The "Tibetan Question," the nature of Tibet's political status vis-à-vis China, has been the subject of often bitterly competing views while the facts of the issue have not been fully accessible to interested observers. While one faction has argued that Tibet was, in the main, historically independent until it was conquered by the Chinese Communists in 1951 and incorporated into the new Chinese state, the other faction views Tibet as a traditional part of China that split away at the instigation of the British after the fall of the Manchu Dynasty and was later dutifully reunited with "New China" in 1951. In contrast, this comprehensive study of modern Tibetan history presents a detailed, non-partisan account of the demise of the Lamaist state.Drawing on a wealth of British, American, and Indian diplomatic records; first-hand-historical accounts written by Tibetan participants; and extensive interviews with former Tibetan officials, monastic leaders, soldiers, and traders, Goldstein meticulously examines what happened and why. He balances the traditional focus on international relations with an innovative emphasis on the intricate web of internal affairs and events that produced the fall of Tibet. Scholars and students of Asian history will find this work an invaluable resource and interested readers will appreciate the clear explanation of highly polemicized, and often confusing, historical events.This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press's mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1989.The "Tibetan Question," the nature of Tibet's political status vis-à-vis China, has been the subject of often bitterly competing views while the facts of the issue have not been fully accessible to interested observers. While one faction has argued that T

List of Illustrations Acknowledgments Explanation of Romanization and Abbreviations Preface Introduction: Tibetan Society, 1913-1951 I THE ERA OF THE 13TH DALAI LAMA AND RETING, 1913-1941 1. The Early Years of the 13th Dalai Lama 2. Tibet and the New Republic in China 3. The Dalai Lama, the Army, and the Monastic Segment 4. The Death of the 13th Dalai Lama 5. The Fall of Kumbela 6. In Search of a New Tibet: Lungshar's Reform Party 7. The Mission of General Huang Mu-sung 8. The British, the Chinese, and the Panchen Lama 9. Reting Takes Control, Then Resigns 10. Conclusion to Part One: The Reting Years II THE ERA OF TAKTRA AND THE 14TH DALAI LAMA, 1941-1951 11. The Early Years of the Taktra Regency: 1941-1943 12. Change and Confrontation in the Twilight of World War II 13. The Seeds of Rebellion 14. The Reting Conspiracy 15. The Victory Congratulations Mission, 1945-1946 16. Further Attempts at International Visibility 17. Tibet after the Fall of the Kuomintang 18. The People's Liberation Army Invades 19. After the Fall of Chamdo 20. Tibet Capitulates: The Seventeen-Point Agreement 21. The Dalai Lama Returns to Lhasa Conclusion: The Demise of the Lamaist State Postscript Appendix A. Anglo-Chinese Convention of 1906 Appendix B. Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907 Appendix C. The Simla Agreements of 1914 Glossary ofTibetan Terms References Correct Tibetan Spellings Index