84 – Episode 84 Losers are miserable (3)
If the countries on Earth were ranked in order of national power, eight countries could be said to be powerful.
USA, UK, Germany, France, Russia, Austria-Hungary, Italy, Japan.
These eight powers were the rulers and hegemons of the Earth.
There was no change in the hierarchy of the powers for 20 years after the Sino-Japanese War.
If there was no special opportunity, the great powers would have divided the world while maintaining balance.
While everyone was immersed in the romance of the Belle Epoque, a world war broke out.
And the illusion was shattered.
The war that broke out in 1914 broke the balance between the great powers.
The first country to be eliminated was Russia, one of the five major European powers and an empire that claimed to be the ruler of Eurasia.
Following this, the world’s second largest colonial empire, the French Republic, collapsed.
The rising power of Italy and the old empire of Austria-Hungary showed that they were unable to endure this terrible war.
One country took over the power vacuum they left behind.
German Empire.
The tattered empire, which had neither a common constitution nor an army, emerged as the loser of Europe and ruled the world.
At least Anglo-Japanese, which were supposed to stand against Germany, only wanted to conclude an ‘honorable peace’ with Germany and did not have the capacity to pursue victory.
On the surface, there were no enemies that could threaten the empire’s hegemony.
However, there were no forces that threatened Germany.
The Soviet Union, the headquarters of communists whose potential cannot be ignored.
The number one sleeping nation across the Atlantic Ocean, the United States of America.
The existence of these two proved that Germany had a long way to go.
“I’m taking a picture.”
I stood in front of the Eiffel Tower with German generals and showed off the dignity of a victor. I thought about going up the Eiffel Tower, but I gave up because I thought it would be much more impressive to take a picture with the background.
Archduke Ruprecht and Marshal Leopold looked solemn. The already stiff people had such facial expressions that I couldn’t tell if they were people or statues.
Click.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
My itinerary in Paris was simple.
Visit Les Invalides, pay homage to Napoleon, and tour the Louvre Museum.
It was a course suitable for tourists, but it was also suitable for showing off victory.
I spent six hours exploring the scenic spots in Paris and went to the Elysee Palace around evening to meet with French leaders, including French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau.
The expression ‘leaders’ here is not wrong.
This is because representatives of the Mandate of Corsica, the Mandate of Normandy, the Grand Duchy of Burgundy, the Grand Duchy of Brittany, and the Grand Duchy of Basque Country attended.
The representatives of all regions except Corsica were German.
I intentionally created this event to make people aware that France’s status is no different from that of the puppet states created by Germany.
Even if it is cruel, there is nothing we can do about it.
France and Germany are bitter enemies.
It is difficult for us to get along well until we fight another world war and face a common enemy called the ‘Communist Empire’.
I’ve already decided to stay as an enemy, but it’s so difficult to be cruel.
The French Prime Minister looked like he was about to collapse at any moment.
I hope you don’t think we’re being cruel, Prime Minister. If you had been the winner, France would have behaved like this too.
The Treaty of Versailles in actual history was a treaty that reflected the positions of Britain and the United States and became ‘a lot’ lenient.
If France had followed the original plan, Germany would have been ruined without any opportunity for rehabilitation and training. Even Hitler wouldn’t have been able to create the stamina to start World War II.
In some ways, the complete collapse of Germany at that time was a way to contribute to world peace. When I thought about it that way, I felt like France was justified in being harsh.
But it’s not Germany that’s ruined now, it’s France.
So, we should have won the war. Losing the war is a sin.
But this was not the end of the humiliation France had to endure.
There was still more humiliation for them to endure.
*
On March 9, 1917, the Empire of Japan made a surprise invasion of Indochina.
What is that cause?
“This is a ‘self-defense measure’ to prevent France from providing Indochina as a military base for Germany. “We will take over Indochina for the sake of negotiations.”
I know we don’t have the ability to go to the Pacific, but they said such bullsh*t.
France, the party involved, did not sit still.
“Despicable jabs. How dare you hit us in the back? Do you think we’ll take it easy?”
Of course, ability did not match will.
This was the limit of the colonial army, which was a second-class army. Although there were about 50,000 troops, that was not enough.
“It’s easy? If you feel unfair, why don’t you bring a battleship? Oh, they’re all on the bottom of the sea? Salvage them and attack them.”
The French Indochina fleet could not withstand the power of the large Japanese navy, including dreadnoughts. The French fleet was either destroyed or driven out to sea on the first day of the war.
The Japanese army landed four divisions and easily overwhelmed the French garrison. The Japanese also knew that they would win, so they took their time.
“Only victory lies in the path of the imperial army!”
The French army suffered repeated defeats. As time went by, the situation got worse. Japan, which receives support from its home country, and France, which does not. The difference was decisive.
“The scale of the enemy is too overwhelming. We have no chance of victory at this rate.”
“If that’s the case, there’s nothing we can do. “There is no reason to shed blood for no reason to protect a colony that will be taken away anyway.”
Albert Sarros, the Governor-General of the French Indochina Federation, issued an order of non-resistance to French soldiers.
“What are you talking about? “Kneel down to the yellow people who stabbed us in the back?”
“We will go to the end with those guys. There can be no surrender!”
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The French military claimed that they could not accept this order and went into the jungle to continue resistance. The French thought that the mountains and jungles of Indochina would provide excellent weapons against the expeditionary force.
It wasn’t ineffective at first. The jungles and mountains of Southeast Asia were unfamiliar places to the Japanese military.
Then the Japanese army joined hands with the Vietnamese independence forces.
“I believed that Japan, the eldest brother of Asia, would join the cause of Asian liberation.”
