1 00:00:10,560 --> 00:00:26,239 Speaker 1: Yeah, welcome to the show, Friends and neighbors. We are 2 00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:29,160 Speaker 1: going to start today on a very down note, but 3 00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:32,600 Speaker 1: we promise we will get to a good note by 4 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:37,320 Speaker 1: the end of today's episode. Here's the downside. World War 5 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:42,960 Speaker 1: two was the most dangerous, deadliest military conflict in human 6 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:47,840 Speaker 1: history in absolute terms of people that died. Over sixty 7 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 1: million people were killed and that was about three percent 8 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 1: of the world population at the time. That sucks. That's terrible, 9 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:01,040 Speaker 1: that's terrible, but that is the is the context in 10 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:05,959 Speaker 1: which we find today's very strange story. I'm Ben, you 11 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 1: are indeed Ben, and I I am a very chilled 12 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 1: out knowl very chill today, very chill today. I'm feeling 13 00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:14,440 Speaker 1: very chill. And I just want to say props to 14 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:19,080 Speaker 1: Robert Evans from behind the bastards who put this phrase 15 00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:22,479 Speaker 1: in my head, chuck full of Nazis. I love it. 16 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:25,320 Speaker 1: Slash it terrifies he has he used it in the 17 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:29,920 Speaker 1: past before. He really Yeah, he's got away with words. 18 00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:32,240 Speaker 1: He wrote for crack dot com for a very long 19 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:35,240 Speaker 1: time too. I'm a big fan of Robert Evans, but 20 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:37,200 Speaker 1: I'm also and I think you can get with me 21 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:39,520 Speaker 1: on this one. I'm also a big fan of super 22 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:44,600 Speaker 1: producer Casey Pegram and super producer Casey Pegram is a 23 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 1: huge fan of military history. Is that true, Casey? No, 24 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 1: it's not true, Casey, not the case. I'm off the 25 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 1: case on this one. Guys turning in my badge. I'll 26 00:01:57,080 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 1: tell you what you're gonna be on soon, my man, 27 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:01,000 Speaker 1: is a T shirt. It's true. You're gonna be wearing 28 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:03,400 Speaker 1: a robe and pounding a gavel and you're gonna have 29 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:06,480 Speaker 1: a disapproving look on your face. Well, I think you know, 30 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:09,560 Speaker 1: when we talked about this off air, Casey, you were 31 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:14,280 Speaker 1: pretty excited about a law and Order esque type T shirt. Yeah, 32 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:16,359 Speaker 1: we don't get sued, doab live in for doing it? No, 33 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:18,799 Speaker 1: it's fine, man, it's fine. It's fair use. You can 34 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:21,440 Speaker 1: get that shirt when eventually becomes a thing at t 35 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:24,079 Speaker 1: public dot com slash Ridiculous History, just putting that out 36 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 1: there at the top. Yes, that's true for anyone who 37 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:33,720 Speaker 1: tossed some ideas our way in our community page Ridiculous Historians, 38 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:36,639 Speaker 1: we do want to confirm that was not just idle 39 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:40,400 Speaker 1: chatter and Facebook COMMENTARYO is throwing at you. We have 40 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:45,200 Speaker 1: indeed gotten together and started making some T shirts. We 41 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:48,359 Speaker 1: even have one just for the quister. And we'd love 42 00:02:48,440 --> 00:02:52,720 Speaker 1: to talk Casey into being, uh, the inspiration for some 43 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 1: T shirt arts. So let us know what your ideas are. 44 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:58,959 Speaker 1: Oh no, it's happening, my friend, it's happening. And if 45 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:02,359 Speaker 1: you're listening to some thing in today's episode and you 46 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:06,480 Speaker 1: hear a turn of phrase or particular image pops in 47 00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:08,320 Speaker 1: your mind you think would be a good idea for 48 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:11,960 Speaker 1: a T shirt, do not hesitate. Let us know. I 49 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:14,399 Speaker 1: can't believe chock full of Nazis is already a thing? 