A Short History Lesson

Have you ever heard of the Opium Wars? The first Opium War was fought from 1839 to 1842. It started because the British had a balance of trade deficit with China until the British started exporting opium to China from their Indian plantations. Understandably the Chinese objected to this and when the arrested British opium dealers the British went to war and won. The second Opium War included the French who wanted in on the profits. The US was late to the game but after we had finished stealing North America from the First Nations we were ready to move out into the world so we came up with the Open Door Policy which meant everyone got a equal share of the spoils. And get in on the spoils we did. Many of the famous and respected of Yankee families got their start in the Chinese opium trade . Remember this the next time some politician blathers on about the ‘Drug War’.