Background of the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1894

The Sino-Japanese Sino-Japanese Sino-Japanese Sino-Japanese War, referred to as the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1894, also known as the First Sino-Japanese War, and Japan called the Sino-Japanese War (Japan-Qing War), was a war between China and Japan in the Qing Dynasty for control of the Korean Peninsula. A war broke out. Since the war took place in 1894, that is, in the 20th year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty, the war was called the "Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1894".

Contents 1 Cause 2 Process 3 Result and impact 4 Main battles

Cause

China and Japan compete for control of the Korean Peninsula.

Process

The "Sino-Japanese War of 1894" began with the Battle of Toshima on July 25, 1894, and ended on August 1, when the Qing government of China declared war on Japan and Emperor Meiji of Japan issued a declaration of war. , ended with the signing of the Treaty of Shimonoseki between China and Japan on April 17, 1895. The entire war lasted for nearly nine months, and was roughly divided into three stages based on the transformation of the battlefield and changes in the combat situations of both sides.

Results and Impact

The Sino-Japanese War had a profound impact on the strategic structure of the Far East. Chinese troops withdrew from the Korean Peninsula, China ceded Taiwan, Penghu and their affiliated islands to Japan, and ceded to Japan Many inland port cities in China were opened, and Japan received another 230 million taels of silver in war reparations. Its economy developed rapidly and it further expanded its military preparations. It began to become the main source of war in the Far East. At the same time, the rise of Japan changed the Far East's confrontation and peace between Britain and Russia. The original pattern of fighting for hegemony. China's defeat in the Sino-Japanese War marked the failure of the Westernization Movement, which enabled China's domestic reformers to have a deeper understanding of their own weaknesses and prepare to actively carry out further reforms.

Main Battles

Battle of Fengdao

Battle of Yellow Sea

Battle of Pyongyang

Port Arthur Massacre

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Weihai Weihai Battle

Taiwan Military and Civilian Anti-Japanese War

Toshima Naval Battle

The Toshima Naval Battle took place in the early morning of July 25, 1894. It was a battle initiated by Japan, and the Qing Dynasty officially declared war with Japan.

Passing through

The two Chinese warships "Jiyuan" and "Guangyi" completed escorting the Qing army to land in Asan, North Korea, and returned from Asan, off the coast of Fengdao, North Korea. , encountered three warships of the first guerrilla group of the Japanese Combined Fleet, "Yoshino", "Naniwa" and "Akitsusu", which were characterized by high speed and high rate of fire. (These three warships were responsible for the heavy damage to the Beiyang Fleet in the subsequent Yellow Sea Battle)

At 7:20, the first guerrilla group saw the two ships "Jiyuan" and "Guangyi" and immediately disembarked. Battle orders. At 7:45, the first guerrilla flagship "Yoshino" fired first: this was the beginning of Japan's undeclared war in the Sino-Japanese War. The Chinese warship then fired back, and the two armies engaged in a fierce artillery battle. Japanese warships have a greater advantage than Chinese warships in terms of tonnage, artillery, and speed. The self-made gunboat "Guang Yi" of the Fujian Shipbuilding Bureau was seriously injured and unable to launch torpedoes. The hull tilted, so it withdrew from the battle, ran aground near the Eighteen Islands of North Korea, and set fire to itself. The "Jiyuan" ship fought bravely and suffered heavy casualties.

At 8:30, the "Jiyuan" ship retreated westward at full speed. The Japanese ship pursued fiercely, and the "Jiyuan" ship hoisted a white flag. The Japanese ship caught up, and the "Jiyuan" ship also flew the Japanese naval flag. The "Nanisu" ship sent a signal to order the "Jiyuan" ship to stop immediately.

At this time, the merchant ship "Gaosheng" carrying the second wave of reinforcements to the Qing army in Korea and flying the British flag and the "Caojiang" ship loaded with ordnance arrived. When the three Japanese warships saw the "Gaosheng" and "Caojiang" ships, they immediately intercepted the "Gaosheng" with the "Nanisu" ship and the "Caojiang" ship with the "Akitsusu" ship. The "Jiyuan" ship took the opportunity to withdraw to the west. The Japanese ship "Yoshino" with a speed of 22.5 knots per hour pursued the "Jiyuan" ship. The "Jiyuan" ship abandoned the "Gaosheng" and left, and fired its tail gun to attack the "Jiyuan" ship. Yoshino" number.

The "Jiyuan" ship arrived in Weihai and fabricated the results of the battle in the "Logbook": "Killed the Japanese admiral and dozens of officials. He knew it was difficult to resist, so he flew our country's dragon flag and ran away." . Then Ding Ruchang mistakenly reported that the "Jiyuan" ship had sunk the "Yoshino". In fact, "Yoshino"'s fur was intact and he returned home in good health. What is really tragic is the troop transport "Gaosheng"! The "Gaosheng" was sunk by the "Naniwa", and more than 700 people were martyred. The "Caojiang" ship was also captured.