50 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:18,799 Speaker 1: So good is it? Is it just the assonance or what? 51 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 1: What is it? Well, now there's the coffee brand called 52 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 1: chock full and Nuts. So when he said chock full 53 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:25,800 Speaker 1: of Nazis, that that's just that's what I picture, is 54 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 1: like a can of coffee with like swastikas on him. 55 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:31,560 Speaker 1: Oh I see, I see. Levels we're not entirely b 56 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:34,840 Speaker 1: sng here. The Nazis do come into play in today's story, 57 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:38,720 Speaker 1: but that's not where it begins. It begins in Manchuria. 58 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 1: That's right, No, it begins in Manchuria in nineteen thirty eight. Uh, 59 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 1: there's a young man whose name we were probably not 60 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:50,760 Speaker 1: going to pronounce correctly. Spoiler alert because we are not Korean. 61 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 1: His name is Yang kyong jong, so solid man. We'll see, 62 00:03:55,880 --> 00:04:00,160 Speaker 1: we'll see. Uh. He is eighteen years old in Manchuria. Uh. 63 00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 1: And he was conscripted by the Imperial Japanese Army to 64 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:10,640 Speaker 1: fight against the Soviet Union. Yeah. In this little known 65 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:13,160 Speaker 1: at least to me, and I think you were maybe 66 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:17,680 Speaker 1: tangentially aware of it. But a conflict called a couple 67 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 1: of different things. Um. The Russians referred to it as 68 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:26,240 Speaker 1: the Battle of culk and Gaul, and then the Japanese 69 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:30,480 Speaker 1: side referred to it as the Noman Hun incident. There 70 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:34,120 Speaker 1: you go, Yeah, what was the incident? What was the beef? Well, first, 71 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:36,360 Speaker 1: I want to point out that the Battle of Culkin 72 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:40,120 Speaker 1: Goal sounds like a spinoff of a Tolkien book, you 73 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:43,479 Speaker 1: know what I mean? Yeah, like something from Done. And 74 00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:45,600 Speaker 1: that's why for the title alone, I'm going with the 75 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:48,600 Speaker 1: Russian side on this one. But it was a series 76 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 1: of conflicts. As you said, they were undeclared between the 77 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 1: Soviet and Japanese forces do entirely disagreements about borders, and 78 00:04:57,440 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 1: they were fought along the Soviet Union among Gongolia, Japan 79 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:06,679 Speaker 1: and Manchuco from like across the year in nineteen thirty nine. 80 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:12,880 Speaker 1: And this this mainly happened because these two forces were 81 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:18,520 Speaker 1: attempting to expand their territory and their reach. The Japanese 82 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:23,360 Speaker 1: forces maintained that the border between Manchuco and Mongolia was 83 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:27,600 Speaker 1: this river, the Calcan Goal or in English the Calco River, 84 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:32,039 Speaker 1: which flows into Lake Ur. But the Mongolians, who are 85 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:35,480 Speaker 1: allied with the Soviet forces, said that the border was 86 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:40,520 Speaker 1: actually sixteen kilometers are almost ten miles east of the river, 87 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:43,960 Speaker 1: just east of the No mon Han village. And this 88 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:47,479 Speaker 1: wasn't just a little scraped, my friend, upwards of fifty 89 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:50,800 Speaker 1: thousand men, or as Cotton Flint would say, fifty thousand 90 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:54,760 Speaker 1: men were killed. Um, no small potatoes, man. But you 91 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:57,839 Speaker 1: know who wasn't killed is are the hero. I'm gonna 92 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:00,719 Speaker 1: call the hero because I think he's a total heroes protagonist. 