South China Sea Military Bases

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  • čas přidán 17. 03. 2023
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Komentáře • 868

  • @megaprojects9649
    @megaprojects9649  Před rokem +27

    Thanks to Keeps for sponsoring this video! Head to keeps.com/MEGAPROJECTS to get a special offer.

    • @ChIGuY-town22_
      @ChIGuY-town22_ Před rokem +2

      Hell yeah!

    • @ernest_j._maple
      @ernest_j._maple Před rokem +2

      now time to talk about the Uyghurs

    • @bradz9413
      @bradz9413 Před rokem +2

      I expect this video reports Obamas monumental incompetence regarding this future changing strategic gift!!

    • @hengchoon4082
      @hengchoon4082 Před rokem +2

      It definitely didn't work for Simon

    • @wildfire8126
      @wildfire8126 Před rokem

      @@ernest_j._maple Do talk about Native American Indians and Black lives matter? Can't help to laughing my ? off!

  • @RobBoudreau
    @RobBoudreau Před rokem +121

    Thinking of building on water, an idea for a future Megaproject could be the Mulberry Harbors built by the Allies in WWII. Once the beaches of Normandy were taken, they needed to get tons of men and equipment into Normandy. The Germans held all the major French ports, so the Allies built two of their own. It's an amazing piece of engineering, even the Nazi brass had to admit it was "pure genius". It's an often forgotten part of WWII history, but it was a truly astounding engineering feat.

    • @nolongerblocked6210
      @nolongerblocked6210 Před rokem +8

      I'd luv to see a Megaproject's episode on those ports

    • @kuriea552
      @kuriea552 Před rokem +5

      This needs to be done. Fantastic idea

    • @PRCOM
      @PRCOM Před rokem +5

      Brilliant idea

    • @brianwilson3458
      @brianwilson3458 Před rokem +4

      Yes!

    • @bthsr7113
      @bthsr7113 Před rokem

      Saw a Drachfinel episode on them, and yes, they are insane. Brilliantly insane.

  • @Anthony-qt3wm
    @Anthony-qt3wm Před rokem +15

    The nation equivalent of playing "I'm not touching you" while holding your finger a smidge from your siblings face.

  • @josephshreeves8192
    @josephshreeves8192 Před rokem +82

    Excellent video. One small correction. They claimed as early as 2014 that the islands weren't for military purposes and the first of them had such equipment as early as 2015.

    • @Dept246
      @Dept246 Před rokem +5

      Vietnam occupies the most islands in the the Spratlys at 27.

    • @Bagledog5000
      @Bagledog5000 Před rokem

      @@Dept246
      Good for them, it'll make them harder for China to steal.

    • @lvjinbin28
      @lvjinbin28 Před rokem

      China claims that peaceful use until USA keeps sending warships.

    • @kentershackle1329
      @kentershackle1329 Před rokem +3

      well if ya hv WARSHIP brimming with missles sailing close to ya home, on the pretext Freedom of Navigation. what would you do.. ? sent cakes n baloons?

    • @JA-pn4ji
      @JA-pn4ji Před rokem +8

      The Philippines was the first country in 2013-14 to militarise reefs in the South China Sea. It ran aground a US-supplied coast guard vessel on which it has stationed marines permanently. Vietnam has also built artificial Islands, but because it is not in geopolitical competition with the West, its artificial islands receive little coverage in the Western media.

  • @srdxxx
    @srdxxx Před rokem +82

    Interesting point mentioned in passing, the US Navy conducts 100s of FON operations around the world every year, on friends, allies, and others. (I believe we pretty routinely send submarines through the NW Passage, greatly annoying Canada.) Over the past few years the only ones anyone hears about are the ones in the SCS.
    Edit: IIRC the main issue was that Canada considers the NW Passage an internal waterway, while the US considers it an international passage. The difference is, if Canada is right then they can control who transits the passage, but if the US is right then all ships have the right to transit BUT Canada is still on the hook if any of them get in trouble.
    So, say some cruise ship advertises a magical northern adventure, and eventually sails through the passage, and suddenly sends out an SOS, we're sinking. Its Canada that is supposed to try to get up there a thousand miles from anywhere to rescue hundreds of passengers. Maybe they could take some off by helicopter if they can get up there, and take them where? There's nothing up there. So Canada would need to build Naval or Coast Guard facilities up there, man them and maintain them.
    I can see Canada's point, but I still think the US is right. (BTW, there's also the whole sovereignty thing.)

    • @Mgl1206
      @Mgl1206 Před rokem +12

      The passage through Canada was tense partly because they feared Russian retaliation

    • @josephshreeves8192
      @josephshreeves8192 Před rokem

      There is the rare message of FONOPS in the Persian Gulf. Used to do it by Libya during Gaddafi times as well

    • @Snagprophet
      @Snagprophet Před rokem

      @@Mgl1206 It's mainly because its dangerous and people would bitch every time someone gets stuck and the Canadian taxpayer doesn't want to spend money rescuing some fucking loser no-one cares about.

