Western Non-State Actors in the Taiping Civil War, 1860-1864
Abstract:
The Taiping Civil War (1850-1864) saw the ruling Qing Dynasty challenged by the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, a peasant rebellion based upon a blend of Christianity and Confucianism. These rebels nearly toppled the dynasty; in order to stave off the threat, following their defeat against the British and French in the Arrow War (1856-1860), the Qing employed Western soldiers to train joint Sino-Western armies. Although the usage of foreign soldiers was a recurrence in Chinese history, these Westerners occupied a precarious situation, belonging to nations that were forcing unequal treaties upon China. Tensions between the Westerners and the dynasty resulted in a culture clash, although the Qing conservatives and Western foreign communities, operating under their own cultural logics, chose to unite against the chaotic rebellion. Furthermore, they proved vital to the outcome of the war, providing innovations in military technology and tactics that prevented the Taipings from seizing the coasts. Yet these Westerners were motivated by material desires; commanders such as Frederick Townsend Ward increasingly demanded more pay, and others – such as Charles Gordon – sought to make a safe, reliable ally out of China for their home. Others – such as Henry Burgevine – defected to the Taipings, believing that the rebels would provide them greater fame and fortune. As a result, the experience of non-state actors acted as a microcosm of the conflicts engulfing the last Chinese dynasty, in which pursuit of profit took newfound precedence over preservation of the dynasty.