On the night of July 28, the Japanese army attacked the Qing army in Asan. A fierce battle broke out. The Qing army failed to support and retreated to Pyongyang. On August 1, China and Japan officially declared war!

Afterwards

Japan launched an undeclared war and attacked China's chartered foreign ships, violating international law. The British envoy to Japan once protested, but the captain of the "Naniwa" Togo Heihachiro insisted that the "Gaosheng" was illegally occupied by the Chinese army, the Japanese ship carried out "immediate inspections", and the ship disobeyed orders. The British government's self-interest policy also led to various public opinions accusing Japan of innocence, and the incident ended hastily.

The Battle of the Yellow Sea (1894)

The Battle of the Yellow Sea was a battle-scale naval battle fought by the main navies of both sides in the northern waters of the Yellow Sea during the Sino-Japanese Sino-Japanese War of 1894. Also known as the Sino-Japanese Sino-Japanese Sino-Japanese Sino-Japanese Sino-Japanese War and the Dadonggou Naval Battle. The Beiyang Navy suffered a defeat in this battle and retreated to Weihaiwei. This resulted in the control of the Yellow Sea falling into the hands of the Japanese Combined Fleet, which had a decisive impact on the later stages of the Sino-Japanese War.

Contents 1 The navies of China and Japan on the eve of the Sino-Japanese War 2 Background 3 The course of the naval battle 4 The result of the naval battle 5 The order of battle of both sides in the Battle of the Yellow Sea

o 5.1 Combined fleet ships

< p>o 5.2 Beiyang Navy Ships 6 Impact 7 Debate on Fang Boqian

The navies of China and Japan on the eve of the Sino-Japanese War

In 1894, the Qing Navy was divided into Beiyang, Nanyang, Fujian and Four naval fleets in Guangdong. Among them, the Beiyang Navy was the most powerful. Except for the three small cruisers of the Guangdong Navy, which were stranded in Beiyang and participated in the naval battle, the other naval divisions were weak and did nothing during the war, sitting back and watching the demise of the Beiyang Navy.

On the eve of the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1894, the various fleets of the Japanese Navy were unified into a combined fleet, with Vice Admiral Ito Yuhiro as the commander of the combined fleet. The formation of the combined fleet is divided into the following squads: the first squadron, the second squadron, the first guerrilla squadron and the second guerrilla squadron.

Background

On July 25, 1894, the First Guerrilla Force of the Japanese Combined Fleet suddenly attacked the two cruisers Jiyuan and Guangjia of the Beiyang Navy in the waters of Fengdao, namely Fengdao. The Battle of the Island Sea and the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1894 broke out. The Beiyang Navy and the Combined Fleet face the same tasks: escorting reinforcements and competing for sea control in the waters near the Korean Peninsula.

The Beiyang Navy mainly patrolled from Weihai to the mouth of the Datong River. On August 10, the Japanese combined fleet approached Weihai. Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty accused the Admiral of the Beiyang Navy Ding Ruchang of leading the "fearful" army. The Beiyang Minister Li Hongzhang had to order Ding Ruchang went on a cruise in the Yellow Sea to calm the emperor's anger and relieve the pressure of public opinion. On September 12, 12 battleships of the Beiyang Navy set out from Weihai and went to Dadonggou at the mouth of the Yalu River to escort the army to land.

Unlike the Beiyang Navy, which strategically focused on "protecting ships and controlling the enemy", the Japanese Navy formulated a clear plan before the war to seize control of the sea through a decisive battle with the fleet. After the Japanese Combined Fleet escorted the reinforcements to land in Incheon, on September 13, the Combined Fleet and the First Guerrilla Group headed to the mouth of the Yalu River to search for the main force of the Beiyang Navy for a decisive battle.

The naval battle

September 15, 1894

The main force of the Beiyang Navy, led by Ding Ruchang, arrived in Dalian Bay and escorted 5 ships carrying 4,000 army personnel. Warship.

September 16

The Beiyang Navy arrived at Dadonggou at the mouth of the Yalu River. Some of the ships served as guards, while the remaining 10 battleships anchored southeast of Dalu Island, 12 nautical miles outside the mouth.

At 8:00 on September 17th, the troop transport ship was unloaded. At 9 o'clock, the Beiyang Navy fleet began "Si Shi operations".

At 10:23, the First Guerrilla Force of the Combined Fleet discovered the Beiyang Navy. Send a signal "More than three enemy ships detected in the northeast direction."

At 10:30, the sentry on the mast of the Beiyang Navy Zhenyuan discovered the Japanese fleet.

At 12:05, the first guerrilla force of the combined fleet was in the lead, and the main force was behind, forming a single column, approaching the Beiyang Navy.