93 00:06:00,760 --> 00:06:04,680 Speaker 1: For sure, he was not killed, thankfully. Um. He was 94 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:09,680 Speaker 1: in fact captured by the Russians uh and sent to 95 00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:13,919 Speaker 1: a labor camp. And then he was drafted into the 96 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:16,640 Speaker 1: Russian army. And there are two reasons for this. So 97 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:21,800 Speaker 1: when he was originally conscripted by the Imperial Japanese Army. 98 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:26,640 Speaker 1: He became part of a pretty hardcore fighting force called 99 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:31,159 Speaker 1: the Quantungu Army. This was the largest and most prestigious 100 00:06:31,200 --> 00:06:35,919 Speaker 1: command in the Japanese Army. So he already had some 101 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:40,800 Speaker 1: experience right as an unwilling soldier. And the second factor 102 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:45,040 Speaker 1: that led to his conscription again, his second conscription, was 103 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:50,440 Speaker 1: that the Soviet Union had a terrible, terrible, terrible problem 104 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:54,960 Speaker 1: with manpower. They were short staffed. Yeah, that barely even 105 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:57,640 Speaker 1: begins to cover it. They were so desperate, in fact, 106 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:02,760 Speaker 1: that they were taking anyone, you know. So they so 107 00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:05,640 Speaker 1: they can scripted this guy, do you want to stay 108 00:07:05,640 --> 00:07:07,680 Speaker 1: in a gulag? Or do you want to fight for 109 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:11,280 Speaker 1: the glory of Mother Russia? Yeah? Sure, easy, easy, easy call. 110 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:13,960 Speaker 1: Have you ever been in a gulag? Doesn't sound nice? Yeah, 111 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:17,760 Speaker 1: you get it. So they were forcing anyone they could 112 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 1: find to join up with the Soviet military. And young 113 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:27,600 Speaker 1: does this for what about a year? No? Right? Because uh, 114 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:30,600 Speaker 1: you see, this was right on the cusp of a 115 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 1: little little scrap we like to call World War Two. 116 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:37,960 Speaker 1: The previous episode we talked about um the Nazis use 117 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:42,840 Speaker 1: of soccer, American soccer football as a propaganda tool we 118 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:47,680 Speaker 1: talked about this idea of appeasement and how the Allies 119 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:51,560 Speaker 1: kind of kept letting Hitler do his thing, letting new 120 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:54,000 Speaker 1: is is he's gonna be fine, he's gonna chill out. 121 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:57,240 Speaker 1: Finally he invades Poland and that's just a bridge too far. Um. 122 00:07:57,680 --> 00:08:01,240 Speaker 1: And then here we are right, because you're in the 123 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:05,520 Speaker 1: Pacific and Eurasian theater. Even before the war is breaking out, 124 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:09,800 Speaker 1: we see these tensions, these undeclared conflicts ratcheting up, and 125 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:12,560 Speaker 1: young is caught in the middle of it. So, just 126 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:15,760 Speaker 1: to keep track, he was not Japanese, but he got 127 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:19,120 Speaker 1: drafted to the Japanese Army, he got captured, and then 128 00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:22,920 Speaker 1: he got drafted to the Russian Army and he in 129 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:25,720 Speaker 1: the nineteen forty two he was fighting in what they 130 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:27,720 Speaker 1: called the Red Army. He was sent