Hey guys! 121 years ago, on August 14, 1900, during the suppression of the "ihetuani" (or other name for "boxers") uprising, coalition troops liberated (or captured?) the capital of the Qing empire, Beijing, and lifted the siege from the embassy quarter. The uprising began in November 1899. The imperial troops sent to suppress it were defeated by the rebels or hastily retreated. Against the backdrop of a dangerous situation, foreign diplomatic missions in Beijing requested troops from their metropolises for their protection. Sailors and marines from ships stationed off the coast of China (75 French, 74 Russians, 63 Americans, 50 Germans, 28 Italians, and 25 Japanese) arrived in the Embassy Quarter. The majority of foreigners and many Chinese Christians moved to the territory of the Ambassador Quarter by the end of May. But the detachment that was to fight numbered only 450 men. It was headed by the English envoy Claude MacDonald. On June 5, 1900, the Ihetuan entered Beijing, and the situation in the city began to escalate, minor conflicts on the streets of the city became more frequent. Then it became known that the Chinese troops went over to the side of the rebels, and the Qing government concluded a secret agreement with them for joint actions against foreigners. On June 13, 20 German soldiers attacked the idol, where the rebels were performing their mysteries, and killed 7 Chinese, which finally provoked the ihetuan to begin massacres and storm foreign outposts in Beijing. The next day, the Austrian embassy was burned, then the Dutch mission was destroyed. On June 20, the German ambassador Ketteler was killed, after which fierce battles began near all the embassies. Some embassies have even been taken over by the Chinese. However, the Russian and American missions were soon repulsed, and the Austrian and Italian missions remained in the hands of the rebels. The corpses of the slain Ichtuanians, lying in abundance around them, were not cleaned for a long time and began to decompose. Soon the initiative began to pass into the hands of the besieged. Increasingly, they made daring sorties, inflicting sensitive damage on the besiegers. On July 17, the Chinese announced a truce that lasted a week. Representatives of the Qing government repeatedly visited the besieged embassies, inviting them to leave Beijing. The Chinese brought gifts and treats, including from the Empress Cixi herself, who was finally convinced of the powerlessness of the ichetuan before the troops of the "Western countries." However, she did not lose hope to get out of this situation "without losing face." At the court, the struggle of groups that advocated peace or war with foreigners intensified. As a result, it was not clear whether the Qing government was fighting against foreigners or defending them. The shelling alternated with gifts: decrees ordering the expelling of the "barbarians" were replaced by orders to protect missions and compensate them for material losses. In July in Beijing, more than a hundred people were executed for belonging to secret societies, while some of the major Chinese dignitaries who opposed the war with foreigners were also executed. In early August, in connection with the approach of the coalition forces to Beijing, fighting intensified, but it was clear to everyone that the siege would soon be lifted. On August 7, it became known that the former governor of Zhili province had been removed. This territory adjoined the capital of the empire, and the positions of the ihetuan were especially strong here. The new governor was Li Hongzhang, who was an opponent of the ihetuan. Throughout the night of August 13, the Chinese attacked desperately, trying to take the missions by storm, but in vain. On the morning of August 14, the defenders of the Ambassadorial Quarter counterattacked the Chinese positions towards the advancing coalition forces. At 4 o'clock in the afternoon, their vanguards approached the Ambassador Quarter. The siege was lifted. The total losses of the international detachment defending the embassies in the two months of the siege amounted to 75 killed and 170 wounded. Beijing was occupied by coalition forces. The assault was accompanied by plunder and looting, including the Forbidden City (the residence of the emperor). After that, the allies vied with each other to accuse each other of unbridled barbarism and savagery. As a result of hostilities, a special "Final Protocol" was concluded, the first paragraph of which the Qing government was obliged to apologize to Germany and erect a monument to the murdered ambassador at the place of his death. Prince Chun, father of the last Emperor Puyi, traveled to Germany as ambassador extraordinary to express the regret of Emperor Guangxiu over von Kettler's death to Kaiser Wilhelm II. Paifang or "memorial gate", called the Ketteler Memorial (in German: Ketteler-Denkmal), was erected exactly at the place of the death of the diplomat. Work on the gate began on June 25, 1901 and was completed on January 8, 1903. On November 13, 1918, two days after Germany signed the Compiegne Armistice with the Allies, which meant Germany's inability to continue to fight in World War I, the Ketteler Memorial was officially abolished. (But why is it so late? After all, China had fought on the side of the Entente since 1917. Not surprising - because until the last months of the war there was a feeling in the world that Germany was winning.) In the following 1919, the "gate" was moved to the modern Zhongshan Park and renamed "Victory Gate of Justice” (in Chinese: 公理 戰勝 牌坊). In 1953, on the occasion of the Asia-Pacific Peace Conference in Beijing, the complex was again renamed the "Peace Gate" and has survived to this day. Based on the story of the siege of the embassy quarter, American director Nicholas Ray made the epic film "55 Days at Peking". The film was nominated for an Oscar: Dmitry Tyomkin (Best Song and Best Music). But he was not destined to receive the fifth gold statuette in his career.
