The last army of the Qing dynasty! You didn't even know it was the Qing army!

Today, the school easy search brings you the last army of the Qing Dynasty! I hope I can help you.

Is this the Qing army?

Is this the once disappointing Qing army?

Look at these western military uniforms, protective equipment and equipment. Obviously, it is the western or Japanese army, and some people don't even have braids. No wonder many netizens thought they were Japanese when they first saw these photos.

But the army in these old photos is indeed the Qing army, a "new army" established on the eve of the demise of the Qing Dynasty, and a grave digger in the Qing Dynasty.

Qing army

This is an army wearing a new 05 military uniform. The image of this army completely subverts our understanding of the Qing army.

In our impression, the Qing army is either a cavalry of the Eight Banners. According to the different colors of flags, their armor is different. They are composed of Manchu, Mongolian and Han, including cavalry and artillery. In the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties, they were the most powerful army in East Asia, and the style of the Eight Banners in the late Qing Dynasty remained unchanged.

Wearing this armor is our most familiar feeling.

Eight Banners and Armor

In addition to the Eight Banners, there was a green camp man with a thin face and a scarf. These people are all Han Chinese. After the middle and late Qing Dynasty, the former Eight Banners, green camp, Huai Army and Xiang Army lost their fighting capacity, were invaded by foreign enemies and ravaged by mainland rebels.

As an army to safeguard national security, they lost their role, and the Qing Dynasty suffered a lot for it. In order to maintain the rule and save the decline, the Qing Dynasty tried every means to enrich Qiang Bing and began military reform.

1894, when the Sino-Japanese War was still going on, the Qing court ordered Zhang Zhidong, governor of Huguang, Nie Shicheng, Yuan Shikai and Wen Chudao, governors of Zhili, to train new troops. These troops are called the "new army". After 1895, Rong Lu, the confidant of Empress Dowager Cixi, began to organize Gan Jun, Yi Jun, Wu Yijun and Xin Jun to enter Wu Weijun, and stationed them in various ways. Yuan Shikai, the well-known "Wuwei Right Army", was the most modern and most effective Qing army in China at that time, among which Gan Army resisted Eight-Nation Alliance during the "national disaster".

Later Wuchang Uprising was also a new army cultivated by Zhang Zhidong. After accepting new equipment, new training methods and new tactics, this unit also accepted new ideas, and the soldiers began to produce the seeds of revolution. "Finally, this army trained by the Qing Dynasty became its own grave digger."

Soldiers in training

The picture above shows soldiers practicing assassination. This highly specialized training method, such as wearing protective gear and clothing, could not be popularized even in the later National Army and the Eighth Route Army. The picture below shows the band in the new army. It is worth noting that these soldiers cut off their pigtails with the permission of Empress Dowager Cixi at that time, and the custom of cutting off pigtails began in the late Qing Dynasty. At the same time, they also have western musical instruments. It must be said that the new army at that time not only simply copied the western training methods, but also absorbed infantry, engineers, cavalry, artillery, military bands, trench soldiers, scouts and other arms.

At the same time, the division of labor among the various services is clear, military orders are prohibited, military discipline is strict, and the recruitment standards for new recruits are also very high. It is stipulated that soldiers must be physically strong, with a height of 160cm or above, and no smoking or any bad hobbies are allowed.

Please look at the soldiers standing in the picture below. If he doesn't wear a hat, many people will think that he is a Japanese soldier. Such military posture, clothing, swords and leather shoes also make it hard to believe that he is a soldier of the Qing army. This trend of modernization is incredible.

Newly enlisted soldiers

It can also be seen from these old photos that after the defeat of the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, especially after the national disaster of Gengzi, the Qing Dynasty began to reorganize the army and save the country by force. At the end of Qing Dynasty, Wu Tong was abolished, as was riding and shooting. The newly trained troops accepted western training methods, and their clothes were very different from those of the old army. They will never see the Eight Banners' armor, riding and shooting and green camp's headscarf again. No wonder many netizens say that these troops can't be the Qing army at all, because