Boxer Rebellion (China : 1899-1901)

Uncle Sam sits at a table with 10 figures, three of which are unidentified, the others showing the attributes of the rulers of Russia (Nicholas II), England (Edward VII), Germany (William II), Japan (Meiji, Emperor of Japan), Italy (Victor Emmanuel III), Austria (Franz Joseph I), and France (Emile Loubet), representing the eight nation alliance. A large tray of fruit labeled “Chinese Indemnity” is on the table. Hanging above the table by a thin string is an enormous sword labeled “Awakening of China.”

comments and context

Comments and Context

The world powers who suffered financial, diplomatic, personnel, and moral setbacks at the hands of the Boxer movement in China, withdrew from activism in China around the time of this cartoon. In formal terms, the combined troops of colonial powers defeated Boxer elements, but the truth is represented by the fact that these powers virtually abandoned their positions in the Celestial City and throughout the country. A “face saving” aspect against China was the demand for indemnities for the losses sustained by the allied powers. This cartoon presents a new spin on the “Sword of Damocles” hanging over world politics by the awakening of a sleeping giant, China.

The Russian bear, wearing a military uniform and with sword drawn, stands on one side of a ditch. Facing the bear on the other side of the ditch are various rulers, including “Japan,” “Germany,” “France,” “Italy,” and “Austria,” as well as John Bull representing “England” and Uncle Sam, standing, holding rifles with fixed bayonets. Behind them sits a man labeled “China,” laughing.

comments and context

Comments and Context

Western nations and Japan, in the last chapters of the Boxer Rebellion, had to deal with what was almost a rear-guard movement — the forces of the Russian Czar were attempting to profit from the chaos and preoccupation in the Celestial City. It was a foreshadowing of Russia (Soviet, not Imperial) declaring war on Japan, scant days before its surrender in World War II. J. S. Pughe’s cartoon suggests that the Western and Japanese nations were beneficent, perhaps welcome, protectors of China, which was not the case, at least in the Chinese view.

The rulers of “Russia,” “Germany,” “Italy,” “Austria,” “France,” and “England” are chickens trying to hatch a large egg labeled “China.” A chicken labeled “Japan” stands in the background with Uncle Sam, also as a chicken, perched on a fence in the rear.

comments and context

Comments and Context

This is one of dozens of cartoons published during the Boxer Rebellion that depicts the conflict as merely intractable or challenging rather than as an insoluble crisis. The cartoonist also perpetuates the situation as being one where the United States (Uncle Sam) is nothing more than an observer. In truth, U. S. Marines played a major role in defending the besieged legations and defeating the Chinese insurgents.

The emperors of Russia, Japan, and Germany, and the king of Great Britain each hold a balance scale, and all but “Japan” hold a paper that states their country’s “claim for indemnity.” They are confronting a kneeling, shocked Chinese man labeled “China.” In the background, on the right, Puck is handing a cap and gown to Uncle Sam, suggesting that he play the role of “Portia” and outwit the “Shylocks.” Caption: Puck (to Uncle Sam). — That poor fellow needs a Portia. Why don’t you take the part?

comments and context

Comments and Context

In a somewhat inverted depiction of the actual situation in China as the Boxer Rebellion reached its most dangerous threats to colonial powers, the cowering Chinese figure is being pressured to deliver multiple pounds of flesh, in the cartoon’s reference point: Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice. Also unique to cartoonist Pughe’s point of view is that Uncle Sam (the United States) was acting differently than the other colonial nations, which was not quite true.

Uncle Sam holds a lantern labeled “Prudence” in one hand and holds onto John Bull with the other, leading Austria, Japan, France, and Germany through a field of traps labeled “Casus Belli” in China during the Boxer Rebellion.

comments and context

Comments and Context

Casus Belli, Latin for a cause or provocation that results in conflict, is something that Colonial powers, and would-be Colonial powers, in China learned to be wary of when the so-called Boxers erupted in violent rebellion at the time of Keppler’s cartoon. Britain’s difficult suppression of the Boers in South Africa, and the growing insurgency in the Philippines under American occupation, made nations especially wary.    

Confucius and Jesus Christ stand together on a cloud atop a mountain looking down at the confrontation between the Boxers and the forces of the eight nation alliance during the Boxer Rebellion in China. The Boxers carry a banner with a quote from Confucius and the international alliance carries a banner with a quote from Jesus Christ, both expressing the same concept.

comments and context

Comments and Context

The crux of this cartoon is not merely to criticize the violence committed by religious followers in a colonial conflict that grew to the Boxer Rebellion. The specific irony is that the most prominent face of Westerners in China — the head of the spear of what followed as trade and resource exploitation — were Christian missionaries. The Chinese flag reads: “Do not do unto others what you would not that others should do unto you,” attributed to Confucius. The missionary’s banner reads, ” Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them,” Jesus’s words from Matthew 7:10. 

