The tensions China has with the United States over several issues could lead to a conflict of world war 3 proportions. With tensions rising over the highly-disputed South China Sea, China has recently increased its presence over the waters in a warning to the US.
The China Maritime Safety Administration released a notice (via Express) confirming the month-long military drill in a three-mile radius area, west of the Leizhou Peninsula in Guangdong. The notice added that other ships are not allowed to enter the area for the meantime as the People’s Liberation Army carries out their drills. State media broadcasted footage of the drills, supposedly a result of the US’ decision to deploy aircraft and naval carriers not only in the South China Sea but in the East China Sea as well.
The notice also highlights China’s need to safeguard the disputed waters that the nation claims to have historic sovereignty over. The US and other surrounding nations and its allies in the West have strongly opposed the claims, especially after a 2016 arbitration saying that there is no basis for China to claim almost the entire area. Aside from the US’ deployment of vessels and aircraft carriers, France has also entered the region by deploying an assault ship and frigate that are expected to patrol the waters.
“We will not lose an inch of our land left to us by our ancestors. We are determined to maintain the peace and stability of the South China Sea. We oppose any nations creating tensions and stepping up military presence under the name of freedom of navigation,” the notice said.
Decades ago, during World War II, one of Nazi Germany’s famous generals named Erwin Rommel, was said to have acquired almost $30 million in gold bullion and other precious items from Jews in Tunisia. It has never been recovered even after the war, but the “Lost Stories of WW2” Youtube channel revealed how this mystery was made known, thanks to the accounts of one of Rommel’s men, 21-year-old engineer and diver Peter Fleig.
Fleig was sent on a mission to transport six metal crates, that were discovered by his superior officer Captain Dahl in an abandoned German barracks. Along with three other lieutenants, Fleig swore to secrecy before finding out they were to bring these six metal crates back to Germany. However, the Allied forces that were in the skies made it risky for the men to bring in the crates and were made to travel by sea instead to join a convoy that was on the way to La Spezia, Italy. “When they arrived, however, the convoy had already left.”