Fidel Castro steps down

[Sionnach Glic]

Well, I'd go there and do it myself if I had to. "No mister Cuban president that's not a gun in my pocket. I just like you that much. Oops, I guess it was a gun. Sorry, my bad. Don't worry I will fix this by making Cuba stronger then ever."

No leader in the country could get anywhere near another without being checked for weapons. If you did pull a gun on the President of Cuba, his security forces would put a bullet in you quicker than you can say "big mistake".

Like I said, I'd bide my time if I had to. I'm only 19 right now, I can wait a decade or two to build up my forces. By the time I pull it off you'd probably all be dead by then from old age.

And while you're building up your forces, guess what other countries would be doing? Yup, that's right. Thay'd also be building up their forces. Given the massive difference in the strength and technology of the US army to the Chinese army, by the time you'd progressed to the standards of the modern day US army, they'd already be ahead of you again.

What is the obsession with China on the net anyways?

Because a lot of people seem to think that having everything in their house labelled 'made in China' means that China has the power to conquer anyone they wish.

They're also the only one that has the chance and possible motive at fighting the US.

Except they don't have a chance. As we've repeatedly pointed out in this thread.
As for motive, what possible reason would they have for wanting to invade a massive country, where the population would hate them and lose themselves a major trading partner?

[Blackstar the Chakat]

They're also the only one that has the chance and possible motive at fighting the US. They'll be crushed without one heck of a stratagy, but the only one with a real chance and lasting very long or having the motivation.

They better invest more money in ICBM's then because in the extremely unlikely event that they could ever conquer the US, they'd just be blasted into the stone age before acheiving victory.

I'd like to think that the US is more restrained then that but realistically you're probably right. There are two keys to victory over the US. Wait, no Three. One)Large sub fleet to take out the SSBM Ohio-class subs, and the other four just to be safe. Two)Increase the abilty to land ground troops on land(basically overhaul the Navy. and three)Hit their land based ICBMs before they have a chance to react so either a)blitz them with the biggist land war ever or b)use air strikes to hit them fast.

[Blackstar the Chakat]

They're also the only one that has the chance and possible motive at fighting the US.

Except they don't have a chance. As we've repeatedly pointed out in this thread.
As for motive, what possible reason would they have for wanting to invade a massive country, where the population would hate them and lose themselves a major trading partner?

Same reason the Soviets did. To spread communism.

[Aaron]

There's aslo the caveat that if the US falls or gets conquered, the worlds finances are buggered and good. The entire world bases there economy on the US dollar. And the US is the worlds most productive economy, you'd be shooting yourself in the foot. Somehow I don't think that starving Africans are going to make up your now massive trade loss for McDonalds toys.

[Aaron]

Same reason the Soviets did. To spread communism.

I'm not sure where you've been for the last ten plus years but China is as communist as Japan is. Capitalism is a cornerstone of their economy, their communist in name only.

[Blackstar the Chakat]

Same reason the Soviets did. To spread communism.

I'm not sure where you've been for the last ten plus years but China is as communist as Japan is. Capitalism is a cornerstone of their economy, their communist in name only.

Middle school and high school. Have I not explained this before? And to be honest, I'd bet Castro knows more US history then I do.

There's aslo the caveat that if the US falls or gets conquered, the worlds finances are buggered and good. The entire world bases there economy on the US dollar. And the US is the worlds most productive economy, you'd be shooting yourself in the foot. Somehow I don't think that starving Africans are going to make up your now massive trade loss for McDonalds toys.

Did I say it was a good idea? In theory they'd want to take the US economy and combine it with their own, so they'd be the most powerful nation.

This all started as me explaining why China would want to take over Cuba.

[Captain Seafort]

I'm kinda curious as to where these countries are going to get the resources (notably oil) to become First World countries.

Both China and India have plenty of coal (India especially) and iron ore, and oil they can get from South America and the Middle East. The Chinese economy in particular is growing at an impressive rate - it's expected to surpass the US by 2020. The biggest assets they have are their populations - with over a billion apiece they've got the labour force to outbuild the US easilly, once they've achieved some kind of technological parity.

Even if we grant that they could elevate, the US has the most powerful military in the world and provided they keep it up, they will be untouchable. This calls to mind the naval race between Germany and Great Britain prior to WWI and WWII, try as they might Germany couldn't get an advantage because Great Britain was to far ahead.

However, despite the British lead Germany was still able to build a fleet capable of challenging the Royal Navy, to the extent of forcing the perminant concentration of the Grand Fleet in the North Sea to counter the Hochseeflotte. A single lucky (for the Germans) encounter could have smashed a detatchment of the Grand Fleet and handed superiority to the Germans. On land, Britain never had a chance of taking on the German army single-handed, because of the German industrial and population superiority - the same advantages China will have, or already has over the US. Overall, Britain's military position was considerably weaker than Germany's at the outbreak of the First World War - as shown by the fact that Germany held off three major powers almost single-handedly, and was only ultimately forced to accept defeat by the entry of the entry of the United States.

