Father of France

Chapter 163 Thank you for your cooperation
To paraphrase a saying in the world of football, time is running out for France. The Chinese launched a full-scale offensive in mid-1946, and the three major campaigns that began in the autumn of 1948 lasted only two and a half years. They were definitely playing at a low level, and the rest of the time was just wasted.

The collapse was so rapid that, around the time of the Berlin Crisis, the United States was caught off guard, and things had already deteriorated beyond repair.

Therefore, considering the proletarian nature of the Viet Minh, France must train an anti-Viet Minh armed force within two and a half years, capable of at least serving as a scapegoat and conducting a graceful withdrawal.

As for defeating Coman, that was never in mind. There is a limit to how far the French army can go before it increases its troop strength. The financial problems caused by increased military spending, coupled with the instability of the French political scene, mean that France is destined to be unable to exert its full strength.

Furthermore, France's core interests lie in Africa, which is an undeniable fact.

Currently, all of French colonies in Africa, including French West Africa and French Equatorial Africa, as well as overseas departments in North Africa, and protectorates like Morocco and Tunisia, totaled 500,000 French troops. The number of French troops in Africa now even exceeded the combined number of French troops stationed in France and Germany.

At present, French Indochina, including the mainland and the colonial troops transferred from Africa, only has 110,000 men, so it is obvious which one Paris values ​​more.

This is not to say that French Indochina is unimportant. French Indochina is important, even more so than any other territory under French control other than the overseas provinces of Algeria.

However, compared to the whole of French Africa, French Indochina was not so important.

It can be said that France has already deployed all its strength in French Indochina, so don't expect any reinforcements to change the situation later.

Even France's internal potential has been exhausted. France is not Britain. France is absolutely serious about maintaining its colonies. As a country with a population of 40 million, France currently maintains an army of 1.1 million. As a post-war country, this military strength has left France with nothing.

Koman has now initially divided the armed plan into two parts: the armed plan for the Hmong people is included in the armed plans of the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Kingdom of Laos, while the armed plans for the highland peoples and Catholics are merged into another.

The two armed groups together number 400,000. Laos and Cambodia have smaller populations and are not currently under great threat due to France. Therefore, their armed forces can be smaller, with the focus on Catholic and highland ethnic groups, who will be the main force in dealing with the Viet Minh.

The plan is to resolve the Vietnam issue first, followed by Cambodia and Laos. The primary targets are Catholics and highland peoples, with the initial goal of building an army of over 250,000.

Together with 110,000 French troops, they were placed under the command of the French Army Headquarters in French Indochina to suppress the Viet Minh in the north.

This is a goal that must be achieved before Chang Gong's defeat. Once the 400,000 bandits in the Ten Thousand Mountains have been wiped out, that will be the time when the Viet Minh in the north will receive aid.

Through Corman's explanation, Wang Nengchu also understood that usury imperialism was not omnipotent. Although this exposed the upper limit of France's national power, it successfully convinced Wang Nengchu of this explanation.

“We will settle down in Hue and wait.” There was nothing Wang Nengchu could do now.

“County Chief Wang, there’s one more thing, about the eighteen large Miao villages with 10,000 residents each.” Koman hesitated for a moment before speaking in a suggestive tone, “It’s not that we don’t believe in internal Miao negotiations, but if things continue like this, it might cause problems for communication between the Miao and France. So it’s best if the Miao have only one voice. What if someone disagrees with County Chief Wang and opposes France, hindering France’s strategy? County Chief Wang is someone we trust, so he should understand what I mean.”

The Miao villages need a certain degree of centralization; the current method of Wang Nengchu consulting with each of the eighteen major villages one by one is unsustainable. With only a little over 200,000 people, what kind of aristocratic democracy is this? Wasn't the lesson of Poland's three partitions painful enough?
"If you manage the Miao people, France will have more trust in this community. The Miao people will also be more stable and prosperous. We hope for your cooperation and need your help."

“Each Miao village has its own chieftain.” Wang Nengchu was secretly delighted, but on the surface he still pretended to be troubled.

“County Chief Wang isn’t without a son. Isn’t your son Wang Bao a young hero?” Koman saw through the pretense immediately and said with a smile, “In the Indochina Peninsula, hereditary succession isn’t unusual. The Cambodian and Lao royal families are examples. If the Miao people want to have fighting power, this step is inevitable. I personally hope that when County Chief Wang and I meet, you can represent the only voice of the Miao people. Thank you for your cooperation.”