to the Eastern 131 00:08:27,720 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 1: Front of Europe, was there for a year, but then 132 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:36,679 Speaker 1: in nineteen forty three, during the Third Battle of Kharkov, 133 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:42,559 Speaker 1: he gets captured by Vermont soldiers. By German soldiers. Yeah, 134 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:46,640 Speaker 1: that's right. They were called the Ost Battalion, which means 135 00:08:46,679 --> 00:08:51,400 Speaker 1: East Battalion. Um. Great article on not the most creative 136 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:54,959 Speaker 1: website name, but rare historical photos dot com has more 137 00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:56,800 Speaker 1: than a photo. It's got a real nice photo of 138 00:08:56,880 --> 00:08:59,760 Speaker 1: who we think this young man was. And it's very 139 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:02,360 Speaker 1: into hands because he just has a real, real hang 140 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:05,080 Speaker 1: dog look on his face, and he so young. And 141 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:07,319 Speaker 1: the kid, the kid next to him, it looks even younger. 142 00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:11,000 Speaker 1: He looks like he's like fifteen. It's crazy so um. 143 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:13,120 Speaker 1: But yeah, there there's some good information on this site. 144 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:15,880 Speaker 1: I recommend checking it out. It's just called Young Kong Jong, 145 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:18,520 Speaker 1: the only known soldier to a fought on three sides 146 00:09:18,679 --> 00:09:22,880 Speaker 1: of a war in nineteen spoilers, right, what side was next? 147 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:31,240 Speaker 1: What side came next? Then? So after he is captured 148 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:36,880 Speaker 1: by the Germans side, uh, they first off, they apparently 149 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:40,640 Speaker 1: don't bother with asking him how he came to end 150 00:09:40,720 --> 00:09:45,840 Speaker 1: up fighting in Ukraine for the Soviets. Right, It's very 151 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:52,280 Speaker 1: likely that had circumstances been different, he would have been executed, right, 152 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:54,960 Speaker 1: because the Nazis at this time, we're not in the 153 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:59,680 Speaker 1: habit of allowing prisoners to volunteer to serve in the 154 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:02,640 Speaker 1: arm didn't she weren't. Weren't they down with that whole 155 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:06,520 Speaker 1: white supremacist master race thing and they want to keep 156 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:09,719 Speaker 1: it pure. Well, in this at this point in the conflict, 157 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:14,360 Speaker 1: they were willing to take almost anyone who would throw 158 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:17,280 Speaker 1: in for the cause, just another body to put in 159 00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:19,360 Speaker 1: front of the bullets, you know. But they weren't like 160 00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:21,480 Speaker 1: lou They weren't getting their asses handed to them at 161 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:23,360 Speaker 1: this point. Yeah, this is just the beginning of the war. 162 00:10:23,400 --> 00:10:27,520 Speaker 1: They were still quite strong, right, but an experienced soldier 163 00:10:27,679 --> 00:10:31,520 Speaker 1: is still an asset. And so because they had fallen 164 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:37,680 Speaker 1: into the habit of allowing again air quotes, allowing people 165 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:42,160 Speaker 1: to air quotes volunteer for this, uh Yang was conscripted 166 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:44,880 Speaker 1: to fight in the East Battalion or how do you 167 00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:48,000 Speaker 1: say it, Austin Battalium perfect, thank you, man, uh in 168 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:52,040 Speaker 1: the seven nine Infantry Division of the Vermont. And these 169 00:10:52,080 --> 00:10:56,560 Speaker 1: battalions were small groups of men that were all volunteers, 170 00:10:56,679 --> 00:11:01,480 Speaker 1: quote unquote, volunteers from the different regions of Europe that 171 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:05,679 Speaker 1: the Nazi regime controlled. They were folded into larger units 172 00:11:05,920 --> 00:11:09,000 Speaker 1: of German soldiers to serve as shock troops and back 173 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:12,160 Speaker 1: up to more experienced battalions. You can find this right 174 