cover of episode 253. Victorian Narcos: Drug Dealers Lead Britain to War (Ep 7)

253. Victorian Narcos: Drug Dealers Lead Britain to War (Ep 7)

2025/5/7
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Anita Arnott 和 William Durrumpal: 我们讨论了导致第一次鸦片战争爆发的复杂因素。苏格兰鸦片商人 Jardine 和 Matheson 操纵了鸦片贸易,而英国官员 Charles Elliot 却无力阻止。林则徐的禁烟运动激化了矛盾,导致了英国政府的干预。Jardine 为了影响英国政府的决策,秘密资助了大规模的媒体宣传攻势,歪曲事实,激起英国民众的反华情绪。同时,英国外交大臣帕麦斯顿是一个强硬派,他被 Jardine 的宣传所影响,并相信对华战争将会很容易取胜。尽管英国国内存在反对的声音,但帕麦斯顿和他的支持者们最终说服了内阁,决定对中国采取军事行动,以维护英国的利益和声誉,并为被销毁的鸦片索赔。清政府对英国的军事实力和战争意图严重低估,这导致了战争的爆发。 Anita Arnott 和 William Durrumpal: 我们详细分析了导致第一次鸦片战争爆发的各种因素,包括英国的鸦片贸易、Jardine 和 Matheson 等商人的操纵、林则徐强硬的禁烟政策以及英国政府的反应。我们特别关注了 Jardine 如何通过媒体宣传操纵舆论,影响英国政府的决策。同时,我们也探讨了帕麦斯顿等英国强硬派人物的角色,以及他们如何利用对华战争来维护英国的利益和声誉。此外,我们还分析了清政府在情报收集、战略判断和军事准备方面的不足,以及这些不足如何导致了战争的爆发。这场战争不仅是关于鸦片的争端,更是关于英国和中国之间权力和利益冲突的体现。

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How did opium traders convince the British Cabinet to wage war on China? Who was Lord Palmerston? Why was China, one of the biggest empires in the world, so ill-prepared for war at sea?

William and Anita discuss how James Matheson launched a propaganda campaign in the British press which led to warships being sent to China, on the way to start The First Opium War…

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