Father of France

Chapter 223 The First Immigrants

The 17,000 officers and soldiers of the 4th Division were gathered on the parade ground, and they could not speak without the help of a loudspeaker. In comparison, the number of military police battalion that Koman brought was pitifully small.

Fortunately, Koman sold off all of the 4th Division's light and heavy weapons, so it's still possible for him to get paid through drill grounds without having to wear armor.

However, as an outstanding example of military support, Koeman would never do such a thing.

After standing on the high platform and gazing at the vast, seemingly endless scene of over ten thousand people, Coman cleared his throat and, on behalf of the French Indochina Governor-General's Office and the French Indochina Gendarmerie Command, expressed his gratitude to the 4th Division of the Vietnamese National Army for its performance in suppressing the Madagascar riots.

France rarely uses this kind of spiritual encouragement to thank the troops of its colonies? That would be impossible, but Corman, who grew up in a country with a strong tradition of formalism, is not averse to such scenes.

His past life was in a country where the Roman military banner was still preserved in daily life. That's right, it was a country that sent banners, and the banners were in the style of the Roman military banner.

A closer look reveals that the style of the banner is completely out of step with the traditional style of this great Eastern country. Of course, this great Eastern country has its own traditions, such as the "umbrella of ten thousand people" and the Buddhist patchwork robe, which are of great significance.

However, presenting banners is indeed a form of commendation that was introduced from the Soviet Union after the founding of the People's Republic of China. The Soviet Union's predecessor, Imperial Russia, was known as the Third Rome, and the Soviet Union was also influenced by this practice after its establishment.

The decorations used during Soviet military parades clearly show a strong presence of Roman-style ornamentation.

The act of presenting a banner has thus become associated with the traditional significance of the "umbrella of ten thousand people" and "patched garment" in this great Eastern country, and has become a widely accepted form of recognition.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the socialist bloc in Eastern Europe, including Russia, no longer had this tradition. As for Western European countries, this tradition disappeared even earlier. Vietnam and North Korea, which were left, had no influence at all. Thus, the Eastern superpower became the only country in the world that people could see integrating the Roman military flag into their lives.

Sending a banner as a form of recognition is something that you wouldn't take seriously if it were given to someone else, but if it were given to you, you would definitely hang it on the wall for others to see, as it has a huge psychological effect.

When tourists and students from a major Eastern country visit Europe and express their gratitude by presenting a banner, the locals are incredibly moved. Since the Eastern Roman Empire was part of Rome, does that mean this major Eastern country isn't?
After finishing his thanks with his prepared speech, Koeman's remarks quickly shifted towards a Crusader tone: "To the fighters who participated in the suppression of the uprising, may grace and peace be upon you from our Father God and the Lord Jesus Christ. In such times, we lament with the prophet: My eyes are blinded by tears; my heart is troubled, my liver is spilled! He himself bore the sins and sufferings of all mankind on the cross. Therefore, in Him, our lamentations are not despised, our cries are not ignored."

As Coman paused to turn the page, a military chaplain took the lead in debating the scriptures, chanting, "Amen..."

"Amen!" Under the guidance of the priest, the soldiers behaved like sheep, as if expressing deep repentance for their previous battles and crimes.

"This world gives us war and unease, but the Lord Jesus leaves us with peace that surpasses all understanding." Koman seemed to be chanting like a charlatan. "The pain will not disappear overnight. But we are not alone. God loves every warrior, comforts every sad heart, and will never forget to sing eternal hymns under the banner of our Lord Jesus Christ."

"Now, bring up the families of the 630 soldiers who died in this military operation," Koman shouted. God is important, but without money, the effect is greatly reduced.

Even before God, you still have to pay extra if it's necessary.

Following Koeman's orders, a group of family members of fallen soldiers, who could be described as elderly, weak, sick, or disabled, appeared one by one on the high platform of the military camp to collect the compensation for the lives of their husbands, children, or brothers who had given their lives.

The compensation should be distributed publicly. Only in this way can other soldiers see that when they suffer misfortune on the battlefield, their families will not suffer as a result and can continue to live on with strength.

Bokassa was five meters away from Koman. Watching Koman put on his grand performance, some of the soldiers below had tears in their eyes and gasped. They learned new knowledge every day.

One billion francs is more than enough. Anyway, as long as France doesn't invest it domestically, printing it doesn't cost much, and issuing it now won't affect French prices.

After distributing money to the families of fallen soldiers and counting it in person, the remaining bonuses were handled by military police, who distributed double bonuses for three months, based on the timeline of the Madagascar riots. All francs distributed were counted in person, ensuring fairness, openness, and impartiality throughout the process.

