Podcasts about thwarted

Thwarted in their efforts to reach the obelisk on Coombe Hill, the boys turn back in Wendover and start the journey back to Chesham. Featuring the beverages in Rob's bag, Paul's Red Kite confusion cleared up, what they've both been watching, what they're both writing, walking the hills, finding the 'why', wiping out and running on, singing, football, and returning to Lee Common.SUBSCRIBE for early access, ad-free listening and more... and BUY OUR BOOKS; you can get Rob's book Running Tracks here - https://www.waterstones.com/book/running-tracks/rob-deering/9781800180444 - and you can get Paul's book 26.2 Miles to Happiness here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/26-2-miles-to-happiness/paul-tonkinson/9781472975270You can download Rob's show Long Distance Man here: gofasterstripe.com/ldThanks for listening, supporting, and sharing your adventures with us. Happy running.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/runningcommentary. Thanks for listening - we'll be back next week, and if you're desperate in the meantime, subscribe and become a Fan - there are hundreds of old episodes you can have a go on, AND you'll get next week's episode three days early. Happy running! https://plus.acast.com/s/runningcommentary. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Fear the 'Fro is back at the worst possible time.  The win streak is over, but Bob Schmidt, of Fox Sports Radio, breaks down what went wrong, and then celebrates the 16-game win streak that gave De'Andre Hunter an all-time debut run with his new team.  We hit the audio mailbag, and prepare for a Fear the 'Fro field trip to Intuit Dome.  If you want to skip the win streak autopsy, just go to (10:30).(0:00) Cavs vs. Magic Recap(10:37) Audio Mailbag: Evan Mobley's DPOY Showcase vs. JJJ(13:37) Audio Mailbag: Revisiting Hunter vs. Johnson 

Donald Trump created a "faith office" to protect religious liberty and a DOJ task force to combat anti-Christian discrimination, but his immigration policy leaves foreign Christians facing persecution without a way to escape to the US. David Bier explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meat heist was thwarted full 2176 Thu, 13 Mar 2025 18:02:11 +0000 VMj9yAAHAHkDj2Ttd9HDDKUh456l2CXW news The Jayme & Grayson Podcast news Meat heist was thwarted Catch each and every hour of Midday with Jayme & Grayson as they discuss the hot topics in Kansas City and around the country... 2024 © 2021 Audacy, Inc. News False https://player.amperwavepodcasting.com?feed-link=https%3A%2F%2Frss.am

“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.”Job 42:2 NRSV

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German authorities have thwarted a terror plot against the Israeli Embassy in Berlin, while authorities in Sweden arrested three men near the Israeli Embassy there. Meanwhile, a man was arrested a man on Friday at the Berlin Holocaust memorial. All of this, as a major Hamas attack in Israel is thwarted. Is the war against the Jewish people intensifying worldwide? Plus, does Hamas have a prophetic link to an ancient Biblical enemy of Israel, Amalek? Check out our YouTube channel to never miss the Watchman Newscast live updates during the week and be sure to subscribe. WATCH Stakelbeck Tonight episodes for free on TBN+ here. The Watchman Newscast with Erick Stakelbeck features host Erick Stakelbeck's breakdown and understanding of current events and how they play an impact on Biblical Prophecy, Israel, and how it all impacts the world, no matter where you live. Tune in for more understandings on the major issues and news that matter to you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lori Vallow Daybell Court Updates, Houston school shooting thwarted, Alabama police department abolished?The state has filed a motion in limine to disallow statements by Tylee Ryan in regard to the murder of Charles Vallow in the upcoming trial of Lori Vallow.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv89cbjX6M8Gun CrimeHouston school shooting thwartedhttps://people.com/2-teenage-girls-in-custody-allegedly-plotting-mass-casualty-attack-texas-school-11683255WTF NewsAlabama police department abolished?https://abcnews.go.com/US/hanceville-alabama-police-department-officers-indicted-grand-jury-abolish/storyJoin our squad! Kristi and Katie share true crime stories and give you actionable things you can do to help, all with a wicked sense of humor.Follow our True Crime Trials Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TrueCrimeSquadTrialsFollow our True Crime Shorts Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@truecrimesquadshorts-t6iWant to Support our work and get extra perks?https://buymeacoffee.com/truecrimesquadLooking for extra content?https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesquad*Social Media Links*Facebook: www.facebook.com/truecrimesquadFacebook Discussion Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/215774426330767Website: https://www.truecrimesquad.comTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@truecrimesquadBlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/truecrimesquad.bsky.social True Crime Squad on Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/5gIPqBHJLftbXdRgs1Bqm1

Lori Vallow Daybell Court Updates, Houston school shooting thwarted, Alabama police department abolished?The state has filed a motion in limine to disallow statements by Tylee Ryan in regard to the murder of Charles Vallow in the upcoming trial of Lori Vallow.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv89cbjX6M8Gun CrimeHouston school shooting thwartedhttps://people.com/2-teenage-girls-in-custody-allegedly-plotting-mass-casualty-attack-texas-school-11683255WTF NewsAlabama police department abolished?https://abcnews.go.com/US/hanceville-alabama-police-department-officers-indicted-grand-jury-abolish/storyJoin our squad! Kristi and Katie share true crime stories and give you actionable things you can do to help, all with a wicked sense of humor.Follow our True Crime Trials Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TrueCrimeSquadTrialsFollow our True Crime Shorts Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@truecrimesquadshorts-t6iWant to Support our work and get extra perks?https://buymeacoffee.com/truecrimesquadLooking for extra content?https://www.patreon.com/truecrimesquad*Social Media Links*Facebook: www.facebook.com/truecrimesquadFacebook Discussion Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/215774426330767Website: https://www.truecrimesquad.comTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@truecrimesquadBlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/truecrimesquad.bsky.social True Crime Squad on Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/5gIPqBHJLftbXdRgs1Bqm1

