Boxer War (April-June, 1900)

Convention in Paris]

Tsar Alexander III was traveling with an escort and other important members of the Russian delegation in Paris, when suddenly a young man had appeared to shoot at the Russian Tsar.

But the assassination attempt failed, with the bullet currently deflecting to the side and striking the nearby ground, just in time for the Russian Tsar's escort to apprehend that person.

"How old is he?". Tsar Alexander III asks curiously.

"16 years sir. The French authorities have identified him as Jean-Baptiste Sipido, the apprentice of a tinsmith." One of the members of the delegation explains, while some guards bring the young Sipido.

"Where are you from kid?". Tsar Alexander III asks in French.

"Belgium." The teenager responds.

"... I think it's just a bit rowdy, there's no reason to make a lot of fuss about this." Tsar Alexander III calmly exclaims.

This incident occurred on April 4, early in the morning. By a French citizen (born from the French parts of former Belgium).

Sipido was an anarchist who opposed the Fashoda war, and saw members of European royalty as responsible for much of the troubles that occurred, the invasion of Boer territory, the invasion of Switzerland, the annexation of Belgium, etc.

Russia was not very different, because despite not being part of Fashoda it was an absolutist and imperialist nation, so Sipido attacked Tsar Alexander III.

The Russian delegation followed the orders of the monarch not to raise too many problems regarding a French citizen trying to assassinate the tsar, something that was undoubtedly received by the parties involved because Russia was an important mediating state in the discussions.

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* Many postures.

The Fashoda war would involve a territorial, economic and political reorganization of the world as it was known, due to numerous events and conflicts of interest caused before and during the conflict.

In between, other defining events occurred (related or not to Fashoda), such as the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the Latin American agro-export models, the Latin revolutions, etc.

And obviously various parties wanted their profits to be recognized, to avoid paying excessive expenses, to maintain their spheres of influence and colonial empires, among many other interests.

France: The Bonapartist empire was going through a difficult economic and socio-political situation, but had been "victorious" in the Fashoda war, with some minimal territorial losses (in particular only small islands like New Caledonia) but still with important victories. in other respects.

Now France had to keep its gains, especially in the north of the African continent (the Suez Canal), and after that start managing costs, administration, logistics and diplomacy.

Both inside and outside the French territories, after all a difficult post-war situation would be traversed, and a new government and leadership was needed for the French empire.

Suez was the most important, but there were also other valuable territories and objectives, such as Wallonia in Europe, paying debts and getting the economic benefits of certain aspects of the war, etc.

United Kingdom: The British Empire could also claim that it had won, but it did not continue in the war due to the Russian Plagues, the diplomatic situation and some defeats, in other cases it could have continued in the war and even won.

But now the British had to give in a moment and wait for next opportunities, after all the empire was "flexible" in many respects.

British pride would forbid them to accept this as a peace treaty, it was an armistice of a few decades or even less.

Suez had been lost, that was a great damage at an economic level and in the prestige of the empire, but new territories had also been won that could be of use.

Goa, Angola, Mozambique, the Azores, Greenland, Iceland and the Balearic Islands, among other territories (directly or as protectorates), of states fallen or defeated during the war, such as Spain, Portugal or Denmark.

Now the British wanted to keep part of this and regain (or start the road to regain) their lost hegemonic power, something new could be built from the ashes of Fashoda ... but for the moment it would have to give in to certain foreign whims.

Partly because of the opinions of the elite, now it was necessary to seek revenge with France and keep the rest of the powers of Europe down, with a possible rapprochement with Germany.

But Germany didn't have to be the main partner, the British Empire could also build satellite followers in Scandinavia, it just had to play its cards right.

Germany: Germany was seen in part as potentially the next hegemon of Europe, and there were several reasons why the Teutonic elite would believe this, having absorbed large Germanic sectors of territory, population and economy.

The rest of the countries had to recognize this, in German opinion, but Germany also had to start managing all these new territories then.

