The machine-gun platoons had gone through the center breach in the entanglements with the battalion commander. Thereafter, they had bunched up, shoulder to shoulder and with the machine guns close to each other. Kitahara had led, two platoons forward, one back. The night had been so dark that the individual soldiers had hardly been able to tell who had been leading and who had been on the flanks. The 2nd Company had consolidated after getting through the last entanglements and had walked straight for Changkufeng crest. From positions above the Japanese, Soviet machine guns covering the wire had blazed away at a range of 50 meters. Tracers had ripped the night, but the Russians' aim had seemed high. Soviet illuminating shells, by revealing the location of dead angles among the rocks, had facilitated the Japanese approach. Fifty meters past the barbed wire, Sakata had run into the second Soviet position. From behind a big rock, four or five soldiers had been throwing masher grenades. Sakata and his command team had dashed to the rear and cut down the Russians. The captain had sabered one soldier who had been about to throw a grenade. Then Master Sergeant Onuki and the others had rushed up and overran the Russian defenses. The Japanese had not yet fired or sustained casualties. There had been no machine guns in the first position Sakata had jumped into; the trenches had been two feet deep and masked by rocks. To the right, a tent could be seen. Blind enemy firing had reached a crescendo around 02:30. The Russians had resisted with rifles, light and heavy machine guns, hand grenades, rifle grenades, flares, rapid-fire guns, and a tank cannon. "The hill had shaken, but our assault unit had advanced, disregarding the heavy resistance and relying only on the bayonet." The battalion commander, Major Nakano, had been the first officer to be hit. Moving to the left of Sakata's right-hand platoon, he had rushed up, brandishing his sword, amid ear-splitting fire and day-like flashes. He had felled an enemy soldier and then another who had been about to get him from behind. But a grenade had exploded and he had dropped, with his right arm hanging grotesquely and many fragments embedded in his chest and left arm. After regaining consciousness, Nakano had yelled at soldiers rushing to help him: "You fools! Charge on! Never mind me." Staggering to his feet, he had leaned on his sword with his left hand and pushed up the slope after the assault waves, while "everybody had been dashing around like mad." Sakata had encountered progressive defenses and more severe fire. The main body of the company had lost contact with other elements after getting through the entanglements. Sakata had thought that he had already occupied an edge of Changkufeng, but about 30 meters ahead stood a sharp-faced boulder, two or three meters high, from which enormous numbers of grenades had been lobbed. The Japanese, still walking, had come across another Soviet position, manned by four or five grenadiers. Sword in hand, Sakata had led Sergeant Onuki and his command team in a rush : "The enemy was about to take off as we jumped them. One Russian jabbed the muzzle of his rifle into my stomach at the moment I had my sword raised overhead. He pulled the trigger but the rifle did not go off. I cut him down before he could get me. The others ran away, but behind them they left grenades with pins pulled. Many of my men fell here and I was hit in the thighs".  Onuki had felled two or three Russians behind Sakata, then disposed of an enemy who had been aiming at Sakata from the side. It had been around 03:00. On the right, the 1st Company had made relatively faster progress along the western slopes after having breached two widely separated belts of barbed wire. Once through the second wire, the troops had found a third line, 150 meters behind, and enemy machine guns had opened fire. Thereupon, a left-platoon private first class had taken a "do or die" forced clearing team, rushed 15 meters ahead of the infantry, and tore a path for the unit. At 03:00, Yamada had taken his men in a dash far up the right foot of the hill, overran the unexpected position, and captured two rapid-fire guns. The company's casualties had been mounting. Yamada had been hit in the chest but had continued to cheer his troops on. At 03:30, he had led a rush against the main objective, tents up the hill, behind the antitank guns. Yamada had cut down several bewildered soldiers in the tents, but had been shot again in the chest, gasping "Tenno Heika Banzai!" "Long Live the Emperor!", and had fallen dead. His citation had noted that he had "disrupted the enemy's rear after capturing the forwardmost positions and thus furnished the key to the ultimate rout of the whole enemy line." Sergeant Shioda, though wounded badly, and several of the men had picked up their commander's body and moved over to join Lieutenant Inagaki. On the left, Kadowaki had charged into the tents with his platoon and had played his part in interfering with the Russian rear. After this rush, the unit had been pinned down by fire from machine-gun emplacements, and Kadowaki had been wounded seriously. His platoon had veered left while watching for an opportunity to charge. Eventual contact had been made with Sakata's company.   The assault on the right flank had been failing. With the death of Yamada, command of the company had been assumed temporarily by Inagaki. He and his right-flank platoon had managed to smash their way through the entanglements; Inagaki had sought to rush forward, sword in hand. Furious firing by Soviet machine guns, coupled with hand grenades, had checked the charge. Losses had mounted. Still another effort had bogged down in the face of enemy reinforcements, supported not only by covered but by tank-mounted machine guns. Russian tanks and trucks had appeared to be operating behind Changkufeng. Sergeant Shioda had been trying to keep the attack moving. Again and again, he had pushed toward the Soviet position with five of his surviving men, to no avail. The left-flank platoon had sought to evade the fierce fire by taking advantage of rock cover and hurling grenades. Finally, a private first class had lobbed in a grenade, rushed the machine gun, and silenced the weapon. By now, precious time and lives had been lost. Either instinctively or by order, the 1st Company had been shifting to the left, away from the core of the enemy fire-net. Inagaki had decided to veer left in a wide arc to outflank Changkufeng from the same side where the 2nd Company and most of the battalion were at-tacking. There would be no further attempts to plunge between the lake and the heights or to head for the crest from the rear. Military maps had indicated tersely that remnants of the 1st Company had displaced to the 2nd Company area at 04:00, sometime after the last charge on the right by Yamada. On the left front, in the sector facing the main defenses on Changkufeng crest, Sakata had fallen after being hit by a grenade. A machine gunner had improvised a sling. "I had lost a lot of blood," Sakata had said, "and there were no medics. Onuki, my command team chief who had been acting platoon leader, had been killed around here. I had ordered Warrant Officer Kuriyama to take the company and push on until I could catch up." As Sakata lay on the ground, he had seen the battalion commander and the Nakajima company move past him in the darkness. Nakano had said not a word; Sakata had not known the major had been maimed. "I still hadn't felt intense pain," Sakata had recalled. "I had rested after the first bad feelings. In about 15 minutes I had felt well enough to move up the hill and resume command of my company." With both Nakano and Sakata wounded, individual officers or noncoms had kept the assault moving. The 1st Platoon leader, Kuriyama, had been securing the first position after overrunning it but had become worried about the main force. On his own initiative, he had brought his men up the hill to join the rest of the company, while the battalion aide, 2nd Lieutenant Nishimura, had made arrangements to deploy the heavy machine guns and reserve infantry in support. Before 4 A.M., these troops under Kitahara and Nakajima had caught up with the remnants of the 2nd Company, which had pressed beyond the third position to points near the Soviet Crestline.   