Opium Wars & the Opening of China (1839-1860)

By Julian Pembroke

Opium Wars & the Opening of China (1839-1860) offers a deeply researched and riveting account of one of the most consequential periods in Chinese and global history. With a scholar's rigor and a storyteller's insight, Julian Pembroke traces the complex interplay of imperial ambition, diplomatic failure, and cultural misunderstanding that ignited the First and Second Opium Wars. This pivotal era not only forced China to abandon centuries of isolation but also marked the beginning of what the country would later call its "Century of Humiliation."

Drawing from primary sources, international scholarship, and revisionist perspectives, the book explores the causes and consequences of the opium trade, the ideological clashes between Confucian governance and Western mercantilism, and the key figures-such as Lin Zexu and Lord Palmerston-who shaped the trajectory of conflict. It examines the devastating impact of the unequal treaties, the rise of Chinese nationalism, and the lasting geopolitical implications for East Asia and beyond.

Meticulously researched and thought-provoking, this book is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the historical roots of modern Sino-Western relations, the legacy of imperialism, and the formative events that continue to influence China's global outlook today.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0F89FW87X
• ISBN13: 9798283398938
• Release Date: May 2025
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 280 Pages
• Weight: 0.83 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 9.0"