The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

At the same time, a telegram was sent to the troops in Chongqing, instructing them to immediately mobilize their artillery. They were to secretly station a battery at Qutang Pass, also known as Kuimen, and another battery near Wanxian. If British gunboats entered Chongqing, they were to immediately issue a warning and withdraw. If the British ignored them and continued to advance, they were to fire warning shots. If the British fired, they were to wait for an opportunity to retaliate.

After sending the telegram, Zhang Yinghao finally breathed a sigh of relief after receiving a reply from Liu Xinsheng and the Chongqing army. He knew that since the British dared to invade Xizang, they had already planned to cut off Sichuan's exports. He didn't dare bet that the British would send gunboats to the Chongqing area and fire indiscriminately. That would cause great losses, and the civilians would suffer.

Zhang Yinghao didn't know whether the Qing Dynasty had received the news of the British invasion of Xizang. Thinking about the Qing Dynasty's behavior, he didn't dare to hold out much hope. Although Zhang Yinghao had a rough guess about how the Qing Dynasty would react, after all, it didn't take much to learn how to pass the buck, but he couldn't be sure.

After pondering for a while without any result, Zhang Yinghao went to the map and began to study it carefully. In reality, Zhang Yinghao wasn't anxious about sending troops to Xizang to resist the British. Since Xizang hadn't split off in his previous life, the British were bound to withdraw. And after all, a powerful dragon can't overpower a local snake. Even if a powerful dragon crosses the river, the local snake will always test the dragon's strength. Those lamas, monks, chieftains, and chieftains were all local snakes. It would be far from easy for the British army to crush these local snakes with a single blow.

In his previous life, Zhang Yinghao had read the H novel "Snowy Plateau". Although the content may be true, it was so tormenting that he couldn't finish it after reading it several times. However, it also gave Zhang Yinghao some knowledge of the situation in the Snowy Plateau.

Tibetans have lived on the snowy plateau for generations and have adapted to the local environment. Tibetans are brave and skilled in warfare, and their national character is strong. They would never submit to the rule of the British invaders and would certainly attack the British army. Just like the later US invasion of Afghanistan, they were caught in a security war. If any British soldiers were left alone, they would easily be killed by angry Tibetans. Moreover, Tibet had no industry at all, and the British had to transport arms and other supplies from India. Logistical supplies were inevitably scarce, making it impossible to sustain a sustained battle. Therefore, the British were simply unable to operate in Tibet.

Another point to consider is whether or not he would have to engage in a clash with the Tibetans if he advanced now. Should he even engage in a clash? These are all unknowns, and he must wait until he has more information before making any plans. Even if he doesn't know the enemy and himself, he still needs to know the British army's firepower and manpower. Otherwise, Zhang Yinghao wouldn't just throw himself on the battlefield. Furthermore, he can't appear in Tibet as a conqueror, igniting resistance from the Tibetan people. He must present himself as a liberator.

The third, more sinister idea is that the lamas, chieftains, monks, and chieftains are all inevitable targets of the revolutionary army's future struggle. They currently control a considerable amount of armed forces, and the revolutionary army will inevitably suppress these armed forces, making conflict inevitable. Allowing the British army to deplete these armed forces is also a good option. Similarly, the British are under great logistical pressure, so having Tibetan soldiers fight the British and deplete their logistics is also a good option.

After all the committee members came in, Zhang Yinghao handed the telegram to everyone to circulate, and then said: "This is the situation, everyone please take a look."

Everyone started discussing the telegram quietly after reading it. Zhang Yinghao noticed everyone had finished reading it, turned around and said, "There's no definite news yet. This is all we have. Please share your opinions based on your own work. Comrade Liu Qi, please go first."

"Chairman, knowing yourself and your enemy ensures victory in a hundred battles. I think we shouldn't rush into anything. We've already made plans for the advance, but the news hasn't spread yet. Let's wait until we have more concrete information. I think our priority now is the Yangtze River waterway and the Qing government."

"Chairman, didn't you predict the British would invade Xizang? Let's wait and see how the Qing reacts and what their attitude is."