I have been calling for an audit for Fort Knox for over a year. The last reported audit of Fort Knox was in 1974. That lack of transparency means our own government, as expected, is up to no good. How much gold do we have and does it really matter? The answer to those to questions is, we don't really know and most certainly yes. At first I assumed our gold had been raided. Stolen from the American tax payer, like all the other money we are finding our lawmakers and bureaucrats wasted and abused. But there is another option here that no one is considering, the U.S. Government has been hoarding gold over the past decades, slowly selling it off at a deep discount to well connected global elites. Fort Knox may be continuing to increase its stock piles in preparation of a global financial catastrophe, orchestrated by a cabal of "Deep State" elites whose sole goal is bring America to its knees. But don't think the gold will benefit us, it won't. With no audit or real knowledge of just how much gold we have, the stock pile could be raided for the financial gain of the very nefarious characters who created the collapse in the first place. Under my scenario the price of gold would sky rocket. The scary part is, this is not the first time a scenario like this unfolded. In this podcast you will hear the story of the Rockefeller Family buying gold from the Federal Reserve at "bargain basement" pricing. We do have evidence gold is being flown to Fort Knox daily. The DOGE team needs to gain immediate access to Fort Knox to audit America's gold stockpile now.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is the All Local morning update for Saturday, February 15, 2025

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This episode takes us far out into the Aleutian Islands off the west coast of Alaska's mainland, to hunt wild bison. Recorded audio-journal style, we're bringing it to you raw and unedited.  Hunting by invitation with Jack Jaeger, who is designated to hunt buffalo for the tribal elders, we circumnavigate the island on a small fishing boat, landing in a skiff and hunting up from the coast when buffalo are sighted.  With a big cow taken and the quarters packed out and hung to age, we weather howling winds and slashing rain, and then ascend into the Island's high peaks in an attempt to find a big bull.  Thwarted by fog, fierce winds, and relentless rain, we had to pull out and get dry and warm. Then, for days, we hunkered down and waited while the airline canceled flights day after day.  This was type 2 fun at its finest, folks! If you're interested in trying a similar adventure yourself, contact Jack Jaeger. His info is in the show notes below.  ENJOY!    Contact Jack Jaeger on Facebook Call or text Jack: (808) 854-1127 Email Jack: jaegerjohn15@gmail.com

Today we continue with New York Times best-seller and star of Ancient Aliens David Wilcock. David continues to show just how much he loves himself some David Wilcock. Of course, he got sick recently and that means two things. He has to “medicate” and the Deep State is after him. Eventually, he very frantically ends his stream after thinking his computer froze. Great stuff for Space Weirdo Friday! If you enjoyed the show, please Like & Subscribe to our channel and share the links. This show can be found @hiddeninplainsightradio on Instagram and @thehiddenpod on Twitter. iTunes Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hidden-in-plain-sight/id1488538144?i=1000459997594 Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5zsntvl63Do7m9gNTD8Za2?si=MczvbuMlRuCbmWChclVUZA YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNRejWJs0hn8pefj5FiE7ZQ Rumble Link: https://rumble.com/c/c-389525 If you want to support the show, check out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hiddeninplainsightpod

Gaza ceasefire: Palestinian resistance has thwarted Israeli displacement plans by Radio Islam

AP Correspondent Laurence Brooks reports on a thwarted Islamic State attack in Syria.

Josh and Kirk analyze the latest Dallas loss, this time to the Houston Rockets. PJ Washington goes down. It's all a little bleak. Tap in. Please support our show by visiting https://bodyspec.sjv.io/xL9GRx and using the code PODMAVS45 to get $15 off your next scan! We record all of our shows LIVE on YouTube, subscribe and join us after every game! Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com #BlueWireVideo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Josh and Kirk analyze the latest Dallas loss, this time to the Houston Rockets. PJ Washington goes down. It's all a little bleak. Tap in. Please support our show by visiting https://bodyspec.sjv.io/xL9GRx and using the code PODMAVS45 to get $15 off your next scan! We record all of our shows LIVE on YouTube, subscribe and join us after every game! Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com #BlueWireVideo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of The PDB Afternoon Bulletin:   We'll begin in Syria, where the leader of the Islamic rebel insurgents has spoken publicly for the first time, vowing to overthrow the regime of Bashar al-Assad and push out Iranian and Russian interests as his fighters inch closer to Damascus. Then, we'll look at the renewed threat Islamic terrorism poses to Europe, as intelligence authorities in Germany thwart an Islamic State inspired “lone wolf” terrorist attack targeting a popular Christmas market. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief Patriot Gold: Call 1-888-870-5457 for a free investor guide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dylan hears a crying baby, Evil Mrs. Cobel is acting crazy. Severed Helly tries to escape, Thwarted constantly by metaphorical red tape. It is Mark's turn to doubt his reality. Never enough time for a pseudo-philosophy lesson, You are invited to a wellness session. Begin your Reintegration at (01:11:14). Got feedback? Send it to severance@baldmove.com. Hey there! Check out https://support.baldmove.com/ to find out how you can gain access to ALL of our premium content, as well as ad-free versions of the podcasts, for just $5 a month! Join the Club! Join the discussion: Email | Discord | Reddit | Forums Follow us: Twitch | YouTube | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Leave Us A Review on Apple Podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two Ottawa youth have been arrested in connection with an alleged terrorist attack targeting a pro-Israel rally on Parliament Hill. Plus, President-elect Donald Trump's incoming national security advisor Mike Waltz is a frequent critic of the Liberal government and has expressed excitement at the possibility of Pierre Poilievre replacing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. And not even a day after small business advocates disclosed that the carbon tax rebate for small businesses would be taxed, the Liberals backtracked on their position and removed the tax. Tune into The Daily Brief with Lindsay Shepherd and Isaac Lamoureux! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's bonfire season! Honoria (we pronounce it right this time) flirts with Mabel, Jinny and Lizzie get some girl time, and Guy, Theo and Nan continue their love triangle. Plus Conchita continues to tread water.  To support the LoG on Patreon visit: https://www.patreon.com/lordsofgrantham To buy LoG Merchandise visit: https://www.teepublic.com/user/lords-of-grantham-podcast

Republican Mary Felzkowski of Tomahawk was elected the new State Senate President this upcoming legislative session. After the passing of a Milwaukee alder, one of his former colleagues now wants more action on gun reform because of his death. And, Kenosha police say a possible school was prevented.

A school shooting in Kenosha was thwarted yesterday afternoon. The school staff being hailed as heroes as they questioned this 13-year-old suspect who was attempting to get in secure entrances to Rosevelt Elementary School. Social media team also being credited with saving lives because they found a video posted by the suspect on social media in where he was believed to hold a gun. They also found the suspect's internet searches that related to school shootings. A tragedy averted.