[Aaron]

Middle school and high school. Have I not explained this before? And to be honest, I'd bet Castro knows more US history then I do.

I don't really pay attention to what users are up to in their lives.

Did I say it was a good idea? In theory they'd want to take the US economy and combine it with their own, so they'd be the most powerful nation.

This all started as me explaining why China would want to take over Cuba.

Yeah? And there won't be anything left if they invade the country. Most of the infrastructure required for this would be destroyed in the fighting.

[Aaron]

Both China and India have plenty of coal (India especially) and iron ore, and oil they can get from South America and the Middle East. The Chinese economy in particular is growing at an impressive rate - it's expected to surpass the US by 2020. The biggest assets they have are their populations - with over a billion apiece they've got the labour force to outbuild the US easilly, once they've achieved some kind of technological parity.

It's growing but there's the problem that their population is not sustainable, there are alot more men than woman in China, with male births outstripping female to the point where people are starting to get pissed that they can't find a wife. You can see where that's going.

However, despite the British lead Germany was still able to build a fleet capable of challenging the Royal Navy, to the extent of forcing the perminant concentration of the Grand Fleet in the North Sea to counter the Hochseeflotte. A single lucky (for the Germans) encounter could have smashed a detatchment of the Grand Fleet and handed superiority to the Germans. On land, Britain never had a chance of taking on the German army single-handed, because of the German industrial and population superiority - the same advantages China will have, or already has over the US. Overall, Britain's military position was considerably weaker than Germany's at the outbreak of the First World War - as shown by the fact that Germany held off three major powers almost single-handedly, and was only ultimately forced to accept defeat by the entry of the entry of the United States.

They could challenge the British Fleet but there wasn't much hope for a victory. Yes the battlecruiser squadron got mauled at Jutland but from several accounts, the German guns on their battleships were not powerful enough to reliably penetrate British armour. A few were lost to cordite flash but that's unrelated.

[Sionnach Glic]

Same reason the Soviets did. To spread communism.

The Cold War has been over for the last decade and a half. China is moving away from communism, as are most former communist countries. The only serious communist country in the modern world is North Korea. China has no interest in that sort of thing any more, and they never did in the first place.

This all started as me explaining why China would want to take over Cuba.

And you still haven't given a good reason.

[Blackstar the Chakat]

This all started as me explaining why China would want to take over Cuba.

And you still haven't given a good reason.

It would give them a tacticle advantage if they invaded the US. Or any country with an Atlantic coast for that matter. The US would crush them, but there are some other countrys in South America for example that could be easily defeated.

[Aaron]

It would give them a tacticle advantage if they invaded the US. Or any country with an Atlantic coast for that matter. The US would crush them, but there are some other countrys in South America for example that could be easily defeated.

Why do that when you can buy what you want? China's been investing everywhere the US hasn't for a few years now.

[Captain Seafort]

It's growing but there's the problem that their population is not sustainable, there are alot more men than woman in China, with male births outstripping female to the point where people are starting to get pissed that they can't find a wife. You can see where that's going.

True, China's 53.9% male at the moment, compared with 51.4% worldwide, the current rate of growth isn't sustainable, and they will ultimately have problems with an ageing population. The population will, however, continue to rise, and since China already has a massive population advantage over the US (somewhere between 4-1 and 5-1), they don't have to be as productive in order to surpass the US economy.

They could challenge the British Fleet but there wasn't much hope for a victory. Yes the battlecruiser squadron got mauled at Jutland but from several accounts, the German guns on their battleships were not powerful enough to reliably penetrate British armour. A few were lost to cordite flash but that's unrelated.

Their guns weren't powerful enough to inflict serious damage with a single hit, but the concentrated fire of the entire Hochseeflotte against an isolated British force could inflict very serious damage, as happened to HMS Warspite at Jutland. This almost happened to the Battlecruiser Force at Jutland, but Scheer's minor panic when he heard of the Queen Elizabeths' presence scuttled the plan. Repeated as necessary, this would reduce the Grand Fleet to a force that could be taken on and defeated in a full fleet action.

[Sionnach Glic]

It would give them a tacticle advantage if they invaded the US.

Yeah. For a whole five minutes, until any base they have on Cuba is leveled.

Or any country with an Atlantic coast for that matter. The US would crush them, but there are some other countrys in South America for example that could be easily defeated.

And just why would they want these countries?

[Aaron]

Well lets not divert the thread any further. It's pretty well established that China can't do anything and won't be able to for a good while.