Father of France

Chapter 230 A gentleman ignores his conduct and his heart

"Those armed groups that share the same views as the Viet Minh are no problem for the Americans and France," Guo Cheng said with a relaxed laugh. "The powerful free world can't handle these peasants, can it?"

He spoke with more confidence than the Americans, and Coman felt that these wealthy Chinese people living abroad were at best comprador class, still trapped in an information cocoon.

"The weakest point of the U.S. military is the army. Expecting the U.S. military to fight in a vast country is wishful thinking." Koman paused slightly at this point. "Moreover, your leaders have major problems. Their level of competence is quite average by world standards."

Chiang Kai-shek's level was definitely not as good as Park Chung-hee's, and probably not as good as Nehru's either, but he was better than Syngman Rhee and Marcos.

Koeman's views are open, fair, and objective, without any personal bias.

Chang Gong's opponents were indeed strong. The description of the "divine battle" can only be found in ancient books. People cannot imagine what the situation was like at that time. But in modern times, the Four Crossings of the Chishui River is a standard example of the "divine battle".

Facing an enemy ten times their size, the Battle of Crossing the Chishui River Four Times was, in ancient times, at least on par with the achievements of Han Xin. It was a pure display of military artistry that completely overwhelmed the opposing side, leaving them utterly speechless.

If the Greek Communist Party had a general of that caliber, the US military would probably have no other option but to take matters into their own hands.

In the current civil war in the Eastern superpower, even if the US military were to enter the fray immediately, it would be useless. From the small-scale battles in 1945 to the full-scale and key offensives, at any given time, the losses of the artillery party were five times those of the enemy.

Even when morale was high, the exchange rate was only five for one, let alone now that we've reached a stalemate.

In the 21st century, some people of dubious background claim that the biggest responsibility for America's decline is Truman's failure to save it. How is this any different from the claim that the Ming Dynasty fell because of the Hongwu Emperor?
What does this have to do with Truman? Is it because Truman didn't listen to Mrs. Chiang's advice and drop an atomic bomb to save Chiang? Or is it because he felt the aid from the United States was too little?
Why should Truman, the President of the United States, support a good-for-nothing whose entire family are thieves? More than nine hundred million dollars in direct aid isn't enough; why continue to support such a useless piece of trash?
The U.S. Army has always been a weak point. Intervening in a small or medium-sized country is still within its capabilities, but once it reaches a certain size, judging from the several large-scale conflicts of the Cold War, the United States can only deal with countries with a population of less than 30 million on the ground. Beyond that size, the United States will fail sooner or later.

Greece has a population of just over ten million, which is within the capabilities of the United States. As for the Eastern superpower with a population of over four hundred million, the United States only needs to invest ten times the amount it did in the Korean War and the Vietnam War to keep it from collapsing for the time being.

At the same time, Western European countries could have a good talk with the Soviet Union about where would be most suitable to establish the capital of the Union of European Socialist Republics.

At this time of universal celebration of socialism's complete victory over capitalism, it is certainly not appropriate for the United States to participate, and Western European countries are afraid that Moscow will misunderstand.

Koeman's disdain for Chiang Kai-shek was so obvious that Guo Cheng felt a little uncomfortable. It was also the first time that Guo Cheng defended Chiang Kai-shek in front of Koeman, saying, "He led the country to victory against Japan."

"Do you even believe what you're saying?" Koeman replied without changing his expression. "Your country, like France, achieved its status through compromise. The difference is that France received support from Britain, the Soviet Union, and the United States successively, while your country only had the support of the United States. History did give him opportunities, but he didn't seize them."

Judging from the value of Chiang Kai-shek's "golden decade," it is certain that it was not as significant as the achievements of the Self-Strengthening Movement. Although Chiang Kai-shek encountered favorable internal and external conditions, in his hands it was nothing more than child's play.

Given the authority of the government of this major Eastern power, although Chiang Kai-shek did not truly gain control of the entire country, the remaining resources are still greater than those of most other countries.

As a result, the great Eastern country had no shortage of natural resources, and could acquire land at will. Its labor costs were almost zero compared to those of Europe and America. Both construction costs and labor costs were very low. Originally, the cost of importing machinery was not much lower than during the Self-Strengthening Movement, but with the outbreak of the Great Depression, the price of second-hand machinery plummeted, almost becoming the same as scrap iron.

Many countries have taken about ten years to achieve basic self-sufficiency and meet their basic wartime light weapons needs; such countries are everywhere.

However, the artillery party could only manage to bankrupt steel and arsenals, which was inferior to the inland provinces under Yan Xishan's control.

All of their light and heavy weapons were imported. Even the British Empire wouldn't dare to wage war at such a cost, yet the Artillery Party did it all until the 1970s.

Speaking of Yan Xishan's Taiyuan Arsenal, it was dismantled by the Kuomintang after the Central Plains War, and all the arsenal workers were dismissed. The Taiyuan Arsenal during the War of Resistance Against Japan was already a defective version.