The state's top lawyer announces a settlement with Beverly Hills over the city's alleged attempt to block an abortion clinic. Former OC supervisor Andrew Do enters a guilty plea in court to a bribery scheme. Are you ready for tomorrow's Dodger parade? Plus, more. Support The L.A. Report by donating at LAist.com/join and by visiting https://laist.comSupport the show: https://laist.com

Extremism tracker Clara Broekaert joins Jeff to talk about dealing with the angry young white men and groups fueling threats against election workers and Democrats.Clara BroekaertClara Anna-Christine (@ClaraBroekaert) / XClara Broekaert - The Soufan GroupUS Crisis Monitor - ACLEDhttps://acleddata.com/us-crisis-monitor/#map Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter:https://twitter.com/SpyTalkerFollow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:https://twitter.com/isikoff Follow SpyTalk on Twitter:https://twitter.com/talk_spySubscribe to SpyTalk on Substackhttps://www.spytalk.co/Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback.http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short

AP correspondent Haya Panjwani reports on an attempt to crash a state's election website.

On this episode, Tony Brueski digs into the breaking developments surrounding Sean 'Diddy' Combs and a shocking new lawsuit. As allegations of sexual misconduct emerge from a luxury Ciroc vodka event in 2022, the narrative takes a sharp turn with the intervention of an unnamed professional athlete. What compelled this athlete to step in? And how does this latest lawsuit connect to Diddy's mounting legal troubles? We unpack the details, analyze the fallout, and dive into the intricate web of celebrity, power, and abuse.  Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com The latest on The Downfall of Diddy, The Trial of Karen Read, The Murder Of Maddie Soto, Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK's Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, The Menendez Brothers: Quest For Justice, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, The Murder Of Sandra Birchmore, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com

On this episode, Tony Brueski digs into the breaking developments surrounding Sean 'Diddy' Combs and a shocking new lawsuit. As allegations of sexual misconduct emerge from a luxury Ciroc vodka event in 2022, the narrative takes a sharp turn with the intervention of an unnamed professional athlete. What compelled this athlete to step in? And how does this latest lawsuit connect to Diddy's mounting legal troubles? We unpack the details, analyze the fallout, and dive into the intricate web of celebrity, power, and abuse.   Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com The latest on The Downfall of Diddy, The Trial of Karen Read, The Murder Of Maddie Soto, Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK's Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, The Menendez Brothers: Quest For Justice, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, The Murder Of Sandra Birchmore, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com

Joe Khalil, NewsNation’s DC correspondent, provides Lisa Dent details about a foiled terrorist attack by an Afghan national living in Oklahoma allegedly planned for Election Day and how all of it was discovered. In the United States legally and radicalized over the last two years, the accused, working with ISIS-K, the Afghan branch of the […]

Message from Kevin Celestin on October 13, 2024

J.D. Vance pens an Op-Ed detailing the failures of the Biden administration in responding to Hurricane Helene. Plus, an Afghan refugee is arrested after planning election day terrorism. Visit the Howie Carr Radio Network website to access columns, podcasts, and other exclusive content.

After another Trump assassination attempt is thwarted, the two campaigns point blame at each other for the heightened rhetoric... using heightened rhetoric. Speaking of unnecessary rhetoric, the Where's Waldo of former White House press secretaries, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the current governor of Arkansas, took a jab at Vice President Kamala Harris for not having kids. And while America is riveted by the federal charges against Sean “Diddy” Combs, we're simultaneously cheering on a felon prance her way through Dancing with the Stars, ankle monitor and all. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When it feels like the news isn't even a LITTLE shocking, perhaps it is because this is the inevitable result of a decade of insane rhetoric about Donald Trump. A would-be shooter was arrested outside of the Trump International Golf Club in W. Palm Beach.  __________________________________________________________ Check out BETWEEN THE LINES on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatholicVote JOIN OUR LOCALS:  https://thekyleseraphinshow.locals.com/subscribe PREPARE or REPAIR: http://PrepareLikeKyle.com (MyPatriotSupply Food Prep) Use PROMO CODE "KYLE" at these sites: http://PatriotCoolers.com/ (Tumblers & Coolers) http://MyPillow.com/Kyle (Pillows/Towels/Bedding) https://matthatjerky.com/kyle (premium Beef Jerky) http://The-Suspendables.com (Show Merch) http://ShieldArms.com - maker of the S10 and S15 magazines (Montana build firearms and accessories)

The FBI says former president Donald Trump was the target of an “attempted assassination” at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Fla. Nine weeks ago, the Republican presidential nominee survived an attempt on his life at a campaign event in Pennsylvania.Minneapolis police have released the ages of the victims in Saturday's hit-and-run in downtown. A 16-year-old girl was killed and five people were injured by a driver who drove the wrong way on Fifth Street and plowed into bystanders at the corner of Fifth and Hennepin.This is an MPR News morning update, hosted by Phil Picardi. Music by Gary Meister.Find these headlines and more at Mprnews.org.Trump was the subject of an apparent assassination attempt at his Florida golf club, the FBI saysHit-and-run vehicle plows into crowd, kills 16-year-old girl and injures othersRead the latest edition of the AM Update newsletter.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or RSS.

Michael Lofton covers a recent plot against Pope Francis, the Patriarch of Moscow’s encroachment into Alexandria’s territory, and whether bishops or content creators are more influential on the laity.

Israeli security forces thwarted a Jenin terror cell's plans to carry out an October 7th style massacre, targeting Jewish communities in Samaria, officials revealed this week. At the same time, a wannabe Pakistani terrorist was planning a massacre on the anniversary of October 7, hoping to murder Jews in Brooklyn. On today's Israel Uncensored, Josh Hasten says that vigilance is key, as Jews worldwide are the target. In addition, another murderous Sunday in Israel, with a Jordanian national murdering three Israelis HY"D at the Allenby Bridge Crossing. These news stories and much more on today's show.

