A history podcast dedicated to examining the global history of the 1920s and 30s in order to explain the causes of World War II, both large and small. As you might imagine, there’s a lot of ground to cover just to contextualize how the conflict got so out of control. If you love historical deep-dives and play-by-plays of nations in way over their collective heads, this is the show for you. Best niche history podcast out there!
PROTIP: If you’re a new listener and are hopelessly confused by me bouncing from topic to topic, the scope of this show has kinda gotten away from me over the years. I have included an index of miniseries in the description of Episode 1 to provide a guide for what I’ve covered so far.
My telling of the gigantic opening battle of the Second Sino-Japanese War concludes today! IJA General Matsui continued his slow grind north of Shanghai through October and into early November 1937, but it would be the sudden appearance of yet another Japanese army landing south of the city that would signal the sudden, panicked end of the battle.
Bibliography for this episode:
Mitter, Rana Forgotten Ally: China's World War II 1937-1945 Mariner Books 2013
van de Ven, Hans China At War: Triumph and Tragedy in the Emergence of the New China Profile Books Ltd 2017
van de Ven, Hans War and Nationalism in China, 1925-1945 Routledge 2003
van de Ven, Hans, Mark Peattie, and Edward J. Drea The Battle for China: Essays on the Military History of the Sino-Japanese War of 1937-1945 Stanford University Press 2011
Frank, Richard B Tower of Skulls: A History of the Asia-Pacific War July 1937-May 1942 Pacific War History Inc 2020
Taylor, Jay The Generalissimo: Chiang Kai-shek and the Struggle for Modern China Harvard University Press 2011
Paine, S.C.M The Wars for Asia 1911-1949 Cambridge University Press 2014
Bix, Herbert P. Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan Perennial 2001
Harmsen, Peter Shanghai 1937: Stalingrad on the Yangtze Casemate 2013
Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com
27 Sept 2026
Episode 279 - The Battle of Shanghai, Part II
The struggle for Shanghai only expanded in late August as the Japanese landed regular army divisions to attack the city from the north. Desperate fighting for both sides ensued as the surrounding villages and countryside became hotly contested pieces of real estate. All the while the scale of the battle would only seem to expand from there.
Bibliography for this episode:
Mitter, Rana Forgotten Ally: China's World War II 1937-1945 Mariner Books 2013
van de Ven, Hans China At War: Triumph and Tragedy in the Emergence of the New China Profile Books Ltd 2017
van de Ven, Hans War and Nationalism in China, 1925-1945 Routledge 2003
van de Ven, Hans, Mark Peattie, and Edward J. Drea The Battle for China: Essays on the Military History of the Sino-Japanese War of 1937-1945 Stanford University Press 2011
Frank, Richard B Tower of Skulls: A History of the Asia-Pacific War July 1937-May 1942 Pacific War History Inc 2020
Taylor, Jay The Generalissimo: Chiang Kai-shek and the Struggle for Modern China Harvard University Press 2011
Paine, S.C.M The Wars for Asia 1911-1949 Cambridge University Press 2014
Bix, Herbert P. Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan Perennial 2001
Harmsen, Peter Shanghai 1937: Stalingrad on the Yangtze Casemate 2013
Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com
20 Sept 2026
Episode 278 - The Battle of Shanghai, Part I
It did not take long at all for the hostilities in northern China to spread to other parts of the country, mostly because that was Chiang Kai-shek's whole strategy. And while Japanese planners weren't too keen on fighting in and around Shanghai, they weren't about to lose face by shrinking from a direct challenge. The result was a multi-month battle that left both sides bloodied, exhausted, and grimly resigned to the war being a long one.
Also, I updated the bibliographies for the past few episodes! Been a crazy few weeks, finally summoned the wherewithal to get it together.
Bibliography for this episode:
Mitter, Rana Forgotten Ally: China's World War II 1937-1945 Mariner Books 2013
van de Ven, Hans China At War: Triumph and Tragedy in the Emergence of the New China Profile Books Ltd 2017
van de Ven, Hans War and Nationalism in China, 1925-1945 Routledge 2003
van de Ven, Hans, Mark Peattie, and Edward J. Drea The Battle for China: Essays on the Military History of the Sino-Japanese War of 1937-1945 Stanford University Press 2011
Frank, Richard B Tower of Skulls: A History of the Asia-Pacific War July 1937-May 1942 Pacific War History Inc 2020
Taylor, Jay The Generalissimo: Chiang Kai-shek and the Struggle for Modern China Harvard University Press 2011
Paine, S.C.M The Wars for Asia 1911-1949 Cambridge University Press 2014
Bix, Herbert P. Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan Perennial 2001
Harmsen, Peter Shanghai 1937: Stalingrad on the Yangtze Casemate 2013
Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com
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5.0 / 5
10 ratings
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5.0 / 5
8 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 35 / 100
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YouTube
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Engagement
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