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:15,079 Speaker 1: up to on today. I found out dot com by 175 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:20,440 Speaker 1: Carl Smallwood. Yeah, I've been digging it as well. Highly recommended. Uh, 176 00:11:20,559 --> 00:11:22,680 Speaker 1: we we don't know who they are. We just we 177 00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:26,560 Speaker 1: just think they do fun stuff. So there he is. 178 00:11:26,760 --> 00:11:29,720 Speaker 1: Now he's in this other army. What happens next? So 179 00:11:29,800 --> 00:11:32,520 Speaker 1: now um, he's he's going to fight for his Reich 180 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:37,319 Speaker 1: to party. Huh, I'll allow it, Thank you, Ben, You're 181 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:40,960 Speaker 1: very kind. In nineteen forty four, he gets sent to 182 00:11:41,160 --> 00:11:45,080 Speaker 1: France Um where he's going to join the wire marks 183 00:11:45,559 --> 00:11:52,600 Speaker 1: astpitalion Um. There are tons of Soviet prisoners, much the 184 00:11:52,679 --> 00:11:56,920 Speaker 1: same way that he was conscripted by the Japanese. Very 185 00:11:56,920 --> 00:12:00,280 Speaker 1: similar deal. Right, it becomes kind of like slave labor, right, 186 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:04,000 Speaker 1: are like slave soldiers. Yeah, they're not forcibly saying join 187 00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:08,160 Speaker 1: or die, maybe as explicitly, but she's implied. But yeah, 188 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:11,319 Speaker 1: to quote Dennis Reynolds from It's Always sunny in Philadelphia, 189 00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:15,199 Speaker 1: there's the implication. So we have to admit. It's not 190 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:17,960 Speaker 1: as if this kid was just rare and to go 191 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:20,559 Speaker 1: for war. He was trying to stay alive and have 192 00:12:20,679 --> 00:12:24,320 Speaker 1: done it successfully. So he goes to this coaton in 193 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:31,360 Speaker 1: Peninsula in France, shortly before the Allies attempt to storm 194 00:12:31,440 --> 00:12:36,560 Speaker 1: the beaches in an historical event known today as today Today. 195 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:41,000 Speaker 1: That's right d day where the Allied troops are storm 196 00:12:41,040 --> 00:12:43,880 Speaker 1: in the beaches at France. You've seen it depicted in 197 00:12:44,040 --> 00:12:47,440 Speaker 1: so many war films here in the West. Well, it 198 00:12:47,480 --> 00:12:51,040 Speaker 1: turns out this kid is on the other side, the 199 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:55,520 Speaker 1: axis side, and he's trying to prevent the Allies from 200 00:12:55,520 --> 00:12:59,320 Speaker 1: storming the beaches. Yeah, he's defending it on behalf of 201 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:05,080 Speaker 1: the knack sees um and he gets captured again. He 202 00:13:05,160 --> 00:13:08,240 Speaker 1: gets captured again. I can tell you quick aside. That's 203 00:13:08,280 --> 00:13:10,640 Speaker 1: something I learned from today. I found out dot com 204 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:14,320 Speaker 1: was that the actor who played Scottie on Star Trek, 205 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:20,239 Speaker 1: his name is James Duhan. He was among the Canadian 206 00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:24,600 Speaker 1: soldiers who stormed the beach at Normandy and he got 207 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:29,440 Speaker 1: shot six times um and believe he lost a finger, 208 00:13:29,559 --> 00:13:32,040 Speaker 1: got shot through the hand, several shots in the leg 209 00:13:32,320 --> 00:13:34,760 Speaker 1: and one in the chest. That would have ended his 210 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:37,959 Speaker 1: life if it hadn't a been for this age old 211 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:40,640 Speaker 1: movie trope. What do you think it was, ben age 212 00:13:40,679 --> 00:13:43,400 Speaker 1: old movie trupe? What saved his life? Oh? Was it 213 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:46,640 Speaker 1: a was it a bible? Was a flask? Cigarette case? 214 00:13:46,840 --> 00:13:49,760 Speaker 1: A cigarette cast? Okay, So I just I love that 215 00:13:49,800 --> 00:13:52,400 Speaker 1: because it's such a trope and it's a trope because 216 00:13:53,040 --> 00:13:57,680 Speaker 1: gosh darnan it that it happens. So the Germans eventually 217 00:13:57,960 --> 00:14:01,880 Speaker 1: get over run. This is out all entirely US propaganda. 218 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:05,280 Speaker 1: It really does happen. The Germans are eventually getting overrun 219 00:14:05,320 --> 00:14:10,680 Speaker 1: by the Allies, and this time Yang is captured again, 220 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:14,640 Speaker 1: but this time by the Americans. And he can't catch 221 00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:16,600 Speaker 1: a break. His kid can catch a break, and maybe 222 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:19,320 Speaker 1: he's catching all the breaks. It's you know, it's an 223 00:14:19,320 --> 00:14:22,680 Speaker 1: interesting questions kind of a half full, half empty glass thing, right, 224 00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:25,960 Speaker 1: the very forest gump end kind of situation. He's still alive. 