Figure 1.--The International Relief Mission included a very large Japanese component. The Japanese who captured Boxers treated them very harshly, beheading most of them. Notice the Chinese auxileries. Source: American Museum of National History. |
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Two efforts by small colums of British troops were turned back by the Boxers and Imperial Army.
Eight foreign governments (America, Austria-Hungary, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Russia) organized a relief mission. The mission was an effective military force with modern arms. The international community organized a substantial force. British Lt-General Alfred Gaselee eventually commanded a force of 54,000. The largest component was Japanese troops (20,840). The force also included Russian (13,150), British (12,020), French (3,520), American (3,420), German (900), Italian (80), Austro-Hungarian (75), and anti-Boxer Chinese troops. The Intrnational Force set out from the cloeset forign treaty port of Tianjin and fought west toward Peking. About 70,000 Imperial troops and 50,000-100,000 Boxers resisted them, but did not fight pitched battles because of the Relif Mission's fire power. The largest bsattle was fought at Yangcun. The teraine and hot summer weather probved more of an obstacle than the Boxers. Boxers who were captured were often executed. The European rescue force managed to reach Peking where the besieged international community had run out of amunition and food (August 14, 1900). The Boxer Revolt crumbled after the Relief Mission reached the foreign embassies. The international mission looted Peking when they arrived. Their attentions turned to the the Forbidden City which they ransacked. The Empress Dowager reportedly fled the city dressed as a humble peasant.
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