East meets West

Only one major battle was fought between Chinese and Western armies in ancient times. This was the Battle of the Talas river in 751 CE which was between the forces of the Tang Dynasty and the Arabic army. This area is around the current country of Uzbekistan. The Chinese force was finally defeated and they never attempted any further western expansion. The Arabic forces continued to India and the conversion of many of the people to Islam is the start of the Islam and Hindu tensions in that area which continue to this day.

(The Great Courses – The Decisive Battles of World History)

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