Wang Bao was even more famous than his father, Wang Nengchu. During the period of cooperation with the United States, Wang Bao was absolutely qualified as a proxy army. With his prestige, Wang Bao's armed force of more than 7,000 people quickly expanded into an army of 40,000. The armed force built a huge secret base in Long Town in southwestern Xieng Khouang Province, which included an airport, an officer training school, a supply warehouse, and training centers for intelligence, sabotage and assassination techniques.

The CIA is responsible for the training and logistical support of this army. The United States provides it with $60 million in training funding every year, including new American weapons and equipment, instructors and advisors, and even secret teams to conduct special guerrilla warfare training.

With CIA support, the increasingly powerful Hmong special forces ignored the ceasefire order reached within Laos and engaged in repeated fierce battles with the Lao People's Army in the central plains of Laos, becoming a valuable ally of the United States in the Indochina Peninsula. Through bloody battles, Wang Bao rose to prominence and established a "god-like status" among the Hmong people of Laos. France certainly cannot afford the $60 million in aid now, and its current armed plans are largely filled with post-war German weaponry.

However, times have changed. As part of the colonial empire, although Coman lacked money, he could still provide the Miao people with other things, such as land, by virtue of his status as the French Indochina suzerain.

The two reached a consensus: Koman supported Wang Nengchu becoming the sole leader of the Miao people, while Wang Nengchu needed to unify the Miao villages and become a reliable force for France on the Lao side of the Hue border, preventing the Viet Minh from infiltrating southern Vietnam.

Koeman didn't want guerrillas to be everywhere outside the city; France still needed French Indochina to support the mainland, not to keep investing in it.

Before Koman had eaten, Boss Gu appeared with the dinner he had prepared, including roast suckling pig, a signature dish of Cantonese cuisine, as well as twice-cooked pork and scrambled eggs with tomatoes, which Koman had specifically requested. This was all to cater to his own tastes. As for other Cantonese dishes, such as poached chicken, he declined.

His taste is Northern Chinese, and he doesn't quite like some of the dishes.

Moreover, thanks to being a seasoned user of short videos, Koman remembers that when a certain blogger who earned traffic abroad by cooking had foreigners taste Chinese food, the only dish that seemed to receive unanimous disapproval was poached chicken, which was also the only one.

“County Magistrate Wang, the rice in Saigon is very nutritious, please eat more.” Koman served rice without ceremony, not forgetting to take care of Wang Nengchu’s feelings. “There are more than 500 restaurants on the embankment, and Boss Gu’s restaurant is the largest. It has solved many problems for me in Saigon.”

"Sir, you flatter me. Every time you come here, I feel like I'm seeing a compatriot." Gu Qing immediately seized the opportunity to express his full support for France.

“You and I are both part of France.” Coleman thought to himself, “You’ve stumbled upon something quite right; you really do deserve the title of compatriot.” “Actually, I have an idea: to hold a competition among restaurants throughout the embankment, letting chefs from all over the country compete. There will be high prizes and honors, which would also help promote Chinese cuisine. I believe Mr. Gu wouldn’t think that we French people don’t have the ability to do this, would he?”

“French cuisine is also very delicious, and of course the commander is capable of it.” Gu Qing was taken aback but immediately agreed. If Coman thought it was good, he would cooperate.

"This is also to integrate the recipes and skills that exist on the embankment." Koman then changed the subject, "In fact, Chinese cuisine is quite influential in some Latin American countries."

Gu Qing didn't know where it was, but Koeman couldn't resist showing off his useless knowledge: the country was Peru.

It's not just a few East Asian countries that use iron woks for stir-frying; Peru does it too.

Chinese food in Peru doesn't just have influence; it's become an integral part of Peruvian cuisine. Having successfully integrated into the culinary culture of a Latin American country, Coman decided to consider using Chinese food for poverty alleviation.

The poverty and backwardness of French African countries are not just adjectives, especially in this day and age.

Chinese cuisine has a wide range of readily available ingredients, making it very suitable for promotion.

So why doesn't Corman promote French cuisine? He's afraid that people in French Africa can't afford it. Many cuisines, including French cuisine, can't reach enough poor people. Not to mention, France is a country that sells prestige and collects "intelligence tax." If French cuisine targets the lower-tier market, Corman is afraid it will ruin the French luxury goods industry.

There are only two cuisines that are sufficient for the lower-tier market: Chinese food and Indian food.

But Indian food is targeting a much smaller market. Not to mention whether Africans can accept it, Koman can't even get over the thought of those mushy dishes.

That leaves only Chinese food. Leaving aside Americanized Chinese food, Chinese food, which has already successfully established itself in Peru, should also be able to spread successfully in Africa, according to Koeman.

If successful, it could advance the cuisine of French Africa and may even become an important complement to French cuisine in the future.

(End of this chapter)