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Join Joe, Kieran, Manda, and Rev as Tass leads them through a world of Morphing, Monsters, and Mechs as they play through Teens with Attitude. You can find the quickstart for Teens with Attitude at: https://dbb-8.itch.io/twa-quickstart ------ You can support The Critshow through our Patreon to get more weekly TTRPG Actual Play content, access to our discord community, and much more! Follow The Critshow on twitter, join our subreddit, and follow us on Instagram. Get two free MotW mysteries and some Keeper tips from Rev by signing up on our website! Check out what's coming up on our monthly publication calendar. And don't forget to check out our wonderful sponsors! This episode was edited and produced by Brandon (Rev) Wentz with music by Jake Pierle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Join Joe, Kieran, Manda, and Rev as Tass leads them through a world of Morphing, Monsters, and Mechs as they play through Teens with Attitude. You can find the quickstart for Teens with Attitude at: https://dbb-8.itch.io/twa-quickstart ------ You can support The Critshow through our Patreon to get more weekly TTRPG Actual Play content, access to our discord community, and much more! Follow The Critshow on twitter, join our subreddit, and follow us on Instagram. Get two free MotW mysteries and some Keeper tips from Rev by signing up on our website! Check out what's coming up on our monthly publication calendar. And don't forget to check out our wonderful sponsors! This episode was edited and produced by Brandon (Rev) Wentz with music by Jake Pierle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thirty-eight-year-old construction engineer Peng Pai sent a lighthearted message to Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of an upcoming reunion, the plans for which were reported by Russia's TASS news agency. Putin arrived in Beijing on Tuesday night for a state visit.38岁的建筑工程师彭湃在即将与俄罗斯总统普京重逢前夕，向他发出了一条轻松幽默的问候，俄罗斯塔斯社此前报道了两人见面的安排。普京于5月19日晚间抵京，开始对中国进行国事访问。"Dear President Putin, you still look the same," Peng said in an interview with Russia Today. "But I have changed from a little boy into a middle-aged man with a bigger belly."彭湃在接受“今日俄罗斯”电视台采访时说：“尊敬的普京总统，您还是老样子。而我已经从一个小男孩变成了一个肚子有些发福的中年男人。”In the summer of 2000, Peng and his family visited the Chinese capital from Hunan province. On July 19, while sitting on the stone balustrades along the lake in Beihai Park, a "foreign uncle" approached him from the crowd, lifted him up, and kissed his forehead.2000年夏天，彭湃和家人从湖南来到北京旅游。7月19日，他正坐在北海公园湖边的石栏杆上，一位“外国叔叔”从人群中走来，将他抱起，亲吻了他的额头。It was Putin. During his first official visit to China as the Russian president, Putin made an unplanned trip to the park. After boating on the lake, he greeted the boy by the lakeside and took a picture with him.那个人正是普京。当时，普京首次以俄罗斯总统身份对中国进行正式访问期间，临时决定前往北海公园。泛舟湖上之后，他在岸边向这个小男孩打招呼，并与他合影留念。"It was a completely spontaneous moment," Peng recalled. "In my memory, he was just a kind, gentle uncle."“那完全是瞬间发生的事，”彭湃回忆道。“在我的记忆里，他就是一个和蔼可亲的叔叔。”At the age of 12, Peng didn't fully grasp the meaning of the encounter, but he never forgot it. "This special experience made me more curious about President Putin and his country," he said.12岁的彭湃当时并未完全理解这次相遇的意义，但他从未忘记。“这段特殊的经历让我对普京总统和他的国家更加好奇，”他说。That curiosity eventually took him across continents. After finishing high school, Peng decided to learn more about Russia by applying to one of its universities. From 2007 to 2013, he studied bridge and tunnel engineering at the Moscow Automobile and Road Construction State Technical University, earning bachelor's and master's degrees.这份好奇心最终让他远渡重洋。高中毕业后，彭湃决定申请俄罗斯的大学，以便更深入地了解这个国家。2007年至2013年，他在莫斯科汽车公路国立技术大学学习桥梁与隧道工程，先后获得学士和硕士学位。"During the seven years in Moscow, I gained a deeper understanding of Russia's vast territory, its rich history, and culture," Peng said.“在莫斯科的七年里，我对俄罗斯广袤的国土、悠久的历史和丰富的文化有了更深的了解，”彭湃说。The Russian teachers and fellow students he met along the way left a lasting impression. "They were very kind to international students," he recalled.他所遇到的俄罗斯老师和同学都给他留下了深刻印象。“他们对外国留学生非常友善，”他回忆道。After graduation, Peng returned home and joined Hunan Construction Investment Group, a State-owned enterprise based in Changsha, with projects in more than 60 countries. Although he has not returned to Russia, he continues to follow China-Russia bilateral relations with interest.毕业后，彭湃回国进入总部位于长沙的国有企业湖南建设投资集团，该集团业务遍及60多个国家。尽管他未曾重返俄罗斯，但他始终饶有兴趣地关注着中俄双边关系。"High-level exchanges between the two sides have been frequent in recent years," he said, "and interactions are active in many fields, including at the grassroots and online levels."“近年来，双方高层往来频繁，基层及网络平台等各领域的互动也十分活跃，”他说。As a bridge engineer, he hopes to see more infrastructure cooperation between the two countries. "Both sides have strengths that can complement each other for mutual benefit."作为一名桥梁工程师，他希望看到两国在基础设施领域开展更多合作。“双方各有优势，可以实现优势互补、互利共赢。”Now a father of two young children, Peng hopes to take his family to Moscow one day to walk through his old university campus and share with his children everything he knows about the country and its people.如今，已是两个孩子父亲的彭湃，希望有朝一日带家人重返莫斯科，漫步母校校园，将自己对这个国家和人民的所知所感一一告诉孩子们。lighthearted /ˌlaɪtˈhɑːtɪd/轻松幽默的，愉快的vast territory /vɑːst ˈterɪtəri/广袤的领土bilateral relations /baɪˈlætərəl rɪˈleɪʃənz/双边关系grassroots /ˈɡrɑːsruːts/基层的，民间的complement each other /ˈkɒmplɪment iːtʃ ˈʌðə/优势互补
Join Joe, Kieran, Manda, and Rev as Tass leads them through a world of Morphing, Monsters, and Mechs as they play through Teens with Attitude. You can find the quickstart for Teens with Attitude at: https://dbb-8.itch.io/twa-quickstart ------ You can support The Critshow through our Patreon to get more weekly TTRPG Actual Play content, access to our discord community, and much more! Follow The Critshow on twitter, join our subreddit, and follow us on Instagram. Get two free MotW mysteries and some Keeper tips from Rev by signing up on our website! Check out what's coming up on our monthly publication calendar. And don't forget to check out our wonderful sponsors! This episode was edited and produced by Brandon (Rev) Wentz with music by Jake Pierle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing on Tuesday night for a two-day state visit to China, marking his 25th trip to the country since assuming the presidential office in 2000.俄罗斯总统弗拉基米尔·普京于5月19日晚抵达北京，开始对中国进行为期两天的国事访问。这也是他自2000年就任总统以来第25次访问中国。Prior to his departure, Putin delivered a video address in which he said, "I'm delighted to be visiting Beijing once again at the invitation of my longtime good friend, the President of the People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping."在出发前，普京发表了视频致辞。他在致辞中表示：“我非常高兴应我的老朋友、中华人民共和国主席习近平的邀请，再次访问北京。”On Sunday, both Xi and Putin sent congratulatory letters to the 10th China-Russia Expo, which opened on the same day in Harbin, the capital of Northeast China's Heilongjiang province.5月17日，习近平主席与普京总统共同向当天在中国东北黑龙江省省会哈尔滨开幕的第十届中俄博览会致贺信。Russia's TASS news agency quoted Putin as saying in his video address that regular mutual visits and Russia-China top-level talks "are an important and integral part of our joint efforts to promote the entire range of relations between our two countries and unlock their truly limitless potential".据俄罗斯塔斯社报道，普京在视频致辞中表示，定期的互访和俄中高层会谈“是我们共同努力推动两国全方位关系发展、释放两国真正无限潜力的重要且不可分割的一部分”。Bilateral relations today "have reached a truly unprecedented level", Putin said.普京表示，当今的双边关系“已经达到了真正前所未有的高水平”。The special nature of the ties "is reflected in the atmosphere of mutual understanding and trust, in the commitment to pursuing win-win and equitable cooperation, in conducting respectful dialogue, and in supporting each other on matters affecting the core interests of both countries, including protection of sovereignty and state unity", he added.他补充说，两国关系的特殊性“体现在相互理解和信任的氛围中，体现在致力于追求共赢和公平合作的承诺中，体现在开展相互尊重的对话中，以及在涉及彼此核心利益的问题上相互支持，包括维护主权和国家统一”。Putin's visit comes as this year marks the 30th anniversary of the China-Russia strategic partnership of coordination and the 25th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation.普京总统此访正值中俄建立战略协作伙伴关系30周年、签署《中俄睦邻友好合作条约》25周年这一具有里程碑意义的年份。He said the treaty "laid a solid foundation for a genuinely strategic relationship and comprehensive partnership for the benefit of our countries and our peoples".他表示，该条约“为建立真正的战略关系和全面伙伴关系奠定了坚实基础，造福了两国和两国人民”。Addressing a regular news briefing on Tuesday in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said that China and Russia are comprehensive strategic partners of coordination for a new era, and China welcomes Putin's visit.外交部发言人郭嘉昆周二在北京举行的例行记者会上表示，中俄是新时代全面战略协作伙伴，中方对普京总统的访问表示热烈欢迎。During the state visit, the two presidents "will exchange views on bilateral relations, cooperation in various fields, and international and regional issues of mutual interest", Guo said.郭嘉昆介绍说，在国事访问期间，两国元首“将就双边关系、各领域合作以及共同关心的国际和地区问题交换意见”。A survey report on Sino-Russian youth friendship and cultural exchanges, which was released last week by Renmin University of China, showed that 87.5 percent of young people in Russia and 85.5 percent of young people in China view the two countries' relations as "friendly".中国人民大学上周发布的一项关于中俄青年友好与文化交流的调查报告显示，87.5%的俄罗斯青年和85.5%的中国青年认为两国关系“友好”。Guo said the survey is a "true barometer of public opinion" and its findings illustrate the high level of China-Russia ties.郭嘉昆表示，该项调查是“真正的民意晴雨表”，其结果充分印证了中俄关系的高水平。"Under the strategic guidance of President Xi and President Putin, the China-Russia everlasting friendship will enjoy even greater popular support, and the youth in both countries will join hands and inject fresh vitality into our comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era," he added.他补充说：“在习近平主席和普京总统的战略引领下，中俄世代友好将更加深入人心，两国青年将携手并进，为新时代中俄全面战略协作伙伴关系注入新的生机与活力。”According to the Foreign Ministry, the value of bilateral trade reached $227.9 billion in 2025, marking the third consecutive year of the figure exceeding the $200-billion mark.据外交部数据显示，2025年中俄双边贸易额达到2279亿美元，这也是该数字连续第三年突破2000亿美元大关。Tian Dewen, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies, said that Putin's visit will help to further consolidate the foundation of bilateral relations, featuring long-term stability, a high degree of mutual trust and deeper cooperation.中国社会科学院俄罗斯东欧中亚研究所研究员田德文表示，普京总统此访将有助于进一步巩固具有长期稳定性、高度互信和深化合作特征的双边关系基础。The visit will also promote the continuous improvement and upgrading of practical bilateral cooperation in areas such as energy and trade, scientific and technological innovation, and global governance, Tian said.