https://history.state.gov/milestones/1830-1860/china-1 https://history.state.gov/milestones/1830-1860/china-1 Regardless of one's feelings towards China, this

https://history.state.gov/milestones/1830-1860/china-1 https://history.state.gov/milestones/1830-1860/china-1 Regardless of one's feelings towards China, this statement from the US state department, themselves a part of the conflict, more or less describes the events in almost exactly the same way.