Mein Lieber Kamerad
Hey guys! 121 years ago, on August 14, 1900, during the suppression of the "ihetuani" (or other name for "boxers") uprising, coalition troops liberated (or captured?) the capital of the Qing empire, Beijing, and lifted the siege from the embassy quarter.
The uprising began in November 1899. The imperial troops sent to suppress it were defeated by the rebels or hastily retreated. Against the backdrop of a dangerous situation, foreign diplomatic missions in Beijing requested troops from their metropolises for their protection. Sailors and marines from ships stationed off the coast of China (75 French, 74 Russians, 63 Americans, 50 Germans, 28 Italians, and 25 Japanese) arrived in the Embassy Quarter. The majority of foreigners and many Chinese Christians moved to the territory of the Ambassador Quarter by the end of May. But the detachment that was to fight numbered only 450 men. It was headed by the English envoy Claude MacDonald.
On June 5, 1900, the Ihetuan entered Beijing, and the situation in the city began to escalate, minor conflicts on the streets of the city became more frequent. Then it became known that the Chinese troops went over to the side of the rebels, and the Qing government concluded a secret agreement with them for joint actions against foreigners. On June 13, 20 German soldiers attacked the idol, where the rebels were performing their mysteries, and killed 7 Chinese, which finally provoked the ihetuan to begin massacres and storm foreign outposts in Beijing. The next day, the Austrian embassy was burned, then the Dutch mission was destroyed.
On June 20, the German ambassador Ketteler was killed, after which fierce battles began near all the embassies. Some embassies have even been taken over by the Chinese. However, the Russian and American missions were soon repulsed, and the Austrian and Italian missions remained in the hands of the rebels. The corpses of the slain Ichtuanians, lying in abundance around them, were not cleaned for a long time and began to decompose. Soon the initiative began to pass into the hands of the besieged. Increasingly, they made daring sorties, inflicting sensitive damage on the besiegers.
On July 17, the Chinese announced a truce that lasted a week. Representatives of the Qing government repeatedly visited the besieged embassies, inviting them to leave Beijing. The Chinese brought gifts and treats, including from the Empress Cixi herself, who was finally convinced of the powerlessness of the ichetuan before the troops of the "Western countries." However, she did not lose hope to get out of this situation "without losing face." At the court, the struggle of groups that advocated peace or war with foreigners intensified. As a result, it was not clear whether the Qing government was fighting against foreigners or defending them. The shelling alternated with gifts: decrees ordering the expelling of the "barbarians" were replaced by orders to protect missions and compensate them for material losses. In July in Beijing, more than a hundred people were executed for belonging to secret societies, while some of the major Chinese dignitaries who opposed the war with foreigners were also executed.
In early August, in connection with the approach of the coalition forces to Beijing, fighting intensified, but it was clear to everyone that the siege would soon be lifted. On August 7, it became known that the former governor of Zhili province had been removed. This territory adjoined the capital of the empire, and the positions of the ihetuan were especially strong here. The new governor was Li Hongzhang, who was an opponent of the ihetuan.
Throughout the night of August 13, the Chinese attacked desperately, trying to take the missions by storm, but in vain. On the morning of August 14, the defenders of the Ambassadorial Quarter counterattacked the Chinese positions towards the advancing coalition forces. At 4 o'clock in the afternoon, their vanguards approached the Ambassador Quarter. The siege was lifted. The total losses of the international detachment defending the embassies in the two months of the siege amounted to 75 killed and 170 wounded.
Beijing was occupied by coalition forces. The assault was accompanied by plunder and looting, including the Forbidden City (the residence of the emperor). After that, the allies vied with each other to accuse each other of unbridled barbarism and savagery. As a result of hostilities, a special "Final Protocol" was concluded, the first paragraph of which the Qing government was obliged to apologize to Germany and erect a monument to the murdered ambassador at the place of his death. Prince Chun, father of the last Emperor Puyi, traveled to Germany as ambassador extraordinary to express the regret of Emperor Guangxiu over von Kettler's death to Kaiser Wilhelm II.
Paifang or "memorial gate", called the Ketteler Memorial (in German: Ketteler-Denkmal), was erected exactly at the place of the death of the diplomat. Work on the gate began on June 25, 1901 and was completed on January 8, 1903.
On November 13, 1918, two days after Germany signed the Compiegne Armistice with the Allies, which meant Germany's inability to continue to fight in World War I, the Ketteler Memorial was officially abolished. (But why is it so late? After all, China had fought on the side of the Entente since 1917. Not surprising - because until the last months of the war there was a feeling in the world that Germany was winning.) In the following 1919, the "gate" was moved to the modern Zhongshan Park and renamed "Victory Gate of Justice” (in Chinese: 公理 戰勝 牌坊). In 1953, on the occasion of the Asia-Pacific Peace Conference in Beijing, the complex was again renamed the "Peace Gate" and has survived to this day.
Based on the story of the siege of the embassy quarter, American director Nicholas Ray made the epic film "55 Days at Peking". The film was nominated for an Oscar: Dmitry Tyomkin (Best Song and Best Music). But he was not destined to receive the fifth gold statuette in his career.
4 years ago (edited) | [YT] | 16