Chapter Summaries

Sankara reprimanded Kroko for risking civilians while the National Security Committee allowed the landlords’ planned attacks to nearly begin, then praised the operation’s results. He ordered the arrest of every landlord led by Kanel and sent two infantry brigades to help enforce it.

• Kroko reported that the National Security Committee and the Ministry of Public Security had stopped a terrorist plot organized by landlords led by Kanel.
• Sankara criticized Kroko for waiting until the attacks were imminent and stressed that protecting civilians had to come first.
• Sankara acknowledged the operation’s success and said it had advanced agricultural reform by several months.
• Sankara ordered the arrest of all landlords led by Kanel, whether or not they had participated in the attacks.
• Sankara sent the 3rd Infantry Brigade and the 6th Infantry Brigade to assist, and authorized deadly force if the landlords resisted.

Kanel boasted that his armed men could defeat Sankara’s forces, then ordered his guards to resist when Sankara’s troops arrived to take him in. Explosions and gunfire erupted outside before Kanel could act, leaving him furious and ready to fight.

• Kanel showed off his expensive American air conditioner while his guests flattered him and raised concerns about their arrested men and Sankara’s response.
• Kanel dismissed their fears, claiming his gunmen outnumbered Sankara’s inexperienced forces and threatening to replace him as president.
• A messenger reported that police and at least a thousand soldiers had surrounded the village and demanded Kanel surrender within five minutes.
• Kanel ordered his guards to arm themselves and assemble at the village entrance.
• Explosions, gunfire, and screams broke out outside, and Kanel vowed to show Sankara whose guns were stronger.

After the landlords and Kanel were captured, a major confronted them over their rebellion and Kanel’s insults against Sankara. The prisoners were taken away in military vehicles, while police and officials stayed behind to handle the aftermath.

• A major approached the freezing landlords, who blamed Kanel for the resistance and begged for warm clothes.
• The major asked Kanel whether he had learned whose gun was stronger, and the landlords testified that Kanel had insulted Sankara.
• Enraged by Kanel’s remarks, the major punched him and said the president had not required the army to take him alive.
• The major eventually let the landlords scramble for the military greatcoats, mocking them as they pleaded not to have the coats taken back.
• Kanel, the landlords, and other arrested resisters were loaded onto military vehicles, leaving police officers and officials to manage the aftermath.

At the front in Nijia, Aaron read soldiers a newspaper report about the foiled terrorist plot in Dugagu and the execution of Alain Kanel and his accomplices. The soldiers celebrated the news before Platoon Leader Blondin received urgent orders from the company commander.

• Soldiers in the 213th Battalion discussed casualties from the two previous battalions and worried about their own first days in combat.
• A platoon leader brought Aaron a newspaper, and the soldiers gathered around to hear its news.
• Aaron read that the National Security Committee had stopped Kanel’s planned terrorist attack in Dugagu without any casualties.
• Aaron reported that government forces had killed 474 armed terrorists, arrested Kanel and fifty-four others, and executed all fifty-five after trial.
• The soldiers cheered Kanel’s execution, then a messenger arrived with urgent orders for Platoon Leader Blondin.

Sankara announced a one-trillion-franc Five-Year Infrastructure Plan and invited officials to offer proposals for it. He promised rewards for useful suggestions and said a capable official could be appointed commander-in-chief of the plan.

• A signalman told Blondin that the National Liberation Alliance was retreating and ordered his platoon to take over the company’s positions while the company attacked.
• Officials from the Finance, Transport, and Construction ministries gathered at the presidential palace for Sankara’s meeting.
• Sankara announced plans to invest one trillion North African francs in roads, railways, power grids, and sewers over five years, funded by expected gold-mining revenue.
• The officials reacted with shock and excitement, questioning the scale of the investment and who would control the program.
• Sankara invited the officials to share their ideas without fear of punishment and offered rewards, including possible appointment as commander-in-chief of the plan.

Sankara concluded a meeting on the Five-Year Infrastructure Plan without choosing its commander-in-chief, then heard from Katelai that the National Liberation Alliance had withdrawn across the Nijia front. He asked whether the United Anti-Government Armed Forces had also retreated from Bugani, but the chapter ended before Katelai answered.