At 12:20, the Beiyang Navy changed from a double vertical formation to a horizontal formation during the march. The flagship was positioned far in the center, and the other ships were deployed to its left and right in sequence, forming a wedge-shaped echelon. At the same time, Ding Ruchang also issued an order: "Each squadron must act in coordination; always point the bow of the ship towards the enemy; all ships should move with the flagship within the scope possible."

Off the Yalu River estuary, in the waters of Dalu Island, Almost all the main ships of the two countries were concentrated.

At 12:50, the fleets of both sides were 5,300 meters apart, and Dingyuan, the flagship of the Beiyang Navy, fired first. The First Guerrilla Force of the Combined Fleet turned left 5,000 meters away from the Beiyang Navy and headed towards the right wing of the Beiyang Navy. The combined fleet sailed towards the right wing of the Beiyang Navy, risking exposing the fleet to the Beiyang Navy's formation.

At 12:53, the combined fleet flagship Songdao began to fire back. The Dingyuan mainmast was shot, the signal rigging was destroyed by artillery fire, and Ding Ruchang, who was supervising the battle on the flybridge, was seriously injured.

From this time on, the ships of the Beiyang Navy have lost their command except for advancing and retreating with Dingyuan.

At around 13:00, the First Guerrilla Group bombarded the two ships Chaoyong and Yangwei on the right wing of the Beiyang Navy.

At 13:20, the Beiyang Navy was so brave and powerful that it caught fire. Hiei, Fuso, and Akagi of the United Fleet's main fleet, which were slower in speed, became the targets of the Beiyang Navy. Hiei and Akagi were seriously injured. The first guerrilla group turned left and returned to rescue the two ships. The team turned right and formed a pincer formation.

At 14:20, the Japanese ship Saikyo Maru was hit by a bullet and caught fire and withdrew from the battlefield. Beiyang Navy Chaoyong sank, Yangwei was seriously injured and sailed away from the battlefield and ran aground (there are records of being hit by Jiyuan and sinking in the shallow sea).

At 14:30, the Beiyang Navy hit the Japanese ship Songdao Pingyuan. It was also injured and caused a fire, so it temporarily retreated.

At 15:04, the Beiyang Navy flagship Dingyuan was hit by a bomb and caught fire.

At 15:20, the first guerrilla group focused on attacking Zhiyuan, the Beiyang Navy's sudden advance. Zhiyuan sank. After Jiyuan and Guangjia sank in Zhiyuan, they sailed straight back to Lushun (Guangjia ran aground on the rocks on the way and was destroyed by a Japanese ship two days later). The Beiyang Navy could no longer maintain its battle formation.

At 15:30, the Combined Fleet flagship Songdao was hit, causing the ammunition piled on the deck to explode.

At 16:10, Beiyang Navy Jingyuan and Laiyuan were injured and retreated to Dalu Island.

The flagship of the Combined Fleet, Songdao, issued a signal that "each ship can move at will".

At around 17:00, Beiyang Navy Jingyuan and Laiyuan conducted emergency repairs to restore combat effectiveness. Jingyuan raised the team flag on behalf of the flagship and gathered the ships.

At 17:30, the Beiyang Navy sank far away. The combined fleet issued a "stop fighting" signal and broke away from the battle. (End of the naval battle)

Results of the naval battle

The naval battle in the Yellow Sea lasted more than 5 hours. The Beiyang Navy lost five warships: Zhiyuan, Jingyuan, Chaoyong, Yangwei, and Guangjia. The Japanese fleet's four ships, Matsushima, Hiei, Akagi, and Saikyo Maru, were seriously injured, with more than 600 officers and soldiers killed or injured.

After the Battle of the Yellow Sea, the Beiyang Navy returned to Lushun and Weihai, "avoiding battles to protect ships" and no longer participated in battles. The Japanese Navy gained control of the Yellow Sea.

Sequence of battle between the two sides in the Battle of the Yellow Sea

Combined Fleet Ships

First Guerrilla Force

Cruiser: Yoshino (Commander of the First Guerrilla Force) Flagship of Rear Admiral Tsuboi Kozo, Captain Osakawara Kaname), Naniwa (Captain Osaka Togo Heihachiro), Takachiho (Captain Osano Murata), Akitsusu (Captain Major Uemura Hikonoshima)

Our team

Cruisers: Matsushima (flagship of Vice Admiral Yuhiro Ito, commander of the Combined Fleet, captain Osaka Kajimoto), Itsukushima (captain Osaka Yoko Michiyu), Hashidate (captain Osaka) Hidaka Sonosei), Hiei (Captain and Lieutenant Commander Sakurai Nobuhi), Chiyoda (Captain Osaka Uchida Masatoshi)

Old ironclad: Fuso (Captain Osaka Arai Yuuki)

Gunboat: Akagi

Armed merchant ship (substitute cruiser): Saikyo Maru (the ship of the Japanese Navy Chief of Staff Kaguyama Shiki)

Beiyang Navy ship

Iron-armored ships: Dingyuan (flagship of Beiyang Navy Admiral Ding Ruchang, commanding the right-wing commander Liu Buchan), Zhenyuan (controlling the left-wing commander Lin Taizeng)