This move had a greater effect than Coman's crusade speech, which had cost him countless brain cells. The combination of the two brought a sense of jubilation to the officers and soldiers of the Fourth Division in the camp.

If a riot were to break out in any colony now, and if Corman were to lead these Vietnamese soldiers there again, they wouldn't hesitate; an order issued in the morning, and they'd be off in the afternoon. The scene of his comrades in the gendarmerie battalion busy distributing money greatly boosted the trust of at least the 4th Division in the French. At this moment, Corman approached Bokassa, whom he took everywhere, and asked, "Just watching? Will there ever come a day when you're in my position, and other soldiers look at you with expectant and loyal eyes?"

"Will that day ever come?" Bokassa murmured, his voice filled with anticipation yet disbelief.

“How could you not? You are already the highest-ranking soldier in the French Central African Republic, and I believe you will become the first general in the Central African Republic. To be honest, if the Central African Republic becomes independent one day,” Koman said in a low voice, trying to persuade him, “a colony with no foundation should be in the hands of a disciplined and capable group. I think there is no group more reliable and loyal than the military.”

Back in Hyderabad, Bokassa immediately discerned Ali Khan's intentions and offered a plausible guess. Koman believed that the Emperor of the Central African Empire was already in the making.

Having resolved the aftermath of the suppression in Madagascar, Koeman immediately threw himself into another matter. Guo Cheng, the head of the Guo family, was indeed unsure of Koeman's intentions.

Why did you come up with the idea of ​​selecting bamboo varieties? And you even said you wanted to combine it with immigration work.

Actually, isn't this just because the soil in Madagascar is relatively poor?

The soil quality in most parts of Africa is generally poor. There are many ways to improve the soil, but large-scale, high-cost methods are simply beyond the reach of France at present. It is necessary to wait until the initial post-war recovery period.

However, for areas where rainfall is not an issue, planting bamboo is a low-cost way to improve the soil. Bamboo is mainly found in East Asia and the Americas. Among them, East Asian bamboo, which is of native origin, is the fastest growing species. After being transplanted to Europe, it was almost considered an invasive species.

Bamboo grows extremely fast and has a strong photosynthetic capacity, efficiently absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and fixing it in biomass and soil. The penetration and growth process of bamboo roots can break up compacted soil, create pores, and significantly improve soil aeration and permeability.

The improved soil structure and rich organic matter create an ideal living environment for soil organisms such as earthworms, microorganisms, and fungi. The presence of these organisms further improves the soil, forming a positive cycle.

The soils of major East Asian countries and Southeast Asia have been able to withstand agricultural production for hundreds or even thousands of years, and bamboo has indeed played a significant role in this. The only side effect might be that, if left unchecked, bamboo is no easier to deal with than any invasive species.

Koman didn't care about this risk at all. Didn't he immigrate with the Chinese? The Chinese could help the locals deal with the bamboo that came with them.

"Tell me, do you Guo family and all these wealthy Chinese in Saigon want to create another Saigon, under the protection of the French?" Coleman said with an expression that said, "I'm doing this for your own good. That's a huge island of 600,000 square kilometers, no smaller than the three French Indochina countries, and the locals are far less difficult to deal with than the Vietnamese."

"I love bamboo the most." Guo Cheng's expression changed instantly, and he swallowed back the nonsense about bamboo's upright posture representing pride that was about to come out of his mouth. "It is our duty to help the development of the French Federation."

"We've already made arrangements with Madagascar. Let me know when the first group of immigrants departs, as land will be allocated," Koman said, waving his hand. "You can then teach your Austronesian relatives in Malaya and the Philippines how to become qualified farmers."

It is estimated that four to five hundred Chinese people enter French Indochina every day. They should be properly guided and their creativity should be channeled into more suitable areas.

In early September, a fleet consisting of old French naval transport ships and several transport boats belonging to Chinese families in Saigon set sail from Saigon, carrying more than 5,000 men, women, and children. Their destination was Madagascar, where the fighting had just subsided, and these immigrants would begin a new life.

"Our initial plan is to keep the immigration scale below 200,000. This will not only preserve the ethnic composition of the population but also reduce the pressure from the influx of refugees from French Indochina. This will greatly accelerate Madagascar's post-war recovery and development. This is the best way to achieve our goals while minimizing costs."

"The arrival of new immigrants will significantly boost local development, much like the effect of British immigration to Guyana."

When this telegram from French Indochina reached Paris, the first fleet of immigrants had already entered the Indian Ocean and was heading towards Tuamasina, Madagascar's largest port.

All indications suggest that, unlike Britain's surrender, France still wants to make an effort in the matter of the French Empire.

(End of this chapter)