Chapter Summaries

East Africa profited from supplying Germany with processed strategic materials and finished goods while the Far East Empire and Germany also gained from the trade. On the French front, German soldiers discussed how East African imports and new helmet designs had displaced domestic production, leaving Conrad jobless before he was sent to the trenches.

• Ernst judged that East African trade with the Far East Empire and Germany benefited all three by expanding markets and supplying Germany with resources and processing capacity.
• At Kermelchi, Conrad and Hans smoked East African cigarettes and discussed Germany’s growing reliance on imported military supplies.
• Conrad explained that his helmet factory had made traditional spiked helmets, while Germany’s new Stahlhelm M16 and East African steel helmets had replaced much of its production.
• Conrad said East African helmet imports and outsourced textile production had cost him his factory job and made his tailoring skills less useful.
• Conrad told his comrades that East African helmets had once been mocked by German designers, but their protection and production capacity had proved superior for the demands of trench warfare.

Du Ping negotiated grain prices with the Italian merchant Tekka in Mombasa, balancing immediate profits against the value of maintaining a trade channel to Europe. They reached a small discount, and Du Ping left the relationship intact as a hedge against wartime shipping disruptions.

• The chapter described Germany’s growing dependence on East African trade and the shift in their economic balance as East Africa’s industry advanced.
• Mombasa’s population surpassed one million, while its dominance over northern East African trade remained unchallenged by Gabon’s undeveloped region.
• Tekka asked Du Ping to cut his grain prices by twenty Rheinland Shields per ton, citing other East African cities as alternatives.
• Du Ping refused the full reduction but offered a discount of three Rheinland Shields per ton, and Tekka accepted the deal.
• Du Ping valued Tekka as a potential route for grain trade with the Central Powers if Britain and France obstructed existing routes.

East African officials debated building a railway across the Sahara to reduce British interference with trade routes to Europe. Ernst decided to use a proposed railway through Egypt as a bluff to pressure Britain over Red Sea shipping, and the government prepared to approach Egypt publicly.

• John Liar reported that British warships had searched East African ships and that British inspections at the Suez Canal had tightened.
• Merke proposed constructing railways across the Sahara to reach the Mediterranean by land, prompting debate over feasibility and cost.
• Andre said the railway posed no insurmountable technical problems but would likely be unprofitable outside East African territory.
• Merke suggested a route from Jezira City through Egypt to Alexandria, while Svit and Andre argued that British control of Egypt and Red Sea shipping made it impractical.
• Ernst directed the ministers to publicize the Egyptian railway proposal and contact the Egyptian government to pressure Britain into easing restrictions on Red Sea trade.

Ernst and East African officials discussed the impractical Sahara Railway and considered how to overcome Britain’s control of key sea routes. He argued East Africa should stay out of the European War, leaving it positioned to benefit whichever side won.

• Ernst told officials that a railway through Libya might be worth considering if surveys revealed valuable resources, but that the route could not proceed without the Kingdom of Southern Germany.
• Ernst concluded that the Sahara Railway was too expensive and slow to solve East Africa’s immediate trade problems, and urged officials to seek other solutions.
• Ernst explained how Britain’s control of strategic waterways and overseas bases left East Africa vulnerable to a blockade.
• Ernst argued that East Africa should avoid a direct war with Britain and let the European powers exhaust themselves, so East Africa could gain influence and territory afterward.
• Ernst contrasted East Africa’s growing overseas reach with the United States’ limited ability to expand politically or territorially during the war.

Ernst and his officials discussed countering Britain's interference with East African trade during the First World War. East Africa planned to accelerate the Basra Railway, but it also needed other routes to preserve trade with the Central Powers and repay its European debts.

• The chapter described how East Africa had rapidly transformed into a world power through centralized policies, industrial growth, infrastructure, and immigration.
• Merke urged Ernst to expand trade routes and speed up construction of the Basra Railway to bypass Britain's obstruction.
• Ernst ordered the railway project accelerated, with the goal of opening the route before July, after abandoning plans to use it as leverage in a territorial deal with the Ottoman Empire.
• Ernst reviewed East Africa's three-tier oil security, based on domestic resources, overseas colonies, and investments in foreign oil-producing countries.
• Ernst explained that East Africa still owed European nations debts and that competition with the United States had reduced trade profits, making alternative routes to the Central Powers increasingly urgent.

