Chinese citizens living in Chengdu, lead the Tung Chi Huei, went on strike over the Qing Dynasty's agreement with foreign nations to build a railroad through the Sichuan Province, after businesses there had raised $20,000,000 to build it themselves.
It was the beginning of a revolutionary era in China that would not end until 1949. . . or maybe it hasn't ended yet. Suffice it to say, it was the beginning of events so massive that even now we do not know how they will work out, over a century later.
It's proof that what often seems regional, and even minor, can end up global, and epic.
As if Mexico didn't have enough on its hands, the United States officially rejected the award of the Chamizal Arbitration.
From the New York Times on this day?
Why? Well, they were Jewish, that's it. Russia was h eavily anti semitic.
What a world, and the good old days. Massive disturbance in China, revolution in Mexico, pogroms in Russian, and petty border disputes.
The first ever sculpture of a butter cow was displayed at the Iowa State Fair.
You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom
Matthew, Chapter 24.
Stupidity is a more dangerous enemy of the good than malice.
The U.S. Senate advanced Russian energy sanctions legislation Tuesday as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited the Capitol. The vote was seen as a tribute to the bill’s author, the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, on the day of his funeral, which was widely attended by politicos.
Trump fell asleep during it as J. D. Vance seemed oblivious to the dozing octogenarian and Bessent looked nervous about it, but then he always looks nervous.
July 31, 2026
Israeli Hamas War
The Bored of Peas has supposedly worked out a peace plan in Gaza. Sober analysts a 4th Grade level have severe doubts about it.
August 1, 2026
Russo Ukrainian War
Now Trump is backtracking and saying the US won't license Patriot missile production to Ukraine.
August 2, 2026
Russo Ukrainian War
Ukraine has run out of ballistic missile interceptors. This comes at the same time that the US supply is seriously depleted due to Donald Trump's illegal moronic war against Iran.
King Donny should free up what remains of the US supply and give them to Ukraine, and start emergency production for the US. As for Iran, we can solve that problem simply by pulling out. Better yet, pulling out, putting every senior commander who agreed to fight in a clearly illegal war on trial, and impeaching Donald Trump.
Crisis in Ceuta
Not a war but requiring Spanish military deployment, a mass flood of immigrants crashed into the Spanish North African city of Ceuta.
About 50,000 North African immigrants stormed the city, leading to dramatic news footage and MAGA "see, it could happen here" claims. Missed in the story is that 48,000 of them returned to Morocco within 48 hours.
A bigger question may be why Spain retains a city that you would figure should be part of Morocco, but it does.
Italy defensively suspended the EU's border-free Schengen arrangements with Spain.
August 10, 2026
Israel v. Hamas.
Israel had rejected the "Board of Peace" peace plan, refusing to enter into a peace deal with Hamas until it is definitely disarmed.
Another blow to King Donny.
August 17, 2026
Russo Ukrainian War
Both sides exchanged heavy missile and drone attacks yesterday. A NATO jet on patrol shot down a drone that had strayed into Romania.
August 18, 2026
Russo Ukrainian War
Robert Shaheiev, 49, formerly of the Ukrainian Navy who defected to Russia early in the war died in an explosion in Sevastopol.
Whether he was targeted or not, Ukrainian operatives have proven effective at hunting down figures in the Russian military that they find particularly responsible for various matters. Shaheiev defected with a submarine.
Korean War
Donald Trump has signaled that the US is going to scale back it's participation in joint exercises with the South Korean Army.
What's going on here is terribly unclear. The US has maintained troops in the ROK since the 1945 and the threat of North Korean invasion is very real.
I should note that this isn't entirely unprecedented. Jimmy Carter actually campaigned on the idea in 1976 and tried to implement a phased withdrawal, which was abandoned over conservative and military objections. Since the 1980s, military support of South Korea has been very strong.
Trumps move comes at a time when the US is losing an illegal war with Iran and is having to pull naval assets out of the Pacific. It also comes at a point at which the longtime Red Chinese goal of forcibly reunited Taiwan with the mainland is at its highest point. Combined with that, Trump's administration is packed with National Conservatives who have a sort of Neo Nineteenth Century view of where the U.S.'s foreign policy should be focused.
Given that, Trump's decision could be the result of his listening to National Conservatives, or it could be because or logistical situation is much worse than admitted.
It could also be because South Korea refused to participate in the illegal war, like every other nation on earth did. Trump has not taken that well. Nobody seems to be pointing out that South Korea did participate in the Vietnam War, which Trump did not. Trump himself, at any rate, referenced South Korea's lack of willingness to get into the losing war with Iran.
We've noted it elsewhere, but we've been worried about a Chinese strike on Taiwan in the near future. The combination of the failed Iran War and Trump's other actions make that inevitable . The question is whether that will come this Fall, or next Spring.
I don't think so, but it's no longer an irrational thing to ask. Indeed, it has to be at least slightly pondered.
