The Central Railway, which runs through the Matabele Plateau, is hidden behind East Africa, and although the Portuguese knew that there was a railway in East Africa, they could not imagine that East Africa would lead the railway inland.

This involves their blind spot again, because railways without human flow and logistics are losing money, and Africa's population density and economic development level are too long to pay back, or no one wants to believe that an African country has such strength.

"After cutting off East Africa, Portugal takes away part of the territory in the middle, and we can declare an armistice, and it is still difficult to compete with East Africa with Portugal's strength alone." Clement also understands the principle of moderation, but even such an outcome is unacceptable in East Africa.

If East Africa knew what the French thought, it would have replied, what if it wanted to be good? The land says that if you want to divide it, you will divide it! Moreover, it is also a land in the middle part of East Africa, and even if the land is ceded and the compensation is paid, it will start from the edge, and how can it be cut from the middle.

And Clément has some wishful thinking, the French are used to showing off their power in the colonies, thinking that East Africa is also the kind of soft persimmon of the French colonies, fortunately, France is only playing the role of a villain who is slandering this time, and if he really participates in East Africa, he must break his bad teeth.

……

Schönbrunn Palace.

"Your Majesty, this morning the British diplomat has revealed to us that war will break out between Portugal and East Africa, so let us not intervene lightly."

"Hmm!" Franz was annoyed and said, "When did the British take charge of us?" They say don't meddle and don't meddle? ”

Franz didn't know that a war might break out between Portugal and East Africa, because the East African side hadn't revealed the news to him before, and the result was still from the British, but Britain's attitude made Franz very unhappy, everyone is the leader of the world order, at least Austria-Hungary doesn't think it's much worse than Britain, Britain still wants to command itself!

"Your Majesty, the behavior of the British just shows how much they attach importance to Africa, or rather to East Africa, which is clearly a threat to the interests of the British, so let them target East Africa so much."

Franz: "Hmph, does Britain think that we are in command of East Africa?" And their attitude is simply arrogant. ”

"There is no way to do this, in fact, the British control the Suez Canal, and at the same time there is a strong naval force in the Mediterranean, it is easy to cut off the connection between us and East Africa, and the Imperial Navy is naturally not enough to challenge the British, so Britain asked us not to interfere, we really can't do anything."

Therefore, the desire of Austria-Hungary for overseas colonization is not strong, although the naval strength is not weak, but it is blocked in the Adriatic Sea, if the establishment of overseas colonies, the navy is not capable of protection, it is easy to be cut off by Britain and France and other countries.

Of course, if Austria-Hungary learns from Germany's leftovers in the previous life, it is not impossible, but Austria-Hungary obviously pays more attention to the cost issue, and the more rotten land it takes, the more money it loses, after all, the colony also has to pay the cost of rule, if the colony income is not high, can it be expected that the local area will be upside down every year.

Why can East Africa gnaw a big bite in Africa, relying on efforts and opportunities, just seize the window period, and then expand step by step to today's point, although in East Africa's efforts, the local economy is very good, but after the efforts to grow fruits, there are always people who want to pick peaches.

"The more I say that, the more I want to see the British get deflated, how do you think we should support East Africa?" Franz asked.

"Your Majesty, do we really want to offend the British for the sake of East Africa?"

"What does it mean to offend the British for the sake of East Africa? I just can't swallow this breath, do you do whatever the British say? You are not a lower level of government in the UK! ”

"However, we really have no way to support East Africa, the geographical location of East Africa, no, to be precise, our geographical location is naturally limited to play a role only in Europe, East Africa is beyond the radiation range of the imperial army, as long as the British want to, we can't send a single shipload of supplies to East Africa."

It is indeed difficult for Britain to verbally threaten Austria-Hungary, both sides are world powers, and there is no one higher in status, but Britain's strength is indeed higher than Austria-Hungary, so the British dare to threaten Austria-Hungary in East Africa, as for why they threaten Austria-Hungary, it is because of the quasi-alliance treaty between East Africa and Austria.

A quasi-alliance is not an alliance, but from an outsider's point of view, the meaning is completely different, the British think that East Africa is the little brother of Austria-Hungary, and if they want to beat someone else's little brother, they must naturally settle the other side's big brother first.

Of course, out of "respect" for Austria-Hungary, the British will not end up, but just let Portugal and East Africa have a one-on-one challenge, which seems to be very fair, but Britain and France are biased, and Britain does not let Austria-Hungary interfere on the one hand, and on the other hand, it vigorously gives Portuguese military assistance.

"Moreover, we don't seem to have anything to support East Africa, whose weapons systems seem to be more similar to those of Germany, only artillery is the same as ours."

Weapons and equipment must be the first choice for military aid, but it is clear that East Africa has a self-contained arms supply system, and East Africa can also be self-sufficient in other aspects, and Austria-Hungary really does not know how to help East Africa.

Franz had no choice but to personally go to the East African ambassador to Austria-Hungary and ask what East Africa was planning: "Britain is ready to do something against you, have you not received any information?" ”

"Your Majesty, we are well aware that Britain and France are trying to weaken East Africa by using Portugal as a proxy to wage a war with East Africa."

"Is there anything about France in this? And, knowing that war is about to break out, how can you sit still? Franz asked, looking at the calm East African ambassador.

"Your Majesty, as long as the British do not personally end up on the battlefield in Africa, we in East Africa are confident that we will defeat the Portuguese, and even if the British are gone, we will still be confident in confronting the British."

Franz: "......"

Now Franz feels that East Africa and Prussia are really carved into the same mold, and whether it is the surname Hohenzollern that is the main culprit that makes Prussia go further and further down the road of solving the problem by force.

Seeing that Franz was a little unconvinced, the East African ambassador had no choice but to say: "We have more than 200,000 well-trained army forces in East Africa, all equipped with Mauser's new rifles, machine guns and artillery, and this military force is definitely the first in Africa, so East Africa is not afraid of the threat of war, and strength is the real reason why East Africa can be calm." ”

In the past, there was Egypt in front of East Africa, but since the era of the Dreiser, East Africa has actually become the de facto number one military in Africa, especially after making up for the shortcomings of the navy, Egypt is no longer comparable with East Africa.

Franz: "Are you sure you don't include the militia, because if you don't have professional soldiers as a framework, that kind of improvised patchwork army is very useless." ”

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty, we will not lie, in fact, Archduke Ferdinand is very clear about the military strength of East Africa, if Your Majesty is not at ease, he can directly send a telegram to ask."

In the past, many East Africa were hidden, but now there is no need, after all, as soon as the war is fought, the strength of East Africa will be revealed, and there is no need to deliberately hide it.

(End of chapter)