Highlighting differences in interpretations of the opium war. The outcome of these wars was victory for britain, the virtual destruction of china as a world power, and the creation of millions of drug addicts. The book was introduced last month in hong kong, a city whose modern history began when it was handed to britain after chinas defeat in the first opium war in. How britain went to war with china over opium the new. The first opium war 183942, also known as the first anglochinese war was the first of the two opium wars fought between the united kingdom of great britain and ireland and the qing dynasty of china, with the aim of securing economic benefits from trade in china. In the final book of the trilogy, ghosh writes about individuals fully caught up in the first opium war 183942 as yet another ship, the hind, sails from india to china, again with a motley cast, some seeking answers to questions created by the events of earlier books. Over 48 million americans, mostly between theages of 12 and 25 are officially known by the drug enforcement administration to be frequent users of heroin, cocaine, and marijuana. Mismanagement in the aftermath of the british east india companys loss of its monopoly in 1834 abstract the histories of the opium war, of which there are many, have posited that the roots of the conflict are diverse. The book is entertaining and informative and gives the reader a sense of the instincts and perspectives of the time and the cultural and commercial frictions that eventually led to the opium war. One could misconstrue the title of this book as a reference to the first opium war of 1839 to 1842.
The blasting fuse is the britain merchant smuggled opium around decades into china and this situation became out of chinese governments control. As a result of the war, britain won trade rights, access to five treaty ports, and hong kong. Both in western and in chinese historiography, it became the first emblematic clash between the. In the late 18th century, the british east india company or eic, contravening chinese laws, began smuggling indian opium to china through various means, and became the leading suppliers by 1773. This terrific novel, the first volume in a projected trilogy, unfolds in north india and the bay of bengal in 1838 on the eve of the british attack on the chinese ports known as the first opium war.
Nowhere is that aphorism more baldly illustrated than in the 19thcentury opium trade that enriched england, scotland, and the united states and created a score of hereditary fortunes that have. The opium war is both the story of modern china starting from this first conflict with the west and an analysis of the countrys contemporary selfimage. Opium is one of the most bandied about subjects in chinese history, and the specialist would learn little that is new in this study, which is mainly a good synthesis of existing works. The opium lords daughter is a work of historical fiction told from dual perspectiveschinese and englishabout the first opium war, a dramatic and historyaltering conflict. That will have stirred up historical memories, too. The opium war is both the story of chinas first conflict with the west and an analysis of the countrys contemporary selfimage. Platts book is an enjoyable read that aims to dispel the myths surrounding the combat. The first half of this book goes through an in depth step by step analysis of the characters and their motives behind the first opium war, showcasing and discussing journals, official communications, along with other historical evidence left behind by the main players. Wangs gripping story benefits from his extensive research and attention to historical detail.
Gladstone was fiercely against both of the opium wars britain waged in china. The qin empire 221207 bce the first opium war and its aftermath in february 1840 the british government decided to launch a military expedition, and elliot and his cousin, george later sir george elliot, were appointed joint plenipotentiaries to china though the latter, in. A brilliant indian novel about the first opium war balzac and lots of people after him thought that behind every great fortune there is a crime. The first opium war, fought over illegal opium trade, financial reparations, and diplomatic status, began in 1839. A massive destruction of opium by an emissary of the chinese daoguang emperor in an attempt to stop opium smuggling led to the first opium war 18391842, in which britain defeated china. The clashes included the first opium war 18391842, with the british naval forces, and the second opium war. The treaty, signed in 1842, ended the first opium war between britain and china. The first opium war 183942 was fought between china and britain. Julia lovells new history of the opium war is a welcome piece of. The first opium war was caused by the unequal trading between china and england resulting in england imposing the trading of opium upon china, and a final outcome of the opium war was that china is forced to have diplomatic relations with other countries rather than keep to itself. Chinese history textbooks begin the modern period of chinese history at the first opium war 18391842.
Originally published by unc press in 1975, peter ward fays study was the first to treat extensively the opium trade from the point of production in india to the point of consumption in china and the first to give both protestant and catholic missionaries their due. A fresh perspective on the first opium war, the conflict that allowed western. Chinas military defeats in these wars forced its rulers to sign treaties opening many ports to foreign trade. This is not surprising, since opium was the most important commodity integrating china into global markets and an important part of chinas modern commercial transformation. Interspersed with interesting titbits, historian stephen r. Hong kong in 1840, britain went to war with china over questions of trade, diplomacy, national dignity and, most importantly, drug trafficking. A 19th century painting of canton harbour and factories. The opium war by julia lovell in the opium war, china won at most one battleand even that was largely due to the weather. The opium trade introduction the opium wars of 1839 to 1842 and 1856 to 1860 marked a new stage in chinas relations with the west. China had long been aware of opium as a medicine, and its addictive qualities had also been known. Opium wars, two mid19thcentury armed conflicts between china and western countries. The first opium war was fought from march 18, 1839, to august 29, 1842, and was also known as the first anglochinese war. The first opium war was because of the trade imbalance between england and china.
