#253 - Ming 38: Manchus, and Pirates, and Rebels, Oh My!
The History of China
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The Wang Gongqiang Explosion
Wang Gongqiang explosion would prove to be a pivotal event in the terminal phase of the Ming Dynasty. It produced a 21-foot deep crater, had an obliteration radius of some 13-square lee or about 1.5 square miles. The loss of one of the empire's greatest weapons and ammunition stockpiles would have been a devastating setback at any time. In terms of sheer loss of military hardware, the Dynasty would never prove able to recover from this disaster.
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