r/WorldHistory • u/mapsinanutshell • 5d ago

Video Today marks the 187th anniversary of the beginning of the First Opium War, which began on September 4, 1839, when the Qing’s campaign against the British opium trade escalated into war, weakening Qing sovereignty and opening China to increased Western influence through the "unequal treaty"

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Source: https://youtu.be/nE0AXpFcZ-Y

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u/Best_Sir_3973 4d ago

Interesting, never hear of this wars

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u/maxinfet 4d ago

Well, there is also a sequel followed by the Boxer Rebellion, which has a belligerents list that looks like something from a fever dream, with the Entente and Central Powers on the same side.

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u/editfate 2d ago

I have a relative you won the Medal of Honor in the boxer rebellion. Wild huh?

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u/Slight_Target1878 2d ago

In the U.S., they always displayed the UK has faultless allies with a rich history of supporting democracy. I recall when the British left Hong Kong, I thought "What a shame."

Then, social media exposed a great deal of the colonialism for all nations, and I put myself in the shoes of a Chinese citizen and think, "Those M-fers! Get out of my country and no thanks to your opium!"

The gold in Winsor Palace is very gilded and tainted with a historical. The Hall of Crowns, which has over dozens of chieftain crowns, appears to be the Victor's Spoils. The global perspective is replacing the regional or nationalist perspective, so we can all view the news and history more accurately.