Xinshun 1730

Chapter 1289 Death and Vengeance ([-])

The different post-war interests on the North American issue are just a microcosm of the differences between the Sino-French alliance.

The religious issues that are unlikely to be understood by Dashun, the French have a lot to do.

Dashun relied on smuggling and trade, which caused many conflicts in North America, and fished in troubled waters.

In fact, France only needs to require Britain to protect the interests of Catholics in North America in the treaty at the end of the war, which can directly arouse the infinite resentment of North American Puritans towards Britain.

Because the Puritans are very unhappy with the Anglican Church and wearing robes-in the Bible, which passage describes missionary robes?Which paragraph says there is such a thing as a church?You are actually using things that are not in the Bible, you are so impure.

On this point, there are basically similar situations in both the East and the West: the Puritans believe that Catholicism is too secular and impure; the Wahabs believe that Ottoman is too secular and impure; Song and Ming Neo Confucianism, impure, fake Confucianism.

It’s just that because of the religious barrier, Dashun can understand the retrospection of Song and Ming Neo Confucianism that began in the late Ming Dynasty, but can’t understand the orthodox struggle between the Puritans, the Anglican Church, and Catholicism by analogy.

To put it simply, the Puritans and the Anglican Church, which has carried out a series of reforms, find it intolerable, not pure enough, and too secular.How is it possible to tolerate British concessions to Catholicism?
Therefore, on the card of religion, the French can use some means of "less investment, greater effect", which is naturally different from Dashun's strategy.

This divide cannot be bridged.

Now speaking, the obstacle to cooperation between China and France is whether to go to the Strait for a decisive battle and land in Scotland.

Even if this disagreement is put on hold for the time being, and Dashun agrees to abandon the decisive battle in the Strait and adopt the strategy of trade strangulation to kill internal collapse, the disagreement is still huge.

Even if you can't go to the decisive battle in the strait.

So, where is the next step to focus your energy on?
North America?

Caribbean?
Barbados?

Or help Spain take down Porto first?

The total number of French troops is not small.

But, as John Mordaunt had horrified before his death, it would be a far more shameful thing for France to fight the Cartagena Expedition than for England.

Therefore, France, which has a large total force, can actually participate in the transoceanic expedition with only a few thousand troops.Therefore, if Dashun's trade strangulation strategy is to be implemented, China and France must continue to cooperate.

Because there are not many troops on the French side that can go on expeditions, but there are actually not many elite standing expeditionary marines on the Dashun side that can go on expeditions across the ocean, and the two sides can only cooperate.

War is like this, Dashun's rigorously trained combat engineers with specialized skills are indeed strong, but they need the cooperation of others.

Just like most of the battles at this time, the casualties were mainly caused by artillery and cavalry hacking.However, infantry, artillery and cavalry are useless without resistance lines.

Whether it is in Nanyang, India, or Gibraltar, the main attack on the fortress is indeed Dashun's engineers, but the previous siege, blockade, blockade, threat, etc. still depend on the naval fleet, French marines, and The French infantry originally planned to land in Scotland.

In the same way, if you want to continue to expand your achievements in Spain, the Caribbean, or North America, neither side can do without the other.

However, it is true that Dashun does not quite understand France's views on religious issues.

But apart from the issue of religion, considering things like material, land, population, and reputation, there is no gap between Dashun and Europe.

Therefore, when Dashun wanted to send the captives back to the UK, Li Yan and the others still made a decision to show favor to France.

It can be considered as a gesture of favor.

It can also be considered as a hint of some kind of strategic diplomacy.

Generally speaking, the French should be able to understand Dashun's overtures and hints, because it involves some politically sensitive areas in France.

Li Yan proposed to de la Crue that the British prisoners escorted here would stay in Dunkirk, France after they were loaded on a ship in Gibraltar.

De la Crewe should have passed the news back to Paris immediately that Gibraltar had been captured.As for Paris, they should immediately select suitable diplomats to go to London together with Dashun's diplomatic staff in Paris.

On the one hand, it is to spy on the situation of British public opinion, the attitude of parliament, and Britain's war potential.

On the other hand, I also hope that Dashun and France can continue to maintain mutual trust, and will not conduct private peace talks with Britain alone and betray each other.

Dashun is afraid of this kind of thing, and France is also afraid of it.

I thought that France was really betrayed by its former "ally" in the war. For example, in the war where Britain and France smashed the Netherlands together, France was betrayed by Britain in the middle of the war.

On Dashun's side, they really can't believe the so-called "allies". Surely you won't betray halfway?
At that time, the battle of Jinyang will be halfway through, and there will be a Zhang Mengtan, leaving a European version of the allusion, which will be a lot of fun.

