My players fancy the idea of having a game set in Hong Kong during the Opium Wars, but I am not sure as to what to prepare or make the chronicle about, the regions of the city or even if there could be any kindred there during the mid 1800's. Perhaps someone on this subreddit will have an answer?
While Iβm sure they didnβt expect a response as extreme as the destruction of the Summer Palace, they had to have known it was a bad idea, right?
The Second Opium War between Britain and China, 1856-1860, followed an incident involving the British ship HMS Arrow in Guangzhou (Canton).
The French allied themselves with the British and sent forces to fight in China. In June 1857, the Treaty of Tianjin was signed. While fighting soon resurfaced before China's final defeatβto quote from Imperial Chinaβ"This gave the British and the French, along with Russians and the US, the right to a permanent ambassador in Beijing and free travel for missionaries and merchants in the country." (pg. 281)
If the fighting involved primarily the British and French, why were Russia and the United States given these special privileges? I imagine tensions would be high with Russia, given that the Crimean War had just ended in 1856. Would love clarity on this subject.
During my modern Chinese history course, my professor mentioned a major reason that the British and French forces won the Second Opium War was because the Qing government was tackling other rebellions simultaneously and could not bring their full numbers to bear on the Western forces.
In essence, I am curious if this is true and if such numbers would have been enough to overcome Western technology at the time, as said prof also stated the British Army was often well trained and equipped, but poorly led?
Hello there! Pacific War Channel here with our podcast discussion on the Second Opium War of 1856-1860!
Youtube link:https://youtu.be/C0yllTmzLAc
Podbean link:https://PacificWarChannel.podbean.com/e/discussion-the-second-opium-war-of-1856-1860/
Hello there! Pacific War Channel here with our podcast discussion on the Second Opium War of 1856-1860!
Youtube link:https://youtu.be/C0yllTmzLAc
Podbean link:https://PacificWarChannel.podbean.com/e/discussion-the-second-opium-war-of-1856-1860/