Phan Boi Chau, who led the Vietnamese Restoration Association, readily accepted Japan’s offer. As can be seen from the Vietnamese ‘Restoration’, Phan Boi Chau was a person who saw Japan’s Meiji Restoration as a model and followed it.
“It’s an opportunity. “Now that France is collapsing, we must show that Vietnam is not dead.”
The Vietnamese imperial family did not give up resistance even when several emperors were exiled and forced to abdicate. To them, France’s defeat was like an opportunity for a stroke of genius.
The current Emperor Nguyen Phuc Hoang and the predecessor Emperor Nguyen Phuc Trieu later escaped from the imperial palace and issued a proclamation throughout the country.
“Brave sons of Daewol, take up arms! The time has come to drive out the arrogant French.”
“His Majesty the Emperor has ordered resistance! Let us rise!”
In just a few days, thousands of people took up arms in response. Uprisings followed in various places. Unlike previous rebellions, the momentum of this rebellion was enormous. Soldiers conscripted from the colonial army also began deserting in large numbers.
“French imperialism ends today! Long live the Vietnamese Empire!”
The Empire of Japan may have come to help with a pure heart, but it was clear that it was an opportunity to take revenge on France. People willingly took up arms in the hope of reversing the humiliation and humiliation they had suffered so far.
As the Vietnamese people rose up like wildfire, the French army, which had fled to the mountains and jungles, was suddenly isolated. When this happened, the position was immediately reversed.
“There it is. “There are French guys over there.”
The Vietnamese even willingly helped transport military supplies to the Japanese army. If necessary, they even volunteered to disassemble the cannon and move it on a cart.
With the active support of local people, the Japanese army was successful. It was a war that could not be lost.
“It’s easy, it’s easy.”
When French colonial rule in Vietnam was in danger of ending, neighboring Thailand also did not sit still. Thailand was also a regional hegemon eager to expand its territory until it was defeated by the great powers.
King Rama VI, who had been watching with bated breath among the great powers, thought that now was his opportunity.
‘Anyway, Britain and Japan became enemies with France. ‘Who will say anything if I mess with a French colony here?’
At this point, it didn’t seem like a bad idea to regain the territories that had been lost to France, such as Laos and Cambodia.
Thailand’s Foreign Minister Prince Devaongse Baroprakar discussed the issue with British Minister Herbert Dering before the invasion.
Herbert Dering was shocked to hear that Thailand was attacking a French colony, but calculated that it would be better to tolerate it from a long-term perspective.
‘Wouldn’t it be more beneficial in terms of balance for Thailand to take over French Indochina rather than for Japan to devour all of French Indochina?’
Dering conveyed this view to London, and the London cabinet also expressed agreement with Dering’s judgment.
“I don’t feel like it, but only if it is in the national interest of the British Empire.”
When Britain announced its intention to acquiesce, the Thai government was pleased.
“If Britain agreed, there is nothing to see. We also begin the invasion. The goal is to merge Laos and Cambodia.”
Thailand immediately dispatched its troops. A 100,000-strong army crossed the French-Thailand border and advanced fiercely into Laos and Cambodia. The Thai army’s morale was higher than ever as they thought about retrieving their lost territory.
“No, even Thailand is showing its teeth to us?”
“But we don’t have the troops to stop them.”
The French army was helpless. There were no more troops or will left to confront the enemy.
Nevertheless, they were pushed back frantically by the Japanese army in the east, and were unable to control themselves as they invaded Thailand from the western border.
Even the hardliners who wanted to resist until the end lost their minds over Thailand’s invasion.
“It can’t be like this. “I can’t believe we are bowing down to someone like Hwangin.”
But it was meaningless to discuss skin color in front of yellow people pointing guns. Just because your skin is white doesn’t mean you won’t get hit by bullets.
On March 24, 1917, a little over two weeks after the invasion of the Asian Entente Army, French Indochina was defeated.
“Nice to meet you, comrades.”
“You had a hard time coming this long way, right?”
Thai and Japanese soldiers met at the Laos border and showed off their friendship by sharing cigarettes with each other. The French soldiers looked at the scene with blank eyes.
Now all that was left was for the French to experience humiliation.
Federal Governor Albert Saro, Hue Government Plenipotentiary (Vietnam Governor-General) François Yune Charles, and others came to the Hue Imperial Palace and signed the surrender document in front of Vietnamese, Thai, and Japanese people.
The Japanese military propaganda artist painted this scene in a beautiful oil painting.
The composition of the yellow man proudly looking down from the podium and the white man bowing his head humbly at the table below satisfied the Vietnamese people.
“It’s heartbreaking. Who knew how long they would be our masters?”
After the signing was completed, the Japanese sent the French to ‘camps.’
Some French people protested against this treatment.
“We are not soldiers, we are civilians!”
“But you’re a citizen of an enemy country, right?”
The Japanese military allowed no exceptions.
It wasn’t long before the French people imprisoned in the camp began to suffer from hunger. Rather than saying that Japan’s treatment was harsh, it was the result of rationing according to the Japanese soldiers’ rations.
“I’m hungry, I’m so hungry.”
Instead of soft bread, delicious fruit, and meat, we only got tasteless rice and grass porridge.
No matter how many times I complained about it, the answer I got was the same.
“They are doing much better than what you guys did to the Vietnamese.”
What the Japanese said was not wrong. French exploitation often led to starvation even in the fertile Mekong River Delta.
The French slept in the camp day after day.
At first, I felt superior to being white, but as time went by, I realized that it didn’t matter.
What was important was not skin color but strength.
They were strong, and their homeland was a defeated country that had no power to even protect its colonies.
The yoke of defeat was bitter and miserable.