Chapter 280: Opening a South Asian Front
When Joseph saw the list of supplies and the costs associated with deploying the troops, he was instantly overwhelmed. The expenses for the first batch of 10,000 soldiers alone exceeded 500,000 livres. And this was just the cost of getting the troops from France to Tunisia. Once they arrived, they would need a continuous supply of food, materials, and other essentials, amounting to at least 400,000 livres per month. If any battles occurred, the costs could skyrocket, potentially reaching 1 million livres per month or more.
Joseph frowned as he calculated. Adding a second batch of 10,000 soldiers, along with the Moulins Corps, these forces would cost over 10 million livres per year just to station in Tunisia!
Slamming the documents down on the small table, Joseph cursed under his breath. The British had certainly found a way to be a massive thorn in his side. After all the effort to secure Tunisia, now he had to pour money into maintaining stability there.
He thought about relying on steady development to build up a local Tunisian army, eventually handing over defense duties to them. But that was at least three to five years away. Meanwhile, the looming threat of war in Tunisia would discourage French settlers from moving there, drastically slowing down development efforts.
Joseph wracked his brain for a solution. Could he perhaps bribe Morocco to withdraw its troops? No, that would only embolden Morocco, and the British might even increase their involvement, leading to an even bigger mess.
Could he pressure Russia into threatening the Ottomans, forcing them to abandon Tripoli? That didn't seem realistic either. Russia was currently embroiled in the Seventh Russo-Swedish War, which wouldn't end until the middle of next year. Having just signed a peace treaty with the Ottomans and gained significant benefits, Russia would be reluctant to provoke another conflict.
Frustrated by his inability to find a viable solution, Joseph rubbed his forehead and sighed deeply. "Why does Britain have to exist as this perpetual troublemaker?"
"Troublemaker?" Eymond, sitting across from him, was momentarily puzzled but then smiled knowingly. "That's a very fitting description, Your Highness. Stirring up trouble is indeed what the British do best. That's why every ambitious French king has wanted to give them a good beating."
Joseph thought to himself, I'd love to give the British a good beating right now…
Beat the British? Suddenly, something clicked in his mind. Yes! Instead of focusing on defending Tunisia, which had trapped his thinking in a defensive mindset, he should go on the offensive and hit the British where it hurt!
A great strategist once said, "You fight your battle, and I'll fight mine." He shouldn't engage the British on their terms but should instead find their weak spot and strike hard.
With renewed energy, Joseph pulled out a map and spread it across the small table, scanning for potential targets.
North America? No, there weren't many opportunities there. The United States was too small and weak and had been flirting with the British, so they couldn't be relied upon.
The Caribbean? Not a good idea. Anywhere that required a strong navy would still favor the British for now.
Australia? The British hadn't invested much there yet. Even if he wiped them out, it wouldn't hurt them much.
India? As his eyes settled on the upside-down triangle of the Indian subcontinent, Joseph's eyes lit up.
The crown jewel of the British Empire, wasn't it? He could shatter it!
If he remembered correctly, the Third Anglo-Mysore War was set to begin by the end of this year. Historically, Tipu Sultan fought alone and was eventually defeated by the British, who had allied with various Indian states. But this time, Tipu would have the support of his French friends!
The Kingdom of Mysore in southwestern India was one of the strongest forces on the subcontinent and had always been at odds with the British. Any Indian prince with a shred of pride would be opposed to the British slowly taking over India. Of course, there were plenty of Indian princes without such pride.
In 1789, the Dutch East India Company was preparing to exit India and sold two forts to the Travancore Kingdom in southern India. These forts, however, were on Mysore's territory. Tipu Sultan, furious at the news—especially since he had long had disputes with the Travancore Kingdom—launched an attack on Travancore after negotiations failed, quickly occupying part of the border between the two kingdoms. Interestingly, Travancore had good relations with France, and many French soldiers were lost in this battle.
Unable to defeat Mysore, the Travancore king sought help from the British. The East India Company's governor-general in India, Lord Cornwallis, declared that Indian states were under British protection and that Mysore's attack on Travancore was equivalent to declaring war on the East India Company. Cornwallis then rallied Indian states like Maratha, Madras, and Hyderabad to unite in a campaign against Mysore.
Tipu Sultan led the Mysore army in a two-and-a-half-year struggle against the British, winning some battles but ultimately succumbing to the overwhelming might of the British and their allies. After this, no force on the subcontinent could challenge British dominance, and India became a British playground.
However, Tipu Sultan had some opportunities. His father, Hyder Ali, had spent 30 years training a modern army, employing European officers, and building a force that included cavalry and artillery, making it a formidable opponent. Without the British, the other Indian states would have stood no chance against Mysore.
But Tipu Sultan had a major flaw: he wasn't tolerant enough of Hinduism, which alienated the Hindu states. Additionally, Tipu was overly aggressive, always aiming for a decisive victory against the British, forgetting his biggest advantage—home-ground defense, which allowed for both offensive and defensive maneuvers. This led to a series of tactical mistakes that, despite initial successes, left him vulnerable to a British surprise attack that resulted in his ultimate defeat.
If France could provide Mysore with some support, and perhaps send a few officers to help Tipu avoid these mistakes, they might just teach the British a harsh lesson!
As Joseph considered this plan, everything started to fall into place. By the time his carriage reached southeast Montpellier, he had a clear strategy. He put down his pen, smiling with satisfaction. Once India was set ablaze, the British might lose interest in causing trouble in Tunisia.
He then picked up the report from the General Staff and continued reading.
After the plan to reinforce Tunisia, there were updates from Berthier on the development of the General Staff. In summary, the department was starting to function effectively. Recruitment and training were the first priorities, along with expanding the Paris Police Academy and integrating other military schools.
(End of Chapter)
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