• Ministry of Finance officials and other attendees eagerly debated the Five-Year Infrastructure Plan and competed for the commander-in-chief position.
• Sankara ended the meeting, saying he had candidates in mind, though he had not actually chosen anyone.
• Katelai waited outside the conference hall, and Sankara took him to his office to discuss news from the front.
• Katelai reported that the National Liberation Alliance had withdrawn along the entire Nijia front and government troops had retaken the occupied territory.
• Katelai said the alliance may have retreated because of mounting casualties, while the French role remained unclear.
• Sankara asked whether the United Anti-Government Armed Forces attacking Bugani had withdrawn, but Katelai had not yet replied.

Sankara decided to honor the promised bonus for Claude and the other brigade leaders, but rejected Katelai’s proposal to force them into the Ministry of National Defense or destroy their forces. With the war in Bugani still underway, he left the question of how to handle them unresolved and asked what to do next.

• Katelai told Sankara that the United Anti-Government Army had launched another offensive after the National Liberation Alliance withdrew.
• Sankara decided to ask the Soviet Union for intelligence about the opposing forces’ actions.
• Katelai asked whether the government should pay Claude and the others their promised billion North African francs, and Sankara ordered the money divided according to their brigades’ contributions.
• Katelai proposed promoting Claude and the others into the Ministry of National Defense or wiping out their forces if they refused, but Sankara warned that this could provoke the four brigades in Bugani to defect.
• Katelai apologized for his flawed plan, Sankara reassured him, and Katelai asked how they should proceed.

Sankara and Katelai devised ways to keep Claude and his forces from growing stronger by sending them to reclaim territory and gradually transferring their best soldiers into the Army Senior Officer School. Meanwhile, French intelligence learned that its mercenaries had killed the National Liberation Alliance’s leaders and retreated after suffering severe daily casualties, leaving the director stunned by the scale of the losses.

• Sankara proposed ordering Claude and his forces to attack the National Liberation Alliance and recover lost territory, weakening them while investigating the Alliance’s sudden retreat.
• Katelai suggested transferring a few of Claude’s best officers and soldiers at a time through promotions, and Sankara planned to enroll them in the Army Senior Officer School.
• Sankara told Katelai to summon the Ministry of National Defense’s staff officers so they could develop a practical plan together.
• At the Élysée Palace, the North African Strategic Intelligence Bureau’s director demanded an explanation for the National Liberation Alliance’s retreat.
• An intelligence officer reported that the mercenaries sent by the French had killed Alliance leaders who opposed retreat and then led the Alliance out of the fighting.
• The officer revealed that the Alliance had suffered roughly 150 to 200 deaths and 400 wounded per day, while the mercenaries had suffered over forty deaths and 150 wounded per day, and the director struggled to believe the figures.

The brigade commanders discussed the Ministry of National Defense’s order to send their battle-hardened personnel to the Army Senior Officer School, while preparing to attack National Liberation Alliance territory. Orore learned that his transfer had been approved, leaving him stunned at the prospect of becoming a senior officer.

• Alexander, the Ailidun Brigade commander, and Claude agreed they could not refuse orders to attack the National Liberation Alliance, despite suspecting the transfers would weaken their forces.
• The Ailidun Brigade commander warned Bal that opposing the Army Senior Officer School transfers could destroy his future, and Alexander agreed to comply.
• Soldiers in Orore’s trench celebrated after learning he had been admitted to the Army Senior Officer School by special exception.
• The battalion commander presented Orore with the transfer order bearing Joseph Claude’s approval and urged him not to forget his supporters.
• Orore read the brigade commander’s signature and silently realized he might become a senior officer.

The United Anti-Government Army's leaders argued over their stalled advance on Bugani, while mercenaries controlling the National Liberation Alliance's remaining forces debated their future in Li Bal. Their plans to settle in the territory were interrupted when they learned the Republic of Burkina's government forces had attacked.

• A scar-faced man and his companion mocked the United Anti-Government Army's infighting and blamed its factions for being pinned down near Bugani.
• In Li Bal, starving civilians watched a machine-gun pickup pass through the decaying city toward a luxurious estate.
• Foreign mercenaries argued over killing the National Liberation Alliance's leaders and whether they could return to France.
• The one-eyed boss proposed ruling the Alliance's territory and paying the men, while the others worried about their troops and the Republic of Burkina.
• A mercenary rushed in and reported that the Republic of Burkina's government forces had launched an attack.