"Yes, Chairman, the Qing Dynasty has not yet made a statement. I wonder if the Qing Dynasty has received the news?"

"There's still no news from Chongqing. I think we should notify Chongqing immediately and make the necessary preparations."

"Once the Yangtze River is blocked, we won't be able to sell our products or import our machinery and equipment."

.aRixi.

Zhang Yinghao smiled wryly at this situation. They say the head follows the butt. Everyone naturally sided with Sichuan, considering its interests. But this was normal. Everyone knew the purpose of the Chengkang Road project and knew the Chairman had a plan in mind.

No one wanted to offend Zhang Yinghao, so they could only choose to speak out. After so much training, no one would say such foolish things as "When two tigers fight, one will inevitably be injured, and then you can just go and take advantage." There are some things you can think but cannot say, and some things you do but cannot talk about.

Seeing this, Zhang Yinghao couldn't help but recall Genghis Khan's kneeling for three days and three nights on a high platform before his Western Expedition, after a merchant was killed. Ostensibly to pray for strength from their faith in the Eternal Heaven, he was actually demonstrating his resolve and unifying the people's minds about the Western Expedition. As Genghis Khan knelt for three days and three nights, the crowds gathered, their inner shame evident. At this point, Genghis Khan only needed to issue a command, and these gathered people would naturally become unstoppable warriors. Of course, Khwarezm eventually suffered the consequences of the Mongol cavalry's might, ultimately reaping the consequences.

After listening for a while, Zhang Yinghao roughly understood what everyone meant, and then began to ask about the situation of the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Industry.

"Chairman, Chongqing's import and export trade has reached 50 million taels. I don't know why the British invaded Xizang at this time. But for our base, if the Yangtze River waterway is cut off, we won't be able to sell our goods, and the losses will be heavy."

"Yes, no wonder those foreign devils have been trying to complete the deal quickly lately. They're unwilling to sell us the factory first, but instead want to sell us the industrial products directly. We were forced to buy a few more locomotives just in case. It seems that these foreign devils know about the invasion of Xizang and are ready to cut off Sichuan's trade."

"Well, although no one agrees to expose the British invasion of Xizang now, we still have to immediately prepare for the best and worst. Since we are not far from tearing each other apart, let's complete the trade as much as possible. Once trade is cut off, it will not be easy for us in Sichuan to open the Yangtze River route again. Everyone should be prepared for a joint blockade by the Qing Dynasty and the foreign devils. The British may even incite the Qing Dynasty to attack us in order to interfere with our sending troops to Xizang.

If the Qing dynasty truly disregards the interests of the nation and takes advantage of this crisis, the foreign powers will inevitably attack us and exploit our misfortunes. If the British attack us from the Yangtze River, the British customs and consulate in Chongqing must be immediately seized. Since they want a blockade, let them do so. We should also properly digest the imports we have now. A blockade of a few years will resolve these problems ourselves. Immediately send a telegram to our comrades outside, urging them to do everything they can to gather the latest scientific materials and books, and then find a way to get them back to Sichuan or Shaanxi. We urgently need these things now, and for the rest, we will follow your instructions. Now that you are here, let's go and see the latest research results from the arsenal."

After Zhang Yinghao finished speaking, he led his men to the Arsenal. The reason Zhang Yinghao brought his comrades to the Arsenal was to tell them that they could just focus on their work. The revolutionary army had the strength to crush any invading enemy. Although the revolutionary army had no sailors, it was still not afraid of the British gunboats that could roam the Yangtze River all the way to Chongqing.

From a distance, Zhang Yinghao spotted Yu Qingao waiting outside the arsenal to greet him. He quickly took a few steps, reached out and shook Yu Qingao's hand, saying, "How's it going, Comrade Yu Qingao? How's the performance of your newly developed cannon? Did your test firing go smoothly this time? Did the cannon pass muster?"

"Chairman, it's going very smoothly. All the data has been collected and we can finalize the production soon. The troops will be equipped soon."

