UCLA Asia Institute
1845 The Qing imperial court in China ordered Qiying to arrest members of secret societies in Guangzhou for killing officials and resisting Qing rule. Members of secret societies had joined local militias during the Opium War (1839-1842) to aid in the struggle against the British. With China's defeat, foreign merchants, missionaries and others gained greater access to China's coast, something resented by the secret societies and a force motivating them to work against continued Manchu (Qing) rule.
1860 Allied British-French forces landed in China at Beitang near Tianjin (Arrow War).
1894 Sino-Japanese hostilities began as China and Japan declared war over the question of Korea.
1920 The Chinese KMT held its fourth convention in the US.
1941 The United States government began licensing oil shipments to Japan.
1943 The United States government began construction of its Oak Ridge, Tennessee uranium 235 processing facility. Uranium 235 was the fissionable material at the heart of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima on August 3, 1945. The plant cost $280 million to construct.
1954 The Geneva Accords divide Vietnam into two countries at the 17th parallel.
1971 A concert to benefit the people of Bangladesh was held at New York's Madison Square Garden. Organized by former Beatle George Harrison, the Concert for Bangladesh featured Harrison, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Leon Russell, Ravi Shankar and Billy Preston. Together with the multirecord concert album, the concert raised $11 million.
The "Today in Asian History" page was compiled by Clayton Dube. He welcomes your comments and suggestions. Send them to <cdube@isop.ucla.edu>.
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