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What if your life could become a masterpiece of intentional creativity? Join us as we explore this possibility with Pia Leichter, an author, founder, creative director and guide in this special 30-minute episode.   Celebrating the Creative Potential Within Us All In our conversation with Pia, we dive into the essence of creativity as a vital force beyond the arts, challenging the common misconception that it exists solely in artistic endeavors. She shares insights on how creativity is akin to teaching and coaching, requiring courage and the willingness to embrace uncertainty. We also explore creativity in unexpected domains, from science to law, and highlight its universality, encouraging everyone to recognize their inherent creative potential, irrespective of their field or background.   Shared wisdom and stories, like Pia's rather spontaneous decision to take a four-week journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway, illustrate how we hold the power to rewrite our narratives. We also delve into practical steps for nurturing creativity in everyday life, from morning routines to visualizing desired outcomes, empowering listeners to take control of their own creative destinies.   A Bit More About Our Wise Guest Pia Leichter is a creative partner, published author, certified coach, and entrepreneur. Influenced by her mother's boldness and her father's artistic background, creativity for Pia Leichter is not limited to traditional art forms. Instead it is a way of life that permeates every decision and every moment.   Pia's journey from Canada to New York and eventually Copenhagen has been nothing short of transformative. A recovering nomad, she's reported as a journalist in Sri Lanka, graduated summa cum laude from NYU, and worked as an award-winning creative director for some of the biggest brands in the world. Now, as the founder of Kollektiv Studio, she's uniquely positioned to co-create ventures and wild visions.    Pia recently published a book titled, “Welcome to the Creative Club.” Her book is part memoir and part guidebook, and it will challenge everything you thought you knew about creativity.   She joins us from her home in Copenhagen, Denmark. Over the next hour, you will discover why Pia Leichter is one of the wisest people I know.   Resources Pia's website Kollektiv Studio Get Pia's book “Welcome to the Creative Club” via our Bookshop or via Amazon   Credits Editor + Technical Advisor Bob Hotchkiss Brand + Strategy Advisor Andy Malinoski PR + Partnerships Advisor Rachel Bell Marketing, Social Media and Graphic Design Chloe Lineberg   Stay Connected with Us on Social YouTube @themainthingpod Twitter @themainthingpod Instagram @themainthingpod Facebook  @TheMainThingPod LinkedIn   Help Support and Sustain This Podcast Become a subscriber. Share the podcast with one or two friends. Follow us on social media @TheMainThingPod Buy some Main Thing Merch from our Merchandise Store. Buy a book from our curated wisdom collection on bookshop.org. Become a patron and support us on Patreon with funding.   Episode Chapters 0:06:00 - Are we all born with creativity, or just a few? 0:11:15 - The courage to embrace uncertainty 0:13:24 - Moving with trust instead of fear 0:18:16 - Wisdom versus knowledge 0:24:30 - Pia's work as creative advisor to rebels, dreamers and misfits 0:30:35 - Pia shares her Main Thing wisdom nugget 0:36:13 - Overcoming fear; the power of choice 0:38:18 - Sovereignty and awareness in life's experiences 0:41:19 - Creating your desired experience 0:46:12 - Exploring Pia's new book “Welcome to the Creative Club” 0:50:51 - Reclaiming your creative power 0:54:02 - Pia's closing thought: embracing uncertainty when creating

