Boxer Rebellion

The Boxer Uprising ({{zh-tsp|t=義和團起義|s=义和团起义|p=Yìhétuán Qǐyì}}; Righteous Harmony Society Uprising) was an uprising against Western commercial and political influence in China during the final years of the 19th century. By August 1900 over 230 foreigners, thousands of Chinese Christians, an unknown number of rebels, their sympathisers and other Chinese had been killed in the revolt and its suppression.

Eight nation alliance

The insurgents finally fell to an international force, with British general Gaselee acting as the commanding officer, the Eight-Nation Alliance, eventually numbering 45,000 Japanese, American, Austro-Hungarian, British, French, German, Italian, Russian and anti-Boxer Chinese troops, which captured Tianjin on July 14 and Beijing on August 14. In the United States military, the suppression of the Boxer Rebellion was known as the China Relief Expedition.

Related Topics:
Eight-Nation Alliance - Japanese - American - Austro-Hungarian - British - French - German - Italian - Russian - July 14 - August 14 - United States military - China Relief Expedition

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Notable exploits during the campaign were the seizure of the Taku forts commanding the approaches to Tianjin, and the boarding and capture of four Chinese destroyers by Roger Keyes.

Related Topics:
Taku - Destroyer - Roger Keyes

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In general, the march, about 120 km, from Tientsin to Peking by the allies, on 4 August, was not a particularly harsh one despite approximately 70,000 Imperial troops and anywhere from 50,000 to 100,000 Boxers along the way. They only encountered minor resistence and a battle was engaged in Yangtsun, about 30 km outside Tientsin, where the 14th U.S. Infantry and British troops led the assult. The weather, however, sometimes would reach 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius) and extremely humid, proving to be a major obstacle.

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The United States was able to play a significant role in suppressing the Boxer Rebellion because of the large number of American ships and troops deployed in the Philippines as a result of the U.S. conquest of the islands during the Spanish American War (1898) and subsequent Philippine insurgent activity.

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Troops from all nations engaged in plunder, looting and rape. German troops in particular were criticized for their enthusiasm in carrying out Kaiser Wilhelm II's July 27 order to "make the name German remembered in China for a thousand years so that no Chinaman will ever again dare to even squint at a German". This speech, in which Wilhelm invoked the memory of the 5th-century Huns, gave rise to the British derogatory name "Hun" for their German enemy during World War I.

Related Topics:
Wilhelm II - July 27 - 5th-century - Huns - World War I

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On September 7, 1901, the Qing court was compelled to sign the "Boxer Protocol", also known as Peace Agreement between the Eight-Nation Alliance and China, undertaking to execute ten officials linked to the outbreak and to pay war reparations of $333 million. So great was the sum that much of the money was later earmarked by Britain and the U.S. for overseas education of Chinese students, forming the basis of Tsinghua University. The British signatory of the Protocol was Sir Ernest Satow.

Related Topics:
September 7 - 1901 - Boxer Protocol - Eight-Nation Alliance - War reparations - Tsinghua University - Ernest Satow

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The court's humiliating failure to defend China against the foreign powers contributed to the growth of republican feeling, which was to culminate a decade later in the dynasty's overthrow and the establishment of the Republic of China.

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The foreign privileges which had angered Chinese opinion were largely cancelled in the 1930s and 1940s.

Related Topics:
Foreign privileges - 1930s - 1940s

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Russia had meanwhile been busy (October 1900) with occupying much of the north-eastern province of Manchuria, a move which threatened Anglo-American hopes of maintaining what remained of China's territorial integrity and openness to commerce (the "Open Door Policy") to all comers, but paid the concept only lip service. This behavior led ultimately to a disastrous Russian defeat (conflict) at the hands of an increasingly confident Japan (1904-1905), as they maintained garrisons and improved fortifications between Port Arthur and Harbin along the southern spur line of the Manchurian Railway constructed on their leased lands.

Related Topics:
Manchuria - Anglo-American - Open Door Policy - Conflict - 1904 - 1905 - Port Arthur - Harbin - Manchurian Railway

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