How dare Chiang Kai-shek look down on Gandhi? Gandhi's idea of ​​turning India into a vast rural area remained just an idea; Nehru wouldn't have allowed it to happen. But Chiang Kai-shek did it without even making a slogan.

If Chiang Kai-shek and Nehru were to face off, it would be a spectacle of Lee-Enfield versus Hanyang rifles. Furthermore, India's industrial strength would support Nehru as a leader of the Third World, allowing him to complete the reforms he should have accomplished but which were ultimately thwarted.

However, it is more likely that no war occurred, and that Chang Gong did not control the plateau at all; his control area was barely enough to even reach the Song Dynasty.

Originally, Koman planned to talk to Guo Cheng about the future of the Chinese in Saigon before returning to the overseas provinces. Now, although he was delayed by the demand for railway sleepers and might not be able to go back so soon, it wouldn't hurt to take this opportunity to talk and analyze the future situation of the Chinese in Saigon for Guo Cheng.

"Mr. Guo, it is certain that the level of your current leaders is definitely not as good as that of the Qing Dynasty. Let me calculate how many factories your country has closed down since 1927?"

Koeman said calmly, "Even Britain, which controls 30 million square kilometers, would go bankrupt if its leader relied on buying all its weapons. No amount of aid from the United States would be enough for such a regime. I think it would only take two years before another Soviet Union emerged."

Without needing to consult any materials, Koeman could trace the decline and bankruptcy of railways from Jiangnan all the way to Hanyang. The railways built during the late Qing Dynasty's Railway Protection Movement have not seen a single inch of rail to this day. These were all minor issues.

As for the artillery divisions of the Beiyang Army, which had evolved into something as rare as army groups in the artillery faction, they were not even qualified to appear in Koeman's words.

Finally, Guo Cheng was given a chilling conclusion: Chang Gong's defeat was only a matter of time.

After all, this is a tool for Corman's future plans in French Africa. Corman also wants to utilize the Chinese community around Saigon, and he certainly can't let Le Duan turn them all into refugees.

France is indeed facing a population shortage, and Muslims are the primary target of concern.

Chinese people are a group that is relatively easy to assimilate. Koeman even planned to isolate the artisans he had previously collected, preventing them from learning French and French culture, and to establish a special Chinese city. He also did not allow these artisans to intermarry with French people, all in order to ensure the authentic value of luxury goods.

Therefore, Guo Cheng must understand the current reality: once the major Eastern power changes its regime, French Indochina will also be lost, and people like Guo Cheng, who can be called colonial agents and representatives of the comprador class, will not be able to survive in Vietnam and will definitely be purged by the Viet Minh in the future.

When Guo Cheng heard the assessment that Koeman was truly reliable, that a gentleman judges by actions, not intentions, and that the Kuomintang was not as capable as the Qing Dynasty, he was filled with shame. He opened his mouth to refute, but it seemed that what the Frenchman said was true. Under Chang's rule, the great Eastern power had indeed been heading straight for Gandhi's dream.

“If Major Coman’s words hold true, then the Viet Minh will be next, and our days in Saigon will be over.” Guo Cheng breathed a sigh of relief; many wealthy Chinese had their fortunes tied up here.

"That's true. France is a land power and has a strong attachment to land. Unlike Britain, it won't give up its territory after calculating gains and losses, but it does have a standard of measurement. France's stronghold is in Africa."

Koeman's answer shattered Guo Cheng's illusions. France wouldn't run away without a word like Britain, but it would still hold its own.

"However, France is not as indifferent as Britain. Madagascar is actually a backup plan set up by Paris for you. Its natural conditions are similar to those of French Indochina. Trust Paris, everything will be arranged. The main thing is that you, as well as the Li family and the Bao family, need to be mentally prepared. Don't be like Grandet. For the sake of family succession, don't be stingy with your investment in backup options."

With the arrival of the red wave, the compradors didn't even need to deliberately study; this group knew best what they would face. Koman's conversation this time, which was based on merit rather than intention, only objectively helped Guo Cheng clarify his future path. Even Chang Gong, the head of the compradors, couldn't withstand it, let alone the Chinese in Saigon.

"Paris will never forget you who helped us overcome great difficulties in the early postwar period."

As Guo Cheng pondered the future of his family, Koman's voice once again reached his ears: "The demand for sleepers for the North African Mediterranean Railway is approximately ten million, initially estimated at eight hundred thousand cubic meters. We must always leave some reserve capacity, which is one million cubic meters. We hope the Forestry Administration can prepare them by the end of the year. I will truthfully report to Paris the contributions of the Saigon Chinese community to this project."

This is an exchange; a bond of mutual benefit is always more reliable than one of emotion. It's time for Guo Cheng to prove his worth again, so he solemnly makes a promise.

Koman left satisfied, with Bokassa following beside him, saying, "These Chinese seem very reliable; no wonder the superior likes to use them."

"Because it works well," Koman replied with a smile. As long as you're willing to endure hardship, there's always more hardship to be had in life.

(End of this chapter)