Ernst explained that East Africa needed to use the European War to overcome its debt and development bottlenecks, then build a Southern Hemisphere economic system centered on East Africa. The chapter left officials energized by his plan to turn East Africa into a world power by binding Southern Hemisphere countries into its regional market.

• Ernst described East Africa’s four stages of development and warned that its industrial growth had created a new bottleneck and left its foundations insufficient.
• Ernst argued that after the European War, Britain and France would counter late-developing nations, so East Africa needed to use the wartime opening to strengthen its economy and influence.
• Ernst proposed a Southern Hemisphere economic system centered on East Africa, with the Southern Seas and South America supporting its future development.
• Ernst said East Africa should use its maritime advantages and both threats and inducements to bring Southern Hemisphere countries into its economic sphere.
• East African officials responded with enthusiasm to Ernst’s plan for building a regional market that could withstand exclusion from the wider world market.

Dar es Salaam began a citywide cleanup and safety campaign as officials prepared to host East Africa’s first World Expo. Chris told Edson that the exposition was planned for October and would be jointly hosted by Dar es Salaam, First Town, and Bagamoyo, leaving the city preparing for a huge influx of visitors.

• Dar es Salaam departments launched coordinated inspections and enforcement to improve sanitation, traffic, public security, and safety.
• Edson asked police officer Chris why so many civil servants were working across the city, and Chris explained that the campaign was intended to improve the city’s image.
• Chris told Edson that Dar es Salaam had been chosen to host an international exposition, prompting Edson to ask whether it was a World Expo.
• Chris confirmed that the exposition was expected in October and would involve Dar es Salaam, First Town, and Bagamoyo.
• Chris explained that the city expected its population to exceed two million during the exposition and was preparing public services for the visitors.

First Town prepared to host much of the East Africa World Expo by repurposing idle venues and former diplomatic buildings. The exposition was intended to showcase East Africa’s economic and industrial strength, and preparations had to be completed before October.

• Teren said First Town would provide 58 percent of the Expo venues, more than Dar es Salaam city or Bagamoyo city.
• Teren and Su Jiade agreed that Sweat Palace and the vacant former diplomatic embassies could serve as exhibition sites and visitor accommodations.
• Teren assigned First Town to select exhibition areas and plan routes, requiring the work to be completed before October.
• The chapter explained that intercity rail, highways, and water transport linked the three host cities and made it easy for visitors to travel between them.
• East Africa used the World Expo to attract foreign visitors, correct outdated perceptions, and display its economic and industrial power.

East Africa prepared to use its World Expo to expand its influence, especially in South America, while the Far East Empire considered joining the event. The chapter left East Africa positioning the expo as a showcase for its strength and a bid to draw countries away from Britain and France.

• The Far East President asked Yang Du why East Africa was holding a World Expo while America’s Panama Exposition was still underway.
• Yang Du explained that expos promoted exports and argued East Africa’s event could serve as a contest for influence with America.
• The President agreed and ordered a delegation sent to East Africa, using the trip to expose certain people to East Africa’s imperial strength.
• East Africa focused its invitations on Oceania and South America, particularly Brazil, Argentina, Peru, and Venezuela.
• East Africa planned to showcase its industries and economy to win the trust of South American countries as Britain and France remained occupied in Europe.

East Africa welcomed Brazil’s delegation to the Dar es Salaam World Expo, a gathering designed to bring together countries and regions of the global south. After Prince Karls handed the delegation to Rhodes, Pereira toured the orderly, automobile-filled city and saw evidence of East Africa’s industrial strength.

• Prince Karls welcomed Pereira and praised Brazil’s participation in the Dar es Salaam World Expo.
• Karls explained that East Africa had invited forty-three countries and regions, with special support for delegations from the south.
• Karls assigned Deputy Minister of Commerce Rhodes to guide the Brazilian delegation as he continued receiving visitors.
• Rhodes arranged the delegation’s stay at the Oriental Hotel and showed Pereira the luxury cars and services prepared for them.
• Pereira marveled at Dar es Salaam’s traffic, and Rhodes said East Africa had tens of millions of registered automobiles.

Rhodes described East Africa’s widespread urban development and balanced network of major cities to Brazilian visitor Pereira, who compared it favorably with Brazil’s concentrated, foreign-controlled economy. Pereira left recognizing how far East Africa had surpassed Brazil, while the chapter also outlined Cape Town’s growth and South Africa’s weakness relative to East Africa.