By the time Sakata had regained his feet and moved toward the peak, somewhere between 03:30 and 04:00, the Japanese had been pinned down. Most of the losses had been incurred at this point. "Iron fragments, rock, sand, blood, and flesh had been flying around," Akaishizawa had written. Grenades had caused the preponderance of wounds after the men had penetrated the barbed wire. Deaths had been inflicted mainly by the Soviet "hurricane" of small arms and machine-gun fire and by ricochets ripping from man to man. Six Russian heavy weapons had kept up a relentless fire from three emplacements, and milk-bottle-shaped grenades had continued to thud down on the Japanese. The grenades had hindered the advance greatly. Mainly at the crest, but at every firing position as well, the Russians had used rifle grenades, primarily to eliminate dead angles in front of positions. There had been low piano wire between firing points, and yellow explosive had been planted amidst rock outcroppings and in front of the emplacements. "The Russians had relied exclusively on fire power; there had been no instance of a brave enemy charge employing cold steel." Only 20 meters from the entrenchments atop Changkufeng, Kitahara had been striving to regain the initiative and to hearten the scattered, reeling troops. One Japanese Army motto had concerned the mental attitude of commanders: "When surprised by the enemy, pause for a smoke." Kitahara had stood behind a rock, without a helmet, puffing calmly on a cigarette—a sight which had cheered the men. Sakata could not forget the scene. "It really happened," he had said, respectfully. As soon as Sakata had reached the forward lines, he had joined Kitahara (the senior officer and de facto battalion commander till then) and three enlisted men. All had been pinned behind the large boulder, the only possible cover, which had jutted in front of the Soviet crestline positions. Fire and flame had drenched the slopes, grenades from the peak, machine guns from the flank. The eastern skies had been brightening and faces could be discerned. Troubled by the stalemate yet not feeling failure, Sakata had said nothing about his own wounds but had told Kitahara he would lead his 2nd Company in a last charge up the left side of Changkufeng if only the machine gun company could do something about the enemy fire, especially some Soviet tanks which had been shooting from the right. "The enemy must have learned by now," the regimental records had observed, "that our forces were scanty, for the Soviets exposed the upper portions of their bodies over the breastworks, sniped incessantly, and lobbed illuminating shells at us." Agreeing with Sakata that the "blind" Japanese would have to take some kind of countermeasure to allow his two available heavy machine guns to go into concerted action, Kitahara had ordered illuminating rounds fired by the grenade dischargers. He had clambered atop the boulder and squatted there amidst the furious crossfire to spot for his guns, still only 20 meters from the Russian lines. Perhaps it had been the golden spark of Kitahara's cigarette, perhaps it had been the luminescence of his cross-bands, but hardly a moment later, at 04:03 am, a sniper's bullet had caught the captain between the eyes and he had toppled to his death. Nakajima had wanted to support Sakata's stricken company as well. The lieutenant had seen the advantage of outflanking the emplacements from the far left of Changkufeng where the fire of two Soviet heavy machine guns had been particularly devastating. Nakajima had swung his reserve unit around the crest to the southwest side, pressed forward through deadly grenade attacks, and had managed to reach a point ten meters from the Russian positions. Perched on the cliff's edge, he had prepared to continue: "Nakajima, who had been calming his men and looking for a chance to advance, leaped up and shouted, "Right now! Charge!" Sword in hand, he led his forces to the front on the left and edged up against the crest emplacements. But the enemy did not recoil; grenades and machine gun fusillades burst from above on all sides. Men fell, one after another. [During this final phase, a platoon leader and most of the key noncoms were killed.] A runner standing near Nakajima was hit in the head by a grenade and collapsed. Nakajima picked up the soldier's rifle, took cover behind a boulder, and tried to draw a bead on a Russian sniper whom he could see dimly 20 meters away through the lifting mist. But a bullet hit him in the left temple and he pitched forward, weakly calling, "Long Live the Emperor!" A PFC held the lieutenant up and pleaded with him to hang on, but the company commander's breath grew fainter and his end was at hand. The time was 4:10 am". Nakajima's orderly said of the event "Lieutenant Nakajima charged against the highest key point on Changkufeng, leading the reserve unit, and ensured the seizure of the hill. The lieutenant was wearing the boots which I had always kept polished but which he had never worn till this day." Akaishizawa added that Nakajima had purified himself in the waters of the Tumen before entering combat, in traditional fashion. Lieutenant Yanagihara had penned a tribute to his young fellow officer, the resolute samurai "Lt. Nakajima must have been expecting a day like today. He was wearing brand-new white underclothes and had wrapped his body with white cloth and the thousand-stitch stomach band which his mother had made for him. .. . Was not the lieutenant's end the same as we find in an old tanka verse? "Should you ask what is the Yamato spirit, the soul of Japan: It is wild cherry blossoms glowing in the rising sun."  On this main attack front, Soviet heavy machine guns and tanks had continued to deliver withering fire against the Japanese remnants, while Russian snipers and grenadiers had taken an increasing toll. Shortly after 04:00, enemy reinforcements had appeared at the northeast edge. Of the company commanders, only Sakata had still been alive; the other three officers had died between 03:30 and 04:30. A machine gunner who had been pinned down near the crest had commented: "It must have been worse than Hill 203" (of bloody Russo-Japanese War fame). Between a half and two-thirds of each company had been dead or wounded by then. Sakata had still been thinking of ways to rush the main positions. After Kitahara had been shot down, he had moved around to investigate. A colleague had added: "The agony of the captain's wounds had been increasing. He rested several times to appease the pain while watching intently for some chance to charge once more." Now, Sakata had been wounded again by grenade fragments tearing into the right side of his face. "It hadn't been serious," Sakata had insisted. As he had limped about, he could see his platoon leader, Kuriyama, sniping at a Russian grenadier.   Much would depend on the effectiveness of supporting firepower. With the death of Kitahara, control of the machine-gun company had been assumed by Master Sergeant Harayama. There had been almost no time to coordinate matters before Kitahara had fallen, but Harayama as well as Sakata had known that the infantry could not break loose until the Soviet heavy weapons had been suppressed. Working with another sergeant, Harayama had ordered his gunners to displace forward and rush the positions 20 meters away. The one heavy machine gun set up for action had been the first to fire for the Japanese side at Changkufeng, after its crew had manhandled it the last few meters to the first Soviet trench below the crest. The trench had been empty. Thereupon, the gunner had opened up against tents which could be seen 20 meters to the rear. Other friendly machine guns had begun to chatter. Kuriyama had dashed up and secured the southeast edge of the heights. Enemy resistance had begun to slacken. What appeared to be two small Soviet tanks, actually a tank and a tractor had been laying down fire near the tents in an apparent effort to cover a pullback. The two vehicles had advanced toward the Japanese and sought to neutralize the heavy machine guns. A squad leader had engaged the tractor, set it afire, and shot down the crewmen when they had tried to flee. Next, the tank had been stopped. The Japanese lead gun had consumed all of its armor-piercing (AP) ammunition—three clips, or 90 rounds—in 10 or 15 seconds. No more AP ammunition had been available; one box had been with the last of the six squads struggling up the heights. "More AP!" had yelled the 1st Squad leader, signaling with his hand—which had at that moment been hit by a Russian slug. A tank machine-gun bullet had also torn through the thumb and into the shoulder of the squad's machine gunner, whereupon the 21-year-old loader had taken over the piece. Similar replacements had occurred under fire in all squads, sometimes more than once in the same unit. "It had been a fantastic scene," Sakata had commented. "Just like grasshoppers! But they had finally neutralized the heavy weapons." The knocked-out Russian vehicles had begun to blaze while the eastern skies had lightened. New enemy tanks (some said many, others merely three) had lumbered up the slopes, but the Japanese heavy machine guns had continued to fire on them, and the tanks had stopped. If the machine guns had gone into action minutes later, the Russian armor might have continued to the top, from which they could have ripped up the surviving Japanese infantrymen: "So we gunners fired and fired. I could see my tracers bouncing off the armor, for there was still no AP. We also shot at machine guns and infantry. Since we carried little ammo for the night attack, my gun ran out, but by then the enemy had been ousted. We had originally expected that we might have to fire in support of the infantry after they took the crest. We lost none of our own heavy machine guns that night, overran four Maxims and captured mountains of hand grenades. By dawn, however, our machine gun company had lost more than half of its personnel—about 40 men".  