田德文指出，此次访问还将推动两国在能源与贸易、科技创新以及全球治理等领域的务实双边合作不断提质升级。Zhang Hanhui, China's ambassador to Russia, said that Xi and Putin are expected to hold an important meeting to chart the course for the development of Sino-Russian ties in the new era.中国驻俄罗斯大使张汉晖表示，预计习近平主席和普京总统的此次重要会晤将为新时代中俄关系的发展指明方向。Under the strategic guidance of the two leaders, the two countries "have built a new type of major-country relationship that transcends traditional military and political alliances", Zhang wrote in an article for the People's Daily newspaper, which was published on Tuesday.张汉晖在5月19日出版的《人民日报》署名文章中写道，在两国元首的战略引领下，两国“构建了超越传统军事和政治同盟的新型大国关系”。The two countries "have set an example of mutual respect, frankness and sincerity, harmonious coexistence, and mutual benefit between major countries and neighboring nations", he said.他表示，两国“树立了大国之间、邻国之间相互尊重、坦诚相待、和谐共处、互利共赢的典范”。Putin, in his video address, said that Russia and China are implementing major initiatives "in key areas of our cooperation", and "our warm and friendly ties enable us to chart the boldest plans for the future and bring them to life".普京在视频致辞中表示，俄中两国正在“关键合作领域”落实重大倡议，“这条温暖友好的纽带使我们能够为未来勾勒出最宏伟的蓝图并将其变为现实”。Also on Tuesday, Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang met with Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov in Beijing, and the two sides pledged to further strengthen investment cooperation.5月19日，国务院副总理丁薛祥在北京会见了俄罗斯第一副总理丹尼斯·曼图罗夫，双方承诺进一步加强投资合作。Ding called on both countries to give full play to the coordinating role of the China-Russia Investment Cooperation Committee, steadily advance key projects, expand areas of cooperation, achieve more practical outcomes and continue to inject strong impetus into the development of bilateral relations.丁薛祥呼吁双方充分发挥中俄投资合作委员会的协调作用，扎实推进重点项目，扩大合作领域，取得更多务实成果，继续为双边关系发展注入强劲动力。Manturov said that Russia is ready to strengthen strategic alignment with China, enrich the substance of cooperation, actively address issues of mutual concern and continuously raise the level of investment cooperation between the two countries.曼图罗夫表示，俄方愿同中方加强战略对接，富集合作内涵，积极解决双方共同关心的具体问题，不断提高两国投资合作水平。 Equitables /ˈekwɪtəbl/公平合理的，公正的 Everlasting /ˌevəˈlɑːstɪŋ/永恒的，持久的 Barometer /bəˈrɒmɪtə/晴雨表，气压计
- Trump agit de plus en plus comme un dictateur - Défaite du dernier candidat anti-Trump primaire dans le Kentucky, Thomas Massie - La Russie et la Biélorussie s'engagent dans des exercices militaires nucléaires Discussion internationale avec Loïc Tassé, spécialiste en politique internationale. Regardez aussi cette discussion en vidéo via https://www.qub.ca/videos ou en vous abonnant à QUB télé : https://www.tvaplus.ca/qub ou sur la chaîne YouTube QUB https://www.youtube.com/@qub_radioPour de l'information concernant l'utilisation de vos données personnelles - https://omnystudio.com/policies/listener/fr
Guerre en Iran: subitement, tout va bien dans les négociations Poutine arrive en Chine Nouvelle flambée d'Ébola en République populaire du Congo Discussion internationale avec Loïc Tassé, spécialiste en politique internationale. Regardez aussi cette discussion en vidéo via https://www.qub.ca/videos ou en vous abonnant à QUB télé : https://www.tvaplus.ca/qub ou sur la chaîne YouTube QUB https://www.youtube.com/@qub_radioPour de l'information concernant l'utilisation de vos données personnelles - https://omnystudio.com/policies/listener/fr
- Trump revient bredouille de Chine - Le directeur de la CIA en visite à Cuba - La violence augmente encore en Haïti Discussion internationale avec Loïc Tassé, spécialiste en politique internationale. Regardez aussi cette discussion en vidéo via https://www.qub.ca/videos ou en vous abonnant à QUB télé : https://www.tvaplus.ca/qub ou sur la chaîne YouTube QUB https://www.youtube.com/@qub_radioPour de l'information concernant l'utilisation de vos données personnelles - https://omnystudio.com/policies/listener/fr
- Visite somme toute décevante de Trump en Chine - Pendant ce temps, l'Iran laisse passer une trentaine de navires à travers le détroit d'Ormuz - Pressions de plus en plus fortes pour le départ de Keir Starmer Discussion internationale avec Loïc Tassé, spécialiste en politique internationale. Regardez aussi cette discussion en vidéo via https://www.qub.ca/videos ou en vous abonnant à QUB télé : https://www.tvaplus.ca/qub ou sur la chaîne YouTube QUB https://www.youtube.com/@qub_radioPour de l'information concernant l'utilisation de vos données personnelles - https://omnystudio.com/policies/listener/fr
Join Joe, Kieran, Manda, and Rev as Tass leads them through a world of Morphing, Monsters, and Mechs as they play through Teens with Attitude. You can find the quickstart for Teens with Attitude at: https://dbb-8.itch.io/twa-quickstart ------ You can support The Critshow through our Patreon to get more weekly TTRPG Actual Play content, access to our discord community, and much more! Follow The Critshow on twitter, join our subreddit, and follow us on Instagram. Get two free MotW mysteries and some Keeper tips from Rev by signing up on our website! Check out what's coming up on our monthly publication calendar. And don't forget to check out our wonderful sponsors! This episode was edited and produced by Brandon (Rev) Wentz with music by Jake Pierle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Visite de Trump en Chine - Les capacités militaires de l'Iran sont loin d'être détruites selon le NYT - La Russie aurait tenté de livrer à la Corée du Nord des composantes de réacteur nucléaire pour ses sous-marin Discussion internationale avec Loïc Tassé, spécialiste en politique internationale. Regardez aussi cette discussion en vidéo via https://www.qub.ca/videos ou en vous abonnant à QUB télé : https://www.tvaplus.ca/qub ou sur la chaîne YouTube QUB https://www.youtube.com/@qub_radioPour de l'information concernant l'utilisation de vos données personnelles - https://omnystudio.com/policies/listener/fr
Silicon Bites Ep337 | 2026-05-12 | Assets or idiots? Delusional or disingenuous. Politics as usual, or treacherous behaviour? Do they work for the Kremlin or for themselves? Iuliia Mendel's 96 Minutes with Tucker Carlson and the question that decides what they are, and whose interests they work for. 11–12 May 2026 — The Day After Mendel's Interview Drops — and the Day Russia's Propaganda Machine Lights It Up. We now have Yermak's arrest, the Carlson interview and now some Ukrainian biolabs nonsense investigation being launched in the U.S. Are these things possibly connected? We'll explore that in another episode tomorrow. For now, let's turn to two figures that give a very convincing impression of acting as Russia assets.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasWe need to scale up our support for Ukraine, and these events are designed to have a major impact. Your support in making it happen is greatly appreciated. All events will be recorded professionally and published for free on the Silicon Curtain channel. Where possible, we will also live-stream events.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------SOURCES:The Tucker Carlson Show — "Zelensky's Press Secretary Reveals All: Cocaine, Cover-ups, and the Only Obstacle Preventing Peace" (11 May 2026, 96 minutes) LIGA.net — "Zelensky's former spokeswoman mentions surrender of Donbas. The OP says the lady did not participate in the negotiations" (11 May 2026) TASS — "Ukraine's rich do not revolt against Zelensky for fear of sanctions — former secretary" (11 May 2026)Pravda EN (news-pravda.com) — Multiple stories within 12 hours: "Former press secretary Yulia Mendel gave a scathing interview to American journalist Tucker Carlson" (6 hours); "Zelensky demanded Goebbels-style propaganda" (8 hours); "Donbas during negotiations with Russia in Istanbul in 2022"; "Yulia Mendel said that she had spoken to people who have known the comedian for more than 20 years - everyone says that he is on cocaine"; "Nord Stream blast linked to corruption dispute with Zelensky" (11 May 2026)Pravda USA (usa.news-pravda.com) — "Former press secretary Yulia Mendel in an interview with Tucker Carlson: Zelensky is one of the biggest obstacles to peace today" (11 May 2026) The New American — "Putin Says Ukraine War Is Nearing End" / Paul Dragu coverage (11 May 2026) ----------
- Des dirigeants de l'Iran menacent d'enrichir l'uranium iranien à 90% - Le voyage de Trump en Chine rend de plus en plus nerveux les alliés américains - Les réseaux sociaux interdits à tous les jeunes de moins de 16 ans Discussion internationale avec Loïc Tassé, spécialiste en politique internationale. Regardez aussi cette discussion en vidéo via https://www.qub.ca/videos ou en vous abonnant à QUB télé : https://www.tvaplus.ca/qub ou sur la chaîne YouTube QUB https://www.youtube.com/@qub_radioPour de l'information concernant l'utilisation de vos données personnelles - https://omnystudio.com/policies/listener/fr
2026-05-11 | UPDATES #199 | While Zelenskyy was signing satirical decrees, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova were performing the other half of the regime's choreography: the threat.The Russian Foreign Ministry, captured by Pravda EN, RFE/RL, the Washington Times, and TASS, issued what RFE/RL called "a belligerent warning to Kyiv, and diplomatic missions there" — threatening to "attack the Ukrainian capital if Ukraine did in fact disrupt the May 9 events." The Foreign Ministry advised foreign embassies and international organisations located in Kyiv to evacuate their offices in case of such a strike. The Defence Ministry urged civilians to evacuate as well. Moscow is a thug and a bully, and these threats are completely in character. ----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------ACTIVE CAMPAIGN:We are raising funds for 5 of 15 Vampire DronesSilicon Curtain for Kupiansk Vampires. Dzyga's Paw, together with Jonathan Fink, is joining forces to raise $40,000 to provide the Khartiia Brigade with Vampire Drones.https://dzygaspaw.com/silicon-curtain-for-kupiansk-vampiresThese heavy bombers are designed to destroy manpower and equipment, as well as for remote mining. The Vampire UAV, manufactured by Skyfall, has proven itself to be one of the most effective weapons in the Kupiansk direction. Skyfall is one of Ukraine's largest defense tech companies, producing Vampire bomber drones, various modifications of Shrike FPV drones, P1-SUN, Shahed drone interceptors, communication systems, and components.