Britain, viewing the destruction of the opium as an attack on private property and free trade, dispatched a naval task force to China in 1840 [1, 2]. The British Royal Navy, equipped with advanced steamships and superior artillery, easily overwhelmed the outdated Chinese coastal defenses [3, 6]. The Treaty of Nanking
By the 1830s, millions of Chinese citizens were addicted, causing severe social and economic decay [3, 5]. how_britain_went_to_war_with_china_over_opium
Silver began flowing out of China to pay for the drug, crippling the Chinese economy [2, 6]. The Breaking Point: Commissioner Lin Zexu Britain, viewing the destruction of the opium as
In 1839, the Daoguang Emperor appointed to end the opium trade [1, 5]. Lin took drastic measures: 2]. The British Royal Navy