Unfortunately in terms of foreign policy and colonial administration in other parts of the world, Germany still had serious problems competing with France and the United Kingdom.

This is shown in the poor foreign policy ideas for Wilhelm II and German diplomacy outside of Europe.

Recognizing the German victories in Europe was simple, but how to compete to maintain the Germany-Venezuela alliance, the Brazilian situation, etc.

Russia: The tsarist empire obviously wanted the recognition of its new territories obtained after the Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman fall, the restitution of an independent Denmark, pursue its interests in the international sphere (Katanga in the Kongo, Rio Grande do Sul in America America, its portions of the Middle East, etc.), establish the laws of modern warfare and respond to the situation of the Boxers in Qing.

In short, all countries had gained something that they wanted to be recognized by the rest, some had broad claims of hegemony or revenge, but they had to negotiate.

In addition, all of these had their new spheres of influence, diplomatic situations to attend to, and conflicts to resolve, because they could not simply annex everything.

There were also issues that, although they were not the main part of the discussions and projects, had to be discussed, such as the laws of war against chemical weapons and flamethrowers, etc.

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That was only in the aspect of the great powers, but there were also other wild cards in the war, such as Victor Emmanuel III of Italy, representing the kingdom expelled by socialists, who now lived in Tunisia.

Italy asked to be recognized as a participant in the war, and the Italians (as well as the Spanish in Puerto Rico and the Portuguese in London, loyalists of the monarchical governments expelled by Iberian socialists) demanded intervention in the Italian peninsula.

Socialist problems were also a major issue in Europe, but ignoring governments in exile as socialists, there were also Danish, Norwegian and Swedish delegations for which the great powers had plans.

With the dissolution of Sweden-Norway it was necessary to answer the questions of the ownership of the Kongo, mostly in the hands of the British Empire, Norway, Russia and some German regiments.

In addition to all this, Tsar Alexander III insisted on the need for an international response regarding the situation of the Boxers in China, but at the beginning of April he was not very listened to in this regard.

Above all because even with the attractive idea of crushing China, countries would have to excuse continuing to send men on military campaigns.

Fortunately this matter did not die in early April and continued.

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[Economy]

Another very important issue in the peace discussions would be the economic aspects, debts and loans, in addition to some reparations and commercial exchanges that would occur due to the consequences of the war.

But immediately ... the world economy began to fall and have serious problems of recession, inflation and other problems.

On the one hand there could be high levels of unemployment and labor shortages, many soldiers from the Fashoda conflict were returning home.

The workforce at home could be on strike, such as tens of thousands of workers in southern Germany opposing many of the government's decisions.

There were also the Russian Plagues, the epidemic diseases brought by Fashoda, which meant that some countries like Russia (and its sphere of influence) went into quarantine, various damages to those affected (cases of diseases in Berlin, Paris and London, just to start ) and many other complications to international trade.

This damaged and delayed trade, as well as economic, social, and political conditions at home.

International trade itself had already been heavily damaged by the war embargo measures by the powers, international trade had not yet recovered from the Fashoda war, affecting various sectors such as steel, coal and maritime trade.

Not only that, but also the end of the war brought economic problems to countries with little diversified economies, those that had dedicated themselves exclusively to the export of raw materials to those involved.

Mainly raw materials such as coffee, meat, rubber, food and other agricultural products. In particular, Latin American countries (some were able to industrialize a bit, but those that would not suffer serious economic setbacks).

In summary, a huge series of factors related to Fashoda, which damaged international trade and national economies, would begin to impact causing a series of recessions and contractions of the world economy.

Countries strongly developed and little affected by the war could stop the worst problems (Russia and the United States), but on the other hand the Fashoda war still seriously damaged the economic centers of the old world order (London, Paris and Berlin), causing more problems.

As a consequence there were labor problems, with large masses of socialists and veterans in many parts of the developed world causing problems for their respective countries.