----------PLEASE HELP ME ME TO GROW SILICON CURTAINWe are planning our events for 2026, and to do more and have a greater impact. After achieving more than 12 events in 2025, we will aim to double that! 24 events and interviews on the ground in Ukraine, to push back against weaponized information, toxic propaganda and corrosive disinformation. Please help us make it happen!----------SOURCES: Ukrainska Pravda — "Ukraine officially allows Russia to hold Victory Day parade in Moscow: Zelenskyy signs decree" (8 May 2026) Mediaite — "Zelensky Trolls Putin By Announcing Ukraine Will Honor Ceasefire for Moscow Parade — By Including Exact Military Coordinates" (8 May 2026) Mezha — "Zelenskyy allows Moscow parade and excludes Red Square from weapons plan" (8 May 2026) RBC-Ukraine — "Zelenskyy allows a parade in Moscow on May 9" (8 May 2026) LIGA.net — "Zelenskyy's decree allows parade to be held in Moscow" (8 May 2026) Euronews — "Trump announces three-day of ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia" (8 May 2026) Washington Times / AP — "What Russia's low-key Victory Day celebrations reveal about Putin and the war in Ukraine" (8 May 2026)Pravda EN / English Pravda — "Lavrov Warns of 'No Mercy' for Attempts to Disrupt Victory Day Celebrations" (7-8 May 2026) Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty — "Ukraine Says It Hit Russian Caspian Sea Warship; Kremlin Boosts Security For May 9 Victory Day" (7 May 2026) TASS / Pravda Armenia — "From a briefing by the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, M.V.Zakharova" (7 May 2026) Pravda Trump — Yuri Baranchik commentary (7 May 2026) ----------
- Trump rejette les contre-propositions de l'Iran - Poutine déclare que la guerre en Ukraine pourrait bientôt prendre fin - Sommet franco-africain in english please Discussion internationale avec Loïc Tassé, spécialiste en politique internationale. Regardez aussi cette discussion en vidéo via https://www.qub.ca/videos ou en vous abonnant à QUB télé : https://www.tvaplus.ca/qub ou sur la chaîne YouTube QUB https://www.youtube.com/@qub_radioPour de l'information concernant l'utilisation de vos données personnelles - https://omnystudio.com/policies/listener/fr
- Défaite douloureuse de travaillistes de Keir Starmer au Royaume-Uni - Aux États-Unis, la Cour du commerce juge illégaux les tarifs douaniers de 10% imposés par Trump - L'océan pacifique proche de records de chaleur - L'IA meilleure que les médecins dans la plupart des raisonnements médicaux aux urgences Discussion internationale avec Loïc Tassé, spécialiste en politique internationale. Regardez aussi cette discussion en vidéo via https://www.qub.ca/videos ou en vous abonnant à QUB télé : https://www.tvaplus.ca/qub ou sur la chaîne YouTube QUB https://www.youtube.com/@qub_radioPour de l'information concernant l'utilisation de vos données personnelles - https://omnystudio.com/policies/listener/fr
- En Chine, deux ministres de la Défense condamnés à mort avec sursis - Le gouvernement chinois ordonne à ses entreprises de refuser de se plier aux sanctions américaines - Beaucoup d'espoirs une fin imminente de la guerre contre l'Iran Discussion internationale avec Loïc Tassé, spécialiste en politique internationale. Regardez aussi cette discussion en vidéo via https://www.qub.ca/videos ou en vous abonnant à QUB télé : https://www.tvaplus.ca/qub ou sur la chaîne YouTube QUB https://www.youtube.com/@qub_radioPour de l'information concernant l'utilisation de vos données personnelles - https://omnystudio.com/policies/listener/fr
Join Joe, Kieran, Manda, and Rev as Tass leads them through a world of Morphing, Monsters, and Mechs as they play through Teens with Attitude. You can find the quickstart for Teens with Attitude at: https://dbb-8.itch.io/twa-quickstart ------ You can support The Critshow through our Patreon to get more weekly TTRPG Actual Play content, access to our discord community, and much more! Follow The Critshow on twitter, join our subreddit, and follow us on Instagram. Get two free MotW mysteries and some Keeper tips from Rev by signing up on our website! Check out what's coming up on our monthly publication calendar. And don't forget to check out our wonderful sponsors! This episode was edited and produced by Brandon (Rev) Wentz with music by Jake Pierle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Trump annonce la fin des accompagnements de navires dans le détroit d'Ormuz La Norvège augmenterait sa production de gaz et de pétrole La Russie ne respecte pas la trêve de l'Ukraine Discussion internationale avec Loïc Tassé, spécialiste en politique internationale. Regardez aussi cette discussion en vidéo via https://www.qub.ca/videos ou en vous abonnant à QUB télé : https://www.tvaplus.ca/qub ou sur la chaîne YouTube QUB https://www.youtube.com/@qub_radio Pour de l'information concernant l'utilisation de vos données personnelles - https://omnystudio.com/policies/listener/fr
- Nouvelle escalade dans le détroit d'Ormuz - Roumanie: chute du gouvernement pro-européen d'Ilie Bolojan - Les onduleurs chinois interdits dans les installations énergétiques européennes Discussion internationale avec Loïc Tassé, spécialiste en politique internationale. Regardez aussi cette discussion en vidéo via https://www.qub.ca/videos ou en vous abonnant à QUB télé : https://www.tvaplus.ca/qub ou sur la chaîne YouTube QUB https://www.youtube.com/@qub_radioPour de l'information concernant l'utilisation de vos données personnelles - https://omnystudio.com/policies/listener/fr
- Attaques contre des navires américains dans le détroit d'Ormuz ? - Mark Carney en Arménie avec les dirigeants européens - Victoire étonnante du parti de Narendra Modi aux élections législatives du Bengale Discussion internationale avec Loïc Tassé, spécialiste en politique internationale. Regardez aussi cette discussion en vidéo via https://www.qub.ca/videos ou en vous abonnant à QUB télé : https://www.tvaplus.ca/qub ou sur la chaîne YouTube QUB https://www.youtube.com/@qub_radioPour de l'information concernant l'utilisation de vos données personnelles - https://omnystudio.com/policies/listener/fr
Josh and TASS are joined by guest Alex Day for a packed episode of The Alex Day Show, diving into both the NFL and MLB with a mix of analysis and debate. The show opens with a full breakdown of all eight NFL divisions following the draft, as Josh ranks each division from worst to best and evaluates how the offseason reshaped the league. The conversation then shifts to baseball, where the crew debates which Yankee is most critical to the team's success in a Sports Scantron segment, followed by a True or False discussion centered on Mike Trout. Things heat up with a massive three-team trade scenario involving the Yankees, Angels, and Reds, as they argue over who would hang up first in a potential Trout deal. The episode also features a New York-focused edition of Way or No Way, tackling big questions about the futures of the Yankees, Mets, Jets, Giants, and Knicks, including whether a Giannis move could be in play. Later, TASS leads a “Who Would You Rather Have Going Forward” segment centered on Ben Rice, comparing him to some of the top young talent across baseball. The show wraps with a creative Sports Lunchbox hypothetical involving an Aaron Judge trade to Detroit and a Real or Fake game testing knowledge of Kentucky Derby horse names. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Join Joe, Kieran, Manda, and Rev as Tass leads them through a world of Morphing, Monsters, and Mechs as they play through Teens with Attitude. You can find the quickstart for Teens with Attitude at: https://dbb-8.itch.io/twa-quickstart ------ You can support The Critshow through our Patreon to get more weekly TTRPG Actual Play content, access to our discord community, and much more! Follow The Critshow on twitter, join our subreddit, and follow us on Instagram. Get two free MotW mysteries and some Keeper tips from Rev by signing up on our website! Check out what's coming up on our monthly publication calendar. And don't forget to check out our wonderful sponsors! This episode was edited and produced by Brandon (Rev) Wentz with music by Jake Pierle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
For review:1. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that a reported offer from Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz under strict conditions is not acceptable to the United States or other countries.Secretary of State Rubio: “What they mean by opening the straits is, yes, the straits are open, as long as you coordinate with Iran, get our permission, or we'll blow you up, and you pay us.”2. The IDF said it launched a wave of airstrikes Monday against Hezbollah infrastructure in the Beqaa Valley and several areas of southern Lebanon as a fragile ceasefire appeared to be rapidly unraveling just days after it was extended.The strikes came following repeated recent attacks by the Hezbollah on IDF troops and Israel during the truce, including a deadly FPV drone attack in Lebanon the previous day that killed an IDF soldier and wounded six.3. Battered but still breathing, Hamas is set to hold a long-delayed internal election to choose a new chief and political bureau in the coming weeks.Hamas generally holds leadership elections every four years, but the latest vote, initially scheduled for 2025, was delayed by the war sparked by the terror group's October 7, 2023, massacre. 4. Israel sent the United Arab Emirates an Iron Dome air defense system with troops to operate it early in the war with Iran, two Israeli officials and one U.S. official tell Axios.5. A 14 percent increase in European defense spending contributed significantly to global military expenditure increasing for the 11th consecutive year, reaching $2.89 trillion in 2025, according to a new report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) think tank.6. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg, with the Russian president telling the Iranian diplomat that he hoped for peace soon.7. Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov held talks in Kyrgyzstan on Monday with Iran's Deputy Defense Minister Reza Talaei-Nik, state-run TASS news agency reports.8. Under Project Sea 3000, Australia and Japan inked a deal to buy three upgraded Mogami-class frigates for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The contract was signed by the two countries' defense ministers aboard JS Kumano in Melbourne earlier this month.
