Western civilization is lucky that it had several outstanding precedents who help to shape the mindset of future leaders.
As to Yuan Shikai and Mao, they were just down-to-earth old-styled Chinese, how can you expect much from those kind of Chinese leaders? They saw only bloody precedents in their peasant-version history, and for them, George was 100% an idiot.
THEN THEY ESTABLISHED TWO BLOODY PRECEDENTS IN CHINA'S MODERN HISTORY, and we still live in their curse... Do you enjoy that?