Britain Invasions of Tibet 1888/1904

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Photo Gallery of British invasion of Tibet

http://zt.tibet.cn/tibetzt-en/hbsj/1_p.htm

"In l888, Tibetan troops and militia fought fiercely against British invaders, but were defeated at the battle of Mount Lungdo in l888. As a result, first Sikkim and then Bhutan were lost to the imperialists. The Qing Dynasty was weak, and the fate of the country was at stake."

Since the Opium War of 1840, the imperialism countries opened Chinese gate with cannon, weakening China into a half colony and half feudalism society. From then on, more and more imperialism countries forced Qing government to endorse a series of unfair treaties, strengthening the invasion to Chinese border areas. During that period, the "expedition", "missionary", "surveying delegation" and other forms of organization of Britain and Russia began to move about in Tibet. After the failure of Lungtushan campaign when Tibetan people fought against Britain invasion by armed forces for the first time in 1888, Qing government was forced to endorse an unfair treaty with Britain, damaging heavily the Chinese sovereignty."

"The 13th Dalai Lama himself became a legendary figure. He was born in a chaotic period, and had to face many challenges. He went in exile twice, and his title was removed twice. The first time he went into exile was in 1904, when the British invaders approached Lhasa, and he was forced to leave. He went to Mongolia first, hoping that he would be supported by Russia against Britain. But the Russians were busy fighting a losing war with the Japances. Then he had to turn to Beijing. Though the Qing Court confirmed his title, it did no more to help him. After more than four years in Mongolia, Qinghai, Mount Wutai and Beijing, he returned to Lhasa, humiliated and disappointed. To his dismay, he found that Tibet was tightly controlled by High Commissioner Lian Yu. With pain in his heart, he left Tibet again, this time for India, where he asked Britain for political asylum. But for fear of offending Russia and China and with wider ambitions than simply seizing Tibet, the

British government replied expressly that it had no intention of interfering in China's internal affairs."

Last Days of the Divine King by: Ma Lihua 2005-05-08 16:43:49

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In March 1904 alone, the British army killed more than 1,400 Tibetans. This picture of Tibetan captives was taken by a British soldier.*

 

http://en.tibet.cn/newfeature/oldlhasa/gallery5/t20050508_28014.htm

The British army bombarded a village in Gyantse in the summer of 1904, causing a large number of civilian casualties.*

http://en.tibet.cn/newfeature/oldlhasa/gallery5/t20050508_28013.htm

Dawa Dondrup, who took part in the resistance to the British invaders in 1904. In 1963, when he was 83 years old, he told children about the fight to oppose British aggression against Tibet. He was a peasant living in Kangma County.*

http://en.tibet.cn/newfeature/oldlhasa/gallery5/t20050508_28008.htm

British invaders entering Lhasa in August 1904.

http://en.tibet.cn/newfeature/oldlhasa/gallery5/t20050508_27959.htm