Amazon.com description: Product Description: In the 19th century China was gradually becoming another colony of the European powers that saw in her many riches that were ripe for the picking. From 1860 when Britain went to war with her, until the end of the century, China was constantly at odds with the world powers and her neighbours. While she was attempting to modernise, the archaic condition of her army was displayed in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95 when she was soundly beaten by the new Asian upstart. The great powers saw this as the opportunity for more exploitation and land grabbing. By 1897, the Chinese were desperate to remove all foreigners from their land and used the Boxers as a tool for this purpose. Numerous atrocities were committed against foreigners, particularly missionaries, and in the middle of 1900 they turned their attention on the diplomatic missions in Peking.