"Very good, let's go in and talk. Today we're here to see the results of your research. Please introduce it to us."

"That's no problem. The cannons we captured from the Qing Dynasty before were all recoil-robbing cannons. This time, we developed a cannon with a tube-type recoil mechanism."

"What is a recoil gun? What is a recoil gun?" a comrade asked at this time.

"Oh, sorry, it's like this. A barrel-recoil gun refers to a gun in which, after firing, only the barrel retreats as the recoil force pushes back. A carriage-recoil gun refers to a gun in which both the carriage and the barrel retreat together. The distinction between carriage-recoil guns and barrel-recoil guns is based on the gun's own technical characteristics, and they aren't strictly speaking different types of guns. Whether it's naval guns or the army's field, mountain, fortress, or siege guns, all have carriage-recoil and barrel-recoil guns. The succession of carriage-recoil and barrel-recoil guns can be considered a watershed in artillery."

"Wait, I've heard of howitzers and cannons before, and now you're talking about mountain artillery and field artillery. I'm confused. How do you tell the difference?"

Yu Qingao didn't seem impatient at all when he heard such a simple question. This is how the Forward Party is. If you don't understand something, ask it. You can't pretend to know something you don't. So he patiently explained, "This is what we call mountain artillery and field artillery in our country. They generally correspond to small and medium-caliber howitzers and cannons. Howitzers have a curved trajectory, a short range, and a short barrel, about 20 to 30 times the caliber. The entire gun is lighter and easier to disassemble, making it suitable for mountain warfare. Cannons have a long range, a straight trajectory, a barrel-to-caliber ratio of 30 to 45 times, and are heavy, so they are used to strike distant targets."

"So this kind of barrel recoil gun is much more useful, right?"

"Yes, compared to recoil guns, barrel-recoil guns have obvious advantages. They simplify the gun carriage structure, more effectively achieve the recoil of the gun after firing, and quickly achieve the automatic reset of the gun barrel after firing. Therefore, barrel-recoil guns are also called rapid-fire guns. Almost all the artillery produced by the great powers now are barrel-recoil guns."

Chapter 293: Thanks for the update!

They walked to an open space behind the arsenal, where a row of cannons covered with gun covers were placed from small to large. Upon seeing Zhang Yinghao and his team arrive, the staff immediately opened the gun covers to reveal the cannons inside.

All the comrades were dazzled by the sight of the cannons; they were incredibly beautiful. They held a powerful visual impact. This was the allure of industry. Men might all harbor a fondness for the sight of giant ships and cannons, but women were even more daunted, feeling as if they were crawling beneath them. A sense of subjugation welled up within them, their backs and legs suddenly aching.

The comrades were immediately excited when they saw these cannons and rushed forward to check them out, especially those who had seen the power of artillery. They had experienced the terrifying power of Western cannons, which was in no way comparable to a rifle volley. It was a kind of devastating destruction that could shake the earth and sky. A small exploding shell was enough to wipe out an entire squad!

Why is there a saying that new soldiers are afraid of artillery, and veterans are afraid of machine guns? It’s not that veterans are not afraid of artillery, but they have become more open-minded. Because if you are hit by a cannon, there is no hope of recovery, and nothing will be left of you. So there is no need to be afraid.

Yu Qingao walked over to a cannon and pointed, explaining, "Look here, comrades! Compared to previous recoil-mounted cannons, this one has a recoil-recoil mechanism... It uses hydraulic or gas pressure to damp the barrel's recoil, counteracting the force. Once recoil is complete, the barrel automatically resets. Because the carriage doesn't appear to move significantly during recoil, it appears as if the barrel is actually moving. Hence the name, 'recoil-mounted cannon.'"

"Which is better, this cannon or this howitzer?"

At this point, a staff member interjected, "Their production and design objectives are somewhat different. The cannon uses a fixed charge and fires flatly at targets, primarily for engaging vertical targets, armored targets, and long-range targets. Its key features are a long barrel, a low trajectory, a high initial velocity, a long range, and high accuracy. The cannon has significant recoil when fired, and is heavier than other guns of the same caliber. Its range is between five and twenty kilometers."