225 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:29,880 Speaker 1: He's alive at this point, so that's that is. I 226 00:14:29,920 --> 00:14:33,240 Speaker 1: think the probably is number one priority at that point. 227 00:14:33,520 --> 00:14:36,680 Speaker 1: But there's a wrinkle. There's a problem here. When he's captured, 228 00:14:37,360 --> 00:14:42,720 Speaker 1: he can't speak German, he can't speak English. The officers 229 00:14:43,040 --> 00:14:46,680 Speaker 1: who originally found him and captured him, among them, there 230 00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:50,280 Speaker 1: was Lieutenant Robert Brewer of the five or six Parachute 231 00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:57,800 Speaker 1: Infantry Regiment, First Airborne, and he thought that this guy 232 00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:01,240 Speaker 1: was a Japanese soldier in a German uniform. And he 233 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:06,000 Speaker 1: reported somewhat puzzled that the regiment had captured for Asian 234 00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:09,240 Speaker 1: people in German uniform and that no one could talk 235 00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:12,480 Speaker 1: to them, and so they just sent him to a 236 00:15:12,560 --> 00:15:16,000 Speaker 1: pow camp in England. Oh and I believe they were 237 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:21,320 Speaker 1: ethnic Georgians, isn't that right? Right? Yeah, that's that's the 238 00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:24,880 Speaker 1: current that's the current debate, because you could see how 239 00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:28,280 Speaker 1: someone from the West, without experience in this part of 240 00:15:28,320 --> 00:15:31,720 Speaker 1: the world or these cultures, might just quickly categorize them, 241 00:15:31,760 --> 00:15:34,800 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. And and it's like, there 242 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:37,600 Speaker 1: are there's only one type of person that I could 243 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:39,320 Speaker 1: think of who would be here and looks like this, 244 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:42,520 Speaker 1: they must be Japanese. Take him away, book him Dano. 245 00:15:42,760 --> 00:15:46,320 Speaker 1: I actually have it here is that they were from Turkestan. Turkestan, Okay, 246 00:15:46,360 --> 00:15:49,160 Speaker 1: so still in Eurasia because I found I found that 247 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:53,600 Speaker 1: they were from Georgian descent. Interest. Yeah, there's there's not 248 00:15:54,600 --> 00:15:56,640 Speaker 1: This is kind of a murky story. It's a lot 249 00:15:56,640 --> 00:15:58,760 Speaker 1: of Yeah, it's a lot of a lot of hearsay, 250 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:03,520 Speaker 1: and not much as known about um, this this young 251 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:07,840 Speaker 1: man's life prior to to you know, being conscripted into 252 00:16:07,880 --> 00:16:11,640 Speaker 1: the Japanese army. Um. But what is known is that 253 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:16,200 Speaker 1: he didn't stick around after the war ended. Um he 254 00:16:16,400 --> 00:16:20,960 Speaker 1: or he didn't go back home either he went to America. Yeah, 255 00:16:21,040 --> 00:16:23,680 Speaker 1: he was transferred to a prison camp in the US. 256 00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:30,240 Speaker 1: And then he was released from captivity in nineteen forty 257 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:32,720 Speaker 1: seven and he said, you know what, I'm going to 258 00:16:32,920 --> 00:16:36,280 Speaker 1: stay here, Land of Opportunity and all that. He moved 259 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:40,040 Speaker 1: to Illinois, lived there. Yeah, and that that's we're in 260 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:44,040 Speaker 1: the county right, Yeah, which is is that Chicago area? Yeah? Yeah, 261 00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:47,080 Speaker 1: Chicago area. And again I don't I don't know if 262 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:51,040 Speaker 1: you found anything on this, but I found that his 263 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:53,920 Speaker 1: life gets murky again. He sort of falls from the 264 00:16:54,000 --> 00:16:56,480 Speaker 1: historical record. Yeah, that's where the story ends, at least 265 00:16:56,480 --> 00:17:00,400 Speaker 1: as far as rare historical photos is concerned. They they 266 00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:04,480 Speaker 1: they say that they found that he quietly passed away 267 00:17:04,600 --> 