The Morning Footy crew discuss Wilfried Nancy's post-match press conference after his club's 4-0 loss to the Seattle Sounders where he expressed a great deal of frustration in regard to the MLS call-up rules. As of now, MLS only allows four short-term contracts in one season. This is a problem for a side like Columbus who is playing an extraordinary amount of matches this campaign. Is he justified in his frustration? Tom Bogert, CBS Sports MLS Insider is welcomed in to weigh in on the matter as well. Morning Footy is available for free on the Audacy app as well as Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever else you listen to podcasts.  Follow the Morning Footy podcast on Twitter: @CBSSportsGolazo, @susannahcollins, @nicocantor1, @NotAlexis, @CharlieDavies9 For more soccer coverage from CBS Sports, visit https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/ To hear more from the CBS Sports Podcast Network, visit https://www.cbssports.com/podcasts/ Watch UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Europa Conference League, Serie A, Coppa Italia, EFL, NWSL, Scottish Premiership, Argentine Primera División by subscribing Paramount Plus: https://www.paramountplus.com/home/ To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Henry Hudson accepts a job with the Dutch East India Company (VOC) to find a route to Asia over Russia - aka the Northeast Passage. Thwarted, he heads west - to the New World - and he proceeds to be the first European to map the area around New York and the Hudson River. The Explorers Podcast is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on the Explorers Podcast? Email us at advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The PDB Afternoon Bulletin:    Israel has launched a major operation across a large swath of the West Bank targeting Iranian-linked terrorist infrastructure, as officials warn the Islamic regime is working to establish an eastern front against Israel in the region. Disturbing news out of Las Vegas, as we learn that a teenager accused of links to the Islamic State was building bombs in his room and was planning a terror attack on the city, possibly at a school. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The PDB Afternoon Bulletin.  Email: PDB@TheFirstTV.com.  Patriot Gold: https://www.patriotgoldgroup.com Say Mike Baker sent you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Early Sunday morning, Israeli fighter jets took out over 1,000 Hezbollah rocket launchers in southern Lebanon aimed at the Jewish State. Sources say Hezbollah was on the verge of launching an imminent major attack against strategic IDF intelligence targets in the center of the country. Hezbollah still managed to launch over 200 rockets, missiles, and drones at northern Israel killing an IDF serviceman. Nevertheless, Israel prevented a much larger disaster. Time will tell if Hezbollah will launch another major strike in the days ahead - as Israel waits for a potential Iranian barrage as well. Photo Credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flickr_-_The_Israel_Project_-_Hezbollah,_Iran%27s_Front_Line.jpg

TOP NEWS | On today's Daily Signal Top News, we break down: Former President Donald Trump holds a press conference and announces three presidential candidate debates.  Kamala Harris fires back at pro-Palestinian protesters at a campaign rally.  Trump's running mate Sen. JD Vance takes clear jabs at Gov. Tim Walz.  Three Taylor Swift concerts canceled following a thwarted terrorist plot.

TOP NEWS | On today's Daily Signal Top News, we break down:   Former President Donald Trump holds a press conference and announces three presidential candidate debates. Kamala Harris fires back at pro-Palestinian protesters at a campaign rally. Trump's running mate Sen. JD Vance takes clear jabs at Gov. Tim Walz. Three Taylor Swift concerts […]

Tropical Storm Debby continues to wreak havoc across the South, with risks of potential tornadoes in North Carolina. Also, Taylor Swift's Eras Tour Vienna shows were canceled after arrests were made in a thwarted terror attack. Plus, catch up on all the latest action from the Paris Olympics, including what to watch for today. And, members of the U.S. Women's Olympic Soccer team, Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith, and Mallory Swanson, discuss preparation ahead of Saturday's gold medal match against Brazil. 

