Those thoughts of the allied nations were put in a nutshell with the words of Allied Supreme Commander Waldersee, "It would prove difficult to conquer even a quarter of the Chinese people, even with all the allied powers combined."
列強のその時の思いは連合軍司令官ワルテルゼーの「列強の力を合わせたとしても、中国人の4分の1でも治めるのは困難であろう」ということばに言い尽くされている。