China, now the world's second largest economy, is no longer the same as the decadent Qing Dynasty that preceded it.
However, the originally weak Qing Dynasty lost the face of China's great country, the entire land of China was trampled by Western countries, and the proud iron horse of the Qing Dynasty no longer initially despised the arrogance and conceit of Western countries and advanced science and technology, but was completely beaten to the bone, and even held its head, and the once glorious Eight Flags Iron Horse had long been sunk in the enjoyment of a corrupt life all day.
Eight Flags
This made the prosperous Chinese civilization also ruined by the Qing Dynasty, which was once the richest man in the world, even after experiencing various unequal and humiliating treaties, it was still not poor, until the high compensation of the Gengzi Treaty caused the Qing Dynasty to fall to the altar.
As a Westerner, Li Hongzhang adhered to the ideological line of implementing the long-term skills of the division and the yi to control the yi, developed a new type of domestic army, and vigorously promoted Western technology everywhere, only so that the Qing Dynasty could restore its national strength and thus have the capital to compete with the world. And this gave birth to the demand and desire for Western weapons technology, Western arms dealers are naturally very happy, after all, there is business means money, a large amount of silver to the account they why not?
Li Hongzhang signed a humiliating treaty
And every time the West has advanced weapons, Li Hongzhang will be eager to visit, non-stop, when the Makqin machine gun was successfully developed, Li Hongzhang was invited to visit, but in the end, he was full of joy and thought that there was a large amount of wealth and a large amount of money to flow into the wallet of the German arms dealer, but it was a great disappointment.
When the German arms dealer was radiant and his eyebrows were flying to introduce the strength of the Maxim machine gun to Li Hongzhang, Li Hongzhang indifferently asked how many rounds the gun could shoot per minute, and the German arms dealer replied with his head held high and proud, saying that it could reach more than 600 rounds per minute.
But Li Hongzhang shook his head helplessly, and the German arms dealer naturally wondered and asked the reason, Li Hongzhang told the reason with a bitter smile. The original once invincible Qing Dynasty has long ceased to be its original glory, and the declining Qing Dynasty can afford to buy guns and bullets? At a speed of 600 rounds per minute, the Qing Dynasty could not afford such a high military expenditure.
Speaking of this, we can't help but feel a little sad, looking back at the beginning, compared with today's powerful China, we finally understand that we still have to have our own core technology in order to be uncontrolled by others; only with strong strength, can we not be afraid of oppression by the great powers!