Cruiser: Laiyuan (controlling the deputy general) Qiu Baoren), Jingyuan (deputy general Lin Yongsheng), Zhiyuan (deputy general Deng Shichang), Jingyuan (deputy general Ye Zugui), Jiyuan (deputy general Fang Boqian), Guangjia (vice general Wu Jingrong), Chaoyong ( Huang Jianxun, the chief officer), Yangwei (Lin Lvzhong, the chief officer), Pingyuan (Li He, the chief officer), Guangbing (Cheng Biguang, the chief officer)

Gunboats: Zhennan, Zhenzhong< /p>

Torpedo boats: Fulong, Left Team 1, Right Team 2, Right Team 3

Influence

The Battle of the Yellow Sea was a large-scale naval battle after the navy developed into the ironclad era. The decisive battle between fleets at sea has attracted much attention from naval personnel around the world.

The two ironclad ships of the Beiyang Navy showed the advantages of defensive capabilities, and no part of the thick armor was penetrated. Battleships are still the irreplaceable capital ships in the navy. Relatively small battleships mounted with heavy artillery were not very effective in naval battles.

The Beiyang Navy has an advantage in large-caliber artillery, but its rate of fire is low. Each capital ship of the Combined Fleet is equipped with medium-caliber rapid-fire guns, which make up for the shortcomings of its large-caliber guns through the intensive fire of the rapid-fire guns. It had a significant impact on the development of naval armaments at the end of the 19th century. After this battle, the warships designed by navies of various countries all focused on increasing the rate of fire of large-caliber artillery and strengthening the firepower of medium-caliber rapid-fire cannons.

Both sides in the naval battle chose different formations. The combined fleet's use of a single column formation has good coordination. The warships of the Beiyang Navy turned toward the enemy, and because they were aimed at different warships, the formations were disordered and they fought independently. The navies of various countries have concluded that the most important thing in naval battles is the neatness and coordination of formations; vertical formations are more suitable for developing firepower than horizontal formations.

The combined fleet has an advantage in maneuverability in naval battles. The first guerrilla formation has a speed of 15 nautical miles. It can advance and retreat freely in naval battles, and always has the initiative to choose attack targets and opportunities.

Controversy about Fang Boqian

After the Battle of the Yellow Sea, on August 24, Jiyuan ship commander Fang Boqian was beheaded on the charge of "retreating from the battle and causing chaos in the ship" .

As for Fang Boqian’s evaluation, there is still debate in the historical circles. Since the 1990s, there has been an upsurge in Fang Boqian's hometown of Fujian Province to reverse his conviction. It is worth noting that scholars outside Fujian Province who study the history of the Beiyang Navy and the Sino-Japanese War of 1884-1896 have shown cautious silence. Many famous scholars believe that the existing historical data are not enough to overturn the verdict.

Lushun Massacre

In November 1894, during the Sino-Japanese Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1894, the Japanese army captured Lushun and massacred the residents of the city for four consecutive days. No one, including the elderly, weak, women, and children was spared. After the massacre, only thirty-six people were left in the city to bury the bodies of their compatriots. It is estimated that more than 20,000 people were killed. The deceased was buried in the burial mound at the east foot of Baiyu Mountain, which is now called "Wanzhong Tomb".

Event

On November 21, 1894, after the Japanese army captured Lushunkou, the "first fortress in Asia", they carried out an inhumane massacre of four days and three nights. They killed 20,000 people in the city, and only 36 people buried their bodies survived.

Records

At that time, many witnesses from the West recorded the truth of the tragedy. A British sailor wrote in his memoirs "The Wreck in Port Arthur": "...Beheaded, cut in half, pierced through the chest, and disemboweled, they were all mixed together, and the water in the candy pool turned red. ... Along the way The gunshots and cries were mixed together. The ground was covered with blood and flesh, and broken limbs covered the road.

"

The British Allen wrote in his "Under the Rolling Dragon Flag": "The Japanese army penetrated women's chests with bayonets, strung together children under two years old, and deliberately raised them high into the sky. Let people watch. "

The Battle of Pyongyang

In early September 1894, the Japanese army began to advance towards Pyongyang. There were more than 20,000 participating troops and more than 12,000 Qing defense troops. The Japanese army completed the attack by the 15th After a full day of fierce fighting, the Japanese army conquered Pyongyang. The Qing army abandoned their supplies and retreated in panic. They were ambushed by the Japanese army many times during the retreat. After the retreat, they had no defensive support points to rely on. They suffered heavy casualties and caused a huge number of troops stationed in North Korea. The Qing army was completely defeated. By September 24, the Qing army had all returned to China.

The Battle of Pyongyang on September 15 and the Battle of the Yellow Sea on September 16 became the key points of the Sino-Japanese Sino-Japanese War. From then on, the Japanese army completely took the initiative on the battlefield and began to advance rapidly in China.