Compared to cannons, howitzers have lower muzzle velocities and larger firing angles. The projectiles fall at a steep angle, nearly vertically, distributing shrapnel evenly in all directions, resulting in effective damage and blasting. They are primarily used to strike or destroy targets, both exposed and concealed, suppress enemy technical equipment, and destroy engineering facilities and transportation hubs. Furthermore, howitzers are variable-charge ammunition, capable of equipping a variety of ammunition, including incendiary, grenade, poison gas, armor-fragmenting, illuminating, smoke, and propaganda rounds. This variable charge and trajectory allows for firepower maneuvering at great depths, with a current maximum range of ten kilometers.

"Will this foreigner still sell us a cannon?"

"They almost never sell us anything. There's still an arms embargo, but of course, we get money for it. They were willing to sell us a recoil gun, but the return gun wasn't. We had to go through a lot of twists and turns to get one for research. Currently, our howitzers can only reach a maximum caliber of 155mm. Any larger and the manufacturing process won't work. Cannon calibers are even smaller."

With our current understanding, we certainly can't understand the attitudes of the great powers toward China in the short term. At this time, the comprehensive penetration of Western powers into China's political, military, and economic sectors was already a national policy. While temporarily carving up territories held by the Qing Dynasty, Britain, France, Germany, the United States, and Japan engaged in fierce competition to carve up the market of this great Eastern power, primarily through cultivating representatives across various regions.

In the Qing Dynasty, which lacked industrial power, selling arms was tantamount to controlling the military. The profits involved went far beyond just the profit from the sale of weapons. Every bullet and shell fired required a foreign supply. Sichuan spent a fortune purchasing ammunition from the Germans, and Hans, the German, arguably made a killing. Of course, George and Payne, who traded with Zhang Yinghao, also made a lot of money.

“Why is it called a cannon?”

"This is because it was produced at the Cannon Foundry in Scotland. "Cannon" means cannon! Chairman, comrades, let me introduce it to you. This way, please."

After that, he led everyone to the smallest cannon and began to explain: "Comrades, this smallest individual combat mortar is only 50mm, with a range of 300 meters, a rate of fire of 30 rounds per minute, and a kill radius of about 5 meters. Next is the 65mm mortar... This is a 75mm field gun, weighing 1,100 kilograms, a length of 2.7 meters, a maximum range of 8,000 meters, and a rate of fire of 15 to 30 rounds per minute..."

"Can these large-caliber cannons be transported to Xizang to fight the British?" Zhang Yinghao was a little speechless after hearing this, and said directly: "It is a great victory for us to be able to transport mortars to Xizang now. Moreover, as long as the tactics are used properly, even mortars can be invincible war weapons in Xizang. As for these field guns, haha, we have to work hard to build roads and use vehicles to transport them in the future. Only then will it be possible to transport these guns to the snowy plateau."

It was half a month later that Zhang Yinghao and his men received definitive news: the British had reached the Gyantse region. Zhang Yinghao had no idea what the situation was like there. There was still no news from the Qing, and the reports from the Sichuan-Tibet border were fragmentary, with rumors that the British had retreated. This made Zhang Yinghao extremely anxious, unsure what to do. If the British were allowed to invade Lhasa, given their character, they would undoubtedly plunder, destroying the property of the state and the people. However, Zhang Yinghao suppressed his impatience and chose to wait patiently.

What Zhang Yinghao didn't know was that the Qing Dynasty received the news much later than he expected. If Sichuan had not been occupied by Zhang Yinghao, it would not take long for the telegram to reach the capital from Sichuan. However, since Zhang Yinghao's revolution in Sichuan, Xizang can be said to have almost completely severed contact with the Qing Dynasty.

In fact, in history, the British armed delegation gathered on the border between China and Sikkim in the autumn of 1903. Younghusband, the political commissioner of the British armed delegation, led a large force over the Zelila Pass and advanced towards the Yadong Gorge.