The light-machine-gun squad leader had been wounded in the hand by a grenade near the site where Sakata had been hit. Nevertheless, the superior private had clambered up the slope with his men. After 04:00, when he and his squad had been pinned down with the infantry below the crest, he had heard Japanese heavy machine guns firing toward the foe on the right: "Our units were in confusion, bunched up under terrific fire in a small area. Getting orders was impossible, so I had my light machine gun open up in the same direction at which the heavies were firing. We could identify no targets but tried to neutralize the enemy located somewhere on the crest. Although Soviet flares were going off, we never could glimpse the enemy clearly. But we heard the Russians yelling "Hurrah!" That ought to have been the signal for a charge; here it meant a retreat".  But, of the ten men in this Japanese machine-gun squad, only four had been in action when dawn had come. The turning point had arrived when the machine-guns belonging to Sakata, and the reserves of the late Nakajima, had torn into the Russian emplacements, tanks, and tents behind. Others had said the key had been the fire of grenade dischargers belonging to the same units. A high-angle weapon, the grenade discharger, had been light, effective, and ideal for getting at dead space. In terms of ammunition, it had been especially useful, for it could fire hand grenades available to the foot soldier. Undoubtedly, the combined action of the grenade dischargers and machine guns (heavy and light) had paved the way for a last charge by the infantry. The four light machine guns of the 2nd and 4th companies had played their part by pouring flank fire against the Russians, who had clung to the position although Kuriyama's platoon had made an initial penetration. At about 04:30, Japanese assault forces could be seen dimly, in the light of dawn, exchanging fire with the Russians only a few meters away on the southern edge of Changkufeng Hill. At the same time, on the northern slopes, enemy reinforcements numbering 50 men with trucks and tanks had been scaling the hill. Around 04:45, Japanese grenades began to burst over the heads of the last enemy atop Changkufeng; the Russians had wavered. After the heavy weapons had finally begun to soften up the Soviet positions, Sakata had judged that there were not many Russians left. He had jumped into the first trench, ahead of his only surviving platoon leader, Kuriyama, and several soldiers. Two or three Russians had been disposed of; the rest had fled. By then the 2nd Company had been chopped down to a platoon; about 40 men still lived. There had been no cheer of banzai, as journalists had written; it would have drawn fire to stand up and raise one's arms. But Sakata had remained proud of the assertion by Sato that, from Chiangchunfeng, he had observed the last rush and knew the "real story," that "Sakata was the first to charge the peak." The regimental eulogist had written that Sakata's earnestness "cut through iron, penetrated mountains, and conquered bodily pain." As for Inagaki, about 15 or 20 minutes after the badly wounded Sakata had managed to reach the point where Kitahara and Nakajima had been pinned down near the Crestline, the lieutenant had arrived with the remnants of Yamada's company, probably by 04:20. The records would have us believe that Sakata had been able to coordinate the next actions with Inagaki despite the storm of fire: "The acting battalion commander [Sakata] resumed the charge with a brand-new deployment—his 2nd Company on the right wing and the 1st Company on the left." Actually, all Sakata could think of had been to charge; it had been too confused a time to issue anything like normal orders as acting battalion commander: "About all I remember asking Inagaki was: "What are you doing over here? What happened to your company commander?" I think he told me that Yamada had been killed and resistance on the right flank had been severe. Undoubtedly, he acted on his own initiative in redeploying. Nor was there any particular liaison between my company and Inagaki's force." To the left of Sakata's survivors were the vestiges of Nakajima's platoon, and further to the left, the outflanking troops brought up by Inagaki. These forces gradually edged up to the rear of the foe, in almost mass formation, on the western slope just below the top. "The enemy soldiers who had been climbing up the northern incline suddenly began to retreat, and Inagaki led a charge, fighting dauntlessly hand-to-hand." As a result of the more or less concerted Japanese assaults, "the desperately resisting enemy was finally crushed and Changkufeng peak was retaken completely by 05:15," three hours after the night attackers had jumped off. Akaishizawa had said that the troops "pushed across the peak through a river of blood and a mountain of corpses. Who could withstand our demons?" Sato's regimental attack order had called for the firing of a green star shell to signal success. At 05:15, according to the records, "the signal flared high above Changkufeng, showering green light upon the hill; the deeply stirring Japanese national flag floated on the top." Sakata thought that this must have been 10 or 20 minutes after the hill was taken, but he remembered no flare. "After the last charge I had no time to watch the sky!" The flare had probably been fired from a grenade launcher by the battalion aide or a headquarters soldier. After the final close-quarter fighting, Sakata had pressed forward while the survivors came up. The captain had deployed his men against possible counterattack. Later he had heard that Soviet tanks had lumbered up to reinforce the peak or to counterattack but that, when they observed the Japanese in possession of the crest, they had turned back. Only after his men had secured the peak had Sakata talked to Inagaki about sharing defensive responsibility. The records described Sakata's deployments at 05:20, but there had been painfully few men to match the tidy after-action maps. Did Sakata and his men push across the peak? "Not downhill a bit," he had answered. "We advanced only to the highest spot, the second, or right-hand peak, where we could command a view of the hostile slope." He had merely reconnoitered to deploy his troops. The senior surviving Japanese officer atop Changkufeng heights had been Sakata. What had happened to Major Nakano, who had been wounded shortly after jump-off? Although his right arm had been shattered, he had dragged himself to his feet, once he had regained consciousness, and kept climbing to catch up. His men had pleaded with him to look after his terrible wounds, but he had insisted on advancing, leaning on his sword and relying on spiritual strength. "Left! Move left!" he had been heard to shout, for the faltering Japanese had apparently been of the opinion that they were at the enemy's rear. Instead, they had pressed against the Russians' western wing, directly in front of the enemy works, from which murderous fire had been directed, especially from machine-gun nests ripping at their flanks. With sword brandished in his uninjured hand, high above his head, Nakano had stood at the corner of the positions. The explosion of an enemy grenade had illuminated him "like the god of fire," and he had been seen to crumple. He had died a little before 0500, to the left of where young Nakajima had fallen at 0430. His citation had said: "The battalion commander captured Changkufeng, thanks to his proper combat guidance and deployments. He provided the incentive to victory in the Changkufeng Incident." A eulogist had called Nakano a "human-bullet demon-unit commander": "All who observed this scene were amazed, for it was beyond mortal strength. One could see how high blazed the flame of his faith in certain victory and what a powerful sense of responsibility he had as unit commander. Major Nakano was a model soldier." When Nakano had pitched forward, badly wounded PFC Imamura had tried to protect the commander's corpse. Imamura had killed a soldier who appeared from behind a boulder, had lunged at another two or three, but had toppled off the cliff. Two other Japanese privates—a battalion runner and PFC Iwata—had been lying nearby, hurt seriously; but when they saw Imamura fall to his death, leaving the major's body undefended, they had dragged themselves to the corpse, four meters from the foe. Iwata, crippled and mute, had hugged Nakano's corpse until other soldiers managed to retrieve it. While death had come to Nakano, Sakata had been fighting with no knowledge of what was going on to his left. Pinned behind a boulder, he had had no way of checking on the battalion commander. Only after Sakata had charged onto the crest and asked for the major had he been told by somebody that Nakano had been killed. He had not even been sure where the commander had fallen. Such had been the time of blood and fury when battalion chief, company commanders, and platoon leaders had fought and died like common soldiers, pressing on with saber or pistol or sniping rifle under relentless cross-fire. Pretty patterns of textbook control had meant nothing. Life—and victory—depended on training, initiative, raw courage, and the will to win. The result of this combination of wills could not be ascertained, on 31 July 1938, until dawn brightened the bleeding earth on Changkufeng Hill. 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. Tokyo gambled on a night strike to seize Changkufeng, while diplomacy urged restraint. Amid mud, smoke, and moonless skies, Nakano led the 1st Battalion, supported by Nakajima, Sakata, Yamada, and others. One by one, officers fell, wounds multiplying, but resolve held. By 05:15, shattered units regrouped atop the peak, the flag rising as dawn bled into a costly, hard-won victory.