  Last time we spoke about the February 26th incident. Within the turbulent “ government of assassination” period of 1936 Japan, a faction of discontented junior officers, known as the Kodoha, believed that their emperor, Hirohito, was being manipulated by corrupt politicians. In a desperate bid for what they termed a "Showa Restoration," they meticulously plotted a coup d'état. On February 26, they launched a rebellion in Tokyo, attempting to assassinate key figures they deemed responsible for undermining the emperor's authority. The young officers executed coordinated attacks on prominent leaders, resulting in several deaths, while hoping to seize control of the Imperial Palace. However, their plan unraveled when their actions met with unexpected resistance, and they failed to secure strategic locations. Dark snow blanketed the city as Hirohito, outraged by the violence, quickly moved to suppress the uprising, which ultimately led to the downfall of the Kodoha faction and solidified the military's grip on power, ushering in a new era marked by militarism and radicalism.   #151 The Suiyuan Operation 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 last left off with the February 26th incident breaking out in Japan, but now I would like to return to China. Now we spoke a little bit about some influential Japanese politicians in the previous episode. Prime Minister Satio Makoto oversaw Japan from May 1932 to July 1934, succeeded by Prime Minister Keisuke Okada from July 1934 to March 1936. The foreign policy of Japan towards China during the Saitō and Okada administrations exhibited a notable paradox, characterized by two conflicting elements. On one hand, Foreign Minister Hirota championed a diplomatic approach that emphasized friendship, cooperation, and accommodation with China. On the other hand, the military actively undermined the authority of the Nationalist government in northern China, creating a significant rift between diplomatic rhetoric and military action.    The Okada cabinet then endorsed the Army Ministry's "Outline of Policy to Deal with North China" on January 13, 1936. This policy document explicitly proposed the eventual detachment of five provinces, Hubei, Chahar, Shanxi, Suiyuan, and Shandong from the Nationalist government in Nanking. The approval of this outline marked a pivotal moment, as it represented the first official government endorsement of the military's longstanding agenda and underscored the army's evolution from a mere rogue entity operating in the region to the de facto authority dictating the course of Japan's policy towards China. Despite this, on January 22, during the 68th Diet session, Hirota reaffirmed his dedication to fostering better ties with China, to which a representative from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded positively. The Nationalist government in Nanjing also expressed interest in engaging in formal negotiations. However, this diplomatic initiative quickly faltered, and the expected discussions in Nanjing never took place. Shortly thereafter, a mutiny by young army officers on February 26, 1936, led to the fall of the Okada cabinet. Following Prince Konoe Fumimaro's refusal of the imperial mandate to form a new government, Hirota stepped in to establish a cabinet on March 9. General Terauchi Hisaichi was appointed as the Minister of the Army, Admiral Nagano Osami took charge of the Navy Ministry, and Baba Eiichi became the finance minister. Hirota briefly served as foreign minister until Arita Hachirö, who had just submitted his credentials as ambassador to China on March 6, returned to Japan. The Hirota Koki cabinet, established immediately following the February 26 incident further entrenched military influence in politics while allowing interservice rivalries to impede national objectives. In May 1936, Hirota, influenced by army and navy ministers, reinstated the practice of appointing military ministers solely from the ranks of high-ranking active-duty officers. He believed this would prevent associations with the discredited Imperial Way faction from regaining power. By narrowing the candidate pool and enhancing the army's power relative to the prime minister, Hirota's decision set the stage for army leaders to leverage this advantage to overthrow Admiral Yonai's cabinet in July 1940. Arita began his new job by meeting with Foreign Minister Chang Chen while hearing views from the Kwantung Army chief of staff General, Itagaki Seishiro. Yes, our old friend received a lot of promotions. Itagaki had this to say about the Kwantung Army's policy in China "The primary aim of Japan's foreign policy, is the sound development of Manchukuo based upon the principle of the indivisibility of Japan and Manchukuo. If, as is probable, the existing situation continues, Japan is destined sooner or later to clash with the Soviet Union, and the attitude of China at that time will gravely influence operations [against the Soviet Union]." The Kwantung Army's was growing more and more nervous about the USSR following its 7th comintern congress held in July and August of 1935. There it publicly designated Japan, Germany and Poland as its main targets of comintern actions. Japanese intelligence in the Red Army also knew the Soviets were gradually planning to expand the military strength so they could face a simultaneous west and east front war. This was further emboldened by the latest USSR 5 year plan. Alongside the growing Red northern menace, the CCP issued on August 1st a declaration calling upon the Nationalist Government to end their civil war so they could oppose Japan. By this time the CCP was reaching the end of its Long March and organizing a new base of operations in Yenan in northern Shanxi. The developments by the USSR and CCP had a profound effect on Japan's foreign policy in China. The Kwantung Army believed a war with the USSR was imminent and began to concentrate its main force along the border of Manchukuo. The Kwantung Army's plan in the case of war was to seize Vladivostok while advancing motorized units towards Ulan Bator in Outer Mongolia, hoping to threaten the Trans-Siberian Railway near Lake Baikal. Their intelligence indicated the USSR could muster a maximum of 250,000 troops in eastern Siberia and that Japan could deal with them with a force two-thirds of that number. The IJA at that point had inferior air forces and armaments, thus urgent funding was needed. The Kwantung Army proposed that forces in the home islands should be reduced greatly so all could be concentrated in Manchuria. To increase funding so Kwantung leadership proposed doing away with special allowances for Japanese officials in Manchuria and reorganizing the Japanese economic structure. The Kwantung leaders also knew the submarine base at Vladivostok posed a threat to Japanese shipping so the IJN would have to participate, especially against ports and airfields. All said and done, the Kwantung Army planned for a war set in 1941 and advised immediate preparations. On July 23, 1936, Kanji Ishiwara presented the army's document titled “Request Concerning the Development of Industries in Preparation for War” to the Army Ministry. He asserted that in order to prepare for potential conflict with the Soviet Union, Japan, Manchukuo, and North China must have the industries critical for war fully developed by 1941. Ishiwara emphasized the urgent need for rapid industrial growth, particularly in Manchukuo. He followed this request on July 29 with a draft of a “Policy on Preparations for War” regarding the Soviet Union, advocating for immediate reforms to Japan's political and economic systems to facilitate economic expansion and lay the groundwork for future fundamental changes. However, he cautioned that if significant turmoil erupted in economic sectors, Japan must be ready to execute a comprehensive overhaul without delay. At the same time, the Hirota cabinet initiated a review of its policy towards China. In the spring of 1936, a secret committee focused on the Current Situation was formed, consisting of officials from the Army, Navy, and Foreign ministries. Their discussions led to the adoption of the "Measures to Implement Policy toward China" by the Four Ministers Conference on August 11, along with the "Second Outline of Policy to Address North China," which the cabinet approved as part of the "Fundamentals of National Policy" on the same day. The first of these documents outlined the following actionable steps: “1. Conclusion of an anti-Communist military pact. a) To prepare for the conclusion of such a pact, a special secret committee of military experts from both countries should be organized. b) Their discussions should cover the scope and substance of the pact and ways and means of realizing the objectives of the pact.  2. Conclusion of a Sino-Japanese military alliance. A special secret committee, composed of an equal number of delegates from each nation, should be organized to prepare for the conclusion of an offensive and defensive alliance against attack by a third country.  3. Acceleration of solutions of pending questions between China and Japan. a) Engagement of a senior political adviser: The Nationalist government should engage a senior Japanese political adviser to assist in the conduct of the domestic and foreign affairs of the Nationalist government. b) Engagement of military advisers: The Nationalist government should engage military advisers, along with military instructors. c) Opening of airline services between China and Japan: Airline services between China and Japan should be opened immediately. To realize such a service, various means should be used to induce the Nanking authorities to establish an airline corporation in North China, to begin flights between Formosa and Fukien province, and to start test flights between Shanghai and Fukuoka. d) Conclusion of a reciprocal tariff treaty: A reciprocal tariff treaty should be concluded promptly between China and Japan, on the basis of the policy approved by the ministries concerned, with regard to the abolition of the special trade in eastern Hopei province and the lowering of the prohibitively high tariffs. For this purpose Japan should, if necessary, propose the creation of a special committee composed of Japanese and Chinese representatives.  4. Promotion of economic cooperation between China and Japan. Japan should promote cooperation with the common people of China to establish realistic and inseparable economic relations between China and Japan that will promote coexistence and co-prosperity and will be unaffected by changes in the Chinese political situation. “ The document also included suggestions for Japan's economic expansion into South China. This included tapping into the natural resources of the provinces of Fujian, Guangdong, and Guangxi, building a railway between Guangzhou and Swatow, and establishing air routes between Fuchoz and Taipei, which would connect to services in Japan and Thailand. It also called for survey teams to be dispatched to explore the resources of Sichuan, Gansu, Xinjiang, and Qinghai provinces, and for support to be provided to the independence movement in Inner Mongolia. However, these initiatives presented significant challenges. The preface to the "Second Outline of Policy to Deal with North China" cautioned, "In implementing this policy, we must carefully consider the Nanking government's prestige and avoid actions that could prompt it to adopt an anti-Japanese stance in response to the desires of the Chinese people."  On September 19th, six fundamental points for a settlement in North China were dictated to China to “establish a common defense against communism, promoting economic cooperation, lowering tariffs, initiating an airline service between the two nations, employing Japanese advisers, and controlling subversive Koreans." September 22 was set as the deadline for a response from China. While agreeing to some Japanese requests, the Chinese included several counter-demands that the Japanese found completely unacceptable. These demands required Japan to “(a) refrain from using armed intervention or arbitrary actions in its dealings with China, (b) recognize China as an equal and sovereign state, (c) avoid leveraging antigovernment groups or communist elements, and (d) remove any derogatory references to China from Japanese textbooks. The Chinese also insisted that any agreement regarding North China “must precede the annulment of the Tanggu and Shanghai cease-fire agreements, the disbanding of the East Hopei regime, a prohibition on unauthorized Japanese flights over North China, a ban on smuggling activities by Japanese, the restoration of China's right to control smuggling, and the disbandment of the illegal East Hopei government along with the armies of Wang Ying and Prince De in Suiyuan”. Now that mention of a Prince De in Suiyuan brings us to a whole new incident. This podcast series should almost be called “the history of Japanese related incidents in China”. Now we've spoken at great lengths about Japan's obsession with Manchuria. She wanted it for resources, growing space and as a buffer state. Japan also had her eyes set on Inner Mongolia to be used as a buffer state between Manchukuo, the USSR and China proper. Not to mention after the invasion of North China, Inner Mongolia could be instrumental as a wedge to be used to control Northern China. Thus the Kwantung Army began fostering a Mongolian independence movement back in August of 1933. They did so through a special organ led by chief of the general staff Koiso Kuniaki. He began work with the Silingol League led by Prince Sonormurabdan or “Prince So” and another influential Mongol, Prince Demchukdongrob or “Prince De”. Prince De was the West Sunid Banner in Northern Chahar. Likewise the Kwantung Army was grooming Li Xuxin, a Mongol commoner born in southern Manchuria. He had been a bandit turned soldier absorbed into Zhang Xueliangs army. Li had distinguished himself in a campaign against a group of Mongols trying to restore the Qing dynasty to further establish an independent Mongolia. During Operation Nekka Li had served in a cavalry brigade under Zu Xingwu, reputed to be the best unit in Zhang Xueliangs Northeastern border defense army. He led the army's advance unit into western Shandong. Afterwards Li suddenly became friends with Major Tanaka Hisashi, the head of the Special Service Agency at Dungliao where he defected to the Kwantung Army. He soon was leading a force too strong to be incorporated into the Manchukuo Army, thus it was disbanded, but his Kwantung Army buddies encouraged him to move to Tolun in Rehe province. At one point during the Nekka campaign, Li's army was threatened by a strong Chinese counterattack, but they had Manchukuo air support allowing them to capture Tolun. This victory launched what became the East Chahar Special Autonomous District with Li becoming a garrison commander and chief administrator.  Back in time, upon the founding of the Chinese Republic, the affairs of Inner Mongolia fell upon the Bureau of Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs. This was reorganized in 1930 into the Commission on Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs when the provinces of Chahar, Suiyuan and Ningxia were organized. Prince De had been a member of a nationalist group known as the Young Mongols, although his aim was self-determination for Inner Mongolia within China, not independence. The Nationalist government's support for Chinese settlement in Mongol territories and its disregard for Mongol perspectives quickly triggered a rise in Mongol nationalism and anti-Chinese feelings. This was exacerbated by the government's introduction of a law on October 12, 1931, requiring local Mongolian administrative units to consult with hsien officials on matters concerning their administration. The nationalist sentiment was further fueled by the presence of the neighboring Mongolian People's Republic in Outer Mongolia and the establishment of Xingan province in western Manchuria by Manchukuo authorities in March 1932. This new province included the tribes of eastern Inner Mongolia and granted them greater autonomy than other Manchukuo provinces while banning Chinese immigration into it. When Nanjing did not react to these developments, Prince De and his supporters took steps toward gaining autonomy. On July 15th, 1933, Mongol leaders from western Inner Mongolia gathered at Pailingmiao for two weeks to deliberate on a declaration for regional independence. Although many princes were initially hesitant to take this step, they reconvened on August 14 and sent a cable to Nanjing announcing their decision to create an autonomous Mongolian government. The cable was signed by Prince So and Prince De. Over the following two months, additional conferences at Pailingmiao were held to organize the new government, which would operate under Nanking's guidance but without involvement from provincial chairmen. On October 22, Prince Yun, head of the Ulanchap League and a close ally of Prince De, was elected to lead the new regime, with Prince De assuming the role of chief of its political affairs bureau. After receiving a cable from the Mongolian leaders in August, Nanjing quickly sent Minister of the Interior Huang Shao-hung and Xu Qingyang, head of the Commission on Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs, to halt the movement. However, the Mongols declined to travel to Kalgan or Kueisui to meet Huang. In November, as the leader of a special commission appointed by Nanjing, Huang reached an agreement with Yun De and other Mongolian leaders concerning a proposal that abandoned the Mongols' demand for an autonomous government. This agreement was later altered by Nanjing, and its essential points were excluded from a measure approved by the Central Political Council of the Kuomintang on January 17, 1934. The dispute reignited, fueled by the Nationalist government's rising concerns over the anticipated enthronement of Pu Yi in Manchukuo. On February 28, the Central Political Council enacted a measure that outlined "eight principles of Inner Mongolian autonomy" and created the Mongolian Local Autonomous Political Council. Since these principles did not grant authority over foreign and military affairs, powers explicitly reserved for the central government in the January measure, they were seen as a concession to the Mongols and were accepted. On March 7, the central government issued regulations to establish a semi autonomous regime for Inner Mongolia, which was officially launched at Pailingmiao on April 23. Although the council was led by three moderate princes, Prince Yun, supported by Princes So and Sha, the real administrative authority was held by Prince De, who served as the secretary-general. Most of the twenty-five council members were of Mongolian royalty, through whom Prince De aimed to fulfill his objectives. Nevertheless, the Nationalist government seemed to consider the council merely a token gesture to placate De, as Nanking never provided the promised administrative funds outlined in the "eight principle declaration." Was not much of a shock Prince De sought support from the Kwantung Army, which had established contact with him as early as June 1934. Japanese pressures in North China were starting to alter the power dynamics, and after the first Western incident in Jehol in February 1935, it compelled the relocation of Sung Queyuan's army from Chahar to Hopei, providing encouragement to Prince De. In May, he met with Kwantung Army Vice Chief of Staff Itagaki Seishirö, Intelligence Section Chief Kawabe Torashirö, and staff officer Tanaka Ryükichi, where he was officially informed for the first time about the Kwantung Army's intention to assist him. On July 25, the Kwantung Army drafted its "Essentials of Policy toward Inner Mongolia," which regarded Japanese support for cooperation between De and Li Xuxin as part of their strategic preparations for a potential conflict with the Soviet Union. Shortly after this policy was adopted, a conflict arose over who had the authority to appoint the head of the Mongol Xukung banner, situated north of the Yellow River and Paot'ou. Following the death of the previous administrator, Prince Xu declared that he had taken control of the position. In response to a request from the local abbot, Prince Yun, acting in his capacity as chairman of the Mongolian Political Council, dismissed Xu. Xu then turned to Nanking through Suiyuan Provincial Chairman Fu Zuoyi, arguing that the central government held the authority to appoint heads of administrative units. In retaliation, Prince De dispatched troops to Xukung. On November 10, Fu presented a mediation proposal, which was rejected since it not only failed to acknowledge Shih's dismissal but also demanded the withdrawal of De's forces. De refused to pull back, further intensifying his hostility toward the Nanking government. In December, the Kwantung Army attempted to move Li's forces from eastern Chahar into the six Xun to the north of Kalgan, which serves as Chahar's granary. Following the Qin-Doihara agreement, Matsui Gennosuke from the Kalgan Special Service Agency secured a deal to separate these six districts from the southern region predominantly populated by Chinese; a Mongolian peace preservation corps was tasked with maintaining order in the northern area, while a Chinese corps was responsible for the south. During the discussions for an autonomous regime centered around Song Queyuan in North China in November 1935, Kwantung Army troops were concentrated around Gubeikou. To exert pressure on Song's rear, the Kwantung Army proposed replacing the Chinese peace preservation unit in the area north of Kalgan with Li Xuxin's army, which would establish this territory as its base.   The operation commenced on December 8. In a surprise attack just before dawn, Li captured Paochang. By December 12, despite facing strong Chinese resistance and the heaviest snowfall in sixty years, Li, aided by Kwantung Army planes disguised as those of the Manchukuo Airline Corporation, had taken control of Kuyuan. Further advances were halted by an order from Kwantung Army headquarters, and on December 13, it was reported that, had the operation not been stopped, Tokyo would have issued an imperial command. The operation had faced opposition from the Tientsin army, which feared it would weaken Song Queyuan's position just as they were informing Tokyo that the autonomy movement was going smoothly. Additionally, both Britain and the United States publicly expressed strong opposition to the Kwantung Army's involvement in the autonomy movement. However, the directive was ultimately prompted by the emperor's anger upon discovering that a unit of the Kwantung Army led by Colonel Matsui Takurö had advanced to Tolun to support Li's progress. Although Li's advance was halted, the operation undeniably contributed to the formation of the Hopei-Chahar Political Council.   Although the operation was halted, the Kwantung Army remained committed to its objectives. They contended that Li's army's advance into the six districts north of Kalgan was merely a peace preservation unit moving into territory within the truce line established by the Tanggu Agreement. Consequently, on December 29, they ordered Li to advance southward. Li peacefully occupied Changpei the following day and entered Shangtu on December 31. Manchukuo civil officials were appointed to oversee the six districts, and the currency of Manchukuo was introduced, although the existing tax system initially remained unchanged. The Kwantung Army allocated silver worth 6 million yuan to support administrative expenses. This outcome, known as the Eastern Chahar incident, marked a complete success for the Kwantung Army, which then redirected its focus toward Suiyuan Province. Each year, the Kwantung Army developed a secret plan for covert operations for the following year. The 1936 plan included strategies to secure air bases for routes connecting Europe and Asia, targeting Tsinghai and Sinkiang provinces, Outer Mongolia, Western Mongolia, and even remote areas of Ningxia province. In January 1936, staff officer Tanaka Ryūkichi formulated a document titled "Essentials of Policy Toward (Northwestern) Inner Mongolia." This document advocated for the establishment of a Mongolian military government to facilitate Japanese operations in northwestern Mongolia and suggested pushing Fu Tso-yi out of Suiyuan into Shansi province. Tanaka's proposals were incorporated into the final plan of the Kwantung Army, ultimately leading to the Suiyuan incident of November 1936. In February 1936, a meeting at Pailingmiao, where Prince De proposed the independence of Inner Mongolia, resulted in the departure of Prince So and several other Mongolian leaders from the coalition. They sought to establish a rival political council at Kueisui under the protection of Fu Zuoyi. By April, De and his supporters decided to form a military government at Tehua in Chahar, which was officially inaugurated in June as the Inner Mongolian government, headed by De with Li Shou-hsin as his deputy. This new government quickly signed a mutual assistance treaty with Manchukuo, and the emperor granted De the title of prince.   In July, at a conference in Tehua, Tanaka was appointed as the head of the Special Service Agency for Inner Mongolia with the mission of implementing the army's Intelligence Section plans. He traveled to Pingtiqüan alongside Chief of Staff Itagaki and Intelligence Chief Mutō Akira to propose a local anti-Communist agreement to Fu. After failing to convince Fu, he attempted to persuade Sun Tien-ying to form a puppet army but managed to recruit only a bandit from Suiyuan, Wang Ying. The February 26 mutiny in Tokyo heightened anti-Japanese sentiments in China, resulting in increased violence. By August, the construction of an airplane hangar in Paot'ou was halted due to riots by local Chinese residents. On August 13, a group of fifteen Japanese, led by Nakajima Manzo, was ambushed while delivering ammunition to a pro-Japanese leader who was shortly thereafter assassinated. Chinese soldiers from Wang Qingkuo's 70th Division carried out the attack, and tensions escalated as the arrival of ammunition and Japanese laborers in Kalgan prompted border villages to strengthen their defenses.   By late September, Tanaka's "Guidelines for the Execution of the Suiyuan Operation" received approval, with operations set to commence in early November. The plan evolved from a covert mission into a personal initiative by Tanaka, financed largely through funds from the Kwantung Army's secret services and profits from special trading in eastern Hopei. Tanaka claimed to have transported 600,000 yen to Tehua in October and later sent 200,000 yuan into Inner Mongolia, estimating total expenses at approximately 6 million yen. He acquired new weaponry from the disbanded Northeast Army and established three clandestine forces: Wang Ying led 500 men, including artillery; Qin Xiashan commanded 3,000 from Sun Tienying's army; and Chang Futang also led 3,000 specialized units. During strategic meetings, Tanaka dismissed proposals for unified command and refusing to integrate secret units into the Mongolian army. He advocated for the slogan "Overthrow Chiang Kai-shek," while Matsui managed to include "Independence for Inner Mongolia."   The Japanese had developed the entire battle strategy. The 1st Army, commanded by Li Xuxin, would serve as the left flank, while the 2nd Army, led by Demchugdongrub, would be positioned on the right. Wang Ying's forces were designated as the central force. Their initial targets would be Hongort, Xinghe, Tuchengzi, and Guisui city, followed by a division to seize Jinging, Baotou, and Hetao. On November 13, Prince Demchugdongrub's and Wang Ying's forces left Shandu in two columns to assault Xinghe and Hongort. By the 15th, 1,500 troops reached Hongort, where they engaged the 1st Cavalry Division led by Peng Yubin. The next day, Ryukichi Tanaka, Demchugdongrub's chief advisor, sent two cavalry brigades and one infantry brigade to capture the town, effectively overrunning its defenders. Meanwhile, Wang Ying dispatched a smaller group to secure Tuchengzi.   Fu Zuoyi established his headquarters in Jining that same day. After assessing the situation, he concluded that if the enemy secured Hongort, it would diminish his defenders' morale. Consequently, he launched a counterattack. Peng Yubin led a joint force of the 1st Cavalry Division and Dong Qiwu's 218th Brigade to confront around 400 of Wang Ying's men defending Hongort and Tuchengzi. By 7 AM on the 18th, Tuchengzi was reclaimed, and at 8:30 AM, the 1st Cavalry Division entered Hongort, charging through 500 of Wang Ying's soldiers. The struggle for Hongort persisted for over three days, resulting in nearly 1,000 casualties before Fu Zuoyi regained control.   As the tide shifted against the invaders, Fu Zuoyi initiated an offensive toward the Bailing Temple, the rear base of the enemy, well-stocked and defended by 3,000 men under Prince Demchugdongrub. Fu Zuoyi ordered the 2nd Cavalry Division, along with the 211th and 315th Brigades, the 21st Artillery Regiment, and a convoy of 20 trucks and 24 armored vehicles to assault the Bailing Temple as quickly as possible. Taking advantage of the Mongolian chaos, Fu Zuoyi's 35th Brigade executed a flanking maneuver west of the Bailing Temple amid a severe snowstorm.   At 1 AM on the 24th, the battle for the Bailing Temple commenced as the Chinese engaged the Mongolians for the fortified positions around the temple. From 2 to 4 AM, the Chinese advanced closer to the temple walls, facing artillery and machine-gun fire. They launched desperate frontal assaults against the city gates, suffering heavy losses. A fierce stalemate ensued, with Japanese aerial bombardments causing significant casualties to the Chinese forces. Fu Zuoyi subsequently ordered all armored vehicles to converge at the main city gate. Despite intense fire, the armored cars managed to breach the gate, allowing Chinese infantry to flood into the temple area. The resulting carnage within the temple walls led to 900 Mongol deaths, with 300 captured as the rest fled. The Chinese suffered 300 casualties but secured the strategically vital rear base, along with a substantial stockpile of provisions, including 500 barrels of petrol, 600 rifles, 10 machine guns, vehicles, and field guns. Following the devastating defeat at Bailing Temple, the invaders regrouped at Xilamuleng Temple. On the 28th, the Japanese sent 100 vehicles to transport 3,000 troops to prepare for a significant counteroffensive to recapture Bailing Temple. On the 29th, Wang Ying personally led 2,000 cavalry north of Shangdu to Taolin in an attempt to contain the enemy. However, after he left the bulk of his forces at Xilamuleng Temple, officers from the Grand Han Righteous Army secretly began negotiating to defect to the Chinese side, undermining the forces needed for the counterattack against Bailing Temple.   The counteroffensive commenced on December 2nd, with 10 armored vehicles and 1,000 Mongol troops leading the charge at 6 AM. They were pushed back by the heavily fortified 211th Brigade, which was well-supplied with machine guns and artillery. The following day, at 3 AM, the Mongols attempted a surprise attack but faced an ambush as they crept toward the temple. They incurred hundreds of casualties, with 230 men either captured or having defected. After this, the counterattack stalled, as the Mongol forces couldn't approach within 3 miles of the temple. Subsequently, the Chinese 2nd Cavalry Division launched a pincer maneuver, causing significant casualties among the invaders. By 9 AM, the enemy had suffered 500 casualties and was in retreat. At 7 PM, Fu Zuoyi ordered another counteroffensive. By the next morning, hundreds more had been lost, and several hundred soldiers were captured. With such heavy losses, the defense of Xilamuleng Temple weakened significantly, prompting more officers to defect to the Chinese. Late on the 4th, Fu Zuoyi assembled a force comprising two cavalry regiments, one infantry regiment, one artillery battalion, four armored vehicles, and a squadron of cars to launch a nighttime assault on Xilamuleng Temple.   Meanwhile, the 2nd Cavalry Division clashed with Wang Ying's cavalry 30 miles northeast of Wulanhua. Wang Ying's 2,000 cavalry had been raiding nearby villages to create diversions, drawing enemy forces away from the Bailing-Xilamuleng theater. By the 9th, Wang Ying's cavalry were encircled in Xiaobei, where they were nearly annihilated, with Wang escaping with around a hundred guards toward Changpei. On the 7th, some Grand Han Righteous Army officers set in motion plans to defect to the Chinese side. Early on the 9th, these officers led their men to invade the residence of Japanese advisors, killing all 27 Japanese officers under Colonel Obama. Simultaneously, Fu Zuoyi's forces executed a flanking maneuver against the Xilamuleng Temple amidst the chaos. With mass defections, the Chinese forces surged into the temple area, resulting in the invader army disintegrating in confusion and surrender. After seizing the temple, the invaders were routed, their lines of communication severed, and only isolated pockets continued to resist. Taking advantage of the confusion, Fu Zuoyi launched simultaneous attacks, attempting to capture Shangdu. However, Yan Xishan sent him a telegram, ordering him to halt, stating that Shangdu fell under the jurisdiction of Shanxi and not Suiyuan.   In response to the loss, Tanaka planned a counteroffensive with Qin's troops, but Chiang kai-shek commanded a strong defense of Pailingmiao, successfully outmaneuvering Tanaka's strategies. The resurgence of Chinese forces led to the disintegration of Qin's troops, who revolted and eventually joined the Nationalist army. The Kwantung Army aimed to redeploy its forces for recovery but faced opposition from Tokyo, which criticized the situation. After Chiang kai-shek was kidnapped by Zhang Xueliang on December 12, Tanaka and Prince De seized the opportunity to reassess their strategy. Ultimately, the Kwantung Army decided to abandon efforts to reclaim Pailingmiao, marking the official end of hostilities on December 21. The Suiyuan incident ultimately strengthened Chinese resolve against Japan and increased international distrust.   The defeat of Japan's proxy forces inspired many Chinese to advocate for a more vigorous resistance against the Japanese. The triumph in Suiyuan was celebrated throughout China and surprised the international media, marking the first occasion where the Chinese army successfully halted a Japanese unit. Delegations traveled from as distant as southern Chinese provinces to encourage the defenders to continue their fight. Captured Japanese weapons and equipment served as proof of Japan's involvement in the conflict, despite Japan's Foreign Minister Hachirō Arita claiming that "Japan was not involved in this conflict in Suiyuan at all." After his defeat, Prince Demchugdongrub and his Inner Mongolian troops retreated to northern Chahar, where he had to reconstruct his army due to significant losses. The Japanese implemented new regulations for the Mongolian Army to enhance its effectiveness, and efforts to recruit new soldiers commenced.   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. More incidents and more battles to seize territory raged in North China. However things did not go according to plan for the Japanese and their puppets. The tides had turned, and now a more angry and invigorating China would begin lashing out against the encroachment. It was only a matter of time before a full blown war was declared. 

