Trouble with the Chinese.
Current times weren’t the only time Americans have had trouble with the Chinese. Back in 1900, Herbert Hoover, his wife, came under attack. The compound for foreign delegations was narrow and a mile long, backed up to the Peiho River in Tientsin.
The Boxer rebellion, or I Ho Tuan rebellion, begins in the spring of 1898. Westerners call the roaming militia of Chinese warriors the Boxers, because these particular Chinese practice martial arts – or Chinese Boxing. Oddly, many of these groups of Chinese think their martial arts make them impervious to bullets.
Thousands of Christians murdered. Christian missionaries gained a foothold in China. They use their influence with local governments to avoid taxes and gain special considerations. Even though the poor Chinese flock to the churches, the Boxers hate all Christians and all foreigners. A larger problem is the Western powers exerting their influence in the economy and politics, but it is the Christians who take the brunt of the attacks.
Christians murdered on sight. By 1899, these violent groups are burning churches and murdering Christians. Not too different from today’s Chinese government.
Hoover – Mining Engineer. In 1899, Herbert Hoover, future president of the US, was a young mining engineer and consultant to the Chinese Minister of Mines. Hoover journeys all over China. While working in mid China, he hears frightening stories of the Boxer Rebellion. The Boxers are now encouraged by the empress dowager of China, Cixi.
Hoover seeks aid for his sick wife. Hoover hurries back to Peking where he finds his wife, Lou, seriously ill. He takes her to the city of Tientsin. The Westerners compound has a good physician. However, on June 19, 1900, over 25,000 Boxer fanatics surround the compound. Men, women, and even children prepare to defend themselves. Hoover directs the barricading of the compound with grain sacks.
The fanatics never attack, but lob 60,000 shells into the area. Hoover wrote that at times, the cross streets were “simply canals of moving lead.”
The rebellion is beaten. Eventually, a multi-national force of Russian, Japanese, English, American, French, Italian and Austria-Hungarian troops attack Bejing and quell the rebellion. The dowager who had ordered the slaughter of all Christians and Westerners fled. After peace negotiations in 1901, the Chinese dynasty remained, but with considerable Western influence in the country.
www.curtlocklearauthor.com
Leave a Reply