History is Man's greatest teacher, as all that is required is patient observation and reflection.
One of the themes that emerged during this pandemic is an absurdity promoted by various
Know-Nothings that China is a world power. If so, history should affirm it.
So let's take a journey, using the renowned 'Britannica' as our guide and source, commencing
in the 18th century, as tracking China back 4000 years would create a post stretching miles:
* In 1755, the Qianlong Emperor embezzled funds, earmarked for the expansion of the
Chinese Navy, for the purpose of combating rampant piracy in the South China Sea.
Instead he used the funds to build a Warship constructed of Italian Marble in a lagoon
within the Imperial Palace at Beijing that is still anchored today, having never moved an inch.
What a strategist huh?????
* In 1839 the 1st Opium War w/Great Britain began, resulting in the loss of Hong Kong
to the British.
* In 1850 the Taiping Rebellion commenced between the Qing Dynasty and Taipings.
* In 1856, the 2nd Opium War began resulting in Chinese defeat.
* In 1884, the Sino-French War started, ending in defeat for China.
* In 1884, the 1st Sino-Japanese War commenced, ending in crushing defeat for China.
* In 1899, the Boxer Rebellion began resulting in territorial loss for China.
* In 1903, Great Britain invaded Tibet from the Raj.
* In 1931, Japan invaded and conquered Manchuria.
* In 1937, the 2nd Sino-Japanese War commenced again ending in Chinese defeat.
This century of acute embarrassment resulted in a loss of life for tens of millions of
Chinese as well as massive internal disruption, the payment of staggering reparations
and a loss of their land/territory.
And it came to an end in 1949 w/Marxists such as Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai in power.
This is a legacy of nation/state failure and incompetence now in the hands of totalitarians.
Asserting that China is a world power is way beyond laughable.