There is majesty in the air as Nick and Ange welcome TV royalty to Dish HQ. Dame Joanna Lumley was born in India, she attended boarding school in the UK before beginning a career in modelling in the 1960s. She transitioned into acting with early roles in Coronation Street and The New Avengers before becoming a household name as Patsy Stone in Absolutely Fabulous—a role that earned her three Bafta awards. Joanna loves to travel and is celebrated for her TV documentaries exploring Japan, India, the Nile, the Silk Road, and the Trans-Siberian Railway. In film, she lent her voice to Tim Burton animations, including Corpse Bride and James & the Giant Peach, and starred in Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street. You can watch her latest show, Amandaland—a spin-off of Motherland—on BBC iPlayer now. Nick pours Joanna an elderflower pressé while Angela prepares parsnip gnocchi with sage & garlic  mushrooms. The experts at Waitrose pair this with an Italian white wine, La Monetta Gavi Piedmont. Prepare to be enchanted by Dame Joanna Lumley! During her chat with Nick and Angela, she discusses her 40 years of vegetarianism, looks back on the laughs on Absolutely Fabulous, and, in honor of Valentine's Day, shares the secret to a long and happy marriage. You can now watch full episodes of Dish on YouTube  All recipes from this podcast can be found at waitrose.com/dishrecipes A transcript for this episode can be found at waitrose.com/dish We can't all have a Michelin star chef in the kitchen, but you can ask Angela for help. Send your dilemmas to dish@waitrose.co.uk and she'll try to answer them in a future episode. Dish is a S:E Creative Studio production for Waitrose Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last time we spoke about the reunification of Xinjiang. In Yarkland, chaos erupted as inflation soared, forcing Chinese officials to retreat to fortified New City. As insurgents advanced, Colonel Chin's forces looted and fled, igniting violence against Uyghurs and Hindu moneylenders. By April, rebels captured Kashgar, fracturing Chinese control. Amid shifting alliances, Abdullah revealed a conflict among Muslim troops, leading to a brief Uyghur-Kirghiz unity against the Chinese. After the execution of leader Temur, Abdullah seized Yarkland, while Tawfiq Bay rallied forces, leaving the Tungans besieged amidst chaos. In the tumultuous landscape of 1930s Xinjiang, Ma Chongying's Tungan forces, alongside young Uyghur conscripts, captured Kumul and advanced toward Urumqi. Despite fierce battles, including a significant clash at Kitai, Sheng Shihtsai struggled to maintain control amid shifting loyalties and external pressures. As the TIRET emerged under Khoja Niyas Hajji, internal conflicts and Soviet interventions escalated. Ultimately, Ma Chongying retreated to Russia, leaving Sheng in power, but the region remained fraught with tension and uncertainty.   #136 Ishiwara Kanji Part 1: The Man who Began WW2? 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. “The board is set, the pieces are moving. We come to it at last, the great battle of our time.” Famously said by Gandalf the White. 1931 was the year the Japanese initiated a 15 year long war with China. For those of you who perhaps joined this podcast recently and don't know, I am Craig and I operate the Pacific War Channel on Youtube. I have been covering the 15 year long China War forever it seems, so when we finally reached this part in our larger story I sat down and thought about how to first tackle this. One thing I really believe needs to be said at the beginning, is a lot of what happened was put into motion by one man, Ishiwara Kanji. For those of you who joined my patreon or later listened to my Ishiwara Kanji series on my channel, this one might be a bit of a refresher. But for those of you who have never heard the name of this man, well let me tell you a story about how a single man caused WW2. Kanji Ishiwara was born on January 18, 1889, in Tsuruoka, located in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. He was the second son of a policeman who hailed from a lineage of samurai that had historically served the Shonai Domain. This domain had a notable history, particularly during the Boshin War, where Ishiwara's clan supported the Tokugawa Shogunate. Following the defeat of the Shogunate, clans like Ishiwara's found themselves marginalized in the new political landscape of Meiji Era Japan. The power dynamics shifted significantly, with domains such as Choshu and Satsuma gaining the majority of influential governmental positions, while those that had aligned with the Shogunate were largely excluded from power. At the young age of 13, Ishiwara embarked on his military career by enrolling in a military preparatory school in Sendai. He continued his education for two years at the Central Military Preparatory School in Tokyo, where he honed his skills and knowledge in military affairs. In 1907, he entered the Imperial Japanese Military Academy as a member of its 21st class. After two years of rigorous training, he graduated in July 1909, receiving a commission as a Lieutenant and taking on the role of platoon commander in an infantry regiment stationed in the Tohoku region. In 1910, following Japan's annexation of Korea, Ishiwara's regiment was deployed to the Korean Peninsula, where he served in a small garrison in Ch'unch'on. His time there involved two years of occupation duty, during which he gained valuable experience in military operations and leadership. After returning to Tohoku in 1912, Ishiwara pursued further education and successfully passed the examinations required for entry into the Army Staff College in 1915. His dedication and exceptional performance were evident throughout his studies, culminating in his graduation at the top of his class in November 1918. This achievement earned him a prestigious place among the elite ranks of the Gunto Gumi, a distinguished group within the Japanese military, and he was honored with the imperial sword, a symbol of his status and accomplishments. In 1920, Ishiwara found himself facing a challenging assignment within the Department of Military Training. Eager for a change, he applied for service in China and was subsequently assigned to the Central China Garrison in Hankow. Over the course of a year, he traveled extensively through central China, immersing himself in the culture and landscape before returning to Tokyo in 1921. Upon his return, he took on the role of lecturer at the Army Staff College, where he shared his knowledge and experiences with aspiring military leaders. Despite his desire for another assignment in China, Ishiwara's superiors redirected him to Europe, a common practice for promising young officers at the time. He spent three years in Germany, where he dedicated himself to studying languages and military history. By 1925, at the age of 36 and having attained the rank of Major, he received a prestigious assignment to the faculty of the Army Staff College, where he lectured on the history of warfare. From the outset, Ishiwara distinguished himself as an unconventional officer. His eccentricities were well-known; he was often seen as argumentative and struggled with numerous health issues, including recurrent kidney infections, gastrointestinal problems, tympanitis, and other ailments that plagued him throughout his career. Additionally, his ancestry played a significant role in his military life, particularly in the context of the Japanese military's values during the 1930s. Officers from disgraced clans often felt compelled to demonstrate exceptional loyalty to the Emperor, striving to overcome the stigma associated with their lineage, a legacy of distrust that lingered from the early Meiji period. Ishiwara's character was marked by a certain oddity; he was a nonconformist with a fiercely independent spirit. Many biographers note that while he excelled academically, he often disregarded military decorum, particularly in terms of his dress and personal appearance. Early in his career, he voiced his concerns about perceived inequalities within the military, particularly the favoritism shown towards graduates of the staff college. Such outspoken criticism was considered reckless, yet it reflected his deep-seated beliefs. An avid reader, Ishiwara immersed himself in a wide range of subjects, including politics, religion, history, and philosophy, revealing a restless and inquisitive mind. His unconventional behavior and intellectual pursuits garnered attention from his peers, many of whom regarded him as a brilliant thinker. While military personnel are typically required to study military history, few pursue it with the same fervor as Ishiwara. He developed a profound obsession with understanding military history beyond the standard curriculum. His critical examination of the Russo-Japanese War led him to conclude that Japan's victory was largely a matter of luck. He believed that Japan had adopted the von Moltke strategy of annihilation, but the sheer size of Russia made it impossible to defeat them swiftly. Ishiwara posited that had Russia been better prepared, Japan would likely have faced defeat, and it was only through a unique set of circumstances that Japan avoided a protracted conflict. This realization prompted Ishiwara to advocate for a significant shift in Japan's defense planning, emphasizing the need to adapt to the realities of modern warfare. His studies extended to World War I, where he critically analyzed the distinctions between short and prolonged conflicts. He recognized that extended wars often evolved into total wars, where political, economic, and social factors became as crucial as military strategy. This line of thinking led him to categorize wars into two types: “kessenteki senso” (decisive war) and “jizokuteki senso” (continuous war). Ishiwara viewed these categories as part of a cyclical pattern throughout history, with each type influencing the other in a dynamic interplay. During his time in Germany, Ishiwara immersed himself in the study of prominent military theorists such as Carl von Clausewitz, Helmuth von Moltke, and Hans Delbrück. He found himself particularly captivated by Delbrück's concepts of Niederwerfungstrategie, or "strategy of annihilation," which emphasizes the importance of achieving victory through decisive battles, and Ermattungsstrategie, meaning "strategy of exhaustion," which focuses on wearing down the enemy over time. These theories resonated deeply with Ishiwara, as he recognized parallels between his own ideas and the insights presented in these influential works. This realization prompted him to analyze historical conflicts, viewing the Napoleonic Wars as the quintessential example of annihilation warfare, while interpreting the campaigns of Frederick the Great as emblematic of exhaustion warfare. As Ishiwara advanced in his studies, he became increasingly convinced, much like many of his contemporaries, that Japan and the United States were inevitably on a collision course toward war, driven by conflicting power dynamics and ideological differences. He anticipated that such a conflict would not be swift but rather a drawn-out struggle characterized by a strategy of exhaustion. However, this led him to grapple with a pressing dilemma: how could Japan effectively prepare for a prolonged war when its natural resources were evidently insufficient to sustain such an endeavor? This predicament prompted him to rethink the broader context of Asia. Ishiwara held a strong belief that Asia was a distinct entity, fundamentally different from the West, and he envisioned a future where Asian nations would liberate themselves and unite in solidarity. His enthusiasm was particularly ignited during the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, while he was a young cadet stationed in Korea. The prospect of China revitalizing itself filled him with hope. However, his later experiences in China led to a profound disillusionment. Throughout the 1920s, he encountered rampant banditry, conflicts during the warlord era, and pervasive chaos and disorder. The widespread poverty and instability he witnessed shattered his earlier optimistic vision of China's potential for progress and reform, leaving him with a more sobering understanding of the challenges facing the region. He wrote this during that time “Looking at the situation in China, I came to harbor grave doubts as to the political capacities of the chinese race and came to feel that, though they were a people of high cultural attainment, it was impossible for them to construct a modern state”. Despite his profound disappointment with the political issues plaguing China, he was equally appalled by the way his Japanese colleagues treated the Chinese people. He vividly recalled feelings of shame when he witnessed fellow colleagues in Hankow disembarking from rickshaws and carelessly tossing coins at the feet of the rickshaw pullers. This behavior struck him as not only disrespectful but also indicative of a broader attitude of racial superiority that he believed needed to be addressed. He frequently expressed in his writings that the Japanese needed to abandon their feelings of racial superiority. Ironically, he often juxtaposed this belief with his conviction that Japan had a duty to guide nations like China toward their rightful destiny. While he advocated for racial equality between Japan and China, he held a markedly different view regarding China's political landscape. Like many of his contemporaries, he believed that China required significant reform and modernization, which he felt Japan was uniquely positioned to facilitate. To Ishiwara, the pressing issue was that if Japan did not assist China in its development, Western powers would aggressively intervene, further subjugating the nation. He viewed Japan's role as one of liberation for China, rather than domination. Additionally, Ishiwara connected the impending conflict between Japan and the United States to the broader dynamics of Japan-China relations, suggesting that the outcome of this war would significantly impact the future interactions between the two nations. Ishiwara, like many Japanese military officers of his time, subscribed to the concept of Kokutai, a complex and multifaceted cultural phenomenon that served as a spiritual driving force within the Japanese military. The Kokutai can be understood as the essence of Japan's national character. Japan operated as a constitutional monarchy, embodying both the Kokutai (the national body or character) and Seitai (the governmental structure). This duality created a unique ideological framework: one aspect emphasized the traditional reverence for the emperor, while the other focused on the official government apparatus.   To simplify this intricate relationship, one might say, “Japan is governed simultaneously by the emperor and the government.” However, this characterization is inherently confusing, as it encapsulates a significant contradiction. Article 4 of the former Japanese constitution stated, “The emperor is the head of the empire, combining in himself the right of sovereignty, uniting the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government, although subject to the consent of the imperial diet.” This provision suggests the existence of an absolute monarch who is nonetheless expected to heed the advice of democratically elected representatives, creating a paradox that would contribute to the tensions leading to the Pacific War. A critical issue that arose from this constitutional framework was that the military was explicitly stated to be under the control of the emperor, rather than the political diet. Consequently, many military leaders perceived themselves as being beholden to the Kokutai, an ideology that evolved significantly from the Meiji era into the Showa era. For instance, consider a high-ranking military officer who views the political elite as corrupt individuals who have effectively taken the emperor hostage, acting against his will and, by extension, against the will of the Japanese people. Such a perspective could lead to radical actions, including attempts to overthrow the government to restore what they believed to be the rightful authority of the emperor. This ideological conflict presents a fascinating and complex rabbit hole that merits further exploration. Ishiwara had a unique view of the Kokutai. In his early education he wrote this about his doubt on understanding it as a principal. “Even though I, myself, because of my training…had come to have an unshakeable faith in the kokutai I began to lack confidence that I could imparts this belief to others –to the common soldier, to the civilian, to non-Japanese”. Ishiwara grappled with a profound question: how could the concept of Kokutai—the national essence of Japan—be relevant beyond the borders of Japan? He pondered how its significance could extend beyond the specific national interests of Japan. If a Japanese soldier were to lay down his life for the Kokutai, what meaning would that sacrifice hold for individuals of different races and nationalities? Furthermore, he sought to understand how the Kokutai's universal value could be connected to other ideologies outside Japan. In his quest for answers, Ishiwara turned to Nichiren Buddhism. This spiritual framework allowed him to weave together his thoughts on warfare, historical narratives, and the national purpose of Japan. Interestingly, Ishiwara did not come from a religious background; he had briefly explored Christianity but did not pursue it further. Similarly, Shintoism did not fully resonate with his beliefs. Nichiren Buddhism, however, presented a compelling alternative. It is characterized by a strong sense of patriotism and an apocalyptic vision, positioning itself as a holy mission intended for all of humanity, with Japan at its center. This belief system embodies a quasi-ideology of world regeneration, casting Japan as a moral leader destined to guide others. Given this context, it is easy to see how the Kokutai and Nichiren Buddhism complemented each other seamlessly. By leveraging the principles of Nichiren Buddhism, Ishiwara envisioned a way to elevate the Kokutai from a strictly nationalistic doctrine to a more universal ideology that could resonate globally. His introduction to these ideas came through Tanaka Chigaku, a prominent figure in the Kokuchukai, or "National Pillar Society," which was a nationalist organization rooted in Nichiren Buddhism and based in Tokyo. This connection provided Ishiwara with a framework to articulate a vision of Japan that transcended its geographical boundaries, linking the Kokutai to a broader, more inclusive mission. After attending a public meeting held by Tanaka, he quickly converted to Kokuchukai and he would write down in his journal “I was attracted to the Nichiren faith's view of the kokutai”. Nichiren buddhism. One element of Kokuchukai's Nichirenism that strongly attracted Ishiwara was its aggressive passages. He justified much of Japan's military actions on the Asian continent by drawing parallels to Nichiren's concept of wielding the sword to uphold righteousness. He frequently quoted Nichiren's assertion that “the significance of the art of war appears in the wonderful law.” Ishiwara became deeply immersed in Nichiren's teachings and came to believe in its prophecy of a “Zendai mimon no dai toso,” or a titanic world conflict unprecedented in human history, akin to a global Armageddon. Following this conflict, he envisioned a period of universal and eternal peace under the harmony of “the wonderful law.” While in Germany, Ishiwara became convinced that if Japan and the United States were destined for war and the U.S. emerged victorious, the kokutai would be obliterated. He traveled back to Japan via the Trans-Siberian Railway, stopping in Harbin, where he met with Nichiren followers. He shared his thoughts on a “final war,” asserting that it would arise from religious prophecy and his military analysis. He cautioned that Japan must prepare for this impending conflict, declaring that “the final war is fast approaching.” Upon returning to Japan in 1925, he was filled with determination to lecture at the Army Staff College about this final war. His audience consisted of the army's promising young officers, to whom he taught about Frederican and Napoleonic campaigns, Moltke, World War I, and, of course, his insights on the looming conflict. The Army Staff College repeatedly requested him to expand his lectures due to their popularity. In 1927, he drafted an essay titled “Genzai oyobi shorai Nihon no kokubo / Japan's Present and Future National Defense,” in which he discussed the inevitable war between the U.S. and Japan. This essay garnered significant attention from his colleagues. Later, in April 1931, he briefed his fellow Kwantung officers using this essay, advocating for decisive action on the Asian mainland. In 1928, he was scheduled to give another course on European warfare, but he contracted influenza and had to take a leave of absence. As he was recovering, he developed tympanitis in his ear, which required a six-month hospitalization. This was just one of many health issues that would affect him over time. Eventually, he became involved in an elite study group focused on war theories, led by Major Suzuki. This group included young reformist officers who discussed political and military matters. He continued his work on the concept of total war and ultimately wrote “Sensoshi taikan / General Outline of the History of War,” which he presented as a lecture to Kwantung officers in Changch'un, Manchuria, on July 4, 1929. The work underwent revisions in 1931 and 1938 and was published as a book of the same title after 1941. As he began lecturing using Sensoshi taiken he also circulated amongst an inner circle within the Kwantung army “kokuun tenkai no konpon kokusakutaru man-mo mondai kaiketsuan / Plan for the solution of the Manchuria and Mongolia problem as a basic national policy to revolutionize our country's destiny”, what a title. As you might guess the plan called for occupying Manchuria in preparation for the upcoming war with America. By the way, all of his lectures and works would gain so much fame, he was asked in 1936 to adapt the materials for a text on military history for Emperor Hirohito.  The 1930s were a particularly tense period for Japan. The Japanese leadership perceived Marxism as a pervasive threat, believing it was undermining the nation. Many liberal voices argued that the military budget was excessive and called for cuts. To Ishiwara, this was madness; he questioned how Japan could afford to disarm. While Marxists claimed that communism would rescue Japan, liberals argued that true democracy was the answer. In contrast, Ishiwara and many in the military believed that the Kokutai would be Japan's salvation. Ishiwara advocated his final theories of warfare, asserting that the impending apocalypse would not lead to an American synthesis, but rather a decisive victory for the Japanese Kokutai that would unify the world. “Japan must be victorious not for the sake of her own national interest, but for the salvation of the world. The last war in human history is approaching, Nichiren's titanic world conflict, unprecedented in human history”. From the outset of his initial theories, Ishiwara was convinced that the final war would be characterized by a strategy of exhaustion. However, World War I and the advancements of the 1920s introduced new technologies like tanks, poison gas, and airplanes. The airplane, in particular, led Ishiwara to believe that the defensive stalemate observed in World War I was nearing its end. He argued that airpower could deliver bomb loads beyond all known defenses, including naval surface units, fortifications, and armies equipped with automatic weapons. Ishiwara predicted that the final war would unleash unimaginable horrors on the world's greatest cities. Cities like London, Shanghai, Paris, and even Tokyo could be devastated within a single day of the outbreak of hostilities. Air bombardment would deliver victory and he would be quite right about that in regards to what would happen to Japan. He believed such a war would be waged only once and “we will enter an age where war will become impossible because of the ultimate development of war technology”. Ishiwara contended that Japan should exert direct or indirect control over Manchuria and, to a lesser extent, certain regions of China. He claimed that Japan had a moral responsibility to the Asian continent and a unique connection to Manchuria and China. He emphasized the need to stabilize China, as its people faced threats from chaos, corruption, and conflict. Ishiwara argued that Japan would ultimately need to take a more proactive role in stabilizing China, especially in Manchuria, for the sake of peace and the well-being of the Chinese population. He wrote in 1930 “To save China, which has known no peace, is the mission of Japan, a mission, which, at the same time, is the only means for the salvation of Japan itself. To accomplish this task it is an urgent matter that the interference of the United States be eliminated”. Ironically, he was advocating that in order to prepare for a conflict with the US, Japan must take a stronger hand in Manchuria and China…which would probably force the United States to confront her. He advocated against the strategy of a decisive battle at sea, instead emphasizing a continental strategy. “If the worst comes about and the war at sea turns against us, if proper measures have been taken, Japanese forces on the Asian mainland can be made self-sufficient and the war continued.” Above all else, Manchuria was the key, alongside parts of Mongolia and China.  In 1931, he started advocating for reforms in China, suggesting that it would be beneficial for the country to accept guidance from Japan. He viewed China as Japan's most important ally in the event of a conflict with the United States. He argued that Japan should make every effort to avoid getting involved in a war with China and should strive to prevent any actions that might provoke such a situation. Yet as he continued his writing he began to see the diplomatic issues play out between China and Japan and came to the conclusion, “every attempt should be made to avoid provoking China, but in the event that it is impossible to bring about China's understanding, then Nanking should be swiftly attacked and north and central China occupied” way to go 0-60. His attitudes to Britain and Russia were quite similar, every effort should be made to remain friendly, but in the case of war Hong Kong and Malaya should be quickly occupied or in the case of the USSR, predetermined objectives inside Siberia should be seized quickly. Let's delve into the historical landscape of Manchuria during the late 1920s, a period marked by intense geopolitical maneuvering among Russia, China, and Japan. The region found itself caught in a complex struggle for dominance, exacerbated by the fragmentation of Chinese authority due to rampant warlordism. This instability effectively severed Manchuria's ties to the rest of China, creating an opportunity for Japan to solidify and expand its influence. The situation in Manchuria, often referred to as the "Manchurian Problem," revolved around a pivotal question for Japanese policymakers: How could Japan consolidate its hold over Manchuria and further its interests in the face of an increasingly assertive China? Japan identified three primary strategies to address this challenge: Control of the South Manchuria Railway: Securing this vital transportation artery would grant Japan significant leverage over southern Manchuria. However, this strategy was fraught with complications, as it necessitated ongoing confrontations with Chinese political forces that opposed Japanese dominance. Utilization of the Kwantung Army: This military force stationed in Manchuria was crucial for projecting Japanese power. Members of the Kwantung Army were particularly concerned about the Northern Expedition led by Chiang Kai-shek, which threatened the stability of their ally, Zhang Zuolin, known as the "Tiger of Manchuria." While Zhang had been cooperative and acted in Japan's interests, his support could not be guaranteed indefinitely. Japanese Colonization: This approach involved encouraging Japanese settlers to move into Manchuria, thereby establishing a demographic presence that could help legitimize Japan's claims to the territory. This method, often likened to a “filibuster,” aimed to create a Japanese cultural and economic foothold in the region. Each of these strategies presented distinct pathways forward, each with its own implications for the future of Manchuria and its relationship with China. The Kwantung Army, in particular, was increasingly alarmed by the rise of anti-Japanese sentiment as the Northern Expedition advanced northward. The army viewed Manchuria not only as a territory of strategic interest but also as a crucial buffer against the Soviet Union. The growing instability posed by Chiang Kai-shek's forces and the potential loss of influence over Zhang Zuolin were significant threats that needed to be addressed. Ultimately, many within the Kwantung Army believed that the only viable solution to secure Japan's interests in Manchuria would be to formally detach the region from China, a move that would likely require military intervention. This belief underscored the precarious balance of power in Manchuria during this tumultuous period and foreshadowed the escalating conflicts that would shape the region's future. In June 1927, senior officers of the Kwantung Army were summoned to a crucial meeting convened by Premier Tanaka Giichi. The primary objective of this gathering was to establish Japan's strategic policy regarding China and Manchuria. Within the ranks of the Kwantung Army, a more radical faction led by Colonel Komoto Daisaku was determined to eliminate Zhang Zuolin, who had increasingly become perceived as a significant barrier to Japanese ambitions in Manchuria. This faction's resolve culminated in the assassination of Zhang Zuolin in 1928, an event infamously known as the Huanggutun Incident, where a bomb was placed on the train tracks to ensure his demise. However, the outcome of this assassination did not unfold as the Kwantung Army officers had anticipated. Instead of the anticipated rise of their chosen puppet leader, General Yang Yuting, control of Manchuria fell to Zhang Zuolin's son, Zhang Xueliang. Unsurprisingly, Zhang Xueliang was deeply angered by the murder of his father and was far from compliant with Japanese interests. Consequently, the Kwantung Army found itself in a precarious position, as their aggressive policies in Manchuria backfired, leading to a situation that was even more unfavorable than before. The investigation into the assassination was notably half-hearted, resulting in the dismissal of Colonel Komoto from his position. This political fallout also led to the collapse of Tanaka's cabinet, leaving the Kwantung Army feeling both embarrassed and enraged over their diminished influence in Manchuria. The Japanese colonists residing in Manchuria, feeling increasingly threatened, began to call upon the Kwantung Army for protection against Chinese nationalists who sought to expel them from the region. In this climate of uncertainty, the Kwantung Army was left scrambling for strategies to detach Manchuria from Chinese control. In 1928, Lieutenant Colonel Ishiwara was consulted extensively by Kwantung officers regarding his perspectives on the Manchurian situation. Although he had not yet fully developed his Final War theory at this time, he articulated the fundamental principles behind it, emphasizing the urgent need for decisive action to assert control over Manchuria. Over the following years, Kwantung officers made concerted efforts to shape policy in favor of their interests in Manchuria, with Ishiwara's ideas gaining traction and stimulating discussions among his high-ranking peers. By October 1928, Ishiwara successfully secured a position on the Kwantung Army staff as an operations officer, with Colonel Komoto Daisaku as his primary supporter. Komoto recognized Ishiwara as the dynamic force needed to advance the aggressive Manchurian policies that the Kwantung Army sought to implement. This collaboration marked a significant turning point in the Kwantung Army's approach to Manchuria, as they aimed to solidify their control and influence in the region amidst growing tensions. When Ishiwara arrived at Port Arthur, he encountered a chaotic and demoralized atmosphere at the headquarters of the Kwantung Army. This turmoil was largely a consequence of the disastrous bombing of Zhang Zuolin, which had resulted in significant operational failures. The investigation into this assassination triggered numerous changes within the Kwantung Army's leadership, many of which were quite restrictive and stifling. Despite the catastrophic impact of the Zhang Zuolin incident on Komoto's career, he continued to advocate for a forceful resolution to the escalating Manchurian crisis. Ishiwara appeared to share this perspective, and during the early months of 1929, he collaborated closely with Komoto to devise military operations aimed at countering Chinese forces in the Mukden region. However, by the spring of 1929, Komoto's position became increasingly precarious, leading to his official dismissal. By May, he had been reassigned to a relatively insignificant divisional post in Japan, and by June, he was completely removed from the army. Nevertheless, this did not signify the end of his influence over Manchurian affairs. His successor was Lieutenant Colonel Itagaki Seishiro, a longtime associate of Ishiwara from their days at the Sendai Military Preparatory School. This connection suggested that while Komoto may have been sidelined, the strategic direction in Manchuria would continue to be shaped by familiar faces and longstanding relationships. 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. A young, brilliant but perhaps insane man named Ishiwara Kanji began a fruitful military career. After spending considerable time in China, Ishiwara came to a dramatic conclusion, China needed to be saved, and to do so Japan needed to invade Manchuria. He began lecturing like minded youth and built a cult following, directing Japan towards war with China.  

