African Entrepreneurship Record

September 12, 1892.

Two unremarkable Austro-Hungarian merchant ships swaggered into the bay at Elealeh, by this time, all Elealeh residents had become East Africans.

Including the port and other infrastructure, had been secretly acquired by East Africa, so the landing of the two ”merchant ships” did not attract foreign attention.

”Lieutenant Gladstone, welcome to Elealeh.”

”Governor, I’d appreciate your support in the future.”

”We’ve brought a battalion of troops this time, over six hundred men. I wonder if this is enough to shoulder Kauai Island’s military responsibilities?” inquired Captain Gladstone.

”I believe so! We have over six thousand people on Kauai Island, more than three hundred armed personnel. Combined, that’s over a thousand people, and with your elite forces present, even if the United States deploys its army, we’re no match for them.”

Of course, these more than three hundred people under John Cran’s command were actually present in the form of security personnel; after all, carrying firearms overseas wasn’t so unusual in this era.

The Kingdom of Hawaii couldn’t restrict countries carrying weapons to do business in Hawaii, like the United Kingdom, France, and the United States, all have some military presence in Hawaii, although the strongest is certainly the Americans. Although the military strength of the U.S. Army is lackluster, the militia’s combat capability is barely adequate.

Gladstone Captain quite agreed with his superior’s remarks, since East Africa didn’t quite recognize the combat strength of the United States, especially compared with the Defense Army itself, the East African Military certainly didn’t recognize it.

Since the Civil War, the United States has hardly fought any wars, while the East African Army has been tempered in iron and blood for decades. This expedition to Kauai Island, East African Army consists of East African veterans with over ten years of combat experience, including Captain Gladstone himself, so there is some confidence.

Of course, Gladstone was not blindly arrogant, Hawaii indeed favored the United States, so East Africa wanted to snatch Kauai Island from the Americans’ mouth, and was necessary to be fully prepared.

”Governor John Cran, I hope that these more than three hundred armed personnel can be integrated into my troops, because we are ultimately in a disadvantaged position in Hawaii, so it’s best to concentrate all available military forces,” traded Gladstone.

With the addition of these three hundred men, Gladstone’s available force would reach nearly a thousand, giving him more confidence in controlling Kauai Island.

”How are the various forces on the island?” Gladstone asked.

”The population of Kauai Island is thirty thousand, including more than eight hundred Americans, more than a thousand Chinese and Japanese immigrants, apart from our East Africans, there are less than twenty thousand Hawaiian natives,” introduced John Cran.

Gladstone nodded and said, ”So, we just need to be wary of these more than eight hundred Americans.”

John Cran affirmed, ”That’s right, although there are the fewest Americans on Kauai Island, they actually occupy most of the land and industry in the east, plus several islands in the south have American power, so their strength should not be underestimated.”

”In this case, apart from their own people, the Americans can also rely on Chinese workers, Japanese immigrants, and natives on the island, meaning all East African population combined just reaches nearly seven thousand, but seven thousand versus twenty thousand, I think our odds are better. If we can arm the remaining national citizens before the war, the entire Kauai Island will be entirely ours.”

John Cran shook his head and said, ”This may be difficult, unless weapons are urgently recruited from homeland. We have hoarded a batch of weapons on Kauai Island over the years, even if combined, can barely arm eight hundred people.”

”To increase the odds, it’s still necessary to arm the others as much as possible. If hot weapons fall short, cold weapons can also be arranged. Especially in places like Lihu’e, organizational efforts must be strengthened so that our people can control the entire island at the first opportunity. After all, those eight hundred Americans can’t all be military personnel. In that scenario, across Kauai Island, Americans wouldn’t possibly have more than three hundred military personnel without preparation, while our army numbers nearly a thousand, added with eight hundred militiamen, armed forces reach nearly two thousand. With cooperation from East African citizens from various areas, taking Kauai Island would be a breeze.”

Gladstone continued, ”By then, the navy will definitely be involved, just don’t know how many ships and people the navy will send over. However, I estimate they won’t send fewer than five hundred.”

In Elealeh, Governor John Cran and Lieutenant Gladstone boldly conspired the plan to seize Kauai Island.

Meanwhile, the East African National Defense Security Bureau had secretly started organizing the East African populace on the eastern part of Kauai Island to prepare for cooperating with East African Government’s actions.

Kingdom of Hawaii.

Kauai Island government headquarters in Lihu’e.

”Yudelian, our army has secretly entered the Elealeh area, so the operation to seize Kauai Island could happen at any time. You must stay vigilant and not reveal any signs, while preparing to respond to the uprising instantly,” Rog said to Director Yudelian.

Yudelian, of course, was an agent of the National Defense Security Bureau, yet his forefront identity was a sandalwood merchant. Sandalwood is the specialty of the Hawaiian Islands, so to cover up, Yudelian opened a sandalwood processing factory here.

Most of the workers in the factory are East African citizens, mostly working under the identity of Chinese and Japanese immigrants.

In reality, these East African citizens, despite their resemblance to the Chinese appearance, are actually from the homeland, not temporarily recruited from the Far East.

After all, this is an independent nation’s coup; naturally, East Africa wouldn’t trust other groups, and many of the islanders were previously served in the East African Army, or trained through systematic militia training.

Yudelian said worriedly, ”Director Rog, are you sure the kingdom’s plan can succeed? After all, Hawaii is a key area, the United Kingdom, France, the United States, Russia, Japan all have a presence here, our coup might provoke military conflict.”

Rog knocked him on the head and said, ”Do you say the United States has ambition for the Hawaiian Islands?”

Yudelian uncertainly said, ”Possibly!”

Rog sinisterly smiled, ”It’s basically the heart of Sima Zhao, known to all on the road, after all, the United States is almost completely controlling the Hawaiian archipelago now. They’ve captured the island’s economy, politics, even holding weapons. Thus, it’s just a matter of time before the United States annexes Hawaii. We just need to follow the instructions of the Central Government, when America annexes Hawaii, getting a share so the Americans wouldn’t be able to point fingers at us.”

Yudelian said, ”How does the Central Government know the specific timing of the United States’ annexation of Hawaii? If the United States doesn’t annex it this year, but ten years later, isn’t it possible? If it happens, aren’t we spending ten years here in vain?”

”That’s not your concern. Anyway, the decision from upper levels cannot be changed, we just follow the plan dutifully.”

Rog continued, ”Besides, you might not be in touch with them, but when I’m in contact with those American businessmen, they all have similar thoughts. At least American businessmen are interested in annexing Hawaii, so our people must keep an eye on Lahaina, any disturbance locally means it’s time for us to act.”

Lahaina is a city on Maui Island, also the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii. If there’s a major political upheaval in the Kingdom of Hawaii, it would certainly start from Lahaina, which has always been the primary focus of East African intelligence surveillance.