Battle of Foochow

From Free net encyclopedia

{{Infobox Military Conflict |conflict=Battle of Foochow |partof=the Sino-French War |image=Image:BattleFoochow.jpg |caption=The 1884 battle of Foochow. 19th century painting. |date=23 August 1884 |place=Mawei Harbour, Fuzhou, China |casus= |territory= |result=Decisive French victory |combatant1=China |combatant2=France |commander1=? |commander2=Amédée Courbet |strength1=10+ boats |strength2=10+ boats |casualties1=521 killed, 150 injured, 51 lost
9 boats sunk, 10+ boats damaged |casualties2=5 killed, 15 injured
3 boats damaged }}

The naval Battle of Foochow (马尾海战, lit. Naval battle of Mawei) occurred on 23 August 1884 during the Sino-French War. The Fukien Fleet, recently built by the Chinese, was utterly destroyed while at anchor by a French fleet commanded by Admiral Courbet, which opened fire without a declaration of war. The Qing commander fled in fear without his boat, and the Fukien Fleet panicked in the chaos without the commander. The Fukien Fleet was disarmed in a brief battle lasting a little over thirty minutes.

The battle heralded a change in the balance of power in the region, and revealed the many inefficiencies that existed in the Chinese government and military at that time.

[edit]