Writing Resources
The Conflict Due to the isolation of the Chinese and the degradement of the Navy the Chinese Junks were no match to the British steam powered paddle boats The British had powerful pistols while the Chinese had old Rifles The Chinese did not expect an attack so the military was composed of weak soldiers The British Nemesis easily destroyed the Chinese Junks The Chinese s ancient weapons were no match to the ironclads that the British owned see Appendix A In Kowloon during the war six drunk men were accused of murder They demanded their right to have a right of trial in Britain The seamen walked out of the court unpunished The Chinese had regarded the First and Second Opium wars as an unjust treatment and a humiliation The first opium war was relatively short On November 3rd 1839 two British Frigates opened fire on the Chinese The HMS Volage and the HMS Hyacinth attacked 29 unsuspecting Junks blockading a harbor near Chuanbi see Appendix B There was many Chinese casualties while only one British sailor was wounded The worried Lin Zexu reported this to the Emperor Afraid that he would lose his position due to this humiliation Lin twisted the report and the Emperor became persuaded that this battle was a victory This marked the beginning of the First Opium War The true beginning of the war began when the British Government in India issued a formal declaration of war
