Father of France

Chapter 206 The King's Favorite
If, like in British India, there were someone like Ali Jinnah to challenge Nehru, the subsequent operations would have gone incredibly smoothly. But the answer Koeman received was no.

France adopted a policy of direct rule over its colonies, which was vastly different from the indirect rule of Britain. Since France had stepped into the limelight, it naturally had to bear the direct wrath of the Madagascar independence movement.

"If it's not there, it's not there. We can help it out later after it becomes an isolated island." With that thought in mind, and since it wasn't a place that received much attention anyway, Koman stopped worrying about it.

So what if there isn't a heavyweight spokesperson? Does that stop the spread of conspiracy theories? The fact that so many Austronesian leaders are among the rioters while the mainstream Austronesian population remains inactive speaks volumes.

Soon, the French Expeditionary Force Command issued an order to recruit Austronesians to form a garrison force in the Central Heights. This police-like force would cooperate with the Expeditionary Force to maintain order in the Central Heights, with priority given to Austronesians who were fluent in French.

To be honest, at this moment, Koman felt as if he were facing the White Lotus Sect, a group of rebels who had been around for a thousand years, and that he had received orders to organize a local militia.

So Coman handed the task over to the Vietnamese National Army to push forward, while he himself remained perfectly hidden behind the scenes, continuing to refine the conspiracy theory.

"I just finished talking to Battalion Commander Nguyen about the Vietnamese being in charge of training the garrison troops," Martin said as he walked in, grumbling. It was all Coman's doing, but he ended up doing it himself.

Martin suddenly remembered the fear he felt when he was with Alan, being dominated by Koeman. But there was nothing he could do; Koeman's rank was always higher than theirs.

"Which regiment's Battalion Commander Ruan is it?" Koeman gave a disappointed answer. The two looked at each other for a moment, then simultaneously skipped over the question. "Remember to say the full name next time."

Because Nguyen was the royal surname of the last dynasty in Vietnam, 40% of Vietnamese people share this surname. How did Koman know which Nguyen battalion commander it was?

In fact, the surnames of the monarchs of several Vietnamese dynasties were quite numerous. The surnames of the Nguyen, Le, and Tran dynasties accounted for 60 percent of the Vietnamese population.

Martin's face showed a rare hint of embarrassment. This elementary mistake was indeed unacceptable, and he awkwardly changed the subject, saying, "Although the vast majority of South Islanders did not participate in the riots, several of the riot leaders were South Islanders, so it is still very risky for us to arm them."

“They weren’t involved before we arrived, and they certainly won’t be when the expeditionary force arrives.” Koman took out a packet of tea leaves and brewed them in hot water. “The operation to eliminate the Bantu people must involve the Austronesians. It’s one thing that we can shirk responsibility, but more importantly, we are outsiders. The Austronesians understand the Bantu people best. Only when they take action can we eradicate them completely.”

Unless the French and even the Vietnamese completely eradicate the Bantu people, they certainly wouldn't be able to distinguish between Austronesian and Bantu people. These two groups have lived together for hundreds of years, and there must be a large number of mixed-race people among them. If they make a mistake, they will offend both groups at the same time.

France's direct involvement in this matter might not be effective; how could France possibly understand the Bantu people better than the Austronesians?

Koeman had a case in mind that he could apply to this: the Tutsi and Hutu people of Rwanda, which could be used as a reference.

“Last year, the number of Chinese in Saigon increased by more than 70,000. Now that the world’s most populous country is in a civil war, Chinese people are still pouring into Saigon.”

Koman took a sip of hot tea and said to Martin, "Once we deal with the Bantu people on the east coast, we can establish a rice trading center in Tuamasina, the largest port in the northeast, and then in Saigon. By controlling the agricultural trade of a country through ethnic groups that have little to do with the local people of Madagascar."

"The Saigon model? But we need to control the scale." Martin thought it sounded good, but still cautioned against introducing too many.

"Of course I know that, given the population here, bringing in around 100,000 people to Tuamasina Port would be enough. Any more than that would not help to create a wealthy class."

Koman said he knew what he was doing, "I'm not here to promote ethnic integration. There are only barriers when people have different economic foundations. If everyone farms, wouldn't we all be the same class? The Soviet Union called this a class contradiction. Conversely, we can also use the side that is in our favor."

"The future political and economic landscape of Madagascar will be shared by the capital and the largest port, with the capital in the hands of the Austronesian people and the largest port in the hands of the Chinese."

Koeman has finally grasped the theory of contradictions: the proportion of Chinese immigrants should be controlled to below 5%, with 2% to 3% being the most appropriate.