While still seeking a way out of the Ghost Levels the adventurers here find a set of large stone statues. But when the Vesk statue attacks and the heroes have little to no means of damaging it will they stay in fight or beat a retreat from that pesky Vesk? Well you will have to pledge your allegiance to this podcast to find out on this week's Cosmic Crit 2.0

Welcome back to the oasis podcast, the ultimate audio guide to Oasis Proudly in partnership with Wonderwall Beer - they have an awesome competition on at the moment, follow them on Instagram @WonderwallBeerUK and tell them I sent you!  Today's guest is Richard Bowes, @rbmusicwriter - get his book, Some Might Say here - Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1036135195?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cso_wa_apin_dp_KWBATVE06FYR6SEMYMGV&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cso_wa_apin_dp_KWBATVE06FYR6SEMYMGV&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cso_wa_apin_dp_KWBATVE06FYR6SEMYMGV&starsLeft=1&skipTwisterOG=1&bestFormat=true&newOGT=1 Pen & Sword - https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Some-Might-Say-The-Story-of-Oasis-Hardback/p/52590

Is it contradictory to be pro-life and support the death penalty? Pastor Heath Lambert addresses this controversial question by examining what the Bible teaches about protecting innocent life, God's justice, and the role of government in punishing murder.Timestamps0:00 - Introduction and the question1:10 - Who Tyler Robinson is1:55 - The question: Is supporting death penalty pro-life?2:04 - The answer: Yes, if found guilty2:23 - Addressing the apparent contradiction3:02 - Exodus 20:13: You shall not murder3:25 - Death penalty based on the sixth commandment3:43 - Genesis 9:6: Shedding blood for shedding blood4:17 - Both positions hate murder4:31 - Erica Kirk's remarkable forgiveness5:54 - Personal vs. governmental forgiveness6:16 - Sin against the individual and the state6:41 - Romans 13:3-4: The state as God's servant7:19 - The government's role in divine justice8:04 - Final answer: Yes, it is pro-lifeKey Topics CoveredThe Pro-Life Foundation - Understanding the biblical command against murdering innocent lifeMurder vs. Capital Punishment - Why the sixth commandment informs both positionsGenesis 9:6 Principle - Life is so precious that taking it forfeits your ownThe Image of God - Why human life has such sacred valueInnocent vs. Guilty Life - The crucial distinction in pro-life ethicsErica Kirk's Forgiveness - A remarkable demonstration of grace and mercyPersonal vs. State Forgiveness - Why individual forgiveness doesn't eliminate state responsibilityRomans 13 Teaching - The God-ordained role of government in justiceThe Sword of Justice - Understanding the state as God's avenger against wrongdoingProtecting Society - Why enforcing consequences for murder defends all lifeScripture ReferencesExodus 20:13 - The sixth commandment against murderGenesis 9:6 - Whoever sheds man's blood, by man shall his blood be shedRomans 13:3-4 - The state as God's servant bearing the swordAbout The Ten Commandments BookHeath Lambert's new book "The Ten Commandments: A Short Book for Normal People" is now available. This accessible guide explains how God's commands apply to modern life without requiring theological education. Perfect for personal study, evangelism, or gifts to friends, neighbors, and family.Order now and download a free chapter at fbcjax.com/tencommandments Have a question you'd like answered? Send it to markedbygrace@fbcjax.com

A 15-minute podcast of Bible teaching, Monday - Friday, by the President and Editor of the Sword of the Lord Publishers, Dr. Shelton Smith.

UNLOCK THE FULL EPISODE HERE: https://www.patreon.com/posts/144160262 Come to our 35mm screening of SHOGUN ASSASSIN (Dec. 13): https://revuecinema.ca/films/black-belt-cinema-shogun-assassin-1980-presented-on-35mm/ NEW SLEAZOIDS SHIRT + HAT: https://blackbeltcinema.ca/search?q=sleazoids&options%5Bprefix%5D=last WEBSITE: www.sleazoidspodcast.com/ Pod Twitter: twitter.com/sleazoidspod Pod Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/SLEAZOIDS/ Josh's Twitter: twitter.com/thejoshl Josh's Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/thejoshl Jamie's Twitter: twitter.com/jamiemilleracas Jamie's Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/jamiemiller