At that time, the Minister of Tibet, Yu Gang, quickly informed the local government in Xizang of the British invasion. The 13th Dalai Lama called on "all Tibetan monks and people to fight to the death against the British invaders, the great enemy of Buddhism, at the cost of great sacrifice."

Yu Gang quickly drafted a memorial to the Qing government. Since Sichuan was blocked, it could only be delivered via other routes. The route through Qinghai was even more difficult, accessible only a few months a year. The rest of the time, the mountains were blocked by heavy snow. It took nearly two months to deliver the news: the British were invading! The memorial stated: "Xi Jinping's determination to use military force to resist the invasion is unbreakable."

Just as the Tibetan army was building fortifications and preparing for a decisive battle with the invaders, Yu Gang received a response from the Qing court: "Don't take any action. Wait for the Minister in Tibet to negotiate peace with the British."

The minister stationed in Tibet mentioned by the Qing Dynasty was Youtai, who went to replace Yugang.

However, whether Yu Gang's memorial would reach the Qing court was unknown to Zhang Yinghao and Yu Gang. This was the reason for the current situation. The Qing court might not even receive the news. Even if they did, there would be no way to resolve the situation in a timely manner. The most likely outcome was that they would simply lie low.

During this time, Zhang Yinghao received another piece of good news: the first hydropower station in the Jiefang District had been successfully completed and was operating. The electricity era that Zhang Yinghao had longed for had quietly begun before him.

This hydropower station is the first of its kind in China. When Chen Yiwei came to report, Zhang Yinghao happily asked, "What is the installed capacity?"

Chen Yiwei answered promptly: "Four hundred and fifty kilowatts."

Zhang Yinghao felt a chill run down his spine after hearing this. He could only nod his head helplessly. Four hundred and fifty kilowatts meant it could output 450 kilowatt-hours of electricity per hour. When Zhang Yinghao was young, the installed capacity of power stations in any small town in his hometown was over a kilowatt. This amount of electricity was nothing more than a drop in the bucket.

But this was a good start. Zhang Yinghao went to see the hydroelectric station. It was actually a very simple one. It simply stored water, created a drop of several dozen meters, and then generated electricity. This was the reality. This was China's first hydroelectric power station.

Zhang Yinghao shook hands with the construction workers and technicians one by one and encouraged them, saying, "You are amazing! You have achieved a first for China. How many hydropower stations will we build in the future? It's impossible to count them all. So comrades, work hard and strive to build bigger, better, and more powerful hydropower stations..."

After returning home, Zhang Yinghao suddenly thought about the issue of power management. Born and raised in the south, he was well aware of the power of the Southern Power Group. He also reflected on the chaotic management of the mining industry. He wondered how development could be achieved without a plan. With so many factories, if they weren't properly managed, the incompetents within would quickly become overrun.

Zhang Yinghao immediately began drafting a plan. As he wrote, inspiration struck. A single word suddenly popped into his head: the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC). With this in mind, everything became much simpler. A pyramid structure was in place. SASAC would manage the mining group, the power group, and various state-owned enterprises. To prevent monopolies, the system could be further split into southern and northern power groups.

This task definitely couldn't be done by myself, or I'd die of exhaustion and never finish it. Zhang Yinghao's first thoughts were Bao Shilin and Zhao Erni. Thinking of Bao Shilin brought up the issue of money, which then led to another issue: the central bank in the base area hadn't been established yet, and now was the time to establish one. Bao Shilin had other tasks, so Zhao Erni would have to shoulder the responsibility alone. However, the SASAC was under the management of the State Council, so he needed to discuss it with Zhang Weiqiang and other comrades.

Zhang Yinghao wasted no time and immediately issued a personnel transfer order, transferring Zhao Erni from the position of mayor of Meishan City to the central government to become the director of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission. He also transferred Bao Shilin from his position as Minister of Finance to his deputy.