    • @bluedragontoybash2463
      @bluedragontoybash2463 Před rokem

      Western supremacy must prevail !!

    • @stefanblumhoff2744
      @stefanblumhoff2744 Před rokem +1

      @Ovis Militaris why the hell us fishing boats? Unless it's dredging or within Canadian eec

  • @thickernell
    @thickernell Před rokem +59

    Good discussion of the geopolitical aspects of these islands. But I would like to see a discussion of the geophysical aspects as well, i. e. what really are the practical lifetimes of these artificial islands given the methods used in their construction? Are they going to just erode in twenty years anyway?

    • @TamagoHead
      @TamagoHead Před rokem +3

      Who knows? Climate chang is here. CO2, methane, and non-profitable natural gas duscharges

    • @josephshreeves8192
      @josephshreeves8192 Před rokem +14

      They built them so fast that at least one of these artificial islands has already seen measurable land sinking. I think it was the Mischief Reef station

    • @Snagprophet
      @Snagprophet Před rokem

      Put it this way, the erosion is worse than the fucking UAE palm and world islands. It's so funny that they think they have leverage by building these. Besides the Royal Navy and US go super close to them on the reg to enforce the idea they are not and never will be sovereign

    • @nolongerblocked6210
      @nolongerblocked6210 Před rokem

      If China built it the over/under on their lifespan is 20yrs... I'm taking the under

    • @FluidKaos
      @FluidKaos Před rokem +3

      I'm sure they'll erode/sink faster than Kansai Airport in Osaka has been.

  • @ignitionfrn2223
    @ignitionfrn2223 Před rokem +14

    2:05 - Chapter 1 - Dispute over the spratly islands
    4:00 - Mid roll ads
    5:30 - Chapter 2 - China artificial islands
    8:50 - Chapter 3 - The military installments
    11:10 - Chapter 4 - Strategic purpose
    13:35 - Chapter 5 - Wrap up

  • @OmDesk
    @OmDesk Před rokem +3

    Hey Simon. Awesome video! Could you do about mount weather next pleaseee ?❤

  • @Emcron
    @Emcron Před rokem +361

    as a citizen of an ASEAN nation, I have not wanted a megaproject to fail as hard as this one.

    • @fucker1714
      @fucker1714 Před rokem +50

      Fear not. They'll all be underwater in about 10-15 years from now.

    • @ThatWriterKevin
      @ThatWriterKevin Před rokem +35

      Took me a second to realize you meant the megaproject itself and not the video lol

    • @Emcron
      @Emcron Před rokem +11

      @@ThatWriterKevin lol yes, i’m a faithful SW follower, I only want the best for him and the crew 😆

    • @Hoo88846
      @Hoo88846 Před rokem +55

      Why do you ASEAN nation host so many American military bases surrounding and threatening China?

    • @51dbail
      @51dbail Před rokem +18

      There are reports that the man made islands are sinking slowly😀,

  • @oxtristynxo583
    @oxtristynxo583 Před rokem +5

    have been waiting for this episode☺

  • @robsquared2
    @robsquared2 Před rokem +16

    Just a head's up, I know you won't reupload, but the audio level drops and stays low after the keeps ad.

  • @mchackster805
    @mchackster805 Před rokem +3

    aaah yes, Megaprojects!
    The retirement home for Discovery-channel intro's
    I wove you

  • @wangyewsek
    @wangyewsek Před rokem +3

    Not only china. ASEAN countries too build artificial island with the same system.

  • @TamagoHead
    @TamagoHead Před rokem +5

    Great research and delivery.👍
    In contrast to current commercially feasible exploitation of fossil fuels deposits, there are undersea concentrations of rare elements.
    Israel & Lebanon recently made an agreement to utilize off-shore oil deposits.
    Territorial water laws and RON overlap like a blurry Venn diagram.

  • @Hobbes4ever
    @Hobbes4ever Před rokem +6

    those 50 cent and little pink trolls are going to love this one

  • @dannymartin6079
    @dannymartin6079 Před rokem +1

    Thank you for another great video and helping me learn more and important stuff brilliant

  • @kaiyack
    @kaiyack Před rokem +18

    The smaller bases, like the one on Hughes Reef, are also fascinating. They don’t have airstrips. But they are literal sea forts. Gun turrets, ramparts and radar domes. Vehicle ramps for missile launchers. All on a teeny little dot of reef.

    • @BabyMakR
      @BabyMakR Před rokem +5

      And would take not even one B2s weapon load to make go away. They only have one task. Refuel a first strike raid against enemy targets.

    • @brianwilliams1639
      @brianwilliams1639 Před rokem +3

      The Japanese considered Tarawa and Iwo Jima fortresses and the British thought Singapore impregnable! They were both wrong!

    • @stc2828
      @stc2828 Před rokem +1

      But its not WW2 any more, in case of war those tiny forts would fall to missiles in minutes.