On the Shelf for December 2025 The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode # with Heather Rose Jones Your monthly roundup of history, news, and the field of sapphic historical fiction. In this episode we talk about: Accomplishments and upcoming milestones A podcast that listeners may be interested in: Our Dyke Histories Recent publications covered on the blog Levin-Richardson, Sarah. 2013. “Fututa Sum Hic: Female Subjectivity and Agency in Pompeian Sexual Graffiti” in The Classical Journal, 1083. pp.319-45. Walker, J. 2006. “Before the Name: Ovid's Deformulated Lesbianism” in Comparative Literature 58.3, pp.205-222. Castle, T. 1983-4. “Eros and Liberty at the English Masquerade, 1710-90” in Eighteenth-Century Studies, XVII, 2: 156-76. Friedman-Rommell, Beth. 1995. “Breaking the Code: Towards a Reception Theory of Theatrical Cross-Dressing in Eighteenth-Century London” in Theatre Journal 47, no.4: 459-79. Howard, Jean E. 1988. “Cross-Dressing, the Theatre and Gender Struggle in Early Modern England” in Shakespeare Quarterly 39: 418-40. (Also appears in: Howard, Jean E. 1993. “Cross-Dressing, the Theater, and Gender Struggle in Early Modern England” in Crossing the Stage: Controversies in Cross-Dressing, ed. Ferris, Leslie. Routledge, London.) Andreadis, Harriette. 2006. “Re-Configuring Early Modern Friendship: Katherine Philips and Homoerotic Desire.” Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900, vol. 46, no. 3, pp. 523–42. Kramer, Rene. 2015. That Mysterious, Remisse Knot: Katherine Philips's Unincorporated Fraternity. Honors Thesis. Stevenson, Mark & Wu Cuncun (eds. and trans.). 2013. Homoeroticism in Imperial China: A sourcebook. Routledge, New York. ISBN 978-0-415-55144-1 Recent Lesbian/Sapphic Historical Fiction Souvienne by Aldwin Beckett Without Apology (Jane Smith #3) by Charlotte Taft Inverts in a Violet Room by Peter Forrester Whispers of the Heart: Lady Eleanor's Secret by Rhia Kampus Hiding the Flame by Angela M. Sims On the Edge of Uncertainty by E.V. Bancroft Brought to Heel by Ella Witts & Serah Messenger Pearl Bound by Natalie Bergman What I've been consuming Network Effect by Martha Wells System Collapse by Martha Wells The Witch Roads by Kate Elliott A Mouthful of Dust by Nghi Vo Raised for the Sword by Aimée Call for submissions for the 2026 LHMP audio short story series. See here for details. This month we interview Maya Dworsky-Rocha and talk about: The historic context and terminology of anti-Semitism and hatred of Jews Cultural clashes and conflicts around ideas of gender The historic work of Daniel Boyarin and Jewish gender stereotypes Maya's use of non-binary characters to reflect these ideas The symbolic uses of eating, temptation, and impurity in the story ”Authorizing” queer desire via projection Maya's writing partnership as Sylvia Barry The Devil and the Jews by Joshua Trachtenberg A transcript of this podcast is available here. (Interview transcripts added when available.) Links to the Lesbian Historic Motif Project Online Website: http://alpennia.com/lhmp Blog: http://alpennia.com/blog RSS: http://alpennia.com/blog/feed/ Twitter: @LesbianMotif Discord: Contact Heather for an invitation to the Alpennia/LHMP Discord server The Lesbian Historic Motif Project Patreon Links to Heather Online Website: http://alpennia.com Email: Heather Rose Jones Mastodon: @heatherrosejones@Wandering.Shop Bluesky: @heatherrosejones Facebook: Heather Rose Jones (author page) Links to Maya Dworsky-Rocha Online Website: https://www.sylviabarrybooks.com/ Bluesky: @mayadrocha.bsky.social TikTok: @mayadrocha

Everything you receive in the Christian life comes through faith in the finished work of Jesus—healing, prosperity, healthy relationships, love, joy, peace, and victory. Join Andrew as he shares sixteen of his major revelations from the Lord and helps you discover the fullness of what Jesus has provided for you.

Join Janice on today's episode with Author, Podcast Host, Emcee, & Speaker Gina Fox!Gina is a wife, fur mama, and aunt to many. She is the founder of Anchored by the Sword ministry and podcast, which came out of her own journey towards freedom. She loves connecting with people through storytelling and helping them discover freedom in their own lives. She lives in Ohio with her husband, Matthew and her four furbabies, Bandit, Rascal, Hazel, and Royce.We pray this episode encourages and inspires your heart to live the life you were created for!Connect with Gina:www.anchoredbythesword.orghttps://www.facebook.com/anchoredbytheswordhttps://www.instagram.com/anchoredbytheswordpodcast/Connect with Janice:Website: www.journeywithjanice.comSocial Media: @thejourneywithjanice 

This aquatic group of fish is famous for their not totally unique toothed rostrum which makes up one third of their total body length. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Most of us have heard of the Spiritual Armor of God as listed in the book of Ephesians, but why do we need this armor? What are we really fighting against? Listen in!

A 15-minute podcast of Bible teaching, Monday - Friday, by the President and Editor of the Sword of the Lord Publishers, Dr. Shelton Smith.

Everything you receive in the Christian life comes through faith in the finished work of Jesus—healing, prosperity, healthy relationships, love, joy, peace, and victory. Join Andrew as he shares sixteen of his major revelations from the Lord and helps you discover the fullness of what Jesus has provided for you.

In this episode, we review the application of confinement credit under United States v. Pierce to cases involving segmented sentences. We also discuss practical takeaways for charging decisions and advising clients. Learn more about The Quill & Sword series of podcasts by visiting our podcast page at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/thequillandsword. The Quill & Sword show includes featured episodes from across the JAGC, plus all episodes from our four separate shows: “Criminal Law Department Presents” (Criminal Law Department), “NSL Unscripted” (National Security Law Department), “The FAR and Beyond” (Contract & Fiscal Law Department) and “Hold My Reg” (Administrative & Civil Law Department). Connect with The Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School by visiting our website at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/ or on Facebook (tjaglcs), Instagram (tjaglcs), or LinkedIn (school/tjaglcs).

Support Re:Direct through our Memberships &/or Merch!

A 15-minute podcast of Bible teaching, Monday - Friday, by the President and Editor of the Sword of the Lord Publishers, Dr. Shelton Smith.

Aaron and Darlene watch some classic sci-fi from the 1950s and '60s, good and bad. They talk about what makes these films memorable and fun, and if you should take a trip back in time and enjoy these films as well.Feedback for the show?:Email: feedback@thisweekingeek.netTwitter: https://twitter.com/thisweekingeekBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thisweekingeek.netSubscribe to our feed: https://www.spreaker.com/show/3571037/episodes/feediTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-geek/id215643675Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Lit2bzebJXMTIv7j7fkqqWebsite: https://www.thisweekingeek.net

