If the Portuguese truly managed to seize the land corridor between Lake Tanganyika and Lake Malawi, it would indeed affect East Africa, because it was an unavoidable route for the East African Central Railway into the interior.
However, occupying this area would be extremely difficult. Mbeya, East Africa's heavy-industrial base city, was located there, along with three large arsenals and the garrison of the 111th Division. Lake Malawi was also one of the three major bases of East Africa's river-and-lake forces, while the Black Legion assembled by East Africa was training on Lake Malawi's eastern shore.
East Africa held every advantage in both water and land transportation, and its logistical supply lines were highly convenient. If Portugal could break through the East African Army from Lake Malawi and its surrounding shores, then East Africa might as well cease to exist.
Clement had considered launching a surprise attack on the Songo outpost, but reality prevented his idea from being put into action immediately.
"Why haven't your Portuguese supplies reached the front yet? Isn't the stretch of the Zambezi River from the estuary to Tete navigable?"
Having become a laughingstock before an international friend, Portuguese General Kevindak felt equally humiliated. He reassured Clement, "We have never experienced a war on this scale before, so Mozambique's logistical system practically has no experience handling the transfer of large quantities of supplies. We are currently requisitioning vessels from throughout Mozambique. I believe we should be able to deliver the supplies to Tete in time within half a month."
The Mozambique colony had enjoyed peace for far too long. In the Mozambique colony, a war involving a thousand men counted as a major war. The last conflict on such a scale had been the annexation of southern Kingdom of Malawi—really nothing more than using firearms