This is the situation in the base area now. People are not afraid of not having a position, but they are afraid of not having the ability. If they have the ability, they will be able to make great achievements in the near future. Unfortunately, the times have prevented too many people from learning the abilities they should have learned. When capable people grow up in the future, their positions will be occupied by others. If they want to move up, they can only climb the stairs.

After receiving news of Zhao Erni's arrival in Chongqing, Zhang Yinghao called a meeting of relevant comrades that evening. Zhao Erni and Bao Shilin were the first to arrive at the office. Zhao Erni even approached Zhang Yinghao and asked directly, "Chairman, do you have any work for us?"

Zhang Yinghao was very happy to see Zhao Erni. It was beyond his expectation that a female comrade could grow so quickly. Hearing Zhao Erni's question, Zhang Yinghao said, "Come on, you two should sit together. There are other comrades coming over later."

Naturally, Zhang Yinghao would not discuss Zhao Erni's problem with her alone. He would have to discuss it with his comrades later, which would be a waste of his time and energy.

After Zhao Erni and Bao Shilin sat down, Zhang Yinghao asked: "Erni, are your parents from the countryside?"

"Yes, you can tell from my name that I'm from the countryside. I'm the second child in the family." "Are your parents still in your hometown?"

"We're no longer at home in the countryside. My parents aren't in good health, and my eldest son joined the revolutionary army. After retiring with a leg injury, he became the principal of a primary school in Shunqing. I also have a younger brother I need to send to school. There are only two of us in the family, and farming wouldn't be physically demanding for them. Besides, our Progressive Party opposes exploitation. If we rent our land to others and live off the rent, wouldn't we become new landlords? So I brought them to Shunqing. We also gave up our rural household registration and the ten-plus acres of land we were given, and switched to urban household registration. I found them a job in Shunqing; after all, no work, no food."

Zhang Yinghao nodded repeatedly. This was the right attitude. Only when the family was properly arranged could he work peacefully. Zhang Yinghao did not ask where her parents would be assigned to work. Even if he used some privileges, Zhang Yinghao could not manage it himself.

History of Britain's two invasions of Xz

The British invasion of Xizang was a long process, with wars being launched time and again. After roughly occupying India and Nepal, Britain began to formulate plans to invade Xizang.

The South Asian subcontinent has a unique topography, with Xizang situated on the so-called Roof of the World. If the British could control Xizang, they could command a high ground and covet the coveted northwest, west, and even southwest China. They could also freely enter the Chinese heartland and gain an absolute military and strategic advantage.

On the contrary, as long as the Qing Dynasty did not lose Xizang, it could generally protect the security of western China. However, it was not easy for the British to get involved in Xizang.

At that time, Xizang was very backward, with low grain production, sparse population, and extremely poor transportation conditions. In many places, only horse caravans could pass through. There were also terrible altitude sickness, avalanches, blizzards, etc.

Even if the British army did not need to fight, it would be very difficult to march a large force from the Sino-Indian border to Lhasa. Of course, the British army was a professional army and had been preparing for this for nearly a hundred years.

As early as the 18th century, Britain sent people from India to Tibet to conduct reconnaissance in the name of trade and to pay homage to living Buddhas.

In 1775, British diplomat Bogle spent a year in Tibet, visiting the Panchen Lama. Bogle hoped to secede from China and become part of Britain, but the Panchen Lama flatly refused. However, Bogle's trip was highly rewarding, as he gained a deeper understanding of Tibet and befriended several Tibetan politicians.

In 1783, the British sent another special envoy to Xizang, this time meeting with the Dalai Lama. However, the Dalai Lama also insisted that Xizang was part of China and had no right to conclude a diplomatic treaty with Britain. Ultimately, the special envoys only secured one right: the right for their Indian merchants to legally trade in Xizang.

With the British completely controlling Nepal, Burma, and even Sikkim and Bhutan, invading Xizang was inevitable. Under the guise of exploration, they sent many so-called explorers to conduct detailed reconnaissance of Xizang's geography, weather, and customs in order to prepare for future attacks.

Xizang was well aware of this and responded by banning all foreigners from entering. Unfortunately, many areas of Xizang were governed by feudal chieftains, making Lhasa out of reach, so the British were able to infiltrate.

