Consolidation of Southern Vietnam
The French officers enlisted by Pigneau helped to train Nguyen Anh's armed forces and introduced Western technological expertise to the war effort. The navy was trained by Jean Marie Dayot, who supervised the construction of bronze-plated naval vessels. Olivier de Puymanel was responsible for training the army and the construction of fortifications. He taught the troops various methods of manufacturing and using European-style artillery and introduced European infantry formations and tactics. Pigneau and other missionaries acted as business agents for Nguyen Anh, purchasing munitions and other military supplies. Pigneau also served as an advisor and de facto foreign minister until his death in 1799. Upon Pigneau's death, Gia Long's funeral oration described the Frenchman as "the most illustrious foreigner ever to appear at the court of Cochinchina". Pigneau was buried in the presence of the crown prince, all mandarins of the court, the royal bodyguard of 12,000 men and 40,000 mourners.
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“Democracy is morose, and runs to anarchy, but in the state, and in the schools, it is indispensable to resist the consolidation of all men into a few men.”
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