Recaps

East Africa strengthened its industries, infrastructure, and defenses while preparing for a possible war with Britain, Portugal, and the Boer Republic. The South African Triple Alliance formed and began planning its invasion, as East Africa weighed its own aims and limitations.

• Ernst set policies for urban planning, religious oversight, export standards, and industrial development while preparing East Africa for war.
• East Africa expanded transport and power infrastructure, and Will returned with his family before choosing a position in Bulawayo.
• Britain, Portugal, and the Boer Republic formed the South African Triple Alliance in Maputo and agreed to attack East Africa despite concerns about logistics.
• East Africa inspected its defenses and arsenals, developed new weapons, and planned to push the Boers south while prioritizing Portugal’s colonies as its main prize.
• Count Roberts ordered British brigades transferred from Natal to Mozambique and assigned the allies’ forces to advance on New Hamburg City and other fronts.
• Roberts pressed the Boers to fight independently, promising restored territory and access to the sea in exchange for their contribution.

Britain, Portugal, and the Boer Republic declared war on East Africa, but East African forces blunted the attacks and launched counteroffensives on the southern and Mozambique fronts. By late June 1888, East Africa had destroyed the Portuguese forces north of the Pungwe River, while Portuguese survivors struggled through the rainforest.

• Yurika and Rice investigated unusual Portuguese trade in East African goods and considered following the caravans into Mozambique.
• Morse alerted Diredawa’s garrison after an Arabian caravan reported British warships in British Somaliland, and Alex’s flotilla later fought the British fleet near Mogadishu before retreating under bombardment.
• East Africa and Britain, Portugal, and the Boer Republic mobilized for war, while Franz kept Austria-Hungary neutral and Bismarck advised Germany to watch events and consider mediation.
• Kri and Anton led East African fleets against the British near Lamu Bay, and Archduke Ferdinand’s reinforcements forced Grafton to retreat after both sides suffered heavy ship losses.
• Aristotle’s Ninth Brigade repelled British crossings of the Tugela River, then withdrew toward New Hamburg City after British forces crossed at several points and advanced through Kronoskop Village.
• At Kronoskop Village, the Ninth Brigade’s machine guns devastated the advancing Indian troops, and East African forces withdrew after inflicting heavy casualties.
• Merke launched a three-pronged night counteroffensive across the Fett River, and East African forces captured Boer positions and seized fifty-three artillery pieces.
• Rosenwill’s forces routed Portuguese troops and reached the Pungwe River, while Alding and Chris Luther found Luaina abandoned and Portuguese soldiers suffered from malaria and shortages.

East Africa seized the initiative by reopening New Hamburg City’s supply route, defeating Portugal in Angola, and recovering the Southern Frontier Province. As its forces prepared to finish the war in Mozambique, Count Roberts moved the Allied command inland to Shaquai.

• Ronald led First Company in a night raid on Luaina Village, capturing most of Alding's Portuguese company and accepting the surrender of a soldier who returned.
• Ernst and Svit planned a stronger campaign against Portugal while East African forces continued their slow advance against the Boers and prepared to challenge Allied naval control.
• East Africa’s fleet drove Allied ships from the Mozambique Channel, reopened the sea route to New Hamburg City, and blockaded Maputo and Durban.
• East African divisions invaded Angola from several directions, defeated Portuguese forces, and raced toward Luanda despite difficult terrain, mines, and logistical strains.
• The 331st and 421st Divisions coordinated their advance as East Africa captured Benguela, surrounded Luanda, and forced the city to surrender on October 31.
• Ernst ordered Portuguese prisoners detained as bargaining leverage, while East Africa began rebuilding Luanda and bringing settlers and skilled workers to Angola.
• East African forces relieved New Hamburg City, recovered the Southern Frontier Province, and captured more than eighteen thousand British troops as preparations continued for a decisive battle in Mozambique.
• As malaria and supply shortages weakened the Allied army, Count Roberts and Bugival moved their command and administrative institutions from Maputo to Shaquai, where they ordered new defenses built.

East Africa captured Maputo, defeated and surrounded the Allied forces in Mozambique, and advanced into Natal and toward Cape Town while Britain and Portugal considered peace. As East Africa rejected an early armistice offer, the Austro-Hungarian Empire arranged negotiations in Venice, where its delegation arrived amid European attention.

• Major General Mars led the 221st Division across the Save River, while Ernst reviewed the campaign plans and the navy prepared to help the Guard Division land near Maputo.
• On December 12, East Africa launched the Christmas Offensive, attacking Mozambique by land and sea as Schwar’s regiment secretly landed south of Maputo and linked up with the advancing forces.
• East African forces encircled Maputo, broke its defenses, and captured the city after Davis surrendered, and Owen then revealed to Merke that he was an East African agent who had served in the Portuguese army.
• East Africa routed Allied forces across Mozambique and trapped Count Roberts’s troops at Shaokui, while its counteroffensive in Natal drove the British and Indian defenders back.
• East African forces bombarded Shaokui on December 25, and Count Roberts and Bugival surrendered, and Roberts then agreed to urge the western Allied force near Saint George to surrender in exchange for protection, food, and medicine.
• As Britain’s Parliament questioned the cost and purpose of the war, Cecil agreed that Britain had to seek a ceasefire, while Carlos I and Frank accepted that Portugal could no longer challenge East Africa.
• Ernst rejected Britain’s proposal to restore prewar territories and ordered negotiations on the basis that Angola and Mozambique were East Africa’s bottom line, and meanwhile, East African forces prepared to advance toward East London and Port Elizabeth.
• On February 12, 1889, the Austro-Hungarian Empire invited East Africa, Britain, and Portugal to peace talks in Venice, but East Africa continued its offensive toward Cape Town as its delegation arrived.