Beiyang Navy

Beiyang Navy was the first to be established in the late Qing Dynasty of China. A modern naval fleet. The Beiyang Navy was formally established on Liugong Island, Weihaiwei, Shandong Province on December 17, 1888. It was completely destroyed in the Sino-Japanese Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895.

Contents 1. Creation 2 Organization 3 Organization

o 3.1 Official system

o 3.2 Naval rank levels

o 3.3 Personnel 4 Main battles participated in 5 See

< p>Created

In 1874, Japan sent troops to Taiwan in an attempt to occupy it. The Qing soldiers sent their only warships to Taiwan to drive them away. Ten thousand taels were used as funds (the actual amount used to purchase warships was only one million taels per year) to speed up the construction of the navy. The Qing Navy was divided into three oceans: Beiyang was responsible for Shandong and the Yellow Sea to the north, and Nanyang was responsible for the East China Sea south of Shandong and the Yangtze River. Guangdong and Guangxi were responsible for Fujian and the South China Sea. Later, Shen Baozhen, the Minister of Nanyang at the time, spent 4 million per year to jointly build the South and North Sea Fleets, and the funds were insufficient, while the Beiyang Fleet was responsible for guarding the capital, and in 1875, he gave priority to the construction. He ordered Li Hongzhang, Governor of Zhili and Minister of Beiyang, to establish the Beiyang Navy. In 1875, Li Hongzhang ordered four gunboats from Britain through the Chief Taxation Department, which started the history of the Qing Navy's purchase of warships from abroad. In 1879, Li Hongzhang ordered cruisers from Britain. In 1881, after repeated comparisons, they ordered the ironclad ships Dingyuan and Zhenyuan to be built in Lushun and Weihai. In 1888, the Navy Yamen was established, and Li Hongzhang sent overseas ministers to order the cruisers Zhiyuan, Jingyuan, Jingyuan, and Laiyuan from Britain and Germany. On December 17, 1888, the Beiyang Navy was officially established and the "Beiyang" was promulgated on the same day. Since then, modern China has officially owned a naval fleet that was ranked sixth in the world and the largest in Asia. After 1888, fleet funding was greatly reduced, and most of it was transferred to other places by the government, such as construction. The Summer Palace Project, etc. It was a time when naval technology was advancing by leaps and bounds. By the time the Sino-Japanese War broke out in 1894, the Beiyang Fleet had not built new ships for many years, and some of the upgrade projects that should be carried out, such as the replacement of new artillery, could not be carried out. The original warships have begun to fall behind, lagging behind Japan in terms of speed and rate of fire.

Organization

Zhiyuan ship

Iron-armored ship: Iron-clad ship: Dingyuan, Zhenyuan

Clippers: Armored cruiser: Jingyuan , Laiyuan protected cruiser: Jiyuan, Zhiyuan, Jingyuan Collision cruiser: Yangwei, Chaoyong

Mosquito gunboat: Gunboat: Zhenbian, Zhenzhong, Zhendong, Zhenxi, Zhennan, Zhenbei

Torpedo boats: left first, left second, left third, right first, right second, right third, Fulong, Ding one, Ding two, Zhen one, Zhen two

Ship training : Practice ships: Kangji, Weiyuan, Agility

Auxiliary ships: (omitted)

Organization

Official system

Admiral, general Soldiers (divided into left and right wings), deputy generals, staff generals, guerrillas, commanders, guards, generals, and generals

The captain is called the leader

Navy rank level

Chief Dutong, Deputy Dutong, Xie Dutong, Chief Counselor, Deputy Chief, Associate Counselor, Chief Military Academy, Deputy Military Academy, Associate Military Academy,

Personnel

< p> Almost all captains and senior officers of the major battleships of the Beiyang Fleet are graduates of the Fuzhou Shipping School, and many of them have studied abroad and interned at the British Naval Academy. Many of the middle-level officers were young children who were originally studying in the United States. After being recalled to the country, they studied the navy at the Fujian Naval Academy and then served. There have always been foreigners serving as officers in the fleet as technical experts and guidance. Most of the officers of the Beiyang Fleet can speak English, and internal command orders are also issued in English.

