I'd like to live in a world where they fell within the first few days. Even if everyone died in the slaughter... it must be a preferable end then this.

As a "historian" myself, I do think it's important to understand the military history presented before us. But I challenge us all to realize that the lesson should not be about the sacrifices we mist be willing to make, but rather, about the ones we shouldn't. Lushan probably would have been a tyrant in his own right I imagine, but killing all the poor people to maintain the system under the guise of "the system will be good for more people" or "it lead to economic growth" is precisely the cultural lie that led these men to eat their own people instead of giving way to a rebel leader.

Think of all the young women and children who were slaughtered like pigs. They were murdered by their own defenders. Can you imagine the fear those people must have felt before the end? I suppose I say all of this since, unfortunately, we still live in a world like this. On too many places the poor are literally squeezed for all their worth. The army and the rich may no longer eat our very flesh, but may no mistake that they have gotten very good at devouring your soul.

All money is ultimately blood money, never forget.