Website- www.perksofbeingabooklover.com. Instagram - @perksofbeingabookloverpod FaceBook - Perks of Being a BookLover. To send us a message, go to our website and click the Contact button.   This week we are doing our 2024 recap, covering the books that earned 5 stars. We've also got some audio interspersed in the episode from 2024 guests to The Perks who also share their favorite books of the year. This is always one of our most popular episodes of the year.   And don't forget, this new season is a whole new bag.  We are going to every other week episodes and each one will include an interview with a bookish guest plus some book recommendations by us on a particular topic.     Books mentioned--   1- The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester 2- Woodworm by Layla Martinez 3- North Woods by Daniel Mason 4- Six Truths and a Lie by Ream Shukairy 5- Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders 6- Greenwood by Michael Christie 7- Prophet Song by Paul Lynch 8- A Heart That Works by Rob Delaney  9- Tortilla Curtain by TC Boyle 10- The Library Book by Susan Orlean  11- The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride 12- The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World by Eric Weiner 13- One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus  14- Intimacies by Katie Kitamura 15- I Have Some Questions For You by Rebecca Makkai 16- The Wedding People by Alison Espach 17- The Huntress by Kate Quinn 18- Finding Langston by Lesa Cline-Ransom 19- The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise by Colleen Oakley 20- All the Sinners Bleed by SA Cosby 21- Being Henry by Henry Winkler 22- The Weather Woman by Sally Gardner 23- Un Lun Dun by China Mieville 24- Border Crossings: A Journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway by Emma Fick 25- The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin 26- All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Brynn Greenwood 27- That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming 28- The Husbands by Holly Gramazio 29- Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy 30- Arroyo Circle by JoeAnn Hart 31- Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our World , Change Our Minds, & Shape Our Futures by Merlin Sheldrake   Media mentioned--   1- Dune: Prophecy (HBO Max, 2024) 2- Shrinking (Apple+, 2024) 3- What We Do in the Shadows (Hulu) 4- The Professor and the Madman (Tubi, 2019) 5- Your Friend by Nate Bargatze (Netflix, 2024) 6- The Skinny by Jim Gaffigan (Hulu, 2024) 7- Catastrophe (Prime, 2015) 8- Three Body Problem (Netflix, 2024)