Last time we spoke about the Anti-Fengtian War. The Anti-Fengtian War included two major theaters, the Zhejiang-Fengtian War and the Guominjun-Fengtian War. Within China's north, Feng Yuxiang brokered many sneaky deals with other warlords, trying to bring down Zhang Zuolin. One of these warlords was the disgruntled Guo Songling who led a brave or some would say idiotic rebellion, striking at the heart of the Fengtian empire. Feng Yuxiang failed to really exploit Guo Songling's actions, and Wu Peifu ended up joining Zhang Zuolin, simply out of spite for Feng Yuxiang. The war between the Guominjun and Fengtian soon fell apart for Feng Yuxiang as his forces were gradually dislodged from the Beijing area into northwest China. In an ironic case of deja vu, Zhang Zuolin and Wu Peifu found themselves again working together in Beijing. Little did they know, while they had been fighting in the north, it was the south where real danger lay.   #110 The Northern Expedition Part 1: Invading Hunan 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. So we have now come to a point where the warlord era takes a sharp turn. While we have been talking about countless wars between numerous factions, this is basically the end game as they say. I have no idea how many episodes it will take, so I apologize in advance, but we are going to be covering the Northern Expedition. I've probably mentioned it a hundred times by this point, the northern expedition. Dr Sun Yat-Sens brainchild, put simply build an army and march north to reunify China. Sounds kind of insane given the disparity in strength between whose in the north and south eh?  Facing what can only be described as staggering odds, the Kuomintang over in their separate government based out of Guangzhou suddenly began the most incredible military expedition of the warlord era. On the verge of disintegration with inadequate materials, most of which were coming from the Soviets, the military campaign was a gamble to say the least. Chiang Kai-Shek was ultimately counting on the weakness of his enemies rather than his own NRA forces. His Soviet advisors all told him not to do it, that it would be a terrible blunder. Now if you open up text books, read contemporary buzzfeed like artiles or watch youtube shorts, they would have you believe the northern expedition was this easy sweep northward led by a vanguard of Communist propagandist forces. In reality it was a series of hard fought battles where either side could have knocked out the other completely.  Now for most of its life, this Guangzhou based cabal that the KMT were in control of, had always been on the defensive. For the most part their secure powerbase was Guangdong and from there they would gradually conquer region after region, one by one. Something that can truly be said about the KMT, unlike the other factions, take the Fengtian or Zhili for example was its strong sense of having an ideology and its charismatic strong man at the head of its army. There was of course personal armies within the NRA, they were more or less a confederation, but the ideology of the KMT glued them all together. The other factions, perhaps excluding the Guominjun, simply did not have this. There was a shared concern that the political make up of China needed to be democratic and not devolve into the traditional or imperial autocracies that had plagued China for so long.  The first region Chiang Kai-Shek would target would be the rich middle Yangtze provinces of Hubei and Hunan, both of which had recently come back under the dominion of the Jade Marshal Wu Peifu. The route the NRA would take would be through Hunan and Hubei, down the Yangtze and up into the North China plain before finally marching upon Beijing. Ironically it was an identical path, one Hong Xiuquan once took when he rallied the Taiping against the Qing Dynasty. To first invade Hunan, Chiang Kai-Shek faced a rather daunting task. He did not have the military power to simply defeat the warlords of the province. He needed to exploit the political scene within it. Prior to the northern expedition, Hunan was dominated by northern warlords who were alien to the southern province. This of course antagonized the local populations creating an unstable political environment. This was something the KMT could manipulate. The KMT's nationalistic ideology was something that could potentially win over allies or weaken petty warlords rule. The KMT could exploit local interests and provincialism, self rule movements and such. When the KMT looked at Hunan they could see an ongoing power struggle. The Hunanese gentry class was being kept alive purely upon a desire for provincial autonomy. The governor Chao Hengti, a Hunanese native was subordinate to Wu Peifu, a Shandong native. By 1926 a conflict had emerged between 4 Hunanese divisional commanders. Chao Hengti favored Yue Kaixin the strongest of them controlling the Hunanese 3rd division. Chao Hengti sought to weaken the rest and used Yue to weaken the second largest 4th division led by Tang Shengchih.Tang Shengchih dominated southwestern Hunan and went on the defensive when he figured out the Governor and Yue were after him. The KMT noticed this over in Guangdong. Now political intervention in Hunan required personal connections. Within the KMT party membership were Hunanese civilians and military officials. This was one of the great strengths of the KMT as a clique, how their political membership transcended provincial or regional bases. Similar to the CCP, who had those like Mao Zedong working with the rural masses in Hunan, the KMT had ties to those at some of the top echelons of the province's power structure. One leading KMT figure who pushed for the northern expedition was Tan Yenkai who also had been the governor of Hunan after the 1911 revolution. He had always maintained an interest in Hunan and while in Guangdong had rallied a 15,000 men strong force of Hunanese troops, now renamed the 2nd army of the NRA. Prior to 1926 Tan Yenkai had already led one military campaign to retake Hunan for Dr Sun Yat-Sen. Back in 1924, when Sun Yat-Sen was trying to form a coalition with northern powers, Tan Yenkai launched a rather ill-conceived and short lived campaign, trying to bolster Sun's position in Beijing. Another commander in Jiangxi had pushed Tan Yenkai's force back into Guangdong and the failure provided quite the lesson, that one should also exploit the political realm alongside the military.  By spring of 1926 Chiang Kai-Shek and his top subordinates began planning an invasion of Hunan. Aside for the ex-governor Tan Yenkai, the KMT also had ties to Tang Shengchih. Liu Wentao and Chen Mingshu had been classmates of Tang Shengchih back at the Baoting Military academy in 1912. In 1925 they began reconnecting with the man, arranging a propaganda tour of the province. Liu Wentao, then a professor of political science, began touring China, lecturing all on the Three People's Principles of the KMT. Tang Shenchich went to one of these speeches and many of his men as well. There was also Pai Chungxi, another schoolmate of Tang Shenchih, the leader of the 7th Jiangxi Army of the NRA. The KMT also had loose connections with the hunan divisional commander Ho Yaotsu who was friends with Cheng Chien, a hunanese native and the commander of the 6th NRA army, primarily consisting of Hunanese troops. Now Chiang Kai-Shek began courting Governor Chao Hengti in June of 1926. He approached the man as a fellow member of the older Kuomintang party, pleading in a telegram that they should reunite into a new national movement. Obviously Chiang Kai-shek was making a powerplay to try and win over Hunan without shedding blood, he did not stop sending messages to the man even a week before the shells would fly. In southern Hunan at this time, Tang Shengchih was dominating the Hsiang valley with his 9000 man strong division. Tang Shengchih was a pretty intelligent player. He had numerous connections from his Baoting academy days and he managed to expand his domain to include 27 of Hunans 75 