00:17:08,200 Speaker 1: in two but there's really not much information about what 268 00:17:08,280 --> 00:17:12,000 Speaker 1: he did um with the rest of his life. But man, 269 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:14,359 Speaker 1: you look at the picture of what would supposedly this 270 00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:17,439 Speaker 1: this young dude, he has seen some he's got that 271 00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:21,800 Speaker 1: thousand leagues stare so common with people who have experienced 272 00:17:21,800 --> 00:17:27,000 Speaker 1: PTSD or traumatic events. But there's a little bit of 273 00:17:27,119 --> 00:17:31,840 Speaker 1: a fictional side to this that he would have enjoyed 274 00:17:31,880 --> 00:17:34,720 Speaker 1: had he gotten the chance to experience it. There was 275 00:17:34,760 --> 00:17:39,600 Speaker 1: a film made about his journey called My Way in 276 00:17:39,720 --> 00:17:45,240 Speaker 1: two thousand eleven, and it's entirely based on Yang Kiong 277 00:17:45,359 --> 00:17:49,399 Speaker 1: Jong's I don't want to say adventures. No, his experience 278 00:17:49,440 --> 00:17:53,320 Speaker 1: is hopping from one army to another all the way 279 00:17:53,760 --> 00:17:58,920 Speaker 1: to Illinois. Can you imagine the stories this guy must have? Nope? 280 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:03,920 Speaker 1: Can you also? Also? Additionally, could you imagine going to 281 00:18:04,160 --> 00:18:07,919 Speaker 1: see a movie that was inspired by true events in 282 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:09,680 Speaker 1: your life? Would you do it? Or would you want 283 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:12,760 Speaker 1: to skip it? Go see my movie? Yeah, I think 284 00:18:12,800 --> 00:18:15,520 Speaker 1: it'd be cool. I think it depends on who plays 285 00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:17,520 Speaker 1: like I would want to know who played me, well, 286 00:18:17,560 --> 00:18:20,040 Speaker 1: I would. I would obviously have final say on that. 287 00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:22,919 Speaker 1: I think we have to. This came up on movie Crush, 288 00:18:23,240 --> 00:18:25,080 Speaker 1: the mini crushes that I do with our buddy Chuck 289 00:18:25,080 --> 00:18:28,360 Speaker 1: from Stuff You Should Know Um. A listener asked who 290 00:18:28,359 --> 00:18:30,920 Speaker 1: we would get to play ourselves in our movie. Chuck 291 00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:34,920 Speaker 1: said he would get Jack Black to play him. Cool, 292 00:18:35,119 --> 00:18:37,520 Speaker 1: I said, I want Bradley Cooper to play me, and 293 00:18:37,560 --> 00:18:40,720 Speaker 1: I want him to really do some acting, man, you know, 294 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:44,200 Speaker 1: put on some pounds, you know, do the work, put 295 00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:45,879 Speaker 1: in the work. Bradley Cooper, I want to see your 296 00:18:45,920 --> 00:18:49,439 Speaker 1: chops nevermind, say hey, let me know who you would 297 00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:53,640 Speaker 1: want to play you in a film adaptation of your 298 00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:56,560 Speaker 1: life or a really interesting story in your life. I 299 00:18:56,560 --> 00:18:59,480 Speaker 1: always think that's an interesting question. I've never I've never 300 00:18:59,520 --> 00:19:02,440 Speaker 1: saw a new why I would just play myself. There's 301 00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:04,280 Speaker 1: the technology now where I could play the young You 302 00:19:04,359 --> 00:19:07,639 Speaker 1: don't have the time, man, You've got too much going on. 303 00:19:07,720 --> 00:19:09,560 Speaker 1: We'll make the time. We'll make the time. I'll do 304 00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:17,000 Speaker 1: I'll do it animated. We'll speaking of making time, why 305 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:22,560 Speaker 1: don't we make a little time for some listener mail? Yes, 306 00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:25,040 Speaker 1: listen to mail. I'm not going to do that voice 307 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:27,840 Speaker 1: the whole time, but we do want to say thank 308 00:19:27,880 --> 00:19:31,120 Speaker 1: you to Aaron who wrote to us on Facebook and said, 309 00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:34,800 Speaker 1: wasn't there talk about you guys having some ridiculous history 310 00:19:34,840 --> 00:19:37,960 Speaker 1: T shirts made? Is this actually in the works? And 311 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:40,800 Speaker 1: then while we're in the thread, I asked you if 312 00:19:40,840 --> 00:19:44,560 Speaker 1: you were on ridiculous historians uh, to suggest some cool 313 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:46,600 Speaker 1: T shirt ideas? And I'd like to know. I like, 314 00:19:46,680 --> 00:19:49,480 Speaker 1: there's laundry list a few of these. Did you see this? No? 315 00:19:49,640 --> 00:19:53,040 Speaker 1: I didn't surprise me. All right, So Aaron says, didn't 316 00:19:53,040 --> 