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Revision as of 15:33, 3 May 2009 view sourceNil Einne (talk \| contribs)Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers73,019 editsNo edit summary← Previous edit		Revision as of 16:02, 3 May 2009 view source Nil Einne (talk \| contribs)Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers73,019 edits →Personal history: No evidence he ever claimed to be born in China. Dust jacket of the book isn't the author's claim but statements made about the authorNext edit →
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	==Personal history==		==Personal history==
	Menzies was born in London, England, though in his book he ~~claims~~ to ~~have~~ ~~been~~ ~~born in China, which~~ he ~~has~~ ~~admitted~~ is ~~false~~. This has since been rectified in recent editions.<ref name=4corners>{{cite web \|title = Interview with Gavin Menzies\| url = http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2006/s1702333.htm \| accessdate = 2007-03-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite web \|title = Interview with Gavin Menzies\| url = http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2006/s1702333.htm \| accessdate = 2007-03-22}}</ref> Menzies joined the ] in 1953 and served in submarines from 1959 to 1970. Menzies claims he sailed the routes sailed by ] and Captain ], while he was commander of the ] ] between 1968 and 1970, a contention questioned by some of his critics.<ref>{{cite web \| title = Challenges to Menzies' nautical experience \| url = http://www.1421exposed.com/html/library_of_congress.html \| accessdate = 2007-03-22}}; see particularly note five of the Appendix.</ref>		Menzies was born in London, England, though early editions of his book says on the dust jacket that he was born in China. This has since been rectified in recent editions.<ref name=4corners>{{cite web \|title = Interview with Gavin Menzies\| url = http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2006/s1702333.htm \| accessdate = 2007-03-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite web \|title = Interview with Gavin Menzies\| url = http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2006/s1702333.htm \| accessdate = 2007-03-22}}</ref> Menzies joined the ] in 1953 and served in submarines from 1959 to 1970. Menzies claims he sailed the routes sailed by ] and Captain ], while he was commander of the ] ] between 1968 and 1970, a contention questioned by some of his critics.<ref>{{cite web \| title = Challenges to Menzies' nautical experience \| url = http://www.1421exposed.com/html/library_of_congress.html \| accessdate = 2007-03-22}}; see particularly note five of the Appendix.</ref>

	In 1969 in the Philippines, HMS ''Rorqual'' rammed a ] ], the ] which was moored at a pier. This collision punched a hole in USS ''Endurance'' but did not damage HMS ''Rorqual''. The ensuing enquiry found Menzies and one of his subordinates responsible for a combination of factors that led to the accident, including the absence of the coxswain (who usually takes the helm in port) who had been replaced by a less experienced crew member, and technical issues with the boat's telegraph.<ref>{{cite web \| title = Enquiry regarding the collision of the USS ''Endurance'' and ''Rorqual'' \| url = http://www.ussendurance.org/Rorqurl%20incident.htm \| accessdate = 2007-03-22}}</ref><ref name=4corners></ref> After the incident, Menzies retired the following year.		In 1969 in the Philippines, HMS ''Rorqual'' rammed a ] ], the ] which was moored at a pier. This collision punched a hole in USS ''Endurance'' but did not damage HMS ''Rorqual''. The ensuing enquiry found Menzies and one of his subordinates responsible for a combination of factors that led to the accident, including the absence of the coxswain (who usually takes the helm in port) who had been replaced by a less experienced crew member, and technical issues with the boat's telegraph.<ref>{{cite web \| title = Enquiry regarding the collision of the USS ''Endurance'' and ''Rorqual'' \| url = http://www.ussendurance.org/Rorqurl%20incident.htm \| accessdate = 2007-03-22}}</ref><ref name=4corners></ref> After the incident, Menzies retired the following year.

Revision as of 16:02, 3 May 2009

Gavin Menzies
Occupation	Retired Royal Navy Submarine Commander, author
Nationality	British
Citizenship	British
Notable works	1421: The Year China Discovered the World

Gavin Menzies (born 1937) is a retired British submarine commander and amateur historian best known as the author of the controversial book 1421: The Year China Discovered the World, which asserts that ships from the Chinese fleet of admiral Zheng He traveled to the Americas prior to Christopher Columbus' arrival in 1492 and circumnavigated the globe a century before Ferdinand Magellan as part of the era of Chinese exploration. This thesis has been discounted "as nonsense" by professional historians.

Personal history

Menzies was born in London, England, though early editions of his book says on the dust jacket that he was born in China. This has since been rectified in recent editions. Menzies joined the Royal Navy in 1953 and served in submarines from 1959 to 1970. Menzies claims he sailed the routes sailed by Ferdinand Magellan and Captain James Cook, while he was commander of the diesel submarine HMS Rorqual between 1968 and 1970, a contention questioned by some of his critics.

In 1969 in the Philippines, HMS Rorqual rammed a U.S. Navy minesweeper, the USS Endurance, which was moored at a pier. This collision punched a hole in USS Endurance but did not damage HMS Rorqual. The ensuing enquiry found Menzies and one of his subordinates responsible for a combination of factors that led to the accident, including the absence of the coxswain (who usually takes the helm in port) who had been replaced by a less experienced crew member, and technical issues with the boat's telegraph. After the incident, Menzies retired the following year.

