How the Russians captured Beijing

The Great Powers jointly stormed the Chinese capital in 1900. But it was Russian troops who were the first to hoist their flag over the walls of the ancient city.

In the late 19th century, the once mighty Qing Empire was in a pitiful state, practically a semi-colony of the European powers, the United States and Japan, who were mercilessly exploiting it in their own interests. Unable to offer any resistance to outsid