AHC: Design me a team to help modernise a country

[La Rouge Beret]

So in the event that a country became independent in 1850 + in the nineteenth century.

What advisers would a country need in order to modernise, including shipping, military and the economy.

This would also include foreign military mission... which countries would be so inclined?

 

[von Adler]

It depends a lot on where the country is, who has had influence there before and the politics of the country in question.

For example, Menelik II of Ethiopia brought in Russian advisors and bought Russian mountain artillery before the Battle of Adwa 1896. He bought some Hotchkiss revolver guns as well, but did not want French advisors - probably because they were subjugating North Africa at the time.

So, this country will be wanting advisors with good reputation from a country willing to send them, and from countries that do not have significant interests in colonising them.

In the 1850s, Britain has the best reputation for industry. Prussia and France have the best reputation for the army - although Switzerland for internal security/gendarme/police also works. Britain is good for trade and legal reform. Russia might be welcome if the nation is vast and has a lot of cavalry.

Sweden has a decent reputation for internal security, navy and shipping at this time (they did provide the advisors to form the modern Persian Gendarmerie, in essence a regular force to combat tribal forces). After the civil war, US advisors might be sought after.

The Dutch might be asked to help with trade, shipping and legal frameworks, considering their role in Japan.

So, here's your candidates;

Russia - army (especially cavalry).
Prussia - army.
Britain - industry, navy, shipping, trade, army.
France - industry, army.
USA - army, industry, shipping (after 1865).
The Netherlands - trade, shipping, navy.
Switzerland - internal security.
Sweden - internal security.

 

[La Rouge Beret]

Hmm thanks for the detailed response.

Well I am considering rebooting my Cambodian TL and restarting in the 19th century. My thoughts were originally for several former southern Union officers who decided to go abroad after the end of the Civil War as they no longer had a home.

As the French and British are both interested at increasing their respective colonial empires... I would be reluctant to turn to either. I had not thought of Sweden and I think that may offer an interesting option. You would be looking at a conservative government based around a constitutional monarchy.

 

[Minchandre]

As the French and British are both interested at increasing their respective colonial empires... I would be reluctant to turn to either.

While I understand the sentiment, do recall that British engineers are not the British Empire. I'm sure that a hypothetical modernizing Khmer Kingdom (or whatever) could find British and French advisors willing to work against the interests of their homelands.

 

[La Rouge Beret]

Yes perhaps a Scot or an Irishman...

 

[Uruk]

Hmm thanks for the detailed response.

Well I am considering rebooting my Cambodian TL and restarting in the 19th century. My thoughts were originally for several former southern Union officers who decided to go abroad after the end of the Civil War as they no longer had a home.

As the French and British are both interested at increasing their respective colonial empires... I would be reluctant to turn to either. I had not thought of Sweden and I think that may offer an interesting option. You would be looking at a conservative government based around a constitutional monarchy.

I would avoid France, Britain and The Netherlands as well due to their colonial ambitions, how about the Danes for Navy, Belgians for Industry and I would also get Swedes to help modernize the administration.

 

[La Rouge Beret]

Funny you should mention that, but I was also thinking about the Scandanavian powers. What about some of the smaller German states such as Bavaria, Saxony and Wurrtenberg?

What was the Danish Navy like at this time?

 

[von Adler]

The Danish navy was centered around a few steam screw frigates at the time. Enough to blockade the German Baltic and North Sea coast and fight the entire Austrian navy to a standstill 1864 (the Prussians had only a pair of gunboats), but hardly anything more than a local defence force.

Prussia did not rise to fame before the Franco-Prussian war - at least not outside Europe.

Russian presence might be viewed as part of a plan to increase their influence in Asia by the British, and they might move against it.

The best bet, IMHO, is the British not affiliated with the East India Company and perhaps Swiss and Swedes too.

 

[La Rouge Beret]

Originally my plan had been for the Russians to utilise a port as a coaling station. The question is how to do that without causing an upset to the international balance.

My thoughts would be Swedes, Danes and Belgians... smaller liberal countries that present little to no threat to the larger imperial countries in the region.