What is history: it is the echo of the past to the future, the reflection of the future on the past. - Hugo
In the late Qing Dynasty, when the nation was facing a moment of peril, Zeng Guopan, Li Hongzhang, Zhang Zhidong, and a number of Other Qing officials realized the importance of learning advanced Western technology, and for this reason, a foreign affairs movement arose, putting forward the slogan of mastering yi and changing skills to control Yi. The Hanyang Arsenal, built by Zhang Zhidong, emerged against this background. The weapons and equipment produced by the Hanyang Arsenal played an important role in the subsequent wars, especially during the War of Resistance Against Japan. So how powerful is it?
Compared with the military factories in other places, the Hanyang Arsenal started relatively late, but the weapons and equipment and technologies it introduced were all advanced foreign technologies, so the Hanyang Arsenal developed into the largest arsenal with the largest construction scale and the most advanced production lines at that time. At that time, Zhang Zhidong followed the advice of foreign advisers, introduced 1888-type rifles, Krupp mountain guns and other equipment, and after transformation, produced batches of weapons and equipment, which provided help for the subsequent War of Resistance Against Japan.
Among the many weapons and equipment, the most worth mentioning is the "Hanyang-made" rifle. The rifle was the main weapon of the Chinese War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, and was produced from the end of the Qing Dynasty until 1944, when it played an important role in major wars. The predecessor of the firearm was the German Type 1888 rifle, which was copied by the Hanyang Arsenal in 1896 and was commonly known as "Hanyang Made".
Later, after continuous improvement, this Hanyang-made rifle later became the main force of the Chinese army in the War of Resistance Against Japan, and this gun had a long barrel and was equipped with a long bayonet, which could effectively counter the standard rifle of the Japanese army. By 1939, the Hanyang Arsenal had been expanded, and then the Hanyang-made rifles were handed over to the 21st Arsenal, which was manufactured by the 21st Arsenal.
It is reported that until the suspension of production, Hanyang-made rifles have produced a total of more than 1.08 million, a huge number, and its overall size is enough to circle the earth twice, which shows its severity. From this point of view, the factories built in the Western affairs movement have brought great effects to future generations. With these arsenals, they can provide some basic combat weapons for the War of Resistance Against Japan, and they will not have to fight with their bare hands.