The 2026 NFL Draft is officially in the books, and we're breaking down everything you need to know from a loaded draft weekend. In this episode, we go division by division with our “Approve or Disapprove” segment, hitting every team across the AFC and NFC East, West, North, and South to evaluate how each franchise approached the draft. We also dive into our early Top-12 rookies for dynasty fantasy football, highlighting the players who can make an immediate and long-term impact. Josh shares his five favorite picks, including standout selections like Caleb Downs to Dallas and Kayden McDonald to Houston, along with his five least favorite moves that raised serious questions. Plus, we discuss Tass's best and worst picks, and wrap things up with a way-too-early look ahead at the 2027 NFL Draft with our Top-10 mock. If you're looking for sharp analysis, strong takes, and a full post-draft breakdown, this is the episode to tune into. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Silicon Bites Ep317 | 2026-04-15 | Russia's gold reserves are going, going, gone. The kremlin starts eating its war chest. For the first time in nearly a quarter century, Vladimir Putin is selling Russia's gold. Not lending it. Not shuffling it from one Kremlin pocket to another. Selling it. On the open market. To pay for a war he cannot win and cannot stop.Here is what just happened, confirmed by The Moscow Times on March 24th and corroborated by the World Gold Council, Euromaidan Press, and Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service. In January, the Central Bank of Russia liquidated 300,000 troy ounces of physical gold. In February, another 200,000. Roughly fourteen metric tons in two months — the largest bullion drawdown since the second quarter of 2002. Russia's total gold reserves have collapsed to 74.3 million ounces, the lowest level since March 2022 — the month the full-scale invasion began.And the bigger picture is uglier still. According to Russia's own Ministry of Finance data reviewed by The Moscow Times, the gold held in the National Wealth Fund — the sovereign rainy-day pot — has been slashed by 71 percent since May 2022. From 554.9 tons down to roughly 160. Three quarters of the war chest. Gone.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------SOURCES:The Moscow Times, "Russia's Gold Sales Hit Highest Level Since 2002 as Budget Pressures Mount," March 23, 2026United24 Media, "Russian Central Bank Drains Gold For the First Time Since 2002 as War Deficit Mounts," March 2026 United24 Media, "Russia Liquidates 71% of Its Gold Reserves to Finance War Effort," January 21, 2026 Euromaidan Press, "Gold down 27%, Urals up 71% — Russia's sanctions hedge melts as its oil budget fills," March 24, 2026 UAWire, "Russia sells gold reserves for first time in 25 years to cover budget deficit," March 2026 NV / The New Voice of Ukraine, "Russia sells gold reserves for first time in 25 years to cover budget gap," March 2026The Gold Forecast / Kitco News, "Russian restrictions on gold could exacerbate selloff," March 25, 2026 Arabic Trader, "Russia bans the export of heavy gold bars starting from this date" (Putin decree, TASS), March 2026 ----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasWe need to scale up our support for Ukraine, and these events are designed to have a major impact. Your support in making it happen is greatly appreciated. All events will be recorded professionally and published for free on the Silicon Curtain channel. Where possible, we will also live-stream events.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------
Join Jake, Megan, Tass, and Rev as they the chilling true story behind Megan and Jake's wedding day - revealing the most closely guarded secret of the Critshows lore. You can find It Didn't Say Anywhere In The Rules That A Dog COULDN'T Play Basketball at - https://gshowitt.itch.io/ ------ You can support The Critshow through our Patreon to get more weekly TTRPG Actual Play content, access to our discord community, and much more! Follow The Critshow on twitter, join our subreddit, and follow us on Instagram. Get two free MotW mysteries and some Keeper tips from Rev by signing up on our website! Check out what's coming up on our monthly publication calendar. And don't forget to check out our wonderful sponsors! This episode was edited and produced by Brandon (Rev) Wentz with music by Jake Pierle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Join Jake, Megan, Tass, and Rev as they have dinner and try to solve a murder in real time! Who done it? Who didn't done it? Who maybe do'd it? You can find One Course Ultimate Murder Mystery Dinner at - https://gshowitt.itch.io/ ------ You can support The Critshow through our Patreon to get more weekly TTRPG Actual Play content, access to our discord community, and much more! Follow The Critshow on twitter, join our subreddit, and follow us on Instagram. Get two free MotW mysteries and some Keeper tips from Rev by signing up on our website! Check out what's coming up on our monthly publication calendar. And don't forget to check out our wonderful sponsors! This episode was edited and produced by Brandon (Rev) Wentz with music by Jake Pierle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Einon's Journal Summary: Chaos, battle, magic… The things we experienced were too thrilling, terrifying, and joyous to summarize. Together, we fought for the fae, for humanity, and for ourselves. And then, well… for what comes next, I suppose I'll need to start a new journal. ------ Content Warning: Language, Fantasy Violence ------ You can support The Critshow through our Patreon to get more weekly TTRPG Actual Play content, access to our discord community, and much more! Follow The Critshow on twitter, join our subreddit, and follow us on Instagram. Get two free MotW mysteries and some Keeper tips from Rev by signing up on our website! Check out what's coming up on our monthly publication calendar. And don't forget to check out our wonderful sponsors! This episode of The Critshow featured Megan as Maxine Hollis, Rev as Arkady Atwater, Tass as Einon Kerning, and Jake as the GM This episode was edited and produced by Brandon (Rev) Wentz with music by Jake Pierle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
March 22nd, 2022 In the Hot Notes: Confirmation hearings begin for Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson; the US Secret Service takes the stand in the Couy Griffin bench trial; a witness tells the 1/6 committee that Meadows helped organize the march on the Capitol; and some Reuters reporters tell Politico they're over the Reuters partnership with Russian media partner TASS; plus Allison and Dana deliver your Good News. Lessons From The Edge: A Memoir: Yovanovitch, Marie Amazon.com: Books Reminder - you can see the pod pics if you become a Patron. The good news pics are at the bottom of the show notes of each Patreon episode! That's just one of the perks of subscribing! patreon.com/muellershewrote Listener Survey:http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=shortFollow the Podcast on Apple:https://apple.co/3XNx7ckWant to support the show and get it ad-free and early?https://patreon.com/thedailybeanshttps://dailybeans.supercast.com/https://apple.co/3UKzKt0 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Einon's Journal Summary: We endured surprises upon twists upon astonishing turns of events as we battled against the magics of the Fortress. Kade found a way to affect our plane directly, despite his state. Maxine was able to avoid a bizarre mechanical counter measure. I did all I could to muster our troops against the dragon in our way. Though the odds were against us, we tried to hold strong ------ Content Warning: Language, Fantasy Violence ------ You can support The Critshow through our Patreon to get more weekly TTRPG Actual Play content, access to our discord community, and much more! Follow The Critshow on twitter, join our subreddit, and follow us on Instagram. Get two free MotW mysteries and some Keeper tips from Rev by signing up on our website! Check out what's coming up on our monthly publication calendar. And don't forget to check out our wonderful sponsors! This episode of The Critshow featured Megan as Maxine Hollis, Rev as Arkady Atwater, Tass as Einon Kerning, and Jake as the GM This episode was edited and produced by Brandon (Rev) Wentz with music by Jake Pierle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Silicon Bites Ep303 | 2026-03-16 | Moscow is getting a taste — a tiny taste — of what Ukrainians have lived with for years. May it continue and grow ever more inconvenient for Muscovites. For a second straight day, Russian officials were reporting drones headed for the Russian capital. On Saturday, March 14, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Russian air defences had downed 65 drones bound for Moscow over roughly 11 hours. Reuters reported that Russia's Defence Ministry claimed 280 drones were intercepted across central and western Russia during a 10-hour period, including 47 targeting Moscow. That already made it the biggest drone attack on the Moscow region this year by Russian official count.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------SOURCES:Reuters, March 14, 2026 — Russian air defences down 65 drones headed for Moscow, mayor says. AP, March 14, 2026 — Moscow struggles with cellphone internet outages. AP, March 14, 2026 — Russian strike on Kyiv region kills 4 people and wounds 15 as peace talks are stalled (includes Russia's claim of 87 drones overnight and flight restrictions near Moscow). Kyiv Independent, March 14, 2026 — Moscow attacked by over 60 drones in single day, mayor says. TASS, March 15, 2026 — Drone attack on Moscow becomes largest this year — TASS calculations. Reuters, May 16, 2023 — Kremlin reaction to CIA outreach; includes context that Russia raised the maximum penalty for treason to life.AP, 2024 — A Russian charged with sending video of military equipment to Ukraine gets 14 years in prison. ----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasWe need to scale up our support for Ukraine, and these events are designed to have a major impact. Your support in making it happen is greatly appreciated. All events will be recorded professionally and published for free on the Silicon Curtain channel. Where possible, we will also live-stream events.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------
Day 1,476.Today, as US envoy Steve Witkoff says “we can take them at their word” after Russia denies sharing intelligence about American forces with Iran – before adding “let's hope they're not sharing” – we examine the latest tensions between Washington, Moscow and Tehran. We also analyse a Ukrainian deep-strike operation that raised fresh questions about Russian air defences after a loitering drone was able to film the attack. Then we bring updates on Ukrainian counterattacks in the south, where two operations now appear to have pushed around 10 kilometres into Russian lines, and hear a final dispatch from Adélie in Ukraine. Later, we speak to former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen.Contributors:Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @Adeliepjz on X.With thanks to former NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen and Roland Oliphant.NOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE:Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdHjleMvPSs-JEjiQ8_D2cACONTENT REFERENCED:'I am no spy': Courier in Russian exploding parcels plot against UK talks to BBC (BBC):https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpd83zwqlvno Kremlin backs covert campaign to keep Viktor Orbán in power (Financial Times):https://www.ft.com/content/34df20f9-487b-4cb6-9dc9-d676d959d1ed Ukraine makes ‘China-free' drones (New York Times):https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/11/world/europe/ukraine-drones-china.html Strike on Bryansk, confronting hostile social media: Kremlin spokesman's remarks (TASS):https://tass.com/politics/2099953EMAIL US:Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Einon's Journal Summary: The protector of the fortress unleashed everything she had to keep us from our goal. Maxine hunted for the core. Kade engaged in a test of wills. I kept the banshee busy while the others made their moves. The chaos of battle and the flowing energies within gave us our greatest test, so far. ------ Content Warning: Language, Fantasy Violence ------ You can support The Critshow through our Patreon to get more weekly TTRPG Actual Play content, access to our discord community, and much more! Follow The Critshow on twitter, join our subreddit, and follow us on Instagram. Get two free MotW mysteries and some Keeper tips from Rev by signing up on our website! Check out what's coming up on our monthly publication calendar. And don't forget to check out our