• Rhodes told Pereira that East African cities had extensive automobile traffic and many populations exceeding five hundred thousand.
• Pereira explained that Brazilian exhibition companies had reached Dar es Salaam by sea, by East African railways, or from their West Coast business bases.
• Pereira praised the development of East African cities he had seen, saying Cape Town could not rank among them.
• Rhodes noted that Cape Town had once been Sub-Saharan Africa’s largest city but had since been surpassed by numerous East African cities.
• The chapter described how British extraction and military costs constrained South Africa, whose coastal economy was vulnerable to East Africa.
• Pereira concluded that Dar es Salaam’s urban construction, industry, and transportation far surpassed Rio de Janeiro’s.

Brazilian exhibition delegates admired Dar es Salaam’s modern skyline and infrastructure while comparing East Africa’s mixed population and development with Brazil and Germany. Their discussion highlighted Mombasa’s role as East Africa’s showcase city, though the chapter left unexplained why the World Expo was held in Dar es Salaam instead.

• Brazilian delegates in a car discussed Dar es Salaam’s high-rises, traffic, and urban infrastructure.
• Yodeler described East Africa as dreamlike and unlike the Germany his grandfather had known, while noting its mixed population and lack of visible Black residents.
• Yodeler said Dar es Salaam was at least twenty years ahead of Brazil’s cities and superior to Rio de Janeiro in construction and environment.
• The delegates discussed how Mombasa’s location and steel-and-concrete skyline made it East Africa’s window to the world.
• The account noted that Mombasa was not chosen to host the exhibition because its capacity was limited compared with the Dar es Salaam metropolitan area.

Brazilian exhibitors traveled through Dar es Salaam and praised East Africa’s roads, traffic rules, cleanliness, and public health. Their driver Fukelini presented East Africa as an orderly and prosperous model, leaving the Brazilians convinced it was a “Utopia.”

• The East African government chose the Dar es Salaam city cluster for the exhibition, while Mombasa remained the region’s leading trade and information hub.
• Yodeler noticed Dar es Salaam’s paved roads and distinctive markings, then asked driver Fukelini to explain the traffic rules.
• Fukelini described road markings, green belts, and electric traffic lights, and Yodeler translated his explanations for the Brazilian exhibitors.
• Fukelini praised East Africa’s sanitation measures and claimed they had reduced tropical disease and made the country unusually safe.
• The Brazilians compared East Africa’s infrastructure and public health with Brazil’s and accepted Fukelini’s favorable account of East Africa.

At the Dar es Salaam industrial exhibition, Baster discussed trade with Australian businessman Howard and became interested in an iron ore deposit Howard had found on his ranch. Howard was seeking a partner to develop the distant mine, and Baster considered the opportunity for resource-hungry East Africa.

• Baster welcomed Western Australia-East Africa Business Association president Howard and discussed Australia's wartime economic gains and its trade with East Africa.
• Howard described his exhibits, which included wool products, agricultural goods, handicrafts, and iron ore.
• Baster noted that East Africa's demand for textiles was limited, while Howard explained that his wool products for the East African market were mainly handicrafts.
• Howard revealed that a ranch hand had discovered a sizable iron ore deposit on his remote ranch and that he lacked the workers and transport needed to develop it.
• Baster grew interested in the deposit because East Africa's large industrial appetite made additional mineral resources valuable.

Baster showed Howard Dar es Salaam’s industrial district, where Howard compared East Africa’s energy infrastructure and urban services with Perth and London. Their tour ended with Howard impressed by the city’s power supply, cleaner air, and sewage systems, while Baster’s interest in Western Australian iron ore remained uncertain.

• Baster asked Howard to show him the Western Australian iron ore samples, and Howard said they were at his hotel.
• Howard continued touring Dar es Salaam’s southern harbor district with Baster, who showed him the Parrsim Power Plant and described the city’s electricity supply.
• Howard compared the power plant with Perth’s facilities, and Baster explained that Dar es Salaam’s industrial districts consumed most of the city’s electricity.
• Howard remarked that Dar es Salaam had less smoke than London, and Baster attributed this to electricity, internal combustion engines, and cleaner household fuels.
• Howard was surprised by Dar es Salaam’s sewage and rainwater systems, and Baster described the city’s underground pipes and southern harbor sewage treatment plant.

