On The Westernization Movement And Modern China's Northwestern Frontier Defense

Westernization Movement took the leading role in the development of Chinese modern history. It was closely connected with China's national defense, and it also had a great effect on China's modern northwestern frontier defense.The thinking of Westernization Movement frontier defense based on Lin Ze-xu and Wei Yuan's ideas contributed much to China's national defense. Learning from foreign countries to resist their aggression was the dominant thought in people who advocated Westernization Movement. They broke through the traditional idea that China was the center of the world, realizing the threat from the western countries which had advanced weapons and technology etc. In the 1860s and 1870s, with the national defense situation changing, their focuses on controversy about China's eastern defense on sea and northwestern frontier defense on land led to the strategy of emphasis on both. Learning foreign advanced technology, strengthening the construction of ground forces, navies and armament, emphasis on both China's eastern defense on sea and northwestern frontier defense on land were the essential aspect modified by modernization, which changed China's traditional national defense.Westernization Movement's effect on China's national defense are as follow: Firstly, during the construction of armament, the military factories provided Hui Army, Xiang Army and Lian Army etc with plenty of modern armament, substituting Baqi Army and Luying Army's period for modern army period. Secondly, on the military quality, the forces were trained with more rational Xiang Army and Western army's system of organization, which put up with the defects that Baqi Army and Luying Army's officers were unfamiliar with their soldiers, enabling the officers to firmly control and effectively command their armies, and improving combat effectiveness of the forces. Thirdly, on the disposition of national defense, Qing dynasty set up Fujian, Nanyang, Beiyang and Guangdong navies, forming a better system of national defense on sea and land.Westernization Movement's contribution to China's modern northwestern frontier defense included recovering Xinjiang, signing Sino-Russian Yili Treaty, establishing Xinjiang Province and consolidating northwestern frontier defense etc. In order to put down Hui Bebellions and banish A Gubo's and Russian armies to recover Xinjiang, Zuo Zong-tang set up military factories in Xi'an and Lanzhou, producing new-mode weapons and munitions. He also purchased them from foreign countries, meanwhile, his army was supported by other military factories such as Shenjiying. Zuo Zong-tang trained and reorganized his expeditionary army into modern troops, well prepared for recovering Xinjiang.