Boxer Rebellion - Eight-Nation Alliance Invasion Enforces Imperial Control

The Siege of Peking begins as the anti-foreign, anti-imperialist Boxer movement (Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists) surrounds foreign legations in Beijing, trapping diplomats and missionaries including 56 American sailors and Marines from USS Oregon and USS Newark. The siege triggers formation of the Eight-Nation Alliance—Germany, Japan, Russia, Britain, France, the United States, Italy, and Austria-Hungary—which invades northern China with approximately 45,000 troops (eventually growing to 55,000) to relieve the besieged foreigners and suppress the popular uprising against Western imperialism. The United States deploys forces conveniently stationed in the Philippines following annexation, including the 9th Infantry, 14th Infantry, elements of the 6th Cavalry, and 5th Artillery regiments. U.S. Minister Edwin Conger pursues Secretary of State John Hay’s “Open Door” policy seeking equal access to Chinese trade for all powers, making American participation both a rescue mission and enforcement of commercial interests against Chinese resistance to foreign economic penetration.

The Boxer Rebellion channels widespread Chinese resentment of foreign influence, particularly Christian missionaries and the unequal treaties imposed after China’s defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895) that carved the country into competing spheres of influence. The movement practices Chinese martial arts (then called “Chinese boxing,” hence the English name “Boxers”) and attacks Westerners, Chinese Christians, and symbols of foreign domination including railways and telegraphs. Japanese forces numbering over 20,840 men make up the majority of the expeditionary force, with British Lieutenant-General Alfred Gaselee commanding the alliance. The coalition fights from the port at Dagu through Tianjin and Chinese countryside, hampered by extreme heat and destroyed infrastructure, marking the first time American troops fight on Chinese soil. On August 14, 1900, allied troops invade and occupy Beijing, defeating the Qing Imperial Army’s Wuwei Corps and ending both the siege and active Boxer resistance, though Empress Dowager Cixi, the emperor, and high officials flee to Xi’an.

On September 7, 1901, the Qing court is compelled to sign the “Boxer Protocol” (Peace Agreement between the Eight-Nation Alliance and China) requiring execution of ten officials linked to the outbreak and payment of $333 million in war reparations—a crushing financial burden that further weakens Chinese sovereignty. Britain and the U.S. later earmark portions of reparations for educating Chinese students at overseas institutions, subsequently forming the basis of Tsinghua University in what becomes a tool of cultural influence. The Boxer Rebellion intervention demonstrates how the Open Door policy works in practice: when Chinese attempt to resist foreign economic exploitation and reclaim sovereignty, Western powers including the United States use military force to maintain access to markets and extract punitive financial settlements. The Qing dynasty emerges greatly weakened despite implementing liberal reforms, collapsing in 1911 to be replaced by the Republic of China. The intervention establishes precedents for multilateral military action to protect commercial interests disguised as defending diplomatic personnel and maintaining order, with China bearing permanent costs through reparations while foreign powers strengthen their economic grip.