答主：Aya Shawn, master in Computer Science, National University of Singapore

In our image, China(1931) should have looked like this at that time. A large country controlled by one government.
在我们的脑海里，中国（1931）在当时应该长这样。一个由单一政府控制的巨大国家。

However, this picture is the actual China. At that time, China was not a unified country, but was divided into at least 9 different warlord forces. They attacked each other and were in chaos.
实际上，这幅图上的才是真正的中国。在当时，中国不是一个统一的国家，而是分裂成至少9个不同的军阀势力。他们相互攻击，处于一片混乱之中。

At this time, Japan had become completely fascist. They have mighty armies and wild ambitions.
与此同时，日本已经彻底法西斯化。他们有强大的军队和狼子野心。

When they entered China, these warlords all wanted to preserve their strength,
Not only are they not united, but they also very much hope that the Japanese army will attack their enemies.
当他们进入中国时，中国的军阀们都希望保存他们的实力，他们不仅没有联合起来，甚至非常希望日军能够攻击他们的对手。

It is conceivable what the consequences will be if a poor and backward agricultural country loses its unity when faced with a crazy attack by a fascist industrial country. This gave the Japanese a chance to defeat them one by one.
当一个贫穷落后的农业国面对一个法西斯工业国的疯狂攻击却不能团结一致时，后果可想而知。这给了日本人将他们各个击破的机会。

The Japanese quickly defeated the Northeast Warlords and North China Warlords in the north and occupied large tracts of land.
日本人快速击败了中国北方的东北军阀和华北军阀，并占据了大片土地。

Only then did the Chinese wake up. In 1936, they formed a united front to fight against the Japanese. At this time, China had lost the entire northeastern region and part of the central region.
直到那时中国才醒了过来。他们在1936年组建了同一阵线来和日本人作战。当时，中国已经失去了整个东北地区和一部分中原地区。

单词表

preserve v. 保持
conceivable adj. 可想像的
consequence n. 结果
occupy v. 占据
tract n. 大片土地
front n. 阵线

译自：https://qr.ae/pydmVh

时间：2023年9月7日