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The Battle of Peking, or historically the Relief of Peking, was the battle on 14–15 August 1900, in which a multi-national force, led by Britain, relieved the siege of foreign legations in Peking during the Boxer Rebellion. From 20 June 1900, Boxer forces and Imperial Chinese troops had besieged foreign diplomats, citizens and soldiers within the legations of Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Britain, France, Italy, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Russia, Spain and the United States within the city of Peking. ==Background== The first attempt to relieve the legations by a force of over 2,000 sailors and marines commanded by British Admiral Edward Seymour was turned back by strong opposition on 26 June. On 4 August a second, much larger relief force, called the Eight-Nation Alliance, marched from Tientsien (Tianjin) toward Peking. The alliance force consisted of about 18,000 soldiers (4,300 Russian infantry, Cossacks and artillery; 8,000 Japanese infantry; 3,000 British, mostly Indian infantry, cavalry and artillery; 2,500 US soldiers and Marines with artillery; and an 800-man French (Indochina) brigade with artillery).〔Thompson, Larry Clinton (2009). '' William Scott Ament and the Boxer Rebellion: Heroism, Hubris, and the Ideal Missionary.'' Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. pp. 163-165. Different sources give slightly different numbers.〕 Austria, Italy, and Germany—although they were members of the Eight-Nation Alliance—contributed no significant number of soldiers to the relief force at this time. The Alliance forces defeated the Chinese army at the Battle of Beicang (Peitsang) on 5 August and the Battle of Yangcun (Yangtsun) on 6 August and reached Tongzhou (Tongchou), 14 miles from Peking, on 12 August.〔Fleming, Peter (1959). ''The Siege at Peking: The Boxer Rebellion'' New York: Dorset Press. pp. 184–189.〕 The relief force was much reduced by heat exhaustion and sunstroke and the men available for the assault on Peking probably did not greatly exceed 10,000.〔Thompson, p. 172〕 The British, American and Japanese commanders wanted to push on and attack Peking on 13 August, but the Russian commander said he needed another day to prepare and 13 August was devoted to reconnaissance and rest.〔Daggett, Brig. Gen. A. S. (1903). ''America in the China Relief Expedition.'' Kansas City: Hudon-Kimberly Publishing Co. p. 75.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Battle of Peking (1900)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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