From the late Ching dynasty to the early years of the Republic of China, from the Opium Wars to the eight-year War of Resistance against Japan, China suffered many setbacks at the hands of invading foreign powers; the state was weak and the people lived in obvious destitution, making the country's disadvantages even more apparent.
從清末到民初，從鴉片戰爭到八年抗戰，我國在列強的進犯下，經歷了許多挫折，國勢積弱，民生凋蔽更顯劣勢。