Nepal–Tibet War (1855–1856)
| Nepal–Tibet War (1855–1856) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Tibet |
 Nepal | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Sethya Kaji |
Jang Bahadur Rana Bam Bahadur Kunwar Dhir Sumsher Krishna Dhoj Kunwar Prithvi Dhoj Kunwar | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 98,000 | 34,906 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 1,721 Tibetans | 372 Nepalese | ||||||
TheNepal–Tibet War(Chinese:Khuếch tàng chiến tranh;Nepali:नेपाल-भोट युद्ध) of 1855–1856 was fought inTibetbetween the forces of theTibetan government(thena protectorateof theQing dynasty) and the invading Nepalese army, resulting in huge loss of money and manpower for Tibet and Nepal. In 1856 the war ended with theTreaty of Thapathali.[1]
Background[edit]
Since theSino-Nepalese Warof 1792, the Nepalese government had renounced all claims of influence in Tibet and maintained a policy of non-intervention in its affairs.[2]With their victory in the war, theQing Empiremade Nepal a tributary state, but the wave of rebellions that afflicted China in the 1850s such as theTaiping Rebellionhad crippled her capacity to enforce Imperial authority so far from Beijing and the Nepalese Prime Minister,Jang Bahadur Rana,saw an excellent opportunity to press for Nepalese objectives in Tibet without the threat of Chinese interference.[2]
Jang Bahadur used the alleged ill-treatment to the 1852 embassy,[3]abuses to Nepalese Newar traders inLhasa,a boundary dispute in the Kuti area, among other grievances to justify the Nepalese demands to the Tibetan government,[4]which included territorial concessions and the payment of an indemnity.[4]He declared war in March 1855[5]and gave 17 April 1855 as the date limit for his conditions to be met.[4]
War[edit]
Summer campaign[edit]
In early April 1855[6]Nepalese troops attacked across the major passes between Tibet and Nepal, fromWalungchungto Jara, with the center of their advance in the Kuti and Kerong districts and were joined shortly later by reinforcements completing a total of 27000 men, with thirty-six guns and eight mortars.[6]
The Kerung Axis was commanded by GeneralBam Bahadur Kunwar,with 25,728 troops. The Kuti Axis was commanded by General Dhir Sumsher with 4,678 troops. Humla and Mustang was commanded by General Krishna Dhoj Kunwar with 2,500 troops. AndOlangchunggolaAxis was commanded by Colonel Prithvi Dhoj Kunwar with a force of 2,000 men.[5]Sethya Kaji was the main Tibetan commander with about 50,000 troops under his command. There were 8000 Tibetan troops stationed on Digarcha front, whereas 40,000 troops were concentrated in the Tingri area.[5]
On April 3 general Dhir Shamsher defeated a small Tibetan detachment at Chusan and captured Kuti and advanced to Suna Gompa.[7]Kerong was occupied byBam Bahadurwithout opposition and a Tibetan force at Kukurghat, north of Kerong, after which the Nepalese pushed on to Dzongka, the Tibetan main point of resistance in the area. The battle for Dzongka lasted 9 days after which the Tibetans retreated to Tingri.[7]The capture of Dzongka was the last action of the campaign after which negotiations for a cease-fire began. The campaign had proven more costly for Jang Bahadur than what he expected.
Winter campaign[edit]
Negotiations carried on from May to September without a settlement. Nepal was unable to press its demands with another campaign since its treasury had been exhausted by the costs of the invasion and occupation of the Tibetan country, while in Nepal opposition to the war escalated. In Lhasa the failure of negotiations led to a renewal of hostilities, and this time it was Tibetan troops who took the offensive. GeneralKalon Shatracommanding the Tibetan army, launched two simultaneous attacks in November 5 on the Nepalese camps at Kuti and Dzongka.[8]Surprised, the Nepalese lost 700 men in Kuti and the survivors fled to the border.[8]The attack on Dzongka was less successful so the garrison there was besieged.[8]The attacks were timed to coincide with the snowing season in the passes.[8]Jang Bahadur sent reinforcements and in December Dhir Shamsher recaptured Kuti which he burned before retreating to Listi, back in Nepal.[8]Meanwhile, colonelSanak Singh Khattrirelieved Dzongka.[9]
Conclusion[edit]
Negotiation resumed after military operations stalled. The Tibetans feared a rebellion inKhamwhile Nepalese finances were stretched to their limits.[9]The Nepalese demand for ten million rupees was dropped to a nominal annual payment and Nepalese territorial ambitions were dropped.[9]In the Treaty signed at Thapathali, the Tibetans agreed to pay an annual subsidy of ten thousand rupees to the Nepal Durbar and to allow a Nepalese trading station and agency to be established at Lhasa. Tibet paid lump sum of Rs. 50,001 as first installment, but refused to pay the following year which caused war between two nations to continue.[10]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
Citations[edit]
- ^"Nepalese Army | नेपाली सेना".Archived fromthe originalon 2016-12-20.Retrieved2017-02-05.
- ^abRose 1971, p. 108
- ^Led byBhim Sen Ranaafter the death ofGambir Singhin Beijing
- ^abcRose 1971, p. 110
- ^abcNepalese Army HQ, p. 28
- ^abPage 1907, p. 77
- ^abRose 1971, p. 111
- ^abcdeRose 1971, p. 113
- ^abcRose 1971, p. 114
- ^Page 1907, p. 78
Sources[edit]
- Marshall, Julie G. (2005).Britain and Tibet 1765-1947: a select annotated bibliography of British relations with Tibet and the Himalayan states including Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan.Routledge.ISBN9780415336475.p212
- Paget, William Henry (1907).Frontier and overseas expeditions from India.
- Rose, Leo E. (1971).Nepal; strategy for survival.University of California Press.ISBN9780520016439.
- Nepalese Army Headquarters (2010).The Nepalese Army.ISBN9789937224727.Archived fromthe originalon 2013-01-26.Retrieved2012-02-03.
- Uprety, Prem (June 1996)."Treaties between Nepal and her neighbors: A historical perspective".Tribhuvan University Journal.19(1). Kathmandu: 15–24.doi:10.3126/tuj.v19i1.3970.