Britain had a balance of trade deficit in silver with china because of china not wanting to buy much that was manufactured in great britain. The opium war definition of the opium war by the free. As a result of the war, britain won trade rights, access to five treaty ports, and hong kong. Approximately 2,900 western troops were killed or wounded, while china had 12,000 to 30,000 killed or wounded. 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 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. For many years, the opium war was explained not as a war waged by a nation on behalf of its druglords but as a necessary evil designed to open up a country that had cussedly closed itself off to the benefits of interaction with the civilized world. Full text of the chinese opium wars and british jews see other formats iv. The illegal opium trade was a mere incident to the dispute.
It is with proper pride that we dedicate this book to the often unsung u. It has received endorsements from authors fonda lee, julie c. That dog, that had his teeth before his eyes, to worry lambs and lap their gentle blood, that foul defacer of gods handiwork, that excellent grand tyrant of the earth, that reigns in galled eyes of weeping souls, thy womb let loose. Drug wars or opium wars have been around a long time. This books title may make it appear as if it only covers the opium wars but this book is about the entire history of opium in china and is actually a pretty good. Amitav ghosh sails into the opium war with trilogy finale flood of fire author amitav ghosh. The opium war synonyms, the opium war pronunciation, the opium war translation, english dictionary definition of the opium war. One of the most interesting findings in this book comes not from documentary evidence, but from conversations lovell had with history teachers and pupils in chinese schools. Although it took me so long to finish, it is not a poor reflection on this book. Booths book traces opium s history from the first evidence of poppy cultivation possibly as early as 4,000 b.
Jan 29, 2019 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. How did the british come to be as addicted to opium revenue as the chinese were to the drug itself. His account of the opium war against britain 18391842, translated here by edward harper parker, is equal parts an apologia for his close friend and collaborator lin zexu, an indictment of the strategic incompetence of the qing military elite, and a brilliant afteraction report which highlighted not wei yuan is one of chinas realists. Johnathan pilger in the scramble to get opium money china was invaded and colonized by britain and the other imperial powers. Jul 02, 2018 imperial twilight the opium war and the end of chinas last golden age by.
Opium entered china during the middle ages when arab traders brought it. Its chief active principle is the alkaloid morphine, a narcotic. This book is very informative and thoughtprovoking in its discussions of the substance over which the war was fought. Historian julia lovell says its legacy of chinese humiliation is still felt keenly in beijing.
The sumerians refer to it as hul gil, the joy plant. The clashes included the first opium war 18391842, with the british naval forces, and in the. It caused wars and boosted the trade in slaves and hard drugs. Significant causes of the opium war however, this prosperity and balance of trade came under severe threat when britain discovered growing on the hills of india, a product that many chinese people craved for and would shift the balance of trade in its favour opium. The bombardment of guangzhou during the first opium war in 1840. The east india company steamship nemesis right background destroying chinese war junks during the second battle of chuenpi. During world war ii, opium trade routes are blocked and the flow of opium from india and persia is cut off. The 19th century opium war marked the clash of the worlds great empires of the age britain and china.
To start off, the first opium war was a major turning point for modern chinese history. The story of the extraordinary war that has been haunting sinowestern relations for almost two centuries. Opium entered china during the middle ages when arab traders brought it into china for medicinal purposes. Significant causes of the opium war professor essays. A fascinating look at the other side of the opium wars 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. A history from beginning to end almost six months ago. Amitav ghosh sails into the opium war with trilogy. Bookwars award winning feature about new york city sidewalk. How britain went to war with china over opium the new. The gritty world of new york city street booksellers is exposed in a remarkable story that chronicles their lives and loves and their unique perspectives on life. Opium was an illegal narcotic in china from the 18th century onwards, and the chinese state crackdown against it particularly intensified during the 1830s. Podcast for kids nfb radio 101 sermon podcast backstage opera for iphoneipod pauping off all steak no sizzle podcast church of the oranges.
Treaty of nanking first of the series of unequal treaties the treaty offered only compensation from china to britain and nothing in return the conditions were. Apr 12, 2007 the opium wars in our time melvyn bragg discusses the opium wars, a series of conflicts in the 19th century which had a profound effect on british chinese relations for generations. What are good history books dealing with the anglochinese. 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, others keen for money and adventure. The first opium war 183942 was fought between china and britain, and the second opium war 185660, also known as the. Posts about novels about the opium wars written by m. I had started another book about the opium wars and never finished. Story of china the opium trade in china episode 5 pbs. Platts fascinating and beautifully constructed new book.
This segment is followed by a brief history of opium, opium in china, its industrial production in india, the triangular trade that developed, and a brief discussion of the opium wars. There would be tragic consequences for china in the first. Wangs gripping story benefits from his extensive research and attention to historical detail. Made on location at the sidewalk book tables of new york by a fellow street bookseller, bookwars explores the other side of the book tables along the streets of the.
The poppy war was a 2018 nebula award nominee, and was named one of the best books of the year by several publications and organizations, including the washington post, time, the guardian, paste, vulture, bustle, and the verge. The opium wars in our time melvyn bragg discusses the opium wars, a series of conflicts in the 19th century which had a profound effect on british chinese relations for generations. Julia lovells lucid account of the opium wars in china shows their impact and how attitudes acquired in the mid19th century persist to this day. The book describes in detail the extent to which opium had taken over the lives of the ordinary chinese person and how it worked. The first opium war was fought from march 18, 1839, to august 29, 1842, and was also known as the first anglochinese war. Soon the spanish were bringing in large amounts of silver to the asian trade network.
