Modern Chinese Warfare, 1795-1989
A history book on China written by a westerner. I think hardly any Chinese would agree with the writer Elleman’s views but he does have some insights, and points to some facts that have not been mentioned by many Chinese history books.
Points of View. In the wars involved the English speaking countries, Elleman tends to play down the invasive nature. He describes the opium war was a trade war, and never uses the word “invasion”. He fails to discuss if sending an army to another country for any trade, opium or tea or silk doesn’t really matter, is wrong. On the Sino-Japanese and Sino-Soviet wars, when the westerners were not involved, Elleman clearly discusses from a more balanced point of view.
Something interesting on opium war from the book:
Han-Manchu relationship. On the opium war, Elleman says the Han-Manchu relationship at the time played a part on the outcome. He says Han soldiers were unwilling to fight for their Manchu generals. To prove his point, he sites the battle in Zhenjiang, where the British suffered a casualty that was greater than from all other battles combined, when faced with a fiercely-resistant Manchu troop. I am not sure if Elleman is right, but few Chinese scholars discuss that.
Chinese Muskets. I pictured the Chinese (Qing) troop fought western cannons and muskets with bows, arrows and swords because that was the way movies depicted. This book remains me the Qing troop also used muskets, but were with a touchhole large enough to let the charge blew out back or escaped forward, and were fired by holding a slow-burning cord over a hole instead of by pulling triggers.
Weapon Improvement. According to Elleman, the Chinese weapons were not that backward at the beginning of the war, it was the British sending better and better ships and artilleries throughout the war to win.
Yangzi Economy. I thought it was purely military failure conceded Hong Kong. But Elleman points out it was the control of Yangzi and hence the following blockage of foodstuffs and commodities forced the Qing government to negotiate.
Bureaucracy. Elleman points out the Chinese officials at the time like to report how many British soldiers were killed as claims of victories. He further argues it was such bureaucratic practice made the Qing court thought winning over westerners was possible and failed to modernize the Chinese troop at a earlier point.
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