In today's episode, we dive into the inspiring journey of Jessica Holmes—writer, author, and motivational speaker—who left a career as a major crimes investigator to pursue her passion for adventure and a more fulfilling, eco-friendly lifestyle.  Jessica's love for travel goes back years, from backpacking across continents to embracing van life. But along the way, she became mindful of the environmental toll of constant travel and decided to find a more sustainable approach. That's when she discovered housesitting—a way to explore the world at a slower pace, caring for homes and pets as she goes. Jessica now travels the globe as a digital nomad, sharing her experiences and insights with those dreaming of a life outside the ordinary.  Tune in to hear about her fascinating career shift, her commitment to mindful travel, and her advice on creating a life of adventure on your own terms.  This is an episode for anyone who dreams of living fully, sustainably, and on their own path!   Catch the latest episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast, dropping every Tuesday at 7 am UK time! Don't forget to subscribe so you won't miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women.  Want to play a part in uplifting female representation in the media? Support the Tough Girl Podcast on Patreon! Your generosity helps shine a spotlight on female role models in the world of adventure and physical challenges. Join us in making a positive impact by visiting www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.  Thank you for your amazing support!   Show notes Who is Jessica Jessica's current lifestyle as a full-time house sitter and writer The inspiration behind her book, The Housesitter's Guide to the Galaxy How her childhood on a farm shaped her love for the outdoors and animals Meeting her husband in her teens, who had a strong wanderlust, which influenced her to start traveling The role her teenage friendship (and eventual relationship) with her husband played in igniting her wanderlust Jessica's early belief in a conventional life path and how it shifted over time Her university experience and how it transitioned into two years of backpacking Highlights from her travels, including the Trans-Siberian Railway, Trans-Mongolian Railway, and volunteering in China The challenges and joys of long-term travel, including bouts of food poisoning and cultural immersion The adjustment period of returning home after extensive travel How Jessica and her husband initially settled into traditional jobs but later questioned their lifestyle The impact of the pandemic in reigniting their passion for adventure and reshaping their future plans How they used maps and guidebooks during the pandemic to dream and plan their next moves The practicalities and challenges of transitioning to a digital nomad lifestyle How house sitting has become a cornerstone of their sustainable, low-cost travel approach The financial strategies that make their nomadic life possible, including frugal living and house-sitting exchanges Jessica's husband's transition to a fully remote accounting job and its role in their journey The emotional and logistical difficulties Jessica faced in leaving her career in police investigations Her resourcefulness in exploring digital nomad job options despite not feeling qualified initially The sense of purpose and freedom that fuels Jessica and her husband's adventures Encouragement for others to take the first step toward a lifestyle they're passionate about How Jessica handles accidental damages while house sitting The importance of open communication with homeowners Jessica's memorable experience with a dog chewing her laptop The balance between honesty and homeowners' leniency in house-sitting mishaps Why Jessica doesn't feel compelled to snoop while house sitting How Jessica and her partner have adjusted to working and living in other people's homes The routines that help Jessica and her partner balance house sitting with their careers Jessica's approach to selecting house sits and prioritising space and comfort How Jessica manages anxiety while pursuing an adventurous lifestyle Practical tips Jessica uses to identify and manage anxiety triggers How journaling and therapy have helped Jessica cope with anxiety The role of support from loved ones in managing mental health Jessica's advice for embracing adventure despite anxiety An overview of Jessica's blog and podcast, including their focus on house sitting and slow travel. How Jessica integrates themes from her book into her podcast series Insights into sustainable travel and reducing environmental impact as a digital nomad Jessica's focus on minimising flights and using alternative travel methods Why slow travel and longer stays are key to Jessica's sustainable lifestyle How Jessica evaluates the environmental impact of homeowners' travel plans Final words of advice   Social Media Instagram @hitchedhikingandhousesitting Blog www.hitchedandhiking.com Book: “The Housesitter's Guide to the Galaxy: A Guide to Housesittng and Achieving Sustainable, Eco-Friendly Travel” on Amazon/Waterstones online  

Host Brian Salter is joined by Rev. Addison Soltau, a 97-year old member of the LMPC community and retired pastor. Among other things, Rev. Soltau tells of his childhood in Korea, his time teaching and pastoring in Japan, riding the Trans-Siberian Railway, crossing the Pacific Ocean on freighters, and the Lord's mercy throughout a 70-year marriage.God in the Dark: Through Grief and Beyond by Luci ShawPreparing for Glory by Elizabeth Reynolds TurnageFacing the Last Enemy: Death and the Christian by Guy WatersAging with Grace: Flourishing in an Anti-Aging Culture by Sharon W. Betters & Susan HuntHost: Brian SalterSpecial Guest: Rev. Addison SoltauProducer: Ben WingardMusic arranged by David Henry and performed by David Henry and Hannah Lutz.To contact Pillar & Ground or to submit a question that you would like to hear addressed on a future episode, please email podcast@lmpc.org.

Our website - www.perksofbeingabooklover.com. Instagram - @perksofbeingabookloverpod Facebook - Perks of Being a Book Lover. To send us a message go to our website and click the Contact button. For a lot of people, Labor Day, which this year fell on September 2, marks the end of summer, although astronomical summer doesn't end until September 22 (and meteorological fall actually begins on September 1). And according to Carrie, summer ends on the first day of school, which was Aug 8 here in Louisville KY. And what was a common assignment when you returned back to schook? That's right. Write about what you did this summer. So this episode is a recap of what the two of us did from June through August told in the form of books! Books mentioned-- 1- Bad Monkey by Carl Hiassen 2- Hoot by Carl Hiassen 3- Flush by Carl Hiassen 4- Border Crossings: A Journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway by Emma Fick 5- Summer of the Mariposas by Guadalupe Garcia McCall 6- A Five Star Read Recommended by Fellow Book Lover Amanda Pavlov @pavlovsbooks - A Novel Obsession by Caitlin Barasch 7- The Kindred Spirits Supper Club by Amy E. Reichert 8- Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal 9- Hum If You Don't Know the Words by Bianca Marais 10- Cry the Beloved Country by Alan Paton 11- Death's Door: True Tales of Tragedy, Mystery, and Bravery from the Great Lakes' Most Dangerous Waters by Barbara M. Joosse 12- The Elephants of Thula Thula by Francois Malby-Anthony 13- A Death in Door County (Monster Hunter Mystery) by Annelise Ryan 14- The Woman Next Door by Yewande Omotoso 15- I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger 16- The Deepest Lake by Andromeda Romano-Lax 17- Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke, audiobook narrated by Brendan Fraser 18- Death Stalks Door County (Dave Cubiak #1) by Patricia Skalka Media mentioned-- 1- Jack Whitehall: Travels with My Father (Netflix, 2017) 2- Jack Whitehall: Fatherhood with my Father (2024) 3- The Tourist (Netflix, 2022) 4- Bad Monkey (Apple+, 2024) 5- Strong Sense of Place Podcast - https://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/ 6-Lawsuit Against Florida Book Bans - people.com/publishers-authors-…a-book-bans-8704020      

Our website - www.perksofbeingabooklover.com. Instagram - @perksofbeingabookloverpod Facebook - Perks of Being a Book Lover. To send us a message go to our website and click the Contact button. For a lot of people, Labor Day, which this year fell on September 2, marks the end of summer, although astronomical summer doesn't end until September 22 (and meteorological fall actually begins on September 1). And according to Carrie, summer ends on the first day of school, which was Aug 8 here in Louisville KY. And what was a common assignment when you returned back to schook? That's right. Write about what you did this summer. So this episode is a recap of what the two of us did this summer told in the form of books! Books mentioned-- 1- Bad Monkey by Carl Hiassen 2- Hoot by Carl Hiassen 3- Flush by Carl Hiassen 4- Border Crossings: A Journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway by Emma Fick 5- Summer of the Mariposas by Guadalupe Garcia McCall 6- A Five Star Read Recommended by Fellow Book Lover Amanda Pavlov @pavlovsbooks - A Novel Obsession by Caitlin Barasch 7- The Kindred Spirits Supper Club by Amy E. Reichert 8- Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal 9- Hum If You Don't Know the Words by Bianca Marais 10- Cry the Beloved Country by Alan Paton 11- Death's Door: True Tales of Tragedy, Mystery, and Bravery from the Great Lakes' Most Dangerous Waters by Barbara M. Joosse 12- The Elephants of Thula Thula by Francois Malby-Anthony 13- A Death in Door County (Monster Hunter Mystery) by Annelise Ryan 14- The Woman Next Door by Yewande Omotoso 15- I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger 16- The Deepest Lake by Andromeda Romano-Lax 17- Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke, audiobook narrated by Brendan Fraser 18- Death Stalks Door County (Dave Cubiak #1) by Patricia Skalka Media mentioned-- 1- Jack Whitehall: Travels with My Father (Netflix, 2017) 2- Jack Whitehall: Fatherhood with my Father (2024) 3- The Tourist (Netflix, 2022) 4- Bad Monkey (Apple+, 2024) 5- Strong Sense of Place Podcast - https://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/ 6-Lawsuit Against Florida Book Bans - https://people.com/publishers-authors-students-and-teachers-file-lawsuit-against-florida-book-bans-8704020

If we say ‘Mongolia,' and you imagine an eagle hunter on horseback silhouetted against an endless blue sky and vast open plains, you are not wrong. Ditto for thinking of Chingiss Khan, frigid winters, and resilient nomads in gers (yurts). While those perceptions are valid, Mongolia may have some surprises for you. The sun shines 250 days a year, and summer days are luxuriously long and warm. Yes, Khan is a national hero (see: the 3-story glimmering steel statue of the Mongol leader on horseback), but Mongolians are most welcoming. The flap door of a ger is open to all, friends and strangers alike — and a hot bowl of milk tea will appear as soon as you cross the threshold. In the capital city of Ulaanbaatar, you can eat in restaurants, visit a temple, and wander through museums. When you've had enough of the bustle, ride into the steppes — on a horse, a camel, or an all-terrain jeep — and back in time. Under that vast sky, you can head north to spruce forests that stretch toward Russia, or west to the jaggy Altai mountains, or south to the wind-swept dunes of the Gobi Deserts (and, eventually, China). In this episode, we meet a formidable Mongolian warrior princess, listen to the otherworldly sound of Tuvan throat singing, and travel back in history with the annual Naadam Festival (a.k.a. the Mongolian Olympics). Then we recommend five great books that took us to Mongolia on the page: Akmaral by Judith Lindbergh Rough Magic by Lara Prior-Palmer Stand on the Sky by Erin Bow Border Crossings: A Journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway by Emma Fick When I'm Gone, Look for Me in the East by Quan Barry For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes. Sign up for our free Substack to connect with us and other friendly readers who are curious about the world. Transcript of Mongolia: Under the Eternal Blue Sky Do you enjoy our show? Do you want be friends with other (lovely) people who love books and travel? Please support our work on Patreon! Strong Sense of Place is an audience-funded endeavor, and we need your support to continue making this show. Get all the info you need right here. Thank you! Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us a Text Message.Can you imagine giving up a successful career and selling everything you own just to travel the world? Meet Nora Dunn, aka the Professional Hobo, who did just that in 2006 and has never looked back. In this episode, Nora takes us through her bold decision to leave a thriving financial planning career in Toronto and embrace a life of adventure. We uncover the fascinating story behind her unique moniker and its connection to historical hobos who roamed the rails, seeking work and new experiences. Nora shares her early train travel memories across Canada, emphasizing the profound impact of cultural immersion and the invaluable relationships fostered through organizations like Rotary.Ever wondered what it's like to embark on an epic train journey across continents? Nora's tales are nothing short of spectacular. From a three-day adventure from Darwin to Adelaide in Australia to an 11,000-kilometer round trip from Melbourne to Perth, and an awe-inspiring 30-day expedition from Lisbon to Ho Chi Minh City—her stories brim with stunning landscapes, intriguing encounters, and the simple pleasure of watching the world unfold from a train window. She also reflects on the iconic Trans-Siberian Railway, sharing the culinary delights and cultural exchanges that make these journeys unforgettable.Slow travel offers a unique charm and numerous opportunities for digital nomads, and Nora is a master at it. She discusses the benefits of establishing home bases for extended stays, sharing tips on securing free accommodation through house sitting, volunteering, and home exchanges. We also chat about balancing travel with personal relationships and careers, offering practical advice on efficient packing, cultural immersion, and building a global network. Nora's personal travel stories, bucket list destinations, and favorite travel snacks add flavor to her adventures, inviting listeners to explore the enchanting world of long-term travel.Noras' Book: How to Get Free Accommodation Around the World, 3rd EditionYou can find Nora: On Facebook.On Twitter.On her YouTube Channel.On Pinterest. And on Instagram. Follow this link for a free gift!Support the Show.Please download, like, subscribe, share a review, and follow us on your favorite podcasts app and connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wherenextpodcast/View all listening options: https://wherenextpodcast.buzzsprout.com/HostsCarol: https://www.instagram.com/carol.work.lifeKristen: https://www.instagram.com/team_wake/ If you can, please support the show or you can buy us a coffee.

