We at History, Rinse, & Repeat pride ourselves on finding lesser-known historical events that are comparable to news reported today. The more obscure the historical event, the more self-satisfied we feel. But sometimes, we confess, the analogies are so obvious that they seemingly smack us in the face. One such example is the spate of recent articles regarding the so-called Chinese Spy Balloon. What interests us is not the Balloon itself (balloons have been used for military purposes for over two hundred years, since the wars of the French Revolution), but the political firestorm this simple Balloon has instigated. This firestorm calls to mind another time when a foreign regime launched a device into US airspace for reconnaissance purposes – Sputnik I.
Excellent article. Another point: Just as with Sputnik, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Soviets buckled in large measure because of the overwhelming military superiority of the US. We are still probably ahead of the Chinese, but not in every area, and not so obviously. We need to maintain and increase our capabilities.
Excellent article. Another point: Just as with Sputnik, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Soviets buckled in large measure because of the overwhelming military superiority of the US. We are still probably ahead of the Chinese, but not in every area, and not so obviously. We need to maintain and increase our capabilities.