大清王朝的垮台本已指日可待,但一项重大策略的转变顿使它死里逃生,并因借“夷狄”之力镇压了太平军,使其又苟延残喘了半个世纪之久。在镇压太平军的血腥战斗中,洋枪洋炮为清政府立下了汗马功劳。不过,令人奇怪的是,两次鸦片战争中外国侵略者给清军以重创,甚至攻下 The downfall of the Qing dynasty was just around the corner, but a major strategic shift led it to escape and to suppress the Taipings for half a century by leveraging the power of the “barbarians.” During the bloody battle against the Taipings, the Yang gun made special contributions to the Qing government. However, what is strange is that during the two Opium Wars, the foreign invaders inflicted heavy blow on the Qing troops and even attacked