VOICES IN THE EVENING by Natalia Ginzburg (trans. DM Low), chosen by Tessa Hadley THE ZONE OF INTEREST by Martin Amis (trans. Jessica Moore), chosen by Sebastian Faulks EASTBOUND by Maylis de Kerangal, chosen by Harriett GilbertTwo authors pick books they love with Harriett Gilbert.Tessa Hadley (Late In The Day, Free Love, After The Funeral) takes us to post-war Italy with Voices In The Evening by Natalia Ginzburg. The drama, suffering and fascism are in the past, but traumas surface in the day-to-day, with first loves and lost chances.Sebastian Faulks (Birdsong, Human Traces, The Seventh Son) chooses The Zone of Interest by Martin Amis, after watching the hit film by Jonathan Glazer and wanting to read the book it was inspired by. The haunting novel follows a Nazi officer who has become enamoured with the Auschwitz camp commandant's wife, and goes inside the minds of the commandant, who lives with his family right next to the concentration camp.Harriett Gilbert brings Eastbound by Maylis de Kerangal, a gripping novella set on the Trans-Siberian Railway, with a chance encounter between a desperate Russian conscript and a French woman.Produced by Eliza Lomas for BBC Audio Bristol Join the conversation on Instagram @bbcagoodread

Writer Sebastian Faulks, recently described as ‘a state of the species novelist', famous for his historical stories, he's now taking us into the future exploring what it means to be human.Punch-lines on the touchline...comedian and football podcaster Maisie Adam has torn herself away from the Euros coverage to join us and tell us about her recent job appraisal. And the cautious traveller Sarah Brooks, whose life changed after a vodka fuelled evening in a dining car on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Presenters: Nikki Bedi and Jon Kay Producer: Lowri Morgan

In this episode, Katie Aune takes on a adventure far off the typical tourist track, from riding the Trans-Siberian Railway across Russia and taking a cargo ferry from Ukraine to Georgia, to volunteering in Tajikistan and camping in the desert of Turkmenistan.  Katie is a recovering tax attorney who has worked in nonprofit and higher ed fundraising for more than a decade while also dabbling in travel blogging and writing. Born and raised in Minnesota, Katie is currently based in Washington, D.C. Despite not traveling overseas for the first time until she was 25, she has been to 70 countries and all seven continents. She is the author of Finding Katya: How I Quit Everything to Backpack the Former Soviet States, a travel memoir that chronicles her 13-month adventure through the former Soviet Union. Follow Katie at her website katieaune.comHosted by Michael J. ReinhartMichaelJReinhart.comWhiskey and a Map:  Stories of Adventure and Exploration.#Russia #Adventure #AdventureStories

This week, Gilly is with award winning travel writer, Caroline Eden. Her Cold Kitchen in Edinburgh is where we find her comfort cooking up the recipes she remembers from her travels. Her memories take us on the Trans Siberian Railway, through the dark back streets of a winter in Istanbul and the political chaos of a coup in Kyrgyzstan, and remind us of what travel can do for humanity. This is the recipe for food books which Gilly found so compelling when she first interviewed her about her second book, Black Sea for the delicious podcast, and which was the inspiration for Cooking the Books. It was about all of life through the prism of food. Head over to Gilly's Substack for a sound of Caroline's travels and a recipe from the her cold kitchen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of "Sleepless in Singapore," we hop on the Trans-Siberian Railway, excited and a bit anxious. We're moving from Moscow's busy streets to Russia's wide-open spaces. Our first big stop, Kazan, brings us together with Dina, a fellow traveler whose warmth and tips really stand out. Kazan itself is a revelation, a mix of historical beauty and the unexpected, like finding the perfect pair of sneakers after a minor mishap and discovering an ointment that magically cures smelly feet, making for some quirky travel tales. Yekaterinburg, however, shifts the mood. The city greets us with a grey, almost color-drained ambiance that starkly contrasts the vibrancy of Kazan. This part of the journey feels like stepping into a different world, where the vividness of life seems muted. Despite this, our spirits remain high, fueled by interactions with locals and the novelty of standing at the border of two continents. The Transib itself gives us a mix of thoughtful and fun moments, like a bizarre yet memorable visit to a train restaurant that could be a scene from a film. Moving forward, all these bits and pieces from our journey weave into a collection of memories that really show off the varied landscapes and cultural richness of Russia.

In this episode, I kick off my biggest trip yet, starting from grandma's house near Mannheim, Germany, and aiming for Beijing, before exploring Southeast Asia. The journey is sparked by a rough patch in my career, leading me to quit my job without a backup plan for the first time ever. In search of a fresh perspective, I ring up my brother Philipp and pitch him the idea of taking the Trans-Siberian Railway all the way to Beijing. Without hesitation, Philipp is in, asking only about the budget and timing. Just like that, we're set to plan this massive trip, diving into preparations with a mix of excitement and a bit of anxiety. The run-up to departure is a blur of research, packing debates, and a frantic last-minute visa chase. We decide on backpacks, gadgets, and even look up the best SIM cards for the journey. Despite a visa hiccup that almost derails us, we are fueled by the thrill of adventure. Our farewell is a mix of emotions, leaving home with just our backpacks and a plan. As we move from the familiarity of Vienna to the unknown of Bratislava, the trip truly begins to feel like the escape we had hoped for, filled with new sights, tastes, and the occasional challenge. This episode ends before the journey even really starts though – so stay tuned for more.

Why is it that any time you have to stop your car and wait for a train to cross, it's always when you're in a hurry? Hey, could be worse – you could have to wait for a train that really is over a mile long! And to make things even more “fun,” there's no fixed timetable. So, the longest train in the world, measuring in at 1.5 miles (2.5 km), runs on the Mauritania Railway. Up until a few years ago, there was just one option for passengers to travel on this train, and that was to literally sit on top of it. Doesn't exactly sound like my perfect vacay, but locals and adventurous tourists alike don't seem to mind sitting on rocks for hours on end! Other videos you might like: 15 Strange Things That Seem Normal Only In South Korea    • 15 Strange Things That Seem Normal On...   12 Strange Things You Only See in India    • 12 Strange Things You Only See in India   17 Crazy Things That Are Only Possible in Japan    • Видео   TIMESTAMPS: 200-wagon train 0:29 Can we take a ride on that train? 1:49 “First come first serve” 2:52 Be sure to bring warm clothes with you 4:33 One of the longest passenger trains 5:15 The Ringling Bros Circus trains 6:06 The legendary Trans-Siberian Railway 7:00 The fastest train in the world 7:49 #trains #Africa #brightside Music by Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/ Subscribe to Bright Side : https://goo.gl/rQTJZz ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Our Social Media: Facebook:   / brightside   Instagram:   / brightgram   5-Minute Crafts Youtube: https://www.goo.gl/8JVmuC Stock materials (photos, footages and other): https://www.depositphotos.com https://www.shutterstock.com https://www.eastnews.ru ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For more videos and articles visit: http://www.brightside.me/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prepare for freezing temperatures and bleak, barren landscapes, as Adam recounts his journey from the city of Irkutsk, central Siberia, to the deepest lake in the world: Lake Baikal. The Trans-Siberian Railway is the longest railway line in the world, spanning over 9,280kms and crossing 8 time zones! In 2015, Adam completed the entire length, traveling from Moscow to Vladivostok, in winter, over the course of one month. Calling all train travel enthusiasts! If you've ever wondered what it's like to travel on the Trans-Siberian railway, be sure to tune in... and remember to bring extra layers! Have you traveled long distances overland? We'd love to hear from you! Send us an email at tripologypodcast@gmail.com You can support the show by subscribing and recommending us to friends. Please rate the show and help us grow! It may only take a minute but it makes a HUGE difference. Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/tripologypodcast PATREON: patreon.com/tripologypodcast Thank you for your continued support. It means the world.

Jasmine and Gracie are boarding the Trans-Siberian Railway to explore the vastness of Russia.   This week they explore St. Petersburg and Moscow.  Learn how Russians get good luck.  And of course get in a little shopping for the fun stacking dolls!  All Aboard! 

When it comes to mammoth, legendary train journeys, the Trans-Siberian Railway is up there. Coming in at 9,289 kilometers, simply put, it's the longest railway line in the world. Starting in Moscow, it chugs east to its terminus, Vladivostok, but has another interchange where it then forks south to Mongolia and continues to Beijing, ultimately linking two of the world's great cities. So, nearly 180 episodes in to Talk Travel Asia, we're going to finally talk about this epic journey, what's entailed and hopefully give you enough background to either inspire or give you the idea that this journey is not for you. All aboard - here we go!

Brent Antonson is a travel writer who has circumnavigated the world by rail, including North Korea, 50 states, etc, and taught in Russia, Iraq, and China.Talk about venturing to places where most people would not consider, he pushes the envelope and his luck to fulfill his adventurous side.He even  went to Europe and entered the Former Yugoslav crisis by sliding into Zagreb during the war on a night train.His epic train ride on the Trans-Siberian Railway from Moscow to Beijing via Mongolia is another adventure that is well worth knowing about.He is also a big fan of driving and has passed through 19 countries, and slept a few nights inside the vehicle on occassion.Epic travel stories abound incluing arrests, torture, girlfriends, and risque stuff. Learn more about Brent here:www.brentantonson.com https://www.planksip.org/author/brent-antonson/https://www.facebook.com/bAntonson/Check out his book on Amazon: Of Russia - A Year Insidehttp://www.malcolmteasdale.com

BIO: Gisela Hausmann graduated with a master's degree in film & mass media from the University of Vienna. She's one of a dying breed of adventurers – she digs in and researches topics of interest from the ground up, then tells things as she sees them.STORY: Gisela joins the podcast again, discussing her new book Winning @ Amazon. Today she shares advice on how employees can allocate their creativity in a way that's appreciated. She also talks about why employees need to start thinking outside the box and focus on problem-solving and innovation instead of feeling sorry for themselves and staying stuck where they're not appreciated.LEARNING: Encourage and appreciate your employees' creativity. “Appreciated creativity creates more creativity.”Gisela Hausmann Guest profileGisela Hausmann graduated with a master's degree in film & mass media from the University of Vienna, the oldest university in the German-speaking world.She is one of a dying breed of adventurers – she digs in and researches topics of interest from the ground up, then tells things as she sees them.An author of two dozen books, her work has been featured in regional, national, and international publications, including GeekWire, Inc, Success (print magazine), Entrepreneur, and Bloomberg's podcast ‘Decrypted.' She is also the winner of the 2016 Sparky Award “Best Subject Line.”Born to be an adventurer, she hiked in the Himalayas and the Gobi Desert, crossed Russia on the Trans-Siberian Railway twice, and meditated in the Dalai Lama's private room at the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet.Her motto is: “Don't wait. The time will never be just right.” – Napoleon HillEncourage employee creativityGisela Hausmann first appeared on the podcast in episode 539, where she narrated how Amazon implemented suggestions she'd made in her book Inside Amazon: My Story. Gisela is back with a new book Winning @ Amazon. Today she shares advice on how employees can allocate their creativity in a way that's appreciated. She also talks about why employees need to start thinking outside the box and focus on problem-solving and innovation instead of feeling sorry for themselves and staying stuck where they're not appreciated.According to Gisela, companies consistently ignore the input from clever, hardworking, dedicated people and—seemingly—perceive them as “irrelevant little cogwheels in a big machine.” Senior management is often threatened by subordinates who seem more innovative than them, and it's no wonder they ignore their creative suggestions. This has led to employees choosing to keep suggestions to themselves, and this is killing most organizations, especially the big ones.Gisela advises organizations that want to encourage employee creativity to make a written plan. Define how employees who come up with ideas implemented in the company will be rewarded. Ensure that your rewards are something better than an in-house product. It should be something special that makes the employee feel appreciated. Gisela insists on the written plan because if you don't encourage creativity in black and white, it won't happen.You create positive energy in your business by acknowledging that you need creative ideas from your...

Join me as we learn about the construction and history of the Trans-Siberian Railway as well as taking a trip along its 9,289 kilometers or 5,772 miles.

Travel Writer Ben Groundwater discussed the delights of the Trans-Siberian train journey with Philip Clark on Nightlife. 

Los Angeles Times columnist and KCRW contributor of "Orange County Line" Gustavo Arellano discusses the importance of recognizing Anaheim's Little Arabia neighborhood. Chef José Andrés drops by to discuss his new LA restaurants and his work with World Central Kitchen. From Beijing through Mongolia to Moscow, New Orleans-based artist and author Emma Fick illustrates her journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway in watercolors. Raghavan Iyer passed away in March leaving behind a love letter to a spice blend celebrated around the world. Writer Anusha Kulal explains the significance of the savory porridge haleem and its connection to Ramadan.