¡Apoya Reconectados, decide y participa en todos los sorteos! ✅ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/reconectados Metroid Prime 4 Beyond ya ha salido tras 18 años de espera, y el amigo y compañero Álvaro Alonso se viene a debatir si ha cumplido con las expectativas y cuánto de novedad o clásico encontramos en el nuevo periplo de Samus Aran a cargo de Retro Studios. A una semana de la gala de los The Game Awards, empiezan a aparecer rumores interesantes. Algunos con aspecto de convertirse en realidad y otros no tanto. De hecho, una enigmática figura ha aparecido en el desierto de Mojave, al oeste de Estados Unidos, y los comentarios se han disparado: ¿Será un nuevo God of War? ¿Tal vez un DLC de Diablo IV? ¿Es una señal de algún anuncio de The Elder Scrolls VI? ¿Half-Life 3? Comentamos al detalle todo lo relacionado con esta enigmática aparición, pero no nos olvidamos de juegos ya anunciados que tal vez aparezcan, como Project Robot, de Fumito Ueda, Pragmata, Onimusha: Way of Sword y Okami 2, de la mano de Capcom o incluso el OD de Hideo Kojima, entre muchos otros posibles. Pero, de lo que no sabemos, ¿tendremos noticias de la nueva IP de Sony Santa Mónica? ¿Qué otras cosas pueden llegar a aparecer en el evento de Geoff Keighley? No te olvidemos de seguir con nosotros el streaming durante la madrugada del jueves 11 de diciembre al viernes 12 en twitch.tv/reconectados. ¡Gracias por escucharnos y comentar cada semana! Time stamps: (00:00:00) - Intro, Ganadores sorteos Patreon y Paula easter egg (00:07:09) - ¿Realmente es decepción Metroid Prime 4? (00:37:14) - Todos los rumores de The Game Awards (01:36:31) - Estamos saturados de beat 'em up con Marvel Cosmic Invasion (01:42:54) - Despedida y cita con el Doritos la semana que viene Compra más barato en nuestro enlace de Instant Gaming: https://www.instant-gaming.com/es/?igr=reconectados ¡Apoya Reconectados, decide y participa en todos los sorteos! ✅ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/reconectados ¡Sigue nuestro canal de Twitch! ✅ Suscríbete a Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/reconectados ¡Únete a nuestro grupo de Telegram de ofertas! ✅ Canal de ofertas: https://t.me/ofertasvideojuegosreco ¡Escucha Reconectados cada semana: Jueves 07:00am! Ivoox: https://www.ivoox.com/podcast-reconectados-videojuegos_sq_f1467878_1.html Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0TzgUfUZppavUlKeRreIXL Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/es/podcast/reconectados-videojuegos/id1304330116 ¡Síguenos en redes sociales! X-Twitter: @ReconectadosPod Jabote: @Jabote22 Manu: @ManuGmn Paula: @paulacroft02 Borja: @borjaruete TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@reconectadospod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReconectadosPodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reconectadospod/

In Part I of this three-episode Fantasy Subgenre Series, we dive into the grand-scale branches of fantasy: Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Low Fantasy, Sword & Sorcery, Historical Fantasy, Alternate History, Mythic Fantasy, Indigenous/Mythic-Region Fantasy, Portal Fantasy, Science Fantasy, Steampunk, and Gaslamp Fantasy.

On this Episode, we will dive into the Fiscal Year 2026 Continuing Resolution (CR). This time LTC Firing joins us to discuss how Federal Civilian Employees received backpay during the government shutdown. Learn more about The Quill & Sword series of podcasts by visiting our podcast page at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/thequillandsword. The Quill & Sword show includes featured episodes from across the JAGC, plus all episodes from our four separate shows: “Criminal Law Department Presents” (Criminal Law Department), “NSL Unscripted” (National Security Law Department), “The FAR and Beyond” (Contract & Fiscal Law Department) and “Hold My Reg” (Administrative & Civil Law Department). Connect with The Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School by visiting our website at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/ or on Facebook (tjaglcs), Instagram (tjaglcs), or LinkedIn (school/tjaglcs).

A 15-minute podcast of Bible teaching, Monday - Friday, by the President and Editor of the Sword of the Lord Publishers, Dr. Shelton Smith.

John Hinderaker, founder of Power Line and President of the Center of the American Experiment, joins the show by phone to talk about the fraud in the Minnesota Social Security system that Governor Tim Walz (D) turned a blind eye to, the Trump Administration’s sword rattling over Venezuelan drug traffickers, young conservative influencers, the happiness that marriage brings, and more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Terry has been dead for a few years now, but it's clear that he controls Chris from beyond the grave with a Rada'Han because Chris begged Paris to read yet another Sword of Truth novel this year. The suffering is turned up to 11 as we're both crushed beneath a block of fantasy plot swiss cheese. Even though it's more holes than cheese-plot, it still hurts because the holes have spikes, in Goodkind fashion. In addition to our usual barnyard language, today's episode includes discussion or mention of abuse, sexual assault/coercion, sex worker murder, slavery, and pandemics. Other episodes in this series: Blood of the Fold (Sword of Truth #3) by Terry Goodkind (2020) Stone of Tears (Sword of Truth #2) by Terry Goodkind (2017) Wizard's First Rule (Sword of Truth #1) by Terry Goodkind (2015) Our commentary on the first season of the ABC adaptation of these books, the Legend of the Seeker, is is available on our Patreon

A 15-minute podcast of Bible teaching, Monday - Friday, by the President and Editor of the Sword of the Lord Publishers, Dr. Shelton Smith.

When Souljah's sit at the table the conversation is different. There is a feast of messages from the Most High God filled with the Promise's from His Word as you hear iron sharpening iron with the power of the Sword.  Join the The Rev and Lady Shannon at the table on the Chatting With The Whitney's podcast. B4LM Theme Song written, Produced, and Performed by: Nineside/International Nine@https://linktr.ee/Nineside Books by The Rev & Lady Shannon Brave Scars - https://www.amazon.com/Brave-Scars-Min-Shannon-Whitney-ebook/dp/B083D95P8Q Love and Marriage 1 - https://www.amazon.com/Love-Marriage-Make-Last-Forever-ebook/dp/B0837YN34W Love and Marriage 2 - https://www.amazon.com/LOVE-MARRIAGE-Make-Last-Forever-ebook/dp/B083D7TBHT It Ain't Over Til It's Over - 3 It Ain't Over Til It's Over: Love & Marriage Make It Last Forever III: Whitney, Reverend D.A. and Lady Shannon: 9798359755399: Amazon.com: Books You Are What You Think! Peculiar Thoughts for Peculiar People (Volume 1 & 2) YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK Peculiar Thoughts for Peculiar People: Volume I: Whitney, Reverend D.A. and Lady Shannon: 9798359754989: Amazon.com: Books YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK Peculiar Thoughts for Peculiar People Volume II: Whitney, D.A. (The Rev) and Lady Shannon: 9798359755801: Amazon.com: Books Email: blessed4lifeministries@gmail.com NOTE: We do not own the rights to the great music you hear on the show. However, we hope you love it as much as we do!  Hey Now and thanks for checking us out!  We pray we do not say anything that will cause you to stumble; but only those things that will draw you closer to The Most High God.  That said, we are inspirational and motivational while maintaining authenticity as we keep it practical and simple; yet real.  We don't own the music rights to the music we play but we hope you love it as much we do!  Follow us on social media @ blessed4lifeministries on IG, Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest!  Connect with us via email for B4LM merchandise, for links to our books on Amazon, to request pastoral services from The Rev, or to just keep in touch at  blessed4lifeministries@gmail.com

A 15-minute podcast of Bible teaching, Monday - Friday, by the President and Editor of the Sword of the Lord Publishers, Dr. Shelton Smith.

