The war had been raging for an eternity. At first the enemy would seize a strategic advantage and seem on the cusp of victory, only to be pushed back at the last moment. And then the pattern would play out in reverse. This ebb and flow had happened so many times that as the months and years wore on, both sides settled into an almost permanent stalemate of frustrated militarism: desperate and craving for escalation as a kind of perverse emotional release.

Our Intermediate Chinese lesson for today is filled with military lingo and terminology (bombs and parachutes and planes, oh my!). And since we recognize that you may not have personal cause to start World War III, we also spend a bit of time exploring the differences between 按照 and 照着, two words that are so remarkably similar in meaning that even native speakers have been known to get their usage wrong. So fire up the warplanes, get listening and we hope you enjoy the show.