wonderful sponsors! This episode of The Critshow featured Megan as Maxine Hollis, Rev as Arkady Atwater, Tass as Einon Kerning, and Jake as the GM This episode was edited and produced by Brandon (Rev) Wentz with music by Jake Pierle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Einon's Journal Summary: We disturbed an unexpected occupant of the fortress. I searched for signs of us possibly being hunted. Maxine made an effort to show that we meant well. Kade tried a most surprising gamble. While striving to accomplish our goal, we were forced to face the fact that some storybook tropes are painfully real. ------ Content Warning: Language, Fantasy Violence ------ You can support The Critshow through our Patreon to get more weekly TTRPG Actual Play content, access to our discord community, and much more! Follow The Critshow on twitter, join our subreddit, and follow us on Instagram. Get two free MotW mysteries and some Keeper tips from Rev by signing up on our website! Check out what's coming up on our monthly publication calendar. And don't forget to check out our wonderful sponsors! This episode of The Critshow featured Megan as Maxine Hollis, Rev as Arkady Atwater, Tass as Einon Kerning, and Jake as the GM This episode was edited and produced by Brandon (Rev) Wentz with music by Jake Pierle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Einon's Journal Summary: After appeasing Karuk and gaining access to the maze's exit, we set out to hunt down Doris. Kade noticed an interesting source of energy. I assisted in directing our entry. Maxine sensed something odd. Our excitement at finding such a unique place was overshadowed by the pervasive fear that was soaking its halls ------ Content Warning: Language ------ You can support The Critshow through our Patreon to get more weekly TTRPG Actual Play content, access to our discord community, and much more! Follow The Critshow on twitter, join our subreddit, and follow us on Instagram. Get two free MotW mysteries and some Keeper tips from Rev by signing up on our website! Check out what's coming up on our monthly publication calendar. And don't forget to check out our wonderful sponsors! This episode of The Critshow featured Megan as Maxine Hollis, Rev as Arkady Atwater, Tass as Einon Kerning, and Jake as the GM This episode was edited and produced by Brandon (Rev) Wentz with music by Jake Pierle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Silicon Bites Ep289 | 2026-02-20 | Brussels drops a “terms of defeat” on Moscow. Extensive, comprehensive and bold. This is the first glimmer of strength and quite uncharacteristically clear. Why have these demands dropped now, and why does Brussels think they have a chance of being obeyed? Could it be that they sense the defeat and collapse of Russia is on the horizon? This is intriguing. Alright — pause the farce of a so-called peace negotiation in Geneva for a second, because Brussels has just slid a document across the table that basically says: “No, actually—Russia doesn't get to keep its overseas garrisons and vassals as a prize for invading its neighbour.”Multiple outlets — drawing on reporting from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty — say EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has circulated an internal EU “discussion paper” setting out what Europe thinks Russia should be forced to concede in any settlement. Not Ukraine. Russia. (Euromaidan Press) Finally putting demands to the aggressor, not the victim. ----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------SOURCES:EU internal paper reported via RFE/RL summaries and regional coverage (Feb 17–19, 2026): (messenger.com.ge) EU Commission spokesperson remarks on EU role in any peace agreement (Feb 20, 2026): (ukrinform.net) EU briefing quote: “no tangible signs” Russia is serious on peace; “nothing can be decided…” (Feb 19, 2026): (The Guardian) Foreign Affairs Council agenda (23 Feb 2026): (Consilium)Russia war-economy strain: Reuters Breakingviews (Feb 19, 2026): (Reuters)Russia oil & gas revenue projection (Feb 19, 2026): (Reuters)Russia National Wealth Fund liquid assets (Finance Ministry via TASS, Feb 5, 2026)Moldova reintegration / troop withdrawal emphasis (Moldpres)Ukraine FM Sybiha on Transnistria threat (Interfax Ukraine)South Caucasus pressure points (Reuters on Vardanyan sentencing, Feb 17 2026): (Reuters)Syria: Russia negotiating/uncertain base status (TASS) and Moscow Times analysis: (TASS)Iran escalation / regime change logic (Reuters, Feb 20 2026): (Reuters)----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasWe need to scale up our support for Ukraine, and these events are designed to have a major impact. Your support in making it happen is greatly appreciated. All events will be recorded professionally and published for free on the Silicon Curtain channel. Where possible, we will also live-stream events.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------
Silicon Bites Ep287 | 2026-02-17 | “Bad things are coming for Russia”: Z-Patriot Maxim Kalashnikov goes full doom-monger on the crisis of statehood enveloping Russia. Today's warning siren isn't coming from liberal Moscow, Navalny's team or TV Rain. It's coming from the other side of the ideological trench: the Z-Patriot ecosystem. And one of its loudest, most apocalyptic voices — Maksim Kalashnikov — is now saying the quiet part out loud: Russia isn't just losing momentum in a war, it's sliding into a crisis of statehood.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------SOURCES:Kalashnikov posts (primary, verified text captures)- Telemetr capture of Roy TV Telegram channel posts dated 17 Feb 2026 (includes “crisis of statehood” + “difficult decisions” list): https://telemetr.me/content/roy_tv_mkTelegram restriction / backlash context (authoritative reporting)- Reuters (11 Feb 2026): Russia's Telegram curbs, backlash, Mironov quotes:https://www.reuters.com/world/russias-curbs-telegram-prompt-concern-about-impact-soldiers-2026-02-11/- The Guardian (11 Feb 2026): Telegram slowdown, “sovereign internet”, Durov statement, milblogger reactions:https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/11/russian-crackdown-telegram-app-criticism-soldiers-pro-war-bloggers- The Guardian (9 Feb 2026): Starlink curtailment affecting Russian forces, milblogger quotes:https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/09/russia-scrambles-starlink-access-deactivated-elon-musk-space-xApril 1 Telegram-ban reporting / official non-denials- RBC (17 Feb 2026): Baza claim + Roskomnadzor “nothing to add”:https://www.rbc.ru/technology_and_media/17/02/2026/69942e849a7947f5560a652b- Novaya Gazeta Europe (17 Feb 2026): Baza claim + regulator response framing:https://novayagazeta.eu/amp/articles/2026/02/17/russia-to-block-telegram-from-1-april-as-crackdown-on-foreign-owned-apps-continues-en-news- TASS factbox (17 Feb 2026): “no official confirmations” + Duma committee commentary:https://tass.com/economy/2087879----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasWe need to scale up our support for Ukraine, and these events are designed to have a major impact. Your support in making it happen is greatly appreciated. All events will be recorded professionally and published for free on the Silicon Curtain channel. Where possible, we will also live-stream events.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------
Einon's Journal Summary: We had need to delve deeper into the labyrinth, despite the threat of the redcaps. I assisted in covering our tracks on our hunt. Maxine impressed the resident Minotaur. Kade showed an enemy a path to redemption. Our path was fraught with danger, from both the denizens of the maze, and from our own party. ------ Content Warning: Language, Fantasy Violence ------ You can support The Critshow through our Patreon to get more weekly TTRPG Actual Play content, access to our discord community, and much more! Follow The Critshow on twitter, join our subreddit, and follow us on Instagram. Get two free MotW mysteries and some Keeper tips from Rev by signing up on our website! Check out what's coming up on our monthly publication calendar. And don't forget to check out our wonderful sponsors! This episode of The Critshow featured Megan as Maxine Hollis, Rev as Arkady Atwater, Tass as Einon Kerning, and Jake as the GM This episode was edited and produced by Brandon (Rev) Wentz with music by Jake Pierle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We're back with a FULL 1st-Round NFL Mock Draft — and this one gets CHAOTIC. Tass runs the odds. Josh makes the picks. Trades are flying everywhere. The draft kicks off with the Las Vegas Raiders selecting Fernando Mendoza at No. 1, the New York Jets grabbing Caleb Downs at No. 2, and defensive stars like Arvell Reese, Rueben Bain Jr., and Mansoor Delane flying off the board early. But the real drama? The trades. Kansas City Chiefs move up for Francis Mauigoa Buffalo Bills swing big for Makai Lemon Philadelphia Eagles go get Kenyon Sadiq Multiple moves from the New York Jets Late-round chaos from the New Orleans Saints, Tennessee Titans, and more We break down every pick, every fit, and which teams won the night. Then we pivot to Way or No Way: Kirk Cousins Landing Spots Do the Jets, Raiders, Vikings, or even the Chiefs make sense? Who's desperate enough to pull the trigger? Tyreek Hill Trade Destinations Could he reunite with the Chiefs? Pair with Lamar in Baltimore? End up with the Cowboys, Packers, or Bills? We go team-by-team and decide: Way… or No Way. Draft chaos. Blockbuster trade debates. Real team-building conversations. This is the offseason content you need. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
2026-02-18 | UPDATES #135 | Putin's mobilisation rumour machine. Is this why the ban is dropping on Telegram in Russia? If you want to understand where Putin's regime thinks the real danger lives, don't look at the front line first. Look at the phone in your pocket. Putin is more afraid of the power of phones and the messaging apps they contain, as a platform for the coordination of resistance to his regime, than he is of losing personnel and territory on the battlefield. ----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------A REQUEST FOR HELP!I'm heading back to Kyiv this week, to film, do research and conduct interviews. The logistics and need for equipment and clothing are a little higher than for my previous trips. It will be cold, and may be dark also. If you can, please assist to ensure I can make this trip a success. My commitment to the audience of the channel, will be to bring back compelling interviews conducted in Ukraine, and to use the experience to improve the quality of the channel, it's insights and impact. Let Ukraine and democracy prevail! https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrashttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformationNONE OF THIS CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU!So what's next? We're going to Kyiv in January 2026 to film on the ground, and will record interviews with some huge guests. We'll be creating opportunities for new interviews, and to connect you with the reality of a European city under escalating winter attack, from an imperialist, genocidal power. PLEASE HELP ME ME TO GROW SILICON CURTAINWe are planning our events for 2026, and to do more and have a greater impact. After achieving more than 12 events in 2025, we will aim to double that! 24 events and interviews on the ground in Ukraine, to push back against weaponized information, toxic propaganda and corrosive disinformation. Please help us make it happen!----------SOURCES: Reuters (18 Feb 2026): Shadayev claims foreign spies can see Telegram messages; troops won't lose access “for now”; MAX push.Novaya Gazeta Europe (17 Feb 2026): Baza claim of full Telegram block from 1 April; Roskomnadzor “nothing to add.” Ukrainian Pravda (17 Feb 2026): Summary of Baza report; Roskomnadzor response. TASS factbox (17 Feb 2026): Duma figures call April 1 talk premature/unconfirmed. The Guardian (11 Feb 2026): Rare criticism from soldiers/pro-war bloggers; Telegram's military utility; Durov response. Amnesty International (10 Feb 2026): “Slowing down” Telegram as digital repression / free expression blow. The New Voice of Ukraine (17 Feb 2026): Yigal Levin links Telegram move to fear of unrest; mobilisation speculation mentioned. The Moscow Times (6 Feb 2026): January deficit; oil & gas revenue drop; Reuters-sourced deficit-risk estimates; Inozemtsev quote on war funding into 2027. Kyiv Independent (12 Feb 2026): Ukraine-linked claim losses exceeded recruitment for second month.Japan Times / Bloomberg (17 Feb 2026): UK says Russia relying more on foreign fighters. RFI / France 2 interview coverage (5 Feb 2026): Zelenskyy on two years / Donbas cost framing.----------
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.
