Sino-Burmese War

For other wars between China and Burma, see Sino-Burmese wars.

Sino-Burmese War (1765–1769)
Part of Ten Great Campaigns

Burma and China prior to the war (1765)
DateDecember 1765 – 22 December 1769
Location
Modern-day Shan State, Kachin State, Yunnan, Upper Burma
Result

Burmese victory

  • Treaty of Kaungton
  • Assured Burmese independence[4]
  • Siam regained independence from Burma since the war forced the Burmese to withdraw from Siam
  • Solidified tripartite division of Mainland Southeast Asia between Burma, Siam, and Vietnam
  • Resumption of diplomatic relations between Burma and China in 1790
Belligerents

 China

Co-belligerents:
Ayutthaya Kingdom (until 1767)[1][2]
Thonburi Kingdom (from 1767)[3]		  Burma
Commanders and leaders
Ekkathat  †
Taksin
Units involved
 Royal Burmese Army
Bamar and Shan levies
Strength

First invasion:
Total strength: 5,000 foot, 1,000 horse[note 1]

  • 3,500 Green Standard[6]
  • Tai-Shan militias (balance)

Second invasion:
Total: 25,000 foot, 2,500 horse[note 1]

  • 14,000 Green Standard[7]
  • Tai-Shan militias (balance)

Third invasion:
Total: 70000,[8]

  • 30,000 bannermen and Mongols[9]
  • 12,000 Green Standard
  • Tai-Shan militias (balance)

Fourth invasion:
Total: 250,000[10]

  • 40,000 bannermen/Mongols[6]
  • Green Standard and Tai-Shan militias (balance)

First invasion Total:2500

  • 2,000 foot, 200 horse (Royal Burmese Army)[note 1]
  • Shan militia at Kengtung garrison

Second invasion:
Total:10000

  • 4,500 foot, 200 horse (RBA)[note 1]Shan national archer army(400)
  • Kaungton garrison

Third invasion:
Total: ~30,000 foot, 2,000 cavalry[note 2]

Fourth invasion:
Total: 150,000 royal Burma army Shan army

[note 3]
Casualties and losses

2nd campaign: ~20,000
3rd campaign: 30,000+[note 4]
4th campaign: 20,000+[11]
Total: 70,000+

2,500 captured[12]		 Burmese Royal horse army (3,000), Shan local army (500-2,000), Burmese army (10,000)

The Sino-Burmese War (Chinese: 清緬戰爭; Burmese: တရုတ်-မြန်မာ စစ်ပွဲများ), also known as the Qing invasions of Burma or the Myanmar campaign of the Qing dynasty,[13] was a war fought between the Qing dynasty of China and the Konbaung dynasty of Burma (Myanmar). China under the Qianlong Emperor launched four invasions of Burma between 1765 and 1769, which were considered one of his Ten Great Campaigns. Nonetheless, the war, which claimed the lives of over 70,000 Chinese soldiers and four commanders,[14] is sometimes described as "the most disastrous frontier war that the Qing dynasty had ever waged",[13] and one that "assured Burmese independence".[4] Burma's successful defense laid the foundation for the present-day boundary between the two countries.[14]

At first, the Qing emperor envisaged an easy war, and sent in only the Green Standard Army troops stationed in Yunnan. The Qing invasion came as the majority of Burmese forces were deployed in their latest invasion of Siam. Nonetheless, battle-hardened Burmese troops defeated the first two invasions of 1765–1766 and 1766–1767 at the border. The regional conflict now escalated to a major war that involved military maneuvers nationwide in both countries. The third invasion (1767–1768) led by the elite Manchu Bannermen nearly succeeded, penetrating deep into central Burma within a few days' march from the capital, Ava (Inwa).[15] But the bannermen of northern China could not cope with unfamiliar tropical terrains and lethal endemic diseases, and were driven back with heavy losses.[5] After the close call, King Hsinbyushin redeployed his armies from Siam to the Chinese front. The fourth and largest invasion got bogged down at the frontier. With the Qing forces completely encircled, a truce was reached between the field commanders of the two sides in December 1769.[13][16]

The Qing kept a heavy military lineup in the border areas of Yunnan for about one decade in an attempt to wage another war while imposing a ban on inter-border trade for two decades.[13] The Burmese, too, were preoccupied with the Chinese threat, and kept a series of garrisons along the border. Twenty years later, when Burma and China resumed a diplomatic relationship in 1790, the Qing unilaterally viewed the act as Burmese submission, and claimed victory.[13] Ultimately, the main beneficiaries of this war were the Siamese, who reclaimed most of their territories in the next three years after having lost their capital Ayutthaya to the Burmese in 1767.[15]

  1. ^ Erika, Masuda (2007). "The Fall of Ayutthaya and Siam's Disrupted Order of Tribute to China (1767-1782)". Taiwan Journal of Southeast Asian Studies.
  2. ^ Aung-Thwin, Michael; Aung-Thwin, Maitrii (15 October 2013). A History of Myanmar since Ancient Times: Traditions and Transformations. Reaktion Books. ISBN 978-1-86189-939-2.
  3. ^ Erika, Masuda (2007). "The Fall of Ayutthaya and Siam's Disrupted Order of Tribute to China (1767-1782)". Taiwan Journal of Southeast Asian Studies.
  4. ^ a b Whiting 2002, pp. 480–481.
  5. ^ a b c d Giersch 2006, p. 103.
  6. ^ a b Giersch 2006, p. 101.
  7. ^ Qing Chronicles.
  8. ^ Haskew 2008, pp. 27–31.
  9. ^ Giersch 2006, p. 102.
  10. ^ Htin Aung 1967, pp. 180–183.
  11. ^ George C. Kohn 2006, p. 82.
  12. ^ Harvey 1925, p. 258.
  13. ^ a b c d e Dai 2004, p. 145.
  14. ^ a b Giersch 2006, pp. 101–110.
  15. ^ a b Hall 1960, pp. 27–29.
  16. ^ Harvey 1925, p. 254–258.


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