Imperialism Part 5

The Boxer Rebellion was an anti-foreign movement by the Righteous Harmony Society in China between 1898 and 1901, opposing foreign imperialism and Christianity. The uprising took place against a background of severe drought and economic disruption in response to growth of foreign spheres of influence. In response to reports of armed foreign landings and demands, the initially hesitant Empress Dowager Cixi, urged by the conservatives of the Imperial Court, supported the Boxers and on June 21 authorized war on foreign powers.The Eight-Nation Alliance, after being initially turned back, brought 20,000 armed troops to China, defeated the Imperial Army, and captured Beijing on August 14. In the end, the Boxer's were defeated and their empire was absorbed.

The rise of Japan as an Asian power provoked Russia's anxiety, especially in light of expanding Japanese influence in Korea. Following Japan's victory in the First Sino-Japanese War of 1895, Germany and France forced Japan to return territory conquered before in Liaodong, leading to a Sino-Russian alliance. In June 1900, the Chinese bombarded the town of Blagoveshchensk on the Russian side of the Amur, and in retaliation, the Russians killed several thousand Chinese in that town. In retaliation, Boxers destroyed railways and cut lines for telegraphs.By 21 September, Russian troops took Jilin and by the end of the month completely occupied Manchuria.

The Boxer Rebellion and the Russian Invasion of Manchuria are very closely related in history, being part of the same war struggles, but a comparison between the two is a great connection across continents. When looking at these events, it makes it possible to understand the European disposition and it differences with the Asians'. In fact, through the Russian forces, you can see how determined the rest of the world was to have their spheres of influence in China seen through by the death of the Rebellion