Opium War (jan 1, 1839 – jan 1, 1842)

Description:

Exposed the military power differential between Europe and China. In the initial stages of the conflict, steam-powered British naval vessels easily demonstrated their superiority on the seas. In May 1842 a British armada of seventy ships-led by the gunboat Nemesis- advanced up the Yangzi River. The British fleet encountered little resistance, and by the time it reached the intersection of the river and the Grand Canal, the Chinese government had sued for peace

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