    • @kaiyack
      @kaiyack Před rokem +1

      @@stc2828 hey missiles are great except the problem is those forts most likely have multiple layers of CIWS. Maybe a hyper sonic missile could be used, but those things aren’t plentiful.

    • @BabyMakR
      @BabyMakR Před rokem

      @@kaiyack CIWS are great and all, but they have limited ammunition. These bases aren't meant to survive. They're refuelling bases for CCP to attack civilian populations from.

  • @BradGryphonn
    @BradGryphonn Před rokem +48

    I read somewhere (isn't that always the case?) a month or more ago about satellites showing erosion of some of China's artificial islands. It's probable that currents around the atolls are eating away the base fill from underneath, leading to subsidence on parts of the 'islands'.

    • @toddjohnson5692
      @toddjohnson5692 Před rokem +9

      This is actually true. They haven't been replenishing the sand etc and they are being eaten away.

    • @-Katastrophe
      @-Katastrophe Před rokem +9

      Likely, their bridge connecting Macau etc to the mainland has artificial islands (for sub-sea tunnels), they are eroding pretty badly as well.

    • @rogerpenske2411
      @rogerpenske2411 Před rokem +3

      Must’ve been designed and built by the California board of water resources

    • @didierduplantier8359
      @didierduplantier8359 Před rokem +3

      That’s why you can see their futile attempt to grow some sort of trees on those islands. The cost of desalination sea water to water those trees must not be cheap.

    • @BradGryphonn
      @BradGryphonn Před rokem

      @@didierduplantier8359 True that. You can't mimic nature in ten years in the middle of the ocean.

  • @ericmason349
    @ericmason349 Před rokem +39

    Encounters in the South China Sea have gotten more aggressive. June 2022 a Chinese fighter jet released chaffs in front of an Aussi P-8 patrol aircraft over international water. Had it fouled the Aussie's engines it would have caused a crash.

    • @nolongerblocked6210
      @nolongerblocked6210 Před rokem

      China doesn't want the smoke, they're not remotely ready to battle a near peer nation

    • @easonhuang7117
      @easonhuang7117 Před rokem +25

      Would be nice to hear an Aussie jet crash.

    • @somelokyguy6466
      @somelokyguy6466 Před rokem +23

      @@easonhuang7117 The 50 cent army is here.

    • @pipiqiqi4010
      @pipiqiqi4010 Před rokem +6

      Aussie jet is so rubbish.

    • @thomasdight1267
      @thomasdight1267 Před rokem

      ​@@easonhuang7117 xitler will meet the same fate as Hitler soon enough 🙏

  • @davyotten601
    @davyotten601 Před rokem +3

    3:50 The Netherlands literally created an entire province from the water, surrounded by water, so its an island

  • @JoseFlores-xc7wu
    @JoseFlores-xc7wu Před rokem +16

    I remember a long time ago Japan was making a island to be part of one their airports they even made a couple of documentaries about it i don't remember if it was the history channel or the national geographic channel i always wonder what happen to that men made island cause last time i saw anything about it i think it was sinking

    • @someone243
      @someone243 Před rokem +6

      Kansai International Airport. Still in operation, still seems to be sinking but at a slower rate now

    • @MrGoesBoom
      @MrGoesBoom Před rokem +1

      Yeah I can't recall the name but I know what you're talking about. IIRC they really underestimated the composition of the seabed and it was sinking way more than they expected. Apparently there was a lot of pressure to get things done and ignoring of engineers telling the people in charge that things weren't OK. AFAIK it's still around and operating, but the sinking has only been slowed not stopped

    • @Bagledog5000
      @Bagledog5000 Před rokem +4

      Kansai International! I've flown out of and into it quite a few times. It's sinking, and at some point won't be usable. Hopefully they'll have a new one built by then....

    • @patrickweaver1105
      @patrickweaver1105 Před rokem

      @@Bagledog5000 Nah they'll just do what humans have been doing for millions of years. They'll rebuild on top of it.

    • @xiaomeinv7
      @xiaomeinv7 Před rokem

      几十年前就开始下沉了 拿液压在撑着 可以看看中国的大连金州湾国际机场,也是海上填海造陆的

  • @lucasholcomb643
    @lucasholcomb643 Před rokem +1

    I want to see an episode on that dredger ship now.

  • @jasonjuneau2948
    @jasonjuneau2948 Před rokem +3

    What size of pool? Olympic swimming pools? Regular everyday yard pools?

  • @janissaryone1906
    @janissaryone1906 Před rokem +7

    The problems with island forts are they're static and can easily be destroyed by smart munitions. You don't need to locate them to form a kill chain. Next problem is with resupply. In any conflict, the sea/air routes will be contested. There's very high risk of running resupply ships to get to those islands without them being sunk by planes/ships/submarines. As the Japanese learned in WW2, just because you built a strongpoint in the ocean, doesn't mean the enemy has to attack it. The US island hopping strategy show you can just bypass them and let them wither away on their own. I can say for sure the US won't even need to attack those islands, they'll just stick a task force down in the Malacca straight and China will be done.