The Trans-Siberian railway is the longest train line in the world, spanning 5700 miles, seven time zones, and straddling two continents. Though today's passengers on the week-long journey can enjoy relative luxury, the route has a dark past. Who were the labourers who built it, enduring horrific conditions? How did the railroad provoke a war? And what part did the train line play in the bloody conflicts of the twentieth century?  This is a Short History of the Trans Siberian Railway. Written by Jo Furniss. With thanks to Christian Wolmar, author of To The Edge of the World, The Story of the Trans Siberian Railway. For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Now available for Apple and Android users. Click the Noiser+ banner on Apple or go to noiser.com/subscriptions to get started with a 7-day free trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The spirit of mokuhanga can be found throughout the world. You may find mokuhanga anywhere, in one place, yet pursue it in another. On this episode I speak with long time mokuhanga printmaker David Stones. David has lived and worked in Japan for over forty years, all in the rural area around Okazaki City, in Aichi Prefecture. David has dedicated his life to making mokuhanga in Japan. I speak with David about how he found his way to Japan from England, and how he began working with and studying under famous sōsaku hanga printmaker Tomikichirō Tokuriki (1902-2000) in Kyoto. We discuss what it's like to live and work in a rural part of Japan, how documenting a Japanese historical past affects his work and talk about his relationship with nature.  Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me at theunfinishedprint@gmail.com  Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase. Artists works follow after the note. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted. David Stones  - website, video produced by Satomi Okane, here.  Tiles Oshibuchi (date unknown) Trans Siberian Railway - is a rail line that services Russian cities from Moscow to Vladisvostok. It is 9,289 km long. It has been in service since 1904. More information can be found, here.  letterpress - is a type of relief printing by using a printing press. It was popular during Industrialization and the modernity of the West. By the mid twentieth century, letterpress began to become more of an art form, with artists using the medium for books, stationary, and greeting cards. Tomikichirō Tokuriki (1902-2000) - was a Kyoto based mokuhanga printmaker and teacher. His work touched on many themes and styles. From “creative prints” or sōsaku hanga in Japanese, and his publisher/printer prints, or shin hanga prints of traditional Japanese landscapes.  Hamaotsu (date unknown) Wood Block Print Primer -  is a book first published by Hoikusha Publishers in the late 1960's in soft cover and, strangely, published in 1970 in hardcover by Japan Publications Inc. If anybody has more information on this book, send me an email. deshi (弟子) - is the Japanese word for pupil, or student. Studying in Japan - going to Japan to study your field, your art, or your interests can be a complicated process. You can go and take short term courses and workshops without a special visa in Japan, but if you are looking for a long term option to study, I suggest checking out University websites, artist in residence programs etc in your chosen field as all will have their own application processes.  shukubo (宿坊) - is a dormitory, or hostel, in a Buddhist temple in Japan. You can find some of those “temple-stays” in Kyoto, here. Okazaki, Aichi - is a relatively large city of around 300,000 people. It is about 45 minutes outside of Nagoya City. It is known for its seasonal activities, reconstructed castle, Tokugawa history, and food. More info can be found, here Richard Steiner - is a mokuhanga printmaker based in Kyoto, Japan. He has been producing mokuhanga for over 50 years. More information about his work can be found on his website, here. And his interview with The Unfinished Print, can be found here. David Bull - is a Canadian woodblock printmaker, and educator who lives and works in Japan. His love of mokuhanga has almost singlehandedly promoted the art form around the world. His company, Mokuhankan, has a brick and mortar store in Asakusa, Tōkyō, and online, here.      The River In Winter - From "My Solitudes" series (2007-9)   oban - is a print size in mokuhanga. The standard size is, generally speaking, 39 x 26.5 cm. The Japanese Gallery in London has a solid list on the variants of mokuhanga print sizing, here.  gomazuri - is a mokuhanga technique where slight pressure is used with pigments too make a “spotty” image, what look like sesame seeds. It can add depth to your prints. An excellent description of this technique can be found at David Bull's woodblock.com, which posted Hiroshi Yoshida's entire book 'Encyclopedia of Woodblock Printmaking' (1939), here.  Woodblock Diary - is a book self published by David Stones, and can be found on his website. Tōkyō Tower - is a communications tower located in the Minato district of Tōkyō, Japan. It was built in 1958 and, before the construction of Tōkyō Skytree to compete, was one of the few views of Tōkyō open to the public. For many, including me, it is a nostalgic piece of Tōkyō architecture with a lot of affinity.  More info can be found, here. Chubu Electric Power Mirai Tower -  is a communications tower locasted in the Japanese city of Nagoya. It was constructed in 1954 making it the oldest communications tower in Japan. More info, in Japanese, can be found, here. Taishō Period  (1912-1926) - a short lived period of Japanese modern history but an important one in world history. This is where the militarism of fascist Japan began to take seed, leading to The Pacific War (1931-1945). More info can be found, here. Nagoya City and District Courthouse  - built in 1922, this courthouse was designated an Important Cultural Property in 1984. More information can be found here at Japan Travel, about the history of the courthouse. Preservation of Historic Sites and Buildings - is a Parliamentary recognition in England which attempts to preserve historical buildings through various charitable organizations. English Heritage, established as a charity in 2015 preserves designated historic buildings and properties in England. And The National Trust, founded in 1895 is an independent charity which does the same as EH.  Yoshida Hiroshi (1876-1950) - a watercolorist, oil painter, and woodblock printmaker. Is associated with the resurgence of the woodblock print in Japan, and in the West. It was his early relationship with Watanabe Shōzaburō, having his first seven prints printed by the Shōzaburō atelier. This experience made Hiroshi believe that he could hire his own carvers and printers and produce woodblock prints, which he did in 1925.  The Cave Temple at Anjata (1931) urushi  - is a type of lacquer used  in Japanese lacquerware for hundreds of years especially in maki-e lacquer decoration. A very good blog posting by Woodspirit Handcraft has great information about urushi, here. Echizen - is a region in Fukui Prefecture, Japan associated with Japanese paper making. It has a long history of paper making. There are many paper artisans in the area. One famous paper maker is Iwano Ichibei. He is a Living National Treasure in paper making, and the ninth generation of his family still making paper today. More info can be found here in English, and here in Japanese.  Satomi Okane - is a filmmaker,  director of video production for her production company, Penny Black Productions. She has worked on various videos dealing with the preservation of nature, and culture in Satoyama. Her work can be found at her Torikono Sekai website, here, and her YouTube channel, here. Lynita Shimizu - is a mokuhanga printmaker based in Connecticut. She studied under Tomikichirō Tokuriki, and Yoshisuke Funasaka. Her work is colourful and powerful, dealing with nature. More info can be found, here, on her website. Her interview with The Unfinished Print, can be found, here.  kura (蔵) - is a Japanese storehouse  © Popular Wheat Productions opening and closing musical credit - Fugazi - Stacks. From the album, Steady Diet of Nothing. (Discord, 1991) logo designed and produced by Douglas Batchelor and André Zadorozny  Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :) Слава Україну If you find any issue with something in the show notes please let me know. ***The opinions expressed by guests in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of André Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.***    

ALL ABOARD! Time to take a little trip with those icons of Hammer horror, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, in a Spanish production that mimics Hammer's Victorian aesthetic and adds a lot of production value with repurposed sets, reused models, and the great Telly Savalas to turn John Campbell's classic short story "Who Goes There?" into a thriller set on the Trans-Siberian Railway.

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Thursday morning, the 12th of January, 2023, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. “And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man's foundation,…” Romans 15:20Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15All people need the Lord. John Wesley said, “The world is my parish, my congregation.” Maybe it is your next-door neighbour that you need to speak to about Jesus, maybe it is the people in a far-off land that need to hear the Gospel. You don't have to build on another man's foundation. Like never, ever before people need the Lord. Gladys Aylward was a housemaid. She was a domestic worker in England many years ago. She was a small little lady and had a huge heart for China. She tried to join the missionary organisations but they wouldn't have her because she was a slow learner, she couldn't learn to speak Chinese, but she was not deterred. She continued working as a housemaid, saved up her money, caught a train and travelled to China, right across Europe and Asia, on the Trans Siberian Railway. A film was made about her life called, “The Small Woman, The Inn of the Sixth Happiness”. She went all the way on her own because she didn't want to build on someone else's foundation. She led over a hundred orphans over the mountains to safety when the Japanese were invading China, and she led many of them to Christ.In those days they used to bind up children's feet with cloth to prevent them from growing and these children were almost physically handicapped, and she was instrumental in abolishing that horrific thing. She was loved by all Chinese and became a Chinese citizen. She started orphanages all over the place. Yes, she did not build on someone else's foundation. What is your heart today? Maybe you need to start building a foundation on your farm with your farmworkers, maybe in your factory with your factory workers, maybe at school? If you are a school teacher you have got an instant congregation. Maybe at university? What a place to lead people to Christ. Don't lose your vision. Go into the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. Jesus bless you and have a wonderful day,Goodbye.

Mujtaba Saifuddin takes us on his journey growing up in a Pakistani immigrant family in Los Angeles, becoming an actor, a pilot, and an aerospace professional, before transitioning to becoming a full time digital nomad in his 40s.  Matt and Muj reminisce about their most recent trip together and share reflections on El Salvador, Medellin and Cali, Colombia, as well as Guatape and Lago Calima.  Muj also reflects on his own travel journey, from teaching in the slums of Delhi to taking the Trans-Siberian Railway across Russia to hiking the Gobi Desert in Mongolia.  He shares his experiences scuba diving with Manta Rays in the Maldives, Dirt Biking Across Mexico, and Watching the Northern Lights in Alaska. Muj then reflects on his decision to become a full time nomad, the mental and emotional aspects of the transition, and his biggest lessons learned so far in his first year with no base.  Matt and Muj then discuss on their crypto currency investing journey, and talk about some NFT projects they both hold and some upcoming events for NFT holders that they will be attending.  And, finally, Muj reflects on what travel means to him.  Full Show Notes Available at: www.TheMaverickShow.com

BIO: Gisela Hausmann is one of a dying breed of adventurers – she digs in and researches topics of interest from the ground up, then tells things as she sees them. STORY: Gisela published a book about her time working at Amazon. In the book, she suggested what Amazon should do to improve working conditions. Amazon implemented these suggestions. LEARNING: Know who your friend is and who is not. Look at criticism as an opportunity.   “If you just get going and try to do your thing, you're probably gonna get it.”Gisela Hausmann  Guest profilehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/gisela-hausmann-03404913/ (Gisela Hausmann) graduated with a master's degree in film & mass media from the University of Vienna, the oldest university in the German-speaking world. She is one of a dying breed of adventurers – she digs in and researches topics of interest from the ground up, then tells things as she sees them. An author of two dozen books, her work has been featured in regional, national, and international publications, including GeekWire, Inc, Success (print magazine), Entrepreneur, and Bloomberg's podcast ‘Decrypted.' She is also the winner of the 2016 Sparky Award “Best Subject Line.” Born to be an adventurer, she hiked in the Himalayas and the Gobi Desert, crossed Russia on the Trans-Siberian Railway twice, and meditated in the Dalai Lama's private room at the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet. Her motto is: “Don't wait. The time will never be just right.” – Napoleon Hill Worst investment everGisela has written very many books throughout her career as an author. Her books have won various recognitions, including Kindle book review awards, and have been featured on Success Magazine and Bloomberg podcast. At some point in Gisela's career, many of the cheaters came in and made her life miserable on Amazon. So she decided to have a downtime phase and went to work in Amazon's logistics department. While working at Amazon, Gisela found out that all the many principles that the company preaches did not happen there. She even wanted to quit at some point because she was miserable there. Then came COVID, and Gisela was now stuck where she didn't want to be. Gisela then came up with a great idea to write a book about her experience at Amazon and published the book. She thought the journalists who constantly investigated everything about Amazon would be thrilled to finally hear from a logistics professional about what needed to be done. But they were not interested in her book. When Gisela submitted her book on Amazon, it took 104 hours for it to be put online. In most cases, it takes a maximum of 72 hours for a book to be approved. Gisela would soon learn why her book took so long to be published on Amazon. Amazon's legal department forked over this book in every little detail. Then they literally went ahead and took many of the changes Gisela suggested in her book and implemented them. Amazon is now doing what Gisela wrote. Lessons learnedThink through in a creative way who is your friend and who is not worth anything. Andrew's takeawaysLook at criticism as an opportunity. Actionable adviceIf you're an author and want to contact reviewers, read one of Gisela's audiobooks. If you run a business and sell on Amazon, read Gisela's book https://amzn.to/3vI96Xg (Naked Truth About Getting Book Reviews), and you'll find seven tips to boost sales. Another great book everyone should read is https://amzn.to/3EDYo81 (Naked Determination, 41 Stories About Overcoming Fear). No.1 goal for the next 12 monthsGisela Hausmann's goal for the next 12 months is to refocus and do more for the environment. She wants to write a serial fable in the style of Animal Farm, a standard book that can be read by everybody. Parting words  “Do it. You don't know if the opportunities are gonna be there tomorrow. So focus on it; it can be done.”Gisela Hausmann  [spp-transcript]   Connect with Gisela...

Ellen E Jones and Mark Kermode jump on board to explore the role of trains on our screens. This week sees the release of Compartment No 6 - a strange and touching romance set on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Trains have played a recurring role in film, right from the inception of the genre. Mark is joined by silent film specialist Bryony Dixon and composer Neil Brand to talk about the appeal of the railway for the pioneers of cinema. And Ellen talks to Compartment No 6 director Juho Kuosmanen and critic Anna Smith about the cinematic opportunities for connection, contemplation and romance while riding the rails. Screenshot is Radio 4's guide through the ever-expanding universe of the moving image. Every episode, Ellen E Jones and Mark Kermode journey through the main streets and back roads connecting film, television and streaming over the last hundred years. Producer: Freya Hellier A Prospect Street production for BBC Radio 4

Join us for another 4 random facts. We return to a normal episode this week. First we talk about the origins of Fedora, then we discuss why exactly are bananas curved? In the second half we start off with the science of ice and why it floats before wrapping it up with a little chat on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Enjoy!

The second episode of the Europe HSR. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tptfa/message

Today's episode is about the Eurostar train. Tune in to next week's podcast episode to learn about Russia's High Speed Rail and the Trans-Siberian Railway. If you would like to see images about today's episode, they are located on my website. trainsforall.weebly.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tptfa/message

There's a lot to love about trains: the gentle swaying while sitting and staring out the changing landscapes while the engine bellows in the backdrop. With our latest podcast, we recreate that magic for you. So hop on aboard as we journey across the Russia's Trans-Siberian Railway—the world's longest railway line. Disclaimer: Some destinations and dishes referred to in the podcast may have been pronounced incorrectly due to a difference in dialect, language, and accent. As India battles the second wave of COVID-19, it's time for us to stay home, stay safe, and get vaccinated. To satiate the travel itch, Travel + Leisure India takes you to dreamy lands, #OnePlaceAtATime Produced by Japleen Kaur Edited by Aditya Mehrotra

Frankie Shalom speaks to Emily Couch, who lived in Russia as an ethnically Chinese British student, and Vijay Menon, who travelled on the Trans-Siberian Railway and wrote the book A Brown Man in Russia about his experiences. They discuss the trials and joys of travelling in Russia, and talk about their experiences of Russians' reactions to their presence. This episode was presented and recorded for Pushkin House by Frankie Shalom. The editor and series producer was Rafy Hay. Our thanks to Emily Couch and Vijay Menon. Listen here on the Pushkin House website, on Apple podcasts, or via Acast.

Поздравляем студентов!!! (Greetings Students!!!) Welcome to this episode of The Professor Travel. In this week's episode, we are joined by our Visiting Professor Ishaan Gokhale (Wanderer Ishaan) as he takes us through a once in a lifetime train journey on The Trans-Siberian Railway. Join us as we start the journey from the eastern city of Vladivostok on the journey westbound to Moscow. Come with us as we take the railway through cities like Khabarovsk to Ulan Ude, onto Irkutsk and on to disembarkation. You can download the podcast FREE at Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, or wherever you download your podcasts from. Enjoy and make everyday a travel adventure.

