Research On The Rise And Fall Of Beiyang Coastal Defense Construction In The Late Qing Dynasty And Its Enlightenment

The development of coastal defense in the late Qing Dynasty was different from other times.Subjected to imperialist aggression,the Qing government was forced to develop coastal defense and build a navy.For the first time in history,China was left far behind by Western countries.Domestic and foreign conflicts broke out at the same time.For the first time,this ancient country with 5,000 years of civilization had a sense of crisis that it would subdue its nation and annihilate its species.Under this crisis,the westernization school of the landlord class in the Qing Dynasty began the westernization movement of "self-improvement" and "seeking wealth",and vigorously developed and built the navy.In the face of imperialist aggression,the Qing Dynasty was forced to strengthen coastal defense and naval construction in "three thousand years of changes".This phenomenon reflected the first direct collision with Western power in Chinese history,and at the same time paved the way for the "Westernization movement",which promoted the overall development of the navy.Secondly,this paper observes the deep reasons for the development of coastal defense forces in Qing Dynasty.The defeats in the two Opium Wars revealed the serious consequences of the collapse of coastal defense,which led the landlord class to devote themselves to the "westernization movement",set up armoury and steamship bureau,and started the road of shipbuilding and gun making.The two subsequent coastal defenses agreed on the Qing government’s decision to form a new navy and a new battery.Thirdly,this paper conducted an in-depth study on the preparation of Beiyang Navy.The Qing government built naval bases in Weihaiwei,Lushunkou and other places and purchased advanced foreign warships to strengthen its coastal defense force.In terms of training naval talents,the Qing government established its own naval school to train naval officers and selected and sent outstanding students to study abroad.However,after the establishment of the Beiyang Navy,the renewal of armaments stalled.Before the First Sino-Japanese Naval War,there were no new ships or guns purchased.However,Japan expanded its navy at the rate of two new ships every year,gradually overtaking the Beiyang Navy in strength.Finally,this paper reflects on the decline of Beiyang Navy and focuses on its problems.Although the Beiyang Navy was once the largest in Asia and one of the top ten naval forces in the world,it was completely defeated in the Sino-Japanese Naval Battle.This is not only a question of strategy and tactics and combat literacy,but also a question of formalism in daily training.By reflecting on these lessons,this paper hopes to provide useful enlightenment for the future development of the People’s Navy.The pain of the First Sino-Japanese War was not only the pain of the navy but also the pain of sea power and the pain of the nation.It reminds us that if we face the sea,we will prosper,while if we abandon it,we will fall.Sea power is an important factor determining the destiny of a country and a nation.To manage the sea,maintain sea power and build a navy is a strategic choice for a country’s long-term stability and sustainable development.