Chapter 472 Preparing for War
The main military task in East Africa in 1877 was to increase security investment in the South African region. Only the Cape Town Colony around East Africa had the ability to launch a modern large-scale war involving more than ten thousand people in East Africa.
Especially after the Cape Colony merged with the Orange Free State, this gave Britain access to an excellent source of Boer troops, especially those residents of the former Transvaal Republic.
If military expenditures and weapons and equipment are sufficient, the British can mobilize tens of thousands of combat troops in the former Orange Free State area.
East Africa has quietly increased the number of troops in South Africa to about 50,000. Due to the Eastern Development Agreement after the last war, East Africa reduced the number of troops in the border areas, so this time East Africa used the New Hamburg Port. Wenburg and Sechen (formerly the Grigualand region) were the centers, with three divisions deployed. At the same time, an elite division and two cavalry divisions were deployed in Hechingen Province (formerly the Republic of Transvaal).
At the same time, the construction of military strongholds was strengthened along the Orange River and Tugela River. In the South African region, more than 200 large and small military fortresses were built in accordance with the European model in East Africa.
“We must be prepared for a long-term war. Each military stronghold must store grain, water, and ammunition, conduct detailed surveys of the surrounding terrain, and maintain good communication with other combat units.” Enns. Te told the senior army generals.
“Your Highness, does Cape Town really dare to launch a war against us?”
Ernst replied: “It can only be said that it is possible, because the choice is not on our side. Cape Town has no idea. I just don’t know if the British have any idea about East Africa.”
“But in that area of South Africa, apart from the areas around Cape Town and Natal, there is not much value to be honest. , the climate is not as humid as other areas, and the British will go to war with us over that piece of bad land!”
Ernst: "It depends on the specific standards. No matter how bad the land in South Africa is, is it worse than Australia and Canada? The Australian desert and the Canadian forest and snowfield can be eaten by the British, not to mention South Africa's rich grassland."
Of course, what Ernst said is biased. The British in Australia and Canada only developed areas with superior conditions. As for the deserts and ice sheets, they were easily occupied and there were no threats around them, so there was no need to send any troops. If people are stationed, there will naturally be no additional burden. Just shout and occupy a piece of land. Even a fool can do this kind of free prostitution.
“Moreover, the meaning of South Africa’s existence is different. Cape Town’s importance to the UK will not be abandoned just because the Suez Canal is opened. It is still an important strategic fulcrum, so it is a threat to the UK. Even if the British mainland doesn’t care about the power in Cape Town, I believe Cape Town itself will pay attention to it.”
The four British colonies, India, Canada, Australia and Cape Town, all have certain influence. Autonomy, local British immigrants also have their own interests. In order to increase their own power and wealth, they are also more active in external expansion. A typical example is the Indian colonies that are firing left and right in Asia.
The existence of East Africa itself is a threat to Cape Town. Not only that, but now East Africa also threatens Egypt and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, so Ernst does not believe that the British will let East Africa go. It is only a matter of time. , what East Africa can deal with is to prepare for war.
Preparation is preparation. It is hard to say whether the British will take action themselves. And even if the British choose to take action, whether they will fight a small war or a big war, where they will fight, and how long they will fight cannot be confirmed.
So the mobilization in East Africa this time is not too strong. What Ernst wants is that if the Cape Town area suddenly launches an attack on East Africa, East Africa must first stabilize the front and then have a fight with the United Kingdom. War of attrition.
A complete breakup with the United Kingdom is something that no country can do in this era. Take the United States as an example. The United States is now large enough, industrially developed enough, and separated from Europe by the Atlantic Ocean, but In front of Britain and France, he can only be a grandson.
If Ernst really wants to offend Britain to death, Germany and Austria will have to end up, but this only means fighting against Britain. If it is a world war, Germany and Austria alone will not be enough, unless Germany and Austria It's almost enough to have one of the great powers join the camp. Although the current land area of East Africa is very large, it is still far behind the great powers in other aspects, and it may be at the level of two Belgiums.
"If war comes, our response strategy is to neither be too radical nor too weak, turn a short-term war into a long-term war, consume the enemy's national power and strive for international status."
International status is all Although you can win respect by making friends, in the face of national interests, feelings are not persuasive. Relatives can turn against you for the sake of interests, so only strength is the last word. Even if others are harsh in words, your body is honest.
In the previous life, the Boers made Germany see the weakness of the British through the Boer War. Although it later turned out that the British sword was not old, and it relied on its strong national power to bury Germany's European hegemony, but the British also lost achieved world dominance.
“If war is inevitable, I hope it will break out in South Africa. We are not afraid of fighting a war of attrition, especially in South Africa.”
Although South Africa is important and particularly rich in resources, This cannot change the fact that South Africa is now a white land in East Africa, with almost no industry and agriculture. Therefore, Ernst will not feel bad if South Africa becomes a battlefield, because the enemy has almost no way to attack East Africa's industry, agriculture, and cities in South Africa.
The Orange Free State is gone, and South Africa is East Africa's own buffer zone. Within this area, East Africa can freely fight the invaders, and there is no need to worry about civilian problems. After all, there are not many immigrants in South Africa as a whole.
As long as South Africa does not lose, East Africa can rely on the Central Railway to continuously provide blood transfusions to the battlefield from the rear.
In fact, East Africa can also gather a large force and pull up an army of one million to directly overthrow Cape Town. However, this is not in line with Ernst’s expectations, let alone the huge war that East Africa will bear. costs, delaying development in East Africa. This is also not conducive to consuming the energy of the British. In case the British are scared away, moving the battlefield from land to sea is a dimensionality reduction blow to East Africa.
So if a war breaks out between the two countries, Ernst's purpose is to give the British Army the illusion that I can fight it! As long as the parliament allocates more military spending, every day can be a good news.
At the same time, East Africa can also use war to improve and test the strength of the East African Army. To be honest, Ernst has always been doubtful about the combat effectiveness of the East African Army, because East Africa has fought too many smooth battles and has not fought with the real Strong enemies have fought against each other.
The British are a good target. If it is the army of Germany, France, Russia and Austria, it is worth all the efforts of East Africa. If it is the British Army, then the emphasis must be dropped to a level. The British Army is strong but not strong. Condition, a fine whetstone.
Of course, the ability of war to promote the economy cannot be underestimated. If a war breaks out, East Africa's industry can also develop around the war, testing East Africa's industrial system management capabilities, especially the development of military industry.
Of course, Ernst is not a war maniac. It would be best if a war does not break out between the two countries. Peaceful development is the best choice for East Africa. As long as the land and population of East Africa are slowly accumulated, it only needs It will definitely become a world power in a few decades, but East Africa has been involved in the vortex of major world changes, and the choice is not in East Africa's hands.
So Ernst finally concluded: "I will not attack others unless they attack me; if they attack me, I will attack them. We in East Africa are not hostile to Britain (that's strange), but when the war broke out, the advantage It must be on our side.”
(End of this chapter)