Enjoy the sounds of a calming train ride while you study, sleep, meditate, practice yoga, put your baby to sleep or any other needs you have. Subscribe to the YouTube Channel at：https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWUnLIVcPRQ&t=13s --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/black-screen-white-sound/message

He - an entrepreneur, a shop-keeper, the father of Roihuvuori Hamani Festival. 49 years ago, he arrived to Helsinki by Trans-Siberian Railway. Like the other Japanese youngsters, he dreamt to travel abroad but with little budget. First he thought he will make one-year journey then go back to Japan. The Zenkyōtō movement, the student uprisings in Japan championed and dismissed, left no hope for him. So his journey extended and extended. He made it over 50-countries all around the world to different continents. When he wanted to settle down, he chose Finland. Norio Tomida is now the shop-keeper of one of the most famous Japanese food supermarkets in Finland and the top five rice importers in Europe. He said, “I am very glad, that many Japanese live in Finland. It is very nice place to live. So we want to give Finns something back to thank them for living comfortably in Finland.” So he voluntarily raised the money from Japanese families in Finland. With the donations, Year 2006, 150 cherry trees were planted in the southeastern Helsinki Roihuvuori. Ever since year 2008, the Hanami festival in this Japanese garden is the highlight of the Finnish spring season. Norio Tomido’s shop: https://www.tokyokanshop.fi/

Adventures Across the 5 Mountains of Human Development: Physical | Mental | Emotional | Intuitional | Spiritual Chris and Holly Santillo (rhymes with pillow) and their three sons are also known as Five Backpacks Family.   Chris and Holly Santillo are not your regular authors or parents. Having strong backgrounds in Martial Arts with Chris being the founder and Head Instructor at Potomac Kempo in Alexandria, Virginia, and Holly being a Senior Instructor, they have managed to develop the principles of Martial Arts into a cohesive parenting methodology.   They believe that children (and parents) with broader horizons and an open mind can sow the seeds for future generations of confident, strong, and resilient adults.   Now, you can find Chris, Holly, and their 3 boys gliding through the Siberian steppes on the Trans-Siberian Railway, visiting the buzzing markets of Samarkand on the Silk Road, or wondering the vastness of the Gobi Desert in Mongolia.   They have decided to live a nomadic life and explore the world with their three boys in order to bring back memories, ideas, experiences, and a fresh view of life.     Book: Resilience Parenting: Raising Resilient Children in an Era of Detachment and Dependence Website: https://fivebackpacks.family/ website: https://resilienceparenting.info/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=five%20backpacks%20family Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fivebackpacksfamily/

The Nostalgic Vagabond and Jay Canning met on a bus en route to an infamous adventure in Yosemite National Park. This Californian experience forged a new course for both of them that set their individual lives on a new, tangential trajectory.  Allan and Jay reflect on the past decade or so, and share stories of various journeys since those dreamy California days.

Gladys Aylward (24 February 1902 – 3 January 1970) was a British-born Christian missionary to China. From her early teens, Gladys worked as a housemaid but following a calling to go overseas she tried to become a missionary.  However, due to her lack of progress in learning Chinese she was not accepted by any mission.On 15 October 1932, Aylward spent her life savings on a train passage to Yangcheng, Shanxi Province, China. The perilous trip took her across Siberia on the Trans-Siberian Railway.  She was detained by the Russians, but managed to evade them with local help and a lift from a Japanese ship.  She then travelled across Japan and took another ship to China. On her arrival in China, Aylward worked with an older missionary, Jeannie Lawson, to found "The Inn of the Eight Happinesses".   She and Mrs. Lawson not only provided hospitality for travellers, but would also share stories about Jesus.  For a time she served as a "foot inspector", touring the countryside to enforce the new law against foot-binding young Chinese girls.Gladys Aylward was a revered figure among the Chinese people, taking in orphans and adopting several herself, intervening in a volatile prison riot, risking her life many times to help those in need.  In 1938, during the Japanese invasion she led more than 100 orphans to safety over the mountains, despite being wounded, personally caring for them all.She did not return to Britain until 1949 and finally settled in Taiwan in 1958 where she worked until her death in 1970.Recorded August 26, 2018

In 1919, thousands of American soldiers fought Russian troops on Russian soil--despite the fact President Woodrow Wilson had promised to allow Russia to determine its own political future. Why did the Allies rush to land troops in eastern Siberia and along the Arctic Ocean? And why have we forgotten all about it? General William S. Graves wanted to lead troops in France, but instead he was given confusing and contradictory orders and sent to Vladivostok in far eastern Siberia. The Americans joined representatives of multiple other nations in Vladivostok, including French, British, Romanian, Serbian, Polish and Japanese troops. Many of the British units were from Canada, Australia, or New Zealand. Representatives of the Czechoslovak Legion and the White Army were also on hand. In this photo, American soldiers parade through Vladivostok shortly after their arrival in 1918. I continue to struggle to find maps that show what I want. This one shows a few key points. First, the location of the territory firmly in Bolshevik hands, land generally surrounding Moscow, is in dark gray. The route of the Trans-Siberian Railway, along which the Czechoslovak Legion seized territory, crosses Siberia. Dark arrows indicate where various Allied troops landed and tried to advance into Russia. You'll notice arrows moving up from the South, from the Crimea and around the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. These were primarily French and British troops, and Americans weren't involved. I haven't discussed these attempted invasions just to simplify matters. Conditions in Siberia and northern Russia were predictably harsh. This photo shows American soldiers eating while sitting on a snow bank. This looks like a relatively happy gathering; it was not usually this pleasant. This photo gives at least an inkling how cold it was, especially in northern Russia. Most Americans had no idea their soldiers were in Russia until the issue was picked up by Senator Hiram Johnson of California. Johnson, a Republican who despised President Wilson, made the return of the troops his number one priority in late 1918/early 1919. He hoped the issue would carry him all the way to the White House. Johnson's pressure combined with the new-found strength of the Red Army and the general American desire to bring all of the boys home ended American intervention in Russia. Most troops in northern Russia were home by the summer of 1919. The Polar Bear Division, the 339th Infantry Regiment from Michigan, were welcomed with an enormous party in Detroit, seen here. Japan sent more than 70,000 troops to Vladivostok. The campaign became deeply unpopular at home, in part because its purpose was unclear, in part because it was a resounding failure. In order to rally public support, Japan produced numerous propaganda images. This one shows Japanese troops landing at Vladivostok to the great joy of the Russian people. The defeat of the Japanese army in Siberia contributed to the collapse of democratic rule in Japan. Americans might have forgotten about the Allied intervention in Russia, but the Russians certainly didn't. When Nikita Krushchev visited New York in September 1959, he pointedly brought up "the time you sent the troops to quell the revolution." Please note that the links below to Amazon are affiliate links. That means that, at no extra cost to you, I can earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. (Here's what, legally, I'm supposed to tell you: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.) However, I only recommend books that I have used and genuinely highly recommend.

The world has been obsessed with the tragedy of the Romanov family for more than a century. It's easy to forget that the Tsar's family were among hundreds of thousands of people killed in the Revolution as well as in conflicts that swept across Eastern Europe. These conflicts would have lasting implications for the entire world. Notes and Links I have really struggled to find a map that shows what I want a map to show. None of them really focus on exactly what I'm focusing on, alas. But, this is one of the best I've found. This map is dated to the end of 1918. Notice the purple stripe that goes all the way across central Siberia--that's the Trans-Siberian Railway and the territory controlled by the Czechoslovak Legion. Eventually, the White Army would travel along the railway with the Czechoslovaks and fight the Red Army. The dark blue areas labeled "1" are areas where Allies invaded and seized territory. The reddish-brown area in the west is the territory controlled by the Bolsheviks. OK, here's another map--and you're going to say, "That's not even in English!" No, it's not, but work with me here. Just refer to the previous image. This map is a year or so later than the previous one. The Trans-Siberian Railway is the black and white line crossing the entire map. Those red arrows along the line show the path of the Bolsheviks moving against the Legion and the White Army as they retreat back to Vladivostok. Notice the dark red striped area in the upper west. That's the Bolshevik-controlled territory, and you can see from the red arrows how the Red Army moved out of this stronghold and across the entire country. Ukraine is the lime green area on the far left of the map. It was handed over to Germany in the treaty of Brest-Litovsk, but Russia reclaimed it. The borders on this map reflect the final size of the new USSR by 1922. It's not hard to see the Romanov daughters as individuals. You can find biographies of each young woman online and learn all sorts of details of their lives. Here you see Tatiana seated, with Maria, Anastasia, and Olga from left to right. Similarly, Alexei is recognizable across history as a little boy whose life was shadowed by an incurable and painful illness but who liked to play tricks on his sisters and always wanted a bicycle. In contrast, the many victims of the Red Terror, and the simultaneous White Terror, are difficult to discern as individuals. I found photos from the Terror, but I'm not going to post them here. They are horrifying. Allied troops, including British, French, Japanese, and American soldiers, were sent to Vladivostok in the far east and Archangel north of St. Petersburg. French and British troops also fought in southern Russia. This photo depicts American units marching through Vladivostok. The Allies never sent enough men to make a real difference in the conflict, and they were withdrawn after having done little more than offend the Russians. The Allies took their own sweet time returning the Czechoslovak Legion to their newly formed homeland; the last troops weren't evacuated from Vladivostok until early 1921. The Legion was incredibly frustrated by the delay. This is a cartoon from a newspaper operated by Legion troops . It shows one last soldier standing along the Sea of Japan waiting for a ship home; it's dated, facetiously, 1980. This map shows the new nations created after the war in eastern Europe. Finland, Estonia and Latvia achieve independence from Russia. Poland was combined from portions of Russia, Germany, and the Austria-Hungarian empire. Notice the pale green strip extending to the Baltic Sea; that's the Polish corridor, that left East Prussia separate from the rest of Germany. Czechoslovakia, Austria and Hungary arose out of the former Austria-Hungarian Empire. The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was soon renamed Yugoslavia; it combined territory from Austria-Hungary with the former Serbia. Romania seized territory from its neighbors, gaining a sizeable increase in land. Dividing up territory in Eastern Europe was difficult and contentious. Self-determination had made it seem easy, but who "owned" a city like Cieszyn in Upper Silesia? The region had been controlled by multiple states over its history and was claimed by the Poles, the Czechs, and the Germans. Cieszyn (its Polish spelling), also known as Těšín in Czech and Teschen in German, was divided down the middle by the Paris Peace Conference, a solution that satisfied no one. Here you can see a guard station hastily erected on the international border in the middle of town. Another contested territory in eastern Europe was the Sudetenland; those are the dark brown portions on the map. While traditionally part of Czech territory, they were largely inhabited by ethnic Germans. The Paris Peace Conference sided with the Czechs and gave the land to the new Czechoslovakia, to the fury of the Germans. The Nazis would never let the perceived injustice of the Sudetenland die. Many of the sources for this week are the same as last week, and I won't repeat them here. The following are a few sources that are particularly relevant to this episode.

One of the strangest conflicts of the Great War happened 1000 miles east of Moscow between two units of Czech and Hungarian former POWs. What these troops were doing on the edge of Siberia is a fascinating tale of ethnic resentments, self-determination, and unintended consequences. Notes and Links A word about dates. Anyone writing about the Russian Revolution must wrestle with the date issue. The Russian empire used a different calendar than the rest of the world for several centuries. This means that the Russian calendar ran about two weeks ahead of the rest of the world. So an event such as the February Revolution occurred on February 23rd on the Russian calendar but March 8 on the western calendar. The Bolsheviks converted to the western calendar in February 1918, making life easier for them but more complicated for humble podcasters a century later who must decide which date system to use. I have chosen to give dates before the Revolution according to the old calendar, as people in Russian themselves would have experienced them. So in my text, the February Revolution happens in February and the October Revolution in October. Comparing the map of Europe before and after World War I reveals how many new nations came into being after the collapse of the Austria-Hungarian empire and the division of territory by the Paris Peace Conference. For years the Armistice, armed conflict stretched from southern Finland through the Baltics, Poland, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, and Romania. Before the Great War, Tomáš Masaryk was a professor of philosophy and Czechoslovak nationalist leader. He fled Prague early in the war and spent time in London drumming up support for a new Czechoslovak nation. After the Tsarist regime was overthrown in February 1917, he traveled to St. Petersburg to convince revolutionary leaders to allow the creation of a Czechoslovak Legion drawn from POWs that would fight the Central Powers. Russian POW camps were grim, overcrowded, and disease-ridden. They only became worse after the Revolution, when the new government put little priority on the care and feeding of prisoners. POWs were eager to leave the camps, to go home, to support the Czechoslovak Legion, or to join the Bolsheviks. Tsar Nicholas II was the heir to the 300-year-old Romanov dynasty and the supreme autocrat of all Russians. In effect, the entire nation was his personal fiefdom. He was diligent and hardworking but utterly unprepared for the task of rule and, frankly, not very smart. Nicholas was married to Alexandra, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria, and the couple had four daughters and one son. Alexandra became even more passionate about Russian autocracy than her husband, once telling her grandmother than the Russian people love to be whipped. Alexei, the young son and heir, had a blood disease hemophilia. He was frequently ill and likely would not have lived to adulthood. The trauma of her son's illness sent Alexandra scrambling for help and healing. She found both in the peasant mystic Grigori Rasputin. Rasputin was foul-mouthed, lecherous, and dirty, but he convinced the Empress that he and he alone could save her son. During the 1905 Russian Revolution, the people rose up in protest, but the military remained loyal to the regime and put down riots before they got out of hand. In one incident, troops opened fire on peaceful protesters, killing hundreds; this is an artistic representation of that scene. The Tsar implemented reforms to limit the revolution, but he walked them back as soon as possible. By 1917, the military had lost faith in the regime and began supporting protesters rather than fighting them. After the Revolution, the Provisional Goverment tried to control the government. On paper, they looked powerful, but in reality they quickly squandered any authority they might have had. The soviets or councils of Moscow and Petrograd had the real power in 1917. They were large, unruly bodies made up of factory workers, peasants in from the countryside, soldiers, and a handful of trained, experienced communist organizers. They attempted a form of direct democracy that ended up disorganized and brutal. Vladimir Lenin rushed back to Russia after the Revolution and quickly began organizing the Bolsheviks into the most formidable political force in the country. He and his party seized control in October 1917. The Czecho-Slovak Legion traveled east along the Trans-Siberian Railway. This map shows the entire route of the railway. The Legion actually joined the railway on a leg not pictured on this map that extended into Ukraine southwest of Moscow. According to their original plan, they would have to travel roughly 5000 miles from Ukraine to Vladivostock. A unit of the Czechoslovak Legion stands with one of their trains on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Five members of the Legion pose in a photo studio. I love this photo--it raises so many questions. When and where did they find a photo studio? Who came up with the pose? Did anyone recognize how silly they looked against a clearly painted backdrop of a classical column? Please note that the links below to Amazon are affiliate links. That means that, at no extra cost to you, I can earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. (Here's what, legally, I'm supposed to tell you: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.) However, I only recommend books that I have used and genuinely highly recommend.

Join us this week on Christian Devotions SPEAK UP! when Scott brings in world traveler and author Sharon Leaf. Sharon Leaf is the author of Lady and the Sea, a novel based on her adventures as a volunteer aboard WWII ship MS Restoration in the 1990s, secured for a hazardous mission to rescue Russian Jews from Sochi, Russia to Haifa, Israel. Born in South Carolina and raised in Southern California, since turning forty Sharon has traveled to over eighteen countries, lived in Sweden for a year while attending an international Bible College, and traveled to sixteen cities on the Trans-Siberian Railway. At the age of sixty she received a degree in theology, proving that it is never too late to fulfill another dream. Sharon and her husband now enjoy their southern lifestyle in South Carolina.

Join us this week on Christian Devotions SPEAK UP! when Scott brings in world traveler and author Sharon Leaf. Sharon Leaf is the author of Lady and the Sea, a novel based on her adventures as a volunteer aboard WWII ship MS Restoration in the 1990s, secured for a hazardous mission to rescue Russian Jews from Sochi, Russia to Haifa, Israel. Born in South Carolina and raised in Southern California, since turning forty Sharon has traveled to over eighteen countries, lived in Sweden for a year while attending an international Bible College, and traveled to sixteen cities on the Trans-Siberian Railway. At the age of sixty she received a degree in theology, proving that it is never too late to fulfill another dream. Sharon and her husband now enjoy their southern lifestyle in South Carolina.