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How does Gulliver help Lilliput defend itself against Blefuscu?

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Illustration of Lemuel Gulliver lying on the ground, tied down by tiny Lilliputians, with crowds and small buildings in the background, from Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels. — Gulliver’s Travels Lemuel Gulliver in Lilliput, illustration from an edition of Jonathan Swift's *Gulliver's Travels*.

In Jonathan Swift’s novel Gulliver’s Travels, Gulliver assists the Lilliputians in their war against the neighboring empire of Blefuscu by capturing the Blefuscudian naval fleet. By seizing these ships, he effectively prevents an invasion of Lilliput.1

However, despite his success in neutralizing the threat, Gulliver refuses to help the emperor of Lilliput conquer Blefuscu entirely. The conflict between the two nations is rooted in a disagreement over religious doctrine—specifically, which end of an egg should be broken—which serves as a satirical commentary on the political and religious disputes of Swift's time.12