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[Russian Plagues]

One of the reasons for the post-Fashoda economic recessions was the Russian Plagues, epidemic diseases of various kinds that reached Europe or various parts of colonial empires involved due to the Fashoda war and its veterans.

In particular one of the big problems were mosquitoes, in Kongo and tropical places these insects could infect soldiers with various diseases.

Later, upon returning home, native mosquitoes would bite and become infected with the diseases, turning various cities in Europe and other parts of the world into nests of disease.

For example, public transport in London, Berlin and Paris neighborhoods would become hotbeds of mosquito nests that carry various diseases.

The rural space was not completely saved either, of course, but it received less attention.

Russian Plagues currently affected Russia and partners less than the countries involved, but Russia spoke much more openly about such diseases.

The problem is that because of them, Russia closed its borders and so did many border states within the Russosphere. This also marked a serious economic problem for the international community, which was damaged by the decline in Russian products and capital abroad.

Like the Russians, many of the world's rich began to take their money home to themselves, rather than investing in "unsafe" or unimportant places (such as Latin America, parts of Asia, and North America. , etc).

Causing shortages of foreign investment in many countries, and therefore other problems and economic recession in international trade, because there was simply less European capital in other parts of the world during the height of imperialism and Eurocentrism in the world.

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[International]

April 4, Jean-Baptiste Sipido tries to assassinate Tsar Alexander III.

On the same day in Dublin about 500 British citizens of Irish origin, veterans of the Fashoda war, demonstrate in opposition to the current British government, also calling for better deals for veterans and workers.

The government responds by crushing this demonstration. Of course this is just another fight between the current English government and the Irish opposition to that government.

April 5, more than 300 cases of deaths in London from the Russian Plagues.

April 6, various white citizens in Havana, Cuba (Second Mexican Empire) try to ban African drums in Cuban music.

Emperor Maximilian I denies this proposal.

April 7, more than 100 deaths in Berlin due to the Russian Plagues.

April 8, Buddha's birthday celebration in San Francisco, one of the first major Buddhist events celebrated and recognized in North America.

April 10, the first anti-lynching laws of the United States.

April 14, elections of the civil government in the Second French Empire.

The Boulangists, conservatives and other members of the right manage to maintain the majority of the government, but with serious defeats against moderates, liberals and Republicans.

Despite this, many socialists and members of the left insist on electoral fraud because the authorities prohibited many of these from participating (which is true). Social and economic problems in France continue during the election struggles.

190 Japanese soldiers and 200 Philippine rebels die in combat on April 15.

The same day the Constitution of Milan was declared, by the Italian socialists, who began to establish their government in a more serious way, following the example of the Spanish-Iberian socialists (early Marxists-Leninists).

April 18, various texts against the British Empire are published in the British Raj after the famines in the central Indian subcontinent.

April 19, in China Empress Dowager Cixi, while proclaiming that governors and viceroys should be careful about Boxer violence towards Christian Chinese, also insists that the army cannot shoot Boxers.

In other words, the Boxers are "condemned" but they cannot be easy dealed.

The same day there are some anti-Japanese demonstrations in San Francisco, United States.

April 22, more than 20,000 veterans across Europe demonstrate against the bad post-Fashoda conditions, such as lack of work and many social security, this occurs in France, Germany and the United Kingdom especially, with varying degrees of intensity.

These demonstrations are accompanied by various attacks, causing fires, by protesters and socialists against the current governments.

April 26, various economic problems in Colombia and other coffee producers due to the decrease in the price of coffee beans.

April 29, 93 deaths in Paris from the Russian Plagues.

May 1, 200 Scottish miners are killed in an explosion in a UK mine.

The Second French Empire issues an edict regarding the administration of the Holy Land in cooperation with its Arab and Muslim allies, to better begin to manage its post-Fashoda victories.

Thousands of workers continue to demonstrate in Germany to the concern of the German government.

May 4, 500,000 new deaths in the British Raj from famines in the center of the subcontinent continue to stoke the fire of Indian nationalism against the British.

