Chapter 129: Invasion
In the 16th century, Burundi emerged as a kingdom. The Tutsis, traditionally herders, established their rule over the local Hutu farmers. By the 17th century, the Kingdom of Burundi began expanding outward. By the early 19th century, King Ntal Ruga Amba had unified most of Burundi and controlled areas in present-day southern Rwanda and western Tanzania. However, the kingdom struggled to establish a centralized system of governance, leading to a state of decentralized separatism.
The central and western regions of Burundi are characterized by plateau terrain, while the terrain between the East African colonies is mostly flat. The defense of the Kingdom of Burundi primarily fell to the army and militias stationed in the Lake Solon area, which is the western section of the defense line stretching from the Great Lakes to Lake Solon.
To oversee frontline affairs more effectively, the East African colonial government established the Northwest Wartime Command in Kasanda. Yarman was personally responsible for this command, and based on prior intelligence analysis, he decided to target Burundi and Karawi first.
The Kingdom of Burundi was characterized by fragmentation, with numerous princes and warlords. On the other hand, the Kingdom of Karawi had fewer leaders, and it had suffered significant losses in the previous "purge" campaign, leaving it in a weakened state. Both kingdoms had been adversely affected and further divided due to the impact of the Eastern Bantu tribes.
Yarman believed that it was feasible to target these two countries simultaneously, splitting the main force of the East African army to handle tasks in both regions until they met at the border.
On May 3, 1868, the East African colonies launched an invasion of the Kingdom of Burundi and the Kingdom of Karawi without declaring war. The soldiers initially anticipated a substantial conflict given the unprecedented mobilization. However, the reality was quite different. The East African army encountered minimal resistance in Burundi and the southern part of the Karawi Kingdom, and it was challenging even to find any inhabitants.
The invasion consisted of killing, burning, and looting. However, there was little to plunder in these two countries, and the East African government's policy was to drive out the indigenous population rather than engage in looting.
The last "purge" campaign had been highly successful in depopulating the region, and the East African army seemed to march through deserted lands. In just three days, the western front of the East African army advanced over 100 kilometers, encountering few indigenous people along the way.
The indigenous population of these regions was ill-prepared for the firepower of the East African army. Many had never seen individuals of different races, let alone firearms. As a result, they often froze upon encountering the East African soldiers, who then faced minimal resistance.
The East African army's activities led to the burning of many abandoned villages, causing a sudden burst of fires throughout the controlled area. This was partly due to the lack of valuable goods in these villages and the need to prevent the spread of disease in these war-torn areas.
Orucci Reis led a team of over 300 people along the east bank of Lake Solon (Lake Tanganyika), heading north. They had encountered few inhabitants along the way. The team was moving rapidly, and if they didn't encounter significant resistance, they would soon reach the border of the Kingdom of Rwanda.
The entire combat area in Burundi extended approximately 100 miles forward, connecting with the Great Lakes region of the East African colony. The East African army had formed a straight line from northeast to southwest, slowly advancing southeast to northwest, aiming to conquer the four northwest countries.
Orucci Reis's team was the most western part of the East African army's frontline. Currently, they rested in Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi, where Lao Li and John Zhang, Chinese immigrant soldiers, were part of the team.
Orucci Reis's team consisted of over 40 regular troops, primarily Chinese immigrants. The influx of German immigrants had been relatively recent, and the number of German immigrants was still limited.
The recent introduction of German immigrants aimed to dilute the population ratio in various settlements and strengthen the spread of German culture. This process was part of the broader Germanization efforts in East Africa.
Most of the initial German mercenaries had already served in the East African colonial army and government agencies. Orucci Reis himself was one of the German mercenaries who had followed Yarman to East Africa.