The Opium Wars - Part 5: The Boxer Rebellion

1900 - the year the Qing Dynasty tried one last time to rid China of the hated foreigners, the year of the Boxers.
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Music: "Pursuit" licenced to iMovie by Apple, Inc.

[@linkieloos]

Finally on to the Boxer Rebellion! And to think only 14 years later, the eight nations would be fighting each other on two different sides.

[@yosefvonhansom2921]

This was probably the only moment all of these guys ever got along each other . . . it looked weirdly wholesome when I first saw the members of the "alliance" seeing that these people would do a great job of destroying each other in just a decade and a half

[@shatbad2960]

No more brother wars.

[@TheCatBilbo]

That's what leaders & rulers do throughout history, isn't it?! My old enemy is now my ally; my enemy's enemy is my friend until they become the enemy proper; my old ally is now my enemy. It's all thoroughly depressing.

[@Fractal_blip]

@@shatbad2960 thats the only kind

[@ktheterkuceder6825]

@@shatbad2960 Keep imagining.

[@Crimson-kt7fd]

I was just given a folder of photos from the Boxer Rebellion by my grandma. Her great uncle was a military photographer there and took some pretty interesting, and also pretty disturbing, images.

[@somerandomguy9942]

Please try to make digital copies to preserve our history. Even if it is a mundane photo please please save it.

[@barrykevin7658]

Please preserve in memory of your Grandmother. Thanks.

[@Crimson-kt7fd]

@@barrykevin7658 my grandma is still alive but I planned on framing some

[@barrykevin7658]

@@Crimson-kt7fd Oh , I'm sorry for my mistake I do apologise. Great to hear your plans for the photos, do try put online at some stage .

[@matthewcullen1298]

@@Crimson-kt7fd she must be a fascinating lady. That is an amazing gift she gave you

[@maysterre]

Astonishing thumbnail I've never seen before Japanese, Italian, Russian, French, German, Indian, American, Austro-Hungarian and British soldiers in one photo!

[@NathanDudani]

Ikr

[@yosefvonhansom2921]

It even looked so wholesome I always saw this weird alliance as some sort of pre-UN "UN"

[@ravenknight4876]

@@maysterre It's not the same. Prussia had ceases to be independant 29 years ago at that point. And germany includes a series of orher german states, such as bavaria.

[@malpreece5008]

It really is a fascinating period in history. Ever seen the film “55 Days at Peking”?

[@FMHammyJ]

They could hang together, or hang separately........The threat of beheadings makes strange bedfellows.......

[@Penekamp11]

“55 Days At Peking” was an interesting big budget movie about the Boxer Rebellion with a cast of mega stars of the era. Highly recommended even though liberties were definitely taken.

[@Otokichi786]

Filmed in Spain (Sergio Leone's "American West") with numerous non-Chinese extras.

[@oaples8790]

@@Otokichi786 lols, i wonder why

[@geoffreyrobson4745]

Also shockingly inaccurate regarding the military. One US marine is seen carrying an ammunition box marked .303 the British service round !

[@Penekamp11]

@@geoffreyrobson4745 They are also shown using an M 1919 Browning .30 machine gun in 1900.

[@geoffreyrobson4745]

@@Penekamp11 Dose annoy when film companies spend many thousands on the production and then get small but important details wrong

[@spagoz2136]

My wife's Grand Uncle fought in the Boxer Rebellion as a German soldier. I was never able to find out whether he was among those who defended the Legation or was part of the relief force. Like most soldiers in a foreign country he bought home some souvenirs including some Chinese currency in the form of coins with square holes in the centre. He also returned with the most exquisite example of what I believe is a porcelain tea cup & saucer all of which were gifted to us by the relatives when visiting Germany some years ago. The cup is like a large eggshell & so thin that it distorts when squeezed very gently. I only wish now I could have learned more of his exploits during those times of Colonial expansion.

[@davidjordan9759]

The porcelain would be loot from the Forbidden City. All the relief force took souvenires.

[@jakemocci3953]

Watch that cup be worth 100k+

[@monkeyking-self-proclaimed7050]

He was a thief!!!!