Einon's Journal Summary: The discovery of the minotaur's true enemy was a startling epiphany. Maxine accomplished something I would have thought impossible. Kade found one of our hidden enemies. I managed to broker what seems to be an incredibly tenuous peace between rivals. And all of this with a far angrier, hungrier threat stalking the maze… ------ Content Warning: Language, Fantasy Violence ------ You can support The Critshow through our Patreon to get more weekly TTRPG Actual Play content, access to our discord community, and much more! Follow The Critshow on twitter, join our subreddit, and follow us on Instagram. Get two free MotW mysteries and some Keeper tips from Rev by signing up on our website! Check out what's coming up on our monthly publication calendar. And don't forget to check out our wonderful sponsors! This episode of The Critshow featured Megan as Maxine Hollis, Rev as Arkady Atwater, Tass as Einon Kerning, and Jake as the GM This episode was edited and produced by Brandon (Rev) Wentz with music by Jake Pierle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Last time we spoke about The Battle of Suixian–Zaoyang-Shatow. Following the brutal 1938 capture of Wuhan, Japanese forces aimed to solidify their hold by launching an offensive against Chinese troops in the 5th War Zone, a rugged natural fortress in northern Hubei and southern Henan. Under General Yasuji Okamura, the 11th Army deployed three divisions and cavalry in a pincer assault starting May 1, 1939, targeting Suixian and Zaoyang to crush Nationalist resistance and secure flanks. Chinese commander Li Zongren, leveraging terrain like the Dabie and Tongbai Mountains, orchestrated defenses with over 200,000 troops, including Tang Enbo's 31st Army Group. By May 23, they recaptured Suixian and Zaoyang, forcing a Japanese withdrawal with heavy losses, over 13,000 Japanese casualties versus 25,000 Chinese, restoring pre-battle lines. Shifting south, Japan targeted Shantou in Guangdong to sever supply lines from Hong Kong. In a massive June 21 amphibious assault, the 21st Army overwhelmed thin Chinese defenses, capturing the port and Chao'an despite guerrilla resistance led by Zhang Fakui. Though losses mounted, Japan tightened its blockade, straining China's war effort amid ongoing attrition. #188 From Changkufeng to Nomonhan 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. Well hello again, and yes you all have probably guessed we are taking another detour. Do not worry I hope to shorten this one a bit more so than what became a sort of mini series on the battle of Changkufeng or Battle of Lake Khasan. What we are about to jump into is known in the west as the battle of khalkin Gol, by the Japanese the Nomohan incident. But first I need to sort of set the table up so to say. So back on August 10th, 1938 the Litvinov-Shigemitsu agreement established a joint border commission tasked with redemarcating the disputed boundary between the Soviet Union and Japanese-controlled Manchukuo. However, this commission never achieved a mutually agreeable definition of the border in the contested area. In reality, the outcome was decided well before the group's inaugural meeting. Mere hours after the cease-fire took effect on the afternoon of August 11, General Grigory Shtern convened with a regimental commander from Japan's 19th Division to coordinate the disengagement of forces. With the conflict deemed "honorably" concluded, Japan's Imperial General Headquarters mandated the swift withdrawal of all Japanese troops to the west bank of the Tumen River. By the night of August 13, as the final Japanese soldier crossed the river, it effectively became the de facto border. Soviet forces promptly reoccupied Changkufeng Hill and the adjacent heights—a move that would carry unexpected and profound repercussions. Authoritative Japanese military analyses suggest that if negotiations in Moscow had dragged on for just one more day, the 19th Division would likely have been dislodged from Changkufeng and its surrounding elevations. Undoubtedly, General Shtern's infantry breathed a sigh of relief as the bloodshed ceased. Yet, one can't help but question why Moscow opted for a cease-fire at a juncture when Soviet troops were on the cusp of total battlefield triumph. Perhaps Kremlin leaders deemed it wiser to settle for a substantial gain, roughly three-quarters of their objectives, rather than risk everything. After all, Japan had mobilized threatening forces in eastern Manchuria, and the Imperial Army had a history of impulsive, unpredictable aggression. Moreover, amid the escalating crisis over Czechoslovakia, Moscow may have been wary of provoking a broader Asian conflict. Another theory posits that Soviet high command was misinformed about the ground situation. Reports of capturing a small segment of Changkufeng's crest might have been misinterpreted as control over the entire ridge, or an imminent full takeover before midnight on August 10. The unexpected phone call from Foreign Minister Maxim Litvinov to the Japanese embassy that night—proposing a one-kilometer Japanese retreat in exchange for a cease-fire along existing lines—hints at communication breakdowns between Shtern's headquarters and the Kremlin. Ironically, such lapses may have preserved Japanese military honor, allowing the 19th Division's evacuation through diplomacy rather than defeat. Both sides endured severe losses. Initial Japanese press reports claimed 158 killed and 740 wounded. However, the 19th Division's medical logs reveal a grimmer toll: 526 dead and 914 injured, totaling 1,440 casualties. The true figure may have climbed higher, possibly to 1,500–2,000. Following the armistice, the Soviet news agency TASS reported 236 Red Army fatalities and 611 wounded. Given Shtern's uphill assaults across open terrain against entrenched positions, these numbers seem understated. Attackers in such scenarios typically suffered two to three times the defenders' losses, suggesting Soviet casualties ranged from 3,000 to 5,000. This aligns with a Soviet Military Council investigation on August 31, 1938, which documented 408 killed and 2,807 wounded. Japanese estimates placed Soviet losses even higher, at 4,500–7,000. Not all victims perished in combat. Marshal Vasily Blyukher, a decorated Soviet commander, former warlord of the Far East, and Central Committee candidate, was summoned to Moscow in August 1938. Relieved of duty in September and arrested with his family in October, he faced charges of inadequate preparation against Japanese aggression and harboring "enemies of the people" within his ranks. On November 9, 1938, Blyukher died during interrogation a euphemism for torture-induced death.Other innocents suffered as well. In the wake of the fighting, Soviet authorities deported hundreds of thousands of Korean rice farmers from the Ussuri region to Kazakhstan, aiming to eradicate Korean settlements that Japanese spies had allegedly exploited. The Changkufeng clash indirectly hampered Japan's Wuhan offensive, a massive push to subdue China. The influx of troops and supplies for this campaign was briefly disrupted by the border flare-up. Notably, Kwantung Army's 2nd Air Group, slated for Wuhan, was retained due to the Soviet threat. Chiang Kai-shek's drastic measure, breaching the Yellow River dikes to flood Japanese advance routes—further delayed the assault. By October 25, 1938, when Japanese forces captured Hankow, Chiang had relocated his capital to distant Chungking. Paradoxically, Wuhan's fall cut rail links from Canton inland, heightening Chiang's reliance on Soviet aid routed overland and by air from Central Asia. Japan secured a tactical win but missed the decisive blow; Chinese resistance persisted, pinning down a million Japanese troops in occupation duties. What was the true significance of Changkufeng? For General Koiso Suetaka and the 19th Division, it evoked a mix of bitterness and pride. Those eager for combat got their share, though not on their terms. To veterans mourning fallen comrades on those desolate slopes, it might have felt like senseless tragedy. Yet, they fought valiantly under dire conditions, holding firm until a retreat that blended humiliation with imperial praise, a bittersweet inheritance. For the Red Army, it marked a crucial trial of resolve amid Stalin's purges. While Shtern's forces didn't shine brilliantly, they acquitted themselves well in adversity. The U.S. military attaché in Moscow observed that any purge-related inefficiencies had been surmounted, praising the Red Army's valor, reliability, and equipment. His counterpart in China, Colonel Joseph Stilwell, put it bluntly: the Soviets "appeared to advantage," urging skeptics to rethink notions of a weakened Red Army. Yet, by World War II's eve, many British, French, German, and Japanese leaders still dismissed it as a "paper tiger." Soviet leaders appeared content, promoting Shtern to command the Transbaikal Military District and colonel general by 1940, while honoring "Heroes of Lake Khasan" with medals. In a fiery November 7, 1938, speech, Marshal Kliment Voroshilov warned that future incursions would prompt strikes deep into enemy territory. Tokyo's views diverged sharply. Many in the military and government saw it as a stain on Imperial Army prestige, especially Kwantung Army, humiliated on Manchukuo soil it swore to protect. Colonel Masanobu Tsuji Inada, however, framed it as a successful reconnaissance, confirming Soviet border defense without broader aggression, allowing the Wuhan push to proceed safely. Critics, including Major General Gun Hashimoto and historians, questioned this. They argued IGHQ lacked contingency plans for a massive Soviet response, especially with Wuhan preparations underway since June. One expert warned Japan had "played with fire," risking Manchuria and Korea if escalation occurred. Yet, Japanese commanders gleaned few lessons, downplaying Soviet materiel superiority and maintaining disdain for Red Army prowess. The 19th Division's stand against outnumbered odds reinforced this hubris, as did tolerance for local insubordination—attitudes that would prove costly. The Kremlin, conversely, learned Japan remained unpredictable despite its China quagmire. But for Emperor Hirohito's intervention, the conflict might have ballooned. Amid purges and the Czech crisis, Stalin likely viewed it as a reminder of eastern vulnerabilities, especially with Munich advancing German threats westward. Both sides toyed with peril. Moderation won in Tokyo, but Kwantung Army seethed. On August 11, Premier Fumimaro Konoye noted the need for caution. Kwantung, however, pushed for and secured control of the disputed salient from Chosen Army by October 8, 1938. Even winter's chill couldn't quench their vengeful fire, setting the stage for future confrontations. A quick look at the regional map reveals how Manchukuo and the Mongolian People's Republic each jut into the other's territory like protruding salients. These bulges could be seen as aggressive thrusts into enemy land, yet they also risked encirclement and absorption by the opposing empire. A northward push from western Manchuria through Mongolia could sever the MPR and Soviet Far East from the USSR's heartland. Conversely, a pincer movement from Mongolia and the Soviet Maritime Province might envelop and isolate Manchukuo. This dynamic highlights the frontier's strategic volatility in the 1930s. One particularly tense sector was the broad Mongolian salient extending about 150 miles eastward into west-central Manchukuo. There, in mid-1939, Soviet-Japanese tensions erupted into major combat. Known to the Japanese as the Nomonhan Incident and to the Soviets and Mongolians as the Battle of Khalkhin Gol, this clash dwarfed the earlier Changkufeng affair in scale, duration, and impact. Spanning four months and claiming 30,000 to 50,000 casualties, it amounted to a small undeclared war, the modern era's first limited conflict between great powers. The Mongolian salient features vast, semiarid plains of sandy grassland, gently rolling terrain dotted with sparse scrub pines and low shrubs. The climate is unforgivingly continental: May brings hot days and freezing nights, while July and August see daytime highs exceeding 38°C (100°F in American units), with cool evenings. Swarms of mosquitoes and massive horseflies necessitate netting in summer. Rainfall is scarce, but dense morning fogs are common in August. Come September, temperatures plummet, with heavy snows by October and midwinter lows dipping to –34°C. This blend of North African aridity and North Dakotan winters supports only sparse populations, mainly two related but distinct Mongol tribes. The Buriat (or Barga) Mongols migrated into the Nomonhan area from the northwest in the late 17th to early 18th centuries, likely fleeing Russian expansion after the 1689 Treaty of Nerchinsk. Organized by Manchu emperors between 1732 and 1735, they settled east of the river they called Khalkhin Gol (Mongolian for "river"), in lands that would later become Manchukuo. The Khalkha Mongols, named for the word meaning "barrier" or "shield," traditionally guarded the Mongol Empire's northern frontiers. Their territories lay west of the Buriats, in what would become the MPR. For centuries, these tribes herded livestock across sands, river crossings, and desert paths, largely oblivious to any formal borders. For hundreds of years, the line dividing the Mongolian salient