Other cases of Russian Plagues in the British Empire, such as the aforementioned cases of bubonic plague in Australia and New Zealand, do not help.

May 6, Crown Prince Wilhelm of Germany turns 18, he is made Governor of Pomerania and Prince of Oeis.

Tsar Alexander III appoints him head of one of the Kharkov military regiments (purely symbolic of course).

May 7, anti-Japanese and anti-Chinese demonstrations in San Francisco, the city's mayor himself insists on saying "The Chinese and Japanese are not bonafide citizens. They are not the stuff of which American citizens can be made."

May 10, in Japan, Crown Prince Yoshihito marries Princess Kujo Sadako.

May 12, 200 Boxers in Qing start attacking European citizens (German and French in particular) at Fengtai railway station, a part of Beijing.

On May 17, in Kaolo village, near Peking (Beijing) and Paotingfu (Baoding), 61 Chinese converts to Christianity are massacred by the Boxers.

In response, Russian troops began to mobilize supported by the diplomat (minister in China) of the United States, Edwin H. Conger.

May 18, starts a five-day general strike in London.

May 19, among so many diplomatic discussions in Paris, the Convention for the Preservation of Wild Animals, Birds and Fish in Africa is signed.

One of the first international wildlife protection treaties.

May 21, after an emergency meeting, diplomats from the United States, Japan, Germany, France, Russia and the United Kingdom present an ultimatum for the Qing dynasty government to deal with the Boxers.

May 24, 33 US citizens are killed by Boxers in China, leading to Russian, Japanese and US troops arriving in China to intervene in the Boxer Rebellion and "reestablish peace."

As a consequence of this, Russian troops begin to invade various territories in northern China, particularly Tuva, Xinjiang and Outer Mongolia.

May 26, the Battle of Palonegro occurs, in Santander, Colombia.

This is part of the war between conservatives and liberals in Colombia, weakened by the economic crisis, the conservatives under General Próspero Pinzón suffer a defeat against the (not so competent) Liberal forces under commander Gabriel Vargas Santos.

This causes an extension of the war, the Liberals do not capitalize on this victory as much but the Conservatives have more problems due to their defeat in Palonegro, with the Liberals being able to take Santander.

May 31, Japanese, American, British and German forces enter Beijing to defend the foreign legations in the city, few foreigners surrounded by millions of natives amid the Boxer rebellion.

June 9, Birsa Munda, 24 year old rebel who led the Munda rebellion in British India, died in prison under mysterious circumstances.

After this event Birsa Munda will become a martyr and a hero, something the Germans learn from, one of the reasons for Vladimir Ulyanov's survival in prison, while British India continued to radicalize.

June 11, Japanese diplomat Sugiyama Akira is assassinated by Boxers in the Qing dynasty.

June 12, 96 new deaths in Berlin from the Russian Plagues.

June 26, the English nationalist administration rejects bills regarding the Indian administration. A government job does not need to know the Hindi and / or Urdu languages according to them, since the goverment jobs are for English people or allies (that should know english).

June 30, 326 deaths between riots and pandemics in Germany.

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[Boxer War]

With the Boxer rebellion, Russian troops began to invade northern Qing, supposedly to help reestablish peace and defend Russian diplomats in Qing (which do exist in Mongolia and Xinjiang today) but in reality the main motive was Russian interests. in Chinese territory.

Fortunately for Tsar Alexander III, who was discussing foreign intervention in China, the Boxers played their role as an enemy well.

On June 5, 20,000 Boxers (or Boxers and their supporters) rallied around Peking, killing hundreds of European and Japanese citizens, putting the legations under siege.

Even killing the German (Baron von Ketteler) and French ambassadors in China.

On the 3rd, two days before, several railroads to the city had been cut.

Of the few safe diplomats were the Russians, due to the swift response of Tsar Alexander III and the Russian government to the problems in China.

