Boxer Rebellion coinciding with a European Great War (or World War I)

Let's say with some POD in the late 19th century, tensions in Europe cause WWI to take place in the late 1890s. What would happen if the Boxer Rebellion took place in the middle of this war, with Europeans unable to form the 8 nation alliance?
 
Let's say with some POD in the late 19th century, tensions in Europe cause WWI to take place in the late 1890s. What would happen if the Boxer Rebellion took place in the middle of this war, with Europeans unable to form the 8 nation alliance?

Then there is also the Mahdi Rebellion, Faschoda-crisis, the upcoming second Boer War and Italian-Abyssianian war etc. Ottoman Lybia still intact, no Balkan wars yet.
 
Good question. Hard answer.

I'd say that the European countries would prioritize fighting each other over interests in China - because they are exactly that - interests. They would choose to remove all personnel in China.

Unfortunately, that means the Boxers are emboldened by this 'victory'. Besides, Japan is still out there...heheheh...
 
Considering how Sino-Japanese relations developed after WW1 I would see Japan as being in prime position to intervene in China, perhaps even with the blessings of some of the European powers. Would have been interesting to see how this would eventually affect Japans position in WW2 (assuming it somehow didnt get butterflied away).
 
Good question. Hard answer.

I'd say that the European countries would prioritize fighting each other over interests in China - because they are exactly that - interests. They would choose to remove all personnel in China.

Unfortunately, that means the Boxers are emboldened by this 'victory'. Besides, Japan is still out there...heheheh...

Then after the European war, all the Europeans join together to gang up on China, making the Opium Wars look friendly.

Partition, anyone?
 
Then after the European war, all the Europeans join together to gang up on China, making the Opium Wars look friendly.

Partition, anyone?

At least such an intervention would get rid of the Qing Dynasty.

Just remember that much less people have died as a result. They would have been recalled, since the governments won't want to fight, so there's much less grievances.
 
An interesting possibility is that you see the US and Japan combining to deal with the Boxers. The US until 1917 is not involved in Europe, and Japan's involvement is minimal. This means both countries have the means to produce an expeditionary force as large if not not larger than the coalition that sent one to Peking OTL. Depending on the year you could see the Italians contributing as well per OTL if they are not yet in the fight in Europe.
 
An interesting possibility is that you see the US and Japan combining to deal with the Boxers. The US until 1917 is not involved in Europe, and Japan's involvement is minimal. This means both countries have the means to produce an expeditionary force as large if not not larger than the coalition that sent one to Peking OTL. Depending on the year you could see the Italians contributing as well per OTL if they are not yet in the fight in Europe.

I'd think that the USA and Italy would be focused more on the West, while Japan is involved in China (they fail miserably, of course).
 

TFSmith121

Banned
If the Europeans are in major conflict in (say) 1900

Let's say with some POD in the late 19th century, tensions in Europe cause WWI to take place in the late 1890s. What would happen if the Boxer Rebellion took place in the middle of this war, with Europeans unable to form the 8 nation alliance?

If the Europeans are in major conflict in (say) 1900, presumably the treaty system(s) are as they were historically, so its the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy) facing off against the Dual Alliance (Russia and France); the British are neck deep in South Africa, and have yet to sign formal alliances with the Japanese or the French (1902 and 1904, respectively).

The Japanese were, however, forced to give up their gains in China after the Sino-Japanese conflict by the European powers, so not only is there no love lost between Japan and the Germans et al, there's an opportunity for the Japanese to say "okay, we will intervene against the Boxers to protect Western interests in return for everything we had to give up in China after the Sino-Japanese war"....

Likewise, the Americans have demonstrated their ability to organize, transport, and sustain an expeditionary force in the Western Pacific, although the Philippine-American war/insurrection/conflict still (in 1900) requires a significant troop committment. That being said, McKinley was not exactly shy when it came to using US forces in China, so the likely outcome is a joint American-Japanese expedition, with a token British presence...

Which has some interesting effects on how things shake out in the Western Pacific after the end of the European conflict, however it finishes.

Best,
 
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