[@Darkknight-qe5ls]

He stole it your uncle was thief

[@samuelpierce87]

@@Darkknight-qe5ls looted technically

[@Megabob777]

im a simple man, i see a mark felton video and i drop everything

[@CBielski87]

don't drop that yellow cake!

[@JHamList]

couldnt agree more! quality content! and he has been churning them out at a ferocious pace lately.

[@Megabob777]

@@JHamList it's a great mini series for sure

[@alitlweird]

These are my bedtime stories! And my drive to work stories...

[@jaydwy8069]

You are a simple minded man if you like the mustang

[@sarjim4381]

I never did understand the reasons for the Boxer Rebellion but, after watching Dr. Felton's series of videos, I think I finally get it.

[@kwanchan6745]

imagine a gang of drug dealers landing on the south coast of england, pushing their drugs across the whole of the country, making demands of 10 downing street with the threat of "gunboat diplomacy" where they would shell residences north and south of the thames imagine good people rising up against these drug dealers, and the british army joining forces with them, but despite combining forces, they were unable to evict the armed thugs, who then pillaged london, murdering, looting, raping and setting fires without any restraint imagine the original magna carta looted, alongside the crown jewels, the stone of scone all looted and carted off to foreign countries imagine westminster abbey, the houses of parliament, windsor castle all burnt to the ground, and the prime minister and cabinet forced to run away to the falklands, from where a peace treaty was signed with the drug dealers to give them protection against the law of the land just because the british people had the audacity to rise up against the drug dealers

[@rudithedog7534]

55 days at Peking, one of my favorite movies, really enjoying this series of stories thanks

[@somerandomguy9942]

Thanks for mentioning this film. Gonna put it on tonight, never seen it. 1963 hmm

[@sticksnstones5407]

@@somerandomguy9942 it's a great movie I hope that you enjoy it.

[@rudithedog7534]

It does move a bit slow, and by today's standards it might be a bit corny, but at the age of 9 or 10 in the early 80s it was really impressive, apparently the set of the movie was very accurate in its depiction of the compound and walls........the movie was filmed in Spain with thousands of Chinese extras hired from all over Europe, apparently most of the Chinese restaurants around Europe temporarily closed as all the staff went to work as extras for the movie.

[@josephahner3031]

@lati long I'm perfectly fine with the slow burn pace of older dramas.

[@somerandomguy9942]

This Opium Wars series is super interesting. Thanks Mark!!

[@martinhogg5337]

Excellent series. Much appreciated by all students of history.

[@davo2003hd]

I have been waiting for and searching for this since Mark mentioned in Part 4. ! Mark Felton and the late John Erickson are about the best historians you can find. And John Erickson had the best hair of any historian ever!!!

[@slartybartfarst55]

Thank you! This is my Bedtime book for tonight!

[@rewmeister]

I didn't know it would be so soon for your Boxer Rebellion series!! Thanks for the awesome videos, Mark!

[@jamespires3383]

What a great series! Expansive and informative, good effort dr Felton

[@demonprinces17]

Doesn't sound like the Chinese army improved much after the last war

[@stevenkelly2477]

Yeah fool. Ok

[@demonprinces17]

@@stevenkelly2477 still under equipped, badly trained, poor leadership

[@oaples8790]

@@stevenkelly2477 calm down, ye self employed wu mao

[@ArmoredNeko]

Nope, China at that time is still horribly under-developed and getting screwed over by foreign powers doesn't help. The Self-Strengthening movement pretty much flopped and China's full industrialization basically would have to wait until the communists takeover.

[@leesnyder9144]

It reminds me of the Ottoman Empire. Strict caste system are not great at educating officers or producing specialist.

[@alanmoffat4454]

AND NOW HERE IS THAT BIGGER BANG THANK DR FELTON .

[@thomascraiker6449]

I don’t know how true the story is, but I read a story about how the US Marines were holding a section of docks picking off boxers at nearly 600yards it got so bad that they just started to avoid the area because every time someone poked their head out it got shoot off.

[@TheGoldtopdude]

USMC had old school Marines in China, heroism was common. USMC has always had excellent shooters.

