The American Military in China and their Secret Weapon – Bring on the Camels Lads!

In these days of heightened concerns over American reaction to China’s ADIZ, it’s a face off. But Beijing should remember that America has got a history of active military service in China and while Beijing may think they are prepared for anything we have to ask whether they have remembered how to deal with the United States Camel Squadrons??

 

This is a Qing dynasty era picture of an American army sergeant in Peking at some point around the time of the Boxer Rebellion. He’s looking after a team of camels used for hauling items for the military. There seems to be very little written about the US military’s use of camels in China and they seem not to have been part of the army’s official Camel Corps which had pretty much died out by the Civil War (the American one, as opposed to any of the Chinese ones). Still, there’s an American officer with some camels! If anyone knows any more about American soldiers and their fondness for camels I’d like to hear (and yes, I’ve heard all the jokes)?