In this respect, they were a lot like the Chinese and also the Indians and the Vietnamese and you get the picture. So by the end of the 19th century, most of Africa and much of Asia had been colonized by European powers. I mean, even Belgium got in on it and they weren't even a country at the beginning of the 19th century. I mean, Belgium has enjoyed like 12 years of sovereignty in the last three millennia. Notable exceptions include Japan, which was happily pursuing its own imperialism, Thailand, Iran, and of course Afghanistan, because no one can conquer Afghanistan unless you are, wait for it, the Mongols. It's tempting to imagine Europe ruling their colonies with the proverbial topaz fist, and while there was always the threat of violence, the truth is a lot more complicated. Let's go to the Thought Bubble.