Empire Rising: Spain

Especially when it comes to the three relatively powerful countries in South America, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile, their relationships can only be described as tense.

Although it hasn’t reached the state of war, local conflicts and border skirmishes are quite frequent. Historically, when European countries were engaged in an intense naval arms race, the three South American nations were also conducting a naval arms race in South America, which shows the tense relationships between these countries.

Given the tension, it’s quite necessary to stockpile a batch of weapons and equipment to strengthen their military power.

As a former ruler of these lands, although these South American countries do not welcome Spain’s rule, they are still very receptive to Spain’s industrial products.

In particular, rifles being sold at almost half-price sparked a frenzy among South American countries.

The key point is that when Spain’s industry was built, Carlo repeatedly emphasized that while focusing on quality, Spain’s industrial products, although not necessarily cheap, had guaranteed quality.

This batch of second-hand rifles, sold at half-price, could barely be considered as good quality for a reasonable price. It’s impossible for American countries to produce rifles with such performance and price, which is also the reason for their frenzy.

Carlo was surprised that only 50,000 rifles were sold in Asia, while over 60,000 rifles were easily sold in America.

Due to this situation, not only did Spain completely clear out its stockpile of old guns, but it was also forced to eliminate a batch of rifles currently used by the military for sale.

This resulted in several divisions temporarily without rifles, and they could only conduct training in activities other than target shooting while waiting for the Royal Military Factory to work overtime for production.

However, this could be considered good news. When the new rifles are produced, they will certainly be prioritized for those troops without guns.

They are fortunate enough, becoming the first troops under the Royal Army system to be equipped with new rifles.

The year 1884 was marked by European countries voraciously carving up the big cake of Africa, with Spain ending up as the biggest winner.

Why is Spain considered the biggest winner in 1884?

Because Spain successfully acquired the Truce States in its colonial conflict with the United Kingdom, although not yet occupied, it is indeed Spain’s land now.

In addition to this, Spain’s colonial merger plan has already been half successful. The Bam Kingdom, Yoruba, and other places have been incorporated into Spain’s colonies, and the junction between the Gold Coast, Congo Territory, and Guinea Colony is imminent.

Of course, other countries did not leave empty-handed.

Besides Southwest Africa, Germany is actively exploring West African colonization. After consecutive colonial failures in Cameroon and Togo, the Germans set their sights on the land between Spanish and French colonies and took over the territory of the Mandé people.

The Mandé people are a large ethnic group, with an estimated total population ranging from several million to tens of millions. This group originally established the Ghana Empire and the Mali Empire, both of which were regional African hegemons and once very powerful.

However, following the demise of these states, the Mandé people were forced to migrate to the Atlantic Coast, which is the reason they caught the Germans’ attention.

With a large population conveniently located by the coast and far enough from French and Spanish colonies, it wouldn’t attract interference from other European powers.

Thus, under such conditions, the Germans easily took over this land and became neighbors with Spain and France.

Moreover, Germany’s colony also has another neighbor, the Republic of Liberia established by American immigrant descendants.

These so-called American immigrants are essentially the descendants of African Americans.

Before the American Civil War, African Americans in America had no human rights and were slaves. After returning to Africa, they established the state of Liberia, a name that signifies freedom and liberation.

Strictly speaking, Liberia is more like a colony of the United States. However, because African Americans were not of great importance to the United States Government, coupled with America’s isolationism, Americans did not make great efforts to develop Liberia, leaving it largely on its own.

Due to Liberia’s relationship with America, although it is entirely composed of African Americans, it was not targeted by European Powers.

Germany apparently has no intention of conquering this land; after all, there is a coast on the Mandé people’s land, which does not affect the German colony’s access to the sea.

Speaking of this country established by descendants of African Americans, one cannot help but mention the inherent flaws seen in some of these African Americans.

In America, they were considered inferiors—slaves who could be bullied by anyone. After fleeing to Africa, they in turn began to oppress the indigenous black Africans.

Their methods of oppression are simple, almost entirely copying the oppression they experienced from white Americans. This leads to the existence of racial discrimination not just in the immigrant country composed of different ethnicities and races like America, but also in a country entirely composed of African Americans like Liberia.

Indeed, racial discrimination exists in Liberia, and it’s severe.

The African American immigrant descendants highly discriminate against the local African black population.

Yet they never reflect on the fact that they, or their ancestors, were actually brought to America by Europeans.

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