The Sino-French Naval War

Name: The Sino-French Naval War
ISBN: 9787516817612

Chen YueTaihai Publishing House · ChinaSep 2018

4.0

Word count: 151K words
Chapters: 70
ISBN: 9787516817612

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Summary

From 1883 to 1885, a war between two great powers of Europe and Asia stunned the world. France, still smarting from the humiliation of the Franco-Prussian War, sought to project a hard line in foreign policy and restore its stature as a great power. China, then in the midst of the Self-Strengthening Movement and already advancing on the path of military modernization, saw its Qing court elite confidently adopt a tough diplomatic stance. Over the question of Vietnam, the two nations—neither willing to make open concessions—ultimately stumbled into a muddled war. That war in fact exposed grave problems within the Qing system, yet these were obscured by a few partial and exaggerated military victories… This book surveys the political, diplomatic, and military dimensions of the Sino-French War, using naval warfare as its thread and drawing extensively on archives from both China and France to examine the conflict from a fresh perspective. It offers detailed depiction and analysis of the Vietnamese theater, the Battle of Majiang, the Defense of Zhenhai, and the Battle of Shipu, among others.

Editor's review

The Sino-French Naval War focuses on the maritime conflicts between China and France from 1884 to 1885 over suzerainty in Vietnam and around Taiwan and Fujian. Drawing on his solid research in modern Chinese naval history, Chen Yue sifts through extensive archival documents, newspaper accounts, and participants' recollections from both sides to reconstruct the full scope of a conflict long simplified as the 'Battle of Majie.' The book's value lies not only in its textual research on tactical details but also in placing the naval war within the broader context of the late Qing Self-Strengthening Movement and international diplomatic maneuvering, revealing the Qing court's 'coastal defense versus frontier defense' debate, the coordination difficulties between the Nanyang and Beiyang fleets, and the deeper contradictions of modernization. Chen Yue's narrative is restrained and calm, avoiding simple nationalist sentiment; he analyzes both the tactical advantages and strategic limitations of the French Far East Squadron and objectively assesses the combat decisions of Fujian Fleet commanders and the Qing court's slow and flawed decision-making. For readers who wish to go beyond the traditional narrative of the 'Great Victory at Zhennanguan' and understand the late nineteenth-century transformation of East Asian sea power and the arduous course of China's modernization, this book offers a substantial professional perspective.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers with a strong interest in modern Chinese naval and military history
Researchers seeking a deeper understanding of the complex links between the late Qing Self-Strengthening Movement and foreign wars
Readers of history books who prefer rigorous narratives grounded in archival sources
Readers concerned with the historical evolution of East Asian sea power and the history of international relations

Not a good fit for

Readers looking for light, entertaining historical stories
Readers expecting strong nationalist sentiment

Reading tips

Readers may wish to consult a chronology of modern Chinese and world naval technology to understand the equipment gap between the two sides
It is advisable to read alongside works on late Qing political and diplomatic history to grasp the court's decision-making behind the naval war
The book contains many ship classes and tactical details; readers may find a dictionary of naval terminology helpful

About the publisher

Taihai Publishing House China · Founded in 1997

Founded in 1997 and based in Beijing, Taihai Publishing House takes “building cultural bridges and promoting cross-strait unity” as its mission, focusing on Taiwan-related studies, social sciences and humanities, Chinese and foreign history, and literature. Judging from the 709 titles in the database, its publishing centers on foreign literature and classic works, with attention to Eastern philosophy, architecture, and social culture. Representative books include Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha and Steppenwolf and the four-volume Hesse literary series, Liang Sicheng’s A History of Chinese Architecture, Lao She’s Teahouse (unabridged classic edition), Sun Wu’s The Art of War, and collections by W. Somerset Maugham, Yasunari Kawabata, and Yukio Mishima. Its authors include major foreign writers such as Hesse, Maugham, Kawabata, and Mishima, as well as Liang Sicheng, Lao She, and Sun Wu. Its publishing features complete presentation of classic texts and series-based organization of foreign literature; public information on its Taiwan-related studies titles and authors is limited.

版权信息
自序
第一章越南上空的三色旗
多事之秋
红河
黑旗军
保护国之争
李维业远征
第二次纸桥之战
第二章孤拔到来
和平努力
三头政治
东京支队
怀德之战
顺化条约
第三章越南多米诺
丹凤铁壁
决定性打击
危城孤军
黑旗铩羽
越境崩溃
第四章潘多拉魔盒
朝政巨变
李福和谈
祸起观音桥
中法决裂
刘铭传保台
利士比编队
基隆港的炮声
第五章雾锁罗星塔
幼樵重任
马江险境
船政水师
风云乍起
“吓退曹兵”
战火
第六章马江惊变
最近的希望
枯守马江
台风
大战前夜
阳光灿烂的日子
第七章血染大江
浴血“扬武”
星陨马江
孤军
血染大江
兵败街亭
第八章蟒龙出江
无功而返
蟒龙出江
亡羊补牢
远东舰队出动
淡水炮战
第九章狼烟四起
登陆淡水
淡水大捷
海峡封锁
南、北洋水师集结
“超”“扬”北返
南洋水师出动
第十章大战落幕
夜袭石浦
“镇海大捷”
“飞虎”转机
澎湖陷落
孤拔之死
附录一马江之战殉国烈士名录
附录二中法战争两国参战舰艇一览
附录三中法海战两国主要舰艇线图

FAQ

Which battles does this book mainly cover?

The core content centers on the 1884 Battle of Majiang (Battle of the Min River) and the 1885 Defense of Zhenhai, while also covering operations at Keelung and Tamsui and systematically tracing the prewar confrontation and postwar negotiations.

How authoritative is author Chen Yue in the field of modern naval history?

Chen Yue is a well-known researcher of modern naval and warship history, author of several monographs including Records of Beiyang Navy Ships and Records of Modern Chinese-Built Ships. He has long devoted himself to uncovering and verifying primary archives, has published extensively in this field, and enjoys a high reputation.

What are the characteristics of the book's use of historical sources?

The author emphasizes cross-checking Chinese and French sources; in addition to Chinese archives, he draws extensively on French naval archives, diplomatic documents, and memoirs of French officers of the period to construct a relatively balanced, multi-dimensional historical picture.

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About the author

Chen Yue Author · Chinese · 1978

Chen Yue, born in 1978 in Jingjiang, Jiangsu, and now living in Weihai, Shandong, has long been engaged in researching and popularizing the history of modern Chinese naval affairs, warship technology, and the First Sino-Japanese War. He serves as president of the Chinese Naval History Research Association and a guest researcher at the China Sino-Japanese War Museum. He led the 1:1 replica reconstruction of the battleship Dingyuan and was a consultant for the film The Sino-Japanese War at Sea 1894. His writing is known for solid historical sources and clear narrative. His major works, including The Sino-Japanese Naval Battle of 1894, The Great Naval Battle of the Yellow Sea, and The Sino-French Naval War, focus on modern naval warfare and warship technology, while other works such as Longxing Chuhui: An Illustrated History of Qing Dynasty Orders and Medals explore cultural history. The library also includes his books on personal growth, management, and IELTS listening, showing the broad range of his writing.