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Eight-Nation Alliance
Silver Medal for the China Campaign 1900-1901
(Full Size)
八國聯軍
銀質1900-1901中國行動獎章
(官方版)
Item number: M209
Year: AD 1901
Material: Silver
Size: 56.1 x 27.7 x 2.0 mm
Weight: 14.1 g
Provenance: Liverpool Medals 2022
This is a medal issued by the Russian government on May 6, AD 1901, in accordance with Decree No. 140, known as the “Medal for the China Campaign 1900-1901.” It was awarded to Russian officers and soldiers who participated in the actions of the Eight-Nation Alliance and came in two grades: silver and bronze. The medals were primarily produced by the Saint Petersburg Mint, although some were privately commissioned by officers and soldiers from civilian workshops.
This silver medal was awarded to individuals who participated in the battles of Tianjin, Beijing, Dagu, and Blagoveshchensk. Recipients included military personnel, volunteers, military chaplains, and medical officers. The medal is worn with a chest ribbon and has a circular design. The ribbon features light blue and alternating red and black stripes.
The obverse of the medal features the monogram “H” for Tsar Nicholas II, topped with the Tsar’s crown and with the Roman numeral “II” below. The reverse of the medal prominently displays the years “1900-1901” in the centre, indicating the period of the military campaign. Below this, there are crossed swords and an anchor, symbolising the army and navy. Surrounding the central design is the Cyrillic inscription “за походъ въ китай,” which translates directly to “For the Campaign in China.”
In AD 1900, the Russian military was the second-largest force in the Eight-Nation Alliance, mobilising approximately 4,800 troops. In addition to joint operations with the Alliance in Tianjin, Dagu, and Beijing, Russia, long coveting Manchuria, launched its own separate military actions. Starting in July AD 1900, under the pretext of “protecting the railway,” Russia deployed a large force of 15,000 troops to invade Manchuria. During this invasion, the Russian forces perpetrated massacres against the Chinese population in regions such as the Sixty-Four Villages East of the River and Blagoveshchensk.
After the conclusion of the Allied operations in Beijing, the Russian troops stationed in Manchuria were reluctant to withdraw, with intentions of annexing the region to create a new “Yellow Russia.” After several negotiations with the Qing government, Russia was granted the right to station troops along the railway lines and obtained related economic privileges, thus abandoning their immediate plans to annex Manchuria. However, Russia’s ambitions in Manchuria clashed with those of Japan, a rising power seeking to expand from Korea into China. This conflict of interests ultimately led to the Russo-Japanese War in AD 1904, a struggle for dominance over Manchuria that sounded the death knell for the Russian Empire.