Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 178 The I-Siam War
"I regret the attack on your merchant ships in Siam. Rest assured, the British Empire has always stood on the side of civilization."

On the British ship HMS Glory outside Siam were two important officials: Roy Nelson, the East India Company’s head of external affairs, and Anwar Idris, the Iranian representative.

Britain never gave up on expanding its colonies eastward, and the East India Company was their henchman. In 1822, the East India Company went to war with Burma.

The heavy cost to Britain in terms of manpower and resources during this war significantly influenced the terms it proposed in the treaty. Approximately 40000 British and Indian troops participated, with 15000 killed in action. The £1300 million war expenditure was almost devastating for the finances of British India. The war resulted in a severe economic crisis for British India. By 1833, several Bengal agencies had gone bankrupt, and the East India Company was on the verge of collapse.

In pursuit of greater gains, Britain launched the Second Burma War in 1852, penetrating deeper into the Burmese interior. It also set its sights on Siam, the most important country on the peninsula.

"Your country is truly a model of world civilization. Uncivilized countries like Siam need to be baptized by civilization, and only Britain has the strength to do so."

"You are too modest. Your country performed exceptionally well in the war against Russia. My colleagues all said after seeing it, 'Isn't this Napoleon reborn?'"

Anwar laughed; this was far too much flattery. If it weren't for mutual interests, the two countries probably wouldn't have reached this agreement.

Iran initially intended to annex Siam entirely, but this was clearly unrealistic. British interests would be severely infringed upon, even if Siam ceded some territory.

Therefore, Iran decided to use the second option, forcing Siam to cede land in the eastern Mekong River region, as well as places such as Battambang claimed by Cambodia, in order to compel Siam to open its ports.

Meanwhile, Britain also turned its attention to the East. Burma was already in its grasp, and it would be even better if Siam could be opened up.

Meanwhile, within the Qing Dynasty, they had already engaged in some negotiations with the separatist regimes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. In their report to the government, they stated:
"We have a responsibility to point out their indifference toward foreigners; it is extremely cold, and in their arrogance and self-importance, they even surpass the arrogant and conceited officials of the current regime."

They were not a consolidated regime eager to develop commerce and exploit its resources, but merely a military organization waging war against the existing government, striving for superiority, and declaring their intention to annihilate the Manchu dynasty. To be precise, trade was entirely nonexistent.

Europeans no longer sought out new intelligence about themselves. They had begun to focus on events in Guangzhou and elsewhere, events that offered greater hope for their interests.

In March 1853, the Jiangsu governor ordered the former Tongshunhang merchants and then-comprador official, the Shanghai Daotai, to request assistance from the consuls of Britain, the United States, and France in Shanghai, demanding that foreign warships enter the Yangtze River to help the Qing army defend Nanjing. Taking advantage of the situation, the British consul sent an urgent letter to the Governor of Hong Kong, suggesting that "Great Britain alone, or the three powerful nations possessing fleets, should unite to stop this devastating war."

Their enthusiasm for helping the Qing Dynasty suppress the rebellion stemmed from a desire to gain more profits. After the opening of five ports to trade, British capitalists, especially textile factory owners, were optimistic that "if each of them needed only one cotton nightcap per year, no more, then the existing factories in England would not be able to supply them."

However, reality did not meet the expectations of the Western bourgeoisie. Although trade with Qing China increased from Britain and the United States in the initial years after the opening of the five ports, the traditional local economy was far from collapsing, and resistance to Western goods remained extremely strong. Demand for foreign goods in most rural areas remained negligible, and the market for Western goods in the Far East did not expand rapidly. About ten years after the end of the war, Britain and the United States were no longer satisfied with their acquired privileges and eagerly desired to gain more rights and expand their markets. Therefore, starting in 1853, Britain, the United States, France, and other countries began to demand treaty revisions from Qing China.

Therefore, Britain will not only not stop Iran's actions here, but will also support them. This is why they are discussing this here.

"In any case, we thank your country for supporting our legitimate needs. Siam needs to be punished, while Iran and Britain will benefit."

"This is exactly what we want to see. The world should be ruled by civilization, not barbarism. It's great that your country recognizes this."

I wonder if your country is interested in visiting the Qing Dynasty; their government still needs the evolution of civilization.

Anwar rejected the proposal, ostensibly because Iran had no desire to wage war thousands of miles away; in reality, this also reflected the Shah's intentions. War with the Qing Dynasty was absolutely out of the question; as for other countries, it didn't matter. After all, they all had a certain degree of arrogance about them.

In the following days, Iran pressured Rama IV to agree to six demands, including opening more borders, facilitating trade, and granting consular jurisdiction. Unsurprisingly, all of these were rejected.

Britain also pressured Siam to comply with Iran's demands. But King Rama IV remained firm and refused to budge.

After the deadline, Iran led an expeditionary force of 2000 men and a Khmer army of 10000 to the Siamese border, and the Iran-Siam War broke out.

Muhammad led his army to the Battambang region, where they encountered the largest lake on the way—Ton Sali Lake. The surrounding area was covered by forests, which made their advance difficult.

Thanks to Khmer guides and soldiers, they traversed the region unscathed and reached Battambang. Mohammed demanded surrender, which they refused. The legion then attacked Battambang; although some civilians resisted bravely, the city fell two days later due to a lack of defensive preparations. All Siamese officials were captured.

Meanwhile, the Kingdoms of Champasak and Luang Prabang, which had been in contact for several years, also secretly exerted pressure, inciting their people to beat the Siamese envoys. They were already dissatisfied with Siam's policies and were very welcoming of Iran's arrival.

In their view, Iran at most wanted their money and rule, while Siam and South Vietnam wanted their complete submission. They chose the lesser of two evils, and Iran also offered to help them with development, in exchange for all the local economic benefits.

In any case, it's all about protection. As long as we can get rid of the influence of our two "living fathers," it's not a bad thing to let Iran come. This is also why Iran wants to expand into the region.

(End of this chapter)