Chapter 398: Every Dog Needs to Be Slapped Twice
Ernst was unaware of Cape Town's preparations for intervention in East Africa and was focused on intervention from Germany. He believed that any hopes of amicable relations between East Africa and Cape Town would be dashed, and intervention from Germany was the British Empire's best bet.
East Africa's strategic goal was to use natural barriers, such as mountains and rivers, to secure easily defensible areas and control mining regions in South Africa. Grigualand, now north of the Orange River, had it been located south of the river, might not have been annexed by East Africa due to its challenging terrain.
The border disputes between the Zulu Kingdom and Natal Colony highlighted the lack of clear boundaries in South Africa. The British, confident in their dominance, hadn't negotiated border treaties with indigenous populations, assuming they wouldn't be obstacles to their expansion.
In stark contrast, East Africa, like the UK, had also neglected such negotiations, having signed only one border treaty with Egypt due to its strategic importance. This treaty favored East Africa, resulting in Egypt ceding some "poor land" with oil resources in Sudan to East Africa.
The 514th Division, fresh from supporting Felix against the Zulu Kingdom, was now dispatched to the Kingdom of Basutoland (Lesotho) in the South African plateau. Ernst aimed to control the northern part of Basutoland, which served as a watershed for several significant rivers.
Ernst's strategy was to create a defense line called the Southern Line of Defense, using natural features like the Tugela River, Fite River, Champagne Mountains, Fal River, and the Orange River as boundaries. This defense line was primarily aimed at the Cape Colony.
While East Africa had antagonized various forces in South Africa, including the Boers, Swazis, Zulus, Basotho, Griguarans (Boers), and the British, Ernst had to exercise restraint, especially when it came to Cape Town. Attacking Cape Town directly would not be a mere conflict but a declaration of war against Britain itself.
Grigualand and Basutoland were targets, but Ernst didn't intend to completely erase Basutoland from the map, choosing to occupy only its northern part. These two conflict areas were part of the Cape Colony but not its core. The focus was on the Cape Colony itself, and the conflict had shifted from internal disputes to external confrontations.
The war against the Zulu Kingdom was challenging due to the terrain, but the East African cavalry division and mountain division changed the dynamics. The cavalry division excelled in open areas, while the mountain division had the upper hand in the Drakensberg Mountains, the Zulu Kingdom's home terrain.
The Zulu Kingdom had only recently arrived in the region, with the original inhabitants being the Khoisan people. The region was previously the territory of the Khoisan people, who were now mainly found in the Cape Colony. The Khoisan people were of mixed race due to the arrival of Bantu peoples like the Zulus.
The Zulu Kingdom's nomadic lifestyle didn't afford them familiarity with mountainous terrain, which was the specialty of the East African Mountain Division. This became a significant advantage for East Africa during the conflict.
The Zulu Kingdom was eventually cornered into the Fort Champagne Mountain, and the East African Army continued its pursuit until the remnants of the Zulu Kingdom reached Natal Colony. The Zulu Kingdom was effectively defeated.
On June 12, 1872, East Africa captured Maseru, the capital of the Kingdom of Basutoland (Lesotho), forcing the kingdom to relocate its capital to Guting in the south. Basutoland sought British assistance.
On June 14, 1872, the Transvaal Republic's government-in-exile arrived in Cape Town, with Pretorius the Younger attempting to restore the country.
(End of this chapter)