The chinese were not eager to implement the terms of a treaty they saw as unfair. A second opium war culminated in 1860 with the looting and burning of the imperial pleasure grounds, the yuan ming yuan, in the northwest suburbs of beijing by british and french troops. Unwilling to make further concessions to the west, the qing government of. As a result of the war, britain won trade rights, access to five treaty ports, and hong kong.
The term opium wars refers to two infamous imperialist wars that britain fought. In the second opium war, from 1856 to 1860, a weakened china fought both great britain and france. The story of the opium war between china, in the waning days of the qing dynasty, and the british empire, in the 1830s, and the subsequent takeover of hong kong by britain. After the burning of 20,000 boxes of opium by the chinese, england declares war since the burned opium was the property of the british commercial attache who had. Opium wars is a term referring to two wars that britain fought against imperial china in the middle of the nineteenth century, presumably over the attempts of the chinese authorities to stop the growing influx of foreignproduced opium. The effects of opium on china chinas history with opium dates back to the 7th century when it was taken orally for medicinal purposes holt, 1964. Opium wars, two armed conflicts in china in the mid19th century between the forces of western countries and of the qing dynasty, which ruled china from 1644 to 191112 the first opium war 183942 was fought between china and britain, and the second opium war 185660, also known as the arrow war or the anglofrench war in china, was fought by britain and france against chi. The opium wars, opium legalization and opium consumption in china. Amuchhyped, longplanned project with a clear political message, the opium war is a consistently eyepleasing historical costumer thats a superior example of its type without moving any mountains. Ironically enough, nothing was said about opium in the treaty to end the opium war.
Significant causes of the opium war professor essays. The winner of the 1997 golden rooster and 1998 hundred flowers awards. The opium wars is the name given to two nineteenthcentury wars between china and western countries. In june, 16 british warships arrived in hong kong and sailed northward to the mouth of the bei river to. K4, n4 abstract the effect of drug prohibition on drug consumption is a critical issue in debates over drug policy. This opium war game is based around the trade the british made buying up opium from india, transporting it to china, then using the monies made to buy up much wanted goods such as silk to take back to britain. French soldiers also took a big part in this war, which started when the chinese took over one of the british ships in the port of guangzhou, called the arrow.
On the one hand, the chinese perspective on the cause of the war is about britains immoral poisoning of china with opium from smuggling, while on the other hand britain holds the view that the war was as a result of chinese. Opium wars is a collective term for the mid1800s conflicts between western powers and china including the first opium war 18391842 and the second opium war 18561860 opium wars or the opium wars may also refer to. Opium war game online opium war game chineses opium. The opium war overview, links to primary sources and other sites harvard law school china. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. 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 east india company had grown that opium in india, forcing peasant farmers to produce it. If this had been a movie then he would have stood up in the house of. Russia gained land from china as a result of the second opium war. Evidently the first communist chinese dramatic feature to receive regular arthouse distribution in this.
The treaty required the chinese to pay the british over twenty million dollars in war reparations, to open five chinese. Britain and france, along with troops from russia and the united states, attacked more chinese cities. The treaty required the chinese to pay the british over twenty million dollars in war reparations, to open five chinese ports to british trade, and to cede honk kong. The opium crisis had become as much of an irritant to china as the refusal of equal status was to britain pelissier, 1967. This essay aims to discuss the significant causes of the opium war over which there has been much controversy.
The first opium war was fought between china and great britain from 1839 to 1942. The resulting concession of hong kong compromised chinas territorial sovereignty. The opium war, now at the kb janus, turns out to be a relic as well as curiosity. Opium war game online opium war game chineses opium war gamee. After the burning of 20,000 boxes of opium by the chinese, england declares war since the burned opium was the property of the british commercial attache who. Opium wars first opium war 18391842 second opium war 18561860 bibliography. History, politics and propaganda historians of modern china may debate many things, but few will question the significance of the opium war 1839. Britain and france waged a second opium war against china from. Very decent dramatized historical movie about the first opium war 18391842. Jul 01, 20 fighting between the chinese and british in the first opium war concluded in late august 1842 at the signing of the treaty of nanking. In the late 1700s the british was smuggling the drug into china for nonmedical use. Sea of poppies was shortlisted for the 2008 man booker prize, was the cowinner of the vodafone crossword book award in.
Opium wars simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Opium wars, two armed conflicts in china in the mid19th century between the forces of western countries and of the qing dynasty, which ruled china from 1644 to 191112. Pdf on jul 1, 2010, rossen vassilev and others published chinas opium. The opium war was a war fought by two countries great britain and china in 1839. War or the anglofrench war in china, was fought by britain and france. The war was fought over the drug opium which was used by the chinese for hundreds of year to relieve pain. The second opium war was also known as the arrow war or anglofrench war in china. In 1839, the emperor of china refused to legalize and tax opium and as a result 20,000 chests of opium were confiscated. Aug 07, 2012 chinese history after the opium war including the death of consort zhen duration. The hong kong story history of hong kong 1841 to 1997 duration. The opium war 1997 yesasia the opium war 1997 amazon download online streaming. Xie jin described the film as a special gift for the motherland and the people. The morning chronicle is singularly infelicitous in its attempt to fasten odium on sir james graham by reviving the recollection of the speech he delivered in april 1840, against the war with that occasion sir james asked were it not wiser to trade china.