    • @feedayeen
      @feedayeen Před rokem

      They will be valuable resupply and maintenance bases until the missiles arrive. But the navy and air force will need to defend those islands instead of attacking Taiwan or another Pacific island nation. But these are also in the wrong location, most are within the Spratly Islands a thousand miles from a hypothetical Taiwan war and it is a small hindrance to using Australia or the Philippines as a base.

    • @Dept246
      @Dept246 Před rokem

      Militarily in a war these islands are useless. They are more for China’s claims to the fishing rights and oil resources in the surrounding waters. The Hague ruled in 2016 that small islands are not entitled to a 200 miles exclusive economic zone EEZ.

    • @lvjinbin28
      @lvjinbin28 Před rokem

      why US failed to contain China in Korean War and Vietnam War? why you want to 'I can't breathe' China? it's white Japanese try to invade China again?

    • @AG-GA
      @AG-GA Před rokem

      yes They are the tomb stones of AmericanDream. Freedom of navigation is for civilian vesilles always true but never for forigne warship especilly us navy. roll back to your own coastal.FK. Lots of idiot want take or destory the island , they are forget Korean war Vietman war Afganistan war . The truth is US only dare and able to bully tiny counties. Queen of GB was gone. US is the next. Gone with the wind. RIH (rot in hell) . is tomahawk LGBTQXYZ? they must good at fk themself. yes Something has to give eventually.American are good at kill native indian but chinese are good at k american.

  • @TheWebstaff
    @TheWebstaff Před rokem +2

    I get that sinking feeling..
    Like when you build an island on sand and it sinks..

  • @henryrepton2957
    @henryrepton2957 Před rokem

    I suggest you do an video on Egypt's new capital in 2 days

  • @galladesamurai2380
    @galladesamurai2380 Před rokem +22

    Feel like I'm about to play battlefield 4 and drop in onto Paracel Islands

    • @dannymartin6079
      @dannymartin6079 Před rokem +8

      I am running air support boys ✈️

    • @Dr.RichardBanks
      @Dr.RichardBanks Před rokem +5

      Such a decent map. Highly underrated

    • @cyrusthegreat7030
      @cyrusthegreat7030 Před rokem

      Glory to China

    • @Mgl1206
      @Mgl1206 Před rokem

      @@cyrusthegreat7030 with a diminishing economy, increasing oppression, and a demographic crisis? They’ll need it but I doubt wishes will fix anything.

    • @Dr.RichardBanks
      @Dr.RichardBanks Před rokem

      @@cyrusthegreat7030 Taiwan 🇹🇼 is a country.

  • @InsTance888
    @InsTance888 Před rokem +2

    I now wanna see it blow out. Would make a good fireworks show.

  • @oxylepy2
    @oxylepy2 Před rokem +19

    In before the CCP gets mad at google and Simon is forced to appologize.
    Free Tibet.

    • @badluck5647
      @badluck5647 Před rokem +3

      This isn't the NBA.

    • @Mgl1206
      @Mgl1206 Před rokem

      @@badluck5647 CZcams actively demonetize and age restricts videos that talk bad about China.

    • @oxylepy2
      @oxylepy2 Před rokem +2

      ​​@@badluck5647 XD😂😅😂😂

    • @lvjinbin28
      @lvjinbin28 Před rokem

      free Tibet? CIA tried in 1950s but failed, because republican Nixon kowtowed to Mao.

    • @pushslice
      @pushslice Před rokem

      I hope unlike legions of others , Simon stays strong and doesn’t simp to the Hissyfit-masters in Beijing.

  • @X_Peak
    @X_Peak Před 10 měsíci

    Mega Projects video suggestion: Aerial Refueling

  • @joelh2800
    @joelh2800 Před rokem

    why don't u do a video on the type 055d destroyer

  • @keithhinke3277
    @keithhinke3277 Před rokem +3

    I heard some of the islands were slipping back into the sea.

  • @Obliticus
    @Obliticus Před rokem

    Looks like I will be eating a bit more popcorn while waiting for the next cyclone to take out these islands

  • @martijnh333
    @martijnh333 Před rokem +7

    Is it larger then Flevoland?
    2.412,31 km²

  • @Lycan_phoenix
    @Lycan_phoenix Před rokem +1

    It's crazy to think that Tom Clancy wrote SSN (and there was an pc game of it too) about China launching a war ove the Stratlery Islands decades ago

    • @msd835
      @msd835 Před rokem

      well, there have been several sea battles between Vietnam and China fighting over South China Sea islands since 1970s.

  • @MrLuhuazhao
    @MrLuhuazhao Před rokem +2

    you may not like it, building an island in the sea is a great idea and it is not illegal!

  • @MrSparky4101
    @MrSparky4101 Před rokem +27

    In before the CCP shuts this video down.