[@williammerkel1410]

​@@TheGoldtopdudemany forget that disciplined individual marksmanship had long been an integral part of US military ethos, it was crucial in the Revolutionary War.

[@g.t.richardson6311]

@@TheGoldtopdude Dan Daley

[@operator_melayu]

14 years later, the nations in the alliances fought each other. By the way, thank you for the video!

[@brandonmoreland4392]

Mark Felton Productions is the top of the line. This guy just keeps getting better. Actual history, in depth and unbiased.

[@Shineon83]

This series is-absolutely-the most thorough retelling of The Boxer Rebellion one can find….Not only that, it’s a wonderful, nerve wracking tale. 👏🏻

[@501ststormtrooper9]

I only just noticed that you were making a series on this... Time to binge!

[@williammerkel1410]

One of the reasons I really want to know more about the Boxer Rebellion is Japan's involvement, I have several pieces of Japanese military equipment that were made early enough to have been used by them in it.

[@WarStorieswithMarkFelton]

They will be centre stage in the forthcoming fighting.

[@meaders2002]

Variation in terminology: The pieces I've read on the Siege of Peking in this period (US) translated the Chinese Boxers as the Fists of Universal Harmony. That was probably 50 years ago. Snippets of history have fascinated me since I could read. I continue as a hobbyist at history and appreciate more than a little these surveys. More thanks to Dr. Felton.

[@geoffreyrobson4745]

Once again a masterful series. I have enjoyed all of your episodes. Many thanks for making them. This one I find particularly fascinating

[@wtfbuddy1]

Great presentation - this series is an eye opener that is not discussed or forgotten in books, thank you for enlightening me. Cheers and stay safe

[@MrMrliamo]

Mark as I said to you a year and a half ago, and maby I was one of those that said, make bed time stories! Every night, I nod off listening to ur stories, thanks, liam Fleming from Roscommon, west of Ireland

[@ianclark1122]

Your productions are like a drug! Totally addictive. Thank you for the fix Mr Felton.

[@alitlweird]

Excellent series!! Love your stuff, Mark!! THANK YOU!!

[@acmelka]

Belitung Cathedral siege featuring a Salvatore Dormus Model 1888 machine gun is an under reported tale of amazing military and human endurance

[@RhodeIslandWildlife]

Thank you Dr Felton.

[@atx5127]

We need to crowd fund an entire tv channel for Mr Felton.His knowledge and detail is unsurpased

[@TheBillaro]

mmmm read frank dikotter

[@tennesseehomesteader6175]

How could anyone possibly give this a thumbs down? Maybe sometimes ignorance is bliss... Well done Dr. Felton!

[@barrykevin7658]

Maybe its not the official 'Party ' account of what happened .

[@GarioTheRock]

I'VE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS MORE THAN MY NEXT HEARTBEAT, THANK YOU DR. FELTON ❤❤❤

[@majorsquanch7149]

wow what a treat so much content recently

[@mbe102]

This has been such an awesome series!

[@atx5127]

We need to get Mr Felton on American TV.His own History w Mark Felton channel.Your videos are amazing.

[@rastusdarklord4325]

We need another one in 2021

[@ArmoredNeko]

Mark Felton you are spoiling me. This part of Chinese history is definitely fascinating and deserves recognition. Are you going to do Chinese history all the way to the Chinese civil war? There has to be a million war stories in-between but I guess that's the point!

[@Jemoto-wn3nw]

Great to listen to while doing work

[@MrPh30]

One of the most interesting and fascinating campaigns of all times. The amount of hardship the encircled garrison and diplomat quarter was under . Not just to mention the logistic levels of the nations various arms and ammo they had to keep toll of there .

[@quinnfell3824]

YES! Have been waiting for the next masterpiece in the series!

[@silvanski]

This series almost makes me wish I was under lockdown., so I could listen to all episodes non-stop.

[@henriknilsson7851]

Amazing, what a mess. Thanks for helping us understand a rather complex series of events.

