How the Chinese Communist Party tried to turn war into revolution in Manchuria in 1929.

Further reading:
Bruce A. Elleman and Stephen Kotkin, eds., Manchurian Railways and the Opening of China
Michael M. Walker, The 1929 Sino-Soviet War
Chong-Sik Lee, Revolutionary Struggle in Manchuria: Chinese Communism and Soviet Interest, 1922-1945
“Japan Moves Town to Reach Coal Vein”

Some names from this episode:
Miles Lampson, British minister to China
Yang Jingyu, Fushun special branch secretary of the CCP
Liu Shaoqi, Communist labor organizer and secretary of the CCP’s Manchurian Committee from June 1929 to March 1930
Ting Chün-yang, veteran communist sent to Manchuria
Meng Yongqian, veteran communist sent to Manchuria

Episode artwork:
Postcard of a Fushun coal mine from the early 1940s

Support the show

The final Soviet offensive, and some details on Chiang Ching-kuo’s activities as a student in Moscow.

Further reading:
Bruce A. Elleman and Stephen Kotkin, eds., Manchurian Railways and the Opening of China
Michael M. Walker, The 1929 Sino-Soviet War
Jay Taylor, The Generalissimo's Son: Chiang Ching-Kuo and the Revolutions in China and Taiwan

Some names from this episode:
Zhang Xueliang, Manchurian warlord
Feng Yuxiang, northwestern warlord who turned on Chiang Kai-shek during Sino-Soviet war
Joseph Stilwell, United States military attaché in China
Mikhail Borodin, Comintern agent and political head of Soviet mission to aid the Guomindang during the first Communist-Guomindang united front
Chiang Ching-kuo, son of Chiang Kai-shek Zhou Enlai, leading Communist
Vasily Blyukher, commander of the Special Far Eastern Army
Aleksandr Cherepanov, commander of the 39th Rifle Division in the Soviet Far East

Episode artwork: Picture of a young Chiang Ching-kuo

Support the show

Some basic military history of the beginning of the war.

Further reading:
Bruce A. Elleman and Stephen Kotkin, eds., Manchurian Railways and the Opening of China
Michael M. Walker, The 1929 Sino-Soviet War
John Erickson, The Soviet High Command: A Military-Political History, 1918-1941

Some names from this episode:
Vasily Blyukher (née Gurov, aka Galen), commander of the Special Far Eastern Army
Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, Prussian general in Napoleonic wars
Aleksandr Cherepanov, commander of the 39th Rifle Division in the Soviet Far East
Andrei Bubnov, head of the political administration of the Soviet Red Army
Feng Yuxiang, warlord close to both the USA and the Soviet Union
A. I. Traynin, captain of the Soviet warship Sverdlov
Mok Yiuming, captain of the Chinese gunboat Lishui
Fedor Vulahov, lead petty officer of the Sverdlov
R. I. Yuanzem, commander of the Soviet warship Red East
I. I. Nikitin, captain of the Soviet warship Sun Yatsen
I. A. Onufriev, the commander of the 2nd “Amur” Rifle Division

Episode artwork:
Photo of Soviet soldiers with captured Guomindang banners

Support the show