    • @me0101001000
      @me0101001000 Před rokem

      incoming wumao mass report soon

    • @conveyor2
      @conveyor2 Před rokem +4

      In before the USofA shuts this video down.

    • @golferorb
      @golferorb Před rokem +3

      ​@@conveyor2 Simon loves American propaganda so he doesn't need to worry about that.

    • @Mgl1206
      @Mgl1206 Před rokem +8

      @@golferorb he’s west biased, not propaganda. Also hard to like a country that’s actively committing genocide.

    • @Mgl1206
      @Mgl1206 Před rokem +3

      @@conveyor2 … why would the USA do that? Literally more beneficial to them.

  • @steveyountz9184
    @steveyountz9184 Před rokem +2

    9:43.......Hard to believe that is a newly created island. Think someone borrowed a
    picture from a land base......

  • @winzracingNZ
    @winzracingNZ Před rokem

    Also Pacifica... Tonga etc ripe for the picking

  • @siertje100
    @siertje100 Před rokem +15

    @Megaprojects: Maybe I got lost in conversion here but according to the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, the islands have a total size of 3200 acres, which is about 12 square kilometers... that's not that much.
    The Netherlands alone has an artificial island that's almost a thousand square kilometers.

    • @jeffdroog
      @jeffdroog Před rokem

      What I understood through research,is that's the naturally occurring islands sizes.Information I found about the artificial islands,explains somewhere close to 1000 NEW hectares being added since 2013.Still didn't find conclusive information to prove its the largest artificial island project,as suggested by the video,but definitely much larger then that.

    • @Moscatinka
      @Moscatinka Před rokem +1

      Based on the info on wikipedia and the images in this video there is no way that these islands even come close to the combined polder areas of Flevoland, Schouwen-Duiveland, Noord & Zuid Beveland, etc. So presumably they don't count those as islands for some obscure technical or semantic reason. Probably since the Dutch islands are all connected by land bridges. Which are also artificial.

    • @jeffdroog
      @jeffdroog Před rokem

      @Moscatinka I wasn't aware they had land bridges...That's literally not an island lol Maybe that's why they're making these claims.

    • @marktg98
      @marktg98 Před rokem +1

      ​@@jeffdroogSouthern Flevoland has no land bridges, only steel and concrete ones. Source: I've lived on it my entire life.

    • @Moscatinka
      @Moscatinka Před rokem

      @@marktg98 Well the point probably is that the "Randmeren" at the south and east of Zuid-Flevoland are considered separate lakes (because their levels can be individually controlled through sluices and dams with inlets). Like I said, it's semantics, but it's not the first time I heard the claim that the Dutch islands aren't real islands. I lived in Schouwen-Duiveland myself, it's connected through the Brouwersdam, but that has an inlet. So when does a dam with an inlet become a bridge? I don't know either, for all intents and purposes other than the record books, they are all just artificial islands reclaimed from the sea.

  • @suspicionofdeceit
    @suspicionofdeceit Před rokem

    Doesn’t look like Keeps is working for this gentleman.

  • @thingsthatgoboom7501
    @thingsthatgoboom7501 Před rokem +1

    How do these new islands have so many trees?

  • @Michael362yt
    @Michael362yt Před rokem +2

    Quick one guys...If you were asked to name your favorite youtuber and your favorite trader, who would it be? I'll go first. Megaprojects and Nathaniel Henry Cooke

  • @csonracsonra9962
    @csonracsonra9962 Před rokem

    I know of one mega project you've covered that could erase those islands in one fly over

  • @douglassauvageau7262
    @douglassauvageau7262 Před rokem

    As you very incisively observe, the question is 'WHY'. Once motives are overtly / honestly revealed, a multi-national convention of cooperation might forestall conflict.

  • @TamagoHead
    @TamagoHead Před rokem +8

    West Point was founded around the Army Corps of Engineers.
    -
    I might still have some Looney Tunes ACME (American Corp of BBC Manufacturing Engineers) tools.
    -
    Navy see-bees did island building stuff in WWII in during war.
    -
    Japan recently deployed 500+ personnel to an unoccupied Okinawa island for air warning & ballistic defense. 😮

  • @motowntaiwan9079
    @motowntaiwan9079 Před rokem +2

    The International Court of Justice ruled that the Uk's continued occupation of the Chagos Archipelago is illegal and by extension the US's lease on the Diego Garcia Atoll where it has built a huge military base. The UK and the US has completely ignored the ICJ ruling because as "western powers" that is their right. China on the other hand has to follow rules dictated by "the west". China's navy should challenge the US's illegal occupation of the Hawaiian Kingdom whose internationally recognized government was overthrown by the US and then UNILATERALLY annexed by an act of the US congress.

  • @user-ge8yn4ql4i
    @user-ge8yn4ql4i Před rokem +1

    That Chinese built Spratly island is bigger than Flevoland? Impressive.

