Chapter 273: Strategy

Chapter 273: Strategy

"Napoleon, do you plan to send an expeditionary force?" Joseph asked.

"I'm somewhat concerned; those guys can fight," Napoleon replied.

The Haitian black army had proven their prowess by defeating the French in Haiti, then turning back to conquer the British and Spanish forces remaining in Haiti, despite their limited numbers. According to the old veterans who had served in the Haitian French army and later fought back in France, their combat strength was quite close to the rebellious forces in Guadeloupe—of course, the ones who had not left Guadeloupe.

The main force of the Guadeloupean rebels was easily crushed by Napoleon, but he was well aware that the rebels he had defeated weren't the true Guadeloupean rebels. The genuine rebels, before the nobility demanded that they march on Paris, dispersed and returned home, scattered throughout Guadeloupe. These scattered rebels, with the morale they had in the Guadeloupe region, would be challenging to deal with. With such high morale, any army would be formidable.

"And our navy is too weak; we can't possibly blockade all of Santo Domingo. The British and Americans will surely support them. How we handled Ireland is precisely how they'll handle Santo Domingo. Damn the British, but the ungrateful Americans; they would all have been hanged by the British if it weren't for us, the French! Yet now, they forget their debts and hinder us!" Napoleon continued to complain.

"Americans didn't join the anti-French alliance, which is quite generous on their part. After all, we have a history of conflict with the United States. We killed one of their founding fathers and exiled another," Joseph remarked, with a smile.

"What did you say... Ah, you're right, it's almost like that," Napoleon first appeared stunned but then grasped the meaning. "Louis XVI, that idiot, could indeed be considered a founding father of America. And Lafayette won't speak well of us either."

"Napoleon, remember, between nations, there is no loyalty, only interests," Joseph added.

"I am well aware of that," Napoleon replied. "But losing Santo Domingo like this is hard to accept. It involves a lot of money."

"Very well, very well!" Joseph applauded with satisfaction. "Napoleon, you're becoming more mature. You now understand the importance of patience when necessary. Of course, losing Santo Domingo unconditionally would be unbearable, considering the immense financial interests at stake. However, I think we can send someone there to meet with that black governor... What's his name?" Joseph looked at Napoleon.

Napoleon rolled his eyes and said, "How am I supposed to know? Who bothers to remember the full name of a black man?"

"General Toussaint Louverture," Lucien chimed in.

Napoleon glared at Lucien and demanded, "That's not a full name. What is his full name?"

"We should also request control of the ports, at least control of the naval base, to arrange a fleet there for deterring the British and Americans. We need to build fortifications quickly, stockpile coal, and then bring in steamships. By then, with the American navy, well...," Napoleon said. "Furthermore, transferring white people from Santo Domingo to Louisiana will increase the number of French whites in Louisiana. However, these people..."

"I don't recommend letting them go to Louisiana," Joseph interrupted. "They are indeed French, genuine French, but will they remain loyal to France? We may believe we've gained them more redemption funds, but will they see it that way?"

So, there was a moment of silence among the group. After a while, it was Lucien who spoke first.

"They won't be grateful to us; they'll only feel we've sold out their interests. And these people had close ties with the nobility at home when they occupied large tracts of land and made a lot of money. If they had been at home during the revolution, they would have been labeled enemies of the republic, or worse," Lucien explained. "Though they have French citizenship, they are not our people."

"So, don't count on them," Napoleon added. "How about we just... agree to their independence, no, it should be 'self-governance,' and secretly agree to their future independence but demand some special benefits, such as 'military protection' and asking them to pay for the land."

"What about the white landowners?" Joseph inquired.

"They are not our allies in interests," Napoleon said. "I don't care about them!"

"Our Ministry of Truth should also take this opportunity to vigorously promote our ideals of 'liberty, equality, fraternity.' Those Brits and Americans thought they could cause trouble for us, didn't they? I'll make them worry about Santo Domingo's example themselves!" Lucien chimed in.

"This approach might harm Spain," Joseph added.

"Joseph, you're not the King of Spain, why should we care about them? Even if we accidentally harm them, can they not form an alliance with us? Dare they? Being our lapdogs is already their honor," Lucien said dismissively.

"But we have other colonies in different regions," Napoleon reminded. "We shouldn't shoot ourselves in the foot. So, the Ministry of Truth doesn't need to put too much effort into promoting this matter. As for causing trouble for the British and Americans, Santo Domingo's presence there, and them acquiring it peacefully, is already causing them trouble."

So, the tone for handling this matter was set, and now they needed to find an emissary.