A female figure labeled “Civilization,” wearing a breastplate and helmet and holding a spear, stands before a Chinese emperor on a throne, while in the background, a dragon labeled “Boxer” and billowing clouds of smoke labeled “Anarchy,” “Murder,” and “Riot” are seen over the city wall and the international Legation Quarter. Caption: Civilization (to China). — That dragon must be killed before our troubles can be adjusted. If you don’t do it I shall have to.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1900-08-08

Uncle Sam and John Bull stand with six figures showing the attributes of the rulers of Russia (Nicholas II), Germany (William II), Japan (Meiji, Emperor of Japan), Italy (Umberto I), Austria (Franz Joseph I), and France (Emile Loubet), representing the eight nation alliance. They look up at a mountain labeled “Chinese Question” topped with the face of an angry Chinese person.

comments and context

Comments and Context

As the Boxer Rebellion in China morphed from commercial challenges into a matter of deadly massacres of Westerners and Japanese, and desperate sieges in embassies and compounds, the colonial situation seemed intractable to the newcomers. The caption’s reference to a “kopje” is ironic — a sudden and solitary mountainous rise on an otherwise flat horizon is a word of South African origin, and at the time of this cartoon, another thorn in the side of colonialism was the Boer Rebellion in the southern tip of Africa.

President Roosevelt is intrigued by Indiscreet Letters from Peking, which deals with the Chinese Boxer Rebellion. He would like to meet its author.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-19

The statement of John E. Wilkie that Secretary of the Treasury Shaw forwarded to President Roosevelt is interesting, but the fundamental problem as Roosevelt sees it is that the United States has acted poorly towards Chinese immigrants. Other nations, including England and Germany, are taking advantage of this anti-American sentiment in China. Roosevelt believes the nation is now fixing this treatment and is entering upon the correct course of action.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-08-02

President Roosevelt extends his warmest wishes to his comrades who saw service in the Spanish-American War, Philippine insurrection and Boxer uprising in China. Unfortunately, he is unable to attend the event but has relayed the information to Colonel Curtis Guild.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08-31

Roger Sprague writes to Theodore Roosevelt, as he recently returned from teaching in China. Sprague would like to meet with Roosevelt, both to make his acquaintance and to share some of the changes that are taking place in Chinese society. He refers Roosevelt to Professor S. B. Christy of the University of California, who can vouch for his character.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-03-26

Senator Lodge discusses a number of topics regarding the late Secretary of State John Hay. Lodge bemoans the editing of a publication of Hay’s letters, claiming that Hay was “one of the best if not the best letter writer of his time,” but the publication does not do him justice. He reminisces on the many men of letters he has known in his life, and believes that Hay was the most “brilliant, humorous, sympathetic, [and] witty” among them. Lodge holds more criticism for Hay in his role as a secretary of state, discussing how Hay bungled multiple treaties, took credit for accomplishments that were not his own, and formed poor relations with the Senate. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-14

Secretary of State Root records an interview he conducted with Special Envoy Tang Shaoyi of China. Much of what was discussed involved the indemnity payments that China had been forced to pay following the Boxer Rebellion, and the return of these payments by the United States to China to be used for educational purposes. Additional subjects include adjustments to the tariff, the situation in Manchuria, and the Chinese Eastern Railway.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-09

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs instructs its ambassador to the United States, Cheng Liang, to thank President Roosevelt for forgiving part of the Boxer indemnity that China owed the United States.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-06-24

Ambassador Meyer is reporting to President Roosevelt the state of affairs in Russia after having found St. Petersburg quiet. Meyer traveled throughout Russia, Poland, and the Ukraine. The letter examines the situations in many different cities and other topics including removing Jews from Russia, revolution and revolutionaries’ tactics, a pheasant shoot, military escorts, history, travel, and Russian construction quality.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-28

Ambassador Rockhill will be delighted to host Alice Roosevelt in Peking, China, and will do everything possible to make her and Mabel Boardman’s visit a comfortable one. Rockhill denies reports that he was unfriendly to American missionaries, and he also responds to Roosevelt’s fears that an overwhelming Japanese victory in the Russo-Japanese War might upset the balance of power in the East. Rockhill notes that Japan has a strong influence on China, but he considers it unlikely that the Chinese will become “mere followers” of Japan as they have become strong believers in “China for the Chinese.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-07-07

Assistant Secretary of State Adee informes President Roosevelt that the current Spanish Minister, Emilio de Ojeda, has confirmed that he will be replaced by Bernardo Jacinto de Cólogan. Adee mentions Cólogan is well known to to the United States due to his work during the Boxer Rebellion. Ojeda hopes the new minister is agreeable to Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-03-18

Report, prepared under the direction of Secretary of War Taft for President Roosevelt, detailing the policies and administration of the War Department since 1897. The report reviews the growth of the department as a result of the Spanish-American War and argues that the War Department has become essential to the executive office.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-06-18

Nicholas Williams McIvor forwards a memo sent to Baron Kaneko regarding permission to erect a trust in Japan. McIvor goes on to discuss world politics at length.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-03-12