My Thoughts About History

Fact of the Day

2008-02-14T22:39:00.001-08:00

In 1976, the military dictator of the Central African Republic, Jean-Bedel Bokassa proclaimed himself Emperor Bokassa I of the Central African Empire. A position he would hold until his overthrow in 1979.

Fact of the Day

2008-01-30T07:17:00.000-08:00

Many South African leaders during the apartheid era admired Adolf Hitler and favored his dictatorial policies.

Facts of the Day

2008-01-17T17:52:00.000-08:00

1: The United States never declared war on Germany during World War II, the declaration of war made in 1941 after the attack on Pearl Harbour only included Japan, not its allies in Germany and Italy. However, only a few days after the United States declared war on Japan, Hitler, pressured by the Japanese ambassador, declared war on the United States.

2: In 1215, Genghis Khan's Qidan general, Khada (the Qidan were a nomadic people from Mongolia), led his army triumphantly into Zhongdu (Beijing), the capital of the Jurchen Jin Empire. The Jurchen Jin Empire (ancestors of the Manchus) controlled North China and Manchuria. To the discontent of Genghis Khan, General Khada burned the city to the ground. This was an act of revenge against the Jurchens for their discrimination against their Qidan and Chinese subjects, and for the Jin conquest of Qidan Liao Empire that had once occupied north China.

3: In 1264, after winning a civil war against his brother, Ariq Boke, the Mongol Khan and Chinese Emperor, Kublai, ordered the construction of a new capital, slightly northwest of the ruins of Zhongdu. The city, Dadu, was completed in 1272 and was visted by many foreign travellers, including Marco Polo. The city would eventually become modern Beijing.

Fact of the Day

2008-01-13T19:26:00.000-08:00

The Mao suit, worn by Chinese Communist party members on special occasions, was originally designed by Sun Zhongshan (Sun Yat Sen), the founder of the Republic of China. It was designed as an alternative to the Manchu dress that the Chinese were forced to wear during the Qing Dynasty that he overthrew.

Facts of the Day

2008-01-07T18:31:00.000-08:00

1: The Soviet Empire,(1917-1991), including its vassals (satellites) was the third largest Empire in history. The only empires to exceed them in size were the Mongol and British Empires.

2: In 1935, Nazi Germany held a Nuremberg Rally which was dishonestly called "The Freedom Rally".

3: The last Chinese Imperial Dynasty, the Manchu Qing (1644-1911), was the one of only two foreign dynasties to rule China. The other was the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, which ruled China from 1271 to 1368.

4: The first communist Chinese dictator, Mao Zedong, rarely brushed his teeth throughout his twenty-seven year reign. His teeth eventually fell out.

5: The Aztecs sacrificed twenty thousand people during the grand opening of the Great Temple of Tenochtitilan (Mexico City) in 1487.

The best and the worst presidents.

2008-01-01T17:43:00.000-08:00

Best Presidents:

1 George Washington (Term: 1789-1797)

2 Thomas Jefferson (Term: 1801-1809 )

3 James Madison (Term: 1809-1817)

Worst Presidents:

1 Geroge W. Bush (Term: 2001-2009)

2 Woodrow Wilson (Term: 1913-1921)

3 William Mckinly (Term: 1897-1901)