Battle of Tientsin

Battle of Tientsin
Conflict	Battle of Tientsin
Partof	the Boxer Rebellion
Date	13–14 July 1900
Place	Tientsin, Chihli Province, China
Result	Allied victory
Combatant1	Eight-Nation Alliance: United Kingdom, United States, Japan, France, Russia, Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary
Combatant2	Yihetuan, Imperial Chinese Army
Commander1	Alfred Gaselee, Yamaguchi Motomi, Adna Chaffee, Nikolai Linevich
Commander2	Nie Shicheng, Ma Yukun, Dong Fuxiang
Strength1	~6,900
Strength2	~10,000–15,000
Casualties1	~750 killed and wounded
Casualties2	~5,000 killed and wounded

Battle of Tientsin was a pivotal engagement fought on 13–14 July 1900 during the Boxer Rebellion. The battle saw the forces of the multinational Eight-Nation Alliance launch a concerted assault to capture the strategic city of Tientsin from Boxer insurgents and troops of the Qing dynasty. The Allied victory secured a crucial base for their subsequent advance on the imperial capital of Beijing and marked a significant turning point in the conflict.

Background

The Boxer Rebellion erupted in 1899 as a violent anti-foreign and anti-Christian movement, with the Yihetuan society at its core, receiving increasing support from the Qing dynasty court under the Empress Dowager Cixi. By June 1900, the rebellion had engulfed Chihli Province, leading to the Siege of the International Legations in Beijing and the failed Seymour Expedition to relieve it. The strategic port city of Tientsin, located at the confluence of the Hai River and the Grand Canal, housed foreign concessions and was a vital logistical hub. Control of Tientsin was deemed essential by both sides, as it commanded the railway and river routes to the capital and housed the Taku Forts, which had been captured by the Allied forces following the Battle of Taku Forts (1900).

Prelude to the battle

Following the capture of the Taku Forts, Allied forces began concentrating at Tientsin. The city's foreign concessions, defended by a mixed force of Royal Marines, U.S. Marines, Cossacks, and volunteers, had themselves been under a prolonged siege by Boxer and Imperial Chinese Army units. A preliminary Allied force, primarily composed of Russian, British, and Japanese troops, fought its way from Taku to Tientsin in late June, suffering casualties in engagements like the Battle of Hsiku Arsenal. By early July, command of the Allied forces was coordinated under generals like Alfred Gaselee of British India, Yamaguchi Motomi of Japan, and Adna Chaffee of the United States, who planned a decisive assault on the well-fortified Chinese positions in the native walled city.

The battle

The main assault commenced in the early morning of 13 July 1900. Japanese and French forces attacked the city's southern gates, while British and American troops, supported by Royal Artillery, assaulted the eastern walls. Russian and German units provided supporting fire and guarded the flanks. The defending forces, comprising troops from Nie Shicheng's Wuwei Corps, Ma Yukun's Kansu Braves, and thousands of Boxers, offered fierce resistance from fortified positions and utilized artillery. After a day of intense fighting and significant Allied casualties, Japanese engineers successfully blew open the South Gate on 14 July. This breach allowed Allied troops to pour into the city, leading to brutal house-to-house combat. The capture of key strongholds like the Drum Tower and the Yamen sealed the victory, though sporadic fighting continued.

Aftermath

The fall of Tientsin resulted in heavy casualties for the Chinese forces, estimated at several thousand, while the Eight-Nation Alliance suffered over 750 killed and wounded. The victory provided the Allies with a secure operational base and opened the path for the Gaselee Expedition, the march on Beijing that culminated in the relief of the legations. In the battle's immediate wake, the city was subjected to widespread looting and punitive expeditions into the surrounding countryside by Allied troops. The defeat significantly weakened the military position of the Qing dynasty and demoralized the Boxer movement, hastening the eventual signing of the Boxer Protocol in 1901.

Order of battle

The Allied force was a multinational contingent totaling approximately 6,900 men. The Japanese contribution, under General Yamaguchi Motomi, was the largest, consisting of infantry and artillery. The British forces, commanded by General Alfred Gaselee, included troops from British India such as the 1st Sikh Infantry and 24th Baluchistan Regiment. The American contingent was led by General Adna Chaffee and comprised the 9th Infantry and elements of the United States Marine Corps. Russian forces under General Nikolai Linevich, French colonial troops, and smaller detachments from the German Empire, Kingdom of Italy, and Austria-Hungary completed the alliance. Opposing them was a combined force of Imperial Chinese troops, including Nie Shicheng's modernized units and the Muslim cavalry of Dong Fuxiang, alongside thousands of Boxer irregulars.

Legacy

The Battle of Tientsin is remembered as a critical military action that demonstrated the necessity of coalition warfare for the Eight-Nation Alliance, despite inherent coordination challenges. It highlighted the severe limitations of the Qing dynasty's military modernization efforts in the face of a coordinated foreign invasion. The battle and the subsequent occupation of Tientsin had lasting consequences, leading to the expansion of foreign concessions in the city and its administration by the Tianjin Provisional Government, a multinational committee. The event further cemented foreign military presence in China and contributed to the final downfall of the Qing dynasty, influencing the rise of revolutionary movements like the Tongmenghui. It remains a significant case study in the history of imperialism in Asia.

Category:Battles of the Boxer Rebellion China|China Category:1900s of the Boxer Rebellion