As a long-time foreign correspondent, I've worked in lots of places, but nowhere is important to the world as China.

I'm Jane Perlase, former Beijing Bureau Chief for The New York Times.

On face-off, the U.S. versus China will explore what's critical to this important global relationship.

Trump and Xi Jinping, AI, TikTok, and even Hollywood.

New episodes of Face Off are available now, wherever you get your podcasts.

Music. Hello, and thank you for listening to the history of World War II podcast, episode 516, holding Stalingrad by the skin of their teeth.

Last time on September 13, 1942,

Axis troops entered Stalingrad proper.

On the other side, Vassili Chouikov had been designated

the local defense commander.

His task was simple, if not difficult,

hold Stalingrad.

And right away, the caustic Chouikov started thinking of ways to negate superior access tactics. Bombers would be ineffective as Russians would stay close to the

enemy. German stick grenades would be picked up and thrown back at the enemy as they took too long,

nine seconds to explode.

And lastly, to not fear the dreaded panzers, but to fire on them from above, hitting their relatively weak upper deck. All this would take a tremendous amount of courage or desperation.

Fortunately, the men of Stalingrad had both. Before the sun rose the next day,

September 14th, Chuikov wanted to retake the initiative, so ordered the Germans' flanks to be attacked.

Going right at the head of the enemy was still too risky, but hopefully flanking attacks would get their attention

and cause some panic, and panic slows the feet of men. Chouikov's counterattacks were

partially successful. He gained a few streets, and the Germans slowed down, but they did not

stop expanding the territory under their control.

...