With a small population, they rely on support from France; if they had a larger population, the cost of maintaining a high standard of living would increase significantly.

While the two leaders were having constructive discussions about postwar reconstruction, the French Expeditionary Force Command also presented a plan to clear out the eastern coast. Utilizing the troop concentration advantage and inner-line position of the Central Heights, they would launch simultaneous attacks from the west and east, forming a pincer movement. The western route would be the main offensive, employing relatively good transportation lines for rapid assaults; the eastern route would be a surprise attack, infiltrating along a treacherous but direct route, ultimately meeting up at the gates of Toamasina to encircle and capture the port.

The premise of this plan was that France had to eliminate the armed insurgents that had spread to the Central Heights. Centered on the capital Antananarivo, the French army's operations spread like a tightening iron net to the surrounding highlands. This was no longer a traditional advance, but a systematic encirclement and suppression.

Led by local Austronesian people, Vietnamese National Army light infantry, foreign legion assault teams, and Algerian infantry companies, under the cover of Senegalese snipers, worked in platoons and companies, combing through every ridge and valley like a comb.

Their operations were intensified—several Morane Solnier light reconnaissance aircraft, urgently transferred from Saigon, hovered at low altitudes like tired gnats, directing targets for artillery on the ground.

Siege and starvation became more effective weapons than bullets. The French army controlled the main roads and granaries, gradually shrinking the rebel forces' operational space and supply sources.

The military police members who were directly transferred to the provisional military tribunals signed execution orders like snowflakes, thanks to Koeman's already adept efforts.

Some captured insurgents were publicly executed after hasty military court trials, their bodies hung at important crossroads or on the ruins of burned villages as a warning to others.

Without large-scale battles, in low-intensity combat, the French army's absolute superiority in firepower and organization, as well as its indiscriminate and destructive mopping-up tactics, were gradually exhausting the vitality of the resistance forces.

The clearing of the Central Plateau went very smoothly, and the effects began to appear after half a month. The frequent attacks decreased, and information obtained from prisoners and those who surrendered indicated that the insurgents were experiencing severe shortages of ammunition, food, and morale.

French patrols were able to gradually penetrate areas that were previously out of control and establish a series of outposts.

Order has been largely restored in the Central Plateau, and the French army can now overlook the eastern coast of Madagascar from the Central Plateau.

“Looking at it this way, it’s quite obvious.” Standing on the edge of the central highlands, Koman looked into the distance through his binoculars. If you were looking up from below, it would look like a Henan person looking at the Taihang Mountains. He put down his binoculars and said, “The Bantu people, the second largest ethnic group, participated extensively in this uprising under the leadership of several Austronesian people, the largest ethnic group.”

Even now, the shock that this rare combination brought to Koeman still lingers, proving that the world is full of wonders.

The entire east coast is within reach, and France can now cut off the east coast at any time, pressing the insurgents back to northeastern Madagascar, where the final issue can be resolved.

Martin put his hands on his hips and glanced at Bokassa, who was leading the South Islanders a hundred meters away. "Once the fleet arrives at the east coast, the clearing of the east coast region can begin. This will be the real tough battle."

“That’s why we had to send the Richelieu; battleships are really useful in certain areas,” Koeman chuckled. “Back at the barracks, the telegram from headquarters will arrive once the fleet has reached its destination.”

On the horizon, a blurry silhouette appeared first, then a massive, imposing steel outline pierced the morning mist. At the heart of the fleet was the giant ship with elegant yet powerful lines—the battleship "Richelieu." Its iconic features, including two quadruple 380mm main guns, a towering bridge, and rows of anti-aircraft guns, showcased the unique aesthetics of the battleship era.

That's why even Trump loves this; compared to the power of an aircraft carrier, the deterrent effect of a pure steel fortress is more direct.

The battleship Richelieu cleaved through the deep blue sea, leaving a white wake stretching for miles behind it. On either side of it were cruisers and destroyers, slightly smaller but equally menacing, guarding this king of the seas like loyal hounds.

The battleship Richelieu itself was the ultimate declaration of power. Its eight massive cannons, capable of leveling coastal defenses, silently pointed into the distance, yet the oppressive aura it exuded enveloped the entire port of Tuamasina.

The only operational battleship in the French Navy finally found its place amidst the riots in Madagascar, and was getting closer and closer to the port of Tuamasina.

The rioters in Tuamasina seem to have sensed impending doom. Freedom, which once seemed so close, now appears so distant in the face of harsh reality.

Even more worrying is the spread of a narrative among the Austronesians that they are using this anti-French riot to weaken the Bantu people, which is growing among the many resilient rebels.

(End of this chapter)