  • @patrickweaver1105
    @patrickweaver1105 Před rokem +1

    "Fixed fortifications are monuments to man's stupidity." -George Patton

  • @oopsmybad8160
    @oopsmybad8160 Před rokem +3

    You should do 1 on if America and China team up to take eastern Russia. China gets the natural resources it need America gets the northern straights.

  • @luting3
    @luting3 Před rokem

    True Oversea military bases.

  • @gerald1495
    @gerald1495 Před rokem +3

    now make a video on US bases around the world

  • @littleshopofelectrons4014

    I have read that the next huge cyclone will basically wipe out these artificial islands.

  • @boriss.861
    @boriss.861 Před rokem

    Si if you''re going to plug Keeps prove it works or the Snake Oil it probably is! p.s and I;m one with MPB (male pattern baldness)

  • @oldscratch3535
    @oldscratch3535 Před rokem +1

    These islands will be gone in 20 years due to water erosion and weather. It was a stupid and expensive endeavor with virtually no military value.

  • @CourtneyRoberts1982
    @CourtneyRoberts1982 Před rokem

    Please fix the volume on the channel. It is half what it used to be, and we have to crank the volume to ludicrous levels in order to hear you, which creates an obvious problem when the next video starts or an ad happen.

  • @generalrendar7290
    @generalrendar7290 Před rokem

    These island bases would be a huge boon to hostile powers since they are air and port facilities that can be seized and used as a springboard to operate in the area.

    • @didierduplantier8359
      @didierduplantier8359 Před rokem

      They are also sitting ducks in a hot war. Cut off their supply lines and the defenders will be drinking their own piss to survive

    • @xsu-is7vq
      @xsu-is7vq Před rokem

      Other than US and it’s allies, nobody is really looking to start a war with China.

    • @777dragonborn
      @777dragonborn Před 10 měsíci

      It goes both ways. Just depends how long they can be maintained.

  • @timmywashere1164
    @timmywashere1164 Před rokem +2

    Missed Saint Patrick's Day by one day with the cabbage references.

    • @ThatWriterKevin
      @ThatWriterKevin Před rokem +2

      I assure you that when this was written far too long ago for me to have been thinking about St. Patrick's Day

    • @timmywashere1164
      @timmywashere1164 Před rokem

      @@ThatWriterKevin Oh I would never blame you. And assumed it was pure coincidence. Besides if i was gonna blame someone, it'd be someone chained higher up on the radiator.
      Either way, Got a writer to comment on my comment, making this my best youtube comment ever. Love your writing! Cicada 3301 and the Benet Ramsey videos are some on the first Whistler videos I'd seen that got me hooked.

    • @ThatWriterKevin
      @ThatWriterKevin Před rokem +1

      @@timmywashere1164 Glad you enjoyed! Those are two of my favourite videos I've ever done

    • @timmywashere1164
      @timmywashere1164 Před rokem +1

      @@ThatWriterKevin For good god damn reason!
      Also I feel like Simon has mentioned writers looking through the comments and focusing on the hate they're getting. So While I have you let me be clear. Your writing is fucking awesome and I hope you continue to do it.

  • @deanzaZZR
    @deanzaZZR Před rokem +2

    The claim that France or Japan controlled all the Spratlys in the 1930s and 1940s is incorrect. France and Japan stationed troops on some of the islands and reefs but did not occupy or claim all of the islands/reefs.

  • @al28854
    @al28854 Před rokem +1

    looks like the kind of islands with infrastructure for the Chinese VIPs will retreat to during a zombie apocalypse.

  • @red.menace0074
    @red.menace0074 Před rokem +2

    Don't worry, we're going to build 6x M.bases in Philippines, and angry Japaneese on our side

  • @demoncet1998
    @demoncet1998 Před 11 měsíci

    This can be summed up by one Chinese ideology, and that is the idea that they're the best race on the planet and as such they deserve everything. If you ever read official translations of light novels set in china that ideology is omnipresent in the story

  • @petebondurant58
    @petebondurant58 Před 9 měsíci

    If these islands are as poorly constructed as their skyscrapers, the world has little to fear.

  • @jameswilson5165
    @jameswilson5165 Před rokem +2

    A few earth (Sea) quakes and Typhoons will settle the issue.

  • @ichibansama5867
    @ichibansama5867 Před rokem

    when war broke out those artificial islands will be a sitting ducks. the only job for those islands left are to be a lunch pad for choking sea lanes like Malacca Strait, Balabac Strait and Luzon Strait.

  • @russellfitzpatrick503
    @russellfitzpatrick503 Před rokem +2

    'Special Military Operation' (SE Asia) ...... Watch this space ... and Taiwan, Phillipines, etc Which is why China is watching the developments in Ukraine so studiously

  • @TheWuffball
    @TheWuffball Před rokem

    They build them, we'll take them.

  • @matthawkins3584
    @matthawkins3584 Před rokem

    Simon's nose is insanely red this video. Enjoy your hay fever my good man. LOL.

