During the mid-to-late 19th century, Austria, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, and Russia all claimed exclusive trading rights to certain parts of China. These foreign powers carved up a greatly weakened China into various economic spheres of interest--or colonies. Gunboat diplomacy had its origins in the Opium War, when the Chinese rebelled against the British importation of opium into China. The British response was to send a gunboat up the Yangtze River and a fleet from India that destroyed the Chinese navy. Britain prevailed and China was forced to sign unequal treaties giving foreign powers trade privileges in China and yielding Hong Kong to Britain. These treaties led in part to the downfall of the Qing Dynasty, as many countries followed Britain and forced unequal terms of trade with China. When America acquired the Phillipines, after the Spanish-American War, it became an Asian power. American businesses hoped to take advantage of China's vast resources. The foreign spheres of influence, however, threatened their ambitions. The American government proposed to the other competing powers in China that there be an "Open Door" policy, which would guarantee equal trading rights for all and prevent one nation from discriminating against another within its sphere. The other countries politely rejected the proposal, saying they liked the idea but could not support or enforce it. America responded that since all of the powers had accepted the Open Door in principle, the United States considered their agreement "final and definitive." It therefore insisted that it have most favored nation status and thus benefit from terms of the treaties imposed by the other powers. In the early months of 1900, the Boxers, a secret society that practiced martial arts, roamed the countryside, killing hundreds of foreign businessmen and missionaries and thousands of Chinese Christians. The Boxers attracted thousands of followers by the time they entered the cities. In Beijing, the Boxers beseiged the compound next to the "Forbidden City" where the diplomats and their families lived. For 55 days, they and a small international military force held off approximately 20,000 Boxers. A large force of international troops arrived just as they expected to be overwhelmed. The troops looted the Chinese capital and the foreign powers imposed a huge financial settlement upon the Chinese governament. Because the United States had participated in the campaign, it participated in the settlement that followed (although, Amercia later returned its share to China. The United States called for an expanded "Open Door," not only within the spheres of influence, but in all parts of China. He also recommended that the powers preserve China's territory and its government. Other powers agreed, and the Open Door policy allowed foreign access to China's market until World War II closed it once again. That's why you see an American gunboat plying the Yangtze River (although I forgot to add the flag); not for the benefit of the Chinese, but for American business interests. Gunboat diplomacy was used in Africa, other parts of Asia and the Middle-east, and in Latin America. And, we wonder why nobody in the Third World likes or trusts us. Credits: Poser 6, Bryce 6, PSP 5. ship: sirmacman, wakes by spacebones, smoke by me. village: honey, archidom.net, and forester. houses: "Thatching." figure: "Eroko" and her dress by chriscox. fields: Traveler. mountains, river, and terrains by me with textures by Brian Smith.