A multinational military force, representing the Eight-Nation Alliance, rescued a besieged population of foreign nationals in the city of Tianjin (Postal: Tientsin) by defeating the Chinese Imperial army and Boxers.

[3] In early June 1900, in response to the growing threat of the Boxers (Militia United in Righteousness, Yihetuan), which was a militant, anti-foreign and anti-Christian peasant movement, six countries with interests in China sent 2,400 troops to Tianjin to guard the foreign settlements.

The allied military force was composed of soldiers, sailors, and marines from Great Britain, the United States, Japan, France, Russia, Germany, Italy,[4] and Austria-Hungary.

The Western and Japanese soldiers defending the foreign settlements were initially stretched thin, and all communication with the coast and the allied fleet was cut off for several days.

However, most of the shells failed to explode on impact due to inefficiency and corruption in the Chinese ammunition factories and did less damage than might otherwise have been expected.

Their arrival caused the Chinese to withdraw from their position on the east which enabled the besieged to establish a tenuous line of communication and supply along the railroad to the coast, 30 miles (48 km) away.

[10] On 26 June, a force of 2,000 sallied from the settlements and rescued Admiral Seymour and his 2,000 men who were surrounded six miles (10 km) out of the city.

Reinforced, and with their supply line to the coast secured, the coalition of allied soldiers in the foreign settlement began planning an assault on the walled city of Tianjin to defeat the Chinese army and open the road to Beijing and the relief of the Siege of the International Legations.

[11] Nie Shicheng and Ma Yukun commanded the forces against the Alliance, raining precise and intense ordnance against the Tianjin concessions.

[12] The losses suffered by the Alliance in battle was mainly due to artillery bombardment since the Chinese army carried it out with extreme precision and in a superb manner.

They hid well, employed good bulwarks of defense by using the landscape and went on the offensive in a dauntless manner and would continue battling until the end.

[2] On 13 July 1900, the allied force to assault the walled city of Tianjin consisted of about 6,900 soldiers: 2,500 Russians, 2,000 Japanese, 900 Americans, 800 British, 600 French, and 100 Germans and Austrians.

Early in the morning of 13 July 1900, Hoover with the US Marines guided the three columns of British, American, Japanese and French troops to the approaches to the South Gate.

When the lead troops came under fire, Hoover was permitted to withdraw from the action and return to Tianjin where the civilian population was waiting to be evacuated to the Taku (Dagu) Forts.

[20] Herbert Hoover led American Marines to assist the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, and they hit a swamp where Chinese guns murderously targeted them.

The Russians renewed their attack on the East Gate and broke through, causing the remaining Imperial Chinese soldiers to withdraw from the city.

As it was, the Allies would have tarried at Tianjin for additional reinforcements some weeks longer had not the British and American commanders threatened to proceed alone with their contingents and risk the consequences.

Although it was felt, so had the estimation of Chinese prowess been increased, that at least 50,000 troops were necessary, some thought 70,000, successfully to invade the interior, the second relief expedition to Beijing finally got under way, 4 August, with 18,800 men.