[@marshaldillon4387]

Dam have to wait for part 6 Sir Mark you are the Best story teller ever. You keep me on the edge of my seat. Another can’t wait. Much Thanks for your work. 🇬🇧🇺🇸. P S. You never disappoint !

[@TheFreshman321]

Jellicoe of the Grand Fleet fame.

[@murdercom998]

Thanks for the excellent content

[@TankerBricks]

Five times Mark excels in teaching us the history of China!

[@YMC888]

First to like! I new the series would culminate with this 5th episode on the Boxers Rebellion! Looking forward to this now Mark!

[@WarStorieswithMarkFelton]

There will be further episodes!

[@comradekenobi6908]

@@WarStorieswithMarkFelton wow

[@CBielski87]

@@WarStorieswithMarkFelton clever hearting everyone's comment that you like, Dr. Mark

[@leesnyder9144]

Very action/reaction history but I love the scattered primary sources and quotes.

[@jesterofspades3903]

i really enjoy your videos thankyou for making them

[@robhales5521]

Loving this series!

[@ashlad3867]

Thank you!

[@paxwallacejazz]

I never thought of the disassociated desperate magical thinking of the Ghost Dancers being related to the Chinese Boxer Rebellion. Huh kinda makes sense now you mention it.

[@jetstreamer374]

OT: Just finished watching Dien Ben Phu (1992) Very moving and accurate. Recommended.

[@weltvonalex]

Where have you found it?

[@comradekenobi6908]

he should do Indochina Wars next

[@jetstreamer374]

@@weltvonalex well... yts torrenting

[@steveshoemaker6347]

Thanks once more....!

[@portercrane1862]

Amazed yet again!

[@seanmarx973]

Hurray! A new Video

[@ZaGaijinSmash]

Another tip top installment Dr Felton.

[@Shotty262]

Thanks mark!

[@waffensachverstandcom5505]

Great work

[@ThePalaeontologist]

This is an impressive summary.

[@Scp-zm9vl]

Can you do a video about the Swedish volunteers in the winter war?

[@StephenMortimer]

They were TOO FEW and TOO LATE !!

[@frankrobert6867]

His historical videos are really good

[@bigsarge2085]

Interesting and informative.

[@rocksandoil2241]

Herbert Hoover, a mining engineer at the time, was caught up in the battle in China

[@motelluver945]

Oh cool.. didn't know part 5 was forthcoming. I'll enjoy it.

[@johnaucamp7106]

A good fictional book about the Boxer Rebellion is Gene Luen Yang's graphic novel Boxers and Saints. It tells two stories, one from the POV of the Boxers and one from the Chinese Converts. It is a very nuanced take, as it underlines the wrongs perpetuated against the Chinese and how this reaction to the foreigners were not without provocation, but also underscores why many Chinese converted or were dissatisfied with Chinese culture. It is still highly fictionalised, as the Boxer POV is ambiguously fantastical.

[@TheBillaro]

bizarre!

[@marks.c4753]

Sand pebbles love that movie.

[@berhorst59]

That movie took place in t h e 1930s

[@marks.c4753]

@@berhorst59 1920 s

[@HeyGuy4321]

my teacher once said " ARE YOU BEING REBELIGOUS"

[@paulkoza8652]

Well done. Does history repeat itself?

[@manjitsoni9676]

ਖੱਬੇ ਤੋਂ ਸੱਜੇ No 4 ਤੇ ਜੋ ਫੋਟੋ ਹੈ ਉਹ ਸਿੱਖ (singh) ਨੇਂ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਸਾਡੇ ਬਜੁਰਗਾਂ ਨੇ ਵੀ ਹਿੱਸਾ ਲਿਆ ਸੀ ਪਹਿਲੇ ਅਤੇ ਦੂਸਰੇ ਵਿਸ਼ਵ ਯੁੱਧ ਵਿੱਚ ਅਸੀਂ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਹਾਂ ਭਾਰਤ ਸਾਡਾ ਦੇਸ਼ ਹੈ ਤੁਹਾਡੀਆਂ ਸਾਰੀਆਂ ਵੀਡੀਓ ਬਹੁਤ ਚੰਗੀਆਂ ਹੁੰਦੀਆਂ ਨੇ ਧੰਨਵਾਦ ਜੀ।

[@fedecano7362]

this is exactly what I was looking for when I came to YT!

