Essay about The Opium War and Great Britain's Influences In China

In 1902, the United States government dissented that Russian infringement in Manchuria after the Boxer Rebellion was a violation of the Open Door Policy. The point

As early as 1932, the United States began warning Japan about its aggression toward China (Doc. A). The U.S. claimed they would not recognize new territories because it violated the Kellogg Briand Pact that made war illegal. They also chose to not recognize new treaties as the open door policy with China was violated. FDR would later deliver his famous “Quarantine Speech” regarding the Japanese invasion of China in which he encouraged the peace-loving nations to take action against military expansionism (Doc. 1).

Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson and William Taft all had similar foreign policies. Roosevelt’s plan played a massive role in the success of the United States during this crucial time in history. Roosevelt knew china and other Asian countries had something great to offer. Soon after end of the Boxer Rebellion, which was an violent anti-foreign, anti-christian, and anti-colonial uprising, Roosevelt established the Open Door Policy. Roosevelt strongly believed America was much more advanced and superior in regards to economic and political affairs, his presidency aimed for foreign strength and recognition by building the Panama Canal and the building of a military force. The Open Door

First of all, imperialism impacted China by changing their ideology and affecting their nationalism. When China became imperialized, their identity changed by following the traditions and the law of the nations. The chinese were unsatisfied with the nation’s ideologies and rules, which lead to The Boxer Rebellion in 1899. A secret society, Righteous Harmonious Fists, lead rebellions around the country. In document two Western Perspective, it portrays Germany’s point of view of The Boxer Rebellion. Wilhelm II thinks the chinese have overturned their laws, neglecting their cultural beliefs. This is important because China is deciding to ignore the Nation’s laws and their Ideology. Even Though the chinese knew they would receive consequences, they still renegaded to have pride for their country.

In 1900, a few internal events taken place in China threatened the idea of the Open Door Policy. Boxer Rebellion was one of these events. It was an anti-foreign, anti- colonial, and anti- Christian movement that was initiated by the Militia United in Righteousness. It was associated with Christian missionary activity and motivated by proto-nationalist sentiments and opposed western

Before the arrival of western powers, China was very stable, agricultural, and ethnocentric. They had many factories that produced silk, cotton, and porcelain with their natural resources: salt, tin, silver, and iron mines. They had no interest of trade or interaction with foreigners. From the early eighteenth century, European and American Imperialism spread throughout China with a goal to extend their nation’s power. China was one of many territories that undertook the changes of New Imperialism. By 1912, the country was governed by outside nations: Great Britain (mostly), Russia, Germany, France, and Japan. Their influence on China resulted malignantly on the country’s economy, political ties, and lifestyle; in spite of the few

Opium came from opium poppy seeds, which were grown and sold under British ruling in India. The British East India Company developed a monopoly which took place in effectively growing opium and making profits and/or trading it with the Chinese in exchange for their premium good such as silk, porcelain, and tea. According to Memorials on the Legalization and Elimination of Opium by Xu Naiji and Yuan Yulin, they explained how the rise of opium prompted many debts and death around China. Opium became an addiction for many, from the poor to officials in government positions. Cutting off all access of trading opium would’ve started issues in the trading network, not just with Britain but with the Western countries as well. Instead of passing laws to completely ban opium, they reverted to only permitting the barbarian merchants to import opium to pay duty as a medication. This made it unacceptable for money to be involved with the product. According to Xu Naiji, smokers of opium were lazy, with no purpose in life and if they were caught smoking it, the only punishment was getting the opium confiscated. However, if any officer, scholar, or soldier were found smoking opium, the would be immediately dismissed from public employ. Yuan Yulin, a minister, believes that the expansion of opium is the government’s fault, being that they cannot decipher right from wrong; he thought it was unfair that prohibition of smoking opium only applied to the officers of the government, scholars, and military but not the common people. The British capitalized on the effects of opium, because many of China’s population were going to put forth their money, goods, etc. for

Following the Sino-Japanese war from 1894 through 1895, the Chinese government was severely weakened. This meant that China was unable to protect itself from European countries and Japan staking claim throughout the country because although fragile post war, China was a heavily populated nation and offered a desirable market that the rest of the world wanted. During the late 1800’s many countries were in a rush to expand their colonies and claim territories all over the world. The Korean peninsula was controlled by Japan. The British, Dutch, Belgians, and French had a heavy presence in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. The United States acquired possessions in Latin America and the Asian Pacific. There was a worldwide race to gain control of China. After taking possession of the Philippines, America, under President McKinley, became increasingly concerned that the heavy presence of other nations and the subsequent dividing up of China would severely affect American interests by restricting or preventing access to the Chinese market.

