Start 1861: I Just Inherited the Dutch Throne

In September 1880, Joseph Beit, the Socialist Foreign Minister of the Dutch ruling coalition cabinet, visited Bangkok, the capital of the Kingdom of Siam, where he was received by King Chulalongkorn.

Although Chulalongkorn was only 27 years old, he had already succeeded to the throne for 5 years in 1873 and began to rule personally in 1873 (Siam was 20 years old at the time and has been in power for 7 years now. The entire Kingdom of Siam has It is in his hands, and because of this, he is very worried about the current difficulties facing the Kingdom of Siam.

Facing Joseph Beit in front of him, he said without hesitation: "Internationally, to the west of Siam, the British interpreted India and incorporated Burma into British India through the Anglo-Burmese War. To the south, the British A Straits colony was established on the Malay Peninsula, close to the southern gate of Siam (Thailand). In the east, France also made North and South Vietnam its protectors through two wars, and further Extending its giant claws to Cambodia, because of our vigorous resistance back then, France still allowed France to occupy East Cambodia as its own.

Neighboring kingdoms fell one by one, and the Kingdom of Siam seemed unable to protect itself. Even the previous suzerain country, the Qing Dynasty, could not protect itself at this time. Before, the Kingdom of Siam still carried the imprint of the Middle Ages and was operating ineffectively. Until the Netherlands in the late 1960s, with the support of your country, the Netherlands, our economy developed. "

Chula Longkorn (King Rama V) said with a bitter look on his face: "The biggest difficulty at present is to defend our territory. As the leader of the Netherlands' diplomacy, you understand clearly. With the rise of Britain and France, especially The threat from France is becoming more and more serious. If we do not reform, the Kingdom of Siam may lose its independent and free international status."

He looked up at Bait and said hopefully: "Britain and France are threatening Siam's security. If we don't change the administration enough, I think it will endanger our security and make us lose the right to rule the country."

Joseph Beit has been quietly listening to the "true words" of the only native king in Southeast Asia who still holds sovereignty.

From the beginning of his father Rama IV to the early days of his reign, the father and his son struggled to deal with Britain, France, Germany and the Netherlands. Both countries wanted to annex Siam, but were concerned about each other's situation, making the Kingdom of Siam become the sphere of influence of Britain and France. The buffer zone has temporarily maintained its independence, but this is not a long-term solution after all. Only by reforming its internal and diplomatic tendencies and conforming to the trend of history can it survive in the harsh law of the jungle.

After 1870, the Kingdom of Siam completely turned to Dutch diplomacy, which made Britain and France angry. If it were not for the full support of the Netherlands and France's heavy losses in the Cambodian War, the Kingdom of Siam would have been defeated long ago.

Now that Britain, France and the Netherlands have completely fallen out, the Kingdom of Siam is not afraid to follow in the footsteps of the Netherlands. Even after seeing the alliance between Spain and the Netherlands, it can't wait to form the Triple Alliance with the Netherlands and Spain. It can be seen that Chulalong Gong's How eager was the King of Siam to use Spain and the Netherlands to fight against the British and French.

"Our Majesty knows what His Majesty the King of Siam thinks. Because of this, we admire His Majesty's loyalty to the Netherlands as an ally. Therefore, we will stand behind the Kingdom of Siam every time and fully support your position."

"Before, the relationship between the Netherlands and Britain and France was neither good nor bad, so there were some things that we could only do but not say. But now that era of silence has passed. Now that the feud between Britain and the Netherlands has been made public, there are things that we could not do in the past. Everything has been solved now," Joseph Bait said.

Chulalongkorn frowned and asked, "What do you mean, Sir Beit?"

Joseph Beit said without hesitation: "Our Majesty hopes that the Kingdom of Siam will transfer the jurisdiction south of Chumphon on the Malay Peninsula to the Netherlands."

Chulalongkorn frowned: "The Netherlands wants to take away all our access to the Indian Ocean."

After speaking, he showed some anger. As a top regional power in Southeast Asia, the Kingdom of Siam now has half of Cambodia in the east occupied by France, and Laos in the north east of the Mekong River. Two-thirds of Laos is occupied, and Canada Together, this caused the Kingdom of Siam to lose one-third of the entire Kingdom of Siam.

Joseph Beit: "We only want military management rights and have no claim to territorial sovereignty."

Joseph Beit persuaded patiently: "The Netherlands always likes to adopt a consultation approach with its allies. Cooperation makes money and will not buy or sell by force. I know that His Majesty is afraid that the people of the Kingdom of Siam will be resentful and damage His Majesty's popularity. , Your Majesty, please rest assured about this, we have already prepared a solution."

Chulalongkorn's questioning gaze came to him, and Joseph Beit said without changing his face: "The Netherlands is willing to rent this part of the Kingdom of Siam in exchange for things on the issue of leasing."

Chulalongkorn breathed a sigh of relief. He was afraid that the Netherlands would come hard, although he knew that William IV usually used soft power.

After heaving a sigh of relief, he hurriedly asked: "What would Holland be willing to give in exchange for this place?"

Guyana in the Americas?

Chulalongkorn shook his head. It was the only legitimate territory of the Netherlands in the Americas, and it was also the most important base for the Netherlands to intervene in the southwest Atlantic of South America. The Netherlands should not take action easily.

For example, when he studied politics and economics at the University of Melbourne for two years, he was very familiar with the Dutch world territory. Although Guyana is barren, its location is key.

Just like the seemingly desolate Alaska Peninsula, it looks worthless, but its location is very important to the Dutch hegemony in the Pacific, so the Netherlands will not let it go.

There is no need to think about New Zealand, which is the guardian island that protects the Netherlands in the heart of Australia.

Sumatra?

It is better not to exchange it. Sumatra Island has more value than the part of the Kingdom of Siam on the Malay Peninsula that is to be returned.

Is it New Guinea?

Thinking of this, Chulalongkorn directly denied it.

Are you kidding me? It is the largest naval factory in the Netherlands and the most important construction base for Dutch surface ships. It also has complete military and industrial facilities. The Netherlands would be willing to give it to the Kingdom of Siam in exchange for part of the Kingdom of Siam on the Malay Peninsula. ?

Absolutely impossible. After all, the western part of the Malay Peninsula is still a British colony of Burma, and the eastern Malaya and Singapore are in British hands. On the contrary, the island of New Guinea has been operated by the Netherlands for decades and is deeply rooted.

, whoever changes is a fool.

After thinking about it, he couldn't guess where the territory that the Netherlands wanted to exchange was. In the end, he could only focus on Joseph Beit and wait for the answer.

Joseph Beit understood that he was almost hanging, so he took out a map and showed it in front of Chulalongkorn. The fingers of his right hand pointed to an area in the middle of the eastern part of the West African continent across the Indian Ocean from the Malay Peninsula, and announced the answer. Said: "The place we are willing to take out is..."