Yesterday Trump announced that the U.S. Army is scaling back on joint exercises with the South Korean Military. More specifically:
I just think that this shows Trump to be really dumb, something I've been maintaining for awhile.
But still, consider that North Korea is supplying troops and arms to Russia in Ukraine. At least at one point, he apparently promised to stop the CIA from monitoring Kim Jong Un (my guess is that the CIA would continue to do it even if ordered to stop). He's praised the North Korean despot repeatedly.
But then, he's done the same with Putin.
And the fact of the matter is that he couldn't have done more to harm the US in the globe than he has, even if he was a paid agent. He's wrecking the US economy, he's destroying our relationship with our allies (our real allies), he's threatened to seize territory belonging to our allies. He's refused to give Ukraine the full amount of weapons it needs to defend itself, which aids Russia, and he's gotten us into a war which is depleting our supply of air defense munitions at an alarming rate and taxing the abilities of our Navy.
China will take advantage of this.
In order to successfully invade Taiwan, China needs relatively calm weather conditions, which only occur in that region in the spring and fall. Spring is gone, but fall is coming right up. The war with Iraq that Trump illegally launched will still be going on in October and our supply of anti missile missiles will not have increased a bit by then. It will likely have have grown worse. The morale problem in the Navy (assuming its limited to the Navy, which is not a safe assumption) will be worse by October.
Consider this.
Right now, the US can't be reliably counted on to contest a Chinese invasion of Taiwan at all. Donald Trump could easily just say "oh, well, we're busy, and things and stuff" and let it happen. Frankly, I'd give less than 50% odds the US would actually attempt to counter a Chinese resumption of active hostilities against Taiwan, and unlike 1949, when the Republicans rallied to "Who lost China?" the current GOP would just roll over like a wet dog if that occured.
But let's assume that the US attempts to do something. We are still probably able to counter a Chinese seaborne effort, but we aren't going to be in very good shape to counter a missile offensive.
Crossing the Taiwan Strait is a massive military undertaking. Even right now China can probably not pull it off. But it can try it, and if it does, the US can't endure a protracted aerial campaign. Its not even showing the ability to do it with Iran, and that war will still be going on.
But let's take it one more step. Can the US fight a sea and air war against China, an air war against Iran, and a ground invasion by North Korea of South Korea?
It's questionable. And all those countries know that.
And Putin knows that if that occurs, U.S. aid to Ukraine is over.
The Second World War saw Nazi Germany allied to Imperial Japan and democratic Finland. Wars make strange bedfellows. All of these countries have relations with each other, and you can bet they're talking.
So, do I think the American President is some sort of odd agent in Russian employment? Дональд Трамп. Нелегалы? No, I don't, but I do think he's stupid, and that stupidity is having disastrous consequences that are about to get much, much worse. Much worse by October of this year, or perhaps the spring of next year. Indeed, waiting it out would make strategic sense for China, while hitting in October would make political sense.
Creepy
Trump's relationship with Natalie Harp is approaching being creepy.
We can assume that Harp is an adoring sycophant, as to be employed by Trump, you have to be. But still. She apparently wrote him, stating:" You are all that matters to me." and "I don’t ever want to let you down."
Trump calls her “sweetie".
Okay, that doesn't mean that he's obtaining favors from her, but given Trump's track record, it's going to raise questions. Trump is rumored to have had an affair with Playboy tart Karen McDougal some 20 years ago, when he was 60. 60 isn't young (trust me, I'm 63) but it isn't old either. That's the same age he was when he reportedly had a one night stand with Stormy Daniels. He'd been married in the American context to Melanija Knavs for two years at the time. So if he quit cheating, we have to assume that at age 60 he was fornicating with women prostituting their image for pay (which he denies) twice and then suddenly reformed.
Maybe.
Well, being a lech at age 60 isn't the same thing as being one at 80. Harp is 35 and the 45 year age gap would be super creepy and just flat out too creepy for any woman of that age to engage in who wasn't um, a professional. Besides, at this point it's fairly well established that Trump has an incomitance problem and stinks a lot of the time.
No, Harp is just another creepy fan of Trump's, seeing something in him that isn't there.
And, speaking of creepy.
Nancy Mace has been weird for a while, but she's rocketing to the bottom.
And even creepier.
A Trump speech from two days ago in front of policemen:
Every day I come to the White House, people are thanking me: ‘Thank you, sir. Thank you, thank you, sir,'
You know these young, beautiful girls. These young, beautiful girls. These young, beautiful girls in the White House. You know they come in. Now I'm not supposed to say beautiful, but what the hell?
These young, these gorgeous, beautiful girls — they want to be safe, and they come, 'Mr. President, may I speak to you? Thank you, sir. Thank you’ — I said, ‘Why are you thanking me?’
’Because a year and a half ago, I was afraid to leave. I was afraid to open the door of my apartment, and now I walk to the White House every morning, and I have absolutely no fear.’
Donald Trump.
That never happened, and it's really creepy. Young beautiful adoring women are coming to Donald Trump and thanking him for making things safe. . . no, they are not.
