page_title: Eight-Nation Alliance
section_title: Italy
hierarchical_section_title: Eight-Nation Alliance / Member nations / Italy
caption_attribution_description: English: Historical postcard of China
context_page_description: The Eight-Nation Alliance was a multi-national military coalition set up in 1900 to defend legations and Christian missionaries attacked by Chinese Boxer rebels. The forces consisted of approximately 45,000 troops from the eight nations of Germany, Japan, Russia, Britain, France, the United States, Italy and Austria-Hungary. When international legations in Peking were besieged by Boxer rebels supported by the Qing government, the coalition dispatched their armed forces, in the name of humanitarian intervention, to defend their respective nations' citizens, as well as a number of Chinese Christians who had taken shelter in the legations. The incident ended with a coalition victory and the signing of the Boxer Protocol. Members of the alliance remained in China and pillaged Beijing and other cities for over a year.
context_section_description: In 1898, the Italians had demanded San Mun Bay as a concession; however, the Chinese refused. The Italian Navy then dispatched a squadron to San Mun Bay, but no further action was taken. The squadron remained there, and when in the summer of 1900 the Boxer Rebellion broke out, detachments from Italian cruisers were sent to Peking. Italian forces were initially made up of sailors from warships. A portion of these helped the French defend the Pei Tang Catholic cathedral while another defended the European Legations in Peking during the famous fifty-five-day siege. Italian sailors also took part in the attacks on the Dagu forts and in capturing Tientsin. However, a larger contingent was later dispatched from Italy, including 83 officers, 1,882 troops, and 178 horses. The contingent included a battalion of Bersaglieri, which was formed from one company each from the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th, and 11th Bersaglieri Regiments. In addition, the 24th Line Regiment, volunteers from the Alpini, a battery of machine guns, and some engineers were also sent to China. A battery of field guns was also supplied by the Italian Navy. The total force of 1,965 officers and men, which composed the Italian expeditionary force against the Boxers, was officially referred to as the Italian Royal Troops in China. In August 1900, when this larger force reached the capital, the Italians had seven cruisers and 2,543 men in the country. They were involved in numerous operations along the coast and in the interior of northern China.
  The larger part of the approximately 2,000 Italian soldiers and officers who fought in the campaign against the Boxers were recalled from Peking after the end of the conflict. Italy obtained a 151-acre concession area in Tianjin and the right to occupy the Shanhaiguan fort. A small naval squadron and a naval garrison were maintained in China to protect Italian interests there.
caption: Postcard showing Waldersee inspecting Italian troops.
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