you can do better

first, I doubt you have a point

second, if you do, does it involve geography and culture

geography and ethnic development (land divides creating stable ethnic identity because of some reason?  or assures no stable ethnic identity?  or what?)

or something else?

China and Vietnam have had border wars for the past 1000 years.  Ideologies come and go; geography, especially farmland, is eternal.

SP,

to me, your most engaging trait is your adventurous interest in all things

not afraid to step out

very good

so many people hide in specialties, and jargon

but you (like me) sometimes leap before you look

As far as your comment went, this is one of those times.  But you might actually be near something interesting, so I am trying to push you a bit.

There DO seem to be a lot of ethnic groups, languages, religious affiliateions, etc. packed into this particular area.  I wonder why.

cross roads of sorts, I guess.  But do we have any more specific stories to offer?

That was one of the most interesting little blurbs you have ever written. Especially the way you summed it up in the last two sentences.

makes a point. It simply is. Just like this post. It's not realy even anecdotal, simple highlighting a bit of history and its context most people are unaware of.

little bit more. We'll see. I can't make any promises because I can't read minds. But I'll sit with this for a while. Fair enough?

do not have the foggiest notion what the last two sentences are supposed to mean

in college

are people who study history out of context

snippets here and there in the service of some theme

I do not believe that it is useful or principled to study history that way.

I majored in history. BA History ~ 1993. Univeristy of Houston.