The main generals of the Beiyang Navy are: Ding Ruchang--Admiral of the Navy (committed suicide) Liu Buchan--Commander of the right wing, commander of the Dingyuan (committed suicide) Lin Taizeng--Commander of the left wing, commander of the Zhenyuan Lead (suicide) Deng Shichang - Lieutenant General of the Chinese Army, Commander of the Zhiyuan (died in battle) Ye Zugui - Right Lieutenant General of the Chinese Army, Commander of the Jingyuan (died in battle) Fang Boqian - Left Deputy General of the Chinese Army, Commander of the Jiyuan (Executed) Lin Yongsheng - Deputy General of the Left Wing Zuoying, Commander of the Chaoyuan (died in battle) Qiu Baoren - Deputy General of the Right Zuoying, Commander of the Laiyuan (dismissed) Huang Jianxun - Deputy General of the Left Wing Right Battalion, Commander of the Chaoyuan ( Died in battle) Lin Luzhong - deputy general of the right battalion on the right wing, commander of Yang Wei (died in battle) Yang Yonglin - guerrilla leader of the left wing of the middle battalion, former gang leader of Zhenyuan, took over as commander after Lin Taizeng committed suicide (committed suicide)

< p>The main battles he participated in were the Battle of Toshima and the Battle of Yellow Sea and the Battle of Weihai and Wei

Li Hongzhang

Li Hongzhang

Born on February 15, 1823 in Hefei, Anhui, China

Died November 7, 1901, Beijing, China

Li Hongzhang (February 15, 1823 - November 7, 1901), also known as Zifu and Jianfu, also known as Shaoquan and Yisou , from Hefei, Anhui. An important minister in the late Qing Dynasty of China, the founder and commander of the Huai Army, and one of the main advocates of the Westernization Movement.

Contents 1 Biography

o 1.1 Juvenile imperial examination

o 1.2 Middle-aged soldier

o 1.3 Confederation in the prime of life

< p>o 1.4 The Westernization Movement in his later years

o 1.5 Signing of unequal treaties

o 1.6 Ai Rong 2 Poems 3 Comments

Brief Introduction

Juvenile imperial examination

In the 27th year of Daoguang reign (1847), he passed the imperial examination and was elected to the Hanlin Academy as a Shujishi. At the same time, he studied under Zeng Guofan and focused on the study of world affairs. Three years later, the Hanlin Academy disbanded and he was retained as editor.

Middle-aged soldier

In the third year of Xianfeng (1853), he was ordered to return home to organize regiment training, and led troops to fight against the Taiping Army many times. In the winter of 1858, he entered the Zeng Guofan shogunate to assist in business affairs. In 1860, he took command of the Huaiyang Navy. After the Hunan Army occupied Anqing, they were recommended by Zeng Guofan as "talents who could be put to great use" and ordered to recruit brave men in the Fei area. In the first year of Tongzhi (1862), the fifth battalion of Huaiyong was organized. The Shanghai system above Zeng Guofan was the "place to raise wages and nourishment". Huaiyong was ordered to arrive in Shanghai on a British ship and form an army of his own, called the Huai Army. Xuan was recommended by Zeng Guofan to serve as governor of Jiangsu. After taking control of the local power, they vigorously expanded the army in Jiangsu and adopted new Western guns and artillery. The Huai army increased from more than 6,000 to 60,000 to 70,000 in 2 years, becoming a local armed force with well-equipped and strong combat effectiveness among the Qing army. (The later Huai clique warlord group gradually formed on this basis). After Li Hongzhang arrived in Shanghai, he and foreign mercenaries (later formed into the Changsheng Army) attacked the Taiping Army. In 1863 and 1864, he led the Huai army to capture Suzhou, Changzhou and other places, and worked with the Hunan army to suppress the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Preserving the Qing Dynasty that was about to collapse. Known as the "Famous Minister of ZTE".

Sealing borders in his prime

Li Hongzhang later served as governor of Liangjiang, governor of Zhili and minister of commerce in Beiyang. He was awarded the title of Bachelor of Wenhua Palace and first-class Su Yibo. With military power in hand, he became an important minister who "sited in Beiyang and controlled the government from afar", subordinate to one person and superior to ten thousand people. Vigorously develop Westernization.

The Westernization Movement in his later years

He took charge of the Beiyang Navy, founded the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau, the Tianjin Machinery Bureau, the Beiyang Fleet, the Steamship Investment Bureau, the Telegraph Bureau, the Kaiping Mining Bureau, and dispatched China's first Approval of students to study in the United States...etc. After the defeat in the Sino-Japanese War and the destruction of the Beiyang Fleet, Li Hongzhang said: "The things I have been doing all my life, including military training and the navy, are just paper tigers. How can I really let them handle it? It's just a facade, and it's just superficial. If it's not exposed, it can be done for a while. ."

Signing of unequal treaties

The Beiyang Navy was defeated by the Japanese army in the Sino-Japanese War. Li was ordered to go to Japan to negotiate peace at Chunfan Tower. During the negotiations, he was assassinated and wounded. In the end, the "Treaty of Shimonoseki" was concluded, ceding Taiwan and paying compensation of 20,000 taels of silver. Therefore, he was charged with treason and closed his doors to accept guests. However, some people believe that based on the negotiations under the strong leadership of Japanese Prime Minister Ito Hirobumi at the time, it was considered a situation with the least losses. He was later demoted to the post of governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, and the Eight-Nation Allied Forces were ordered to go north to clean up the mess and sign the Xinchou Treaty. He died shortly after signing. It is said that before his death, the Russian minister forced him to sign a treaty selling Northeast China. He was speechless and could only cry silently.