The first cause for the Boxer Rebellion, was the anti-foreign stance in China. As a result of suffering humiliating defeats in both the first, and second Opium wars, China was forced to grant concessions to foreigners. Furthermore, they had to sign the “unequal treaties” which allowed the West to gain a significant amount of control over China. This left the Chinese population poverty-stricken, and angry at foreign powers. The economy became disrupted by the arrival of modernity and industrialism. According to historian David Silbey “Many Chinese worked in industries that were disrupted by the arrival of the railroad and the telegraph. There was a sense that China’s balance had been thrown out of whack by these modern innovations, and only by destroying the innovations and the foreigners who brought them could the balance be restored.”. The Chinese regarded the West as “foreign devils”, and wished to retain sovereignty and independence. They were extremely nationalistic. Mark Twain addressed the boxer rebellion in 1900.

The Chinese had many reasons to fear and ultimately reject the Westerners. The first anti-Christian movement was in 1616-1621 in Nanjing. This revolt was started by Shen

The opium problem in China during the nineteenth century was primarily viewed as an issue created by foreign traders bringing opium into their empire. Zhu Zun and Xu Naiji wrote memoranda in 1863 elucidating their diverging view to the government on how to combat the issue of opium use and trade. Xu advocated for the relaxing of anti-opium laws as a means of reducing illegal smuggling, while Zhu contends that more stringent enforcement of anti-opium laws is the preferable policy, which Commissioner Lin supports in his edict to foreign traders.

After all, Hawaii transformed into America which had greatly sealed power that recovered their crisis. From their prior knowledge in proceeding trade commerce with foreign, China is one the best nations that had rich natural resources and they want fulfill their satisfactions from U.S industries. An expansionist, Reverend Josiah Strong addressed people to recognize that, ” We all know that China is one of the greatest markets of the world, with a population of 400,000,000 that must be fed and clothed.” (Document 15). Great productions from both countries are indispensable in trading from their needs. The United States must step over their boundaries in the Philippines which is their neighbor in gaining access to their country. Serving the Philippines is the importance of supporting their desires to reach their destination. American had endure hardships by fighting for Cuba’s independence over Spain, when their victories came into reality Spain had given Guam, the Philippines Islands, and Puerto Rico to the America’s hands. Americans need to settle the Philippines in supporting them to facilitating China’s market as a “stepping stone” that will provide coal stations, naval bases, cable relay stations, and others that would keep the China’s door open (Israel). The Open Door Policy allowed the United States to have access trade and developments which they will gain prosperity. Goods that are being exports and imports

     Another country that had imperialistic rule was China. The British forced the Chinese to trade with them. As the result of the Opium War, which China lost, they had to accept extraterritoriality. In 1894, Japanese pressure on China led to war. Japan crushed China and western powers moved quickly to carve out spheres of influences on the Chinese coast. Imperial powers accepted the idea of an Open Door Policy, where trade was open to everyone. Negative effects China had were that there land was carved up, they most many rights and people due to wars. Poverty and misery increased, while no nationalism occurred. Chinese

As many other countries around the world China has its long history of a struggle for equality and prosperity against tyrants and dictatorships. The establishment of People’s Republic of China in 1949 seemed to have put an end to that struggle for a better life. “The Chinese people have stood up!” declared Mao Tse-tung, the chairman of China’s Communist Party (CPP) – a leading political force in the country for the time. The people were defined as a coalition of four social classes: the workers, the peasants, the petite bourgeoisie and the national-capitalists. The four classes were to be led buy the CPP, as the leader of the working class.

Much like in Japan when Matthew Perry of the United States came in and insisted in having Japan open up its ports to diplomatic and commercial relations with the US, and since the shogun felt he had no other option, he complied with Perry’s order. As the westerners had their way with both east Asian nations, the threat of western industrialization became a reality, and due to the amount of hunger and economic depression in their societies, their people began to crave industrialization seeing the amount of success in the western societies that were industrialized. There began to be an increased amount of rebellion, and a fight for change in these two nations, but the results that came from these rebellions and the main argument for these rebellions differed.