from western Manchuria was a hazy administrative divide within the Qing Empire. In the 20th century, Russia's detachment of Outer Mongolia and Japan's seizure of Manchuria transformed this vague boundary into a frontline between rival powers. The Nomonhan Incident ignited over this contested border. Near the salient's northeastern edge, the river, called Khalkhin Gol by Mongols and Soviets, and Halha by Manchurians and Japanese, flows northwest into Lake Buir Nor. The core dispute: Was the river, as Japan asserted, the historic boundary between Manchukuo and the MPR? Soviet and MPR officials insisted the line ran parallel to and 10–12 miles east of the river, claiming the intervening strip. Japan cited no fewer than 18 maps, from Chinese and Japanese sources, to support the river as the border, a logical choice in such barren terrain, where it served as the sole natural divider. Yet, Soviets and Mongolians countered with evidence like a 1919 Chinese postal atlas and maps from Japanese and Manchukuoan agencies (1919–1934). Unbeknownst to combatants, in July 1939, China's military attaché in Moscow shared a 1934 General Staff map with his American counterpart, showing the border east of the river. Postwar Japanese studies of 18th-century Chinese records confirm that in 1734, the Qing emperor set a boundary between Buriat and Khalkha Mongols east of the river, passing through the hamlet of Nomonhan—as the Soviets claimed. However, Kwantung Army Headquarters dismissed this as non-binding, viewing it as an internal Qing affair without Russian involvement. Two former Kwantung Army officers offer a pragmatic explanation: From 1931 to 1935, when Soviet forces in the Far East were weak, Japanese and Manchukuoan authorities imposed the river as the de facto border, with MPR acquiescence. By the mid- to late 1930s, as Soviet strength grew, Japan refused to yield, while Mongolians and Soviets rejected the river line, sparking clashes. In 1935, Kwantung Army revised its maps to align with the river claim. From late that year, the Lake Buir Nor–Halha sector saw frequent skirmishes between Manchukuoan and MPR patrols. Until mid-1938, frontier defense in northwestern Manchukuo fell to the 8th Border Garrison Unit , based near Hailar. This 7,000-man force, spread thin, lacked mobility, training, and, in Kwantung Army's eyes, combat readiness. That summer, the newly formed 23rd Division, under Kwantung Army, took station at Hailar, absorbing the 8th BGU under its command, led by Lieutenant General Michitaro Komatsubara. At 52, Komatsubara was a premier Russian specialist in the Imperial Army, with stints as military attaché in the USSR and head of Kwantung's Special Services Agency in Harbin. Standing 5'7" with a sturdy build, glasses, and a small mustache, he was detail-oriented, keeping meticulous diaries, writing lengthy letters, and composing poetry, though he lacked combat experience. Before departing Tokyo in July 1938, Komatsubara received briefings from Colonel Masazumi Inada, AGS Operations Section chief. Amid planning for Changkufeng, Inada urged calm on the Manchukuo-MPR border given China's ongoing campaigns. Guidelines: Ignore minor incidents, prioritize intelligence on Soviet forces east of Lake Baikal, and study operations against the Soviet Far East's western sector. Familiar with the region from his Harbin days, Komatsubara adopted a low-key approach. Neither impulsive nor aggressive, he kept the green 23rd Division near Hailar, delegating patrols to the 8th BGU. An autumn incident underscores his restraint. On November 1, 1938, an 8th BGU patrol was ambushed by MPR forces. Per Japanese accounts, the three-man team, led by a lieutenant, strayed too close to the border and was attacked 50 meters inside Manchukuo. The lieutenant escaped, but his men died. Komatsubara sent an infantry company to secure the site but forbade retaliation. He pursued body recovery diplomatically, protested to MPR and Soviet officials, and disciplined his officers: garrison leaders got five days' confinement for poor troop training, the lieutenant thirty days. Despite this caution, pressures at AGS and KwAHQ were mounting, poised to thrust the 23rd Division into fierce battle. Modern militaries routinely develop contingency plans against potential adversaries, and the mere existence of such strategies doesn't inherently signal aggressive intentions. That said, shifts in Japan's operational planning vis-à-vis the Soviet Union may have inadvertently fueled the Nomonhan Incident. From 1934 to 1938, Japanese war scenarios emphasized a massive surprise assault in the Ussuri River region, paired with defensive holding actions in northwestern Manchuria. However, between mid-1938 and early 1939, a clandestine joint task force from the Army General Staff and Kwantung Army's Operations Departments crafted a bold new blueprint. This revised strategy proposed containing Soviet forces in the east and north while unleashing a full-scale offensive from Hailar, advancing west-northwest toward Chita and ultimately Lake Baikal. The goal: sever the Transbaikal Soviet Far East from the USSR's core. Dubbed Plan Eight-B, it gained Kwantung Army's endorsement in March 1939. Key architects—Colonels Takushiro Hattori and Masao Terada, along with Major Takeharu Shimanuki—were reassigned from AGS to Kwantung Army Headquarters to oversee implementation. The plan anticipated a five-year buildup before execution, with Hattori assuming the role of chief operations staff officer. A map review exposes a glaring vulnerability in Plan Eight-B: the Japanese advance would leave its southern flank exposed to Soviet counterstrikes from the Mongolian salient. By spring 1939, KwAHQ likely began perceiving this protrusion as a strategic liability. Notably, at the outbreak of Nomonhan hostilities, no detailed operational contingencies for the area had been formalized. Concurrently, Japan initiated plans for a vital railroad linking Harlun Arshan to Hailar. While its direct tie to Plan Eight-B remains unclear, the route skirted perilously close to the Halha River, potentially heightening KwAHQ's focus on the disputed Mongolian salient. In early 1939, the 23rd Division intensified reconnaissance patrols near the river. Around this time, General Grigory Shtern, freshly appointed commander of Soviet Far Eastern forces, issued a public warning that Japan was gearing up for an assault on the Mongolian People's Republic. As Plan Eight-B took shape and railroad proposals advanced, KwAHQ issued a strikingly confrontational set of guidelines for frontier troops. These directives are often cited as a catalyst for the Nomonhan clash, forging a chain linking the 1937 Amur River incident, the 1938 Changkufeng debacle, and the 1939 conflict.Resentment had festered at KwAHQ over perceived AGS meddling during the Amur affair, which curtailed their command autonomy. This frustration intensified at Changkufeng, where General Kamezo Suetaka's 19th Division endured heavy losses, only for the contested Manchukuoan territory to be effectively ceded. Kwantung Army lobbied successfully to wrest oversight of the Changkufeng salient from Chosen Army. In November 1938, Major Masanobu Tsuji of KwAHQ's Operations Section was sent to survey the site. The audacious officer was dismayed: Soviet forces dominated the land from the disputed ridge to the Tumen River. Tsuji undertook several winter reconnaissance missions. His final outing in March 1939 involved leading 40 men to Changkufeng's base. With rifles slung non-threateningly, they ascended to within 200 yards of Soviet lines, formed a line, and urinated in unison, eliciting amused reactions from the enemy. They then picnicked with obentos and sake, sang army tunes, and left gifts of canned meat, chocolates, and whiskey. This theatrical stunt concealed Tsuji's real aim: covert photography proving Soviet fortifications encroached on Manchukuoan soil. Tsuji was a singular figure. Born of modest means, he embodied a modern samurai ethos, channeling a sharp intellect into a frail, often ailing body through feats of extraordinary daring. A creative tactician, he thrived in intelligence ops, political scheming, aerial scouting, planning, and frontline command—excelling across a tumultuous career. Yet, flaws marred his brilliance: narrow bigotry, virulent racism, and capacity for cruelty. Ever the ambitious outsider, Tsuji wielded outsized influence via gekokujo—Japan's tradition of subordinates steering policy from below. In 1939, he was a major, but his pivotal role at Nomonhan stemmed from this dynamic. Back in Hsinking after his Changkufeng escapade, Tsuji drafted a response plan: negotiate border "rectification" with the Soviets; if talks failed, launch an attack to expel intruders. Kwantung Army adopted it. Deputy Chief of Staff Major General Otozaburo Yano flew to Tokyo with Tsuji's photos, seeking AGS approval. There, he was rebuffed—Changkufeng was deemed settled, and minor violations should be overlooked amid Tokyo's aversion to Soviet conflict. Yano's plea that leniency would invite aggression was countered by notes on Europe's tensions restraining Moscow. Yano's return sparked outrage at KwAHQ, seen as AGS thwarting their imperial duty to safeguard Manchukuo. Fury peaked in the Operations Section, setting the stage for Tsuji's drafting of stringent new frontier guidelines: "Principles for the Settlement of Soviet-Manchukuoan Border Disputes." The core tenet: "If Soviet troops transgress the Manchukuoan frontiers, Kwantung Army will nip their ambitions in the bud by completely destroying them." Specific directives for local commanders included: "If the enemy crosses the frontiers … annihilate him without delay, employing strength carefully built up beforehand. To accomplish our mission, it is permissible to enter Soviet territory, or to trap or lure Soviet troops into Manchukuoan territory and allow them to remain there for some time… . Where boundary lines are not clearly defined, area defense commanders will, upon their own initiative, establish boundaries and indicate them to the forward elements… . In the event of an armed clash, fight until victory is won, regardless of relative strengths or of the location of the boundaries. If the enemy violates the borders, friendly units must challenge him courageously and endeavor to triumph in their zone of action without concerning themselves about the consequences, which will be the responsibility of higher headquarters." Major Tsuji Masanobu later justified the new guidelines by pointing to the "contradictory orders" that had hamstrung frontier commanders under the old rules. They were tasked with upholding Manchukuo's territorial integrity yet forbidden from actions that might spark conflict. This, Tsuji argued, bred hesitation, as officers feared repercussions for decisive responses to incursions. The updated directives aimed to alleviate this "anxiety," empowering local leaders to act boldly without personal liability. In truth, Tsuji's "Principles for the Settlement of Soviet-Manchukuoan Border Disputes" were more incendiary than conciliatory. They introduced provocative measures: authorizing commanders to unilaterally define unclear boundaries, enforce them with immediate force "shoot first, ask questions later", permit pursuits into enemy territory, and even encourage luring adversaries across the line. Such tactics flouted both government policy and official army doctrine, prioritizing escalation over restraint. The proposals sparked intense debate within Kwantung Army's Operations Section. Section chief Colonel Takushiro Hattori and Colonel Masao Terada outranked Tsuji, as did Major Takeharu Shimanuki, all recent transfers from the Army General Staff. Tsuji, however, boasted longer tenure at Kwantung Army Headquarters since April 1936 and in Operations since November 1937, making him the de facto veteran. Hattori and Terada hesitated to challenge the assertive major, whose reputation for intellect, persuasion, and deep knowledge of Manchuria commanded respect. In a 1960 interview, Shimanuki recalled Tsuji's dominance in discussions, where his proactive ideas often swayed the group. Unified, the section forwarded Tsuji's plan to Kwantung Army Command. Commander Lieutenant General Kenkichi Ueda consulted Chief of Staff General Rensuke Isogai and Vice Chief General Otozaburo Yano, seasoned leaders who should have spotted the guidelines' volatility. Yet, lingering grudges from AGS "interference" in past incidents like the Amur River and Changkufeng clouded their judgment. Ueda, Isogai, and Tsuji shared history from the 1932 Shanghai Incident: Tsuji, then a captain, led a company in the 7th Regiment under Colonel Isogai, with Yano as staff officer and Ueda commanding the 9th Division. Tsuji was wounded there, forging bonds of camaraderie. This "clique," which grew to include Hattori, Terada, and Shimanuki, amplified Tsuji's influence. Despite Isogai's initial reservations as the group's moderate voice, the guidelines won approval. Ueda issued them as Kwantung Army Operations Order 1488 on April 25, 1939, during a division commanders' conference at KwAHQ. A routine copy reached AGS in Tokyo, but no formal reply came. Preoccupied with the China War and alliance talks with Germany, AGS may have overlooked border matters. Colonel Masazumi Inada, AGS Operations head, later noted basic acceptance of Order 1488, with an informal expectation—relayed to Hattori and Terada—of