With guoan bao, liankun lin, sihung lung, debra beaumont. The second opium war was fought from october 23, 1856, to october 18, 1860, and was also known as the arrow war or the second anglochinese war, although france joined in. The opium wars were two wars which were waged between the great qing and the british government in the mid19th century, triggered by the british governments imposition of the opium trade upon china. The united states became involved in the second opium war after the chinese attacked a u. The illegal opium trade was a mere incident to the dispute. 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 and interconnected, ranging from cultural differences to conflicting perspectives on trade. Opium war drama 1997 115 english subtitle duration. The first opium war overview, image, and prmary document joseph v. In 1844, france and the united states forced china to sign similarly. The first opium war 183942 was fought between china and britain, and the second opium war 185660, also known as the arrow war or the anglofrench war in china, was fought by britain and france against china. This conflict 18561860 was an inevitable sequel to the first. What were the causes and consequences of the first opium war.
Opium and the opium wars the western traders community of traders in guangzhou trade tea and silk through a monopoly the trade expands rapidly in 1830s traders want end to the monopoly to be allowed to trade in other ports a fixed rate of tax lin zexu proposed ending opium trade to solve currency problems understood the western traders as pirates 1839 arrived in guangdong destroyed opium. The film tells the story of the first opium war of 18391842, which was fought between the qing empire of china and the british. Fighting between the chinese and british in the first opium war concluded in late august 1842 at the signing of the treaty of nanking. Lin zexu appointed in 1838 to stamp out opium trade zexu destroyed stocks of opium in china. The opium war 1997 an attempt to stop the british from selling opium to the chinese leads to war when mass quantities of the drug are dumped into the sea. The british went to war because of chinese military threats to defenseless british. Overview of opium war, the, 1997, directed by xie jin, with jiang hua, ko hsiangting, carrick hagon, at turner classic movies. Historical drama starting in 1839 in guangzhou where british merchants dealing with opium are to be executed because the opium is destroying the empire. Sep 23, 2012 the opium war lost in compensation l history of china duration. The opium war lost in compensation l history of china duration. The opium wars of 1839 to 1842 and 1856 to 1860 marked a new stage in chinas. How britain went to war with china over opium the new york. An unpublished account of the first opium war of 1842. This effort was led by the british who sought the opening of all of china to their merchants, an ambassador in beijing, legalization of the opium trade, and the exemption of imports from tariffs.
The military confrontations that occurred between china and britain from 1839 to 1842 are known as the first opium war. A chinese official seized chests of illegal opium and burned them. Engage your students during remote learning with video readalouds. The opium war 1997 part 1 wael katheer lover of history. In the mid1850s, the european powers and the united states sought to renegotiate their commercial treaties with china. Opium, corruption, mismanagement, and a gross underestimate of the wests projection power are only some of the many complex reasons that led to the first opium war. The opium wars, opium legalization, and opium consumption in china jeffrey a. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. Chinese history after the opium war including the death of consort zhen duration. Jan 29, 2019 the first opium war was fought from march 18, 1839, to august 29, 1842, and was also known as the first anglochinese war. China prohibited the consumption and importation of opium during the early part of the century, but after the second opium war china yielded to british pressure and legalized opium. Approximately 2,900 western troops were killed or wounded. By 1820, the chinese merchants were exporting silver to pay for opium and by 1838 the british were selling 1,400 tons of opium to china. Before the war, european powers were severely limited in.
The first opium war 183942 was fought between china and britain. November 3, 1839 fighting began when a british ship, the royal saxon, attempted to sail to canton. The real cause of the first opium war 1839 1842, also called the anglochinese war, was chinese resistance to britain. In june, 16 british warships arrived in hong kong and sailed northward to the mouth of the. The opium war yapian zhanzheng, directed by 74yearold chinese director xie jin, was released in beijing on july 1, 1997, set to coincide with the transfer of hong kong from britain back to china. China the first opium war and its aftermath britannica. The clashes included the first opium war 18391842, with the british naval forces, and the second opium war.
The 184042 anglochinese war the socalled opium war is almost universally believed to have been triggered by british imperial rapacity and determination to sell more and more opium into china. The second opium war is sometimes called the arrow war after the pirate ship the chinese seized. The winner of the 1997 golden rooster and 1998 hundred flowers awards for best picture, the film was screened in several international film festivals, notably cannes and montreal. The opium wars in the mid19th century were a critical juncture in modern chinese history. Zheng junli and yapian zhanzheng the opium war, 1997, dir. The british wage two wars on china to have better access to chinese markets, especially to sell opium grown in british india. Using chinese sources, occasionally adding clarifications from elsewhere, he has achieved a delightful, wistful, plaintive, penetrative and endlessly readable slim volume that finally enables the nonchinese language reader to enter into what really motivated officials and simple, if middle class, chinese people in the opium war the seemingly. In yapian zhanzheng opium war, historical events are depicted in a fairly accurate manner, concentrating on the main facts and events. Xie jin has been called the chinese spielberg, and his epic has the look and texture of an indiana jones movie though apparently the.
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