中国近代对外战争中的“和”、“战”问题

The Question of “Peace" and “War" in Modern China's Foreign Warfare

有些学者认为 ,中国在近代远比西方落后 ,以武力反抗西方侵略者必遭失败 ,所以 ,最为明智的策略应该是放弃武力抵抗 ,尽早与侵略者缔结和约 ,然后集中全力搞近代化 ,等赶上西方后再与其较量。相反 ,如果坚持抵抗 ,不仅损失大于“不战而和” ,而且会延误近代化的进程。本文对这一学术观点提出了不同的意见。

There are some scholars who feel that China in the modern period was far behind the West. Using military force to resist Western invaders must lead to defeat, so the wisest tactic should be to abandon military force as resistance and conclude a peace treaty as early as possible, then later collect all China's power to engage in modernization, wait until China had caught up to the West, and then later have a contest. On the contrary, if China persisted in resistance, not only would it lose the great “Not War but Peace', but also it could delay the course of modernization. This essay puts forth an opinion different from the viewpoint of these scholars.