tax-collection districts. However by early 1926 Governor Chao had ordered all 4 Hunan divisional commanders to remit the local taxes they gathered to the provincial capital of Changsha. Obviously this was to centralize the power, and such revenue losses would strangle Tang Shengchih's power. So Tang Shengchih began talks with the KMT as early as february of 1926. It was a dangerous play, many had seen the numerous cases where inviting allies from another province only brought unwelcome guests. Perhaps Tang Shengchih believed by gaining some KMT support, he might be able to overpower Chao Hengti. But he was no idiot, he asked for KMT assurance he would fill the role of governorship and not someone like Tan Yenkai who indeed was lurking in the shadows. Tang Shengchih was given said assurance and signed an alliance treaty on February 24th. When Tang Shengchih unleashed his forces against Governor Chao Hengtai the same month, it was perfect timing. Wu Peifu was preoccupied in north China fighting Feng Yuxiang, thus the governor had no reinforcements. Threatened, Chao Hengti immediately fled Changsha, heading north. While this was occurring, Tang Shengchih labeled the governor nothing but a northern puppet of Wu Peifu. From February to March of 1926 Chiang Kai-Shek was still struggling for authority over the KMT to launch the Northern Expedition. Thus Tang Shengchih's rebellion had preceded it, and was done without KMT resources. Still feeling confident Tang Shengchih began marching into northern Hunan. Back over in Guangzhou, the KMT commissioner of foreign affairs notified everyone that Tang was doing this all on his own, none of their resources had reached him yet. When Tang Shengchih secured Changsha in mid march, a lot of the hunanese gentry began supporting his cause to be governor. Tang Shengchih's forces then overran Yochou along Hunan's northern border. Tang Shengchih had not yet accepted the governorship position, in march he was still looking to see how the KMT alliance would pan out. Yet in March tensions emerged within the KMT over the northern expedition The March 20th coup certainly expedited aid to Tang Shengchih. 5 Days after, Tang Shengchih accepted governorship and with his new position he proceeded to purge his political enemies from the provinces administration while installing his friends. By late March 1926, Wu Peifu finally responded to the threat to his hegemony over Hunan. He began threatening to return south with his Honanese troops. Now Wu Peifu's armies were still facing Feng Yuxiang at this time, but the KMT aid also had not come yet so Tang Shengchih paused. Tang Shengchih began playing down his ties to the KMT in responding to Wu Peifu, posing as a mere neutral. In early april of 1926, Feng Yuxiang had been cast out of the North China plain and now Wu Peifu had a free hand to play against the rebellion in Hunan. Tang Shengchih now under real threat, began recalling his regiments from northern Hunan and evacuated his forces from Changsha as he built a defense in his home valley.  To deal with the menace, Wu Peifu looked to find a Hunanese local to manage the province for him. Wu Peifu turned to the Hunanese 3rd division commander, Yue Kaixin, to make him military governor and commander of the 1st division, with Ho Yaotsu to be civil governor. However the Hunanese gentry cried out immediately at this, stating they would not allow him to overturn their authority. Thwarted, Wu Peifu reverted to violence to pacify the troublesome province. In May, Tang Shengchih suffered a major defeat and was forced to fall back on the defense as Wu Peifu's Hunanese allies were battering him. Until NRA forces advanced into the province, there was little hope for Tang Shengchih and his crumbling defenses within the Xiang valley. Thousands of men from the NRA's 4th and 7th armies began to arrive in late May, but even so they were outnumbered in southern Hunan. It was not until June 2nd, when Tang Shengchih finally caved and accepted the offer from Chiang Kai-Shek to be the commander of the 8th NRA army. Thus Tang Shengchih went from leading a division to an army and his regimental commanders became division commanders. It was also of course a substantial pay raise. This was the type of model the NRA would adopt throughout the Northern Expedition. If you can't beat them, buy them. Just a few days later, the NRA forces within Hunan accepted Tang Shengchih as their front line commander. Tang Shengchih then proclaimed he would head a provisional Hunan government as its governor in the name of the KMT government.  The KMT had done a lot to win over the Hunanese people. The Hunanese people wanted autonomy, so the KMT flouted notions of provincial autonomy with a federal system. It was a marriage of convenience. Another major carrot was promising to end the tyranny of the northern warlords and the exploitation of the foreign imperialists. Some began to refer to the Northern Expedition as the “anti-north campaign” and clearly the first target would be the warlord controlling Hunan, Hubei and Honan, the Jade Marshal. In July the 4th army divisions led by Chang Fangkuei and Chen Mingshu arrived at the front, thus the defense changed to offense. At this point Wu Peifu's armies were still too far in North China and his Hunan allies were now becoming overwhelmed by the NRA swarming out of Guangdong. Under these dire circumstance, Wu Peifu's appointed governor, Chao Hengti made a stand along the north banks of the Xiang, the Lien and Lu rivers. From late June to early July the NRA prepared to ford the Lien river sitting west of the Xiang and the Lu river to its east. Down the Xiang was Changsha. Facing the Lu river were two 4th army divisions and Yue Tings independent regiment and another Hunanese regiment. Over at the Lien river were Jiangxi troops of the 7th army alongside the remainder of Tang Shengchihs 8th army. As the first major offensive kicked out, Tang Shengchih was at the front raising morale for the Hunanese, which was very important, as do remember, all these forces coming out of Guangdong were alien Cantonese to them. A breakthrough emerged along the two-river lines with the 7th and 8th NRA armies over on the left wing on the 5th of July. By the 10th the 4th NRA Army engaged the enemy towards Changsha. Over in the east where Hunan bordered Jiangxi, a subordinate of Sun Chuanfang who controlled the lower Yangtze region was completely undisturbed by the NRA forces. Chiang Kai-Shek and his subordinates had given specific orders not to molest Sun Chuanfang, trying to avoid bringing him into the fight to join Wu Peifu. The NRA also profited off a recent flood of the Yangtze that had backed water up the streams of northern Hunan, hindering enemy communications. Wu Peifu was awaited reinforcements over at his HQ in Wuhan while his generals in Hunan faced the real threat of being encircled and annihilated. To Wu Peifu's western flank, two Guizhou warlords were watching the tide of battle. Wu Peifu was very aware of this and it threatened his western defensives. The season had also been a poor harvest, reducing food stuff for Hunan, a province that was already quite dependent on exports north in places like Wuhan. Even with his riverine navy, Wu Peifu could not hope to move enough foodstuff to his southern front. Another issue he faced was the passive resistance of Hunan's peasantry class who began hiding their produce from suppliers. The loss of the Lien-Lu River line left Changsha completely defenseless, so on July 11th the defenders simply withdraw further north of the city.  