African Entrepreneurship Record

Chapter 1265: Chapter 274: Military Arrangements

Rhein City.

After acquiring the Kra Isthmus, East Africa Central has prioritized the construction arrangements for the Kra Strait Territory.

Chief of Staff Cristiano said: ”Although the Imperial Navy has already set out for the Kra Isthmus, this is merely the first step of military occupation. The navy is only responsible for occupying islands, ports, or important coastal cities. Subsequently, we need to deploy the army and marines deep into the hinterlands to clear out local indigenous forces.”

”Specifically, we start by selecting elite troops from the army units originally executing missions in East Kalimantan and sending them to the Kra Strait Territory to guide the subsequent forces.”

The current war stationed in East Kalimantan has ended, but the army sent by East Africa to East Kalimantan has yet to be withdrawn.

According to the arrangement of the General Staff Department, these soldiers are obviously to return home for rest, but the incorporation of the Kra Strait Territory has forced the General Staff Department to draw a batch of outstanding talents from the current East Kalimantan garrison to guide other troops in the Kra Isthmus.

Regarding this, Cristiano also explained to Ernst, Friedrich, and others: ”In the past two years, the Empire’s forces stationed in East Kalimantan have accumulated deep tropical jungle combat experience.”

”However, the newly deployed troops to the Kra Strait Territory have not undergone combat exercises.”

”But after our General Staff Department’s analysis, the intensity of warfare in the Kra Strait Territory is evidently going to surpass that in the East Kalimantan area.”

”Firstly, the population density in the Kra Strait Territory is much greater than that in East Kalimantan. Secondly, some details of our large-scale military operations in East Kalimantan have been leaked, which will inevitably cause local vigilance and fierce resistance. Thirdly, although the Kra Strait Territory is small in size, its terrain is very complex, with jungles, swamps, mountains, etc. Fourthly, the local ethnic and religious landscape is more complicated.”

The fourth point mentioned by Cristiano also exists in East Kalimantan, but the Kra Strait Territory has a long development history, hence a higher level of civilization.

The most notable difference between the two is the presence of numerous uncivilized primitive tribes in East Kalimantan, whereas the Kra Strait Territory is unlikely to have such situations.

In the Kra Strait Territory, there are three major religious forces: Buddhism, Arabian Sect, and Hinduism. Moreover, the population composition is more complex, with not only Siamese and Malays, but also a significant number of Indians and Imperial People from the Far East Empire.

However, these religions or other forces are obviously incomparable to the completely primitive tribal form of indigenous people in East Kalimantan.

Cristiano emphasized, ”The local forces cannot be underestimated, as the Kra Isthmus is a junction between Eastern and Western civilizations, and logistics and trade are quite developed. This means that local forces may receive support from countries like the United Kingdom or France.”

”Especially the British, the Kra Strait Territory borders their Patani colony, and we cannot rule out the possibility of the United Kingdom exporting weapons to local forces.”

Of course, this is merely a probability. Currently, for supporting World War I, the UK generally requires its colonies to send resources back to the homeland, such as India, Canada, and Australia, besides having to send troops and resources back home, they have even undertaken some military industrial product orders from the UK.

Previously unimaginable, it has always been the British homeland executing industrial production and selling to the colonies, but now the colonies are instead sending industrial products to the UK backwards, showing the significant shortfalls in the UK’s materials and capacity.

Therefore, it is more likely that the UK will not throw a wrench in East Africa at this time, at least not providing substantial military assistance to local forces.

However, the British are adept at inciting and sowing discord. Although Britain currently cannot provide substantial assistance to local forces, they can instill confidence in various forces in the Kra Strait Territory to confront East Africa through lobbying and providing trade channels. Ukraine was misguided in a similar manner in the past.

Thus, Cristiano has not excluded the British factor. For a country that frequently harms others without benefiting itself, it is never too careful or too cautious.

And the possibility from other countries is even smaller. Although France has quite an interest in Siam, France cannot afford to offend East Africa, let alone the Kra Strait Territory doesn’t border French colonies in Southeast Asia.

Regarding Cristiano’s point of view, Ernst expressed support: ”The UK’s resources are now prioritized for the European war, and the assets they can mobilize in the Malay Peninsula are mainly at the political and diplomatic level.”

”For example, lobbying Arabian sect forces under the British colonies in the Malay Peninsula to provide support for their kin, especially the public in British Patani colony, can be said to be a family with the Arabian sect forces under our rule in Patani.”

Patani region was again mentioned prominently, and not guarding against the British controlled Patani is completely unrealistic for East Africa.

After all, East Africa has already badly offended Arabian religious influence in the South Sea Region, and the Arabian sect has always been cohesive.

If East Africa takes action against the Arabian sect forces in the Kra Strait Territory, then the Arabian sect forces within the British colony will definitely not remain indifferent.

Although they are unlikely to fight desperately for ”brothers,” they can still make donations and provide supplies to the Arabian sect comrades in the Kra Strait.

And the British only need to stir up religious sentiments of Arabian sect believers in their Malay Peninsula colonies under their rule, it’s even easier to accomplish that.

Cristiano said: ”Your Majesty is right, so in the south of the Kra Isthmus, especially in Patani, we have designated it as a key surveillance region. Once personnel circulation is complete, we will officially seal the borders of the two Patanis.”

It cannot be said that East Africa has not given the Patani people a chance, at least according to the arrangement of the East African military, it is necessary to first use intimidation tactics to drive the original population out.

And those who still refuse to leave under East African intimidation are essentially stubborn members, and they will have to taste the iron fist of the East African army.

So Cristiano said: ”Large-scale warfare in the Kra Strait Territory is bound to happen. We estimate that the fleeing population should be around tens of thousands, but most people will choose to stay and resist us.”

Think about it simply, it is impossible for East Africa to open its mouth and have local forces willingly abandon decades or even centuries of enterprise, especially for the local elites there.

Their rights, status, connections, and wealth all come from the local environment. Even if they escape abroad with substantial wealth, they are no more than a house-dog, and other places won’t easily accept them as part of their own circle.

Cristiano continued: ”In this scenario, our troops will face various challenges, especially the harsh environment, unfamiliar terrain, complex vegetation, etc.”

”All of these require leadership from experienced veterans, which is why we advocate deploying elite forces selected from East Kalimantan, with their responsibility being the training and guidance for troops in the Kra Strait Territory, imparting tropical jungle combat experience to new units. As for the majority of troops in East Kalimantan, they will return home to rest.”

It can be understood, the current garrison in East Kalimantan has been fighting for two years, so East Africa cannot possibly have them execute new operational tasks, this could easily cause negative sentiments among grassroots units.

However, they cannot all return home, the newly dispatched troops to the Kra Isthmus have never had combat experience.

In this situation, their combat effectiveness is highly questionable. If handling the uncivilized and extremely poorly equipped indigenous forces like those in East Kalimantan, East African troops can completely crush with strength, but in facing the Kra Isthmus region with higher civilization levels, this approach will not work.

It is necessary for experienced veterans and outstanding officers to carry out preliminary escort work for troops that have never been combat-tested.