  • @Subjectivity13
    @Subjectivity13 Před rokem

    Aren't they sinking into the ocean, though? I've always heard they immediately started to sink, probably because of the quick, cheap shortcuts they took when making them.

  • @achaerna.6662
    @achaerna.6662 Před rokem +1

    This video sponsor spot makes me want to play Keeps away.

    • @TamagoHead
      @TamagoHead Před rokem +1

      Yup, bald is beautiful. When you get old it sprouts everywhere except for your head. 🤪🤦🏻‍♀️

    • @TamagoHead
      @TamagoHead Před rokem

      Oral low-dose minoxidil reduces BP.

  • @Polacerbic
    @Polacerbic Před rokem

    If it isn’t one thing it’s another

  • @prudencepineapple9448

    They're China's version of Club Med Resorts.

  • @joedimaggio3687
    @joedimaggio3687 Před rokem

    How are these islands supplied with fresh drinking water?

  • @pth6060
    @pth6060 Před rokem +1

    Prime targets

  • @mynocturnalstar
    @mynocturnalstar Před rokem

    What if the sea claims those artificial islands? 👀

  • @Hillbilly001
    @Hillbilly001 Před rokem +2

    Those will make bloody great targets for the Lizard Overlords. Cheers

  • @01oo011
    @01oo011 Před rokem +7

    Why freedom of navigation exercises are so important.

  • @22steve5150
    @22steve5150 Před rokem

    Gotta work on those seamless segways into your product pitch, Simon.

  • @koenpolder4050
    @koenpolder4050 Před rokem +1

    Flevopolder in the Nethrrlands is still a lot bigger man made island

  • @My.Name.Is.Chris.
    @My.Name.Is.Chris. Před rokem

    Paracel storm lol.

  • @arcailecorp8235
    @arcailecorp8235 Před rokem +2

    how many corral reef they destroyed to build those destroying ecosystems

  • @SimonsAuntPhyllis
    @SimonsAuntPhyllis Před rokem

    In case anyone's interested, Vox covers the geopolitics of the South China Sea a lot better.

  • @zhaomengyu028
    @zhaomengyu028 Před rokem +1

    look republic of china (taiwan) constitution: the 11 dash line belong to roc(1947)when Japanese surrendered ,American and western contry support this ,china 9 dash line is based on 11 dash line

  • @DjWesRolan
    @DjWesRolan Před měsícem

    Just saw this island on google earth. Creepy

  • @SirWilliam1767
    @SirWilliam1767 Před rokem +113

    I don't get it...why would China build the US 3 free island Airforce bases? I mean in a war it's not like they think they'll get to keep those islands right?

    • @brianpayne4549
      @brianpayne4549 Před rokem

      I doubt I'd trust ANYTHING made in China. Actually, i heard something about china's "islands" sinking...

    • @tyrport
      @tyrport Před rokem +14

      One island is so close to Philippine main ports as to slow up any USA maneuvers. It also covers the route the Japanese used to invade in WW2.

    • @andred.4664
      @andred.4664 Před rokem +13

      I don't think they assume they are gonna lose the war in case they have one dudde.
      After Macau, Honk Kong and Taiwan...The Chinese will not ever accept losing territory ever again.

    • @matthewshields
      @matthewshields Před rokem +24

      ​@@andred.4664 Occupying islands in a war is not the same as capturing and annexing territories. It's likely the United States would blow those islands to pieces from hundreds of miles away using long-range missiles. The only point of those islands is so China can posture to their civilian population about the area they 'control' under the 9 dash line.

    • @slevinkolebra
      @slevinkolebra Před rokem +3

      Gay

  • @blindedbliss
    @blindedbliss Před rokem

    Artificial Island excludes the Netherlands?

  • @andrewagar7024
    @andrewagar7024 Před rokem

    The Falkland island & Guantanamo plus Pearl Harbor..,,,, ja the Chinese have learnt from us how the game is played!

  • @wangyewsek
    @wangyewsek Před rokem

    This video researched missed the fact that china was not invited in the sanfrancisco peace treaty. They inked a separate treaty with Japan to return scs islands and Taiwan back to china .

    • @wangyewsek
      @wangyewsek Před rokem

      Scs then belongs to china. And china can build anything in their territory.

  • @Dank-gb6jn
    @Dank-gb6jn Před rokem +1

    Oil: *exists anywhere*
    Raytheon, Boeing, Northrop-Grumman: *Allow us to introduce ourselves*

  • @junshixianren
    @junshixianren Před rokem +3

    Good jobs!china!continue to building these epic project!

  • @FarmerDrew
    @FarmerDrew Před rokem

    YOU say all this Un-o"fish"ally and I agree but it leaves me hungry

  • @cmartinmnl
    @cmartinmnl Před 11 měsíci

    The bright side is at least they didn't bomb any country and place a base in it!

  • @lukeldh8064
    @lukeldh8064 Před rokem +1

    I heard the Vietnamese got cruise missiles aimed at these "islands" as long ago as 2016, between that and the FONOPS it's not exactly comfortable sitting for the poor sods who got posted there.

