The Boxer Rebellion was a revolt which took place in China between the years of 1898 and 1900. It was a response to the political and cultural influence of foreign powers in the country and was ultimately unsuccessful in achieving its objectives. The aims of the rebels were twofold; firstly, they sought to drive out all foreign intervention in China, and secondly, they sought to overthrow the ruling Qing Dynasty that had been ruling for over two hundred and fifty years.
The forces of the Boxers comprised of a militia made up of Chinese peasants, martial artists and local society members who joined the rebellion with the financial backing of the Qing Court. This was a spontaneous act of resistance against the Western Imperialism that was encroaching on Chinese sovereignty through unequal treaties and foreign interference in the countries internal affairs.
The forces of the Boxer Rebellion were successful in attacking Chinese Christians and foreigners in numerous regions across the country, and were even able to briefly occupy the city of Beijing in 1900. However, their goals of ousting the Qing court, driving out all foreign interference and restoring China’s former glory not only failed, but backfired as foreign intervention only increased after the rebellion.
The principal goal of the Boxer Rebellion was to expel all foreign powers from China; this was achieved by a series of attacks on both churches and foreign legations, resulting in a corresponding military response from eight foreign nations (Russia, Japan, Britain, US, France, Germany, Italy and Austria-Hungary). The rebels also attempted to overthrow the Qing Dynasty, which had been in power for the past two centuries, in order to restore the nation to its former greatness. The Qing Court, however, refused to cede to their demands, and instead sought help from foreign powers to suppress the uprising. This resulted in the Eight-Nation Alliance of foreign powers intervening in the conflict and successfully quashing the rebellion.
Ultimately, while the Boxer Rebellion was successful in attacking Christians and foreigners in certain regions of the country, it failed in its primary objective of expelling all foreign powers from China. Despite the fierce resistance put up by the rebels, the forces of the Eight-Nation Alliance proved to be too strong and the Qing Court was ultimately forced to accept harsh terms put forth by the Alliance, including financial reparations and the stationing of foreign troops in Beijing.
Overall, the Boxer Rebellion was a failed attempt to drive out all foreign interference in China and overthrow the Qing Dynasty, which resulted in even greater foreign interference in the region. The failure of the Rebellion highlighted the growing power of foreign interests and the need for China to strengthen its own defences and take a more pro-active role in international relations.