With the Guangdong and Juangxi forces entering Hunan, the NRA had gained enough manpower to begin advancing north. From July 11th after taking Changsha until mid August the front moved north only 50 miles. Delays occurred because reinforcements and war materials for the NRA could only be moved halfway up from Guangzhou by rail. Afterwards they had to travel over back-breaking terrain by foot. Soldiers and their hired coolies had to hand carry supplies and arms and this in turn limited the largest weaponry they could move, such as small field cannons which took entire teams of carriers. For those of you who don't know, I specialize in the Pacific War and I can certainly say, the Japanese forces in isolated islands, take Guadalcanal for example, saw this exact type of situation. Japanese artillery teams would have to disassemble artillery pieces and carry them by hand through rough jungles, often under starvation conditions. Not fun. The NRA during these circumstance, much like the Japanese in the 1940's in jungle terrain islands would suffer from terrible ailments, not malaria like the Japanese, but cholera. Cholera was taking a toll on the overheated and exhausted soldiers and civilian coolies. One Chen Kungpo wrote in his memoirs “that hundreds died daily in one mountain town on the route going north”. By August, both sides were gathering in strength along a new front, established near the Milo River. A military advisor wrote “Sometimes there are no provisions, my colleagues tear off some sort of grass, chew it and are full.” However the northern forces could not launch counterattacks without the full support of the Jade Marshall's main army who were still stuck in North China aiding Zhang Zuolin against the treacherous Feng Yuxiang. To remedy the two front situation, Wu Piefu tried but failed to secure loans and aid from his former protege, Sun Chuanfang, who honestly was more foe than friend now. Sun Chuanfang had basically taken the mantle as the strong Zhili leader and certainly did not want to share any of his newfound limelight. Alongside this the British turned a cold shoulder to Wu Peifu and the Japanese never liked him to begin with.  Despite some local floods and the cholera outbreak, Chiang Kai-Shek was able to arrive to Hengyang with over 100,000 NRA troops. These numbers had been recently bolstered by Guizhou warlords such as Peng Hanchang and Wang Tienpei who had watched eagerly the battles of the Lien-Lu line before tossing their lot in with the NRA. The Guizhou forces had marched into western Hunan clearing out pockets of resistance as they did. During the northern expedition, smaller warlords tended to simply defect or join the NRA when the NRA was winning. The NRA now prepared an offensive to break the Milo river line, also emboldened by the peasantry class who were very willing to work. The local floods in northern Hunan, combined with the droughts in southern Hunan had destroyed the peasants' fields, thus they needed to make money. The NRA exploited this to recruit soldiers and coolies en masse and this greatly improved their mobility.  By contrast, Wu Peifu's forces were low on ammunition, rations were also beginning to dwindle and the majority of the soldiers had not been paid in quite some time. In the NRA controlled areas, the Hunanese peasants were selling what produce they could spare, but the NRA were also being supplemented by rice carried from Guangdong. The NRA also made sure to pay coolies properly instead of Shanghai'ing them and did not plunder peasants' foodstuffs. This of course led to wide scale cooperation from the local population, something quite rare for the warlord era. A final conference was held at Changsha on August 12th between Chiang Kai-Shek, the top NRA commanders and Soviet advisors. By the 15th orders were dispatched for a general offensive against the Moli line with the objective of reaching Hubei. The NRA right wing also prepared to defend the army in cause Sun Chuanfang finally extended help to Wu Peifu from Guanxi. Chiang Kai-Shek was filled with excitement, for if successful, the NRA offensive would capture Wuhan and her incredible Hanyang Arsenal. Chiang Kai-Shek dispatched word to his generals before the battle. “The importance of this fight is not only in that it will decide the fate of the warlords. But, whether or not the Chinese nation and race can restore their freedom and independence hangs in the balance. In other words, it is a struggle between the nation and the warlords, between the revolution and the anti-revolutionaries, between the Three People's Principles and imperialism. All are to be decided now in this time of battle … so as to restore independence and freedom to our Chinese race”. The general plan of attack was to breach the Milo river line and quickly capture Wuhan. Speed and timing were critical factors. It was all basically a huge gamle. The NRA needed to secure Wuhan before Wu Peifu or Sun Chuanfang entered the war, thus preventing the NRA incursion into the Yangtze Valley. At the moment the NRA and their immeidate adversary in northern Hunan were around equal number, but if Sun Chuanfang entered the mix he had nearly double what Chiang Kai-Shek had. The 4th and 6th NRA armies made their crossing over the Milo on August 17th, successfully outflanking the enemy line and easing the way for the left wing of the 7th and 8th NRA armies to advance. By the 19th, Wu Peifu's troops were forced out of their trenches and only provided sporadic resistance as they withdrew into southern Hubei. During the two day retreat the northern forces had divided in two with the western flank taking refuse in Wu Peifu's naval stronghold of Yuehzhou. Its port was heavily fortified, however the recent floods had caused water from Dongting lake and the Yangtze to meet, ruining many of the fortifications. The NRA cut across Yuehzhou's railway link to Wuhan and surrounded it. Wu Peifu had frantically orders troops to hold the naval base, until he could detach himself from the Hobei operations to take personal command of the shit storm in Hunan. However during a meeting with Zhang Zuolin at Baoding, Wu Peifu received word his subordinates had simply taken all the naval vessels, riverine vessels and even sampans to head downstream for Wuhan. Yuehzhou fell with ease by the 22nd and Hunan was practically cleared of Wu Peifu's regular forces. Wu Peifu's navy contuined to fight the enemy, but all they could really do is harass NRA units along th baks of Dongting lake or the Yangtze. In response the NRA simply tosses fire rafts at them, a classic and age old tactic.  As the NRA chased the enemy, the local railway workers on lines heading into Hubei cooperated. The workers began cutting railway lines and telegraph lines to obstruct the enemy retreating from Yuehzhou. Entire trainloads of troops and war materials fell directly into the hands of the NRA. The end of August saw Chiang Kai-Shek's gamble pay off. Although Sun Chuanfang could pounce at any moment from Juangxi, the NRA had succesfully given a bloody nose to one warlord. The victory of the NRA over Hunan did not go unnoticed by the surrounding provinces warlords. Guizhou generals began joining the KMT as the war raged and the Milo river line fight influenced some generals under Sun Chuanfang to reconsider their loyalites. It was quite remarkable that Sun Chuanfangs decision to stay out of the immediate fight lost him the easiest chance of ending the NRA altogether. If Sun Chuanfang had intervened in the Hunan war, almost 100% he would have defeated Chiang Kai-Shek and easily march upon Guangzhou to end the first United Front. Losing Guangdong the KMT would have withered away, perhaps the CCP, would cower into the shadows awaited the right moment to pounce. Chiang Kai-Shek would not have withstood such a defeat, his leadership role would have been shattered. But such was not the case, Chiang Kai-Shek took Hunan and proved himself a new formidable player on the board. The Hunan campaign cost the NRA, but now they had the perfect base of operations and springboard for further offensives. By the end of August the NRA's intelligence reported Wu Peifu was advancing south to reinforce Wuhan, thus Chiang Kai-Shek tossed the dice of fate again. Advancing north against the three-city stronghold, was regiments of Chen Mingshu and Chang Fakuei's 4th Army. The withdrawal from the Milo river line had allowed Wu Peifu's Hubei forces to form a new line. The Guangzhou-Hankou railway followed a narrow land route between the Yangtze and