The opium wars were two wars in the mid19th century involving great qing and the british government and concerned their imposition of trade of opium upon china. The dark history behind india and the uks favourite drink. This book moves along much faster, although i hope to finish the other book after i complete this one if i can find it. Amitav ghoshs new novel, flood of fire, takes you to the end of its. Sep 27, 2017 opium money, all over the east coast, but it wasnt talked about, it was called the china trade, and if you go to various museums, you can see teas and silks exhibited. Delve into the causes, conflicts, and consequences of the opium wars, in which china was psychologically devastated and subjugated by british imperialism. 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 empire, rehabilitating the qing. Hooked illegal drugs history channel documentary about opium, morphine, and heroin part 2 duration. Equally full of sharp insights and rigorous use of original documentation, lovell finishes in a strong way. Flood of fire requires no knowledge of the previous books, which ghosh deftly. Jul 01, 2011 the second half of the book goes on to discuss the second opium war, as well as the continued evolution of sinowestern relations following the first opium war through the present. The opium war by julia lovell in the opium war, china won at most one battleand even that was largely due to the weather. It explores how this book describes the mid19th century conflict between great britain and china and the reverberations that remain to this day. In seeking to understand the forces at play, julia lovells book the opium war, provides particular insight.
Sep 23, 2012 atomic bombing of hiroshima documentary ten seconds that shook the world 75794 duration. 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. Amitav ghosh concludes his opium war trilogy in brilliant, ramshackle style. The resulting concession of hong kong compromised chinas territorial sovereignty. The history and legacy of the 19th century conflicts between britain and china examines the way in which trade, colonialism, and illegal drug use culminated with one of the 19th centurys most controversial fights. A brilliant indian novel about the first opium war mal. How did opium exports become so crucial to the british economy.
The opium war of 1840 still marks the first blow imperialism dealt to the. Fearful of losing their opium monopoly, the french encourage hmong farmers to expand. Chinas military defeats in these wars forced its rulers to sign treaties opening many ports to foreign trade. Secondly, during the wars many treaties were signed to try and create peace. The opium wars the two opium wars, which took place from 18391860, were the starting point of modern chinese history. Opium varies in color from yellow to dark brown and has a characteristic odor and a bitter taste. Full text of the chinese opium wars and british jews. The opium war lost in compensation l history of china duration. Internet archive contributor internet archive language english. Width in pixels px height in pixels px copied to your clipboard unable to copy. In the late 1830s, the chinese decided to do something about it and ordered the destruction of all the opium held in british workhouses. The book covers a familiar time and place in history, but the authors make some nice. The central plotline follows the journey of a poor indian parsi zoroastrian named bahram who had risen to lead the trade division of a celebrated mumbai shipbuilding company owned by his wealthy inlaws. Historical drama starting in 1839 in guangzhou where british merchants dealing with opium are to be executed because the opium is destroying the empire.
Brian inglis gives the answers to these and other questions in this meticulously researched study of the opium war. 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. British merchants of canton, argues new book by singapore academic. The opium war or wars were complex and tragic events for britain china, and india. However, despite its name, the roots of opium war do not only lie in the drug or its addiction.
It is worth retelling the story of the opium wars because they. The chinese opium wars and britishjews a hellhound that doth hunt us all to death. A fatal misunderstanding between the paternalistic british and the proud chinese lay at the. The opium poppy is cultivated in lower mesopotamia. Start watching with your public library card or university login. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Prowar writers who labelled opium a poison included john elliot bingham, narrative of the expedition to china 2 vols. Dierci yapian zhanzheng, also known as the second anglochinese war, the second china war, the arrow war, or the anglofrench expedition to china, was a war pitting the british empire and the french empire against the qing dynasty of china that lasted from 1856 to 1860. The opium war is both the story of chinas first conflict with the west and an analysis of the countrys contemporary selfimage. The addiction of one empire and the corruption of another w. 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. A fascinating look at the other side of the opium wars. The opium war lost in compensation l history of china.
Ghoshs sprawling novel spans the years 1838 and 1839, detailing the events in south china that led to the first opium war. Looking for a a good documentary on the british empire, and the opium wars. 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. Delve into the causes, conflicts, and consequences of the opium wars, in which china was psychologically devastated and subjugated by british imperial. With guoan bao, liankun lin, sihung lung, debra beaumont. Click here to get money off this book from at independents bookshop. 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. Amitav ghosh concludes his opium war trilogy in brilliant. The opium war and the humiliation of china the new york times. Drugs, dreams and the making of china main market by lovell, julia isbn.
The book offers a meticulously researched argument that chinas relationship with the rest of the world remains firmly rooted in events that took place over 100 years ago. The sumerians would soon pass along the plant and its euphoric effects to the. The opium war article about the opium war by the free. List of books and articles about opium online research. The opium war is an historical event that heralded the beginning of the end for the qing dynasty and the chinese empire as a whole. Before the opium wars maritime trade between china and europe began in the sixteenth century with the portuguese. Officially the patriotic line is that everything bad that has happened to china in the last 170 years, starting with the opium wars, is the fault of western imperialism. Opium throughout history the opium kings frontline pbs. 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.
Highlighting differences in interpretations of the opium war. Looking for a a good documentary on the british empire, and. Stop the film after the narrators discuss the irony that todays smuggling trade is a reverse of that of the 19 th century. Hong kong in 1840, britain went to war with china over questions of trade, diplomacy, national dignity and. 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. Label copy to clipboard click to copy embed code for video close. Britain was persuaded to wage this despicable war against china by muddled headed military leaders encouraged by immoral merchants who made fortunes from opium. The chinese opium wars harvest books, 1975 fay, peter ward. Chinese account of the opium war by edward harper parker. Lavinias reich 8,753 viewsfirst opium war wikipedia.