The choice of Dunkirk as a transit point for captives and a place for Chinese and French diplomats to board their ships to London is also a hint of Dashun's strategic diplomacy, and in the eyes of the French, it is a It is a hint of goodwill that respects historical traditions and respects historical traditions in "sensitive areas".

It should be said that so far, Dashun and France's several key battles in Europe—mainly the ones they won—are actually helping France wipe the ass of the Spanish Succession War.

Menorca, Gibraltar, and Dunkirk, which was proposed by Dashun to transfer captives, are all historical issues left over from the War of Spanish Succession.

Menorca and Gibraltar are not mentioned.

And Dashun chose to let the ship that transported the British prisoners of war go to Dunkirk, and hoped to join the French diplomats there, which had political significance.

Two political meanings.

One: Dashun recognized Dunkirk as French territory.

Second: Dashun recognizes, recognizes, and even defends Louis XIV’s commitment and positioning to Dunkirk with practical actions: [Dunkirk belongs to France, and all merchants and traders in any country can unload their goods freely. Sell ​​and retail merchandise with exemption from all onboarding obligations and said merchants are free to purchase all merchandise]

The Dunkirk issue has always been a pain for France, and it can be regarded as a scar that French patriots have been reluctant to touch.

Just as the Dutch miss the golden age.

The French also miss their own golden age, and the end of the French golden age is now generally regarded as the "Battle of Blenheim".

The turning point of the War of the Spanish Succession and the "end of the era of Louis XIV's expansion" in France.

And Dunkirk is an untouchable scar in France.

Because after the War of Spanish Succession, Britain forced France to demolish the port and defense facilities of Dunkirk, fill the port, and burn down the shops.

The reason is that Dunkirk is so free that during the war, pirates attacked British merchant ships and resupplied here, so freedom is not allowed.

Of course, the real reason is that Dunkirk is too close to Britain, and it is worried that France will attack Britain from Dunkirk.

This incident, since the War of the Spanish Succession, has been regarded as a humiliation for the French.

Until many years ago, Dashun participated in the War of Austrian Succession and instigated a coup in the Netherlands, and France was theoretically a nominal winner in the War of Austrian Succession.

After the end of the war, Louis XV immediately spent a lot of money to rebuild Dunkirk.

After all, it's a symbol.

Restoring the rule of Dunkirk, in a symbolic sense, is "France's return to the glory before the Battle of Blenheim, and I, Louis XV, are almost equal to the XIV."

But after this round of war started, Dunkirk was immediately burned by the British navy.

Moreover, every Frenchman can be sure of one thing: Once France loses the war, Dunkirk will be destroyed again, becoming the French territory that France cannot govern at all, and depends on the face of the United Kingdom and compliance with the British treaty.

The symbolism of Dunkirk is huge.

Because of its special strategic location, it is geographically very suitable for attacking the United Kingdom—if it is not very close, then there will be no such famous retreat—you can attack the United Kingdom across the sea, and go north to reach the Austrian Netherlands The most Catholic area is Belgium.

Therefore, as long as France wins, or France is in a strategic offensive position, then Dunkirk will definitely be built.

Conversely, if Britain wins, or if Britain is in a strategic offensive position, then Dunkirk will definitely be demolished.

Unless the Anglo-French alliance, such as fighting Spain and the Netherlands together, Dunkirk is not so sensitive.

If you really want to say that the geographical location is dangerous, it is also dangerous.

But if you want to talk about the real offensive pressure, or the most suitable attack launch port or naval base, forget it.Both Toulon and Brest are more suitable than Dunkirk, with their backs to the rear, and they are very safe.

But starting from the War of Spanish Succession and the "Second Hundred Years' War" between the two countries, after each war, there must be a lot of talk about the Dunkirk issue.

The Treaty of Utrecht, torn; the Treaty of Aachen, torn; the Paris Peace Treaty of the Seven Years War in history, tossed; until the Paris Peace Treaty again, the French supported the thirteen states and Britain signed it in Paris, Still messing with this issue.

The French Enlightenment historically did not mind France losing Canada.

However, after the Seven Years War in history, the United Kingdom once again asked France to dismantle Dunkirk, which aroused great hatred in France and was regarded as a greater humiliation than losing Canada.

Dashun chose to transfer British prisoners of war to Dunkirk at this juncture. In fact, he told France clearly: Dunkirk, which was demolished by the British this time, we will guarantee you to rebuild it, as I said.

In other words: Dashun knows where France's core interests are, and you can rest assured that this alliance will definitely defend France's core interests.At least, this basic point will not change.

(End of this chapter)