China's modern history has taught us that weak countries have no diplomacy, and if they are backward, they will be beaten. In the last years of the Qing Dynasty, the Qing government was so weak that any country could step on it, if it were not for the vast territory of China.
As far as the situation was concerned, I am afraid that it would have been annexed by other countries long ago. Then, when the Eight-Power Alliance invaded China, China was defeated, and seven countries demanded the partition of China, but only one country did not agree.
Before his death, Li Hongzhang dragged his sick body to see Empress Dowager Cixi and told Empress Dowager Cixi to be careful of Russia, and Li Hongzhang said that Russia was a country that really wanted to destroy the Qing government, and he was more terrible than Japan. Li Hongzhang was right, in the last years of the Qing Dynasty.
Russia hoped to divide China, because Russia bordered China geographically, and if it could divide the Qing Dynasty, Russia would certainly benefit the most, so after the defeat of the Eight-Power Alliance's war of aggression against China, Russia proposed to other countries to divide the Qing Dynasty.
Britain, France, Japan and other countries hit it off immediately, after all, there are still three nails in the broken ship, although the Qing government has declined, it is still a piece of fat meat, and this piece of fat meat is very difficult if it is swallowed by one country, but if many countries join forces, it is much easier. However, there is one country that strongly refuses, and this country is the United States.
The refusal of the United States does not mean that the United States is benevolent, and that in the determination of major national affairs, all decisions are decided by the national interest, and it is precisely in response to that sentence that there are no eternal enemies, no eternal friends, only eternal interests. So what is the interest of the government for the United States without dividing up?
First of all, the distance between the United States and the Qing Dynasty is relatively far, even if the Qing Dynasty is divided, it is of little significance to the United States, and it is more difficult for the Qing Dynasty to control the land divided, but it is different for Russia.
Russia and China are neighbors, dividing the Qing Dynasty, Russia can easily annex China's territory, thereby further expanding to the surrounding areas, thereby enhancing Russia's strength, a country independent will always have an impact on the neighboring countries, so the United States will not do things that benefit others and harm itself.
At the same time, the Qing Dynasty has a wealth of raw materials, there is a huge market, the United States imported raw materials from the Qing Dynasty into commodities and then shipped to the Qing Dynasty for sale, the middle can earn a lot of profits, this profit is relatively stable and considerable, far more powerful than the division of the Qing Dynasty.
However, the eight-power alliance invaded China, although the division of the Qing Dynasty Russia gained the most benefits, but for Japan, Britain, France and other seven countries also have certain advantages, so the other seven countries are supported, then only the United States one country opposition can really save the Qing Dynasty?
During the invasion of China by the Eight-Nation Alliance, Empress Dowager Cixi fled with the Guangxu Emperor, and the empress dowager and the monarch of a country actually wanted to flee, which could not be said to be extremely rich, and empress Dowager Cixi, who had always been extravagant, was naturally extremely dissatisfied with the life of exile, so after the end of the war, she immediately sent people to make peace and let the Eight-Nation Alliance make demands, as long as they could retreat.
Under such circumstances, once the treaty is signed, the interests of the great powers can be obtained immediately, and if they want to divide the Qing Dynasty, it will inevitably consume more and greater energy, and they are bound to be vigorously resisted by the Qing government, which is not an easy task, nor is it something that can be completed in a short period of time, so the great powers give up.
The Qing government was saved. Among them, the most unwilling was Russia, so Russia fiercely blackmailed the Qing government in this treaty, causing the Qing Dynasty to suffer heavy losses, and many of the lands ceded to Russia have not been returned.