00:19:55,639 Speaker 1: you guys throw out the idea for a squatched T 317 00:19:55,840 --> 00:19:59,160 Speaker 1: shirt using sasquatch as a verb. It's a home run. 318 00:19:59,200 --> 00:20:03,480 Speaker 1: You got squatched son, Yeah, And then Oliver says a 319 00:20:03,560 --> 00:20:06,560 Speaker 1: bear with super dilated pupils holding a honey jar with 320 00:20:06,640 --> 00:20:10,280 Speaker 1: skull and crossbones for hallucinogenic honey, and then all caps 321 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:14,600 Speaker 1: for sure Napoleon getting attacked by rabbits love all of 322 00:20:14,600 --> 00:20:17,200 Speaker 1: these these are great, These these folks are you guys 323 00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:19,440 Speaker 1: are knocking it out of the park. And then we've 324 00:20:19,480 --> 00:20:22,480 Speaker 1: had people go through and list things that they thought 325 00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:26,480 Speaker 1: were T shirt worthy, such as the West Point eggnog Riot, 326 00:20:27,160 --> 00:20:32,600 Speaker 1: the gold Rush egg War, Harvey Wiley's poison Squad. The 327 00:20:32,640 --> 00:20:35,639 Speaker 1: list goes on. So thank you to everybody who wrote in, 328 00:20:35,760 --> 00:20:38,199 Speaker 1: and please feel free to jump on that thread and 329 00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:42,800 Speaker 1: give us more of your suggestions. Hashtag poison Squad, poison Squad. Okay, 330 00:20:42,840 --> 00:20:48,840 Speaker 1: I got one here. Subject is yes, my ears are happy. 331 00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:52,240 Speaker 1: I know this one. Yeah. Yeah. So, our buddy Jacob 332 00:20:52,440 --> 00:20:55,399 Speaker 1: w had written to us previously to alert us to 333 00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:58,560 Speaker 1: the fact that we misspronounced a word that particularly triggered 334 00:20:58,640 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 1: him and sent him into a blind rage um, but 335 00:21:02,119 --> 00:21:07,520 Speaker 1: thankfully he seems to have chilled out. Portmanteau pronounced correctly, 336 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:09,320 Speaker 1: and I know it was me. Ben, it was me, 337 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:12,000 Speaker 1: I said Portman two. I don't know why I know 338 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:14,320 Speaker 1: how to pronounce it. I just got caught up in 339 00:21:14,359 --> 00:21:17,040 Speaker 1: the moment. You're beating yourself up, he says. I don't 340 00:21:17,040 --> 00:21:19,679 Speaker 1: know if it was my pedantry in the message it 341 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:23,280 Speaker 1: was um I sent you all from your sight, or 342 00:21:23,359 --> 00:21:26,080 Speaker 1: if there were more of us bothered by that little detail. 343 00:21:26,119 --> 00:21:28,880 Speaker 1: Either way, it shows that you do listen, we do, 344 00:21:29,320 --> 00:21:33,159 Speaker 1: and you're willing to change. We are sometimes admirable traits, 345 00:21:33,280 --> 00:21:36,120 Speaker 1: my boys. That was my interjection to my boys. Keep 346 00:21:36,160 --> 00:21:39,119 Speaker 1: up the good work. Well, thank you so much for 347 00:21:39,359 --> 00:21:47,320 Speaker 1: writing in. This concludes our listener mail, but not our show. 348 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:51,280 Speaker 1: Tune in for our next episode, when we look at 349 00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:56,439 Speaker 1: the vital role potatoes played in World War Two. In 350 00:21:56,480 --> 00:21:58,679 Speaker 1: the meantime. You can find us on Instagram. You can 351 00:21:58,680 --> 00:22:01,359 Speaker 1: find us on Facebook. You can find us on Twitter. 352 00:22:02,119 --> 00:22:05,560 Speaker 1: You can summon us at a cross roads at midnight 353 00:22:05,920 --> 00:22:08,840 Speaker 1: say our names three times into an unlip mirror. Now 354 00:22:08,840 --> 00:22:11,199 Speaker 1: that's for the other show. No, I mean that's how 355 00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:13,320 Speaker 1: that's how I get around. Okay, cool, Yeah, you do 356 00:22:13,359 --> 00:22:16,000 Speaker 1: you my man, and hey, we totally forgot to give 357 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:18,199 Speaker 1: our thank youse on the last episode as we were 358 00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:22,840 Speaker 1: so taken by Robert Evans is glorious extra credit segment. 359 00:22:23,080 --> 00:22:25,879 Speaker 1: So um, they're doing nothing we can do about the past, 360 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:28,879 Speaker 1: but we are now in the present, at which time 361 00:22:28,920 --> 00:22:30,400 Speaker 1: I would like to thank We would like to thank 362 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:34,040 Speaker 1: super producer Casey Pegram, Alex Williams, who composed our theme, 363 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:40,280 Speaker 1: our researchers Eve's, Jeff cot and Christopher Hasciotis as well 364 00:22:40,320 --> 00:22:43,760 Speaker 1: of course as you. Thanks so much for tuning in votes. 365 00:22:44,480 --> 00:22:45,240 Speaker 1: See you next time.