Posted inChinese History

The First Sino-Japanese War: The Blow to China’s Modernization Hopes – Explore how China’s Defeat in this War Shattered Hopes for Rapid Modernization and Revealed the Deep-Seated Problems within the Qing Military and Government, Allowing Japan to Emerge as a Dominant Regional Power.

The First Sino-Japanese War: The Blow to China's Modernization Hopes (A Lecture on How a War Exposed China's Underpants...Literally) (Image: A cartoon depicting a very large, bloated Qing official tripping…
Posted inChinese History

The First Opium War: Treaty of Nanjing and Its Aftermath – Examine the Consequences of the Treaty of Nanjing, Which Marked the Beginning of the Unequal Treaty System, Forcing China to Cede Territory, Open Ports, And Grant Privileges to Foreign Powers, Initiating a Period of Semi-Colonialism.

The First Opium War: Treaty of Nanjing and Its Aftermath – A Lecture on China's Rude Awakening (Professor sniffs dramatically, adjusts spectacles perched precariously on his nose, and beams at…
Posted inChinese History

The First Sino-Japanese War: Japan’s Rise and China’s Decline – Explore the Conflict Over Korea That Resulted in a Decisive Victory for Japan and a Humiliating Defeat for China, Signaling Japan’s Emergence as a Regional Power and Further Weakening the Qing Dynasty.

The First Sino-Japanese War: Japan's Rise and China's Decline – A Clash of Civilizations (and Really Bad Strategies) ⚔️ (Lecture Hall Music: A jaunty, slightly off-key rendition of "Sakura Sakura"…
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The First Sino-Japanese War: Exposing China’s Weakness – Examine the Conflict Over Korea That Revealed the Qing Dynasty’s Failure to Modernize Effectively Compared to Meiji Japan, Leading to a Humiliating Defeat and Loss of Territory.

The First Sino-Japanese War: Exposing China's Weakness – A Lecture (Intro Music: A slightly out-of-tune rendition of "The East is Red" followed by a slightly-too-enthusiastic J-Pop track. Transition abruptly.) (Professor…
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The First Opium War: A Clash of Trade and Sovereignty – Explore the Conflict Triggered by Britain’s Efforts to Force Opium Trade on China and China’s Attempts to Suppress It, Highlighting the Unequal Power Dynamics and the Beginning of China’s Forced Opening to the West.

The First Opium War: A Clash of Trade and Sovereignty – A Lecture (Professor snappily enters the lecture hall, adjusting his spectacles. A projector screen flickers to life, displaying a…
Posted inChinese History

The First Sino-Japanese War’s Battle of the Yalu River (1894): A Naval Defeat for China – Examine the Major Naval Engagement of the First Sino-Japanese War, Exploring the Clash Between the Chinese Beiyang Fleet and the Imperial Japanese Navy and How Japan’s Superior Technology and Tactics Led to a Significant Chinese Defeat, Highlighting China’s Lagging Naval Modernization.

The First Sino-Japanese War's Battle of the Yalu River (1894): A Naval Defeat for China – A Lecture (Professor gestures dramatically, adjusting his spectacles) Alright, settle down, settle down, class!…
Posted inChinese History

The Treaty of Nanjing (1842): The First of the Unequal Treaties – Examine the Terms of the Treaty That Ended the First Opium War, Exploring How It Severely Curtailed China’s Sovereignty, Forced Concessions to Britain, And Set A Precedent for Other Western Powers to Demand Similar Privileges, Marking a Turning Point in China’s Relationship with Foreign Powers.

The Treaty of Nanjing (1842): The First of the Unequal Treaties – A Lecture on How China Got Rolled (and Why It Still Matters) (Lecture starts with a dramatic flourish,…
Posted inChinese History

The First Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895): How Did a Conflict Over Korea Expose China’s Weakness and Japan’s Rising Power? Examine the Causes, Course, And Humiliating Defeat of China in This War, Resulting in Territorial Losses and Further Erosion of Qing Authority, Signaling a Shift in East Asian Power Dynamics.

The First Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895): How Did a Conflict Over Korea Expose China's Weakness and Japan's Rising Power? (A Lecture in the Grand Hall of Historical Hindsight) (Professor Archimedes Q.…