When he died, he left behind a huge fortune of 40 million taels of silver. There is a saying among the people that "the prime minister in Hefei is thin in the world". However, the family property was divided when he died, and the specific amount cannot be determined.

Ai Rong

The two palaces "cryed without a sound", and Queen Xiao Qinxian praised him as the person who "recreated Xuan Huang". As a gift to Taifu, he was given the title of Marquis Suyi of the Jin Dynasty and was given the posthumous title of Wenzhong. A temple is built in the province of origin and meritorious service. The capital's temple is regularly worshiped by local officials. This was the only Han official who built a temple in the capital during the Qing Dynasty.

Poems

There is "The Complete Works of Li Wenzhonggong".

Evaluation

As a signer of unequal treaties, Li Hongzhang has always been considered a "traitor".

Recently, with the emergence of more and more historical materials, the status of this controversial veteran of the late Qing Dynasty has gradually received some positive evaluations.

Zeng Guofan once said, "Li Shaoquan worked hard to be an official, and Yu Yinfu (Yu Yue) worked hard to write books." Li Hongzhang was passionate about officialdom and held a very popular position that lasted for decades, which was obviously due to his way of serving as an official.

Liang Qichao, Li Hongzhang’s political opponent, commented on him: I respect Li Hongzhang’s talent, I cherish Li Hongzhang’s knowledge, and I am saddened by Li Hongzhang’s fate.

Zuo Zongtang's evaluation of him was: "For China, ten French generals are not as bad as one Li Hongzhang"; "Li Hongzhang will be infamy for all the people by mistake."

Li Hongzhang once commented on his own actions: "What I have done all my life, including military training and the navy, are paper tigers. How can I really let it go? The unveiling can be done perfunctorily, just like a broken house, which has been patched up here and there by a paper framer, and turned into a clean room. It is clear that it is paper and framed, but it is not clear what kind of materials are inside. Holes can be repaired at any time, but they can be easily torn open, and no repair materials or transformation methods have been prepared. Naturally, the truth will be revealed and cannot be dealt with, but how can the paper-pasting craftsman take responsibility for it? ?"

Ding Ruchang

Ding Ruchang (November 18, 1836 - February 12, 1895), formerly known as Xianda, also known as Yuting, with the title of Chapter . Born in Lujiang County, Anhui Province. Admiral of the Beiyang Navy in the Qing Dynasty.

Due to his poor family, Ding Ruchang only attended private school for three years and dropped out of school at the age of ten. In 1854, the Taiping Army conquered Lujiang, and Ding Ruchang joined the Taiping Army. In 1861, Anqing was besieged, and Ding Ruchang surrendered to the Hunan Army with his troops. He made great contributions to the capture of Anqing and was promoted to the rank of General. In 1862, he was incorporated into the Huai Army under the command of Li Hongzhang to fight against the Taiping Army. Due to his bravery in battle, he was selected by Liu Mingchuan to join the Mingzi Camp. In 1864, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom was defeated, and Ding Ruchang followed Liu Mingchuan to the north to fight against the Nian Army. In 1868, when the Eastern Nien Army failed, Ding Ruchang was awarded the title of Commander-in-Chief of the Army, the title of Admiral, and the title of Batuluyong for Xieyong. In 1874, the Qing government decided to disarm. Ding Ruchang wrote to Liu Mingchuan to protest against his superiors' plan to lay off his subordinates. Liu Mingchuan was furious and wanted to kill him. Ding Ruchang learned the news and rushed back to his hometown to avoid being killed.

In 1875, Li Hongzhang was responsible for establishing the navy, and Ding Ruchang went to join him. Li Hongzhang considered that Ding Ruchang had a rift with Liu Mingchuan and it was not appropriate to return to the Hunan Army, so he decided to let him participate in the formation of the navy. In 1880, Ding Ruchang led Lin Taizeng, Deng Shichang and other officers and soldiers to the UK to receive the cruisers "Chaoyong" and "Yangwei" back to China. In 1882, the Renwu Mutiny broke out in North Korea. Ding Ruchang led the Beiyang Navy ships to North Korea and captured the North Korean Emperor Li Shiying, which frustrated Japan's plan to intervene in North Korea and prevented the situation from deteriorating further. He was rewarded. In 1888, the Beiyang Navy was officially established, and Ding Ruchang was appointed admiral.

In 1894, the Sino-Japanese Sino-Japanese War broke out. Emperor Guangxu was agitated, and the government ordered him to seek war but also to keep his mouth shut. Government officials who did not understand naval affairs continued to attack Ding Ruchang for passively avoiding the war, thereby achieving the purpose of attacking Li Hongzhang. In September, Ding Ruchang was ordered to lead the main force of the Beiyang Navy to escort the army to reinforce the Korean garrison. On the 18th, when he returned, he encountered the Japanese fleet in the waters near Dadonggou at the mouth of the Yalu River, and the two sides engaged in a naval battle in the Yellow Sea. During the naval battle, Ding Ruchang was commanding the flagship "Dingyuan" on the flybridge and was injured by artillery fire. He accidentally forgot to specify which ship would succeed him if the flagship's command failed, leaving the Beiyang Navy to act independently. After five hours of fierce fighting, both sides suffered losses.