Welcome to Season Five!!

Welcome to the Christmas series! Mary and Joseph take the newborn Jesus to be dedicated to the temple. There, they meet a prophet who gives blessings and warnings of things to come.  Sign up for special devotionals at StoriesoftheMessiah.com. As we dive deeply into iconic Bible heroes' enthralling narratives, we find more than just stories of faith and miracles. We discover a recurrent theme, a spiritual undertone that connects each tale to the grandeur of the Gospel. They're not just standalone legends; they're threads in a divine tapestry, weaving a story that foreshadows Jesus Christ, the ultimate hero, the promised Messiah who brings light to the darkest corners of history. For more Bible stories download the Pray.com app.  To learn more about Rabbi Schneider visit https://discoveringthejewishjesus.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

¿Te gusta Reload? Apóyanos en Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/anaitreload) para acceder a contenidos exclusivos, recibir los episodios dos días antes y hacer posible que sigamos adelante

On this episode of the Sword and Pen, join host Devon Lancia and guest Anthony Dyer as the two discuss long-form writing, memoir composition, and how writing as a medium can help veterans heal. A former U.S. Air Force special missions aviator from the mountains of North Carolina with over a decade of experience in special operations aviation, Anthony works to break the stigma surrounding mental health in the military, aviation, and veteran communities through his speaking and writing. His debut memoir, Moon Child, tells the story of his experiences in combat, as well as his own mental health struggles after service.Sword and Pen is a Military Veterans in Journalism production. Find out more about us at www.mvj.network.

“Living the Mission: No Peace, But a Sword” by Ashley Ellison. The post Living the Mission: No Peace, But a Sword appeared first on Christian Ministries Church.

We're recovering from the holiday feasting with a quieter show in a quieter week, but we're here anyway talking about Planet Crafter, Sektori, the spiraling PC building situation, our nostalgic Thanksgiving week game time, and more. This week's music: Die Spitz - Throw Yourself to the Sword

Saturday is Review Day on The Daily Promise. Every Saturday, we review the promises of the week so we can allow them to go deep into our hearts and lives. Here are the promises we covered this week. Proverbs 12:2 - Living in God's Favor. Hebrews 4:12 - God's Word is Sharper than a Sword. Psalm 71:14 – I Will Trust the Lord. Psalm 107:1 – Be Thankful Because God is Good. Romans 8:38-39 - Nothing Will Separate You From the Love of God.

For this week’s installment of our Advent Meditation series, our brother Paul Codouni provides commentary on the first 7 passages of our Advent Meditations. Take a listen or click here to download. https://servantsoftheword.org/wp-content/assets/advent-meditations-2025-november-30.mp3 The meditations for the first week center on the restoration and blessing of God's people.

About: You cannot deny the musical strength of the games developed by Nihon Falcom. Falcom Sound Team JDK consistently produce some of the best music in video games, and here's just a few of the songs. Music by: Falcom Sound Team JDK00:00 - Wind Emblem [Dinosaur Resurrection] 02:42 - Field [Dragon Slayer: The Legend Of Heroes II] 03:43 - Bloody River - The Floodgate of Lucifer [Sorcerian] 05:10 - Sword of Swords [The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Into Reverie] 08:37 - Secret Jungle Survival [Gurumin] 11:32 - Golden Dark Forest [Zwei: The Ilverd Insurrection] 13:31 - Towards Through Land [The Legend Of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV] 15:38 - Hamel [The Legend Of Heroes: Trails In The Sky SC] 18:29 - Golden Road, Silver Road [The Legend Of Heroes: Trails In The Sky: The 3rd] 20:35 - Scene Of A Street Corner [The Legend Of Heroes: Trails From Zero] 22:45 - Provincial City of Rolent [The Legend Of Heroes: Trails In The Sky] 25:16 - Brilliant Escape [The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Of Cold Steel III] 27:26 - Heimdallr [The Legend Of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel] 29:47 - Searching For Clues [Tokyo Xanadu eX+] 34:48 - Alley Of Silence [The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Of Cold Steel III] 37:01 - Fairies Village [Zwei: The Arges Adventure] 40:05 - The Boys Got Wings [Ys III: Wanderers From Ys] 42:40 - Silver Frost Covered Trees [The Legend Of Nayuta: Boundless Trails] 44:38 - Innocent Primeval Breaker [Ys Seven] 46:42 - Sunshine Coastline [Ys VIII: Lacrimosa Of Dana] 49:49 - Legend Of The Lone Wolves [Brandish 3: Spirit Of Balcan] pixelbeatpod@icloud.com > 

Vajragupta offers a Buddhist reflection on the social and political times we are living through. The talk takes the myth of the asuras (the Titan realm on the Wheel of Life) as a way of seeing and understanding the kind of world we are creating. In that myth, the Buddha appears in the realm of the asuras holding a sword. What does that symbolise? Vajragupta suggests it can be seen as a sword of fearlessness, a sword of truth and wisdom, a sword of justice, and the sword of the archetypal "king". This talk was given at Cardiff Buddhist Centre, 2022. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast: A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dharmabytes-from-free-buddhist-audio/id416832097 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UHPDj01UH6ptj8FObwBfB YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FreeBuddhistAudio1967

Preacher: Michael Beck Gracenet Community

It's our annual Thanksgiving Weird Questions episode, and this time Cy Kellett is asking Jimmy Akin questions about whether the Holy Spirit has chromosomes, what sacraments angels can perform (if any), whether Zoroaster was a savior before Jesus, and what to make of the sword of St. Michael. The post The Sword of St. Michael (and More Weird Questions) appeared first on StarQuest Media.

It's our annual Thanksgiving Weird Questions episode, and this time Cy Kellett is asking Jimmy Akin questions about whether the Holy Spirit has chromosomes, what sacraments angels can perform (if any), whether Zoroaster was a savior before Jesus, and what to make of the sword of St. Michael.

