African Entrepreneurship Records 2

Chapter 1285 Digging a hole
Finally, the French colonies were basically concentrated in the Indian Ocean region, including islands such as Djibouti, Madagascar, India, and Mauritius.

That’s right, the French also had colonies in India, but these colonies were not large in area, and were not even as large as the Portuguese colonies in India. Although Portugal only had three colonies in India, France had five.

However, the area of ​​Portuguese Goa alone was much larger than the combined area of ​​France's five colonial outposts in India.

Cahors said: "Among these colonies, we should first consider the Pacific Islands. Now is not the time when France was in its heyday."

"For my country, those islands in the Pacific are of little use. They are far away from the mainland, and their area and population size are not optimistic."

"We don't have any decent resources. To be honest, if the countries along the Pacific coast really want to occupy these places, we don't have much to do. As for sending an expeditionary force, it's just a waste of military funds and the risk is high."

“So, we might as well take this opportunity to throw the Pacific islands to the East Africans. For us, these colonies are actually a heavy burden.”

France's colonies in the Pacific are mainly composed of three island groups: New Caledonia, the New Hebrides and Polynesia.

If we look at it from a global perspective, this place can be said to be a truly desolate place, deep in the southern Pacific Ocean, not close to Australia, Asia, America, or Africa, and very far away from Europe.

Ambassador Thomson said: "If it is a territory in the Pacific, it may have some value to East Africa, but it is not attractive enough. After all, these islands are of almost zero value to us. The same is true for East Africa. They are dispensable places, especially after East Africa took over Germany's colonies in the Pacific."

There are many islands in the South Pacific, and it is not a strategic location. Apart from possible threats to Australia, it also has some impact on trade between South America and Asia.

However, the trade between Asia and South America is almost negligible. In this era, the three major centers of world trade are Europe, the United States and East Africa. Raw materials from all over the world flow into these three regions and are then turned into industrial products and distributed all over the world.

In fact, Europe, the United States and East Africa can also be understood as the three major industrial clusters in the world.

Asia and South America played more of a role as suppliers of raw materials and colonial markets. Direct trade between them could almost be ignored compared to trade between the three major industrial centers.

Therefore, Thomson did not think that East Africa would be interested in the Pacific islands, unless they were strategically important islands like Hawaii, and obviously, France did not have such a place.

Counselor Caoll said, "Then consider Guyana. Although Guyana is not small in area, it is mainly composed of tropical rainforests. It is very difficult for a tropical country in East Africa to develop such a place."

Thomson said: "But Guyana is also an important base for France in South America. At least I think there is a possibility that France will return to South America in the future. It is not as far away from us as those colonies in the Pacific."

According to Thomson's idea, France would have to resume its overseas expansion after the war, and the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean could basically be abandoned.

As a result, the only place where France can expand is South America. The main reason is that there is no strong country in South America. Although the United States, East Africa, and even France’s suspected ally Britain all have a strong influence in South America, this also means that the situation in South America will be chaotic in the future, and France may be able to fish in troubled waters.

So Thomson said: "Today, France is facing a very passive situation. Even if we can defeat the Germans in the future, we still have to compete with Britain, the United States, and East Africa."

"So we need to leave more options for France. Africa is one, Southeast Asia is another, and South America is the last choice."

"Africa, whether North Africa or West Africa, is the foundation for France to return to being a world power in the future. The biggest gap between us and emerging world powers such as the United States and East Africa is the area of ​​our territory."

"If we can complete the integration of North Africa and West Africa, France will still be a top power in the world." "In Southeast Asia, we have invested a lot in Indochina, and with this place as our base, we have a huge influence on Siam and the Far East Empire, so the importance of this place to us is second only to Africa."

"Finally, there is South America. It is obviously unlikely to develop colonies in South America, but I also don't think that Britain, the United States, and East Africa can monopolize the South American market."

"After the war, the disputes among the three countries, as well as the demands of the South American countries themselves, made it possible for us to make a difference in South America."

Counselor Cahors and others also agreed with Thomson's statement, mainly because France has become increasingly unable to cope with the struggle for world hegemony in recent years.

Once upon a time, the French believed that Germany was their mortal enemy, which was indeed correct. However, even if they could get rid of Germany, France would still be in a state of decline, especially in competition with other countries.

The country that poses the greatest threat to France, apart from Germany, is France's current ally, the British. The conflict between France and Germany is nothing more than European hegemony, but as long as the British exist, France will never be able to completely control the whole of Europe.

Failure to seize European hegemony means failure to compete with emerging powers outside the region, such as the United States and East Africa.

For the French, the safest way is to digest the colonies in North Africa and West Africa. If the African colonies can be integrated, the land area of ​​France will reach millions of square kilometers. Although this is quite different from Russia, East Africa and the United States, it will not be too different.

Moreover, the African colonies are only separated from the French mainland by the Mediterranean Sea. For France, the distance from the Mediterranean Sea is not far at all. This is also the reason why France wanted to localize Algeria in the past.

Thomson said: "So, our next consideration is further narrowed down. Madagascar and Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, or some islands in the Caribbean, and even the colonies in India can negotiate with East Africa."

“Although India is a piece of fat meat, if we introduce East Africa there, it will only be the British who will have a headache. Anyway, our interests in India are almost negligible.”

It has to be said that France and Britain, two rivals, spared no effort in digging holes for each other. France's Indian colonies were nothing more than a few commercial outposts.

But really handing these strongholds over to East Africa is no different from putting a rat into a rice jar. After all, there is no country in the world that does not covet India's lucrative colony.

As if thinking of this, Thomson said: "Let's use India as bait to lure East Africa. Our interests in India are very small. Even if we really give it up, it will not cause any trouble, and it will also cause trouble for the British."

"Hehe, the British were greedy during their overseas colonization, so they will have to bear the consequences now, especially in the Indian Ocean region, where the British have the greatest interests. And this is exactly where East Africa has its eyes on, so conflicts are bound to break out between the two countries."

"So we don't mind adding fuel to the fire in the Indian Ocean."

France did make efforts in the Indian Ocean in the past, but it was basically unable to compete with the British, as can be seen from France's colonies in the Indian Ocean.

Egypt was originally a French colony, but if even the Suez Canal fell into the hands of Britain, France would only have Djibouti, but there was the larger British Somaliland next to it and the British Gulf of Aden colony opposite.

In the Persian Gulf, the British also had a monopoly, and even more so in India, while France only had a few islands such as Madagascar in the southwest corner of the Indian Ocean. However, even in the southeast corner of the Indian Ocean, Britain still occupied the South African colony.

(End of this chapter)