As the anti-foreign, anti-Christian Boxer movement swept northern China, roughly 2,000 troops from eight nations — Britain, the U.S., Japan, Russia, France, Germany, Italy, and Austria-Hungary — advanced on Beijing to relieve besieged diplomats. The expedition stalled under fierce resistance and had to fight its way back to Tianjin, forcing the assembly of a much larger international force weeks later to finally break the siege.
As the anti-foreign, anti-Christian Boxer movement swept northern China, roughly 2,000 troops from eight nations — Britain, the U.S., Japan, Russia, France, Germany, Italy, and Austria-Hungary — advanced on Beijing to relieve besieged diplomats. The expedition stalled under fierce resistance and had to fight its way back to Tianjin, forcing the assembly of a much larger international force weeks later to finally break the siege.
Key people: Edward Seymour