The first British invasion of Tibet took place in 1888. At that time, British and Tibetan forces engaged in a fierce battle on the border between China and Sikkim, known as the Battle of Longtu Mountain. The British's goal was to defeat the Tibetan forces there and open the route from Darjeeling, India, into Tibet for future invasions.

After five days of fierce fighting, the British, armed with advanced equipment, defeated the Tibetan army, which was only equipped with homemade cannons, rifles, bows, arrows, and spears, and captured Mount Longtu (located on the border between present-day Sikkim and West Bengal, India). The British had an absolute advantage in firepower, but the Tibetans, defending the position in a strategic location, still suffered over 100 British casualties. Thus, Mount Longtu was separated from China and became part of Sikkim.

The Tibetan army launched several counterattacks in an attempt to recapture Mount Longtu, concentrating 1 troops and militia to rush to Yadong. Unfortunately, the military strength of the two sides was too great, and the Tibetan army was ultimately defeated, and Yadong was occupied by the British.

After the defeat, the Qing government dispatched its minister to Tibet, Shengtai, to Yadong for talks with the British. In 1890, Shengtai and British-Indian officials signed the Sino-British-Tibetan-Indian Treaty in Yadong, recognizing Sikkim as a British protectorate and opening Yadong as a commercial port, granting Britain extraterritoriality in Yadong.

Thirteen years later, Britain attempted to invade Xizango for the second time, using the excuse that the Sino-British Tibet-India Treaty had not been fully implemented.

Lord Curzon, the Governor-General of India, appointed Colonel Younghusband to lead the British army together with John Claude White, the political commissioner in Sikkim, to be responsible for the military operation of invading Xizang.

In reality, Younghusband was the main commander. A career military officer and explorer, he arrived in China in 1886, traversing the Mongolian Gobi Desert from the northeast, crossing the Tianshan Mountains to Xinjiang, and then crossing the Pamir Plateau to India.

As far as exploration goes, Younghusband's journey was remarkable. Even with cars and roads today, traveling this route would be far from easy and would have required a long and drawn-out journey. It can be said that Younghusband was an excellent explorer. He was well prepared for the harsh natural conditions of Tibet.

In addition to the adaptive training for the soldiers entering the plateau, he also prepared up to 7,000 to 8,000 civilian laborers and countless mules and horses. His combat force was only 3000 people, but they were well-equipped with machine guns and field howitzers.

In October 1903, Younghusband led the Dashun Army, which had previously been occupied by the Qing army, and invaded Xizang territory. In December, they captured the key transportation pass of Parizon and expelled the Xizang officials there. Thus, the war broke out.

In January 1904, over 1000 Tibetan troops arrived at the line between Duina and Duoqing, deploying their forces and using the terrain to block the British advance. The two armies faced off at Qumeixinggu. The Tibetans held the high ground, giving them a certain advantage. Believing that a direct attack would be disadvantageous and likely to result in heavy casualties, the British decided to employ a tactical strategy. A British officer cunningly proposed that, to demonstrate their sincerity in negotiations, the British troops remove their rifles and ammunition, while the Tibetans extinguish the matches on their muskets and descend from the mountains onto the plains.

The Tibetan representatives agreed, and the Tibetan army withdrew their troops from the hilltop in compliance with the agreement and silenced all their matchlock guns, while only some of the British soldiers dropped their bullets.

At the British's request, Tibetan commanders Radin Daiben and Namselin Daiben rushed to the front lines for negotiations. During this time, the British suddenly opened fire, killing Radin Daiben and Namselin Daiben. They then launched an all-out attack. The British opened fire with guns and artillery, and those soldiers who hadn't loaded their ammunition quickly reloaded and fired.

Because the Tibetan army's matchlock muskets were so outdated, they couldn't fire quickly. Lighting the matchlock required a flint, which required repeated strikes for a long time, and it was impossible to light it in a hurry. Remember, Zhao Erfeng later swept across the entire Xizang with just over 2,000 men. This shows the fighting power of these men.

