| 1901 China expedition commemorative medal | |
|---|---|
 1901 China expedition commemorative medal | |
| Type | Campaign Medal |
| Awarded for | Relief of the legations in Peking |
| Presented by |  France |
| Eligibility | French citizens |
| Campaign(s) | Boxer Rebellion |
| Clasps | 1900 CHINE 1901 |
| Established | 15 April 1902 |
| Total | ~34,500 |
 Ribbon of the 1901 China expedition commemorative medal | |
The 1901 China expedition commemorative medal (French: "Médaille commémorative de l'expédition de Chine (1901)") was a French military campaign medal established by the law of 15 April 1902[1] to recognize service in China in 1900 and 1901 during the Boxer Rebellion.
In May 1900, an uprising throughout Northern China threatened the interests of nations with established concessions in major cities and leased territories in the Empire of China. This hostility against these powers was mainly driven by a secret nationalist and xenophobic group called "the Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists", hence the name "Boxers" given to its members.[2]
It was decided by eight major powers (Germany, Austria, United States, France, Britain, Italy, Japan and Russia) to establish an international army of 150,000 men under the supreme command of German Field Marshal Count von Waldersee to rescue their besieged compatriots in Peking and put down the rebellion in the provinces. Allied troops entered Peking on 14 August 1900 but a peace treaty with China was only signed on 7 September 1901.[2]
- ^ "France Phaléristique web site" (in French). Marc Champenois. 1 January 2004. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
- ^ a b "Boxer Rebellion". Britannica. 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2013.