Second Opium War

The Second Opium War was a conflict fought by Britain and France against Qing China from 1856 to 1860. It ended with treaties that expanded foreign access and imposed new concessions on China.

Arrow Incident: A 1856 dispute over the seizure of a Chinese-owned vessel that Britain used to justify military action against Qing China. This disputed episode provided Britain’s immediate pretext for beginning the war.
First Opium War: The 1839–1842 war between Britain and Qing China that ended with the Treaty of Nanjing. Its unequal settlement left disputes over trade and diplomatic access unresolved.
James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin: A British diplomat who led Britain’s mission to China and negotiated the 1860 settlement. Elgin directed British policy during the final campaign and signed the Convention of Beijing.
Treaty ports: Chinese ports opened to foreign residence and trade under treaties imposed by Western powers. The war’s treaties expanded the number of ports open to foreign access.
Sino-French War: A conflict between France and Qing China from 1884 to 1885 over French expansion in Vietnam. It was a later Franco-Qing conflict centered on Vietnam, not the treaty concessions of 1860.
Treaty of Tianjin: A set of 1858 treaties requiring Qing China to grant foreign powers additional privileges. These agreements formalized demands made during the first phase of the war.
Treaty of Nanjing: The 1842 treaty ending the First Opium War and opening five Chinese ports to British trade. Britain later sought to revise its terms, helping intensify the tensions behind the war.
Jean-Baptiste Louis Gros: A French diplomat who represented France during the allied campaign and treaty negotiations in China. Gros negotiated France’s settlement alongside the British mission.
Foreign concessions in China: Territories or privileges in China granted to foreign powers, often with extraterritorial rights. The settlement strengthened foreign legal and commercial privileges within China.
First Sino-Japanese War: The 1894–1895 war in which Japan defeated Qing China over influence in Korea. This later defeat by Japan differed from the Anglo-French campaign and its demands for access.

Linked from 23 pages