The defection of Hussein Kamil, the Sultan of Egypt, to Germany utterly eradicated British influence in Egypt. During the battle for Cairo, the Egyptian forces turned against the British, delivering a devastating blow that resulted in the complete annihilation of the British army in the city.
In the subsequent battles within Egypt, the German forces shifted to a supporting role, with the Egyptian army taking the lead. Hussein Kamil, in his quest to secure his rule, understood well that after aligning with Germany, the British presence in Egypt had to be entirely purged. Otherwise, he would be doomed to face relentless assassination attempts.
Despite the Egyptian army's lackluster combat capability, the British main force had already been neutralized by the Germans. Furthermore, the Egyptians' familiarity with the terrain proved advantageous, allowing them to perform reasonably well in the ensuing battles.
The main force of the German 8th Army turned eastward, targeting the Suez Canal, a crucial waterway that held immense strategic importance for Germany. In contrast to other areas, this vital artery connecting the East and West was of paramount importance.
With Gibraltar already under German control, the capture of the Suez Canal would essentially seal off both ends of the Mediterranean, placing the entire sea under German dominion. Should Germany choose to, they could easily sever trade between East and West.
Of course, an alternative route via the Cape of Good Hope existed, but it was exceedingly inconvenient. The majority of vessels relied on the Suez Canal for passage.
The British had already withdrawn most of their forces from the Suez Canal. Faced with the German advance, they were unable to mount any significant resistance. However, during their retreat, the British planted vast amounts of explosives along both banks of the canal. When they were forced to abandon their positions, they detonated these charges, causing considerable damage to the canal's banks. As a result, the German forces, upon assuming control, had to deploy repair teams to restore the damage.
Nevertheless, the battle for Egypt concluded with a German victory. Despite the British putting up a desperate fight, it proved ineffectual. The Suez Canal, unlike the Panama Canal, lacked locks or similar infrastructure. Had it been like the Panama Canal, where locks and other key structures had been destroyed, the canal's reopening would have taken a considerable amount of time.
"Your Majesty, the 8th Army has completed the Egyptian campaign. The entire campaign took only half a month. General Ludendorff plans to allow the troops to rest for a week while awaiting logistical resupply before advancing into the Middle East!" reported Marshal von Falkenhayn.
Qin Tian nodded. He knew that the German assault on the British colonies would not be a swift endeavor; it would require one or two years. Furthermore, operations in North Africa posed additional challenges. Although the enemy forces were weak, the German soldiers would have to contend with the harsh climate—heat, drought, and sandstorms. For those unaccustomed to the region, these conditions would be extremely difficult to endure. Non-combat losses due to environmental factors could even surpass those suffered in battle. In light of this, slowing down the pace of the offensive to preserve the fighting strength of the troops was undeniably crucial.
"The military and government must cooperate in Egypt to ensure our control. At the very least, Egypt must become our loyal servant. We must make sure they bite whoever we command them to!" Qin Tian declared.
"Yes, Your Majesty," the ministers of the Empire responded in unison.
"Your Majesty, during the British retreat, they used explosives to destroy large sections of the Suez Canal's banks. While the waterway is not significantly impacted at the moment, further repairs will be necessary," reported Prime Minister Barlow.
"Establish a specialized canal management company to handle its maintenance, management, and toll collection. Inform the Egyptian Sultan that he must ensure the safety of the canal. In return, we will allocate twenty percent of the annual toll revenue to him," Qin Tian said.
Though Germany was powerful, the distance to the canal was great. If the Egyptians were to meddle with the waterway, Germany would have little recourse. Sharing a portion of the profits would incentivize the Egyptians to diligently manage the canal.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Prime Minister Barlow nodded in agreement.
"Your Majesty, we cannot leave the canal's defense entirely to the Egyptians; we must have our own armed forces in control. This way, we can not only station a force at the canal but also ensure our influence over Egypt. In case of any sudden changes in Egypt, we can mobilize our troops immediately," suggested Marshal von Falkenhayn.
Qin Tian pondered for a moment before replying, "Establish a Canal Security Force, consisting of ten battalions, each with the strength of a regiment. The training and equipment should meet the army's standards. This force, numbering over ten thousand men, will ensure our control over the canal and solidify our influence in Egypt. As for funding, we will draw from the canal's toll revenue."
"Yes, Your Majesty," both Marshal von Falkenhayn and Prime Minister Barlow nodded.
"Your Majesty, stationing military forces at the canal may provoke discontent from other nations, especially since all countries had previously agreed to keep the canal demilitarized," said Foreign Minister Wahid.
"We are not stationing an army; it is merely a security force, not a combat force!" Qin Tian retorted, clearly playing on semantics.
Wahid chose not to press further, recognizing that Qin Tian was already aware of the situation. He trusted that the Emperor would handle the matter appropriately. While other nations might protest Germany's military presence in the Suez Canal, such protests were unlikely to lead to any concrete action. After all, these nations dared not challenge Germany directly. As the world's dominant power, Germany could afford to be somewhat brazen, with no real threat from other nations.
"Now that we control both Gibraltar and the Suez Canal, the entire Mediterranean is practically our private lake!" said Admiral Reinhardt Scheer with evident excitement.
Indeed, while the northern shores of the Mediterranean remained under the control of various nations, the southern shores had almost all become German colonies, transforming the Mediterranean into Germany's own internal sea.