How to claim Twitch drops: https://youtu.be/aojFsgJqMyM?si=ltpJ1lKQN0iyNzxY The annual December encore Community Day is almost here, Shiny Keldeo makes its debut with SECRET(???) Sword as an exclusive move, Dynamax Lugia arrives, Shadow Primeape claims its first title, and is the meta way too wide...?   Get The Battle Catz Podcast merchandise here: https://the-battle-catz-podcast-shop.fourthwall.com/ Where to find us! YouTube - https://youtube.com/@thebattlecatzpodcast X - https://twitter.com/BattleCatzPod Caleb Peng YouTube - https://youtube.com/calebpeng  X - https://twitter.com/CalebPeng Twitch - https://twitch.tv/calebpeng  HurricaneKaz X - https://x.com/thehurricanekaz Steve YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/PvPSteve X - https://x.com/PvPSteve1 Twitch - https://twitch.tv/PvPSteve7 Podcast - https://www.youtube.com/@GdayBattlers Twastell X - https://x.com/pogoTwastell Anicor X - https://x.com/AnicorXIII 0:00:00 - Intro 0:22:35 - In Game Events 0:37:59 - GO Battle League 0:48:42 - Championship Series

In this episode, Ash and Tilly set out on an archaeological survey across The Continent—the dark, layered world of the The Witcher! From the ruins of Kaer Morhen to the forests of Dol Blathanna, they explore how landscapes, material culture, and societies reveal the deeper histories beneath Andrzej Sapkowski's Slavic-inspired fantasy universe. Join them as they dig into the Conjunction of the Spheres, the rise of humans, and the relics of vanished civilisations, all while fending off drowners, spectral elves, and the occasional moral quandary!The Witcher Series:Books: The Last Wish, Sword of Destiny, Blood of Elves, Time of Contempt, Baptism of Fire, The Tower of the Swallow, The Lady of the Lake, Season of Storms, and Crossroads of Ravens.Games: The Witcher, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, The Witcher 4 (release date 2026/2027)TV Series: The Witcher (Netflix)LinksBog Bodies Research Project - National Museum of IrelandThe Witcher UniverseContactEmail: andmytrowel@gmail.comInstagram: @‌and.my.trowelTranscriptsFor rough transcripts of this episode, go to: https://www.archpodnet.com/trowel/57ArchPodNetAPN Website: https://www.archpodnet.comAPN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnetAPN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnetAPN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnetAPN StoreAffiliatesMotion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A 15-minute podcast of Bible teaching, Monday - Friday, by the President and Editor of the Sword of the Lord Publishers, Dr. Shelton Smith.

Send us a textIn this episode, we explore one of the most striking and symbolic moments in Israel's early monarchy — the day the people of God found themselves without swords, without blacksmiths, and without the means to fight. Through Saul's paralysis, Jonathan's rising courage, and the devastating consequences of spiritual dullness, this passage speaks powerfully to the church today.We reflect on:·         How the enemy suffocates God's people through distraction and fear·         What it means when the forges of truth and discipleship grow cold·         Why the Church must guard against outsourcing its spiritual life·         How God raises up “Jonathans” even when institutions lose their fire·         The call to return to the Word and recover our spiritual edgeThis episode offers a warning — and a hopeful invitation:God can still sharpen you, strengthen you, and send you into the world as His instrument, even in days when the blacksmiths seem few.Support the showTo listen to my monthly church history podcast, subscribe at; https://thehistoryofthechristianchurch.buzzsprout.com For an ad-free version of my podcasts plus the opportunity to enjoy hours of exclusive content and two bonus episodes a month whilst also helping keep the Bible Project Daily Podcast free for listeners everywhere support me at;|PatreonSupport me to continue making great content for listeners everywhere.https://thebibleproject.buzzsprout.com

Moving slightly away from spooky season and weird folklore, the dragons are clocking in with a writing episode. At the moment, Romantasy is the biggest whale splashing around in the sea of fantasy, partially drowning out other subgenres (at least temporarily). While romantasy is a lot of fun, it's caused further changes in the 'strong female character' trope which are less fun. This week, Jules and Madeleine revisit the subject, looking at what really defines 'strength' in character terms and how to best write your own female character, even with Romantasy putting a thumb on the scales. Under the microscope this week - Jane Eyre, Anne of Green Gables, The Hunger Games and many more.   Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

A 15-minute podcast of Bible teaching, Monday - Friday, by the President and Editor of the Sword of the Lord Publishers, Dr. Shelton Smith.

NOTE: For Ad-Free Episodes, 100+hrs of Bonus Content and More - Visit our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/thewheelweavespodcastFind us on our Instagram, Twitter, YouTube & Website, and join the conversation on Discord!In this episode Dani and Brett discuss Chapter 11 of A Memory of Light!!!We would like to thank and welcome David as our newest Executive Producer of The Wheel Weaves Patreon Team! Thank you so much for your support!!We would also like to thank and welcome Vetle Nordgård Mikkelsen to The Wheel Weaves Patreon Team! Thank you so much for your support!!We would like to acknowledge and thank our Executive Producers Brandy and Aaron Kirkwood, Sean McGuire, Janes, LightBlindedFool, Deyvis Ferreira, Green Man, Margaret, Big C, Bennett Williamson, Hannah Green, Noralia, Geof Searles, Erik Reed, Greysin Ishara, Helena Jacobsen, Matthew Mendoza, Cyndi, Sims, Patrick Wallbankk, Manethraen, Andrew Scarponi, Mr. Boddy's Body, and David!The Wheel Weaves is hosted and edited by Dani and Brett, produced by Dani and Brett with Passionsocks, Cody Fouts, Mozyme, Jamie Young, Jared Berg, Rikky Morrisette, Matt Truss, Antoine Benoit, Ashlee Bradley, MKM, Magen, Colby T, Gabby Young, Ricat, Chris G., Sarah Creech, Saverio Bartolini, Mag621, William Johnson, and Soccerphiles Canada; with music by Audionautix.Check out our partner - the Spoiler-Free Wiki - Spliki.com - Your main first time reader, Spoiler-Free WoT information source!Don't forget to leave us that 5 star review if you enjoy the show for a chance to win exclusive merchandise!Check out https://www.thewheelweavespodcast.com for everything The Wheel Weaves!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-wheel-weaves-podcast-a-wheel-of-time-podcast--5482260/support.

On this Episode, we will dive into the Fiscal Year 2026 Continuing Resolution (CR). We will discuss the various areas of the CR and how they affect the DOW. Learn more about The Quill & Sword series of podcasts by visiting our podcast page at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/thequillandsword. The Quill & Sword show includes featured episodes from across the JAGC, plus all episodes from our four separate shows: “Criminal Law Department Presents” (Criminal Law Department), “NSL Unscripted” (National Security Law Department), “The FAR and Beyond” (Contract & Fiscal Law Department) and “Hold My Reg” (Administrative & Civil Law Department). Connect with The Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School by visiting our website at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/ or on Facebook (tjaglcs), Instagram (tjaglcs), or LinkedIn (school/tjaglcs).

The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice was founded in 1957 to ensure fairness in a union struggling to become more perfect. Yet somewhere along the way, bad actors saw an opportunity to play with the scales while Justice donned her blindfold. Our new Assistant Attorney General of the division is Ricochet's dear friend Harmeet Dhillon — and she's back to remind Americans that Justice has an enforcement arm. Harmeet gets us up to speed on her team's investigation into the latest riot at UC Berkeley; reports on how they've handled the workload with only one-third of the manpower; and reiterates the righteousness of the division's purpose while clarifying how she and the ambitious lawyers under her plan to balance the scales on a level playing field. James, Steve, and Peter weigh the president's approval numbers on the economy and foreign policy; and they have reason to believe that Democrats will continue to be hardest hit as Epstein files work their way to the public. Sound clip from this week's open: TPUSA spokesman Andrew Kolvet explains how UC Berkeley administrators worked to undermine their event last week.