Aftermath

"Count Aerenthal, we must thank the Austro-Hungarian Empire for its mediation at this conference. It made our work here much easier," Von der Leyen said to Count Aerenthal.

After the peace talks ended, Von der Leyen felt exceptionally good. East Africa's basic objectives had all been achieved, and the outcome was even somewhat better than East Africa had expected.

East Africa's expectations had merely been Angola and Mozambique. Once Orange was also completely incorporated into East African territory, the tasks of Von der Leyen and the others would have been completed beyond quota—not to mention the six million pounds in war reparations.

Of course, compared to the astronomical demand of over one hundred million pounds in reparations that East Africa had initially named, six million pounds did not even amount to loose change.

But being able to get money at all had already left the East African government quite satisfied. East Africa had previously estimated that Britain would certainly refuse to give up a single penny. After all, as the World's Number One Power, it could accept neither ceding territory nor paying reparations.

As for the six million pounds, East Africa had actually obtained it in the name of expenses and medical fees for the East African British Army. It did not count as war reparations. After all, East Africa could hardly let these prisoners of war eat and drink for free in East Africa, wasting medical resources and the like.

In fact, six million pounds was enough to cover the living expenses of the Allied prisoners of war in East Africa, even including the Portuguese Army. The two countries together had contributed only close to two hundred thousand men.

After all, East Africa was a backward agricultural country with an extremely low actual price level. Prisoners of war did