British public reaction to the Chinese Revolution of 1911 as seen through the British press / by Michael Charles Griffin.
| Author/creator | Griffin, Michael Charles author. |
| Other author | Dunlop, Kathleen E., degree supervisor. |
| Other author | East Carolina University. Department of History. |
| Format | Theses and dissertations |
| Production | 1972. |
| Description | 138 leaves ; 28 cm |
| Supplemental Content | Access via ScholarShip |
| Subjects |
| Summary | The purpose of this study is to examine British public reaction to the Chinese Revolution of 1911 as seen through the public press. There was great interest shown in Britain from the very day the revolution began. Special emphasis was placed on the effects of the revolution on British interests in China, the possible repercussions it might have on world affairs, and, of course, the situation in China itself. The press provided coverage of the events occurring in China with each part specializing in particular areas. The daily newspapers, with correspondents in China, interviews with knowledgeable Britons, and a large number of leading articles, reported the basic developments. The weekly newspapers summarized these developments and provided in-depth discussions of specific issues. Well-known journalists, such as E. J. Dillon and Valentine Chirol, and China experts, such as J. 0. P. Bland and Alfred Hippisley, contributed articles to British magazines that covered many aspects of the revolution in great detail. The press displayed a consensus of opinion on most issues. For example, there was virtual unanimity in their opposition to foreign intervention in China, except as a last extremity. Where disagreement occurred, it followed along ideological lines. This was most noticeable concedingthe causes of the revolt, the idea of a republic, and the Mongolian issue. The liberal newspapers believed that the Manchus were to blame for the revolution, while the conservative newspapers thought that the rebels had started much of the trouble. The conservative press also believed that the Chinese Revolution had little chance for success. The liberal newspapers, while not enthusiastic, felt that any form of government was an improvement over Manchu depotism. The greatest conflict occurred over the Mongolian issue. The conservative press supported Russia's action of making Mongolia a virtual protectorate on the grounds that the Chinese had instigated the whole affair. The liberal newspapers believed that the Mongolian issue was but the latest example of Russian aggression. The Guardian, in fact, went on to denounce the entire alliance system that Britain had built-up in the last decade. But if British public opinion as reported through the press were divided on certain issues, it was as one in agreeing that the rapid political and social transformation brought about by the Chinese Revolution of 1911 was nothing short of a tremendous upheaval whose implications would be felt for generations. |
| General note | Submitted to the faculty of the Department of History. |
| General note | Advisor: Kathleen E. Dunlop |
| Dissertation note | M.A. East Carolina University 1972 |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references (leaves 135-138). |
| Genre/form | Academic theses. |
| Genre/form | Academic theses. |
| Genre/form | Thèses et écrits académiques. |
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