When the Tibetan troops were unable to fight back, they were attacked by intensive gunfire.At this time, the Tibetan army had descended from the mountains to the plains, and had no terrain advantage. It was as if they were being massacred, and they had no power to fight back.

With a force of 3,000 British soldiers, three times the number of the Tibetans and dozens of times more powerful, the Tibetans were quickly devastated. In just five minutes, over 500 Tibetans were killed or wounded. In total, 523 of the 1,000 Tibetans were killed, and over 300 were wounded, practically annihilating the entire army. While the British achieved a glorious victory, they left a bad reputation in Tibet for their treachery.

After capturing Qumeixinggu, the British continued their advance northward, encountering constant sniping from Tibetan troops and civilians. Xizang's complex terrain was ideal for guerrilla warfare. Tibetan troops and militia ambushed the British in the Zachang Valley, killing and wounding over 100 of them and inflicting over 150 casualties on the Tibetans. Unfortunately, this type of guerrilla warfare was unlikely to inflict significant damage on the British. Ultimately, the two armies engaged in a strategic decisive battle at Gyantse.

Gyantse is located at the foot of the Himalayas in Xigaze, Xizang. It is the third most important city after Lhasa and Xigaze, and is the hub connecting Wei and Tibet. To attack Lhasa, Gyantse must be captured.

The British army was also in trouble. Due to the long and arduous march, most of its supplies were depleted, and the Tibetans were straitjacketing and engaging in guerrilla warfare, which disrupted their supply lines. In desperation, the main force of the British army fought their way back to Yadong and carved out a stable supply line.

By mid-to-late April, the British army in Gyantse was reduced to just over 500 men led by Younghusband. The Tibetan army seized the opportunity and launched a surprise attack, surrounding Younghusband and over 130 men in Pala Village. Younghusband nearly lost his life and fled Pala Village in a desperate attempt.

However, in late May, the main force of the British army returned to Gyantse from Yadong, preparing for a full-scale attack, and the situation changed completely. At that time, the Tibetan army mobilized all its forces, more than 10,000 Tibetan soldiers and militia, and rushed all of them to Gyantse, Shigatse and Lhasa.

The Tibetan army, taking advantage of its familiarity with the terrain, launched raids such as the Jiangluo Linka Raid, inflicting casualties on the British, but failing to change the overall situation. In each engagement, the Tibetan army suffered casualties several times greater than the British due to the vastly superior firepower, a gap that could even be described as two generations.

One battle worth mentioning was when the Xizang Tusi assembled over a thousand Tibetan cavalrymen and fiercely attacked the British army on the plain. This cavalry charge tactic was a key victory tactic for the Tibetans, who had previously repelled many invaders by relying on intensive charges.

Unfortunately, times have changed. Under the barrage of three British heavy machine guns, the brave Tibetan cavalry suffered over 700 casualties in just four minutes and were forced to retreat. After this battle, the Tibetans called this heavy machine gun the "Devil's Paintbrush!"

A British second lieutenant recalled: "It was a horrific scene. It wasn't a battle at all, it was just a one-sided massacre. I was disgusted by the slaughter and stopped firing despite the general's orders to maximize the results."

Despite the disparity in combat power between the enemy and ourselves, the Tibetan army and militia still held their fortifications and fought bloody battles with the British. Naining Monastery, located 20 kilometers south of Gyantse, was an important stronghold on the British army's transportation route.

In the Battle of Naining Temple, the British used artillery to destroy the temple walls, killing and wounding a large number of Tibetan soldiers. When the British entered the temple, the remaining Tibetan soldiers and militia continued to fight decisively until they were all killed.

Even so, the British suffered only about 20 casualties in this battle, while the Tibetan army suffered more than 200 casualties, including more than 40 lamas in the temple. In retaliation, the British burned down the Naining Temple after the battle.

In July 1904, the British army surrounded Gyantse, cutting off the Tibetan army's contact with the outside world, and then besieged Gyantse Dzong.