The real danger was that the wars against the formidable Sassanid dynasty drained and bankrupted the morale and state coffers of both empires. This allowed a peripheral power such as the Rashidun Caliphate to mop the floor of two destabilized empires.
While in the West, of course, the main issue was that long-term Imperial interference in politics across the Rhine caused, or at least contributed to, major political changes amongst the various German peoples, specifically the development of ever larger confederations of peoples. They were well-organised, well-equipped (which was a new development) and well-led. A small number of these confederations had also taken to horses and the new idea of shock cavalry. Dangerous enough from a Roman perspective, but then you have the general chaos brought by the Huns (quite terrifying themselves, of course) and the resulting mass movement of these now very large confederations of people...
Oh yeah, I was on the wrong time period.
China. The US military resembles the failing, fat and over-stretched Roman Army during the last years of the Empire.
The US technological growth of the late 1800s was built on stolen British and French technology, so it’s not like China isn’t copying a proven model of development.
China does have an issue of not testing their armies in high intensity open combat, which differs greatly from the regular drills they do on their coasts. They have however engaged in naval pursuits and skirmishes against piracy along with the paramilitary wing of the naval militia conducting some action.
Poll
