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So if the French had seized the Pescadores early on in the fighting (either shortly after or before landing on Formosa), would they have stood a better chance at comprehensively defeating the Chinese forces? To me, it seems like the Keelung Campaign as it played out IOTL could've been improved for the French at a great many junctions despite the seemingly endemic incompetence that plagued them throughout the Campaign.

And if there had been undisputed military victory on Formosa, would the seizure and occupation of the port towns provide a handy bargaining chip for the French as the war with China winded down?
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