With this Tsar Alexander III began to cooperate especially with his old ally, Japan, led by Emperor Meiji, to deal with the situation in China jointly.

Although Japan had problems in the Philippines, they could still get something else in China (perhaps some concession, or money).

Later the Tsar and his diplomatic service were seeking the support of the United States and the other countries of Europe, particularly the United Kingdom, Germany and France.

These could compromise some troops, after all they still had interests in China and pride to maintain, but after the Fashoda war, France and Germany did not have the full force to intervene in China.

This mainly left the UK, still with its impressive navy.

Tsar Alexander III offered a division of China into zones of influence, the north for Russia, the center and Tibet (Yangtze river in particular) of China would be for the British, and the south for Germany (and potentially a little bit for France).

Of course this was if the aforementioned parties could take it and hold it during the intervention, the Russians and British in particular could to some extent, but it was more difficult to say whether Germany (and France) could take anything.

But there was a lot in the lurch, on June 8 buildings near the diplomatic legations were burned, putting foreign (European) citizens in China even more in danger.

Three British citizens were burned alive, and the Nationalist-Conservatives of southern England, the main power base of the Social Aristocrats, were angry.

On June 10, reinforcements arrive, 2,000 more international troops arrive to intervene in the city of Tien-tsin (Tianjin) towards Peking to help the legations.

This of course happened in regions much more populated and with better infrastructure (within the Chinese infrastructure) of Qing, so although the international troops could still win, they did not have it as easy as for example the Russians in Mongolia and Xinjiang, marching through non-Han regions, sparsely populated and with little infrastructure.

June 17, the Russian navy accompanied by international support (184 American and Japanese troops) captures the Taku forts before the arrival of the British navy and the German navy, to advance further south.

Among these Chinese ships are captured and made part of the Russian navy, as for example the destroyer Hai Hua becomes the Lieutenant Burakov.

June 21, Empress Dowager Cixi formally declares war on the United States, Russia, Japan, the United Kingdom, France and Germany, the countries most involved in international intervention in the Qing and the defense of international legations.

The Americans send Major General Arthur MacArthur to lead American troops in China, cooperating with Russian troops and other international troops.

June 23, in an attack on the British embassy the Hanlin Academy library in Beijing, one of the largest collections of Chinese works, is set on fire by Boxer attackers.

On the same day, north of Beijing, foreign nationals are rescued by international troops, including men like the engineer Herbert Hoover.

June 24, various Chinese Christians (Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox) are attacked throughout China, many will become martyrs.

June 26, on this day Russian troops begin their "Peace-Restoration Administration" of Tuva and Mongolia, while the captured parts of Xinjiang are considered a direct military administration.

Russian troops continue to march with relative success through northern China, although governors and vireyes from other parts of the north are gathering troops, they cannot move supplies as fast as the Russian railways just north of China.

The Mongolian and Uyghur opposition helping some Russians is also not making things easier for the Han-Manchu government.

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*War.

The Mongolian boy was in the hedge watching the sky, while he was supposed to feed the cattle, but then something strange happened.

The ground shook and the air had filled with noise, the Mongolian nomad village near Ulaanbaatar was gathering to watch what happened.

Then the boy watched him, metal machines marching on the Mognola steppe, led first of all by the mechanized "cavalry" of Cossacks.

It was the Russian Medved (Bears) marching on Mongolian land.

Perhaps it was somewhat exaggerated, but the first demonstrations of Russian heavy machinery were during its intervention in China. In part it made sense, it was a war against the giant of millions of natives, but the Russians were invading the less populated and loyal parts.

The Mongol delegates approached the Russian officers, and a clear offer was made, the Mongols were not disturbing the Russian army and they would not be disturbed.

The Mongols accepted, even many young people joined the Russians to fight against the Qing loyalists and soldiers loyal to the Manchu-Han government.

The troops had a more important objective than to deal with all the Mongol tribes of Outer Mongolia, to capture the important politic, economic and diplomatic centers.