By continuing you agree to eChinacities's Privacy Policy .
Sign up with Google Sign up with FacebookQ: Was the Great Wall actually a great failure?
I had the chance to go up that thing this weekend, and the whole time I couldn't help but marvel at the scale of such an accomplishment, and at how it had ultimately failed.
Was the Great Wall like a Beta version of the Maginaud Line in France during WWII? Did it ever really work?
Yes and No the great wall was supposed to be like five times the size it is and cover the hole boarder look at the a map of china and then look at the great wall not even close. The government stopped funding it because the general and adviser responsible for it where though to be planning to take over china because of the vast power they bought held. Though it sent a message and the general and adviser responsible for it strengthened he military and organize a proper army to protect china so yes and no
Jíliú.hé:
Most the people who built it where soldiers who farmed government land and trades men and prisoners who would have been sentence to death
Well, it could be considered a failure from the point of view of the 20% of the countries population that was worked to death while making it.
Or it could be considered a failure because it never actually stopped an invading army. The 2 invasions the took place both circumvented the wall by paying off a local general or two that just opened the gates for them.
But, if you look beyond the deaths and the failure to achieve its primary purpose, it could be considered a success. I say success because of the billions of dollars in tourist money it brings in every year. And after all, money is more important than anything.
It was successful as a big wall, a failure at it's intended purpose.
I can't help but think Tuong Lu Kim (the City Wok owner in Southpark) is about to show up on here and post "You tore down my shitty wall! I pour sweet and sour pork on you!!"
Jíliú.hé:
Goddammit every time us chinese put up a wall damn mongolians have to put it down stupid mongolians
It did help one red cent when the British came now did it?
opium wars anybody
Shining_brow:
but, it wasn't designed to defend a sea attack, but a land attack from the north...
nowadays you saw the rest of Great Wall building in Ming dynasty, it is used to against mongolian and Manchurian(the ruler of Qing dynasty). as a protect building which is very useful.because the Ming's military too weak to fight with stronger horse enemys. the Great Wall provide good advantages for Ming's army. they can use artillery to kill those riders
MrTibbles:
Or just throw them a sack of coins to pass right on through.