[@nonamesplease6288]

I'm a man of wealth and taste. I see a Mark Felton video and I click on straight away.

[@unbearifiedbear1885]

That thumbnail is remarkable

[@ralphdude7]

Dr. Felton, can you do a special episode on Kapitan Georg von Trapp’s service in the Austro-Hungarian Imperial Navy fighting at the Taku Forts during the Boxer Rebellion? More on the Austrian role in this conflict would be very much appreciated!

[@brianreddeman951]

No seven nation army... Wait, they have eight!

[@cocainecarl7814]

FIGHT THE BIG BROTHER

[@jamesgreenldn]

Cocaine is a hell of a drug Carl

[@ricwalne4734]

I believe there was also a siege at Tienstin, are you going to do a video on that event? Please do so it is an interesting event.

[@johnnyutah4584]

Back again !!👍👋

[@DamenJoost]

Interesting history. Did this YT channel cover the Taiping Uprising yet? One of the most fascinating historical events, also with plenty of western intervention. Tragic, too, just like this one.

[@battenburg6089]

Recently discovered my great grandfather fought in the Boxer Rebellion, sadly he died just before I was born, so I was never able to hear an account from someone there.

[@solomonreal1977]

I was there for the firing line at the barricades, the officer's exact words were more accurately: "I say! Reload, old boys! One lump, or......TWO!!!!"

[@Minboelf]

The Japanese soldier in the thumbnail look like he stood different from the rest of his teammates

[@mscorrell]

I saw a movie about Boxer Revolution many years ago.

[@at6686]

Damn! I was getting stuff done! Oh well, it will wait.

[@bosshb]

I love u Mark!

[@maxkennedy8075]

That colourised image is great

[@grouchyoldman5348]

I like the photos of the execution’s.

[@salvadorvizcarra769]

The British Empire, have always been a bunch of thuggish Pirates? Sure. Again: The "Greatness" of the British Empire is a product of Piracy, Slavery, ABUSES, Massacres, the Murder of Gov't Leaders, the Opium Traffic, and the weakness of many sovereign nations. UK has in its history 9 Genocides committed in China, India, Malaysia, Africa, the Middle East, Australia and America. (Something school kids should never know). Yup... We are a bunch of Looters. We were not smarters. Bullies yes. And eventually we will pay for it.

[@byronbailey9229]

The Japanese were smarter. When Commodore Perry sailed his fleet into Tokyo harbour they recognised they needed to modernise by learning from the barbarian. Chinese hubris caused them to pay a heavy price and it took 140 years for them to catch on.

[@simonedraetta3328]

yes, but in the longer run it's not the japanese who will rule the world... perhaps sadly enough

[@ananon5771]

@@simonedraetta3328 they got pretty close to all of asia,they just made one crucial mistake....

[@arthas640]

China was insanely arrogant in the 18th and 19th century and it bit them in the ass. They assumed their massive size and historical power would make them unbeatable compared to the tiny european barbarian powers. It bit them in the ass when they fought the Europeans and regularly lost regardless of how much they outnumbered the Europeans and even when they bought modern military equipment their terrible military structure and lack of discipline still lead to loss after loss. Japan meanwhile launched one of the fastest and most successful modernization programs in human history and went from a medieval feudal society to an industrial great power the equal of almost any nation on earth with only america, British, and germans being their equals all in the space of a single generation and largely without foreign investment and they managed it all with little chaos or social upheaval and little war. Japan modernized and industrialized in a couple decades, China started around 1850 with the self strengthening movement and didnt really show meaningful results until the death of Mao. Japan accomplished the same as China in a few short decades and without any major wars or famines while China took over a century and it cost them tens if not hundreds of millions of wasted lives

[@arthas640]

@Daniel Taylor china is growing rapidly but they will be unlikely to ever truly take over much. They make few allies and bully people into doing what they want, compare that to America who managed to get most of latin america in their sphere of influence, set up a global trading network, and ally with numerous countries while setting up bases all across the Pacific within a few decades of industrilzing. By WW1 the US was carrying out military operations to further their trading network and to aid their allies and they had allies as varied as the Philipines, UK, France, Poland, Morocco, Cuba, and Australia. China meanwhile has no real close allies, North Korsa is more of a hindrance then anything, vietnam doesnt trust them, and Russia is an uneasy ally. They have numerous trading partners but the failure of many of their recent military exports (especially fighter planes) shows how little many countries trust China and wont buy their equipment unless they have no other alternatives.