prior consultation on violations. KwAHQ dismissed this as another Tokyo intrusion on their autonomy. Some Japanese analysts contend a stern AGS rejection might have prevented Nomonhan's catastrophe, though quelling Kwantung's defiance could have required mass staff reassignments, a disruptive step AGS avoided. Tsuji countered that permitting forceful action at Changkufeng would have deterred Nomonhan altogether, underscoring the interconnectedness of these clashes while implicitly critiquing the 1939 battle's location. Undeniably, Order 1488's issuance on April 25 paved the way for conflict three weeks later. Japanese records confirm that Khalkha Mongols and MPR patrols routinely crossed the Halha River—viewed by them as internal territory, 10 miles from the true border. Such crossings passed uneventfully in March and April 1939. Post-Order 1488, however, 23rd Division commander General Michitaro Komatsubara responded aggressively, setting the stage for escalation. The Nomonhan Incident ignited with a border clash on May 11–12, 1939, that rapidly spiraled into a major conflict. Over a dozen "authoritative" accounts exist, varying in viewpoint, focus, and specifics. After cross-referencing these sources, a coherent timeline emerges. On the night of May 10–11, a 20-man Mongolian People's Republic border patrol crossed eastward over the Halha River (known as Khalkhin Gol to Mongols and Soviets). About 10 miles east, atop a 150-foot sandy hill, lay the tiny hamlet of Nomonhan, a cluster of crude huts housing a few Mongol families. Just south flowed the Holsten River, merging westward into the broader Halha. By morning on May 11, Manchukuoan forces spotted the MPR patrol north of the Holsten and west of Nomonhan. In the MPR/Soviet perspective, Nomonhan Hill marked the Mongolia-Manchuria border. To Manchukuoans and Japanese, it sat 10 miles inside Manchukuo, well east of the Halha. A 40-man Manchukuoan cavalry unit repelled the Mongolians back across the river, inflicting initial casualties on both sides—the Manchukuoans drawing first blood. The MPR patrol leader exaggerated the attackers as 200 strong. The next day, May 12, a 60-man MPR force under Major P. Chogdan evicted the Manchukuoans from the disputed zone, reestablishing positions between the Halha and Nomonhan. The Manchukuoans, in turn, reported facing 700 enemies. Sporadic skirmishes and maneuvering persisted through the week. On May 13, two days post-clash, the local Manchukuoan commander alerted General Michitaro Komatsubara's 23rd Division headquarters in Hailar. Simultaneously, Major Chogdan reported to Soviet military command in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia's capital. What began as a Mongolian-Manchukuoan spat was poised to draw in Soviet and Japanese patrons. Attributing the May 10–11 violation hinges on border interpretations: both sides claimed the Halha-Nomonhan strip. Yet, most accounts concur that Manchukuoan forces initiated the fighting. Post-May 13 notifications to Moscow and Tokyo clarify the record thereafter. Midday on May 13, Komatsubara was leading a staff conference on the newly issued Kwantung Army Operations Order 1488—Major Tsuji Masanobu's aggressive border guidelines. Ironically, the first Nomonhan combat report arrived mid-discussion. Officers present recall Komatsubara deciding instantly to "destroy the invading Outer Mongolian forces" per Order 1488. That afternoon, he informed Kwantung Army Headquarters of the incident and his intent to eradicate the intruders, requesting air support and trucks. General Kenkichi Ueda, Kwantung commander, approved Komatsubara's "positive attitude," dispatching six scout planes, 40 fighters, 10 light bombers, two anti-aircraft batteries, and two motorized transport companies. Ueda added a caveat: exercise "extreme caution" to prevent escalation—a paradoxical blend of destruction and restraint, reflective of KwAHQ's fervent mood. Ueda relayed the details to Tokyo's Army General Staff, which responded that Kwantung should handle it "appropriately." Despite Kwantung's impulsive reputation, Tokyo deferred, perhaps trusting the northern strategic imbalance, eight Japanese divisions versus 30 Soviet ones from Lake Baikal to Vladivostok, would enforce prudence. This faith proved misguided. On May 14, Major Tsuji flew from KwAHQ for aerial reconnaissance over Nomonhan, spotting 20 horses but no troops. Upon landing, a fresh bullet hole in his plane confirmed lingering MPR presence east of the Halha. Tsuji briefed 23rd Division staff and reported to Ueda that the incident seemed minor. Aligning with Order 1488's spirit, Komatsubara deployed a force under Lieutenant Colonel Yaozo Azuma: an armored car company, two infantry companies, and a cavalry troop. Arriving at Nomonhan on May 15, Azuma learned most MPR forces had retreated westward across the Halha the prior night, with only token elements remaining, and those withdrawing. Undeterred, he pursued. The advance met scant resistance, as foes had crossed the river. However, Japanese light bombers struck a small MPR concentration on the west bank, Outpost Number 7, killing two and wounding 15 per MPR reports; Japanese claimed 30–40 kills. All agree: the raid targeted undisputed MPR territory. Hearing of May 15's events, Komatsubara deemed the Mongolians sufficiently rebuked and recalled Azuma to Hailar on May 16. KwAHQ concurred, closing the matter. Soviet leaders, however, saw it differently. Mid-May prompted Soviet support for the MPR under their 1936 Mutual Defense Pact. The Red Army's 57th Corps, stationed in Mongolia, faced initial disarray: Commander Nikolai Feklenko was hunting, Chief of Staff A. M. Kushchev in Ulan Ude with his ill wife. Moscow learned of clashes via international press from Japanese sources, sparking Chief of Staff Boris Shaposhnikov's furious inquiry. Feklenko and Kushchev rushed back to Ulaanbaatar, dispatching a mixed force—a battalion from the 149th Infantry Regiment (36th Division), plus light armor and artillery from the 11th Tank Brigade—to Tamsag Bulak, 80 miles west of the Halha. Led by Major A. E. Bykov, it bolstered the MPR's 6th Cavalry Division. Bykov and Cavalry Commander Colonel Shoaaiibuu inspected the site on May 15, post-Azum's departure. The cavalry arrived two days later, backed by Bykov (ordered to remain west of the river and avoid combat if possible). Some MPR troops recrossed, occupying the disputed zone. Clashes with Manchukuoan cavalry resumed and intensified. Notified of renewed hostilities, Komatsubara viewed it as defiance, a personal affront. Emboldened by Order 1488, he aimed not just to repel but to encircle and annihilate. The incident was on the verge of major expansion. 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. The ghosts of the Changufeng incident have come back to haunt both the USSR and Japan. Those like Tsuji Masanobu instigated yet another border clash that would erupt into a full blown battle that would set a precedent for both nations until the very end of WW2.
Einon's Journal Summary: Our penultimate stop, before reaching the final core, seemed to be the home of a mortal enemy of one of our companions. I worked to arrest the anger of the maze's denizen. Kade employed a unique method for staying hidden. Maxine found a trail to follow. Upon entering such a dangerous place, the biggest revelation was that the apparent threat was dealing with a crisis of his own. ------ Content Warning: Language, Sexually Suggestive Language, Fantasy Violence ------ You can support The Critshow through our Patreon to get more weekly TTRPG Actual Play content, access to our discord community, and much more! Follow The Critshow on twitter, join our subreddit, and follow us on Instagram. Get two free MotW mysteries and some Keeper tips from Rev by signing up on our website! Check out what's coming up on our monthly publication calendar. And don't forget to check out our wonderful sponsors! This episode of The Critshow featured Megan as Maxine Hollis, Rev as Arkady Atwater, Tass as Einon Kerning, and Jake as the GM This episode was edited and produced by Brandon (Rev) Wentz with music by Jake Pierle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Einon's Journal Summary: After our merriment with the satyrs, we made our plans to traverse further into the mountains. I learned how to make a satyr-style bow. Maxine had questions about her advancing aether talents. Kade tested the townsfolk, in order to find a new traveling companion. So far, our experiences with the fae-folk have been simply marvelous. So far… ------ Content Warning: Language ------ You can support The Critshow through our Patreon to get more weekly TTRPG Actual Play content, access to our discord community, and much more! Follow The Critshow on twitter, join our subreddit, and follow us on Instagram. Get two free MotW mysteries and some Keeper tips from Rev by signing up on our website! Check out what's coming up on our monthly publication calendar. And don't forget to check out our wonderful sponsors! This episode of The Critshow featured Megan as Maxine Hollis, Rev as Arkady Atwater, Tass as Einon Kerning, and Jake as the GM This episode was edited and produced by Brandon (Rev) Wentz with music by Jake Pierle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Conference Championship Weekend is here, and we're running it back with full-scale chaos across the NFL and NBA. We kick things off with AFC & NFC Championship Would You Rather as Tass and Josh break down the biggest decisions, matchups, and pressure points heading into Sunday. Then it's Sports Scantron: Which team should actually pick up the phone and trade for Maxx Crosby — Bears, Lions, Bills, Ravens, or Patriots? On the hardwood, we hit NBA All-Star Reserves, then dive into a blockbuster Who Hangs Up First featuring a wild Giannis-to-New York framework that reshapes three franchises. We wrap with Way or No Way: Can This Team Win the NBA Title? — separating real contenders from regular-season illusions across the league. NFL stakes. NBA chaos. Zero fence-sitting. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Einon's Journal Summary: What an unbelievable experience, one I shall treasure for all of my days! Amongst the satyrs, Maxine taught some of their children about explosives! I danced an evening away, learning about their beautiful music! Kade participated in a marvelous contest! And all of that before the game of Capture the Flag! ------ Content Warning: Language ------ You can support The Critshow through our Patreon to get more weekly TTRPG Actual Play content, access to our discord community, and much more! Follow The Critshow on twitter, join our subreddit, and follow us on Instagram. Get two free MotW mysteries and some Keeper tips from Rev by signing up on our website! Check out what's coming up on our monthly publication calendar. And don't forget to check out our wonderful sponsors! This episode of The Critshow featured Megan as Maxine Hollis, Rev as Arkady Atwater, Tass as Einon Kerning, and Jake as the GM This episode was edited and produced by Brandon (Rev) Wentz with music by Jake Pierle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We're back with a loaded Would You Rather-heavy Rundown across the NFL and NBA. Tass kicks things off with rapid-fire WYR matchups — Miami vs Indiana, Texans vs Patriots, and Bills vs Broncos — breaking down which teams you'd actually want right now and why. Josh follows with his own WYR slate featuring 49ers vs Seahawks and Rams vs Bears, diving into roster construction, quarterback confidence, and coaching trust. From there, we pivot to Eliminated Teams Rebuilds, where Josh completely reworks the Chargers and Steelers blueprints — bold free-agent swings, aggressive coaching hires, and a few spicy “buy-low” ideas that could reset each franchise fast. On the NBA side, Tass brings Who Hangs Up First, centered around blockbuster Jaren Jackson Jr. trade scenarios involving the Lakers and Celtics, breaking down value, fit, and who's actually saying no first. We close it out with Tass' NBA All-Stars (West) — who's in, who's out, and which names are getting the hardest push. Fast pace, big opinions, zero filler. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Einon's Journal Summary: Bargaining with the tengu became a learning experience for all of us. I had the privilege of accompanying them on a hunt. Kade learned some of their methods of aether use. Maxine obtained knowledge of their history and story-telling traditions. As we prepared to journey further into the fae-filled mountains, we realized a course that might endear us to the rest of its denizens. ------ Content Warning: Language, Sexual References ------ You can support The Critshow through our Patreon to get more weekly TTRPG Actual Play content, access to our discord community, and much more! Follow The Critshow on twitter, join our subreddit, and follow us on Instagram. Get two free MotW mysteries and some Keeper tips from Rev by signing up on our website! Check out what's coming up on our monthly publication calendar. And don't forget to check out our wonderful sponsors! This episode of The Critshow featured Megan as Maxine Hollis, Rev as Arkady Atwater, Tass as Einon Kerning, and Jake as the GM This episode was edited and produced by Brandon (Rev) Wentz with music by Jake Pierle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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