Howard visited Dar es Salaam city's aluminum smelter with Baster and saw how extensive East Africa’s aluminum industry had become. The visit left Howard impressed by aluminum’s industrial potential, and he learned that the smelter used both domestic and imported bauxite.

• Howard asked Baster to take him to see Dar es Salaam city's aluminum smelter, and Baster agreed to show him the outside.
• Baster explained that Dar es Salaam city's smelter was Coastal Province’s second-largest, while the largest was in Morogoro city.
• Baster described Xindai city as the center of East Africa’s aluminum industry and noted the rapid growth of aluminum production on the West Coast.
• Howard inspected the large Dar es Salaam city smelter and recognized aluminum as an important industrial material with strong prospects.
• Howard asked where the smelter obtained its raw materials, and Baster said it used bauxite from southern East Africa and imports, including from Vietnam.

The chapter described East Africa’s flourishing trade with India and its interest in preserving India’s princely states to prevent a unified rival from emerging. Howard then saw East Africa as the wealthy industrial partner Australia needed and planned to expand Western Australia’s mineral trade, leaving him ready to pursue agreements with the East African government.

• The chapter explained how Dar es Salaam imported coal and iron ore from India and how East Africa’s trade with Indian princes and nobles grew after 1914.
• Ernst and the East African government favored India’s princely-state system because they did not want a unified India to threaten East African interests.
• Howard discussed Vietnam and Australia’s bauxite and other mineral resources with Baster.
• Howard compared Australia’s position with Canada’s and concluded that East Africa could serve as Australia’s wealthy industrial partner.
• Howard said he would urge the Western Australia-East Africa Business Association to reach agreements directly with the East African government.

A Far East Empire delegation arrived in Dar es Salaam city for the East Africa World Expo and was welcomed by Chinese students studying there. The delegation, led by the recently retired Chief Zhang, toured the city and was astonished by East Africa’s development.

• Official and civilian personnel from the Far East Empire arrived in Dar es Salaam city and admired its orderly, modern streets and buildings.
• The chapter described how East Africa began accepting Far East Empire students in 1900, and how their numbers grew to more than seven thousand by 1915.
• Wang Hailong, president of the Far East Empire Students' Association at Dar es Salaam University of Technology, welcomed Chief Zhang and the delegation.
• Wang Hailong arranged government vehicles and lodging for the visitors, and Chief Zhang recognized their Alto automobile as the same model he used at home.
• Chief Zhang and the delegation toured Dar es Salaam city and were struck by its buildings, automobiles, and infrastructure.

Chief Zhang and Wang Hailong discussed East Africa’s rapid rise and what it could teach the Far East Empire as they traveled past prosperous Dar es Salaam. Chief Zhang left feeling more hopeful about his country’s future, while cautioning Wang Hailong to study East Africa without surrendering his judgment.

• Chief Zhang asked Wang Hailong whether the Far East Empire could still surpass the Western nations after seeing Dar es Salaam’s prosperity.
• Wang Hailong reassured Chief Zhang that East Africa had risen from a backward colony and argued that the Far East Empire could also recover its strength.
• Chief Zhang agreed that East Africa’s achievements showed the potential of people with Far Eastern ancestry and drew confidence from seeing them thriving in the city.
• Wang Hailong said East Africa’s experience was worth studying and could offer lessons beyond those of Japan.
• Chief Zhang warned Wang Hailong that great powers pursued their interests ruthlessly and told him to retain his judgment while studying in East Africa.

On the train to First Town, Wang Hailong explained East Africa’s electrified railway and national power grid to Chief Zhang, describing the country’s coal and hydropower distribution. The chapter left them traveling toward the East Africa World Expo with Chief Zhang learning how South Coal North Transport and West Electricity East Transport supplied the nation.

• Wang Hailong explained that the Dar es Salaam Intercity Railway linked four mainland cities and ran on electricity.
• Chief Zhang and his assistant observed the railway’s power lines and smoke-free trains as Wang Hailong described electrification and East Africa’s national grid.
• Wang Hailong explained how East Africa transported coal north from southern regions and converted coal into electricity for transmission.
• Wang Hailong described East Africa’s West Electricity East Transport strategy and Kasaï Province’s major hydropower resources.
• Wang Hailong explained that East Africa prioritized Kasaï Province’s hydropower development to support central industry and limit risks in a sparsely populated region.