African Entrepreneurship Record

”Traditional cavalry is bound to be eliminated. With the advancements in military weaponry, such as the use of machine guns, which have been tested in the South African War, it poses a significant problem for cavalry to break through the coverage of machine gun fire. When machine guns are sufficient, infantry can effectively neutralize the threat of cavalry. Therefore, our cavalry units must adapt to the times and move towards mechanized cavalry,” said General Mars.

After the South African War, Mars was promoted. The 221st and 222nd Cavalry Divisions he established before the war achieved commendable results, especially the 221st Division, which almost entirely participated in the war in the Mozambique region.

The East African cavalry units, though not long-established, have had little to show for their achievements. Initially, they were created solely to suppress the indigenous forces in East Africa, akin to using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

The highlights for the East African cavalry were during the Boer War and the South African War. As for the first East-Portuguese War, East Africa didn’t even require the intervention of cavalry units for Portugal’s territories to fall. The Portuguese colonies were too close to the core territories of East Africa. The border troops of East Africa were sufficient to handle the Portuguese, and even then, they did not fully mobilize. Instead, they engaged the Portuguese with the help of Black people.

After the end of the South African War, the East African Army has naturally not been idle over the years. First and foremost, continuous research has been conducted on traditional weapons like rifles and artillery.

After the South African War, the emphasis on new weapons, new technologies, and new tactics such as machine guns, railways, telegraphs, and trench warfare further increased. The Battle of New Frankfurt City is a classic case of trench warfare in East Africa, where the East African Defense Army, by constructing a trench system centered on New Frankfurt City, greatly exhausted and delayed the military forces of the United Kingdom and Portugal.

This is the impact of the South African War, but aside from the war factors, the development of new things like radio and automobiles once again propelled the East African Army’s research in related fields.

It is within this foundation that General Mars developed a pessimistic view of the development of cavalry units. With the establishment of the Guard Division’s motorized infantry units, the importance of automobiles in future military engagements has become apparent.

In 1895, with the development of East Africa’s automotive industry, the military also proposed the application of automobiles in the military as a matter of course. Naturally, the well-resourced Guard Division led the various military units in East Africa.

Mars is now responsible for the 101st Cavalry Division, serving as the commander. The 101st Cavalry Division is stationed in Mbeya City.

Mbeya City is one of East Africa’s automotive production bases, so Mars can see firsthand the rapid development of East Africa’s automotive industry. Coupled with the establishment of the Guard Division’s motorized infantry unit, he realizes the crisis facing traditional East African cavalry.

To address this crisis, change is naturally necessary. After over a month of deep contemplation, General Mars believes that for the cavalry units to keep up with the times, they must possess more powerful machinery than the Guard Division’s motorized units, which must be integrated for both offense and defense, with the advantage of mobility.

Such machinery is evidently different from automobiles; it should have a certain defensive capability and be able to equip machine guns and artillery with strong striking abilities.

To achieve defensive capability, it naturally needs to be equipped with ”armor.” As for machine guns and artillery, they are meant to suppress infantry. However, upon learning that the Guard Division’s motorized unit’s automobiles had machine gun mounts, Mars became even more determined in his idea of mounting more powerful artillery on the machinery used by the cavalry units. Of course, machine guns are indispensable.

Mars quickly turned his ideas into a specific proposal and submitted it to the General Staff. He was soon called to First Town City by the new Chief of Staff, Merk, to give a report.

”Very well said, Mars. As for your proposed new cavalry equipment, research on this has actually progressed under the Crown Prince’s initiative. However, I can’t reveal the specific details, but your ability to foresee this issue indicates your good alertness and sensitivity to new technology, which is something we East African military personnel need,” Merk praised generously.

”As for the new cavalry equipment you mentioned in your document, we have long had plans for something called a ’tank.’ Its equipment is similar to what you envisioned, although there are some differences. But in terms of overall functionality, it’s quite similar.”

The specific difference is naturally to replace the ”automobile’s” wheels with tracks used by ”tractors.” Of course, wheeled armored vehicles are also being researched, but tracks are evidently more suitable for battlefield environments, leading to more tractor factories in East Africa participating in armored vehicle research than automobile factories.

Furthermore, there is still some definitional distinction between ”tanks” and wheeled armored vehicles. Armored vehicles evidently emphasize the concept of ”vehicle,” whereas tanks emphasize an all-in-one approach to offense and defense.

Naturally, this does not prevent tanks from being a type of armored vehicle; they just emphasize their offensive capabilities more.

”In the future, our country intends to deploy the first armored unit in the central region. Of course, it’s still early to talk about this since tank research is still ongoing, so it will take quite some time. However, you can first participate in the compilation of related military tactics on how to leverage the battlefield advantages of this all-in-one offensive and defensive mobile unit. At the same time, research on how to counteract these armored vehicles should also be conducted.”

Merk’s words practically confirmed Mars’ future involvement in the formation of East African armored units. After all, until the finished product is out, no one knows what a tank looks like, so it can only be guessed and imagined at this stage.

Mars, being among the first East African military leaders to recognize the shortcomings of traditional cavalry units and propose corresponding solutions, is deemed by Merk as very worthy of cultivation.

”Of course, attention to confidentiality is also required. Only a few people know about this matter currently, as the Crown Prince places high hopes on the armored units, believing them to be the main force on future battlefields. Therefore, the armored units are also East Africa’s future trump card. Do not disclose this situation to others when you return.”

To this point, Mars naturally nodded in agreement. Confidentiality has always been a tradition of the East African military, with even relatively unimportant information kept under wraps, let alone the seriousness with which Chief of Staff Merk personally instructed him.

”Chief of Staff, I have a question. I wonder when the so-called tank will have a finished product. After all, I can’t just rely on speculation to complete future armored unit tactical designs.”

It’s difficult for a skillful cook to make a meal without ingredients. Mars can’t formulate corresponding tactics for a ”virtual” tank and needs specific details and data support to gradually explore the future direction of armored unit development.

Merk said, ”It’s hard to say, but it should be a matter of recent years. Even I am not clear about the specific details. It’s something that only the Crown Prince knows, because the project was already established before I took office. Even Prime Minister Sivert does not know when the project started.”

Sivert, as Ernst’s trusted aide, has become the leader of the East African Planning Economic Committee, essentially serving as the Prime Minister of East Africa’s planned economy committee.

In the absence of a Prime Minister in East Africa, this position is equivalent to a ”quasi” Prime Minister. Of course, it is more akin to the Grand Secretariat of the Ming Dynasty. However, unlike the non-”statutory” organization of the Ming Dynasty’s Cabinet, the Planning Economic Committee manages East Africa’s economic affairs with a smaller scope of power.

In summary, the government institutions of East Africa have been transformed beyond recognition under Ernst’s reforms, creating a structure unlike any other in the world, blending features from various national political systems.