Li Hongzhang vs Ramon Grau San Martin

Li Hongzhang became a leading figure in the Self-Strengthening Movement, promoting modernization of China's military and industry. He established arsenals, shipyards, and telegraph lines, and modernized the Beiyang Fleet to counter foreign threats.

Li Hongzhang commanded the Huai Army in campaigns against the Taiping rebels, recapturing Suzhou and other cities. His military efforts helped crush the rebellion and restore Qing control over eastern China.

Li Hongzhang oversaw the creation of the Beiyang Fleet, the most modern naval force in Asia at the time. The fleet was intended to defend China's coasts but was largely destroyed in the First Sino-Japanese War in 1894.

Li Hongzhang negotiated and signed the Treaty of Shimonoseki with Japan, ending the First Sino-Japanese War. The treaty ceded Taiwan and the Pescadores to Japan, recognized Korean independence, and imposed a large indemnity on China.

Li Hongzhang was the chief Qing negotiator for the Boxer Protocol, which ended the Boxer Rebellion. The agreement imposed a massive indemnity on China, allowed foreign troops in Beijing, and further weakened Qing sovereignty.

Ramón Grau San Martín became President of Cuba in 1933 after the overthrow of Gerardo Machado. His government, known as the 'One Hundred Days Government,' implemented nationalist and populist reforms, including labor rights and land redistribution. He was forced out by Batista in 1934.

Grau played a key role in the drafting and adoption of the 1940 Cuban Constitution, which was considered progressive for its time. It established social rights, labor protections, and democratic principles. The constitution was later suspended by Batista after his 1952 coup.

Grau was elected President again in 1944, this time serving a full term. His administration continued social reforms but was marred by widespread corruption and political violence. He oversaw the drafting of the 1940 Constitution, which was implemented during his term.