China could be threat to U.S. in coming years
Editor’s note: This is the first in a two-part series. It was written by Martin Griglak of Connellsville. He received a commendation from the Minister of the Interior for Taiwan for his work with the KMT, the nation’s intelligence force. One can hardly read a newspaper or watch television without seeing something about the threat posed to us from China. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, mothers used to make children finish their dinner plates by saying, “Don’t waste food. The people in China are starving.” What a contrast from then and now. It is important that Americans understand what is behind the subtle hostility between them and us.
To understand the situation, it is necessary to begin by starting far back in history. The Far East once consisted of smaller countries doing their own thing. China had the dynasties which largely quarreled among themselves. There was no central government or combined military over the Far East.
Later, Marco Polo (an Italian) traveled to the Far East for spices and opened up trade routes that attracted the Western countries to take a good look at eastern Asia. Once the Western countries including the U.S. saw the weaknesses, eight countries with powerful militaries invaded the region and carved out territories in the name of their countries.
Japan also saw the opportunities and did the same. The Chinese were overwhelmed and bewildered. As a consequence, the population was exploited, oppressed, and driven into dire poverty. Gradually, the Chinese began to regroup and were able to fight back, inspired by the devastation that had been inflicted upon them. It was a brutal and vicious war, named the Boxer Rebellion, that forced the invaders to withdraw. There were no real leaders to repair the damage causing famines that killed millions of Chinese who had been reduced to the status of uneducated farm animals.
Nonetheless, they still maintained their genetic intelligence, their customs, skills, and ancient characteristics. They are a people of infinite patience and would never forget the humiliation they suffered. They determined to get even, and ultimately extract payback from those that harmed them. It is vital for us to understand their psychology, motivations, and characteristics before trying to have any significant relations with them.
Later, while they were still trying to recover, another factor arose. The U.S. Navy had for-cibly opened up Japan which had been a closed, mysterious country. Anticipating the U.S. ambitions for the area, Japan built a solid government and a powerful military, similar to those of Nazi Germany, and proceeded to conquer everything in the Far East and Pacific theater. They invaded China, which was still very weak and suffering from the aforementioned past. During the occupation, the atrocities, cruelty and the wreckage they imposed upon the helpless Chinese was horrible. They went on to do the same to Korea and other area countries in the Pacific.
Whenever World War II was over, the U.S. forces took control of Japan and China. During the war, there was a Chinese general leading the only small army that China had. His name was Chiang Kai-Shek. The U.S. wanted to control all of China, so they arbitrarily installed Chiang as the head of a hand-picked government and backed him up with the U.S. military.
The population, remembering the Boxer Rebellion or when the U.S. was one of their enemies, resisted seeing another controlling occupation. The result was they were back again in the same poverty, brutality, and exploitation. Consequently in the north, the population under the leadership of Mao Tse Tung formed a ragtag army and marched against Chiang and his U.S. sponsors.
Though they were uneducated, radical, and poorly armed, they were determined, well organized, and strongly led. As they marched south, friends along the way expanded their forces. They were called communists, socialists, and other names. Their tactics were brutal, fanatic, and they often acted like an unruly mob. They tolerated no criticism and their justice was swift and harsh. Looking back, their crude actions were effective and finally brought the Chinese population together for the first time in their history.
They defeated Chiang, his government, his army, and drove them off the coast into the island of Taiwan, assisted by the U.S. navy. When they were ready to capture Chiang, our navy stepped in and threatened them to not go any further. This intimidation and humiliation of us stopping them in their own country would never be forgotten and they vowed to get even. Although a half-century has passed, their target is still the same.
I have often said that the best thing that ever happened to the Chinese people was when the communists took over. I know how that sounds, but a candid look at what they are today proves me right.
They will soon be the second-largest economy in the world, on a pace to pass us up. They already have the most manufacturing in the world. They have a nuclear arsenal, and a strong military on land, sea, and air. They are deliberately making friends with our enemies. Their population is highly educated. There is no more starvation, and they wield considerable clout by virtue of being a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council and are highly admired in many parts of the world.
Let us not forget that when we entered the Korean War, they jumped in for the north and forced us to retreat below the Demarcation Line. We still remember our many troops that lost their lives and the cost of that war. Next we invaded Vietnam and they supported the North Vietnamese. We lost 58,000 American lives and many more wounded, and for what?
Later on, China persuaded the U.N. to expel Taiwan and declare it a legitimate property of the mainland. Accordingly, Taiwan was removed from the Olympics and lost all formal diplomatic recognition. The U.S., who also voted for their expulsion, circumvented the ruling by establishing a “friendly association” allowing them to open an office in Washington. I became friends with their “pseudo ambassador” and visited him on occasion. I would also meet Taiwanese friends when they came to the U.S. on business.
See this page next Sunday for the second part of the series.