Some predictions
Well, with all that cheery news, what can we say?
Just this. Things are about to get a lot worse. As we progress into the fall the oncoming electoral disaster for the GOP is going to become more and more of a crisis for Trump, and he's going to start doing anything he can to steal the election if not outright suspend it. A war we are losing will still be going on. The economy is going to start tanking. Trump's mental state will continue to visibly decline. Republicans in Congress will continue to do nothing, if not outright support the subversion of democracy.
Direct Action Day in British India, intended to be a peaceful demonstration in favor of carving out Muslim Pakistan, turned violent resulting in more than 10,000 people being killed around Calcutta.
The Muslim minority of India was adamantly opposed to being if a federation with India's Hindu majority, something that's understandable if we consider that Indian itself is a country, but not a nation. The hope of the Muslims, at the time, was to carve out what is today Pakistan and Bangladesh into one country.
Bangladesh became independent of Pakistan, from which it differs ethnically, in 1971. I can recall it very dimly occuring.
On the same day, in the same country, the All Hyderabad Trade Union Congress (AHTUC) was formed. It was a trade union center in the Hyderabad State which was affiliated to the All India Trade Union Congress and which was aligned with the Communist Party of India.
It's easy for us to forget how strong Communism was in unions, even in some in the United States. The real kind, I might add, not the Mike Johnson, "oh my, . . .they'd rather have national health care than die in the gutter so I'm pissing my pants" sort of stuff the GOP comes up with.
Anyhow, it was very strong in Australian trade unions, where it was opposed by the Catholic Church, which is one of the reasons the Australian political left still hates the Church to this day.
The Kurdistan Democratic Party was founded in Iraq by Mustafa Barzani.
Today the party is the ruling party in Iraqi Kurdistan and the senior partner in the Kurdistan Regional Government. The ideology of the party is based on conservatism, secularism, and Kurdish nationalism.
Kurdistan really should be an independent country.
The deposed former and last emperor of China, Puyi, later emperor of Manchukuo, testifies at the Tokyo Military Tribunal
Chinese Communists and U.S. Marines engaged in hostilities in Anping, China. Four Marines and 15 Chinese Communists were killed.
Tensions between the American military mission to China, which had very unclear directives, and the Communist Chinese were increasing.
First group picture of the International Justices of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East since Major General Myron Cramer took the place of Justice Higgins on the bench. Seated, left to right, Justice Patrick, Great Britain; Justice Cramer, United States; Chief Justice Webb, Australia; Justice Mei, China; Justice Zaryanov, Russia. Standing, left to right: Justice Pal, India; Justice Roling, Netherlands; Justice McDougall, Canada; Justice Bernard, France; Justice Northcroft, New Zealand; Justice Jaranilla, Philippine Islands.
The "Report of the Joint Committee on the Investigation of the Pearl Harbor Attack" was released. The report absolved the administration from conspiring to bring about the Japanese attack and assigned blame to Admiral Husband E. Kimmel and Lt. Gen. Walter C. Short.
U.S. Senators Homer Ferguson and Owen Brewster dissented, taking the position that President Roosevelt and his military advisors "were just as responsible for the nation's worst military disaster".
Red Chinese forces reached the region of Zhao Family's River (Zhao Jia Chuan, 赵家川) with little in the way of Nationalist forces to impede their further advance.
The National Revolutionary Army took the capital of Hunan, Changsha.
French World War One veterans marched in protest of the Mellon-Berenger Agreement (or Accord Mellon-Bérenger) on the repayment of the French war debt to the United States.
The first German Grand Prix was held.
The Tribune was reporting on a lightning caused disaster that had happened the day prior.
The Kuomintang launched the Northern Expedition against the internationally recognized Beiyang government and regional warlords. Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek was in charge of its Soviet advised National Revolutionary Army.
Chiang Kai-shek launched a nationwide offensive against the Red Chinese designed to take control of the entire country. A sign that things might not go well occurred when Nationalist pilot Liu Shanben defected to the Communists with a B-24 Liberator.
The Nationalist Army had the edge on paper. It was larger and much better equipped. It also had more combat experience, the Red Chinese having sat out much of the Second World War. The Nationalist also had the benefit of various degrees of U.S. training, and oddly enough, German training before that.
World War Two vintage U.S. poster depicting a Nationalist soldier and his family. The soldier is accurately depicted in a Nationalist uniform, which was based on German uniforms, including the iconic German feldmutze. He's carrying a 98 rifle, although the straight bolt handle would indicate that it is not a K98k, many of which were supplied to the Nationalist by Nazi Germany. The rifle instead is a Mauser Standardmodell, a commercial predecessor to the K98k, or perhaps a Chinese made copy. Of course, this is just an illustration but it's likely based on photographs. By this point in 1946 many Chinese troops had American equipment of various types, but many infantrymen remained equipped just like this. Indeed, Chinese soldiers were more likely to carry Mauser bolt actions than any other rifle.
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