Introduction: A Colonial Outpost in Southern China

The story of Guangzhouwan (Kouang-Tchéou-Wan in French documents) represents one of the least examined chapters in China’s treaty port history. Established as a French leased territory in 1898 following Germany’s seizure of Jiaozhou Bay, this 1,300 square kilometer enclave on the Leizhou Peninsula became France’s smallest but strategically positioned foothold in southern China. Unlike the more famous concessions of Shanghai or the larger leased territories like German Qingdao, Guangzhouwan’s military establishment remained modest throughout its 47-year existence – a reflection of France’s limited ambitions and constrained resources in this remote corner of its colonial empire.

The Scramble for Concessions: Origins of French Guangzhouwan

The late 19th century witnessed an unprecedented imperialist scramble for Chinese territory following the Qing dynasty’s humiliating defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895). Germany’s seizure of Jiaozhou Bay in November 1897 triggered a chain reaction among European powers. Not to be outdone, France demanded its own concession, selecting a natural harbor on the Leizhou Peninsula that Chinese maps had long marked as Guangzhouwan.

On March 11, 1898, French minister to China Gérard submitted the formal lease request to the Zongli Yamen (Qing foreign ministry). Before proper boundary surveys could be conducted, the French Far East Squadron forcibly landed troops in April 1898, sparking violent clashes with local militia. The subsequent “Pingshi Incident” of November 1899, where French troops massacred Chinese villagers, broke the diplomatic deadlock. On November 16, 1899, the unequal “Convention Between France and China Respecting the Lease of Guangzhouwan” was signed, granting France a 99-year lease administered under French Indochina.

Building the Garrison: Structure of French Military Forces

The French military establishment in Guangzhouwan evolved through four distinct phases: initial occupation (1898-1900), consolidation (1900-1914), wartime drawdown (1914-1918), and interwar stagnation (1919-1941). At its peak in 1900, the garrison numbered approximately 1,440 men from diverse units:

### Regular Forces
– Colonial Infantry: Originally Marine Infantry (Troupes de la Marine) until 1900 reorganization. The 9th and 10th Marine Infantry Regiments from Tonkin and Annam participated in the initial occupation. By 1904, reduced to a single company of about 150 men based at Fort Bayard (modern Xiying).
– Artillery: Two batteries (equivalent to infantry companies) of 80mm mountain guns and M1855 cannons initially stationed, but withdrawn before WWI.
– Gendarmerie: Military police force peaking at 20 European officers by the 1920s.

### Indigenous Troops
– Tonkinese Rifles (“Red Sash Soldiers”): Vietnamese units under French command, forming the backbone of the garrison after 1905. Recognizable by their distinctive blue uniforms with red trim and traditional Salacco hats.
– Chinese Militia: Locally recruited forces that proved unreliable, with incidents of desertion leading to their disarmament in 1900.

### Paramilitary Forces
– Native Guard (“Blue Sash Soldiers”): 325-strong civil security force wearing earth-brown uniforms with blue waist sashes, dispersed across 10 outposts.
– Police (“Green Shirts”): 70 officers split between Fort Bayard and Chikan (modern Chikan District), handling urban policing and sanitation enforcement.

Life on the Edge: Daily Realities for the Garrison

Stationed in what one French officer described as “the most isolated post in our colonial empire,” the Guangzhouwan garrison faced extraordinary challenges. Medical reports from 1902 reveal shocking health conditions – in just four months, the base hospital treated 81 cases of venereal disease among only 500 troops. Annual outbreaks of plague, combined with malaria and dysentery, made service in Guangzhouwan a health hazard.

Recreation options proved scarce beyond the rudimentary tennis court at Fort Bayard. The 1920s brought some improvement with football matches between the “Red Sash” Tonkinese Rifles and visiting French naval crews, but alcoholism and opium addiction remained rampant. A few intellectually inclined officers like Lieutenant Stanislas Millot turned to scholarship, with Millot winning the prestigious Stanislas Julien Prize for his historical research on the region.

The Garrison in Action: Military Operations

### Internal Security
Guangzhouwan’s porous borders with Chinese territory made it a haven for bandits and pirates. The February 1901 attack on Fort Bayard’s barracks marked the beginning of a decade-long pacification campaign. Notable operations included:
– 1903: Rescue of five hostages from pirates by Captain Louis Gauthier’s detachment
– 1905: Coastal sweep capturing 130 pirates with naval support
– 1922: Joint Franco-Chinese operation against bandit leader Chen Zhenbiao (“Zao Jiasan”)

### External Threats
The garrison’s most serious test came during the Second Sino-Japanese War. As the last open port on China’s coast after 1938, Guangzhouwan became vital for Allied supply routes. Japanese pressure intensified until February 1943, when 6,800 Japanese troops overwhelmed the token French resistance (by then reduced to 133 men) in Operation Yo.

Armaments and Infrastructure: A Minimalist Approach

French military investment in Guangzhouwan remained strikingly modest compared to other concessions:
– Artillery: Never more than a few obsolete 80mm mountain guns
– Small Arms: Mainly M1886 Lebel and M1902 Berthier rifles for Europeans, older Gras models for indigenous troops
– Naval Presence: Usually just one antiquated patrol boat after 1900
– Fortifications: Basic barracks and small guard posts without heavy coastal batteries

The grandiose 1902 plan for a major naval base (budgeted at 30 million francs) was quietly abandoned, leaving only minor port facilities at Fort Bayard and a lighthouse on Naozhou Island.

The Final Act: War and Retrocession

World War II spelled the end of French Guangzhouwan. After the Japanese takeover in 1943, the French garrison became virtual prisoners. On March 10, 1945, the remaining 133 Franco-Vietnamese troops surrendered without resistance to Japanese forces. Following Japan’s surrender, the territory was formally returned to China on August 18, 1945, ending 47 years of French rule.

Legacy: Understanding the Guangzhouwan Model

The Guangzhouwan garrison’s history reveals much about French colonial priorities. Unlike the Germans in Qingdao or Russians in Port Arthur, France maintained only minimal forces sufficient for internal security rather than serious defense. This “economy of force” approach reflected Guangzhouwan’s secondary status compared to Indochina and the limited commercial returns from this remote outpost.

Today, the former Fort Bayard barracks and Naozhou lighthouse remain as physical reminders of this forgotten colonial garrison, while Guangzhouwan’s military history offers valuable insights into the complex realities of imperial power projection in coastal China.