Second Opium War

Lore & Background

British consul Harry Parkes protested, and after Viceroy Ye Mingchen released most but not all sailors, British gunboats shelled Canton on 23 October. The British government dispatched a naval force led by Michael Seymour, and France joined, citing the murder of a French missionary.

Reader's Guide

The Second Opium War marked a decisive shift in China's relations with Western powers, forcing the legalisation of the opium trade and opening all of China to British merchants. The conflict demonstrated the Qing dynasty's military weakness and led to significant territorial losses, particularly to Russia. The war also allowed the Qing government to concentrate on suppressing the Taiping Rebellion. The Convention of Peking ceded the Kowloon Peninsula to Britain as part of Hong Kong. The war's legacy includes the recognition among Chinese officials that conflicts with the West were part of a national crisis, contributing to later reform movements.

Did You Know?

• The war is also called the Arrow War after the vessel whose seizure sparked the conflict.
• The British and French burned the Old Summer Palace after hostages were tortured or murdered.
• China ceded more than 1.5 million square kilometres of territory to Russia during and after the war.
• The United States remained neutral but fought a minor concurrent conflict in the Pearl River Forts.