Fearless of War

Will was not surprised by Edris's mention of war. He even considered it only natural, which had to do with East Africa's long history of low-intensity warfare.

East Africa had been fighting for nearly a dozen years. A new generation like Will had practically grown up amid East Africa's yearly wars. Even East African villages had once frequently clashed with tribes and wild beasts.

But for Mary, a German, it did not feel so good!

"Will, does East Africa fight wars often too?"

Germans actually held war in deep awe, especially German civilians. Every war in Europe had been exceedingly brutal. Since the gap between the warring sides was not great, they could only wear each other down with vast numbers of cannon fodder.

As for the prevalence of militarism, it had truly been forced upon them. Without military development, they could only take a beating. The German states had felt this most deeply in the past. Germany was in fact Europe's Central Plains, a natural battlefield for every power. If Germans did not strive for themselves, they could not escape being beaten by others. Better, then, to unite and strike others first.

"Heh heh, Mary, don't worry. Wars in Africa aren't as brutal as those on the European continent. East Africa's opponents aren't very strong. We East Africans often fought natives in the past; there's nothing unusual about it."

Wolves did not fear flocks of sheep. That was the current state of East Africa's development in Africa. Egypt had once been Africa's foremost military power, and East Africa had restrained itself somewhat then. Now, however, East Africa had firmly secured its position as Africa's number one military power. It was East Africa's surrounding powers that ought to fear East Africa instead.

Edris chimed in from the side. "War is