[@TheBillaro]

mate. you got that from a book i'm reading. btw. the chinese will never catch on

[@dflatt1783]

4:30 This was actually the first time anti-aircraft weapons were deployed and used in combat.

[@tingting90sf]

Thanks for doing these opium war and boxer vids hardly anyone in the states know about this era. I could see China resenting this to this day

[@TheBillaro]

they do

[@seansimms8503]

@@TheBillaro only if he knew,100 years of Humiliation is how they see it.

[@TheBillaro]

@@seansimms8503 100 years of them fking about is what it is.

[@seansimms8503]

@@TheBillaro that's why there's a Chinese balloon over Montana, American didn't respect Chinese sovereignty back then, they feel if we did it to them than it's OK to return the favor, hence all that fentenal coming over here...

[@TheBillaro]

@@seansimms8503 ya but it wasn't

[@jakemocci3953]

Captain Bowman was a Marine’s marine, that’s an honor that he was the first man to speak up.

[@The_ZeroLine]

When you can use the term “national guard” or “internal security,” but you use the term “gendarmerie” instead...

[@freespeechnow4490]

Chinese attackers shouting, "kill!" "kill!" "kill!". British soldiers, "Very well, prepare to be killed".

[@canman5060]

The Brits already fully prepared since the Zulu Dawn 3 decades earlier !

[@canman5060]

But the Brits were enjoying their peak tram ride in Hong Kong the same year !

[@canman5060]

They are dumbass fool used by the already falling Qing Empire.

[@freespeechnow4490]

@@canman5060 Yup. A lot like the fools in China today who blindly obey Xi Jin Ping and foam at the mouth at "foreign devils".

[@anonymouspost8407]

Dan Daly is the only name to remember from this. Ou-rahh.

[@frankbarnwell____]

okay, a free half hour, more opium thanks doctor One of the most casual name-drops EVER. ... And Capt John Jellicoe. Not like an Earl, or Admiral of the Grand Fleet.

[@ingold1470]

3:30 - Never knew that the blood libels extended so far.

[@adansalazar7838]

Mark should make his own audio book I bet it will sell

[@malpreece5008]

The Boxer Rebellion is fascinating. Probably the only time in history when the British, Americans, French, Germans, Russians, Austro-Hungarians, Italians, and Japanese were all on the same side fighting against a common enemy. Good stuff!

[@PrezMcIntyre]

Ahhh Captain John Jellicoe, the man who would later lead the Grand Fleet at Jutland.

[@DuffyTVv]

Can I Ask a question? Because I would really want to know this. What did the Spanish do?

[@WarStorieswithMarkFelton]

Nothing - they traded and maintained a legation, but were not involved with the fighting. They had just lost a war with the United States.

[@DuffyTVv]

@@WarStorieswithMarkFelton Oh, ok. Thank you for answering my question Dr Felton!

[@elm6275]

Napolean expected to be greeted with flowers when he rode in to liberate Spain from their spanish/portuguese monarchies full of insane drama but the spanish people were all crazy too, they sent him packing.

[@alvaro701]

@@elm6275 He never try to "liberate" Spain. He came here to sack the land and stablish a new monarch, his fucking brother. I think you're joking, but the french didn't do any favour to Spain. Actually they still have precious art stolen from Spain. If you're not joking please get a book

[@Shineon83]

@@elm6275They did, indeed….(And, at least two of his Marshalls that were put in charge of different Spanish regions considered their occupation of Spain unjust & wrong….(Difference between China & Spain -Spain fairly quickly kicked the invaders out)….Idiotic for Napoleon to even TRY (you gotta know the country)…