  • @BBEEAATTNNGGUU
    @BBEEAATTNNGGUU Před rokem

    If you're going to build military islands you may want to do better. U.S. Marines have taken far harder ground than that.

  • @tl2245
    @tl2245 Před rokem

    No artificial building will last forever in sea water but people are keeping on building new ones. lol..

  • @Dillyvl
    @Dillyvl Před rokem +4

    So how is this story different to the murican occupation of guam?

    • @vw2112
      @vw2112 Před rokem +4

      well no one contests the ownership and it also has not been built by anyone its a natural island that the us got back in 1898 after the Spanish american war. it is considered a us territory even by Guam natives who cannot ever make up there mind to either become a state or try it as there own country. been put up for votes many times over the years and there has never been a agreement on what to do so its still a us territory from the treaty of Paris. The people born there are us citizens and they have representatives in the political offices in washington

    • @joplin8433
      @joplin8433 Před rokem +2

      TIL that Guam is man made and was built in another country's EEZ. Good job, wumao. 👍

    • @lvjinbin28
      @lvjinbin28 Před rokem

      @@joplin8433 how much money CIA paid you to comment here?

    • @lvjinbin28
      @lvjinbin28 Před rokem

      @@vw2112 ironically media never reports once that how Chinese got authorization/endorsement on South China Sea in modern history, that's why people only know CCP becomes aggressive in recent years, but it's when ROC(KMT in Nanjing) claims 11dashline in 1945 just after WWII, West and Soviet supported China's 11dashline claim, more ironically it's US navy gave 4 warships (formerly the USS Decker DE-47 etc) to Chinese took over Taiping island etc in 1946, today ROC(in Taiwan today) still claims 11dashline and controls Taiping island, Dongsha islands, but today Taiwan separatist government keeps silient under USA's pressure, so propaganda only makes China like really aggressive.
      Southeast Asia were still Western colonies in 1946, if Western masters supported ROC's 11dashline claim, then French Vietnam, British Malaya, American Philippines didn't even oppose, why they didn't oppose then? because they didn't get independence then.
      PRC(CCP in Beijing) inherited ROC same 11dashline claim after Chinese Civil War 1949, CCP changed to 9dashline claim after PRC gave Bach Long Vi island to North Vietnam as gift in 1957 against USA, PRC fought against South Vietnam in Paracel island 1974 but US navy didn't help South Vietnam against China, North Vietnam even supported PRC's claim, but Vietnam communist claims same like South Vietnam after Vietnam reunification 1975, then PRC fought against Vietnam in Johnson South Reef in 1988 during Sino-Vietnamese Conflicts, Soviet navy also didn't help Vietnam against China, PRC navy was still poor and backwards so PRC didn't retake all island in Spratly Islands.
      ROC Taiwan lost Thitu island to Philippines due to storm 1971, even Taiwan navy was really powerful but still gave up to retake Thitu under USA's pressure, Taiwan today still claims Thitu island in ROC constituion.
      why international society especially West/USA supported Chinese to control South China Sea in 1945? I think it's because Chinese is a big contributor for WWII and West gave South China Sea as a gift, it's like how Greece can control all islands in Aegean Sea because Turkey lost the war.
      China and Taiwan today claims same Beijing, Hongkong, South Tibet, Xinjiang, also South China Sea, so South China Sea dispute should be between PRC and ROC, if USA only recognize PRC then USA should support PRC's claim, but We know USA's standard is strange, USA didn't support PRC's 9dashline claim, USA also didn't oppose ROC's 11dashline claim, it's because now it's no rules in new Cold War.
      it's not Chinese warships in Caribbean Sea to defend Cuba, when US sent more warships to China backyard in recent years, China would have to control own lifeline there for geopolitical reason, all countries built fake island even Vietnam Malaysia built earlier than China, but China just can build bigger when China got more money and advanced technology, if USA really wants to choke off China's lifeline there, then US navy shouldn't run away from most dangerous standoff in 2016 that fake Hague ruling, that's why Singapore and Philippines turned to pro-China, if US as No.1 navy can't wipe out China as NO.2 navy then, I don't think China would give up backyard security to USA.

    • @joplin8433
      @joplin8433 Před rokem +2

      @@lvjinbin28
      How much social credit did you get from making that comment? Can you leave your province or take the train yet?

  • @lcarn500
    @lcarn500 Před rokem

    For those wish these islands will sink in 5-10 years, I have to break it to you that China can easily rebuild an island in 5-10 months using the tech mentioned in the video😅

  • @me0101001000
    @me0101001000 Před rokem +6

    Inb4 wumao raids

  • @zaidanaldzakir2008
    @zaidanaldzakir2008 Před rokem

    The name no spratly island

  • @phattyboomboom7326
    @phattyboomboom7326 Před rokem +1

    The Privates are the Yankees😂