In a previous episode.
We covered the largely forgotten US expedition to Korea in 1871, caused after a massacre
of an American merchant crew some years previous.
But, this wasn't the first time that the nation would be invaded in an effort to open it up
to Western Powers.
Yet, unlike similar efforts in Japan.
Korea managed to actually beat back this invader, and prolonged their isolationism for another
decade to come.
This is, the French Invasion of Korea.
Western Missionaries started arriving in Korea at the start of the 19th century, largely
through the limited trade routes with Qing China and with missionaries stealthing their
way across the border into Korea proper.
Bishop Sim on-Fran ois Berneux would be appointed as the head of the Korean Catholic Church
in 1856, having a congregation of roughly 17,000 Koreans that had converted.
Originally, the government had turned a blind eye to the expansion of the Catholic Church
in their nation.
But that changed quickly after Heungseon Daewongun became regent in 1864.
When he took power, Daewongun was determined to reform the government and strengthen their
central control.
He would lead an anti-corruption campaign, disciplining the royal clans, and increased
taxes on the aristocracy.
While these economic reforms weren't particularly successful, his foreign policy was purely
isolationist, and he forced through actions to isolate his nation from the rest of the
world, which included a suspetion and hostility towards the Catholic religion.
These policies created a swell of patriotism and unity within Korea, but it massively stalled
any potential industrialization, and heavily limited it's economic abilities outside of
the limited Chinese trade.
In January of 1866, Russian vessels would arrive off the coast of Korea, demanding that
they open up their ports and give residency rights.
The Christians within the court, came to Daewongun with the proposal of a potential alliance
between France and Korea against the Russian aggression.
Daewongun agreed to the meeting But, this ended up being a ruse, and when Sim on Berneux
entered the capital to discuss terms, he was captured and executed, with a greater roundup
of French priests and converts starting after the execution.
The reason behind the crackdown on Catholic members, was largely by fearing that similar
unrest that occurred in China would occur in Korea, such as the Taiping Rebellion, a
rebellion that was largely fueled by Christian fervor, and a fear that Western nations would
use the greater acceptance of the religion, as a pretext for invasion.
It was also feared that the crop failures of 1865 could become a basis for greater adoption
of the religion.
Roughly 10,000 Koreans would be executed from this crackdown, and all but three French missionaries
would be as well.
In June of 66, a Frenchmen by the name of F lix Ridel managed to escape and fled to
Yantai in North Eastern China.
Here, The French Far Eastern Commander, a Rear Admiral Pierre-Gustave Roze, got word
of the massacre, and became determined to launch a punitive expedition against the Koreans.
He got the backing of the French consults within the far east without consent from the
mainland.
But he was limited to the men that he had on hand.
Due to the lack of information about Korea, even including Navigation charts.
Roze conducted a multitude of surveying expeditions, focused primarily around the Korean Capital
of Seoul.
From these, he concluded that a direct attack against the fortified capital was unwise.
Largely due to his limited force of 1,000 men, and large hulled ships that couldn't
easily navigate the shallow Han River.
Instead, he opted to occupy Ganghwa Island, which commanded the entrance to the Han River.
Taking the island would block the waterway to the capital during the harvest season and
hopefully would be enough to enforce his demands on the Koreans.
Roze would leave his post at Yantai on October the 11th.
With him, would be the French frigate Guerri re, the two avios vessels Kien Chan and D
roul de.
Plus a smattering of smaller class ships.
Accompanying him, would be 300 Naval Fusiliers from the French base in Japan, as well as
his forces from the Chinese mainland.
All total, Roze would have roughly 900 seasoned men for his expedition.
Roze would arrive off of the coast on October the 14th, landing 140 men at the coastal town
of Deokseong-ri, and began a march overland towards Ganghawado in the center of the island.
By the 16th, the city would fall with limited fighting, with the Korean militia and civilians
fleeing to the mainland.
For the next week, the French forces would be reinforced to 400 men with more fusiliers.
They engaged in nearly a dozen skirmishes surrounding Ganghawdo, taking lightly defended
villages and forts along the main roadways to the East and South.
Within Ganghawdo itself, they would find a large quantity of silver and munitions, as
well as nearly 300 volumes of The Royal Uigwe books, a very lengthy series of written records
about the Joseon Dynasty over the centuries.
These, as well as some other artifacts, would be transported back to Mainland France, with
the books only returning to Korea in 2011, on a renewable lease.
On October the 26th, a reconnaissance party of 160 lands on the mainland, to the south
of the Munsusanseong fortress, the main fortification that lay along the roadway towards Seoul.
Here, the Koreans laid an ambush for the French, firing upon them as they neared a forward
gate, inflicting three dozen casualties before being driven back into the fortress proper.
Cannon were drawn up to bombard the fortress, but Korean reinforcements were fast approaching
from the south east, and the French retreated off the mainland.
At the same time, rumors had spread of a large Korean army quickly advancing through southern
Ganghwa towards the occupied territory.
To confirm the reports, 120 men moved towards Cheondeung-sa, but once again, had entered
right into an ambush.
The area seemed abandoned, but Korean musket fire inflicted heavy damage to the French
column, forcing them to retreat.
With a fast approaching army that far outnumbered his own, Roze called off the expedition and
would leave the island by November the 12th.
While he attempted to claim a great victory for his minimal gains, it wasn't enough to
appease the European residents in China, and they called for a full on invasion the following
spring.
Roze did draw up for a future invasion, but word reached him that his men and ships were
to forestall any future conflict and return to the mainland, in part due to the French
losses from their intervention in Mexico.
This campaign, while ultimately minor and with relatively limited bloodshed, would prolong
the Korean isolationism for some time, but, as we always know from history.
You can only hide for so long, before one way or another.
You are forced to change course.