highland ranges, crossing over multiple flooded bridgeheads. To further hinder the NRA's advance, the Hunanese had breached nearby dikes of the Yangtze. Then they heavily fortified the Tingszu Brigde with barbed wire and machine gun nests over its northern riverbank. The NRA vanguard attacked the stronghold on August 26th, coming to a abrupt halt. The NRA's superior mobility, aided by local boatsmen allowing the NRA right wing to head upstream and get around the enemy's flank. Likewise the NRA 4th army threatened the railway to Wuhan, making Wu Peifu's forces more vulnerable. The forces defending Wuhan were mainly the same troops who had fled Hunan, exhausted and demoralized. When the first attacks came upon the bridgehead, joined by flank attacks, the defensive line collapsed. During the night of the 26th the NRA stormed several strongpoints and outposts. Here again Wu Peifu's forces jumped onto any vessel they could get away with, or fled aboard the last trains heading north. The Tingszu bridge was captured, but at a bloody cost that would limit the NRA's ability to pursue the fleeing enemy. Once again the floods slowed the advance, alongside Wu Peifu's riverine vessels that continued to fire upon any NRA troops that ventured too close to waterways. Yet Wu Peifu's troops were running low on food while the NRA were accumulating more of it. As the NRA soldiers marched across the Tingszu bridge, locals flocked over to sell them foodstuff as by this time word had spread far about how the NRA paid for what they needed. On August 28th the NRA forces captured Xienning, but further north came across the Hesheng bridge. The bridge was heavily fortified and defended by forces under the personal command of Wu Peifu. Back on August the 25th and Hankou, Wu Peifu received word that Tingszu bridge had fallen, thus he quickened his advance to the front. He was shocked by the fall of the bridge and blamed his subordinates, labeling them cowards. When he arrived at Hesheng, Wu Peifu gathered his officers as he executed the commanders who lost the Tingszu bridge. He had with him mercenaries of the Big Swords Corps functioning as the executioners. On August 29th, Wu Peifu then went on the offensive and attacked the NRA vanguard, elements of Li Tsungjen's 7th Army just a bit due south of the Hesheng Bridge. His attack devastated the vanguard until the main bulk of the 7th and 4th armies arrived. Just before dawn on the 30th, Wu Peifu attacked the NRA's line of defense south of the bridge, probing for a weak point. He hit the 4th and 7th armies sectors, but was gradually met by artillery and rifle fire that took a heavy toll. Wu Peifu then had the Big Swords executioners clip more officers of their heads to boost morale. However as Wu Peifu continued to press his offensive his men eventually routed under pressure. His troops fled right over the Hesheng bridge allowing the 7th army to flank them further upstream where they took another smaller bridge and threatened his lifeline, the railway line to Wuhan.  By noon on the 30th, Wu Peifu's Hunanese and Hubei forces were in a general retreat heading north. Wu Peifu had just lost southern Hubei in what was an absolute clumsy miscalculation. During the retreat the NRA flank attack against his railway line saw them capture 3 trains full loaded with troops and arms. Over the course of the past weeks he had lost two bridgeheads seeing 1000 deaths, 2000 wounded and 5000 captured alongside all their weaponry. After the entire debacle, Wu Peifu began frantically pleading with Sun Chuanfang to come down the Yangtze to help him. But Sun Chuanfang made ambiguous responses and dragged his feet. As he did so the NRA fortified their defenses facing Juangxi. In full retreat Wu Peifu began breaching dikes behind his forces to slow down the NRA as they approached Wuchang, the capital of Hubei. He left a force of 10,000 men to defend the city behind its sturdy walls as he ferried the rest of his men to Hankou. Once his forces landed on the other side of the Yangtze he had half of them take up positions to defend the Hanyang Arsenal, while the others defended Hankou, which served as his new HQ. By September his forces from Honan began to arrive.  On August 31st, Chen Mingshu's 4th army was in hot pursuit of the enemy. His vanguard took a vantage point near Wuchang as reconnaissance investigated the city. On September 2nd, the NRA unleashed frontal assaults to probe its defenses, but they lacked any heavy artillery to actually back up a real attack. As a result the NRA suffered heavy casualties before pulling back to establish a proper siege. Meanwhile by september 5th, Hanyang was also surrounded.  Defending Hanyang was a Hubei division led by Liu Tsolung who placed artillery on some fortified high points. When the NRA was just about to launch an assault, suddenly Liu Tsolung, overseeing the majority of Hanyangs defenses defected and helped capture the city and its arsenal. It was a tremendous blow to Wu Peifu as the NRA vanguard was now bypassing Hanyang to threaten his railway link to Honan. Wu Peifu tried to salvage the units he had left to mount a last ditch defensive line over the border hills between Hubei and Honan. Wu Peifu had now withdrawn to the Wushen pass lying on the border, hoping to hold out as more of his Honanese forces advanced south. Yet once again the NRA's superior mobility deprived Wu Peifu of enough time to dig into the pass. After a few assaults, Wu Peifu lost the pass and was driven further back into Honan. The walled city of Wuchang could not be taken as easily as Hanyang or Hankou. Wu Peifu and his men would defend it for well over a month. The NRA did not have proper siege weapons, and the threat of Sun Chuanfang loomed over them.Yet Wu Peifu had not expected Hunan and Hubei to fall so quickly and had not prepared his capital for a long siege. He had 10,000 soldiers, hundreds of thousands of civilians locked within its walls. There were also foreigners within the city and foreign gunboats. The threat of international intervention loomed upon the actions of the NRA. Chiang Kai-Shek telegrammed his foreign minister that a communique should be sent out to inform the world powers “… on the matter of protecting foreign nationals, I have already informed the armies to observe my prohibition against the military occupying or obstructing affairs in foreign-established churches, schools, and the like….” Chiang Kai-Shek personally overlooked the siege to make sure no foreigners were molested.  Just to clear up something that might be confusing some of you, Wuchang refers to one of the 13 urban districts of the capital of Hubei, Wuhan. Now back in mid August, Chiang Kai-Shek called for the capture of Wuhan at Changsha and he had made secret negotiations with Sun Chuanfang to get him to sit out the war. Sun Chuanfang had been quite ambiguous about what he would do, but it was known to NRA intelligence he was massing troops along the borders of Jiangxi and Fujian. Sun Chuanfang made up the excuse he was simply defending his territory from NRA aggression. Apparently Chiang Kai-Shek offered a nonaggression pact and an open invitation to join the KMT, but Sun Chuanfang did not want to give up his new found control over the 5 southeastern provinces for what was perceived to be a lesser role in the KMT. Sun Chuanfang then prepared a two pronged offensive to relieve Wuchang by driving west into KMT territory. Sun Chuanfang was sitting on 200,000 troops and Chiang Kai-Shek was well aware of the threat he posed. Thus Chiang Kai-Shek would go for broke, casting the dice of fate once more.  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. Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek rolled the dice of fate when he unleashed an offensive against Wu Peifu's holdings in Hunan and Hubei. The gambles paid off big time as the NRA swarmed their enemy, taking prisoners and war materials. However Sun Chuanfang was now entering the fray, a real fight would soon unfold.

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