Why does Li Hongzhang sigh, not sigh to have ghosts, in the face of the real Bismarck, the fake Bismarck is of course ashamed of his landless self-esteem, and his envious eyes shine.
After shame and envy, it is more about thinking about human nature and thinking about yourself.
Oh, it seems to be wrong, is to think about the country alone, and to think about the ruler alone, after thinking, in addition to sighing, what else can you do, do you find a wall to crash to death, or find a place to cry?
(Known as Mounting Pastor Shan Li Hongzhang)
The visits to Europe and Germany and the United States in 1896 undoubtedly made Li Hongzhang feel a lot of emotions.
This sentiment is more of a concern for the current situation, as well as the envy of foreign institutions, and sadness about their own situation.
Old Li is also good at calculations in his life, but also for the country to pay, the framer is not bragging, but the only regret is that this country, looking up and down left and right, it seems that it is not a good thing, and Old Li is also confused!
At that time, China alone was being thrown farther and farther away by the world.
The second industrial revolution changed the world, Eurasia, the rise of Germany, britain and France, Russia and Austria-Hungary followed, the rise of Japan, the unification of Italy, and the United States flourished on the American continent.
(The Second Industrial Revolution in China Thrives)
Looking at the whole world, only China stood out and stuck to feudalism, and at that time, the Qing Dynasty alone was stronger than the Black African Brothers and the primitive Indian tribes.
The end of sorrow is the death of the heart, and what is the end of the death of the heart?
suicide? He didn't dare or could not. There is no one in the country, and he can only push the wreckage to continue to make up for the broken ship.
In the face of Bismarck, the political purpose for the Qing Dynasty was very clear, that is, to obtain german support to adjust China's customs tax rate and alleviate the financial crisis.
Because the 230 million yuan in reparations during the Sino-Japanese War overwhelmed the Qing Dynasty, it was estimated that it would go bankrupt without adjusting the tax rate. The German side is also aware of this, but they are waiting for chips, which are the interests of China's Shandong Jiaozhou Bay region.
(Li Hongzhang meets Bismarck)
So the meeting began, and the nonsense was skipped and went straight to the core.
Li Hongzhang: Old Man, I am so happy to come to you, there is a little problem to ask!
Bismarck: What's the problem?
Li Hongzhang: What should be done about reform in China? (Asking about reform, not revolution)
Bismarck: I can't tell you about that. (Bismarck was very cautious)
Li Hongzhang: Hey, we can't do anything, and someone everywhere gives me embarrassment? (Li Hongzhang complaining)
Bismarck: Understand, the above does not support, as a courtier can not do anything to do, reform needs the support of those in power.
Li Hongzhang: What I hate most is that the emperor is still under bad influence, and I am completely in trouble.
(Li Hongzhang Bismarck talks)
Bismarck: Same, don't say, I was like you back then, especially women are sometimes annoying.
Li Hongzhang: Wrong, you are different from me, you are stronger, and you have more means.
Bismarck: No, no, I just give respect to women, and the others say they do mine.
Li Hongzhang: I can't do this, our country's women are the first. And the army's execution is also poor, I can't figure it out, ah,
Bismarck: Oh, you're wrong, the soldiers are not in the elite, the prohibition is the army, you are not an army.
Li Hongzhang: Indeed, we have a lot of soldiers, but they are all waste materials, and you German troops look at me with red eyes, and I will definitely arrange to hire Prussian officers when I go back, and train the army by taking the German army as an example.
Bismarck: The trained army cannot be dispersed and concentrated, so that it can be mobilized freely.
Li Hongzhang: Silence - Nima This is not my army.
(There is Empress Dowager Cixi who has autonomy there)
So why did this dialogue make Li Hongzhang look up to the sky and sigh?
In fact, the reason is very simple
First: Old Li only dares to complain that women govern and kill people in foreign countries, and at home he does not dare to say it, and Bismarck actually directly said that the influence from women, as long as he is given respect, other farts are good, this contrast is too strong.
Second: Old Li asked about reform, and Bismarck directly said that the support from above is easy to handle, which is completely frustrated by Old Li's sadness, Li Hongzhang's reform has never been smooth, support is not there, it is a stumbling block.
Third: Regarding the army, Li Hongzhang also lamented that his Huai army, which was considered a private armed force, was not welcomed by the imperial court, and its training was backward, and there was no hope at all.
Finally, after looking at the changes in European countries, combined with his own encounters, he found that "the countries of the five continents, the change of the law is prosperous, and the follower is dead!" The immutable law is about to perish, and it is even more sad.
Think about it, the foreign affairs movement has been engaged in for decades, and in the end it still treats the symptoms but not the root causes, and doesn't Li Hongzhang know the root cause of the problem? However, Empress Dowager Cixi was unwilling to delegate power and was unwilling to touch the interests of the conservative faction.
Therefore, Li Hongzhang, who saw the root cause, began to change, and after returning to China, he became a supporter of the restoration faction, and when he changed the law, Li Hongzhang even promised himself as a "comrade of the restoration.".
After the failure of the reform, Kang and Liang went into exile, and Cixi repeatedly ordered the capture and killing of Kang Liang's Yu Dang, but Li Hongzhang, who was the governor of Liangguang at the time, said: "I am not a knife and axe hand."
In the end, the result was also the same, not only did he not do the sword and axe hand, he also listened to Bismarck's words, Empress Dowager Cixi said that a war was waged against the Eight-Nation Alliance, Li Hongzhang ignored it, and finally hardened his temper. Although in the end, it is also impossible to sign a contract.
It was just that Li Hongzhang's time was short, but the rising star Yuan Shikai learned all of Bismarck's words.
Old Li is foolish, Yuan Shikai is not the same, small station training to achieve their own military group, the instructors are all from Prussia, training also learn Prussia, the end is as Bismarck said, soldiers are not more in the fine, in the order to prohibit, only later overthrow the Manchu Qing, the establishment of the Republic of China.
(Yuan Shikai learned)