Two o'clock struck on the afternoon of July 11th. The skies above Kurihama Beach were clear, the sun beating down on the sandy shores where an unusual event was unfolding. French troops, dressed in their navy blue uniforms adorned with gold trims, were forming a neat procession along the coastline.
At the front of the formation, the conductor, a tall man with a distinctive mustache, raised his baton, signaling the commencement of the fanfare. The opening notes of the French National Anthem, "Chant du Depart," began to resonate. Brass instruments gleamed under the sunlight, producing a rich, harmonious sound that echoed across the beach and into the town beyond.
