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The Battle of Yangcun was a battle during the march of Eight-Nation Alliance forces from Tianjin to Beijing during the Boxer Rebellion. The Alliance was victorious over the Chinese forces. ==Background== On August 4, 1900, the soldiers of the Eight-Nation Alliance left the city of Tianjin to march to Beijing to relieve the Siege of the Legations. The army consisted of approximately 20,000 troops from the following countries: United States, 2,000; Japan, 10,000; Russia. 4,000; Britain, 3,000; France, 800; Germany, 200; Austria and Italy, 100.〔War Department. Adjutant General’s Office. ''Report on Military Operations in South Africa and China'', Vol. XXXIII, Washington: Gov Printing Office, July 1901, pp. 568-571〕 The Alliance defeated the Chinese army at Beicang on August 5. The Chinese retreated approximately 12 miles to Yancun, where they took up prepared positions between the east bank of the Hai River and a railroad embankment. Yancun was the strongpoint at which the Chinese army hoped to stop the advance of the Alliance army. The country was flat, with little cover for the attackers except for fields of millet and corn, and the 30-foot-high railroad embankment gave shelter to the Chinese forces.〔Daggett, A.S. ''America in the China Relief Expedition''. Kansas City, MO: Hudson-Kimberly, 1903, p. 59; Brown, Fred R. ''History of the 9th U.S. Infantry, 1799-1909''. Chicago: Donnelley, 1909, p. 71〕 The Americans and British were in the forefront of the Alliance column advancing on Yangcun on August 6. The Japanese remained on the west side of the Hai River and would not be part of the battle.〔Daggett, p. 60-62〕 The Chinese probably numbered about 10,000, although it is unknown how many were on the battlefield itself.〔Landor, A. Henry Savage. ''China and the Allies''. New York: Scribner’s Sons, 1901, p. 339〕 A serious problem for Alliance troops was the tremendous heat. About 20% of the men fell out of the ranks during the march to Yangcun and several deaths from sunstroke were recorded. Many more men would be incapacitated by the heat during the battle.〔Brown, p. 71〕 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 Yangcun」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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