The Many Wars of the Ganden Phodrang (1642-1950): A New Historical Approach in Tibetan War Studies

The Ganden Phodrang, a Buddhist government headed by the Dalai Lamas and the largest Tibetan polity in early modern and modern history, engaged in many wars between 1642 and 1950 across different successive political contexts: under Mongol rule, as a Qing protectorate and as a de facto independent state. As the first compilation to be wholly dedicated to the study of Tibet’s wars during the entire Ganden Phodrang period, this volume aims at bringing Tibet into the dynamic academic field of war studies. It also provides a new historical approach to the armed conflicts fought by Ganden Phodrang troops, with or without external assistance. Its seven chapters analyze wars that have received little scholarly attention, use new material to shed new light on already well researched conflicts, and re-examine the military forces involved in those wars, making visible Tibetan agency in waging its own wars throughout the period. Using a variety of historical primary sources, with a focus on archival sources (Tibetan, Chinese, Manchu, and British), in addition to published Tibetan autobiographies and biographies, this volume reveals that wars represented crucial milestones in the formation of the Ganden Phodrang state and in the development of its military organization and culture.