Later, Ding Ruchang was ordered by Li Hongzhang to sit and guard Weihaiwei. He expressed concern about the army's combat effectiveness and suggested that he should be prepared to blow up land and coastal forts. This turned out to be evidence of "collaborating with the enemy and harming the country", and the Qing court ordered him to be handed over to the Ministry of Punishment for prosecution. After Liu Buchan and other generals petitioned by phone and Li Hongzhang vigorously defended him, the Qing court ordered that Ding Ruchang be sent to the Ministry of Justice after the affairs at hand were completed.

On January 20, 1895, the Japanese army landed at Rongcheng, Shandong Peninsula. Ding Ruchang refused the Japanese Combined Fleet Commander-in-Chief Ito Yuhiro's persuasion to surrender. Subsequently, the Japanese army captured the Weihai land fort from land and surrounded the Beiyang Navy by land and sea. After blowing up the flagship "Dingyuan", he committed suicide by taking opium on February 11 at the age of 59. The remainder of the Beiyang Navy surrendered and the entire army was wiped out. Guangxu decreed that "he has no family property" and is not allowed to be buried. Until the second year of Xuantong (1910), after the efforts of Zaixun, Sa Zhenbing and others, the Qing court vindicated Ding Ruchang. In the first year of the Republic of China (1912), the coffin was buried in the plum blossom field of Xiaojishan, Xixiang, Wuwei County, Anhui Province.

Page Category: Qing Dynasty Military Strategist | Born in 1836 | Died in 1895 | Beiyang Navy

Liu Mingchuan

Liu Mingchuan (September 7, 1836, Daoguang Born in the 16th year of his life - January 12, 1896, died in the 22nd year of Guangxu's reign), with the courtesy name Shengsan and the nickname Daqianshanren. A native of Xixiang, Hefei, Anhui (now Feixi County), he was a general and minister in the late Qing Dynasty of China. He was an important general of the Huai Army and the first governor of Taiwan Province.

Liu Mingchuan was born into poverty and lost his father when he was 11 years old. His life was extremely difficult. At the age of 18, he gave up studying and fell into the rivers and lakes. He once went to the mountains to become a robber. In 1856, his mother committed suicide due to being implicated. Liu Mingchuan returned to his hometown for team training. He once wanted to join the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, but did not do so. At the same time, he initially opposed the Qing government's active resistance to the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. In 1857, Liu Mingchuan refused the request for help from the then magistrate of Hefei and was arrested, but was released shortly thereafter.

From then on, he defected to Li Hongzhang's Huai army and began to join the war against the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. In 1864, Liu Mingchuan led his troops to conquer Changzhou and captured Chen Kunshu, who was promoted to governor of Zhili. In 1867, Liu Mingchuan was awarded the title of First Class Baron for his first contribution to the battle against the Nian Army.

When Liu Mingchuan was an official in Beijing, he did not get along with other bureaucrats, so he resigned or was dismissed and returned home. He carried out some construction projects in his hometown (such as founding Feixi Academy, etc.) and built ancestral temples.

In 1884, the Vietnam War broke out between China and France, and Liu Mingchuan was reactivated by the Qing government and sent to Taiwan. When Liu Mingchuan was in Taiwan, he repeatedly defeated the French army's plan to take the stage. During the Huwei victory, the French army finally gave up their plan to take the stage. In 1885, the Qing government separated Taiwan from Fujian and established Taiwan Province, with Liu Mingchuan as governor. By 1891, Liu Mingchuan had established defense measures and organized armaments in Taiwan. He also developed and established many infrastructures in Taiwan. During his supervision of Taiwan, Taiwan's first railway was opened and the first cable between Taiwan and Fujian was laid. , In addition, he also established a series of management agencies such as the Telegraph Bureau, the Coal Bureau, and the Railway Bureau. A pioneer in Taiwan's modernization. However, Liu Mingchuan's New Deal did not take into account the integrity of officials and Taiwan's own financial burden, resulting in a significant increase in Taiwan Province's financial burden, frequent official corruption, and people's resistance. In 1889, a rebellion broke out in Changhua by the "Justice King" Shi Jiudan due to the issue of land tax.

In 1891, Liu Ming announced his retirement and was succeeded by Shao Youlian. He died of illness in his hometown at the end of 1896. His works include "Liu Zhuang Su Gong's Memorial" and "Daqianshanfang Poetry Draft".

Predecessor:

Liu Mingchuan (Governor of Fujian Province) Governor of Taiwan Province

1885-1891 Successor:

Shen Yingkui (Governor of Taiwan) Envoy acting as governor)