The first opium war also known as the opium war or the anglochinese war, was a series of. How britain went to war with china over opium the new york. In this tragic and powerful story, the two opium wars of 18391842 and 18561860 between britain and china are recounted for the first time through the eyes of the chinese as well as the imperial west. The opium wars were two wars which were waged between the great qing and the british. It was a war between qing imperial china and british during june 28th, 1840 to august 1842. Mao haijian, one of the most distinguished and wellknown historians working in china, presents the culmination of more than ten years of research in a revisionist reading of the conflict and its main chinese. While british officials tried to play down the illicit origins of the conflict, opponents gave it a name that made the link quite clear. The best books on the opium war 1 narcotic culture by frank dikotter, lars laamann and zhou xun.
In 1939, zexu lin a chinese minister burned more than 20,000 boxes of opium in humen. A brilliant indian novel about the first opium war mal. He is remembered as the general who took over the british assault on chinese cities to end the first opium war and then negotiated the treaty of nanking. The opium war and the humiliation of china the new york. By 1787, the company was illegally sending 4,000 chests of opium each weighing 77 kg to china a year. Much of the diplomatic row over the opium issue in 183942 the period of the first opium war, which julia lovells book focuses on revolved around who should kowtow to whom. The storming of the forts of amoy, 1841, during the first opium war. The bombardment of guangzhou during the first opium war in 1840.
The first opium war 183942, also known as the opium war and as the anglochinese war, was fought between the united kingdom of great britain and ireland and the qing empire over their conflicting viewpoints on diplomatic relations, trade, and the administration of justice for foreign nationals. Much of the diplomatic row over the opium issue in 183942 the period of the first opium war, which julia lovells book focuses on revolved around who. Amitav ghosh concludes his opium war trilogy in brilliant. A faction of british merchants there orchestrated the first opium war, a new book argues. Imperial twilight the opium war and the end of chinas last golden age by stephen r. The first opium war and its aftermath in february 1840 the british government decided to launch a military expedition, and elliot and his cousin, george later sir george elliot, were appointed joint plenipotentiaries to china though the latter, in poor health, resigned in november.
The book is a concise history of the first and second opium wars between britian and the chinese empire. As a member of parliament, gladstone called it most infamous and atrocious referring to the opium trade between china and british india in particular. In the late 18th century, the british east india company, contravening chinese laws, had begun smuggling indian opium into china and became the leading suppliers by 1773. One academic, mao haijian at peking university, recently had the temerity to question the official chinese narrative of the opium war in his book the collapse of. The boxer rebellion also developed in response to a series of unequal treaties between china and western nations, the first of which was the treaty of nanjing. Fine artcorbis via getty images w hile campaigning for the us.
For these reasons, as well as others, the opium wars marked a dramatic shift in asian history. This paper will discuss what caused the first opium war and its after effects on china. We learn that the first opium war 18391842 was actually of secondary. A novel based on historical events of the first opium war. The first opium war was fought between 1839 and 1842. Its brutality notwithstanding, the conflict was also threaded with tragicomedy. It hardly seems surprising that the event has slipped british historical memory. Over onefourth of the american people are severely wounded or dead in a war the country has not yet mobilized to fight. Rana mitter, guardian in october 1839, britain entered the first opium war with china. After 1860, opium use continued to increase with widespread domestic production in china.
In this tragic and powerful story, the two opium wars of 1839 1842 and 1856 1860 between britain and china are recounted for the first time through the eyes of the chinese as well as the imperial west. The book is split into three parts, in the first part the author starts with the story of james flint, one of the first english merchants to immerse himself in canton, and the first diplomatic mission the empire of. The main value added in this book lies in its offering of a larger perspective that more pointed research tomes often lose sight of. The first half of this book goes through an in depth step by step analysis of the characters and their motives behind the first opium war, showcasing and discussing. Opium entered china during the middle ages when arab traders brought it into china for medicinal purposes. The first opium war began in 1839 and was fought over trade, financial reparations, and diplomatic status. It explores how chinas national myths mould its interactions with the outside world, how public memory is spun to serve the present. China the first opium war and its aftermath britannica. The opium war book version the opium war, waged between china and great britain was chinas first conflict with a european power. A fascinating look at the other side of the opium wars. The first opium war and its effects on china 1407 words. Thus began the first opium war, a series of unequal military encounters lasting until 1842.
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