v3 Chapter 284： The French Far East Offensive was stopped

"Opening 1861: I just inherited the Dutch throne (

On November 23, 1866, it had been four days since the opening of the Far East. While the world was focusing on the British Millician War in North America, it also focused on the Far East-South-Asia Peninsula.

Originally, many people thought it would not be difficult for France to take advantage of the British focus on North America and the Balkans to win the Cambodia area of ​​the Kingdom of Siam, which is not a strong country in East-South-Asia. However, everyone thought wrong. Now, Napoleon III encountered Waterloo even more.

It turned out that the Kingdom of Siam did not respond when the attack started. The French Imperial Army of 10,000 people, along with a small naval fleet composed of 10 sail battleships, went upstream along the Mekong River from Longchuan City in South Vietnam and entered southeastern Cambodia. The capital of Phnom Penh.

Although the local soldiers resisted, they were finally occupied before the sudden emergence of the French army.

The French army, who had enjoyed the sweetness, turned south and occupied the two cities of Dakmao and Chajiao. These three three major cities in southeastern Cambodia are just like this. France only paid less than 300 people, and they occupied it, while Cambodia, despite paying more than 3,000 people's lives, failed to hold it in the end.

King Rama IV of the Kingdom of Siam and his government had already reacted when the tea was occupied.

They first sent messengers in front of France to communicate with the Governor-General of South Vietnam, and the latter naturally found a reason to shirk because of some reason in Cambodia, which caused the French invasion.

Even the French governor's office in South Vietnam hinted that the Kingdom of Siam must pay Cambodia to the French Empire, so as to quell the anger of Napoleon III, and then the troops would start wars in unexpected areas of Cambodia.

When the messenger returned to Bangkok and reported it to Rama IV, Rama IV was furious, but in the face of the mighty French Empire, he immediately forced himself to be calm.

Since he came to power and inherited the king's position, he has deeply understood the power of the West and how terrifying the military power of Western European countries in this world is, so he has already sent his children to European countries to learn Western culture and at the same time. There are also reasons for communicating and engaging with various royal families.

Originally, he thought that this would save the Siamese kingdom, but it seemed that he was wishful thinking.

The British moved under Burma in the west and then moved up to Burma, and France in the east occupied South Vietnam. Originally, he thought it would develop to the north, but he did not expect to give priority to the west. He understood that the French Empire was obviously afraid that if it developed to North Vietnam, it would anger the big country north of North Vietnam. Luo Kingdom is easy to bully.

Rama IV figured out how these moods could be better.

So in addition to the meeting of the Kingdom of Siam, there was no result, and worriedly called his crown prince Zhu Lalongkorn and his think tank and lover Anna.

Chulalongkorn is also very worried about the French invasion. Having studied in the West for many years, he deeply understands what this French invasion represents.

He and Anna looked at each other and saw that the other was a little scared.

But compared to Chulalongkorn, the mature Anna is better.

Anna said: "Your Majesty, this time France is purely interested in the constant wars of European powers in Europe and North America, but it is itself outside itself, so the invasion launched, but there is no morality in these, the West actually needs to go through a period of righteousness. In order to justify the war, the Kingdom of Siam has been friendly with the West over the years, and its relations with Western countries have continued to be close, but France cannot easily change it. I think it sent a large army to the east to block the other side, and then passed it on to the embassies of European countries in Bangkok. The lawlessness of the French invasion, supporting and acknowledging the interests of all countries in the Kingdom of Siam, and asking all countries to support the position of the Kingdom of Siam in the face of the French invasion of the Kingdom of Siam, is crucial."

Chulalongkorn also said: "Yes, father, I think Miss Anna is right, there are many countries in the West that oppose the French Empire. If we can resist the French Empire, then the West will be affected by their interests in the Far East. The destruction of France, and being in it, will not easily allow France to succeed, not to mention other countries, Britain and Prussia and other countries will block it, and our good neighbor The Netherlands will also do the same.”

Anna nodded: "The most important thing is to resist the French invasion."

In the end, all three believed that resisting the French invasion was the most important thing. Rama IV finally agreed, and sent Chulalongkorn, who was very enthusiastic, as the supreme military commander of the Eastern Anti-French Army, to represent him in the Cambodia area to command and resist the French.

Chulalongkorn's identity is special, the crown prince has arrived at the front line, the whole Cambodian people are inexplicably excited, and now almost everyone starts to cooperate with the resistance.

Over the years, the Siamese Kingdom has imported a wide variety of weapons from European countries, most of which were purchased to make friends with European countries. Even France has a lot of weapons. Napoleon III originally wanted to show the strength of France. Forced to save face, he sold many of the army weapons currently used by his country to the Kingdom of Siam.

The same is true for the United Kingdom. Therefore, the weapons of the Siamese Kingdom’s current army are actually not weaker than the French army equipment.

Originally unprepared, UU reading In the role of defending the country and the crown prince coming to the front line, in addition to the navy of France, the army can come and go freely on the Mekong River, but the army is blocked from advancing, even on the banks of the Mekong River. On the other hand, the occasional artillery forts on the Mekong caused the French navy to shell. Until December, this small fleet of 10 warships was sunk by 2 ships.

And the 10,000 troops that invaded actually killed 3,000 people by the Kingdom of Siam in these ten days.

In Cambodia, the Kingdom of Siam formed a regular army of 30,000 people and a motley army of 20,000 civilians. More than 50,000 people carried out anti-French operations, and even the oppressed French army could not advance outside the city of Phnom Penh.

So France hurriedly dispatched another 10,000 people from the South Vietnamese Far East headquarters in the east.

The remaining 10,000 people were too thin, so they hurriedly sent a signal to Paris for help.

By this time, European countries began to condemn the actions of the French Empire.

Ask France to negotiate with the Kingdom of Siam to resolve disputes, and should not destroy the interests of the countries in the Kingdom of Siam. Even Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom also replied to Rama IV's letter for help, saying that she would take action against France. pressure. Sure enough, she sent a telegram to Napoleon III the next day, asking France to stop attacking Cambodia,

And William IV of the Netherlands expressed that he did not want France to undermine the security of the Netherlands' second largest trading partner in the Far East. William IV even said that he would continue to perform the arms contract between the Kingdom of Siam and the Netherlands, and within the next week, Supply more than 20,000 rifles to the Kingdom of Siam.

He said that this was a previously signed arms contract and was not within the current situation.

This made Paris a little unhappy, but it showed that the Netherlands would support the Kingdom of Siam to safeguard the interests of the Netherlands in the Kingdom of Siam.