The Peace on The Horizon - 75 Years after The World War 2 in the Middle East(5)

 

(Japanese Version)

(Arabic Version)

 

(contents)

 

Prologue (5)

 

005. Middle East connecting Europe and Asia (3/3)

Europeans desired to trade with South Asia, South East Asia and Far East countries without brokerage by Ottoman Empire. But the onshore route had to pass through the soil of Ottoman Empire. Free trade was hindered in those days. During the 15th century to the 17th century, the biggest reason why European countries embarked on the ocean was to get peppers and tea at coastal countries of Indian Ocean or to obtain gold, silver and China pottery from Japan (Zipang). Europeans found the offshore route instead of onshore route through the Cape Hope at the southern tip of African Continent by sailing ship. Age of Discovery has begun.

 

European countries advanced from South Asia to Far East Asia along the coast of the Indian Ocean and South China Sea. It was an invasion from one port to another. The Age of Discoveries was an age of trading. At that time European countries themselves did not have own bartering goods to export to India, Southeast Asia and Java. Europeans purchased local products at one port and resell them at another port resulting big margin. Sometimes they looted the precious products from the local and brought them back to home. Many merchants got huge wealth. Western people have achieved industrial revolution with accumulated wealth and made weapons in the 19^th century. Colonization of Asia by arms has started.

 

Ottoman Empire gradually eroded through Western colonial invasion. France opend the Suez Canal in 1869. The UK became a substantial ruler of the Suez Canal afterwards. The new route, from the Mediterranean to the Suez Canal and then through the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean, has been secured. The reign of Asia by Western powers has been established. Ottoman Empire was defeated in the First World War. The Asian region from the Middle East to Southeast Asia was dominated by Western colonialists of the UK, France and the Netherlands. They monopolized the wealth of Asia.

 

(To be continued ----)

 

Areha Kazuya

(From an ordinary citizen in the cloud)