Books

Menzies, Gavin (2002). 1421: The Year China Discovered the World. London: Bantam Press. ISBN 0593050789.
- American edition: Menzies, Gavin (2003). 1421: The Year China Discovered America. New York: William Morrow. ISBN 0060537639.
Menzies, Gavin (2008). 1434: The Year a Magnificent Chinese Fleet Sailed to Italy and Ignited the Renaissance. New York: William Morrow. ISBN 0061492175.

Footnotes

Reuters UK. "Columbus debunker sets sights on Leonardo da Vinci." Tue Jul 29, 2008.
"The 1421 myth exposed". Retrieved 2007-03-22.
"Zheng He in the Americas and Other Unlikely Tales of Exploration and Discovery". Retrieved 2007-03-22.
"1421: The Year China Discovered the World by Gavin Menzies". Retrieved 2007-03-22.
Finlay, Robert (2004). "How Not to (Re)Write World History: Gavin Menzies and the Chinese Discovery of America". Journal of World History. 15 (2). {{cite journal}}: External link in |title= (help)
^ "Interview with Gavin Menzies". Retrieved 2007-03-22.
"Interview with Gavin Menzies". Retrieved 2007-03-22.
"Challenges to Menzies' nautical experience". Retrieved 2007-03-22.; see particularly note five of the Appendix.
"Enquiry regarding the collision of the USS Endurance and Rorqual". Retrieved 2007-03-22.

External links

Gavin Menzies' website promoting 1434

Critics

1421 Exposed - Website set up by an international group of academics and researchers
Finlay, Robert (2004). "How Not to (Re)Write World History: Gavin Menzies and the Chinese Discovery of America". Journal of World History 15 (2) - Scholarly review of Menzies
Gavin's Fantasy Land, 1421
A critical view of Menzies' story
Australian Broadcasting Corporation's FOUR CORNERS Program Transcript of "Junk History"

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Revision as of 15:33, 3 May 2009 view sourceNil Einne (talk \| contribs)Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers73,019 editsNo edit summary← Previous edit		Revision as of 16:02, 3 May 2009 view source Nil Einne (talk \| contribs)Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers73,019 edits →Personal history: No evidence he ever claimed to be born in China. Dust jacket of the book isn't the author's claim but statements made about the authorNext edit →
Line 34:		Line 34:

	==Personal history==		==Personal history==
	Menzies was born in London, England, though in his book he ~~claims~~ to ~~have~~ ~~been~~ ~~born in China, which~~ he ~~has~~ ~~admitted~~ is ~~false~~. This has since been rectified in recent editions.<ref name=4corners>{{cite web \|title = Interview with Gavin Menzies\| url = http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2006/s1702333.htm \| accessdate = 2007-03-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite web \|title = Interview with Gavin Menzies\| url = http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2006/s1702333.htm \| accessdate = 2007-03-22}}</ref> Menzies joined the ] in 1953 and served in submarines from 1959 to 1970. Menzies claims he sailed the routes sailed by ] and Captain ], while he was commander of the ] ] between 1968 and 1970, a contention questioned by some of his critics.<ref>{{cite web \| title = Challenges to Menzies' nautical experience \| url = http://www.1421exposed.com/html/library_of_congress.html \| accessdate = 2007-03-22}}; see particularly note five of the Appendix.</ref>		Menzies was born in London, England, though early editions of his book says on the dust jacket that he was born in China. This has since been rectified in recent editions.<ref name=4corners>{{cite web \|title = Interview with Gavin Menzies\| url = http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2006/s1702333.htm \| accessdate = 2007-03-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite web \|title = Interview with Gavin Menzies\| url = http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2006/s1702333.htm \| accessdate = 2007-03-22}}</ref> Menzies joined the ] in 1953 and served in submarines from 1959 to 1970. Menzies claims he sailed the routes sailed by ] and Captain ], while he was commander of the ] ] between 1968 and 1970, a contention questioned by some of his critics.<ref>{{cite web \| title = Challenges to Menzies' nautical experience \| url = http://www.1421exposed.com/html/library_of_congress.html \| accessdate = 2007-03-22}}; see particularly note five of the Appendix.</ref>

	In 1969 in the Philippines, HMS ''Rorqual'' rammed a ] ], the ] which was moored at a pier. This collision punched a hole in USS ''Endurance'' but did not damage HMS ''Rorqual''. The ensuing enquiry found Menzies and one of his subordinates responsible for a combination of factors that led to the accident, including the absence of the coxswain (who usually takes the helm in port) who had been replaced by a less experienced crew member, and technical issues with the boat's telegraph.<ref>{{cite web \| title = Enquiry regarding the collision of the USS ''Endurance'' and ''Rorqual'' \| url = http://www.ussendurance.org/Rorqurl%20incident.htm \| accessdate = 2007-03-22}}</ref><ref name=4corners></ref> After the incident, Menzies retired the following year.		In 1969 in the Philippines, HMS ''Rorqual'' rammed a ] ], the ] which was moored at a pier. This collision punched a hole in USS ''Endurance'' but did not damage HMS ''Rorqual''. The ensuing enquiry found Menzies and one of his subordinates responsible for a combination of factors that led to the accident, including the absence of the coxswain (who usually takes the helm in port) who had been replaced by a less experienced crew member, and technical issues with the boat's telegraph.<ref>{{cite web \| title = Enquiry regarding the collision of the USS ''Endurance'' and ''Rorqual'' \| url = http://www.ussendurance.org/Rorqurl%20incident.htm \| accessdate = 2007-03-22}}</ref><ref name=4corners></ref> After the incident, Menzies retired the following year.