African Entrepreneurship Record

Chapter 1130: Chapter 139: Public Opinion

After the Luanda cruiser completed its rescue mission, it wasn’t long before the Titanic exceeded its carrying capacity and swiftly sank into the Atlantic Ocean, causing huge waves and impacting some lifeboats that did not manage to escape in time.

Near the Titanic, there were still some lifeboats, but the Luanda cruiser primarily focused on the Titanic, naturally unable to account for the already scattered lifeboats, which would greatly disperse and consume the rescue resources of the Luanda, making it not worthwhile.

Some lifeboats, due to improper operation and not leaving the area affected by the Titanic’s sinking in time, were dragged into the Atlantic Ocean by this terrifying cruise ship.

After confirming the complete sinking of the Titanic, the Luanda cruiser returned to the scene and released a large amount of rescue flares, guiding the lifeboats that left before the Titanic sank to approach the Luanda.

The rescue operation continued until another British merchant ship arrived, at which point the Luanda had to withdraw first, as injured people and supplies needed time, and it was impossible for the Luanda to remain at the scene indefinitely.

...

Rhein City.

”Titanic Sinks in the Atlantic Ocean...”

Ernst was silent holding the news transmitted by the Luanda, as it was somewhat coincidental; rescuing the Titanic was not within Ernst’s expectations.Although Ernst was quite familiar with the renowned Titanic from his past life, he never thought of saving this tragedy.

Primarily, Ernst did not know that the Titanic would sink this year; being in Ernst’s position, the daily information received pertains to major national matters, and who would pay attention to a British cruise ship thousands of miles away.

As for the Luanda cruiser’s mission, it was entirely arranged by the naval department, and Ernst did not intervene, so the coincidence of the Luanda encountering the Titanic was completely beyond his calculation.

Of course, this isn’t bad for East Africa, as it can play a positive role in promoting East Africa’s international image, especially when the Luanda cruiser, as an East African warship, rescued a British cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean, which happens to be the most famous cruise ship in the world now, adding much drama to the event.

Regarding the arrangement for the Luanda cruiser, naturally, it is a great opportunity for East African media to promote East Africa.

Ernst said to Merk: ”Conduct a commendation for all members of the Luanda cruiser, it’s an opportunity to showcase our military’s good image.”

Merk nodded and said: ”Yes, Your Highness.”

For Ernst, now that East African warship Luanda’s rescue of the Titanic has become a fact, we can only maximize the benefits.

After all, this rescue saved so many people, which is likely to have a significant impact on historical trajectories; many aboard the Titanic were affluent and noble, and who knows what waves these people might stir in the future history once they survive.

Of course, history has already changed significantly, so Ernst doesn’t really care about the interference of the Titanic incident on history, considering Ernst himself is the greatest disrupting factor in historical development.

”PR department, take advantage of this opportunity to greatly improve our image in European and American countries, especially targeting the United Kingdom. With the Titanic incident assisting us, it’s believed that our public image in the UK can undergo a drastic change.”

East Africa has never had a positive impact in British public opinion, even now when East England reconciles, it cannot immediately change the attitude of British citizens towards East Africa.

As the world overlord, the United Kingdom also holds sway over global public opinion, and since the end of the South African War, the British government has relied on this public opinion hegemony to smear East Africa for nearly twenty years.

Even the most impoverished patriot in East London will instinctively spit on the ground when mentioning the country of East Africa.

In British public opinion, East Africa’s image can be said to suffer as much as their ridicule of France or Americans, considering the birth of East Africa disrupted British’s grand colonial strategy in Africa, and many of East Africa’s land now encompasses former British colonies from the past life.

Most hateful to the British is the humiliating defeat in the South African war, although the external propaganda portrays the South African war as a draw, everyone knows, for a country as strong as Britain, a draw is merely a fig leaf.

Unable to defeat East Africa by force, the British naturally seek compensation in other areas, but British economic sanctions are not significant, and only public opinion has achieved a form of revenge against East Africa.

Overall, East Africa’s national image is absolutely not positive due to British petty schemes and intentional guidance by the British government.

Under normal circumstances, East Africa wouldn’t care too much; however, East Africa now needs British favor to obtain more investment and loans from Britain.

Therefore Ernst said: ”Nowadays, when we seek loans from abroad, the UK always treats East Africa with disdain due to stereotypes and arrogance, which is definitely not good for us.”

”After all, the UK is now the country with the most capital, and wanting to obtain development funds cannot ignore the UK, while long-term negative British propaganda against us puts us at a disadvantage in trade with them.”

Though Britain lost millions of square kilometers of Black African land due to East Africa, it remains the world’s largest colonial nation, maintaining its status as the world’s financial center.

Thus, even if not considering its industrial prowess, the British Pound can maintain strong value, especially considering its circulation in most parts of the world, representing the strongest purchasing power in the world today.

In international trade, all countries cannot bypass the British Pound, and East Africa is no exception; for instance, in trade between East Africa and India, the British Pound must be the primary medium used.

With enough British Pounds, East Africa can buy desired goods, machinery, equipment, and raw materials in most global regions.

Fortunately, British Pound doesn’t have as stable hegemony as the US Dollar in the past life, otherwise East Africa couldn’t possibly bypass Britain in achieving industrialization.

Obtaining a large amount of British Pounds is absolutely beneficial for East Africa’s domestic industrial development, yet Britain’s negative propaganda affects East Africa’s ability to acquire more British Pounds through loans, investment attraction or trade to accelerate domestic industrial development.

This is why Ernst wants to use the Titanic incident as a breakthrough, to change the negative public perception in Britain towards East Africa.

Ernst: ”The more favorable British public opinion is towards us, the more industrial development funds we can acquire, thus opening up the British colonial market, exchanging for resources and energy we desire, Britain controls over four hundred million in market population, and the Titanic incident can help open the sales channel in this vast market.”

In the British colonial market, many colonies’ original impression of East Africa will also be adversely affected by the attitude of the sovereign country; which is unavoidable, like in the previous life’s Far East Empire, some regions previously colonized by Britain retained their adverse effect even after Britain’s departure, persisting into the 21st century.

Britain directly controls over four hundred million people’s opinion; writing small articles can easily defame East Africa, but now the rescue of the Titanic is an undeniable positive event, if properly utilized, it could not only greatly improve British attitude towards East Africa but also enhance attitudes in the four hundred million population market controlled by Britain.

Emotions can indeed influence trade; after all, historical trade boycotts are not uncommon, similarly, improvement in British public opinion can greatly stimulate East Africa’s foreign trade.