African Entrepreneurship Record

Chapter 1101: Chapter 110: The Strategic Significance of the Red Sea Route

Of course, this is also uncertain, after all, a country has many issues to consider, especially a world-dominating country like the United Kingdom. If cooperation is possible, East Africa would naturally accept such an outcome, but if the purpose can’t be achieved, East Africa won’t be overly concerned as it has become accustomed over the past decade.

Ernst continued: ”The last item, which is one of the focuses of this negotiation with the United Kingdom, is to acquire an overseas outpost in the Indian Ocean region from them as much as possible. This is a crucial part of the Empire’s grand strategy towards India. If this goal can be achieved through the current round of negotiations, even if it requires some additional cost, it is acceptable.”

Merk frowned and asked, ”Your Highness, the British are unlikely to agree to this, aren’t they? Even if the United Kingdom agrees, they wouldn’t possibly give us a favorable location from their own hands.”

Ernst nodded and said: ”I’ve considered this as well, but there’s no choice in this matter. Along the Indian Ocean coast, aside from us and France, other areas are almost directly ruled or indirectly influenced by the United Kingdom.”

”Thus, as a country with core interests centered on the Indian Ocean, the best way to expand our influence in the Indian Ocean is through negotiations with the United Kingdom.”

”As for whether the British are willing, the initiative lies with us. If they want us to compromise on the naval side, the United Kingdom naturally needs to show sincerity. As for whether it would be a poor location, it depends on the upcoming bargaining with the British.”

The East African officials also agreed with Ernst’s point that there’s nothing that can’t be discussed; if it can’t be discussed, it means East Africa’s development is not enough.

Sivert said: ”The British influence along the Indian Ocean coast can be roughly divided into four areas. Firstly, the Red Sea coast, followed by the Persian Gulf coast, then India, and finally the South Sea region. Of course, Australia is among them.”

”As India and Australia are central colonies of the United Kingdom, we certainly can’t target these two places. As for other directions, only the Persian Gulf coast might have some possibility.”

In the South Sea Region, the matter concerns the Malacca Strait, a world-class maritime passage, which the British are surely unwilling to let go, whereas along the Red Sea coast, the British wouldn’t dare allow East Africa to enter.

All along, the main trade routes between East Africa and Europe have been achieved through the Red Sea. Although in recent years the economy along East Africa’s West Coast has developed, East Africa’s most important Central and Eastern European Market is geographically unavoidable due to the two nodes in the Mediterranean, namely the Gibraltar Strait controlled by the British and the Red Sea route.

Although the forces surrounding the Red Sea route are complicated, the critical Suez Canal and Mand Strait are under British control.

And should East Africa control a stable passage in and out of the Mediterranean, it would certainly be a disaster for the British strategic layout, so the British are unlikely to let it go.

The reason is simple when considered: if East Africa controls a stable passage in and out of the Mediterranean, it would be able to maintain independence in trade and exchanges with European countries, bypassing the British.

Observing the world today, apart from East Africa, Germany, and the Austria-Hungary Empire, all these countries have the German attribute. Germany is the legitimate German Country, while in the Austria-Hungary Empire, Austria holds a high voice; as for East Africa, although due to the national structure it is not pure, it is undeniably a German Country.

If East Africa mastered the Red Sea route and could freely move in and out of the Mediterranean region, then the German countries of the world could be connected from Northern Europe to the Mediterranean, then to the African Continent.

In today’s increasingly tense world situation, other countries would surely not want to see the emergence of a ”monster”, and if such a ”monster” was birthed, it could potentially divide the entire world into two.

Moreover, if East Africa or Germany, Austria-Hungary, control the Red Sea route, it would mean a loss of control over the European situation, as East Africa itself is enormous, holding a vast amount of strategic resources globally, such as food, cotton, rubber, various minerals.

If the German countries merge, with endless material support from East Africa, the war potential of Germany and Austria-Hungary would directly ascend to another level, with almost no shortage of large-scale war resources, combined with Germany’s ample martial virtue, it could alter the European pattern.

Regarding this scene, the East African Government naturally has also had ”fantasies”; if East Africa could control the Red Sea route completely, it would not mind giving Germany and Austria-Hungary a boost in confidence for warfare.

Conversely, the British surely know the importance of the Red Sea route as well, similarly, the British Government would surely understand what harm the Red Sea route falling into the hands of the German countries would cause to the United Kingdom.

Only by firmly controlling the Red Sea route, can the German countries not merge, and a ”monster” spanning Europe and the African Continent wouldn’t be released by the British. This is not only the British thought but also includes France, Tsarist Russia, and others alike.

At least in recent years, England and France’s spending along the Red Sea coast has clearly increased, and it’s self-evident whom these two countries are defending against, which is none other than East Africa.

Indeed, the Red Sea route’s characteristics make England and France’s blockade of East Africa rather successful; the Red Sea has two crucial points, the Suez Canal and Mand Strait; as long as any is controlled, East Africa simply cannot rush into the Mediterranean.

If it comes to the most critical moment, the British and French Governments certainly have the ability to directly blow up the Suez Canal, paralyzing this primary global trade route.

With the Red Sea route being doubly insured, the United Kingdom’s control capability over the Red Sea route is greatly enhanced. The navy can hardly play a major role in the narrow space of the Red Sea, and East Africa finds it very difficult to seize control over the Red Sea route from the land, especially since terrestrial transportation on both sides of the Red Sea is somewhat challenging; not only is the terrain complex, but deserts are widespread, unsuitable for large-scale troop activities, while England and France can effectively support countries along the Red Sea coast like Egypt through the Mediterranean’s convenient conditions.

In fact, as long as Egypt does not fall into East Africa’s hands, England and France have ways to wrangle with East Africa; of course, the above scenario presumes East Africa stands on Germany’s camp.

Actually, if East Africa were to really engage with the European war situation, the direction of the war is truly unpredictable, yet East Africa evidently does not wish to easily initiate war, especially during the current phase of rapidly developing economy in East Africa.

Moreover, the risks involved in participating in war are not what East Africa can afford. If victorious, it’s well and good; if defeated, East Africa would find it distressing.

This also reflects the East African Government’s pessimistic attitude towards war internally, as East Africa’s current geographic location and national power inherently make it unsuited for participating in European wars.

The principal maritime passages are all under British control, and East Africa finds it extremely difficult to snatch these maritime passages from the hands of the British. Assuming East Africa fails to seize maritime passages within the predetermined time, and Germany and Austria-Hungary are defeated, East Africa might face the risk of being besieged.

Although in the previous life, Germany exhibited the momentum of facing five opponents in World War I, who could dare say this time-space Germany still possesses such luck, as luck is equally important in warfare, and what if due to a botched major battle, Germany prematurely meets defeat!

This possibility is not unheard of; the previous life World War I was fought into a stalemate, and Germany and France stabilized the front, which turned Germany and France into a meat grinder. This stagnation precisely demonstrates that Germany did not have an overwhelming military advantage over France.

Certainly, besides these factors, East Africa mostly considers the possibility of the United States and Russia reaping the benefits at the back.

The United States needs no more mention; America’s thoughts almost align with those of the current East African Government, generally contemplating first, while Russia’s performance in the previous life appears as an unstable factor to Ernst; despite exiting the war due to internal coups, it doesn’t mean Russia is incapable of rejoining, especially since England and France, if forced into desperation, could promise Russia’s new regime benefits so tempting that they could not easily refuse.