Chapter 409: Belgian Congo
The concept of colonizing Africa had previously faced resistance and disunity in Belgium, leading King Leopold II to invest much time and effort into convincing parliament.
Using the Kingdom of East Africa as a compelling example, Leopold II managed to sway the opposition convincingly. The success of the Principality of Hechingen, despite its unfavorable conditions, further fueled his argument, given Belgium's larger size.
However, when Leopold II called upon his cabinet to draft a plan for colonization, it became clear that the ministers lacked one. Despite their education under the king, they struggled to formulate a coherent strategy.
Seeing this, Leopold II declared, "I expected as much. Since you cannot produce a plan, you will have to follow my lead."
He then brought out a map of Africa and explained, "This map shows Africa's regions controlled by various European powers. Red is France, blue is Portugal, gray is Spain, green is the United Kingdom, and black represents East Africa. The remaining areas are open to us."
He emphasized that colonial maps often held little reality, with countries making claims often based more on verbal declarations. Ultimately, control came down to who had the strongest fist.
However, the ministers expressed concerns about the risks of colonizing Africa, especially given the East African Kingdom's strong military presence. They doubted Leopold II's claim that the British had ceded territory in South Africa to East Africa.
Leopold II defended his position, citing the recent conflict in South Africa where the British had indeed yielded territory, covering over 100,000 square kilometers, to the East African Kingdom.
The ministers were skeptical, believing that such an incident would have been an international scandal and would have been widely reported. Leopold II explained that his information was sourced from officials in Cape Town and confirmed by Princess Charlotte, his sister.
While East Africa had maintained a policy of isolation, it wasn't entirely cut off from the outside world, allowing for occasional communication with Europe.
Leopold II continued to provide details about the East African Kingdom's military might, indicating that tens of thousands of troops had been deployed in South Africa, resulting in a significant victory. This revelation astounded the ministers.
Concerns about the cost of maintaining a large army were raised, but Leopold II argued that national defense should not be their primary concern. He pointed out that Belgium, due to its geographical location, could be drawn into a conflict if either Germany or France chose to act aggressively. Colonization, he believed, was a way to enhance national strength.
Leopold II stressed that they didn't need to send a large number of troops immediately and could learn from East Africa's approach. The development of a strong army was vital for a successful colonization effort.
When the ministers asked where to start their colonization efforts, Leopold II pointed to the Congo River's outlet. He explained that the area north of the outlet, known as the Kingdom of Ngoyo, was unclaimed land after the Portuguese stronghold there was destroyed. He dismissed concerns about neighboring colonies, as this region wasn't under Portuguese control.
One minister pointed out that France had a colony in the region. Leopold II assured them that the French presence wasn't a significant threat, as they only needed to focus on developing inland.
Belgium officially embarked on its mission to colonize Africa, choosing the area around the Congo River, which was named the Congo Colony. Unlike in the previous life, they wouldn't need to venture deep into the Congo rainforest or worry about access to the sea. Their path to colonization had begun.
(End of this chapter)